I followed each link. Above each photo these is a little icon that looks like a chain link. Click on it, then click on the third choice down for blogs, etc. then paste directly into your post.

Oh, thank you so much! So that wall in the middle of the first photo is between the dining room (left) and the washer and dryer (right), is no longer there. The kitchen is now open to the dining room. The washer and dryer are moving.

You have a PDF of the layout? If you go to the Kitchens Forum's FAQs, you will find instructions for converting a PDF to a JPEG that can then be posted here.

Go to the "How do I post pictures?" FAQ and scroll down to the "PDF" section. I've linked to the FAQ below.

Here is a link that might be useful: FAQ: How do I post pictures?

Ok, sorry it was a busy weekend. Here is the layout the way it is now and an option following. The second layout shown would include moving the wall between the kitchen and master bathroom and giving that space back to the kitchen, and removing the closet at the end of the kitchen to put in cabinets (it was a closet for the water heater but we replaced with an external tank less heater). We are pretty well planning on moving those walls, at a minimum.

The question mark on the second layout is where the dishwasher currently is.

It's difficult to understand the drawings above - especially with regards to the measurements. The window is missing from the layout. When posting layouts, relevant measurements should be labeled, including: widths/lengths of each wall/window/door/doorway and the distances b/w each wall/window/door/doorway. I posted an example below.

The layout can be hand-drawn on a piece of graph paper and it doesn't have to be a work of art. Just try to draw it to scale (if possible) and clearly label everything! If you use paper & pencil, use a dark pencil or marker for the measurements. [If you don't have graph paper, search for free graph paper online and print out a sheet to use.]

I recommend you read the Kitchens' FAQ "How do I ask for Layout Help and what information should I include?" (linked below).

Here is a link that might be useful: FAQ: How do I ask for Layout Help and what information should I include?

some questions and ideas while waiting for a usable layout...

do you need space by the back door to hang a jacket, dog leash etc?
a place to take off wet, muddy shoes/boots?

I'd keep whatever is on either side of the back door to the depth of the counters. that'll help lose the 'tunnel' feel.

I'd actually put the pantry / wall ovens (if any) on the wall behind door (sink wall). And as shallow as possible to allow for the door to open wider. I'd leave the area on the door opening side as open as possible for space to move in and out.

possibly a glass panel back door

a pet eating area?

are you going for a new range or cooktop and wall ovens?

I'd replace window with as big a window as possible. also the window on end wall by fridge.

put more space to right of stove (if reusing that space).

a prep sink under new big window (if clean up sink stays on wall where it is)

allow for space for a wider fridge when time to replace it

Thanks, @buehl. I did not include the windows on purpose because they are going to be changed. I can add the windows and the door measurements if that helps. The interior doors (to the bedrooms) both swing into the bedrooms. The exterior door swings (to the backyard) swings in. The drawing is to scale. I believe the ceilings are eight feet.

@desertsteph, we do need to plan for pet feeding areas and storage. The back door opens into the backyard so we don't really need a mud room space there for shoes, but do need to think about where to store leashes, etc. We come in and out of the front of the house 90% of the time.

We were thinking about adding windows at the end of the tunnel (facing the backyard). Do you think it makes more sense to have some floor to ceiling storage down there on both sides? I'm not sure the best way to break up the tunnel. I definitely want a glass door at the back, right now the kitchen is so DARK.

We can move the sink, and my preference would be to have it under the window on the opposite side. Then switch the range to the opposite wall and figure out where to put the dishwasher.

We bought a 36 inch wide French door fridge, so that's the only appliance we have right now that's staying. We are looking at slide-in gas or dual fuel ranges.

I just noticed that the fridge area is different on the layout than the photos, we bought a bigger fridge and removed one base cabinet/shortened the existing countertop to fit it in.

Rather than re-create a corridor kitchen (which I've had and am biased against), could you steal that 7'0" x 3'7" master bath bump out and create a rectangular kitchen that is open to the dining room instead?

