I'm with LWO and others to not wrap the granite around the corner. It is a little strange looking, and requires a leap of faith that it will turn out fine. And if it doesn't? It's a possibility. Now you've got your granite wrapping around and you're stuck. Seems you could fill in that gap in the base, but use a different counter top in the corner unit.

My initial thought was to wrap the granite around and just put a filler piece across the gap. It would be easy and I don't think it would be especially noticeable; if need be you could even put a little molding on the filler to make it match the doors. However, I love the ideas for a tea cabinet or some such nook if you can think of a use for it. I suppose this would involve ordering another custom skinny cabinet rather than just fabricating a door, though.

I would build the wall out to be even with the the lower cabinets in the kitchen and the other room and then rebuild the top corner cabinet to match the lines of the lower corner cabinet. Right now there is no symmetry anywhere.

Lascatx has lots of clever ideas. We have a tiny galley with a similar situation. We're wrapping the counter around a supporting A-beam. If it were me, I would NOT give up those corner cabinets or cut them back. Every inch of space is valuable - we even have part of a toe kick cut out around a beam to gain 2" of cabinet space. I would probaby put a door on the "gap" and leave options interior for small adjustable shelves or hangers. If you get them to drill peg holes in vertical strips and cut 2 or 3 shelves to fit, you can slip them in later or change them around as you please. The small angled counter area in the corner might be a good place for something decorative like a vase or functional like a radio, telephone, message center or coffee pot. I would paint to match the other cabinets, not the wall.

What is in the divider wall? We had HVAC and the GC recommended running through the basement - less turns and better air flow - so no longer need a wall - so added another cabinet!

I love the idea of a 'secret' cabinet. LOL, remember the Pepperidge Farm commercial with the lady who was trying to find a hiding place for her special cookies? Even if your children are grown, you may have grands some day, and as lascatx pointed out, that would be a perfect space for crayons, markers, or a kid's special cup.

You can use adjustable shelf track without having a separate cabinet made. It can be cut to length with a hack-saw, with small clips used to support shelves. I've used it to make shelves in formerly wasted wall space. It's not very attractive, so would need a narrow door or panel to hide it.

I love the idea of a 'secret' cabinet. LOL, remember the Pepperidge Farm commercial with the lady who was trying to find a hiding place for her special cookies? Even if your children are grown, you may have grands some day, and as lascatx pointed out, that would be a perfect space for crayons, markers, or a kid's special cup.

You can use adjustable shelf track without having a separate cabinet made. It can be cut to length with a hack-saw, with small clips used to support shelves. I've used it to make shelves in formerly wasted wall space. It's not very attractive, so would need a narrow door or panel to hide it.

Sorry, I was getting a 'server error' and reposted.

If it were possible to bring the wall out, even with the cabinets to the right then that is what I would do. Since it is not possible, I would fill that space in front of the wall with something--a pretty filler, or something plain, whatever looks best with your style of cabinet. I would make it something solid, intentional looking.

I would have another cabinet made to fill in the space between the top and bottom cabinet (referring to the cabinet to the left of the wall), so that it is a floor to ceiling cabinet with no counter top area.

Then the Countertop is on top of the right cabinets and just on the filler in front of the wall--then stops.

You can use the floor to ceiling cabinet to the left of the wall as a curio cabinet, a built-in, if you put glass on the doors or any other kind of storage if you use cabinet doors.

If it were possible to bring the wall out, even with the cabinets to the right then that is what I would do. Since it is not possible, I would fill that space in front of the wall with something--a pretty filler, or something plain, whatever looks best with your style of cabinet. I would make it something solid, intentional looking.

I would have another cabinet made to fill in the space between the top and bottom cabinet (referring to the cabinet to the left of the wall), so that it is a floor to ceiling cabinet with no counter top area.

Then the Countertop is on top of the right cabinets and just on the filler in front of the wall--then stops.

You can use the floor to ceiling cabinet to the left of the wall as a curio cabinet, a built-in, if you put glass on the doors or any other kind of storage if you use cabinet doors.

