skip to main content

Long skinny kitchen

11 years ago

Hi all,

The house we recently bought has a 10'x20' kitchen. It's got the L-shape thing going on; but it's way too long. Everything about the kitchen is terrible. Lighting is hit or miss.

How do you handle a skinny kitchen to make it more compact and workable? Currently, the long wall has the refrigerator, stove AND dishwasher, short wall has the sink.

Thanks.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

poohpup
11 years ago
Can you post pictures or a floor plan?
positano
11 years ago
My kitchen in long and skinny too. It is about 11' x 21'. We took out a wall between the kitchen and dining room. I have the fridge,stove and wine fridge on one wall and sink and dishwasher on the short wall.
I even squeezed in an island, my cabinet guy thought it would be tight , but I insisted on it anyway. It's not tight at all and I couldn't imagine not having it. Best part of the kitchen.

Here are some old photos....
From Positano's Finished Kitchen

From Positano's Finished Kitchen

From Positano's Finished Kitchen
Related Discussions
Ideas for LOW maintenance, long & skinny outdoor area
Q
Comments (9)
I have a narrow shrub border around my patio, it is lovely and very low maintenance with the bark mulch. Some of my favorite plants have been "Robusta" juniper, Spirea, (can't think of the variety offhand, but it has yellow foliage with hot pink flowers and the new growth is red, it is the total show stopper in my yard.) I also planted "Miss Kim" lilac which has kept a nice tidy size, and a small japanese maple called "Fireglow" which I highly recommend. It is more columnar than some of the other japanes maples. There's also coralbark japanese maple which is also somewhat columnar. Mail order the maples if you have to. I did for mine and I was totally skeptical when the pathetic little sapling arrived, but it has thrived and shot up in growth. I've also planted some dwarf evergreens, which is just my personal passion. Your landscape designer should be able to design a nice mixed shrub border, and if not go to any reputable nursery and they should be able to help. I really love the way flowering shrubs add a punch of color and are super low maintenance compared to perennials. But, I have perennial shasta daisies planted in between the shrubs to give a pretty burst of light in the summer and it is great when I sit out at night on the patio, those flowers show off. There are also easy care landscape roses which are nice in a shrub border but they don't always sell these varieties in ye olde big box garden center. I've got a native rose, called "Virginia's rose" which I have to beat back with a shovel it is so hardy. It only blooms once a year though, and there are other, more continual bloom varieties that are also hardy. And they've really done a lot with breeding smaller varieties on weigela, which is another hardy flowering shrub. And there are also dogwood shrub varieties with lovely foliage and bark. Redtwig dogwood is one example. So those are some ideas to get you started.
...See More
Kitchen Island Troubles - opinions please
Q
Comments (14)
I am planning walnut perimeter cabinets and a painted island. I had originally planned to do a different counter top on the island but I am re-considering this. In my case, I am doing walnut cabinets and an olive tone island. I wanted a walnut butcherblock on the island but am reconsidering because I think it may be one finish too many. In my case we are 50% DIY so I am just waiting for the cabinets to be installed before I make the final call. I understand you probably don't have that flexibility. The first Houzz link you posted has the wood perimeter and the black island both with the tropic brown. It looks really nice. Do you dislike it? Based on that photo, I feel that if the island had a lighter, granite with a lot of movement it would definitely be too much for me. However, that kitchen has a lot of ornamental detail on the cabinetry and is very traditional whereas my style is more clean lines and modern, so that kitchen is already very busy for me and I need the island to be calm. What if you printed out that photo or another one that best approximates your cabinetry and a picture of a light granite and cut and pasted a mock up. Sometimes getting out the arts and crafts supplies is the best way for me to visualize. Crayons are very beneficial.
...See More
Help with layout (long, skinny kitchen)/Color choices
Q
Comments (7)
Rosie, The main entry is in the front of the house. There is another entry through the garage (not shown) and through the two sets of doors to the right of the kitchen. This will likely be the entry I use most often with two small children. The only bearing walls are the exterior walls and the wall between the kitchen and living room. This is a conversion of the original kitchen; I've attached a sketch (to scale) of what existed in our home (there has been some demo already). Buehl, The half wall is there to block the view of dishes and other kitchen mess from the dining room. I would be fine with using the dining room for most of my meals, but I would love for the babies (my toddler and baby to arrive soon) to be able to eat in the kitchen, as they can make quite a mess! All, I am just wondering if there are any island ideas or other thoughts. Also, I am eliminating the cabinets on the wall between the half bath. The fridge will be on the wall by the basement stairs, and the double ovens are actually going to be under the range (1) and 1 in the peninsula. Again, I'd love any thoughts or other ideas. We want to order cabinets asap!
...See More
I don't like KD's layout, feedback appreciated
Q
Comments (42)
hi erika, we don't have a formal dining room. we had one, but needed it to redirect the traffic in our house. The dining room was essentially a pass through from the entry way... very awkward. in this renovation we completed we did away with it and have a nice table in our living space (which is sort of a combo family, dining, kitchen space). our architect came up with a plan that will allow us to turn our laundry room into a dining room down the road if we feel we need one (this would mean putting the laundry upstairs which would mean adding on a bedroom upstairs (on top of a flat roof)... all of this would be a significant investment so we don't plan to do it unless it really irks us to not have a dining room. I personally don't feel the need. that CP photo you posted was one of my inspiration photos for my kitchen. I love that kitchen .the designer i used said that it is in Portsmouth, NH... I asked lots of questions about that particular kitchen and studied it as if I were preparing to take a final exam! on another note, I wanted you to know about a Boston area GW get together coming up in early September. at this point, I think the 6th. It will be in burlington, MA so maybe something not too far from you and hopefully you can make it. keep your eyes peeled for a post on it.
...See More
positano
11 years ago
Another garden web gal Virginia2020 was inspired by my skinny kitchen to get her island. She sent me this photo once it was done. I think she was 11' wide too.
From TemporaryItems
herbflavor
11 years ago
whether there is an eating area in the 20 ft length is a big factor. The window placement has to be worked around[is the sink on the short wall under a window?]...funny the dishwasher isn't next to the sink....that may be a major cause of your aggravation. Before I would re-do the configuration I would seriously figure out what exactly were the annoyances. A long L kitchen can be a perfectly fine,workable space. Is it without an island,and perhaps adding that in would help get the kitchen up to your workability threshold?? Maybe just keep the long wall of it/eliminate the short wall/add pantry space to one end of the long wall to use up some of that length?? Sketch it all up with variations:what amt of time have you spent there?
nancita
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi all,
Thank you for the great input.
Here's the kitchen in all it's glory. HELP!
springroz
11 years ago
That is the exact layout I had in a previous house, but I had a bar open to the family room over the sink, and no otside door there. The only way I really wanted to change it was add an island.. But never did.

