Parallel Kitchen Design: Sizes, Layout and Mistakes to Avoid

A parallel kitchen design, also called a galley kitchen, has two counters facing each other across an aisle. It is the most efficient layout for a long, narrow room, which is what many Bangalore apartments provide, especially where the kitchen leads through to a utility balcony. Everything is one step and a turn away. This guide explains when to choose a parallel modular kitchen, the aisle width that makes or breaks it, how to split the two sides and the mistakes to avoid.

When a parallel kitchen is the right choice

• The room is long and narrow, with both long walls free.
• The kitchen is a passage to the utility area, so a counter across the far end is not possible.
• You want maximum counter in a small footprint. Two straight runs have no corners, so no storage is lost to them.

If only two adjoining walls are free, an L-shaped kitchen fits better. If the room is square and closed on three sides, consider a U-shaped kitchen.

The aisle decides everything

With two 600 mm (2 foot) counters, the clear space left between them is the most important dimension in the room.

• About 1,000 to 1,200 mm is comfortable for one or two people and lets drawers on both sides open.
• About 900 mm is the practical minimum for one cook.
• Below that, make one side shallower (about 450 mm) for storage and small appliances only, or use a single-wall layout.

In practice the room needs to be about 7 feet wide or more for a full parallel kitchen.

Wet side and dry side

The simplest way to plan a parallel kitchen is to give each counter one job.

• Cooking side: hob and chimney on the external wall, with preparation counter on both sides of the hob and drawers for daily vessels below.
• Wet and storage side: sink, water purifier, dishwasher if any, then the refrigerator and tall units at the entrance end.

Do not place the sink and hob exactly opposite each other. Offset them so two people can work back to back without bumping, and so turning from the sink with a wet vessel does not put you straight at the flame.

Storage planning

• Use drawers, not shelves, in the base units. In a narrow aisle you cannot crouch and reach to the back.
• Stop wall units short of the window and the utility door so light reaches the aisle.
• Take lofts to the ceiling on one side for bulk storage.
• Put a tall pantry unit at the entrance end only, never in the middle of a run.

Which pull-outs are worth paying for is covered in our modular kitchen accessories guide.

Making a narrow kitchen feel wider

• Handleless or profile-handle shutters, so nothing catches clothing in the aisle.
• Light, low-sheen shutters above the counter; colour below.
• Continuous under-cabinet lighting on both sides.
• Flooring laid along the length of the room.

More ideas for compact rooms are in our small kitchen design ideas for Bangalore.

Common mistakes

• An aisle under 900 mm with full-depth counters on both sides.
• Oven and dishwasher doors that open into each other across the aisle.
• The refrigerator at the far end, so everyone walks the length of the kitchen past the hob.
• Wall units on both sides at the same depth and height in a narrow room, which makes a tunnel.

What does a parallel modular kitchen cost?

With no corner units, a parallel kitchen is usually economical for the counter length it gives. Cost depends on running length, board and shutter material, hardware and accessories. See modular kitchen price per square foot in Bangalore for the drivers, and aluminium vs plywood modular kitchens for the carcass choice.

Frequently asked questions

Planning your interiors? Book a free design consultation or WhatsApp us on +91 88845 55998. See our modular kitchens in Bangalore.