Hmmm. Just looked @ the picture again and realized that the bottom left cabinet sticks out too far for my solution unless it could be reworked. It is not even with the wall like the top cabinet is.

Then the filler would have to be angled.

Sorry for the double post. Server error for me too.

I assume your contractor has COMPLETELY explored (with an engineer) the idea of removing the load bearing wall by changing the support to a beam above the ceiling. The ceiling would have to be shored up and existing header removed. Support at the sides could perhaps by obtained by 4x6 posts rather than the existing walls.

IMO, this would be a much better solution, if workable, than wrapping the granite around the funky wall or leaving the orphan cabs by themselves.

Good luck!

Thanks, Everyone. You've all made good suggestions, and we are considering everything.

Now we are considering the suggestion to put a matching corner "cabinet" to the left of the d.r. window. At first I thought the wooden valances would interfere with a corner cuboard there, but we measured and it might just work. Here is how that dining room looks now:

If we had him build a corner "cupboard" (an angled base cabinet with beadboard doors below a glass-doored angled upper cabinet with matching white wood skins to make it look like a piece of furniture instead of kitchen cabinets), we might achieve the symmetry we lost when we had to change the cabinets due to the wall issues.

I could get rid of the wood corner cupboard that's to the left of the window and have the new one there instead that would match the one on the other side.....We'll have enough left over granite, too, if we decide to do it. My thought is that maybe having the two on each side of the window match would minimize the fact that the ones on either side of the entry to the kitchen can't match???

As for the "cubby" space... He said he'd make a little door and put 4 shelves in there. They may not be easily moved, but I could use it for spices, etc., now and when the grandchildren come along some day, have our "secret" cubby for the crayons or treats or ???!!!! Thanks for the fun ideas for that tiny space : )

So... do I add a matching unit to the left of the window or cut my losses and give up on the angles all together?? I'm leaning towards spending more money in hopes it'll give more storage space and help w/ symmetry (assuming it isn't tooo much more!?) but as someone said, it's not something easily changed if we don't like the look. Counting on you for your two cent's worth!

This might give you an idea what the wrapped granite might look like.

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Jodi-

Unlike some of the others, I like the wrapped granite. I saw your photo before I read your last post and immediately thought it would be nice to have matching corner units. I love corner cupboards anyway - a great use of otherwise wasted space.

I love the thought of having an outlet in there and having a couple of shelves for a charging station. That will keep cords and phones off your counter. Wish I had one.

I like Jodi's mockup.

How did you do that, Jodi??? It doesn't look as bad as I thought it might....and my granite, Kashmir White, is quite light so the white "post" (which would be covered with wood) would blend it a bit more than the granite pictured.....
I'm pretty sure I'll like it better if/when (?) he lines the walls w/ wood to "connect" the two cabinets, so it'll look like a built in corner cupboard rather than an upper and lower cabinet. Unfortunately, for some reason, he said he can't do that until after the granite goes in. So I have to decide w/o really knowing how it will look.

Maybe you can use your computer/photo editing skills to make that part white so we can get the idea of how much that might help "camoflage" the wall there???
Thanks so much for helping me visualize (and I like the way you included the cookbook or DVD type storage there)

Codymax...your comments are encouraging. I knew someone had suggested it earlier, but, as I mentioned, I wasn't sure whether or not it would fit or be too much w/ the valances.... But we will see what our cabinet builder thinks (and what he'd charge)

Can't wait to get the doors tomorrow (beadboard lower and glass on angled uppers.... recessed panel on upper ones in kitchen)

We had a similar situation, where we had to keep part of a wall to support a header over a doorway, in what was formerly an exterior wall.

Half-wall on sill, before cabinet was built.

Cabinet with small adjustable shelves in corner. The cabinet was built to include the area that's open in your case.

With door, from the other room. The shallow pantry on the back wall also has the adjustable shelves/track.

Finished.

We don't have an adjacent cabinet to wrap, although I did consider putting one where the green curio cabinet sits. I decided that it would be too permanent. I like Jodi's counter mock-up, and since you already have a corner cabinet of sorts in the opposite corner, I think a matching cabinet would look nice.

