I'd have to see more of the existing house as is vs the planned new space to see if you're getting enough bang for your buck from an addition. Additions are VERY expensive, and if you can reconfigure your existing space, you can come out tens of thousands of dollars, or even a hundred thousand ahead. Kitchen additions are the most expensive real estate any home can add, so your long term plans as well as your families needs need to be in sync with spending so much extra non recoupable funds.

Right now, as your kitchen layout is shown, I have a couple of suggestions. Eliminate the peninsula in favor of a small island. It will give you better traffic flow, and having had DW around the corner from the sink, I can tell you that it will MUCH improve your cleanup time to have the DW in line with the sink. Lose the additional space in the wall to be able to put in a pocket door from your entrance to the kitchen. You will keep that door open 90% of the time, and having a swinging door always in your face will be a PIA. On the few occasions when you need a bit more quiet or you have company coming, you can slide the pocket door out and have the separate space needed. I'm not a big fan of having a powder room open to the kitchen. If there's any other way to put the door, I'd do that, or relocate it elsewhere and make that a nice sized pantry. I'm unclear as to what the large box next to the fridge is supposed to be (and the one across from it, and the ones flanking the window seat) but if those are pantries, then they are right in the traffic pattern to the breakfast area and entrance to the room. I think especially for the front window, you can configure things more attractively and still maintain function. The window seat by itself feels lost and an afterthought as it exists right now.

As stated, we really need to see the rest of the space. However, I would not be happy with the flow of this layout. Things as is... I would make where you show the window seat a possible pantry, move the frig down to where the architects said, flip the stove and sink... add windows, lose the peninsula and put the DW next to the sink. But there are lots of other ideas too. Oh... and I would consider putting the door to the powder room on the DR side.

What's to the north of the powder room, directly?

Thank you all. I really appreciate your input. To answer two questions: The window seat will have shoe storage under it and the boxes on either side are full height closets for coats/bags. The cabinets on either side of the breakfast room door will be storage, a charging station and a "breakfast" station with a toaster and coffee pot. I'm not sold on that idea.

Our main priority when we started this was to improve our abysmal back entry way and gain more coat/shoe/stuff storage. A larger kitchen will be great, but isn't driving the need to renovate. And I fear we're getting a giant kitchen and our storage is becoming an afterthought.

Here's a few more pictures. First is the existing floor floor plan. The existing stairways can't be moved.

Our current plan involves swapping the function of the sunroom and the dining room. (So the door to the "dining room" in the proposed plan is into what is the current sunroom). The current dining room will become an annex of the living room to be used as a playroom. The sunroom is the prettiest room in the house, but it's an enclosed porch and it unuseable in the winter, so any plans involve rebuilding it so it can be used in the winter. If it becomes the dining room, we would extend it further out to make it better able to fit a dining table.

The extension would also allow us to have a circular traffic pattern because we create the doorway from the new kitchen to the new dining room.

The backdoor opens into a vestibule which has pantry shelves on one side, the backdoor on the second, the (much used) door to the finished basement on the third and steps up to the kitchen on the fourth. It's a nightmare to navigate with groceries, or even to put dishes away.

Here's a few pictures of what we are dealing with:

(Taken standing in front of sink looking towards back door. The transition from tile to carpet is actually two steps down).

(Taken standing in front of the shelves with the dishes)

(Showing the ceiling height issue that we're dealing with)

Do you need the second door between the entry and the kitchen?

Have you considered having the powder room door open away from the kitchen proper?

My husband is Canadian and thus hyperconcerned with snow and cold. The second entry door was his idea, so the cold air wouldn't blow into the kitchen when the back door was opened. I don't think as highly of it, but I'm not sure how easily he could be convinced otherwise.

In it's current location, I don't see where else the powder room could open. The other side of that room is a stairwell.
The architect's original scheme had the powder room in the existing kitchen (which has the advantage of tying into our existing vent stack). They had the remained of the current kitchen as closets and storage and a hallway. We thought it was inconvenient to have coat storage far away from either door. And, we didn't like that it moved the dining room further from the kitchen (but that concern is moot now that we are considering swapping dining room/playroom function).

I just meant with the hinges on the other side of the door, since that seems to be the only place to put it. So the opening of the door was toward the dining room (through another doorway itself)

Will the door to the vestibule ever be left open? Could it be a pair of doors?

Doh. Sorry. It could open the other way. There's no reason for which way it opens now. Are you thinking for more privacy? Or another reason?

For the newly configured space, does the rest of the floor plan exist and can we see that? The one with the new dining room and the breakfast room with the stairs?

Here's a rough in of the rest of the new scheme.
I only have these on large size plans which are too much for my little scanner, hence my quick and dirty sketches. I wouldn't built to these, but they show the location and proportion of the rooms.

The powder room is the top three steps and the closet that faces into the living room in the existing space?

You can't exchange the pantry and the powder room because why? I don't get it after looking at this.

The new powder room will be entirely in the new space - currently it's outside our back door.

The space that will be the new pantry includes that weird ceiling that is the underside of the stairs to the second floor. It's also a bit narrower than the powder room space (which is about as small as you can possibly go and still be to code). A powder room could fit in (and tie in with our existing bathrooms) where the breakfast nook table is.

I believe it is 6 of one half dozen the other anyway. Powder room in the kitchen, or powder room opening at the breakfast table.

