Humbly seeking opinions of kitchen layout

13 years ago

Thank you in advance for sharing your time and opinions. Stumbling across this forum and all of you amazing people with your wealth of information has been a godsend.

OK, after 10 years of waiting and saving I am doing the first jig of my happy dance, the basement under my new kitchen is a day from completion. Yeah!

We had certain restraints due to easements on one side of the addition, which shaped our final plans.

Our current kitchen is roughly 10 x 22. It is an eat in kitchen, we have no dining room. My table seats 4, so my household of 8 doesn't sit down to dinner together, ever.

DH and myself, 4 grown children, the youngest a year left of college and two beautiful grandbabies. And yes, they should be moving out, but honestly, I love having them for as long as I can get, and as long as they are saving for their own homes and help out with chores here, they can stay until they tick me off :)

So to ask what I hope to gain from this kitchen, I say everything... More space, storage, cabinets, seating, ovens, sinks, lights, more lights, drawers, an island, just more everything.

We hope for our new space to become a less compacted hub of our home. Warm and inviting, lived in and very much cooked in. A place for homework, crafts, entertaining, I could have a real dinner party, even in the winter! yes, the little things in life. Sorry, but please understand I can reach every zone in my present kitchen in 3 steps or less. Some would call it efficient, I'm not one of those people, and besides, the doctor said I need more exercise. So I need a bigger kitchen. Right?

As I said, this will be a well used kitchen. I cook everything, oldest daughter is a baker, and the 2 grandkids love to don their aprons and pull up a stool. It's fabulous.

I'm hoping with the bigger kitchen, I won't be so apt to tell people to get out, because honestly, it's just to small for chatting, peeps stand in my way, it's nuts. I want to enjoy my family.

Ok, we are pushing out the length of our kitchen, (22' wall) 18' at the max point, corners are angled. Also adding a walkin pantry.

Appliances include:

48'' cooktop

30'' convection wall oven with a 30'' Advantium above 27'' second oven tucked on the end of island,

raised dishwasher,

36'' cd all frig, 24'' cd all freezer,

u/c ice maker,

wine frig,

2 sinks.

I'm leaning towards a maple cabinets, stained in the brown family, not red, not orange, no offense to anyone, both are beautiful, but I've lived with oak for 20 years, I need a change. And we are so NOT a white family. Anyhow, mid range brown, not too light, not too dark, soapstone counters, and I'm leaning towards a colored stain on the island and cooktop hood behind it.

More on that later. Layout first. Let me say, I am not computer literate, this layout which I hope I post right. But also, sizes of cabs and the number of drawers and such are not acurate as yet. I'm fine tuning the actual usage and getting feedback from you before I struggle to update it on my computer program. Please be patient, and please feel free to flow openly with all questions and words of wisdom. Thanks, Missy

Here is a link that might be useful: kitchen layout

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Comments (12)

blfenton
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I am "forbidden" in accessing your kitchen layout for some reason. That's the message I get.
clubtrump
Original Author
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I did mention computer illiterate right.... I wonder if this link is the right one... sorry

Here is a link that might be useful: kitchen layout
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Corner solutions (in order, IMO, of usefulness): 27" or 30" cabinet turned 90 degrees so it faces outside the peninsula - can only be done if the back of the peninsula is accessible. Corner drawers (depending on what you want to store there, tie, IMO, with corner susans) Corner susan Upper cabinet - Easy Reach Blind corner cabinet (Tie with Easy Reach for base cabs) Base cabinet - Easy Reach (Tie with Blind Corner cab for base cabs) "Deadening" the corner...what people don't mention is all the filler you need to make this option work...and it has to be empty filler, not filler pullouts, etc (unless you have inset cabs and recessed handles to open drawers & doors) Corner drawers can be useful if designed properly. "Deadening out a corner", IMO, is a waste of what can be valuable storage space. Corner susans offer several advantages: Excellent storage for pots & pans Excellent storage for small appliances Plus - anything you store in a corner susan is always right in front of you when you need it - just rotate the susan and the item is right in front. If you get one that has side & back walls that follow the contour of the susan shelves, nothing can fall off. The 9" to 12" on each side of the corner provide the "filler" space needed to allow drawers & doors to open proplerly - and those inches are not empty "filler", they're part of the corner cab storage Blind corner cabs with a pullout shelf, OTOH, are an issue if something falls off - if it's inside the cab, you have to crawl inside the cab to retrieve the item - in the meantime, the pullout will not close until you've cleared the obstruction.
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Right. Mama_goose I also noted the similarities in those two designs (yours and this one I've modified) I guess I don't love the idea of *any* work zone being in that aisle and the reason is that front door and the sloppy shoes (we are in the NorthEast and in the middle of winter) walking through from visitors (people that live here use the garage door) The main reason we chose the fridge for that area of the kitchen is because it seemed to make more sense in the L shape of counter as a prep area than it did over on the side adjacent to the front door where there wouldn't be as much counter space to spread things out for prepping. But what you say about walking around to a distant corner to grab a drink or something also is an inconvenience. I am also at such a loss as to where I will store canned goods and other pantry items in this design. Having our kitchen at the front of the house is something I had a hard time getting used to at first, but now I embrace it. I do want it to be as inviting as a kitchen can be when guests arrive, and walking into a range area is probably not a great idea.
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Since nothing is going on the 103" wall, if you can extend the island by 9", I think Sammy's idea would work. Move the sink and DW to the peninsula, and put the range to the left of the window. I drew a hood 6" wider than the cooktop, to help contain the steam and grease plume. Alternately, you could center the range between the window and wall, and use a narrow upper on each side. You wouldn't have much landing space to the left, and the range would be very close to the entry--farther from the entry is safer, to give someone entering the space to swing away from the cook. Normally I'd want the trash pull-out below the prep space, but putting it beside the fridge would give you space for wide drawers to the right of the range. Again, dish storage will be in the prep space, but there is room for the pe3rson prepping to move over to the left, to allow loading and unloading of the DW. A trash pull-out under the sink would also work. The peninsula cabinet against the wall would open under the seating overhang--27" width would allow for the sink cab to be 3" from the perpendicular drawers, and filler on the other side of the corner would allow hardware to bypass on each cabinet. An advantage to the longer peninsula would be more space for each seat, so the little corner upper could be a full cabinet without being in someone's face. 36" for the traffic aisle is sufficient, since there is no cabinet or appliance opening into the aisle. Keep in mind that a DW on the end of a run will need a return panel, and the final length of the peninsula will depend on the width of the sink cabinet. I used 33". In either version, the peninsula can be moved a few inches toward the left (as drawn), to provide more space for the table and chairs. Thank you for asking but I am not a pro. :)
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clubtrump
Original Author
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
if nothing else, I can post after the kids get home...lol of course they will laugh at me
blfenton
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hey, I can't post pics until my kids are finished university exams in May.
clubtrump
Original Author
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
marcolo
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Your plan is hard to read, but, doing the best I can:

