Happy Fall Y'all!
Greetings!

Now that everyone is back in the groove of fall, holidays are just around the corner! Everyone loves to gather in the kitchen with the smell of good food and family togetherness. If your kitchen isn't quite as family friendly as you like, you may want to think about remodeling. Visit our website's Inspirations Gallery to see some great ideas you can do outside or inside your home. When you are ready, contact us to set up a free consultation to see how we can help you!
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The Five Most Common Kitchen Floor Plans
Every kitchen remodeling is unique regarding the aesthetic needs of the homeowner. Cabinets, appliances, flooring, tile, and countertops may be specific to each home, but kitchen layouts typically fall into the following design templates. These floor plans have become standardized specifically because they offer homeowners the most efficient use of space for their particular remodeling situations. Of course, there are often design variations within specific plans, but for this topic, lets explore the pros and cons of the five most common kitchen floor plan shapes.
The L-Shaped Kitchen
The L-shaped kitchen is a well-established design whose ergonomics make it a sensible and popular choice for many homeowners. What makes it work is that it supports the kitchen work triangle with specific preparation, cooking and clean-up areas. The L-shape is a perfect choice for smaller kitchen spaces that cannot fit an island into the design or are not large enough to accommodate a “G-shaped” design.
The L-shape design is timeless and works well in any aesthetic style or décor. The shape refers to the floor plan layout where the kitchen design is built into a corner where two walls form a perpendicular angle, where one wall is at least twice as long as the other.
The U-Shaped or Horseshoe Shaped Kitchen
The horseshoe or U-shaped kitchen features cabinets and appliances lining three walls. It's an efficient design that is perfect for freeing up floor space in the kitchen.
The U-shaped kitchen maximizes wall space by using the walls for cabinets and appliances. The nature of the design makes it easy for the home chef to access various areas of the kitchen without needing to cross the room. If the existing kitchen doesn't allow for three walls to be used, an island can serve the same function. The U-shaped kitchen works in many different kitchen styles, and the size of the space is not a determining factor. When designing the space, make sure to place your most used appliances within a single working triangle. This will allow you to use the space more efficiently.
G-Shaped or Peninsula Kitchen Floor Plan
The G-shaped or peninsula kitchen is the term used to describe a situation where cabinetry includes a prep-area peninsula and four walls of storage. It got its name because this design resembles the letter “G” on a blueprint grid.
This design is an extension of the “U-shaped” kitchen and is often a logical upgrade for those homeowners who already have the U-shaped kitchen cabinetry installed. A G-shaped kitchen increases the number of base cabinets included in the design, and this increases storage space along with a more streamlined cooking area.
This design is popular not only for the increase in storage but also the facility offered to the home chef, surrounding them with a variety of close countertop options for prep and immediate access to cooking tools and supplies. The extra counter space is reachable during the entire food preparation process and can make preparing complex meals more efficient. It's a great design for prep, cooking, and clean-up with all stations conveniently accessible to the central area of the kitchen. The peninsula or G-shaped kitchen offers a tighter countertop configuration that is perfect for larger kitchens.
One Wall Kitchen Floor Plan
This design is built along a single wall. It's typically found in smaller homes and efficiency or studio apartments and is used to conserve floor space and lower construction costs.
A one wall kitchen has all of the cabinets, countertops, and appliances built along one wall. This means that the homeowner must perform all of the tasks associated with cooking in a single space. Because of the limited space, a one wall kitchen will often contain smaller appliances like a compact refrigerator or range. These appliances are typically separated by the sink. Modern one wall designs will often feature an island located directly across from the wall which allows the chef more space to work. While this design does offer limited options, it does have benefits. A one wall kitchen allows the homeowner to prepare, cook, and clean-up in a single compact space which is very convenient. This layout has become more popular recently with owners who have plenty of space, yet want their kitchen to have a more open feel.
Galley or Corridor Kitchen
A galley kitchen is perfect for homes with a smaller space for a kitchen, which features more length than width. Regarding space, galley kitchens are economical but can be inefficient if not thoughtfully designed. This style is found in many apartments. While most homeowners would prefer more space, it's important to understand that the galley kitchen is the choice of most restaurants and professional chefs because it can be an extremely efficient design if a proper kitchen triangle incorporated.
A galley kitchen works well when outfitted with open shelving and glass cabinetry. Closed cabinetry can visually shrink the space and give it a more confined look and feel. A popular addition to the galley kitchen is a pass-through window to facilitate moving food from the kitchen to the dining area efficiently. Galley kitchen designs are cramped, but the can be incredibly functional if you carefully plan your design.

Your CHW kitchen designer can offer you more options regarding layouts for these five favorite designs. It is important when planning a kitchen remodel and choosing a floor plan, that you make sure to take your lifestyle and space needs into account. Chances are, you'll find your perfect floor plan design in one of these five popular options! If you're planning a complete kitchen remodeling project in the greater Columbia area, contact us .

Product Spotlight!
No matter your kitchen layout shape or size, The Galley is something every kitchen should have ! Innovation is defined simply as a “new idea, device, or method.” The Galley is all three. Inspired by a desire to find solutions to problems that had existed for years in the way kitchens worked, (or didn’t work), The Galley was invented by an award-winning kitchen designer whose vision was to create a central workstation hub where every task in his kitchen could be accomplished. He put the very first Galley in his own home. Today, the Galley has grown to be an entire line of super-functional, smart and stylish workstations where one can prep, cook, serve, entertain, and clean-up, all in one convenient place.Highly-engineered and hand-crafted in the USA, The Galley is now leading the kitchen industry in innovation, quality and just pure fun. Galley owners tell us all the time that they can’t imagine ever having another kitchen without The Galley!
One Free Galley Accessory
with any Kitchen Cabinetry purchase
containing a Galley Workstation
Expires October 31, 2019
Mention the code WORKSTATION when you order!
This Month's Feature Recipe
Spooky Spider Web 7-Layer Dip
Have a Halloween Party you are attending this month? We have just the dish to take! The basic 7-Layer Dip which is already a party favorite, has gotten a creative Halloween makeover by adding a simple spider web and olive "spiders".
Ingredients
  • 1 can (15 ounces) refried beans
  • 1 packet taco seasoning mix
  • 1 cup sour cream, separated
  • 1 cup mild or medium chunky salsa (make sure it's not watery)
  • 1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar or colby jack cheese
  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 3-4 green onions, diced
  • 1/2 can drained olives, separated
  • 1 cup prepared guacamole
  • Tortilla Chips

Instructions
  1. In a small bowl mix the taco seasoning with the refried beans. Spread this mixture evenly on the bottom of a 10-12 inch plate/pie tin/tart pan.
  2. Spread 3/4 cup of the sour cream on top and then gently spread.
  3. Add dollops of salsa and gently smooth on top.
  4. Add dollops of the guacamole spread slowly. 
  5. Slice half of the olives. Around the edge add the freshly grated cheese, thinly sliced green onions, sliced olives, and halved cherry tomatoes. 
  6. With the remaining 1/4 cup of sour cream, put it into a plastic bag and cut off the tip. Squeeze the sour cream into a spider web pattern over the guacamole. 
  7. Make olive spiders -- half a few olives lengthwise and then cut a few olives into small strips. Place the halved olives in the mix and the strips around the halved olive to look like a spider.
  8. Enjoy dip immediately or within 10-15 minutes after preparing. Serve with tortilla chips.

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Carolina Handcrafted Woodworks, LLC .
1819 Two Notch Rd
Lexington, SC 29073
Ph: 803-520-6837