(Caveat) I'm absolutely no expert. Because that upper is against a wall, I wonder about bringing it down to the counter so it looks like a hutch. Make the door glass. Something like this, but not necessarily so fancy.

I agree with the post below. Actually, that is what I did with my last cabinet.

If you did that, I would switch the drawers underneath. (Is switching or changing the sizes of drawers an option?) I would put that smaller set of drawers under the new hutch.... the larger set would then be next to the sink cabinet.

I agree with what pickle and lolauren suggest. Bring the cab to the counter (it seems like you've gotten plenty of counter work space) and switch the drawers under. I was hoping to have a cab to the counter like this in my new kitchen, but I won't have the room.

Do you plan on prepping over the DW to the right of the sink between the sink and the range? I don't want to throw a monkeywrench into your plans, but I'm fixated right now with zone set up. It looks to me like you'd have to keep your cleanup area to the left of the sink to keep the dirty dishes out of your prep area to the right of the sink. That means prepping while standing in front of the DW. I've tried prepping like that and I know it's not comfortable for me to do so.

It looks like a great space with lots of storage!

Great ideas! I like, I like. Thank you sooo much! I love this site. :o)

I should have added the pic of the island. I know how helpful everyone is & I knew if I didn't put the pic someone - breezygirl ;) - would want to help me. The island runs parallel to the oven and refrigerator. It's 4x7 & I'm hoping I do most of my prep on the island.

Thanks again!
Lori

I was going to suggest moving the dw to the other side of the sink until I saw you will have an island, which makes it less important to do.
You could still move it so that when the door is open, it is not in the range/prep area....

Ok...one more question.

On the oven wall, my friend says that the cabinets should be even on either side of the stove. These are custom cabinets and can be adjusted as needed. My question is: Should I move the stove over about 3 inches so the uppers on either side of the hood are even? This would of course make the 36 inch drawers to the right of the stove a few inches smaller ...where I plan on keeping my pots & pans. Is 3 inches going to be that noticeable?

What do you think?

Just trying to help! ;)

I didn't even notice the assymetry of the uppers at the range. Looking at the drawing, I still don't see anything "off" about them. The fact that there are several of them to the left of the range visually balances the larger one the right. Visually, 3" makes no difference to my eye, but the loss of a big, wide drawer stack would make a difference storage-wise. I vote no.

What color are you having them painted? Are they shaker-style? This is so exciting! (See, I want creamy white shaker cabs so when I see someone else getting something close to what I want I get excited! For them and for me!)

I'd rather have more elbow room before the fridge than to worry about a "rule". You already have a lot of counters to the left of the stove and could use the space to the right as well.
With the corner cab in the plan, it won't be symmetrical anyway.

You guessed it... White shaker! Trying to choose paint color. Cabinetmaker uses SW dover white. I don't want a stark white & I don't want a yellow undertone.

Symmetry doesn't matter to me. My friend has a BEAUTIFUL white kitchen. She's been living there for about 5 years & I never noticed that she had the same style cabs on both sides of her range. I know I'd miss the storage & counter space next to the stove.

breezygirl - Do you have a layout yet? I never get sick of looking at white kitchens.

Dianalo has another great point about elbow room. I have 22" between the range and my fridge to the right. It is not enough room and I'm always oddly maneuvering my activities on that counter to get anything done. I only have 15" the the left of the range so I can't work there either. One of the many reasons I hate my kitchen.

White shaker!! I quiver!! I have trouble picking creamy whites that don't have yellow understones. My layout?? Yes, I've posted a few and drawn dozens more. I think I'm going to go with my last posted layout in June. I haven't had much chance this summer to do any more planning between the baby and having my preschooler home all summer. Now that school started again, I'm back to work on the kitchen. I've got a couple small tweaks to do to my drawing before I post it again for comment. (Are your drawings above from a photo? When I photograph my drawings for posting, some people say they can't read them very well.)

Has your construction started?

Any opinions on white or dark stained island? I really like both & I'm afraid I'll get one and wish I got the other.

If you really don't need all the uppers, you could delete the uppers that turn the corner. Then you'd have some consolidated space for a piece of art, a large clock, or some open display shelves. The Range wall would be more special and distinctive without the corner cupboard rivaling it.

Your overall design looks very nice. However, I still think you need to move the DW to the other side of the sink unless your island (1) runs so the long side faces the range AND (2) you have a prep sink on the island. If both of these things are not the case, then the DW in it's current location will be in the way. [You have confirmed #1, what about #2?]

As a matter of fact, if there's no water in the island, your Prep Zone will most likely end up b/w the sink & range, not the island, regardless of what you plan. You might rinse/wash food in the sink and then carry it (dripping) to the island and then across another aisle (possibly dripping) to the range...but it is so much easier to move horizontally across the counter and then to the range. Regardless, that DW will be in the way...it's in the path from the sink to the range.