Not bad. I'm picturing a number of activities, and it seems like many things are well-separated with decent traffic flow.

While I'm still squinting, a couple of thoughts:
- Does that pantry door swing out? Will anyone get a concussion? Can't it swing in against that blank wall?
- Do you have multiple ovens in multiple places? It seems like you have a potential pinch point with two ovens plus a fridge all opening into the same aisle in the same place. Also, I don't know if you ever start on the rangetop and finish in the oven, but you've got kind of a hike to do that.
- Do you have any uppers at all? Where will glasses go?
- WIll you be able to watch Alton Brown while cooking? Some people put TVs over the fridge and it can work well there, if the kitchen is big enough. Its current placement seems to discourage conversation during sit down meals.
palimpsest
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Is that the only freezer down in the lower left corner?
clubtrump
Original Author
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
marcolo, the pantry door will probably open in, that's one of my computer illiterate moves.
As for the ovens, the oven in the island is for large functions and holidays, I don't think it will be a big problem. I use the oven a few times a week, but I don't hover over it, it's an in and out quick thing. As far a it being a hike from the stove top, that's what all those adult children living at home are for, actually, I have limited mobility in one arm, making it difficult to lift heavy items, that's why ovens are on the wall to begin with.
I do have a cabinet for glasses. It will be above the raised dw, actually will come down to dw. This is for everyday glasses, plenty of room. For fancy glasses, as someone said so eloquently, "they live with the liquor", we have a full sized wet bar around corner and I plan on wine glasses by the wine frig. Oh, and the tv, non negotiable. It's the only thing DH has requested, so it stays.
Palimpsest- yes, the freezer is way over there tucked in the corner. I thought long and hard on this. I decided that I'm in my freezer twice a day max, on a busy day. Ice, on the other hand was a serious problem. The under counter ice maker was my solution. Unless wise people can offer up something else. I do also have a 36" ss KitchenAid who will be moving to the garage.
blfenton- too funny, my kids make fun of me because I never have my phone on. I tell them, living with 7 people and a dog, I value my quiet alone time. lol
marcolo
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Oh, and the tv, non negotiable. It's the only thing DH has requested, so it stays.

I'm just talking about placement. It has limited viewing range where it is. I'd think people would want to see it sitting at the island, for instance, as when hubby is having a beer alone with a snack.
palimpsest
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I would probably put the freezer at the end of the run where the icemaker is, and put the DW to the right of the sink, and put the separate icemaker closer to the eating area/family room/etc.

Have you thought about putting the TV over where you have the freezer now? Have you thought of having it pop up out of the middle of the island so you could watch it during prep and swivel it and watch it during dinner? People do those kind of things in trunks at the end of the bed... so it could be done here.
clubtrump
Original Author
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I agree about the placement of the tv. I for one could care less. That is where he chose, but I will pass along your ideas, pop out of the middle of the island, I might keep to myself tho, he would probably want that.
I'll have to think about that freezer move. I mean yes, the freezer is closer, but then I'd be losing my raised dw, which I am really looking forward to. Even though we entertain alot, most of our ice is daily use in the kitchen proper. From drinks to numerous smoothies and health shakes daily, ice is king here. That was kind of how I decided the freezer was the least used item to begin with, but I'll think on it some more.
Thanks for the ideas, keep em' coming please...
flwrs_n_co
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
With as many people as you cook for, do you think a second DW by the prep sink (or dish drawers) might be a good idea. Also, I would move the sink closer to the raised DW. I understand you probably placed the DW there because it will be raised, and the sink is currently centered on the window. But I would rather have a sink not centered on the window but closer to the DW so water and stuff doesn't get dripped/dropped on the counter and the floor on its way to the DW.

Humbly seeking opinions of kitchen layout

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blfenton

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