Measure & drawings
Accurate site measure, floor plan and elevations of each wall.
Design & layout · Burnaby, BC
Kitchen Design, Islands & Open-Concept Layouts
Open the kitchen to the living room, add an island, or rework a layout that has never made sense. Designed around how you actually cook and live.
A Layout Built Around How You Use Your Kitchen
Most kitchens that feel cramped aren’t too small. They’re laid out badly: the fridge door hits the island, the dishwasher blocks the only drawer, there’s nowhere to put groceries down. Good kitchen design fixes the way you move before it picks a colour.
We start with questions. Who cooks? Do two people cook at once? Where do the kids do homework? What’s in your hands when you walk in the door? Then we draw options, show you how each one works, and price them in your written quote so you can choose with the full picture.
When a better layout means taking down a wall, we bring in a structural engineer for anything load-bearing, apply for the City of Burnaby permit, and plan the plumbing and venting moves before anything is opened up.
Included
What Design Covers
Layout options
Two or three layouts that solve your list, with the trade-offs explained.
Finish selections
Cabinets, counters, tile, hardware, lighting and paint chosen together, in your light.
Lighting plan
Layered lighting: pot lights for the room, pendants over the island, under-cabinet light on the counters.
Structure & permits
Engineer for load-bearing walls, Burnaby alteration permit, plumbing and gas moves planned.
Storage design
Drawers instead of deep base shelves, a real pantry, a spot for the recycling.
Six Kitchen Layouts and When They Work
Every kitchen fits one of these shapes. The right one depends on the room, the walls you can move and how many people cook.
Galley
Two parallel runs. Very efficient for one cook; common in condos. Works best with at least about a metre of walkway.
L-shape
Two walls at a corner. Opens the room and leaves space for a table or island.
U-shape
Three walls of cabinets. The most storage and counter space, but can feel closed in.
Island
An L or galley plus a freestanding island for prep, seating and storage. Needs clearance on every side.
Peninsula
A counter run attached at one end. Island benefits where the room is too narrow for one.
Open concept
Kitchen opened to living or dining by removing or shortening a wall. Often the biggest change, and the one that needs permits.
In Burnaby
Opening Up Older Burnaby Kitchens
The closed-off kitchen is the most common thing we see in Burnaby houses from the 1950s to the 1980s, especially in Capitol Hill, Burnaby Heights, Buckingham Heights and South Slope. The wall between the kitchen and dining room is often the one people want gone.
Under the City of Burnaby’s rules, building or taking down walls is an alteration that needs a permit, and in an older house the drywall and ceiling texture should be tested by a qualified person before they’re cut. We build both into the plan. Read the permits and asbestos guide for details.
How it works
From First Visit to Finished Kitchen
- 01
Visit & measure
We come to your home, measure, and listen to what works and what doesn’t.
- 02
Design & selections
Layout options, then cabinets, counters, tile, lighting and hardware chosen together.
- 03
Permits, strata & testing
City permits where needed, strata approval for condos, and a hazardous-materials check for older homes.
- 04
Build
One project lead runs demolition, trades, cabinets, counters, tile and finishing to the schedule.
- 05
Final walkthrough
We go through every door, drawer and fixture with you and fix anything that isn’t right.
FAQ
Kitchen Design & Layout: Common Questions
Can any wall be removed for an open-concept kitchen?
Most can, but load-bearing walls need a structural engineer to design a beam and posts, and the work needs a City of Burnaby permit. Pipes, ducts or vents inside the wall also have to be rerouted.
How much space does a kitchen island need?
As a rule of thumb, plan for roughly a metre of clear walkway around the island, and more where two people cook or a dishwasher opens. We check this in the drawings.
Do I need a designer if I already know what I want?
Not always. If you have a plan, we’ll measure and check it works, then build it. Our design help is there when you want it, not a mandatory extra.
Can you move the sink to an island?
Usually, in a house. It needs a new drain and vent route, and sometimes a floor opening. In a condo, the building’s stacks often limit how far plumbing can move.
Related
Other Kitchen Services
- Full Kitchen RenovationDown to the studs and back, with one team running every trade.
- Kitchen CabinetsInstall new, reface what you have, or paint it like new.
- Countertops & BacksplashQuartz, granite and more, plus tile set and grouted.
- Condo & Townhouse KitchensStrata approvals handled, small spaces made to work.
- IKEA Kitchen InstallationAssembled, hung level and fitted like a custom kitchen.
Free in-home consultation
Ready to Talk About Your Design & layout Project?
Book a free visit and measure, and get a written quote with no obligation.
Monday to Saturday, 7am to 7pm