Help with design ideas for wall between kitchen and family room
Hi all - I hope this is the right forum for this post... I realize it's also related to the family room, but I figured it's an extension of the kitchen space and you all are always so helpful with layout/design ideas.
Here's a little background - I apologize in advance for the long post and hopefully it won't be too scatterbrained as that's how I feel lately!
The original design for our kitchen/family room addition contained a support wall that would have a fireplace on either side - one in the family room and one in the kitchen eat-in area (or "hearth" room). Here is an earlier plan with this feature. Please note that the kitchen layout was just schematic for permit purposes, we have since changed windows and sink placement, etc.
After going with this plan for a while, I then came across this photo on houzz.com and started thinking about how it would be nice to have the area between the kitchen and family room more open and that also we probably wouldn't use the fireplace in the hearth room very often anyway...
I really like how this is open to the family room but not wide-open. And doing something like this would still give us the support wall that we needed. So, I met with our architect and we changed our layout around to have the family room fireplace on the far wall and a similar area in between the two rooms.
Now, I really like the direction we're going in except that I don't like how this looks from the family room side (here is the backside photo from the same kitchen):
Here are my thoughts about this -
This house has their table on the other side of the wall so it makes sense to have that pass through. Does it still make sense for our layout?
If we do a mirror image of the cabinets on the family room side (which I like the idea of) we start eating into the family room space a few more feet and I don't want to make that space cramped. (In the revised drawing the family room is about 19x20 from wall to wall and the fireplace will then eat up a few feet of that)
So basically... what would you do? These are all of my other thoughts:
- keep the new fireplace location, keep the two walkways, but close up the wall in the middle and just have a hutch on the kitchen side
- have the opening be in the middle, so bring in the support walls from the side and have a large cased opening in the middle of the room
- do something like above and add pocket doors for interest
- go back to original plan with the hearth
- ...???
I really appreciate any thoughts on other cool ways to design this space. Thanks so much.
Comments (8)
chicagoans
12 years agolast modified: 7 years agoRelated Discussions
Removed wall between kitchen and family room, now what?
Comments (5)We did this with our living and dining room years ago. I am very happy with that but still wanted 2 rooms. We have a country style home so we did a fake beam and some nice trim down the walls. Our only draw back was the hard wood floors so we used a nice piece of oak and layed it crossways on the floor and then refinished the flooring. If you would like pictures I will see what I can do.. Karen L...See MoreDesign Help: Opening Between Kitchen and Dining Room
Comments (21)I'd say don't put in doors if you cannot do pocket doors. I don't think you have room for doors that open to lay flat along the back wall without them getting in the way of the left door to the stairs. Regarding the layout, if it's set in stone and cannot be modified, so be it. It's too bad you cannot change it, but that's life. Yes, you will have some issues, e.g., the DW in the way of the Prep Zone & significant zone-crossing as well as the refrigerator if it's against the wall (b/c a 90-degree stop will be a problem when you try to remove bins, etc., for cleaning. Refrigerators should never be up against a wall - even built-ins can have issues with opening doors fully, although it isn't usually as bad as with counter-depth and standard-depth.) But you will get used to them. As I've told others, humans are very adaptable, we can adapt to both the good and the bad. We find ways to make do. One thing I suggest is that you invest in a mobile cart/island so you can use it to transport ingredients, etc., to/from the refrigerator and the Prep Zone. The biggest gain I see, though, is opening up a doorway into the DR. I think that in and of itself will make all of this worthwhile!...See MoreKitchen family room design ideas
Comments (6)Just a rough idea ... The corner they've got the breakfast table in could be really nice as a banquette, but if you don't like benches, a round table with four chairs could work there, too. For the fireplace area, maybe two chairs instead of the couch; if you got ones that swivel they could face the kitchen for conversing with the chef or each other for fireside chatting, side tables for drinks and a rug to create a cozy space. In the dining room, you could probably go a tad bigger than what they have, and I put a small buffet where they have the chair. Id turn the living room couch so it could be used to watch a TV on the big wall. The chair could be pulled to a watching position, but it's more set up for gathering. A console table across the back of the couch is for the entry space ... great spot to toss the mail or find your keys on the way out....See MoreNeed Design Help: Open Concept Kitchen Family Room w/o Eat-In Space
Comments (26)Yeah, I know it’s a tall order to come up with something that accomplishes what I want but I figured I'd see if others on Houzz had some ideas. Both sectionals that I'm considering are pretty spacious. The first one is 144” x 79” and the other is 120” x 110.” msteezzy - here’s a picture of the space you asked about....See Moreaokat15
12 years agolast modified: 7 years agoaokat15
12 years agolast modified: 7 years agoaokat15
12 years agolast modified: 7 years agoSpending too much time on google... but found this pic of a wet bar from forum member blakey (unfortunately I can't find her kitchen just searching on the forum, I'm assuming due to the site issues). I don't see what this looks like from the family room but it's a similar idea.
aokat15
12 years agolast modified: 7 years agoaokat15
12 years agolast modified: 7 years agoThanks to Willowdecor's blog I checked out Molly Frey's website and found these pics!! Again SO similar to what I'm looking for (and a white kitchen!) but I can't find pics of the other side...
kathec
12 years agolast modified: 7 years agoaokat15,
I saw your reference on my "boxed in columns" post. Thanks for referring me here. We're definitely on the same track. I really liked the examples that you and the other posters put up. I think we're leaning toward the idea shanghaimom posted with the columns and the arch except DH and I were thinking to panel 3 sides and install shelves on the inside. In my situation, the family room side is a walkway, so we'll have plenty of space for an overhanging bar with a few stools. I definitely need a place for my cookbooks that is easily accessible, yet doesn't take up valuable space in the main kitchen storage area and this seemed like the best solution. In the picture below, we already have the basic structure.
shanghaimom