I really like your plan in general and bet you'll love the openness doing away with most of the uppers will bring. That symetrically boxed stove area should be very easy to make into a very handsome focal point too.

Something that occurs to me is that 30" cabinets are a lot more flexible than pairs of 15"ers and could still hold the same 15" pullouts if you wish (they need a piece of wood in the middle to attach to, but it needn't be the sidewalls of two separate cabinets). They're also less expensive.

Also, do you really need a 36" sink cabinet, or have you at least engineered its use so that prime central space is developed as its location deserves--instead of as the usual kitchen back-alley? We need sink and dish cleaners there, but the rest of the mercifully seldom-used chemical mess should go elsewhere--to the far ends or another room altogether. Trash receptacles would only take half at most of the space if you put them there. Regardless of the size of the cabinet, since it's right under the sink, right by the dishwasher, and right across from the stove, so how about using some of it for some of your most frequently used and washed items?

BTW, I'm really looking forward to seeing your planter boxes when you're finished. That'll be a very nice element. I do my gardening mainly outside these days, but I've been remembering the 70s, when rooms without houseplants seemed intolerably dead and sterile, and thinking a plant here or there would be nice.

I would do 3 18" cabinets instead of the little 9" insert- or do your 2 15" full heights as 18", then leave three inches of wiggle room if you haven't already figured that in.

2 thoughts:

1) I would probably change the 36" drawer base to 30", and enlarge the 15" drawer base next to it to 18". I think those sizes are more useful and will give you better options and flexibility for using them.

2) If you have planter boxes on the top of your 4" backsplash, does it invade your usable counter space? Do you have room to pull out those cabinets 6" or so and make a deeper counter so they're not in your way?

Thanks. Good comments, all. Here is a photo of the current kitchen so you can get an idea of the look. It is a '60s MCM home and we're keeping the brick pony wall, garden and planter boxes. The planter boxes don't really encroach on the usable counter space and I keep the plants in there overhanging in the other direction.

- Our sink requires the 36" sink cab, so we can't reduce there. Interesting idea about rethinking what is stored beneath -- I'll have to ponder on that.

- The two 15" full-height pullouts on the left end: IKEA doesn't make the cabinet any bigger. I'd have to see if I could cobble together the pieces to make them any wider. The wiggle room might be indicated -- WILL be indicated if I go back in and put cover panels facing the dishwasher to make sure no white cabinet box shows through.

- The 36" drawer base. It does seem big, doesn't it? I'll have to look at resizing that stretch.

You have a wonderful kitchen area! I love the inside garden! It would be a great way to beat the winter blues when you yearn for greenery!

To the subject at hand...your kitchen! I know you said the appliances were staying where they currently are, but...

Are you open to considering moving the DW? Right now, it's in conflict with the range; it opens into the backs of the legs of someone working at the range.

If you put it on the other side of the sink, you could have this on that wall... 15" + 15" + 9" + 24" + 24" DW + 36" Sink + 24" + 36" + 15" + 15"

OTOH, if it's on the side you currently have it, it does keep it out of what will most likely be your prep zone on the refrigerator side of the long run. Prep workflow is generally
Refrigerator --> Sink --> Range/Oven/MW So, your prepping will probably be on that side. BTW, I would put the MW in the pantry that's on the refrigerator side as well...closer to the refrigerator since most items cooked in a MW come from the refrigerator.

I guess the DW location is a matter of personal preference in this case since there are pros & cons to both locations. Hmmm...the more I think about it, the more I think the current location may be best...especially if I can talk you into a separate trash pullout!

Maybe that other side could be a Baking Center? Does your family bake much? Or, how about a Beverage Center?

++++++++++

A trash can in the pantry isn't very accessible to the rest of the kitchen, are you sure that's the best place for it? When I'm prepping & cooking, I don't want to have walk too far to throw something out...dripping all the way, especially if I have several items to throw out!

If you put your trash can under the sink, you will not be able to easily access it from elsewhere if someone is working at the sink.

A trash pullout is easily accessed by everyone...prepping, cooking, cleaning up. It's easier, IMHO, to access trash while working at the sink if it's at the side rather than directly beneath you where you have to step out of the way to get to it.

You could do one of the following (or some variation). Both have the trash on the right so it's easily accessed from the sink as well as range. 18" + 18" + 9" + 24" + 18" Trash + 36" Sink + 24" DW + 30" + 18" + 18"

(18" cabinets are more useful than 15")

Or, how about.... 21" + 24" + 24" + 18" Trash + 36" Sink + 24" DW + 24" + 24" + 18"

[Does IKEA have 21" cabinets? If not, consider an 18" and a 3" filler pullout on that side...or leave the 3" as filler or "wiggle room" along that run, if needed. If you find you don't need it, then get a filler pullout...all it needs is a toekick and door or slab for the front. Filler pullouts are attached to the sides of the cabinets on either side so they have to be put in at cabinet installation time.]

9" of space really isn't much & I think it could be better used if merged into the rest of the cabinets. Measure it...

What is next to the refrigerator, is that the corner of a wall that comes into that space? I was thinking, and I don't know if its possible, but what if the refrigerator was on the other side of that run of cabinets? Then it would be boxed in by a Mass on one side (fridge) the counters and range and a Mass on the other side (that wall)

Instead of all the mass (fridge + wall) being on one side and the other vertical being the skinny panel. --Dont know if it could be done, range has to shift down, and then the range hood as well.

Good for you for working within the spirit of the house and not trying to turn it into something else:)

There are two built-in, reach-in pantries on either side of the range run and those are staying -- they provide all the storage we need for foods and oils/tall spice items

I.e., both ends have a "mass" b/c they each have a pantry.

I misunderstood how your planter boxes worked, thinking there was a wall behind. You have a very, very cool space!

buehl -

Thanks for you detailed suggestions. First, unfortunately I have to have double drawers on the top of the 36" deep drawers. I think there is a way to swap the doubles on the 30" deep drawers, though, as there is a 30" oven cabinet with a single drawer. Worth considering on the 30" ones. Two of the drawers on the range side will hold spices.

I'm thinking the 9" open shelf is a waste, and you're correct it will be better to try to work the space into other cabs and fudge room.

The DW could switch to the other side of the sink, but then it is jumbled in between the range and fridge on the other side. It was important to DH that the deep drawers holding plates and glasses be adjacent to the DW, so that is how I got the design I have.

As for the trash, I know it isn't the preferred method, but we just pull the trash can out of the pantry and drag it to where it needs to go for prep, then put it back.

We already have the hood. It is 30" rather than the oversized 36", but we are not heavy cookers and it should work for us.

It is a two-person kitchen 95% of the time, but we can actually have three working comfortably -- one at the range and one on either side of the sink. And with 56" between countertops, there isn't much problem getting past folks.

Thanks again!