You wouldn't need to put your washer and dryer in your master bath. You could create a laundry closet by the back door with a laundry chute through the wall from the master bath and create a mudroom type of situation by the back door.

Plus, if resale is any concern, I don't think it is desirable to have the only laundry within the master bath.

Another thought I have is that it would really bother me to be able to see into the bedrooms from the dining area. If you put a doorway where that 3 foot 2 inch section of wall is in the bottom right corner of dining room and extended a wall to the right, you'd create a private hallway for the bedrooms and a wall for your kitchen cabinets.

Gosh. I'm not sure if any of that makes sense. Or if it would even work. Perhaps it's food for thought. I am NOT a designer.

Can you move the back door to the top wall on your drawing? In other words, can you move the door to where the fridge is now? You'd still have a galley kitchen - which is actually an efficient lay-out - but it would no longer also be a corridor kitchen.

If you can and are willing to move the back door, here's one possible option.

I added 2 24" wide pull-out pantries at the end of the kitchen with a window on the end wall between them.

The rest of the top wall is the range centered between 2 large window sections and 60" of counter on each side, plenty for both of you to work in the kitchen at the same time. I didn't add a prep sink but it would help the kitchen serve two cooks even better.

I moved the fridge to the bottom wall, recessed slightly to hide its bulk. Between it and the pantry at the end of that run is the trash pull-out, DW, sink and a 30" bank of drawers.

This is only one possibility. But as Buehl pointed out, we really need the room's dimensions. I had to guess at its width, based on your photos and at least one other dimension.

"Do you think it makes more sense to have some floor to ceiling storage down there on both sides?"

That's something you'll need to determine depending on how much storage you think you need. Do you have enough now? Need more? More food storage? Do you like to have items on hand to cover several months if needed? Storage for things like crock pot, stand mixer, stock pot etc? Do you want / need a 'broom' closet? brooms, dust mops, vac and other cleaning supplies.

I like the idea of a window on either side of the back door - and glass IN the door. That'd really open up that end of the kitchen. Or how about French doors?

Do you not use your back door / yard? I use mine all the time - to put my dog out, go to my car, bring in groceries, hang things on clothesline, go out to work in the 'yard' (I have a few acres). We just had a few huge rains (for AZ) and I thought I might have to swim the dog out to her cable... my shoes were a muddy mess and the dog's paws were wet and muddy - and I don't really have dirt like most places (desert).

If you move the stove to the side where sink now is, will you be able to vent it to the outside easily?

pet feeding areas - somewhere on here we have a thread or 2 on feeding areas.

oh, and drawers, drawers, drawers!

@benjesbride, I had never heard the term âÂÂcorridor kitchen!â That is exactly what my kitchen is. The bump out from the master bath is the master bathroom shower. We were not planning on moving that but if it would really improve the layout of the kitchen we would consider it. I am having a hard time envisioning how the layout would change.

Can you tell me what you donâÂÂt like about corridor kitchens?

We also considered the small area between the master bedroom door and the bump out for the shower as a space to stack the washer/dryer. I think I would rather have a pantry/broom closet there if possible. The house is 2 bedroom, 2 bath (full baths in each bedroom). The second bathroom has French doors that open the the main living area. The homes in the neighborhood are almost exclusively single family, so thatâÂÂs why we were planning to put the washer/dryer in the bathroom. Also, the master bathroom is a huge waste of space.

The house is somewhat small (about 1400 square feet total) so I donâÂÂt think weâÂÂll add another wall to close in that hallway. Thank you for thinking outside of the box, it helps!

@lisa_a, I would love to put that door ANYWHERE ELSE. Unfortunately the neighborâÂÂs driveway borders our home on that side. That layout looks much more functional, and all that storage in those pull out pantries on the end would be awesome

@desertsteph, we are planning on all drawer base cabinets. I love the way they look and organize. We donâÂÂt store a lot of dry goods, but we do have a few small appliances (3). My stand mixer will go on the counter somewhere, itâÂÂs pretty! I definitely want a broom closet. Right now we are using the guest room bathroom closet at the broom closet and it is not ideal. I was thinking possibly in that nook by the master bathroom door.

