These kitchen layouts are making your space less functional – here's what to try instead in 2026

kitchen-diner in neutral extension with white walls black framed patio doors a green kitchen island with brass pendant lights and bar stools.

A kitchen layout that works for your needs might be harder to come by than you think. When choosing a layout, you have to work with the bones of the room, as well as balance the features you know you need - whether this is cooking equipment or ample storage. It can be hard to pick a layout, so it seems easier to start with the kitchen layouts that definitely don't work, and are seen as dated heading into 2026.

As much as kitchen cabinetry trends change over the years, so do kitchen layouts. Our lives are constantly in flux, and therefore, what we need out of a cooking space changes throughout the years - what worked 20 years ago might not meet the needs we have today.