The One-Metre Rule: How Much Space You Really Need Between Units

There’s a simple rule that quietly decides whether a kitchen feels effortless or frustrating to use every day: space between units.

Design plans often look clean and balanced on paper, but in real homes, movement matters more than appearance. If spacing is wrong, even a high-end kitchen can feel cramped, awkward, and tiring to use.

This is where the one-metre rule comes in — and why it’s one of the most practical guidelines you can follow.

What Is the One-Metre Rule?

The one-metre rule is straightforward:

You should aim for around 1000mm (1 metre) of clear space between opposing kitchen units.

This applies to:

• Walkways between cabinets
• Gaps between an island and base units
• Spaces in galley kitchens

It’s not an arbitrary number — it’s based on how people actually move, cook, open doors, and share space in real kitchens.

Why One Metre Works in Practice

At around 1 metre, most kitchens feel:

• Comfortable to walk through without turning sideways
• Easy to work in with doors and drawers open
• Functional for more than one person

Anything tighter starts to introduce friction into everyday use — especially once appliances and drawers are in play.

If you’ve ever tried to unload a dishwasher while someone walks behind you, you’ll understand exactly why this matters.

What Happens If You Go Too Narrow?

This is one of the most common layout mistakes, especially when trying to “fit in” an island or extra units.

At around 800–900mm, kitchens start to feel:

• Cramped when appliances are open
• Awkward for two people to use at once
• Visually tight, even if the design looks good

Below that, you’re into compromise territory. It might still function, but it won’t feel good to use.

This kind of issue turns up again and again in kitchen layout mistakes that look fine on paper but fail in real life.

What Happens If You Go Too Wide?

More space isn’t always better.

Once you go beyond 1200–1300mm, kitchens can feel:

• Inefficient to work in
• More tiring, with unnecessary steps between tasks
• Disconnected, especially between prep and cooking zones

This is particularly noticeable in large kitchens where the layout hasn’t been tightened properly.

That’s why smart layout choices that make everyday life easier usually matter more than squeezing in extra cabinetry.

Island Spacing: Where Most Mistakes Happen

Kitchen islands are where spacing issues show up most clearly.

The typical problems:

• Trying to include an island in a room that’s slightly too small
• Reducing walkway space to make everything “fit”
• Ignoring appliance clearance (dishwasher, oven, fridge doors)

In many cases, removing or resizing the island actually improves the kitchen more than forcing it in.

If you’re unsure, compare this with when kitchen islands improve a layout — and when they ruin it.

Appliances Change the Spacing More Than People Expect

Spacing is never just about walking room. It also has to account for what happens when doors are open and people are actually using the kitchen.

That matters even more if your design includes taller integrated units or a run of appliance cabinets, because appliance doors and circulation space quickly eat into what looked fine on a drawing.

Exceptions to the Rule (And When They Work)

The one-metre rule isn’t rigid. There are situations where you can adjust it — but only with intent.

Smaller kitchens

In compact layouts, you might go down to around 900mm. This works if:

• Only one person is typically using the kitchen
• Appliances don’t clash when open
• Storage is planned properly instead of just increased blindly

Larger kitchens

In bigger spaces, you might increase spacing slightly — but it’s usually better to:

• Use islands or zoning to reduce walking distance
• Keep key work areas tighter together
• Avoid turning the kitchen into a series of long, inefficient walks

If you’re weighing layouts more broadly, this is a good companion read: the best kitchen layouts for real homes.

How to Test Your Layout Properly

Instead of relying on drawings alone, test your layout in a practical way:

• Mark out the space on the floor with masking tape
• Simulate opening doors and drawers
• Walk through typical tasks like cooking, unloading and cleaning

This quickly shows whether spacing works — or whether it just looks right on paper.

Many layout issues only become obvious at this stage, which is why it’s worth doing before anything is finalised.

Spacing and Storage: The Trade-Off

One of the biggest mistakes is sacrificing space to gain storage.

In reality:

• Better spacing improves how the kitchen feels every day
• Poor spacing makes even well-designed storage frustrating to use

If you’re trying to balance the two, start with how much kitchen storage you really need rather than assuming more cabinets automatically means a better result.

Final Thought

The one-metre rule isn’t about design theory — it’s about how kitchens actually work.

Get it right, and everything feels natural. Get it wrong, and the problems show up every single day.

If you’re planning a new kitchen, spacing is one of the few decisions that’s very hard to fix later — so it’s worth getting right first time.

FAQs (click to expand)

Is 1 metre always required between kitchen units?

No, but it’s a strong guideline. You can go slightly smaller in tight kitchens or slightly larger in big spaces, but 1 metre is usually the most practical balance.

What is the minimum space between kitchen units?

Around 900mm is typically the minimum for functional use, but it can feel tight — especially in busy households.

How much space do you need around a kitchen island?

Ideally 1000–1200mm. This allows for comfortable movement and appliance use without the space feeling cramped.

Why do kitchens sometimes feel cramped even when they look large?

Often it’s poor spacing between key areas. Large rooms can still feel awkward if distances are either too tight or too wide.