If you have a prep sink in the island, you'll take things out of the refrigerator and put them on the island. You'll then prep on the island right next to the sink. Then you'll be able to just turn and put them on the range (or counter next to the range). This keeps your Prep & Cooking Zones together and separate from the Cleanup Zone. The DW will no longer be in the way of prepping & cooking.

However, if you plan a multi-cook kitchen (now or in the future), it will still be better to move the DW to the left of the island so you can work at the island while someone else can work b/w the sink & range...it makes your kitchen so much more functional!

Another plus for the move is that you could make that "down to the counter" cabinet (assuming you go with it) a "dish hutch". With the dish hutch next to the DW, it will be very easy to unload the DW. PLUS, you now have your dishes next to the table area...where they're used (point-of-use).

One question...is there a reason there's a tiny cabinet to the right of the refrigerator? That tiny cabinet/counter isn't very useful overall (it's too small for a refrigerator landing zone). I'd rather see the refrigerator moved all the way to the right and merge that piece of counter into the range side. Then, I'd move the range down toward the refrigerator so there's approx 24" b/w the range & refrigerator and more space b/w the range & sink. The primary workspace will be to the left, not the right of the range. Since you have so much room to the left of the range, you don't need mega-room on the other side. Just plenty of landing space and occasional work space...most work will be done to the left of the range or on the island.

The reason 22" didn't work for breezygirl is that she didn't have more room on the other side. With plenty of room on one side, 24" is generally plenty for the other side if it's the non-sink side. (The sink side should always have more space...and a minimum of 36", 42" is better if being used for prepping.)

Thanks dianolo, very good points.

The cabinet to the right of the refrigerator is basically for non kitchen things...phone, phone book, notepads, pens/pencils, vitamins, etc. I have a pantry on the oposite wall of the oven that is 6x7. It used to be a bathroom. I'm hoping to store bigger appliances, and of course food in there.

breezygirl - oh do I have a story for you. I have to start dinner soon, so I will keep it as short as possible. We started our remodel in Nov. 2009. Hired someone we knew (well thought we knew) because times were tough for them with the economy. He did some site work in the summer & then once we got the construction loan he said he needed 20k upfront to get the materials (our BIGGEST mistake). We were putting a second floor on our ranch home. He asked us in Nov. to get everything out of our kitchen cabinets. We came home from work & he had ripped out all of the cabinets & the ceilings. We had no heat & we had to move out that weekend & into my dad's house (mom passed away a few years ago - she would have flipped). He then started taking the roof off. He put some tarps on the house & then the rain came for 2 wks. He got knee surgery & left my house like that through the winter. I had given him money from the first draw so he was way ahead of us. I got a lawyer, fired him & hired a new builder in March once I realized he hadn't bought any materials & we weren't going to get any money back. The new builder couldn't start until the jerk's insurance company came out to inspect the damage which took quite a while. I started with the new builder (who I wanted to use in the first place, but that's another story) on May 25th. They quickly framed the house & the HVAC guy is working now as well as the siding guys. I've learned A LOT from all of this. My poor kids (we have 3 - boy 12, boy 9 & girl 6) have been so patient since we are living 30 min. away from our home. They are my driving force. It was them who got me through each day. My DH is pretty awesome himself. I posted a couple of pictures on the Building Forum on the "It's August..." thread. I think I was the last post. The house has wrap on it and the siding and trim is started. I've definitely learned that you have to explain everything to a T. You can never be too detailed in what you want. Write everything down. My builder is great, but I have to tell him over & over again what I want. He doesn't use email or internet, so I can't just send him a pick of what I mean. Because of my lack of giving him detail & his needing choices yesterday I have a few features in my home that I'm not thrilled about. But, after going through this horrible nightmare, you realize what is truly important in life & that all you need in your life is your family & friends.

And THAT is the short story. ;o)

I'll post the island & the details of my layout after dinner. I hope you'll come back & give your opinion.

My angels!!!!

BTW Pickle2...that kitchen is wonderful! It's very functional, especially since it doesn't have an island! Prep & Cooking Zones next to each other, the Cleanup Zone separated from the Prep & Cooking Zones, the refrigerator is on the Prep/Cooking side. No zone-crossing! Dish storage & DW close to each other & close to the table. I probably would have lowered the MW alcove a few inches, but other than that, it looks like it will function very, very well!

Robinson622...I meant to add that you should consider putting a trash pullout either to the right of the sink or in the island on the sink end. This would make the trash pullout easily accessed from all three primary zones (Prep, Cooking, Cleanup).

buehl - I didn't see your post until after I posted. I guess I read your mind about the little cabinet. Unfortunately there is a short wall with a supporting post to the right of the cabinet. That's why I couldn't put the refrigerator all the way to the right.