Did you actually try to put anything in that space? Corner cabinets with triangular shelves offer virtually no usable storage.

What is on the opposite wall in the first picture? Please tell me that's not the range in your dining room?

Marcolo, in order to give the narrow galley kitchen a more open feeling, we widened the opening to the kitchen. The range is on the right side as you look from the dining area, not actually in the dining "room". I see what you mean that the photo makes it look like it is in the DR, but there are upper cabinets above it and to the right of it (as well as the base cabinet to its right) When you see it in person, the range is clearly in the kitchen.

Until the project began, we were temporarily using the light brown wood corner cupboards that were part of a large entertainment center that was here when we bought the condo.

You are right that corner cupboards don't hold alot, but a cabinet w/ doors on the bottom would give me more space than the open, little wood one does now.... However the main reason we're now considering spending the money to have a corner cupboard made for the left of the DR window is that we'd like to find a way to get symmetry. The original plan had matching angled base and upper cabinets to the left and right of the kitchen entrance, but didn't work out when they couldn't remove the wall all the way!

Sarapamela, not exactly sure what area you are referring to so I filled in the "cookbook" shelf.

Don't have time to make doors but did want to at least fill in the left side to give it a more finished look.

Also changed the granite to Kashmir White though the yellow/green colorcast in your photo certainly does not represent what your finished cabinets will look like I'm sure.

{{gwi:1776942}}

Jodi-

I would leave the cabinet next to the stove, remove the upper and lower new corner cabinets as well as the wood one in the other corner of the dining room and have built-in units made to go on either side of the dining room window, you'll get a whole lot more storage and you won't have the kitchen trying to move itself into the dining room along that wall.

Probably have to modify the wood valane over the window but I think you'd get a much better look and more storage space. Maybe a pony wall to meet the kitchen cab that juts out with granite on that for a small landing spot to keep that wall/cab from looking odd.

Jodi, thanks again for doing the visual for us!

Lascatx, we are seriously considering your idea for the matching cabinet. Waiting to get pricing for it. General consensus from folks here is that a matching cabinet to the left of the window might be the best way to go.

There are 2 options for that, though. As luck would have it, the big window is not quite in the middle of the window! We could make the left cabinet an inch and a half smaller than the one that is there now on the right and then there would be the same "reveal" (painted wall) to the left and right of the window, giving the illusion of symmetry.

OR we could make the cabinet on the left the same size as the one on the right, but then there would be less painted wall between the left cabinet and the left sidd of the window than there would be to the right (betweeen the right side of the window and the right cabinet).

I'm curious to know if you agree with my "team". Is it more important to match the size of the cabinets or have it look centered even if that means the left cabinet would be a tad smaller than the right?

You mentioned that you are concerned about symmetry but the symmetry is off between the upper and lower angled cabinets because they do not have the same degree of angle. That would really bother me if it was my house? I think corner cabinets are nice for displaying art or collectibles but usually the cabinets have the same lines from top to bottom like your brown corner cabinets do. If you make another cabinet to match the new white angled cabinet then you will have symmetry with your asymetrical upper and lower cabinets but they will still look off balance from top to bottom. I agree with ghostlyvision's suggestion that you remove the corner cabinet and have different cabinets made to flank the window on each side. It would probably be easier to disguise the off center window that way too.

ghostlyvision....what is a pony wall? I think I know where you are talking about putting it, and I think the corner cupboard would look better if we added a bit to the wall we cut back....but the cost of filling in and drywalling it is not an option DH is willing to do (since we just took it out!) Is a pony wall like a fake wall or a post or something that would extend the wall out to be even with the base cabinett? Is it hard to make? We did want it as open as possible, but didn't envision the issues it would create when we couldn't get rid of the whole thing!

Have delayed today's template til i feel more comfortable with that corner. DH and cabinet maker are not happy with me, but how can we template until we know we are ok w/ the cabinet(s)!?

At least my doors are coming today. Maybe that will help me visualize things better....

I would prefer straight units on the window wall that ran from the corner to the edge of the valance.