I would love French doors at the end but IâÂÂm not sure they come small enough for that area. IâÂÂll get dimensions on that layout tonight. I also think adding windows down there would really help it feel like a more welcoming space. Better views than the current dingy walls, for sure.
We do use the backyard! I donâÂÂt park my car there, though, and the yard is fenced so we let the dogs at without a cable. I garden and hang out. We are so lucky, the grass has held up really well and so there are no muddy spots (also it rarely rains, we are in Fort Worth).

I donâÂÂt know how a stove is vented, so maybe it has to stay on that wall? I will definitely check out the feeding station threads. We have a Husky mix and a German shepherd mix.

Thank you all so much, IâÂÂll get door and room dimensions added tonight. Would it be helpful to see more picture of how the house is laid out?

My children are playing quietly - a rare occurrence - so I thought I'd play around with your kitchen. There doesn't appear to be enough room for what I was originally thinking.

This floor plan takes space from your bathroom, leaves space for a mudroom area near the back door and keeps the sink and range together so backyard/ mudroom traffic doesn't bisect that prep space.

I was just playing around, so please don't think there's any level of professional thinking to this. Maybe it will spark more ideas...

3D view from approximately from your bedroom door...

Ok, here is a layout with more dimensions listed. For some reason when I converted to pdf I lost two lines. I can remake the layout but the backdoor is 30 inches and the widest point between the two existing cabinets is 50 inches. What else would be helpful?

@benjesbride, that's neat. What software did you use? I don't know if I love the layout, we don't need or want a mudroom by the back and the view from the front door would become the fridge; I don't know how clear it is from the photos but when you walk in the front door the French doors to the dining room are slightly to the left and you have a view of the entire dining room/kitchen area. But I like how the cabinets wrap around where the fridge is currently, it makes it less corridor-like for sure.

why is there space between left kit wall and fridge? how much space is there?

what is measurement now for back door?

is the space on the right of the lower cabinet run now usable kitchen space? (not shower space?)

you could probably have some cab/counter space on the far left kit wall BUT it would only be about 3.5' AND would then only allow enough space for the dogs to get in/out of the kitchen! unless you then lost the cab/counter space on the lower run that now juts into the walkway/entrance to the kitchen. It might end up looking better that way but the fridge would then need a new place to 'live'.

the layout is hard to view with all the arrowheads included on it.

@desertsteph, I agree the layout is hard to read! I used floor planner.com and I am new to this type of software. Is there a different software you would recommend? I was hesitant to even ask for help on this forum because I do not find looking at layouts or making them to be intuitive, but I'm trying.

There is space between the fridge and the wall right now because when we bought the fridge it would not fit in the existing fridge space. So my husband removed a small base cab and cut down the countertops. There is 10.5 inches there.

The space to the right of the lower cab run is where the master bathroom vanity is, we plan to move that wall in so that we can use that space in the kitchen.

The current back door is 30 inches.

You could still do the lay-out I drew with the door where it currently is. That said, I'm not sure putting pull-out pantry cabs at the door is a good idea. Let me think about this and see what other ideas I can cook up (lol) for you.

I use Ikea. It can be a little frustrating, but it's all I've ever tried.

I think your measurements might be off a bit. Or I'm just sleepy. Is it possible it's 7'8" from exterior wall to sink wall rather than 7'3"? An extra 5" would be great.

I don't know of any software to use. I'd just use graph paper and a DARK lead pencil / or pen. Mark the windows, doorways and give measurements for them. you can pull up graph paper online and print it out.

list things you definitely want. like if you can't change the plumbing. or if the stove needs on a specific wall... Give sizes of appliances - like that of your fridge, the width of stove/cooktop you plan to use etc. All those things are needed to get decent new layout options.

