Back for another kitchen... layout thoughts

14 years ago

I used to post here when I was remodeling our house about 5 years ago. Now I'm working on plans for a studio apartment above a garage, so I'm back! This is not a full-time rental apartment for the forseeable future, but will be for family/friends visiting, and the kitchen will double as an art/craft workspace as well as a laundry area.

The total space available is approximately 10' x 9' with some area that needs to be carved out for a closet.

Studio Floorplan

What's important:

- at least one good-sized working area

- room for stacked washer/dryer, refrigerator of varying size (from small apartment size to standard depth full size)

- in general, not too many built-in spaces with strict appliance sizes

- one drawer stack for cutlery, gadgets, etc.

We don't need lots of built in cabinets or pantry space. Think of it more as a vacation rental.

I'm putting up one version, but I've looked at it with the range/sink/diswasher wall in every combination imaginable. They all have pros and cons.

Flexibility and budget-minded are key design constraints!

TIA,

Ann

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Comments (6)

rhome410
14 years ago
What's the width of the aisle in front of the fridge? Enough to open the door(s) and stand there to access it?

It's tiny writing, but I think I see that the shelves in back are 45" tall? I would make them counter height so they can expand the cook's work and landing space.

Not my usual advice, but in this case, I would consider swapping the dw to the stove side of the sink to give those 2 things some separation and more prep area beside the stove.
spacific
Original Author
14 years ago
Rhome410,
Thanks for the reply. I go back and forth myself whether to put the sink on the outside. I've tried so many versions for this entire studio, that my head's starting to swim!

I know this is a pretty unusual request. It's very compact, and I'm trying to get it to be very flexible for different uses. The counter at the back is 15" deep and standard counter height (sorry for the tiny print).

As for the aisle in front of the fridge and washer/dryer. If we use the apartment sized units, we would have a 36" aisle, if we used full-size appliances (not likely in a compact space like this, the aisle space goes down to about 30-32", just enough to open the door.
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Nathan, I was only hoping to spark an idea. I really hoped someone might see a way to incorporate your desires for the prep and cooking to be facing towards your guests. I realize it is petty much impossible to pull off with your size constraints. You mostly see that on the cooking channel with a tv set kitchen and no huge range hood blocking and making noise. I think you need to have way more space then you have unfortunately. :-( If you do like the general placement of the sink and range open concept like you want, I think you probably would need to bump out that whole nook/great room wall a few more feet towards the veranda in order to get the proper clearances for the range. You'd need to get professional advice on that. Here is an old thread, but Greendesigns explains very well about cooktops on a peninsula. http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2698245/cooktop-on-peninsula-really-an-issue?n=39 Basically you will need a very powerful hood that is bigger then the actual cooktop. Even wider then the recommended 6" wider if it is just against the wall with cabinets. That equates to $$$$$! I reread what GreenDesigns actually said as far as spinning the island to make it a peninsula. She said move the range to the "back wall", so obviously not the crazy spinout I did. haha! I admit didn't read very well this thread late last night. I do know she is a very experienced Kitchen Designer. I think there are several others who post here on GW. I remember, Live wire oak, Sophie, Jakuval, Kompy aka the kitchen place, and probably a few more I am sorry I forget right now. So if in your research you see those names take note. Buehl, Mamagoose, Cpartist, funkycamper, lavenderlass, benjesbride, Jillius, Sena, and oh so many more my brain cannot think, they also could be KD's they are so good at this. Cpartist, I agree your layout and every other layout presented is far far better. Yeah, duh! I just am curious as to why you said it was a one person kitchen. I thought a one butt kitchen meant the chef was unable to do his or her thang without other people getting in the way. For instance, a second helper cleaning up at the dw or prepping at a secondary area would be completely impossible. I have much to learn, so when I get time I'll try and research more on that, Well, at least with the info you've been given, I know you will get a much better kitchen Nathan. I will look forward to seeing how it turns out. Please post a reveal.
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rhome410
14 years ago
Seems uncomfortably tight for the fridge if it gets down to 30-32". I actually meant to swap the dw and trash (?) so the sink isn't quite to the end. I know that functionally that's backward, but I don't think there's enough workspace with only 15" in between.
palimpsest
14 years ago
In a space this size I would consider an 18" DW so I could squeeze in 6" spice drawers for utensils and foil etc. You aren't going to be loading a 24" DW often. I agree with flipping them for more counter space next to range. In a kitchen this size it doesnt matter where the trash is, it isnt far.

Why not face the Stack WD toward the other run of cabinets and put the fridge back in the corner that is now the aisle, and face *it toward the range. You don't gain a lot from having that second aisle but you will gain by having some depth there to manouver.

Thats just looking at the space as you have it configured, the more I look at it the more I might see something else.
spacific
Original Author
14 years ago
Palimpsest,
Good call on the 18" dishwasher. That makes a good size 18" drawer stack. And a nice 36" work area between sink and range. I also checked my spacing and can move the closet forward, giving me the the extra inches to comfortably have a 36" aisle.

I tried a few layouts like you described with the fridge in the back corner, but I lose that good work counter. But I'll keep playing with that end. Maybe there's something to rearrange with the closet.
palimpsest
14 years ago
I don't think you would lose all of it, the fridge would be directly across from the range--the counter could run along side just as it does for the range, and you could have a pullout or something above counterheight along side the fridge.

Back for another kitchen... layout thoughts

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Back for another kitchen... layout thoughts

Comments (6)

rhome410

spacificOriginal Author

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rhome410

palimpsest

spacificOriginal Author

palimpsest

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spacific
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