To avoid contention with the valances, I might also draw out something like a single 15-18" deep cabinet on the bottom that roughly aligned with the center of the window in height - like a finished height of about 48" with solid doors and maybe a linen drawer on the bottom.

The decorative stuff could be directly hung on the wall in a pleasing pattern.

I think I would reject this idea, but I would consider it.
Sorry for the dreadful colors. Just don't have time to play more.

I really think the wall can be removed except for the front post. You could then run the counter continuously in front of and behind the post. It would give you a more open feel. And require some very careful granite piecing!

FWIW
Sandra

Sandra, thanks for your drawing! It is an idea we hadn't considered but the location of the pipe in the wall is behind where the post is in the drawing. It is SO kind of you to do this though, and even though it won't work, it gives me a visual to show DH and will probably help us make a decision we both are comfortable with.

lots of ideas posted here for you!

I think the wrapped granite looks fine - and much better than a split in counter or a change in it for the corner cab.

I'd make a lower cab with a door to store cooking oils/vinegars, maybe the extra bottle of ketchup or store bought salad dressing. maybe a fire extinguisher?

the upper would be fine for spices wouldn't it? it's right across from your stove. shallow enough not to lose the spices in the back. maybe a few 2 step organizer things in it. If you have more spices than will fit there, just put in those you use the most. Store the others elsewhere - maybe a container/basket in the lower cabinet. I don't use that many so it'd be plenty of space for me.

and I think the matching corner cabs to the left of the DR window would really be the best way to go. storage above and below.

If you like the idea of continuous cabinets and a support post, pipes can be moved.
We have hot water heat, and the supporting wall our GC took out to enlarge our kitchen had pipes in it. The plumber moved them with two right angles so they ran up inside the exterior wall. Of course in colder areas water in exterior walls is not a great idea.
Sandra

Sarapamela, a pony wall is just a short wall, your's would be up to the height and length of the cabinet that juts out, not a lot in the way of construction (and you could extend the granite to cover the top of it for a small landing place. I like how bmorepanic detailed the built-ins in the dining room, that's about what I'd do if it were mine to puzzle out.

Seeing it with the valances, there are too many horizontals for me. I'm not sure I'm seeing what Bmore was suggesting, but cabinets that aren't on the angle might be better.

I was thinking the angle just looked raw because it was unfinished, but I hadn't realized that the angles of the upper and lower are different. I think that is going to look worse when you get doors on them, so you need to look at that as part of the equation too.

I'm not sure what I'd do, but I think the inch and a half is the least of the issues (I'd probably split the difference on that). I've got a sick headache tonight, so I'm not coming up with ideas, but I know I wouldn't be happy with what I'm seeing now. Don't rush into something -- make it right.

Here is a bit of an update for those of you who have been kind enough to offer suggestions and your own 2 cents' worth! We have put off the templating until the cabinet doors are up and we have decided on the corner units. I feel a lot better now that the pressure is off.

We now are considering 2 options: This is what is involved in Option #1

The kitchen is defined as it's own room.....

Rebuild the wall to get rid of the funny strip of granite and define that as the end of the kitchen.
Paint that "wall" beige (so the color will go up next to the side of the corner cabinet, across the header and down the other side of the wide entrance. It won't be quite as open as it is now, but still much wider open than originally.)

Stop the granite in the kitchen and either use a separate triangle of granite on top of the corner cabinet or have no granite on it (just have a wooden top w/ mouldings on it so it looks more like a built in piece of furniture than a kitchen cabinet.)

Put a matching corner cabinet to the left of the dining room window. Cabinet maker said he can make one an inch or so smaller (and nudge the valance over a 1/2" or so to help give the illusion that they are exactly the same even though there is almost 2" less wall to the left of the window than to the right of it.) He actually would move the base that is in the right corner to the other side so that the odd "clipped corner" (or "return" to the wall?) that bothers me so much on the left of the base would now be on the left side of the left unit, where the "return" to the wall right before the slider would make sense. He says it will fit perfectly there....

For Option #2, we would:

Leave the short wall as it is to keep the kitchen as open as possible.
Have the granite flow from the kitchen across the small piece in front of the short wall and onto the corner cabinet.
Forgo the matching cabinet to the left of the window.