We have good designers on here who will go all out to help if they have the basics they need to do that.

It seems that the kitchen, bath and dining room need to be planned all together. Since moving walls is on the table, I wonder if a little bump out could be added to the back door area for the pets etc.

Let's start a list of wants and don't wants:

Want: broom closet
Pet feeding space/pet food storage/ leash storage
more light
36" fridge
dishwasher (24" or possible 18")
space for stacked washer/dryer
range (standard size)

don't want: ???

Decisions: size of sink/sink base?
Pantry?
pull out trash?
location of sink/stove/fridge?
take space from dining room?
spot to hang a jacket by the back door?
Wall to separate kitchen/dining from bedroom
doors?

Here's another idea for you.

I moved the back door towards the master bath wall to reduce the corridor feel your kitchen has. This plan doesn't give you as much counter space as Plan A but it puts all the work areas on one side with an ample aisle through the space. (Now that I know your room's actual width, my Plan A only allowed for 36" aisles, which is tight! Plus the fridge won't fit where I show it without creating a narrow kitchen entry.)

I eliminated one window to make room for upper cabs but I added a large window over the sink area and a window at the end of the kitchen with glass-paned door next to it.

The pet feeding station will be something like this:

[Traditional Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by Bend Kitchen & Bath Designers Kathleen Donohue, Neil Kelly Co.

[Transitional Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/transitional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2112) by Kingston Kitchen & Bath Remodelers ACE Cabinet Center

[Rustic Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/rustic-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2111) by Los Angeles Interior Designers & Decorators Shannon Ggem ASID

There's room for hooks for coats and leashes on the wall by the back door.

If you're willing to extend the far left wall, I have another idea. That would, however, close the kitchen off from the DR more and I get the sense you don't want to do that.

@benjesbride The space from the exterior wall to the sink wall is approximately 8 ft, 4 inches. The 7'3" wall is just to the bump out. So if we move that bumpout by the back door, the entire galley kitchen will be 8 ft, 4 inches wide.

@raee That list is helpful! I'm going to brainstorm and add a better list of wants/don't wants. I thought I would just get "big picture" ideas on this thread, but turns out I need to be more specific.

@lisa_a I like that layout, and I think it wouldn't involved moving more walls than we were planning on! Those pet feeding stations are pretty awesome.

My layout is so confusing. I think I'm going to have my husband draw up something better on AutoCAD or sketch up, he does layouts all the time for work and will understand better where to put the numbers and what information to include.

Ok! It will be several weeks before my husband is home and can draw up a better layout. Can you guys provide suggestions based on what I've provided?

Due to budget considerations and our own skill level we are going to keep the kitchen a galley, or corridor. We plan to move the closet at the end so that there can be lowers/counter space there, and remove the wall opposite so that lowers/counters go all the way down to the door wall on both sides. The range needs to stay on the outside wall but could move up or down. We are looking at the 30 inch wide GE café or a similar slide-in. The refrigerator is 36 inches, and the dishwasher is approx. 24 inches. The sink will probably be Blanco Silgranit II cascade. I just saw that sink in person and I think I'm in love.

Right now we are not planning on any uppers in the galley portion of the kitchen. Where would you put windows, the range, the sink/dishwasher, and the fridge? We both cook, but usually only one at a time is cooking/prepping. We do tend to clean up together occasionally. The back door faces our backyard, but the other exterior wall faces the neighbors driveway (not a great view).

Any ideas on how to break up the tunnel feel of this galley without uppers? We thought we might put a pull out pantry on one side of the fridge. Thoughts?

Thanks so much for all your help! It helped us clarify what our options are.

I really like the floor plan posted by lisa_a on Thu, Oct 2, 14 at 16:25.

I disliked having the sink opposite the range in my old corridor kitchen and I also disliked that you had to walk through my kitchen to get to the fridge; her layout avoids those two issues.