I had new cabinets made and dressed it up a bit, but that was it. My cabinets were the same as yours. I did white cabinets to the ceiling!

Good Luck!

Nancy
bellsmom
11 years ago
My finished kitchen is about the same size as yours. I would have given a lot of two more feet in width. I think the final kitchen is 22' x 10'6''. I didn't want cabs on the other side with six feet between them. This graph is pretty close to what we eventually did. I did increase the depth of the wall cabs to 15'' and the length of the island by a bit.

The distance between cabs and island is 36'' which works for us.
There is a small 36'' table and four chairs in the space in front of the corner cab, which is an old family piece.

Here's a link to the kitchen post if it will help you:

Here is a link that might be useful: From one butt kitchen to final.

Related Stories

14 Ways to Maximize a Skinny Space

By Shawn Gauthier

Transform a Narrow Spot With Clever Design, Space Savers and Tricks of the Eye

WINDOWS Skinny Windows: Exclamation Points of Light

Tall, narrows windows punctuate walls with light and well-curated views

FURNITURE How to Arrange Furniture in Long, Narrow Spaces

By Pangaea Interior Design, Portland, OR

7 ways to arrange your living-room furniture to avoid that bowling-alley look

KITCHEN ISLANDS What to Consider With an Extra-Long Kitchen Island

By Eric Reinholdt, Architect

More prep, seating and storage space? Check. But you’ll need to factor in traffic flow, seams and more when designing a long island

KITCHEN DESIGN Kitchen of the Week: Galley Kitchen Is Long on Style

By Becky Harris

Victorian-era details and French-bistro inspiration create an elegant custom look in this narrow space

KITCHEN DESIGN Special Report: Kitchen News from Cologne

Blended Kitchen-Living Rooms, Super-Skinny Counters and Hidden Appliances Are Headed This Way

INSIDE HOUZZ How Much Does a Remodel Cost, and How Long Does It Take?

By Erin Carlyle

The 2016 Houzz & Home survey asked 120,000 Houzzers about their renovation projects. Here’s what they said

MOVING Relocating Help: 8 Tips for a Happier Long-Distance Move

By Laura Gaskill

Trash bags, houseplants and a good cry all have their role when it comes to this major life change

DECORATING GUIDES Ask an Expert: How to Decorate a Long, Narrow Room

Distract attention away from an awkward room shape and create a pleasing design using these pro tips

DECORATING GUIDES Divide and Conquer: How to Furnish a Long, Narrow Room

Learn decorating and layout tricks to create intimacy, distinguish areas and work with scale in an alley of a room

Sponsored

More Discussions

kitchen design feedback

6

Does anyone have Medallion cabinets in Maple Biscotti?

7

Nuage Quartzite - any water issues?

14

kitchen countertops

2

Silver colored drawer pulls and faucet

1