I see it as a choice between treating the area as two separate rooms vs. regarding it as one open room (with the granite "flowing" and no wall......)

Option #1 is more costly, but DH has crunched #'s and we can swing it if we decide it would look better and we'd be happier..... but he isn't sure he will like the look of closing up the wall. I tell him it is only 4-5", but what do you all think?????

I've been following your thread because I have a very similar situation, right down to a 19" wide stub of a (load-bearing) wall that separates my galley kitchen from a breakfast room. I think there is a way to use cabinetry to connect the rooms, but it's not clear from the photos if one assymmetrical corner cabinet really accomplishes that for you. Part of the difficulty in offering feedback is that the photos don't show the other side of your galley. I think the first idea is probably the better one, but it sounds like you're stretching your budget for something that might be a really imperfect solution (not great storage, still weird angles.)

This picture will give you a view of the d.r. window:

And here is the other side of the galley: (waiting for cabinet doors/drawers, etc., to be installed....and for the wallpaper to be removed) Hope it helps you visualize our space better....

I think that by filling in the little space by extending the wall the 4-5", it will eliminate some of the angles that bother all of us. Am I wrong about that???

I think you're right about bringing that wall out to the length of the cabinet that sticks out, I still think (and even moreso with the last pic of the dining room you posted) that the new corner cabinet just looks so off, look how high the upper looks compared to the window valance, even with one in the other corner I just don't think that room will look as good as it could. My vote is still for doing built-ins on either side of the window. :)

Hi, sorry I have not read all the idea's above. I would scratch the whole idea of using the corner cab idea. Make a long slender floor to ceiling pantry type gig with shallow interior door storage racks or just use for brooms, cleaning supplies and such. I would use a filler in the other area and would not worry about having that tiny counter space in the not very user friendly corner cabinets idea.

It sounds like a good plan. Making decisions under pressure never feels comfortable and its hard to get things right.

I really like how the kitchen is turning out. I love your floors. Overall, the cabinets look well made.

If I could add to the both options - the angle of the fronts for the top corner cab and the bottom corner cab need to be the same. Different sizes are fine.

I am confused because the angles of the upper and lower cabinets are the same....at least he said they are and they look like they are in person. Maybe it looks like they aren't in the pictures because of the wall that is cut back there to its right? There also is a clipped corner on the left side of the base, which may make it look "off" because of the way that left corner returns to the wall. I don't like that at all, and he is rebuilding one for that side that will have the trianglar top go all the way across to the wall.

Do you think we should use the granite on them (assuming we do the pair) or would wood or some other top be better (to differenciate it from the kitchen)???

Look at the third photo you posted -- the front edges of the two cabinets do not appear to be parallel to one another. Drop a line from the front edge of the upper near the wall, at the center and at the open end. They should all be the same distance from the front of the base, but it looks like the difference is much smaller at the wall/window side. At first I thought it was something in jodi's mock-ups making it look different, but then I went back and saw that photo.

If you do two corner cabinets, can you shorten the top one or take the valance up so you have them all on the same level? That was planned to be part of the kitchen, so at the ceiling height, but now, if you are going to make it part of the DR, it's okay -- maybe even preferred, to make it different.

Thanks for explaining this more clearly, lascatx. I was confused by folks' comments about them being different, but I now I see in that photo that it looks "off". Must be the position I was standing in when I took the photo or just an illusion. In any case, I just measured....and thankfully they are all the same distance apart all along the front edge.

For what it's worth, I think a triangular top will help, too... Hope so!

Cabinet doors and drawers are still drying, but they will be in next week. After we live with them a couple days, we will make a decision about wall and granite...and will consider the height of the upper section.

