I really really like it as I'm also a fan of open space. My layout, which evolved thanks to this forum will also have no corners. I love how the overhang wraps around the wall and you have a dedicated center for baking. You solved the issue with the frig being far from the cooktop with frig drawers. Lots and lots of natural light too... Good Job!!

Thanks remodelfla. Anyone see any problems I may be missing?

VERY tight in front of your fridge drawers and micro, and at other end. You had more before.

Trade the 36" DB and the 24" DB on that back wall for a more centered cooktop?

Rhome-the cooktop will be centered, I don't know why it doesn't look that way in the drawing. I was concerned that it would look imbalanced and that the cooktop base should be 36" with a 33" base on one side and a 12" and 21" on the other. What do you think?

The space in front of the ref drawers is tight, but it's the same as in the last layout, about 38" (I drew this rather quickly and I guess I was a bit careless). Not perfect, I know, however, there will only be two of us in a few years.

38" is fine...But this shows closer to 30", so I was concerned.

I see that the cooktop is centered on that counter space, but I meant more centered on the room.

There's something I liked much better about the other plan...It just felt better to me for some reason, and I think it might have been the centered stove and hood, although I'm not necessarily always that big on centering. I guess having a separate run like that calls for it...and your small room. I think it felt better balanced.

Yea, that wall was the driving force behind the three runs. Maybe I'll get good news from Bob and find out I can steal few inches from somewhere. Because I'm not home, I can't check to see how difficult it would be to use the steam oven in an undercounter installation. There were some complaints about reading the controls.

One concern I do have about the other plan is the wall cabinet over the baking counter. Do you think it would box in the window too much. If you add the 13" cab to the 9.5 " bump out, that's over a 22" projection only 5" from the window. I'm thinking that would be a bad look. Do you think open shelves would look better?

It would probably let more light in, let you see the window from more of an angle. How are you about dealing with open shelves? I'm not much of an open shelf person, myself, but maybe it's just one of those compromises for this space. Of course, the benefits may also depend on what you keep on the shelves and how full they are?

Thanks for your help, Rhome. I had a long talk with DH about what to do...I just can't face trying to start this from square one. He really liked the U-shaped kitchen we had in the first place; I got the idea that I wanted to use different finishes, which required breaking things up, then I fell in love with that cooktop wall, and didn't want to give it up even after I decided to use just one finish. Oh boy...if I don't order these cabinets, this could go on forever.

So, I decided to compromise. Here is the FINAL layout - except for a possible sink change. I'd like to shift the sink down, but then I can't do a farm sink (which I didn't want initially but think will go great with the quarter sawn oak cabinets we picked). So that's the only thing that may still change. Any thoughts on that?

If we can't make the ovens fit, I'm getting rid of the doubles and buying a 27" gagg single convection to stack with the steam oven. Done!

Are you going to add the prep sink back in, or stick to one? I can't remember, do you have helpers, or is this a one-woman show?

It looks good to me, although I wish you didn't have to do with that hip-bumping corner. ;-) I vaguely remember your thread from way back. Was this the final result at that time? Or was that a full U?

It was the full U. The more I thought about those 2 corners, the more nervous I got with that layout. I will probably just do a small trash pull out instead of the prep sink...as long as I have somewhere to sweep cuttings and scraps, I think it'll be ok.

Now that the girls are 15, they're less interested in "helping" and when they do, they're pretty good about not getting under foot. Of course, DH always manages to be standing in front of the cupboard I need to access, no matter where it is.

The hip bumping corner hasn't been a problem in the current kitchen but it's only 5". We may be able to keep it that small depending on how we arrange the sink and which sink we get. Those bump outs have really made this kitchen difficult.

Rhome, I really appreciate your kindness and help. I had worked 2 straight days finalizing the cabinet specs when I realized there was a problem with the ovens and I was just ready to give up. I'm feeling much better now and very confident that this new layout will work. Thanks again.

I was really asking if you needed the 2nd sink for multitasking by multiple cooks, but it sounds like you don't...and could better use more counter. I think dealing with only one corner is a decent compromise.

I am happy you are feeling more at ease with your decision! I think it's interesting that when you address one problem, you end up noticing other things you want to improve...It happened to me more than once when I was working at our plan.

I LOVE quartersawn oak, so can't wait to see your kitchen. Best wishes! I hope it's everything you've hoped for.

I'm not sure how much space you have next to your refrigerator but that might be good for a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf, glass-fronted display or else possible a shallow broom/utility closet. Are you able to install anything there in a way that won't block the refrigerator door swing?

On the other hand, because it might be part of the view from the other room, you might be planning on some interesting artwork or something.

jayne

Jaynesb, good catch! I love those ideas...A kitchen can always use a broom, or a cookbook shelf.

Next to the fridge is the only place I could find for my baking height counter, which is a must. I originally didn't have the wall cabinets though and was going to do exactly what you suggested, Jayne. I have to give it a look when I get home because the cabinet may obsucre the window too much. DH wanted to use the space for art,too.

I thought she meant on the other side (left of fridge), where the wall bumps out, but it's not even with the fridge. You could put a tall, shallow cabinet in front of it, to even things out and gain some function, as well.

I was suggesting the closet/shelves/shallow cabinet(s) for in front of the bump-in section of the wall. Your drawing doesn't show any cabinetry to the left of your refrigerator right now. Only the baking height counter on the right of the refrigerator.

jayne

Oh, sorry about that Jayne, I misunderstood. That wall is 10 or 11 inches wide. I hadn't thought of shelves (or anything else) there but that's an great idea. Thanks.

i like the first layout better than the second, although they both have their issues. in the second one, you're back to the problem of not having any landing/staging space for your ovens and having oven doors opening in what i assume will be a very high-traffic area.

the first layout looks a bit tight for counter prep space, and i agree that the cooktop should be centered on the wall.

i'm wondering if your kitchen is large enough to support a 'baking center'. i mean, if you really bake that much, then maybe it's worth it to you, but, to me, i'd rather have just regular counter space and even a prep sink in that spot.

the first layout is certainly the better one, if you can just resolve the tight left-hand corner being your main prep spot and the assymetrical 'hot wall'. my other suggestion is to abandon the idea of having 'stacked' ovens and go to either a range plus combi or cooktop plus a wall oven mounted under the counter.

sorry in advance if i'm blowing up your plan too much!