This sounds like a big and exciting project! I love the way you describe the flow through the main floor of the house. I hope you are enjoying the playful stage with graph paper and many different sketches of possibilities.

Alas, that short side of the U will not take two dishwashers plus a sink. Bottom cabinets are 24 inches deep, plus an inch overhang for the countertop. If you have two bottom cabinets coming out at right angles, that means the opening that is left is only 48 inches, and each dishwasher is 24 inches wide. There's no room left for a sink!

Is there room on either side of the sink across from the fridge to put the dishwashers? Not sure if that would be wise, unless that aisle is wider than it looks.

Is the covered porch already built? I'm concerned that with it running along your west wall on the outside, you won't get much light through the sink window on that wall.

Perhaps that creates an opportunity, though. If you moved the range to that wall, instead, you could use super susans in the corners for storage. Then you could put the main sink facing south. Window placement on that wall would change, and you could put one dishwasher to the left of the sink, and one coming out of the peninsula.

Or -- completely new idea, here -- have you thought about having the peninsula emerge from the elevator wall, and putting the fridge between the sink and the dining room on the west wall? So, the aisle from the kitchen to the dining and living area would be up at the top of the drawing. Then you could put two dishwashers in the peninsula and put the microwave in a pantry cabinet where the fridge is for the current diagram.

Hm... I'll keep noodling. Let's see what others come up with, too.

Eastbaymom,

Thank you for your post! I am so excited someone took the time to look at my plan.

I made a mistake and should have said that there is 8 feet between the cabinets on the short leg of the U. Oh and you spent time really thinking through alternatives...

Did I over communicate or is my layout resolution too poor? Not much response. (Thanks Eastbaymom!) Don't worry, I can take it!

It's not bad the way you've set it up - just a couple leetle monkeys

I would move the prep sink one way or the other to consolidate the counter space on that side of the range. If it moves towards the double doors, the work area between the sink and range is expanded - but you lose a "sit down" space for stuff while opening the door. The sit down area might be too small to be useful.

If it moves towards the range - its amazingly convenient to be able to fill and dump pots and the work space consolidates with "sit down space" and also things going to/from the ref. Since you batch cook, having a place where you can sit down a lot of things at once might be important. Bummer is that chopped stuff has to be lifted over the sink.

All of that said, you know if that's the direction you actually want to face while cooking. This is just a reminder that you'll be completely facing away from everyone and everything while prepping and cooking.

I think I would shorten the peninsula. It would irritate me to have to walk around it and it looks like it has a clearance issue (aging in place). BTW - the elevator exit towards the dining room might also. I'm guessing you're adding on the pantry there, but between that space, the closet and the fireplace side, it looks kinda narrow. It might be partly the overdrawn lines. As someone else found out - its a good idea to have at least one 42" entrance way because that's what a person needs when carrying grocery bags.

Also reminding you that the dishwasher placements mean that you won't be able to reach the wall cabinets or get into the side base cabinets when the dishwasher(s) are open. If you haven't already, you might explore a variation of cutting the peninsula entirely to improve cabinet access and add either workspace under the micro with a small single person seating area on one side or the other. Or maybe think about what I call a micro-island - something around 18-24" x 36-48" that lets you stackup the ingredients after pulling them all from the pantry.

If you choose to think about expanding the depth of the mw wall, you could then do a wall oven and shrink the range down if you wanted. Full disclosure - not in your price range, but if I was - well, the sexy feelings involved the 48"'ers might carry the day.

HTH.

Whew! That is a lot of info to absorb. I can only offer my experience with cabs to the counter. I have that type on my peninsula, similar to your drawing. It doesn't bother people sitting there as much as it does me. It takes valuable counter space from the corner that I'd like to spread stuff out and use.

Is the 8' measurement down by the fridge? It looks like you have room for DW on both sides of the sink,leaving you with blind corners. You could use the modified magic corner to reclaim that space on the S/W corner and a cab opening to the dining area to reclaim the other.

Good luck with your project!

Another Pac NWesterner...Welcome!
Do you have a good view out that window where you'll prep? I'm not sure I'd want to prep tucked back there, but maybe you can envision better what will be out that window to see! :-)

Your U is pretty tight to fit in the dws and sink as you have them. When either is open, it will block access to the whole corner...counter and adjacent storage, including the uppers. Oops, I now see that Bmore already pointed that out.

Is there a reason you want to have 2 sinks, but still keep one with the 2 bowls? I used to be a very staunch 2-bowl sink fan...But since I have a prep sink, I wish I'd put in a single bowl sink for the main/clean-up sink. Having the prep sink eliminates the problem I used to have of having food prep and dirty dishes share the same sink...So I wish I had the larger single bowl for huge projects, and for washing my stove parts and largest skillets, etc.

