New Home Kitchen/Dining Layout Suggestions appreciated!

13 years ago

Hi, I am new to this forum (just discovered gardenweb this month) and I LOVE the photos I have seen posted! I am having a new home built and would really appreciate this group's input on a design layout for the kitchen/dining/living area. I have changed the design so many times and I'm hoping to settle on something I can commit to in the next couple of weeks. The home is being built for me and my fiance. We don't have any kids but hope to have some in the future! We have a big family and would like to have a nice space to accomodate big family dinners.

I would like a layout that has an open kitchen/dining concept - maybe with a little peeking into the living room.

This is a design I am thinking I will love.

I based it on these inspiration photos I LOVE -

Dining Inspiration

Kitchen

The cons of my layout

1. No Sunlight in kitchen

2. May not be able to get inspiration ceiling done with wall in between living/kitchen

My builder suggested this layout -

I like the builder's suggestion; however, I REALLY don't like that there are not any windows in the dining room. Plus, the only window in the area seems to come from the french door, and I like a LOT of sunlight in my house.

I would very much appreciate your opinions on the 2 layouts, and any other suggestions about the floor plan you may have. I didn't really write in appliances because we are just trying to get a general layout down now.

Oh, here is the

that I altered to get my floor plan above.

Thanks!!

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Comments (4)

sandy808
13 years ago
I'm in the process of designing a floor plan as well, so I know what you are going through. My husband and I are the type of people that want a very open floor plan with a great deal of windows and natural light. Think log cabin open and airytypes. After several months of brainstorming, I think we may be getting close.

One thing I can say for certainty is that you will absolutely hate any rooms that do not have windows to let in natural light. I feel preparing food and eating in an area without sufficient windows would feel like being in a dungeon.

I have had two different homes where there were bathrooms without a window in them. I hated them. I cannot imagine enjoying a meal without a window in the room.

Take your time and think things through until you get every room exactly the way you want it. It always takes longer than one would like, but is a necessary process in order to get a home you will love to spend time in. As far as builders go, they aren't the ones who are paying for and living in the house. They do, however, want your money. Keep this in mind before you take their opinions over your gut feelings.
shelly_k
13 years ago
Hi Parislove--

We are building, as well and are about 6 weeks from moving in. My layout is similar to your inspiration pics/layout. So my kitchen has no direct window in it. However, my family room has a wall of windows (8 feet tall by 12 feet wide) and my dining room has windows on three sides. We have not moved in yet, obviously, but I can say that the kitchen does not feel like a dungeon at all. Our ceilings are tall (11 ft) but the whole area gets tons of natural sunlight even though there are no windows in the kitchen.

The plan your builder drew wouldn't be acceptable to me either, b/c of the lack of windows in the dining area.

Keep in mind that you can put solar tubes or skylights in your kitchen area if you trully are concerned about sunlight in the kitchen.

Our windows back to the south, which does help... seems like there is so much natural light in the house.

Good luck!
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athensmomof3
13 years ago
I agree with the window issue. I think it is acceptable to have no window in your kitchen (although I moved my entire floor plan around to get one). However if this is the case you need to have light coming into the kitchen from another source (i.e., large windows in breakfast area adjacent to kitchen, wall of french doors in den adjacent to and open to kitchen, etc.).

Keep working on it - it will come together! It took me 6 months of fiddling with it to get my floor plan right.
athensmomof3
13 years ago
For what its worth, I too love the first picture. I think it works so well because the barrel vault ceiling is echoed in the archway and in the window. It is obvious that it was designed by a top notch architect.

I don't think the second one works nearly as well (the floating barrel vault with no mirrored arch or window). I walked through a house recently designed by a (perhaps the) top Atlanta architect and it was very interesting to see how it all tied together. The double cased opening beyond the stairs was an arch, which reflected the arch over the front door when you looked back from the kitchen to the entry hall. There was also a beautiful paneled arched transom (hard to describe but it was lovely) over the butlers pantry, mimicking the double cased opening.

Just something to think about.

New Home Kitchen/Dining Layout Suggestions appreciated!

Comments (4)

sandy808

shelly_k

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