It sounds like option 1 would be the best fix. I don't think it's necessary to put granite on the top of the base cabinet. Just the wood tops look fine and maybe you should think about putting wood ( perhaps breadboard ) on the walls between the upper and lower corner cabinets. That would make them look like single units. I had my cabinet makers do that with my dining area cabinets and I think it looks better than if I had left it with just the drywall instead. Here is how it looks with wood added between base and wall cabinets:

That is a gorgeous piece of furniture : ) Does it come out in the front or is that another case where the angle of the camera alters the look a bit? I love the idea of the beadboard, as long as it isn't toooo much. The base cabinets in the kitchen are going to be beadboard (uppers will be recessed panel/Shaker style) I was thinking of making these cabinets the same, but now I think I might prefer having him do the Shaker on top AND bottom and bring in the beadboard in between, as you did?

Would it look "odd" to have the whole corner unit(s) like the upper units in the K instead of having the corner cabinet base w/ beadboard? It might be nice to make them different, especially if we extend the short wall those few inches. Great food for thought...and your input : )

Thanks, badgergirl.

I know the trend is for opening everything up, but that doesn't work well here. It's not that big of a deal, and would only cost maybe a hundred dollars or so, but I'd add some studs and drywall back, and re-create some of the wall. It works much better to have two separate spaces open to each other, rather than wide open, but not integrated.

Creating one space out of two here doesn't work because they haven't been unified into ONE space well, and you have to deal with the plumbing chase. And thus, you get lots of people who will think Marcolo's comment about the range being in the DR, but not actually say that to you. It feels like the kitchen is busting it's way into the DR way with no separation.

The kitchen needs to be separate and feel separate from the dining area, or else you need to do a LOT more work here to make it into a real single space. Adding enough of the walls back to accomplish the separation. Still maintaining a larger opening than originally there will actually make the space more cohesive. It feels choppy and awkward with them flowing into each other with no delineation now.

Sarapamela, my kitchen and dining room are completely open to each other and the cabinets in the picture above match the kitchen cabinets except for the fact that I put glass in the uppers. I think you could go either way that you are thinking of for your corner cabinets. I would probably have them match your kitchen cabinets and then just put the white wood between the uppers and lowers.
Also, my picture is not distorted.The base cabinet does have curved doors on it. I have some curved cabinets in my kitchen too. I was lucky to find an Amish cabinet maker who could do that. Thank you for the compliment.
You new kitchen and your dining area will turn out lovely. Sometimes it gets confusing because you get too much advise on GW. Just do what feels right for you. Can't wait to see it all finished.

I can't wait to see it all finished, too, badgergirl! I guess I am a glutton for punishment, asking for more input throughout all these unexpected twists and turns, but I've learned a lot through the forums.

I am amazed at how helpful people are and how much time they put into solving issues, recommending items, answering simple and complicated questions and directing folks to places they can buy what they need, etc. Guess we all have to sort through the feedback and take what works for us. Thank you ALL for your suggestions and encouragement, as well as constructive criticism.

Hope I'll be ready to post photos of a completed kitchen (and DR) within a couple weeks!!???

I'm coming in late to the game, but I liked the renderings of the granite wrapping!

I would have to make those corner cabinets match, both in width, height, shelving and window molding. That's a lot of work.

All in all, I think you're going to have a clever, unique area.

I'm with Hollysprings. I have been following this post and have always thought that the walls need to be brought out to accommodate the cabinets in the kitchen. I don't think the wrap around is a good idea, it looks like you are correcting a mistake. The wrap area looks visually weak.

They built out the wall yesterday, and it already looks so much better! Some people like "flow" and assymmetry, but I've always been "wired" to prefer order and symmetry. The kitchen won't be the way we envisioned, but it is going to be great. Last night I started filling up the cabinets, and they are sturdy and roomy and I can't wait to get the granite, cabinet handles/knobs and paint!

This forum has been so helpful. Thank you all for supporting me through this process. I'd always heard a reno always takes more time and more money than they anticipate....and that was certainly true in our case. BUT....we are almost there! (Too bad we have to head north soon. We were going to leave this week, but will wait until they wrap up here ... with the exception of additional cabinets in dining area.)

Good luck to all of you as you work your way through your projects big and small : )

Stay tuned for photos (at least of the K, once we get granite, paint and knobs. That will make it look much more finished!)

Came across this old thread when looking for pictures of Kashmir White - and wondering how it turned out. Any pics? =) Hope it turned out great!