Layout -- have I solved the problem?

15 years ago

Having considered and played with everyone's suggestions, I felt that moving putting either the sink or the cooktop on that backwall with the refrigerator, pantry and ovens was just too tight, but I did not like putting the ovens on the opposite leg of the L from the cooktop (makes braising difficult). I'm back for one more try. Wondering if I get more traction out of a U shape than I do out of an L + island. Please let me know your thoughts.

The MW will be in the oven stack next to the fridge.

Background for those that don't know it: we're a family of 4 with 2 little ones (and one dog). The focus is the backyard (the 2 giant doors on the wall to the right are actually 10' sliders). The other "door" is an 8' opening that looks down to the entry and living room. The master bedroom is behind the refrigerator wall. We will be removing all or most of a wall between the dining room and kitchen, so our dining table will be in the empty area next to the peninsula (yes, seating at the peninsula is important for snacks and homework and project space). The family room is on the other side of the left wall.

The house is a 1964 California ranch-ish hillside home (it has mid-century ranch tendencies but half levels because it's built into the side of a hill, but it doesn't have the typical layout of a split-level).

Thanks!!!

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Comments (5)

rhome410
15 years ago
It looks lovely and could be great for one person, but I'm worried it won't fulfill the wishes you've communicated over the last months.

I remember from way back when that you wanted a baking space on an island, hoped for a prep sink and area, I think, and wanted a snack/beverage zone. Last time, the separate sink and kids' area outside of your work area was a top priority, as well as a focus on the big door and yard view. I don't really see any of those here.

-The counter between the stove and ovens are a pretty good baking/mixer space, but not if anyone is working at the stove.
-Prep, dirty dishes, and kids share 1 sink.
-The peninsula makes it less 'friendly' for multiple workers. Bigger chance of traffic jams.
-Does it offer you adequate dish storage?
-You have your back to the door when cooking or prepping by the cooktop.

Other recent posters have elected to keep the stove out of the end of the U (with mixed reactions from the forum, I must admit) so the cook didn't block the use of the side counters.

The idea from last time, at least how I imagined it, was to only have the stove, ovens, and fridge on that back wall. The pantry would have had to move to the cleanup wall (where you now show the stove), which was the least of the evils. (I actually would've made that tall unit into dish storage and made use of your former dish storage for things that were meant for the pantry) That would have given you enough room around the stove, I think.

This isn't terrible...But, like I said, I'm not sure it's the best fit for the priorities you've expressed...and that 'perfect fit' is what makes the kitchen a great place to be and use. Best wishes.
vicnsb
15 years ago
I tried to look at your photos on old post, but they are gone.
This seems to give you a lot of countertop and a nice work flow.
Are you losing something you really wanted by switching to a
u-shape? Does it give you less storage? It looks like plenty to me.
I know you have had lots of layouts...was your heart originally
set on an island?
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I think Marcolo is right. It's probably only a very few things that cause the problem. I've had 6 people working in my kitchen with only a few 'scuse mes. In my old kitchen, no matter what, there was no way to have more than one person in the work area without them having to move over because they were totally in the way. In the current one, it's just a can I reach in there for a sec kind of thing. Partly that's drawers instead of doors, I think, but partly it is from organization. One thing that helps is that the optimal place to stand for prep at the island is in front of my fridge drawers, and for all that they're great, they don't need a lot of opening. You could replicate that by putting less used things where the prep chef's belly is. My secondary island positions are on the ends, and, especially the sink end, also don't need getting in much. The other end just has wraps, junk, boards and racks. Not high demand. There's enough room at the clean-up sink for the washer not to be in anyone's way, and the work area there is above the DW. By stacking used prep dishes in the least used corner, on the other side of the sink, the DW doesn't have to be opened while someone is working there. I try to pull out any pretty bowls and pie plates that I'll need for serving from the baking area before the cooking starts, so the baking counter is more available. There are wooden spoons in both the baking utensils drawer and the under cooktop drawer. There are some odd flatware pieces in the baking utensils drawer, for stirring, tasting, spreading, etc., so that kitchen flatware doesn't have to be fetched from the far side of the kitchen. There are mixing bowls in the island and the baking area, and also Pyrex pie plates in both. There are small prep bowls on both sides of the main prep area, so accessible to everyone. The only things I bought extra for this doubling was a couple of table knives to be put in the baking drawer. The forks and spoons are from my college set but those knives are weird. I got a couple of heavy duty ones, with good spreading blades, in open stock at the Corning outlet. The other things I just salted around a little. Maybe this kind of process would work for you? Designating undisturbed stuff for the standing areas and spreading things around a bit?
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rmkitchen
15 years ago
I think with two littles plus a dog you'll really miss not having more than one point of entry / egress .... I've not been following your story so maybe this is the best of all worlds for you and your family, but honestly, with two littles plus a dog myself, I don't know how we'd do it without having the island around which to circulate (meaning: two ways in and out). It's a godsend!
malhgold
15 years ago
Personally, I wouldn't be happy having to walk around the peninsula to serve meals. While I'm sure casual meals will be at the peninsula, it is alot of walking around from the cooktop to the table.

Can you move the peninsuala down closer to that 8' opening? You look like you have some more space on that wall. That would at least open up the "U" a bit.

I also might want to cut back the length of the peninsula a bit so it was more of a straight shot to the frig.
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puertasdesign
15 years ago
I can't remember everything you went through to get here, but I'd really prefer an island to a peninsula.

Can you snap off that peninsula, and turn it 90 degrees, so that the kids are doing their homework with their backs to the big slider?

I think this would allow you to extend both the island and the back wall towards the dining area. It also enables you to land food to and from the fridge on the end of the island.

Layout -- have I solved the problem?

Comments (5)

rhome410

vicnsb

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