I want to read over your post, but I've got some growling bellies sitting next to me. I'll look over it closely after dinner. I have contemplated the prep sink, I'm just so afraid of losing space for seating, homework blah blah blah etc. Maybe you can sway me. Now is the time...plumber will be starting in a week or so.

FYI - MW is built in the island and trash pullout. I'd really like the kitchen to be functional with or without the prep sink, so I've got some thinkin' to do.

Always great ideas from you, buehl!

Buehl - you got me again!

Trash pull out is on the island closest to the sink but facing the stove. MW is all the way to the left - across from the refrigerator. In between them is 2 18 inch drawers and 2 36 inch drawers below them for storage containers & maybe baking needs - bowls etc. I was thinking of storing flour, sugar in some island drawers. OK, I'll be back. Kids are trying to snack & ruin dinner!

What a tough story... I hope you get compensated fully!

Your angels are adorable. :) So glad you have kept your perspective and keep moving ahead. It will be lovely when it is all done!

Back to kitchen layout. You could move the fridge down a bunch to the right and go with a 6" pullout type tall cabinet at the end. I have seen people put in the kind with pegboards and hang their brooms, step stools, Swiffer, etc.. in one like that. I am a little confused as to why you can't move the fridge all the way down though....
Moving the fridge further down would give you the 3" (maybe 6") you wanted to add to the left of the stove. It would also get it more out of the work area so when kids and others access the fridge while you are cooking, they are less in your way.

If I move the refrigerator over any more I won't be able to open the door to the refrigerator without hitting the wall. I have a bottom freezer french door refrigerator & I think the right door would hit the wall if I get that close. Do you think there's room?

Thanks for your candor. What an education for all of us. You muster on and it's going better and better, it would seem. Again, thanks for your postings.

The way it shows now it is nowhere near a wall but near a door way. With a French door fridge, you do not have huge doors. If you open one, you do not need to swing it all the way out unless for cleaning. It also looks like you have a few inches for a pullout of some sort, which is always better than a non-functioning filler piece.

Here is a link that might be useful: narrow pullout

Wow, quite an adventure. I'm sorry you had to go through all that and am glad things are coming together now.

I agree with moving the dw to the other side of the sink. I think the asymmetry around the stove isn't obvious, because the drawing is at an angle. I do think you might notice in the uppers and won't notice so much that you've lost a few inches in those drawers. I'm usually a function over form person, and like asymmetry, but this is 'close, but not quite symmetrical' and would bother me. As long as it's not a big loss, functionally, go for the nice, symmetrical look to really showcase that nice focal-point hood plan.

I'm back! (I'm West Coast so now that the kids are in bed and the kitchen is cleaned up I can focus on my stuff!)

Wow, that's quite a story. We have picked our contractor, but haven't started yet. DH will finish digging out for the masterbath addition foundation tomorrow morning. I sure hope our contractor isn't like yours! How horrible. Your kids are gorgeous! Those boys could almost be twins. My kids are about to turn 5 and 1. I'm not sure I could have been as strong as you to get through what you did. I'm glad you're seeing progress now! And what a beautiful kitchen you'll have when it's all said and done.

I'm certainly no layout expert, but I agree with Buehl that the DW should be moved to the other side of the sink. That will truly keep the cleanup zone separated. My DW is on the left of the sink and I've gotten used to it. I'm right-handed so I can keep my srubby-thingy in my right hand while I load the scrubbed dish with my left. I didn't know it was "wrong" until I found this forum. That said, I went into this plan trying to put it back to the right of the sink.

I also know that if it was ME, I would definetly put a prep sink on the island where you plan to prep. I know I have some hand cleanliness issues, but I have my hands in the sink about 87 times during a normal meal prep and I'd hate to move across an aisle to get to a water source. For me, it would result in many, many unnecessary steps and in water on the floor as Buehl mentioned.

Your island is how big? 4'x7'? (You show five barstools on your plan, but you can only really get three there. You need 24" or more of width per bar stool.) A useful prep sink would be 18" wide. That still leaves you with 5.5' of open space. I think that's still a huge, wide open space considering that the island is 4' deep. My planned island is 4'x11.5' so I've thought a lot about how an island that deep results in lots of extra space for prepping or other activities. Bottom line, a sink won't take up that much room, but gives you so much added benefit.

What is your aisle width between island and sink, and island and range?

Rhome has a point about the angle of the drawing possibly skewing the view. She's got a good eye.

Can't wait to hear about your progress! (Sleep tight with those sweet children!)