Here's my layout...what do you think?

14 years ago

*love* this forum! So many helpful suggestions and ideas! Hope you can give me some of your thoughts on my layout...

Here's my kitchen..

We are a family of 4 - me, DH, 2 boys (6 and 10). We are replacing cabs, counter tops, floor (tile, wood not practical for us). We are keeping all appliances and painting fridge black to match. Same basic layout (I think!)

1. KD suggested swapping fridge and stove. Only concern is that the fridge would block sunlight coming in from back door. Kitchen does not get much light in the afternoon (sun from dining room side of house).

2. Want to get rid of super susan, but afraid of losing space. Currently I have all dry goods in there and like seeing it all, but boxes get knocked down when I push it open. Would like drawers on both sides of corner for tupperware, dry goods and mixing bowls. Not sure I could get all dry goods in one drawer on short side though. The other drawer would be for tupperware. I could put some goods in cabinet above too I think.

3. Will be getting rid of appliance garage which currently houses chips and cookies. Should be able to get these items in 1 of 2 drawers left of sink. And mixing bowls in other drawer. Currently that 15" cab is too narrow for housing all mixing bowls and like.

4. Hate corner cab above. Thinking of blind cab on long wall for glasses, bowls *never* used :). I'm 5'10" so getting in there is not an issue for me.

5. If fridge stays where it is, should I box it in so can have deeper top cab? Although i would be afraid that the wood wall next to the door to the garage (always used) would get scratched up. ?

6. The island, currently 3 cabinets. Want to add seating area. Currently 5" overhang on entry hall side - no use. Not sure if we have room for seating on that side, as we are always walking down that isle when we come in through garage or front entry. Thinking of just having seating area at end and losing a cabinet which I'm not crazy about. Will put double trash opposite sink and 2 drawers for pots and pans. Would like another cabinet but I *think* I can give it up for seating.

7. Would like to put in some cabinetry on wall between basement door and living room opening?? There is a return duct on floor. I would get rid of the buffet. Want a place for printer, papers, phone base, keys, etc. What would I want to be there? Desk maybe? Pantry, cabinets?

Thanks so much!

Here is a link that might be useful: kitchen pics - before

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Comments (3)

desertsteph
13 years ago
I'd keep the fridge and stove where they are - wouldn't want to lose the open feel it has now, or the light.

I wouldn't close in the fridge. lots of people like that now. I don't. it's a kitchen with a fridge.

could you put a rounded end on the right side of the island - could maybe seat 2 then?

there's seems to be plenty of space between the 2 doors for more cabinets. make the area by the return duct open like a desk area so the air can flow. good place for a chair for writing lists or using phone. you could have the printer behind a cab door on a slide out. there are lots of wall units like that out there to look at. I'd have it done to match kit cabs if possible.