I also agree with Bmore that the peninsula could be shorter. It looks a bit tight through there. But I'm an island person for better flow and peninsulas make me a big claustrophobic anyway. How deep is the kitchen from sink wall to microwave?

I think there are 2 reasons you may not be getting more responses (although it's still early in the day and you posted this late yesterday, remembering the time zone differences for those who might comment)... The plan that is a little hard to see, and a LOT of explanation to get through. I know that the 'read me' thread tells new folks to give us ALL the details, but sometimes it's overwhelming to open a post and see so much to keep track of. Maybe just a very clear drawing of just the kitchen will help, since we already are able to see the whole floor layout, which is helpful, too.

Best wishes!

Thank you everyone! I was worried that I was overwhelming. I was following the 'read me' thread a little too literally. You slogged through it all and I appreciate your feedback.

The MV wall is 10 feet from the main kitchen sink and 5 feet from the prep sink.

I will consider a single bowl sink. The idea of having a larger bowl for oven parts makes sense to me.

I am going to shorten the pennisula. I agree that is important.

In all, everyone is making me feel welcomed and I am encouraged that there hasn't been any awful comments.

I am sure I will have more questions as my project develops so keep in touch.

I love your explanations and I can't wait to see how you work things out to best accomplish your goals.

One suggestion that may not work at all but seems like it could possibly solve some of your problems... Do the dishwashers really NEED to be by the sink? Personally I never rinse dishes and don't have a garbage disposal so I scrape into the trash anyways. So if the plumbing can be worked out maybe you could have your 2 DWs right next to each other under your dish storage?

I'm glad to hear that you have more room!

I would still consider putting one dishwasher by each sink. The idea of losing all that storage in the two corners just rubs against my sense of frugality. By the prep sink and fridge, I'd put the dishwasher to the left, so that it isn't a hazard for someone cooking at the range. If that aisle is 5 feet, then you would still have room for someone to pass by when either the dishwasher or the fridge is open -- you just wouldn't be able to do both at the same time.

By the main sink, I'd put the dishwasher on the right, so that you could have it open and still put away dishes in the uppers to the left of the sink. You could put a super susan in the lower corner to the left of the sink. To make use of the right-hand corner, on the other side of the dishwasher, you could use a magic corner cabinet. You might need a little filler at the corner, but probably not more than 3 inches or so.

Here is a link that might be useful: magic corner demonstrated

I split dishwashers and had one by each sink once. Seemed like such a logical idea. Worked out so horribly on a day to day basis. I really recommend against it, and I would NEVER, under ANY circumstances, do it again for myself.

If you have 10 ft of open floor space between the face of the sink cabs and the microwave wall, if I'm understanding correctly, have you considered an island instead of a peninsula? It could give you more length on the sink wall so the dws aren't so tight against adjacent runs. But I guess you said something about peninsula seating, which you'd lose.

I didn't read the last paragraph in your original post until now. I don't think the cabinet down to the counter will be at all imposing to those seated at the peninsula. It's shallow and will likely be lovely to look at. :-)

I always say that it seems no matter how small or large a kitchen, they always could use 'just 2 more feet' to make something work just right. In your case this is especially true, since having a foot more between each dishwasher and the adjacent cabinet runs would help a LOT. 3 more feet, for 18 more inches in each spot would be even better...

Hmmmmmm...more food for thought.

Mthouse - I am with you. I don't scrape or rinse either! Interesting alternative.

Eastbaymom - Thanks for the link and idea. I need to think some more about this. I agree that wasting those corners in just wrong.

I think I will work on finalizing my cabinets and where everything is going and then see about the use of the corners and make a final decision about the dishwashers.

I just spoke to my DA (dear architect) and thanked him for his good design. No terrible, glaring problems.

I will keep everyone posted. Thanks again.

Don't your dishes collect in the sink? And don't you need to dump remains out of glasses, etc? I could never have my dishwashers away from the sink.

Another thought...I think it is Zelmar who has a smaller sink by her cleanup area and a larger sink by her cooking area, where she does prep and hand washes pots and pans. Malhgold considered this and went with 2 equally sized sinks. If you had a 21" or 24" sink between the dishwashers it might leave room for supersusans in the corners and room to scootch in sideways beside the dw doors when they're open to reach the uppers.

Honestly, I mean no offense to you or to your architect, but the fact that the open dishwashers block the use and reach of half the kitchen would be a big problem for me. I'd like to see a resolution to that for you. But we all make our own decisions as to compromises and things we're willing to work around. If you're happy, I'm happy for you! But I want you to consider all the possible negatives so you're not unpleasantly surprised with the outcome.

Thanks rhome410 - I do want to consider everything. I was thinking I could access storage for the one corner from the dining area side of the peninsula. Then I was hoping there would be enough room to use something like a magic corner on the SW corner. Your idea of a 24" sink might make the difference. Two medium size sinks might be okay. I have only ever had one smaller double sink so I am sure I could manage!