Kitchen Cabinet DimensionsBase kitchen cabinet dimensionsBase cabinets are specified in terms of their exterior dimensions. If you want to think about what to store in your cabinetsyou need to think in terms of the interior dimensions. In short you want to be sure what measurement youre looking at.Kitchen guidelines specify the countertop height which includes the cabinet height plus the countertop thickness.

Countertop dimensionsStandardcountertop heightis 36 inches (92cm). There's a bit more discussion on different mid height and desk height countertop heights further down this page.Standardcountertop depthis 25 inches (63.5cm) or 30 inches (76cm).Base cabinet dimensionsStandardbase cabinet depthis 24 inches (61cm).Deeper cabinets are also available and are useful because refrigerators have been getting deeper up to 36 inches deep (92cm) so a deeper countertop is appropriate.Some manufacturers provide base cabinets at a depth of 12 inches (30cm) inches to allow for kitchens to fit into smaller spaces.Basecabinet widthsvary and depend on the manufacturer of the kitchen cabinets. Some examples are 12, 15, 18, 24, 30, 36 inches for manufacturers that specify their measurements in inches. In cm examples might be 30, 40, 50, 60, 80cm.Check the widths available of the cabinets youre considering.Any extra space left over once the space has been filled in with standard sizes can be filled using fillers.Toe kick dimensionsThe toe kick is that indent that makes the countertop comfortable to stand in front of when working.The idealtoe kick heightis 3.5inches (9cm)The idealtoe kick depthis 3 inches (7.5cm)Base kitchen cabinets interior dimensionsWhen it comes to working out detailedkitchen storage solutionsor using otherkitchen storage ideas you need to find out what the interior dimensions of your cabinets are.

Wall Kitchen Cabinet DimensionsAgain wall kitchen cabinet dimensions are specified in terms of their external dimensions.Standardwall cabinet depthis 12 inches for manufacturers working in inches and 30cm for manufacturers working in metric measurements.Standardwall cabinet widthsmirror the widths available for base cabinets ie 12, 15, 18, 24, 30, 36 inches and 30, 40, 50, 60, 80cm. These can vary by manufacturer. Check the widths available of the cabinets youre considering.Wall cabinet heightsvary by manufacturer. For example they may be available in 12, 30 and 36 inch heights for manufacturers working in inches and 30, 70 and 90cm for manufacturers working with the metric system.Take into account any cornice detail you wish to include on top of your wall cabinets when specifying the height.

Base and wall cabinet clearanceA minimum distance of 15 inches (38cm) is required between the countertop and the bottom of the wall cabinets.The standard distance between the countertop and the bottom of the wall cabinets is 18 inches (46cm).There's nothing wrong with going a little higher with the wall cabinets. If you're tall and there's high ceilings you could go to say 21 inches (53cm).If you have a section of wall cabinets positioned above a breakfast bar then they shouldn't be any lower than 30 inches (76cm).Any higher than say 30 inches and the proportions of the kitchen may start to look a little peculiar and you'll probably start to hit the ceiling.

Kitchen Cabinet Dimensions - other sizesFull Height Kitchen CabinetsFull height kitchen cabinets are available in standard depths (12, 24, 36 inches) (30, 61, 92cm), and the various standard widths. Height will vary by manufacturer. Take into account any cornice detail you wish to include on top of your full height cabinets when specifying the height.Mid Height Kitchen Cabinets

A new trend is emerging (particularly in Europe) for 3/4 height or mid height cabinets. They are usually standard depth and come in the standard widths. They range in height between about 40-60 inches (125 - 150cm)Table Height Kitchen CabinetsIf you want to have an office area in your kitchen then it makes sense to have some countertop at desk height, which is just lower than standard countertop height at 30ins / 76cm. It's the same as table height really.G Shaped KitchenHeres some G shaped kitchen layouts to look at. The difference between these first two is the entry into the kitchen is straight or kind of diagonal, depending on how far the units extend down to the peninsula.

You need at least 10 x 10ft (3 x 3m) to consider a G shaped kitchen and the design is easily expanded into a larger room, provided that the kitchen triangle is kept to a manageable size.This one has a corner fridge. With a kitchen this large the 45 degree angle makes things feel a little more cozy but dont put things on an angle in a smaller kitchen layout. The run of units to the right of the refrigerator would make a great self service area or desk.

If youre tight on space you could consider making one run of units half depth at counter height, height or full height. This arrangement makes use of two under counter refrigerators to preserve counter space in the kitchen.

The G shaped kitchen is a great option if youve got a huge open plan loft space. One side of the G can go along a wall and the rest of the kitchen extends out into the room. If theres enough space you can have 1 or double width sections. This creates lots of base counter storage which replaces the storage lost due to the absence of walls.