here's another idea for an upper corner cab -
rhome410
13 years ago
What's behind the 52" wall that's by the pantry door? If it's pantry, is there any chance of insetting the fridge there?
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You've put a lot of thought and research into this so I would go for it. You will feel so much better. I know I am guilty of overthinking and hesitating because of a bad review or two. The appliances had the features I wanted so I will just deal (and maybe rant and rave) if there are problems in the future. Or maybe get an extended warranty on the DW if that will make you more comfortable.
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Hey Thanks for all the feedback. I have tweaked the plan a little bit, some based on feedback here. For the most part I am happy with this plan. A couple comments below. 1. I know stairs usually go in foyers, but I dont see why they need to. THe stairs lead to the private area of the house, 90% of guests will never go up to the bedrooms so why have the link to that part of the house the first thing guests see? I like the idea of having it back off the main family living space. 2. The dining room will get used. I like the separation of it so you could have a conversation with guests while kids are running umuck in the main living area. I have added some more space for casual eating in the kitchen and may add even more to the island in final version. 3. I flipped the bench in the mud room area so it is now hidden from the dining room. I also lost a couple closets but still think we have enough on the the first floor. 4. The mini bar area is not a wet bar. It will be a built in with a 36" counter, 24" mini frig, 12" cabinet drawer below and a 36" upper cabinet. It will store beer, wine, snacks. I never have room for these things in the main frig, they end up in garage or basement so it would be nice to have off the main living areas. I think it is a good use of space for that spot. 5. I cleaned up the upstairs bath/laundry./closet areas, I think it makes more sense now. 6. Still see closets in front bedrooms as potential trouble spot. Yes I hate having a window in a closet but the house needs to have a window there, sometimes you must make small sacrafices. Now that this is really happening I am of course freaking out, that I have done it all wrong, but I think this is going to work. We will spend most time in family room/kitchen and I think that space is very open and functional. Also I am about to get on my knees and beg to somehow figure out how to get the front porch in my budget. The house does not look right without it, it gives it its character. I know the windows are not traditional colonial style but this is more of a nantucket/cape cod inspired design and often large windows are used to take in the views of the ocean. No we don't have an ocean in our front year, but I think it will help bring in lots of light and give it a different feel than most colonials. Here is a link that might be useful: Updated plans
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budge1 - you are so kind to my kitchen! :) Thank you for liking it. I hope I'll one day like it as much as you do - haha. I see the potential, that's for sure. I like the original cupboards too. It's hard though cause without having a lot of money - and we don't - I'm pretty limited about what I can do with that small space which I think is about 12x14' big! I'm maybe short a half-a foot in giving those dimensions. The hardwood floors are so worn they give splinters (!) and can't be sanded down again I've been told. They're just fir. But until I can knock down that mudroom wall and expand - if ever - having a nice countertop, backsplash, new sink and faucet (and first-ever dishwasher and disposal and good safe outlets) will be a HUGE improvement! I'm glad you like the height of the faucet (I've been pretty worried about that). The distance from wall to spout should end up being not too far out once the apron-front sink is put in, since by nature it has to be pulled out as far as the counter comes out. So, compared to the picture you see of my current sink, the new farm sink should poke out another 2 or 3 inches further, making the faucet actually reach just short of the middle of the sink. I hope I don't have the splashing issues others w/ much height have complained about! But supposedly having an aerator makes a difference. I'd hate to find out the hard way that they were wrong! When you wrote of an overhang, you mean the way a table or bar or island can allow chairs/stools to sit under it (but not as far as in those cases), right? Can you tell how ignorant I am when it comes to kitchens and remodeling? ;) Well there is a kitchen door on BOTH ends of the long counter, and if the counter visually comes out too much, it will appear to block the doorways which don't leave much room. Because we need to put a dishwasher in, which will go to the left of the sink (best place), we'll have to bring out the counter there, as far as the sink comes out in my photo. For symmetry we'll probably do that on the right side, too. My hope is that it won't make the doors looked blocked. The counter will angle back in and go back to being more shallow, before hitting the doorways...I just hope they'll do that soon enough to fool the eye into believing the counters aren't too far out! I do definitely look forward to having more counterspace, even if it's only a couple of inches!
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desertsteph- There will only be glass in the two cabinets that border the stove. The 4 doors on the right have hinges on the right. The 2 doors on the left have hinges on the left. pudgybaby- The two 15 inch cabinets on the right, if combined into one 30" would change the knob configuration, but that seems fine to me. Yes, my cabinet walls are 3/4". So across the wall I would loose 4.5 inches versus 3-30" cabinets. In the glass cabinets, I plan to put decorative plates or white tureens. I have two 9" pull-out pantries on the sides of the range for spices, oils, etc. My KD thinks that the smaller cabinets look nicer and would allow me to have some glass to lighten the weight of the cabinets on the wall. He said that if I put in 30" cabinets with glass doors on both sides of the range, then the wall would look too light (weight-wise) and the cabinets would compete with the windows over the sink. The windows over the sink extend across the entire wall. The cost of the 30" cabinets is the same a the 15" cabinets. If I go with 30" cabinets with solid doors, there would be a cost savings of $120 by not having to paint the interior of the 15" cabinets to match the exterior cabinet color. The KD also wants to feature my kitchen in her promotional materials.
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momand3boys
Original Author
13 years ago
desertsteph - like that corner cabinet idea, I will ask the KD. Can't block the basement door too much by extending the island as we have no bulk head door in the basement. So if we need to move furniture, it has to go through the kitchen door. But I'm thinking I'll have to get rid of the end cab.

Behind that wall is the entry hall closet. Need that. Although I would love to inset a fridge somewhere, an eye sore for me looking at it sometimes. Although could be all those darn magnets and pictures on it! :)

Also, how do you think I should make the kitchen and dining room flow better? Looking at the current pictures, it looks like two separate rooms. Can't continue the wood floor since DH tracks in dirt from outside all the time, not practical. I think dark cab colors would make the room dark. ??

Here's my layout...what do you think?

Comments (3)

desertsteph

rhome410

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Here's my layout...what do you think?

Comments (3)

desertsteph

rhome410

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