I think in the kitchen with the door opening toward the kitchen would be my choice of the two, because there it is also not in the work space.

For the vestibule inner door, I guess my issue is that it doesn't have a good place to rest in the open position. If it was going to be open I would be tempted to put a short wall (maybe about 27" wide) between the counter and the door, (even if the wall had a "window" in it for light), just to give the door a place to rest.

That may be too complicated but I have a thing about doors that don't rest against the wall when open, they seem kind of lost. (this is entry doors, not every door)

Not looking particularly for the powder room - looking at door openings.

I don't know if this is worthwhile for you, or what the budget impact is - so be warned about that.

Is is possible to make the new entrance in the breakfast room? Use the entire breakfast room space for utility space - treat it like a back hall - closet, powder room, pantry, stairs to basement, maybe even "utility" sink or bar or a combo spot. Those functions (and their doors) can exit the kitchen space and perhaps you get more storage and more kitchen.

These are a couple of explorations of that and one of moving the entry door to the dining room side of the expansion. Another thing to try - reverse the new kitchen and dining room to get a large enough space for storage and an in-room eating area.

Again - these are thinking out loud, not finished plans. Hth in some way.

Bmorepanic, thank you!

The thing your plans drive home for me is that we started our architects wrong on two points. First, I think the breakfast nook space is better used as, as you describe it, back hall space. That was the architect's first instinct and I've come round to their thinking on that.
Also, seeing that "powder room" space used as part of the kitchen is very appealing.

The second point is that, seeing the kitchen with an island, I like the flow much better than the peninsula. I think losing the windowseat concept and doing a wall of closet/locker/storage on that entire wall might serve our needs well without making the kitchen look too cluttered with stuff.

I'm regaining my enthusiasm for this addition.

This may already have been mentioned, but what if you take your original plan and move the fridge down to the end, by the nook area. Then, take out the peninsula and add a small island, with a prep sink. This will take care of your concern about distance from fridge to sink.

I like the window seat with storage and possible second window, where the fridge is now. I think your current plan has a lot of charm and fits the style of your older home. We also live in a cold winter area and I can't wait to have a double door entry. It makes such a difference with your heating bill and stops a lot of the ice and snow at the first door.

While I like your little nook area, one thing that might be nice with your 1915 home is to have the two banquettes across from each other, with the window in between. The table would go between the banquettes (in front of the window) with light over it. Very popular in older homes and I've included a link.

What style is your kitchen going to be, if you don't mind my asking? White cabinets, wood...stainless steel appliances or something more vintage? What kind of countertops? I know it's not necessary for the planning stage, but IMHO, if you know what kind of kitchen you want, it's easier to see how other details will relate to your space.

As for resale, if it's got the modern conveniences, but looks appropriate to the period of the home, you shouldn't have any problem :)

Here is a link that might be useful: 1915 Kitchen Nooks

I am glad of that.

If you can move the entry to the other location like bmore has suggested, that would be great. If the powder room stays in the kitchen though I would really advise against a pocket door in this location even though it gets rid of a door swing.

I like pocket doors and I have designed at least one in every project I've done (not all have been executed but I try). However, the issue here is that the powder room door will always be open when unoccupied, and given people's proclivities--some of your family members will probably use the powderroom with the door open or partially closed.

Simply because pocket doors take more effort. You can't just push at it vaguely to open it or close it. It opens in one particular way and closes in one particular way.

Also because there IS a doorswing to be concerned about with
a conventional door, it will be kept closed because if it is not, it will be in the way. And you want this powder room door to be kept almost closed , if not actually latched. I would put a bifold on it before using a pocket door in this situation. End of speech. Maybe if the other layout works out well you won't have to worry about it here at all.

Alas, the entry can't go in the other room. That house wall is pretty much right on the property line. We'd exit the house onto our neighbor's driveway. They're nice people, but not quite nice enough to be OK with that.

I want the new kitchen to feel in keeping with the rest of the house. I've seen too many kitchen additions that are just a giant box on the back of the house and it's apparent they they never would have been part of the original floorplan. That's what I was thinking with built-in cupboard storage, the breakfast nook and the rounded peninsula end. The rest of our house doesn't read 1915, but it is clearly early 20th century. I'd like to reference kitchens of the 30s/40s without getting too kitsch-y.

These were my inspiration pictures:
{{!gwi}}

This is actually what I was thinking of when we started this process. Powder room would be in adjoining hallway with other pantry storage.

{{!gwi}}

Kitsch-en...Cute name :)

I like the fact that you're trying to go with a vintage vibe in your kitchen, to match the rest of your home. While separate breakfast rooms were quite common in 1915 (as linked earlier) I would prefer a place to sit, in the kitchen. A 1930s/1940s look would work well and your inspiration pictures are charming.

Your latest plan looks good, especially if you don't need a lot of room for baking. A snack area (with microwave) would work well, by the fridge. I like that you have your sink close to your stove and no walkway, between them.

I'm not sure that your little nook area will fit in a 5' x 6' space. Can you add another foot or two? It depends on how deep the benches are and how much leg room you need. A corner banquette might be nice, too...again, if you have enough space.

What are you planning to do with the area that was for the nook (former kitchen space)? If you can't expand the kitchen, maybe use stools with the peninsula and keep the nook in the old kitchen area...close to the playroom. I think you have some great ideas and I look forward to seeing your plan come together :)

I was reading about banquette widths and I was hopeful it could fit 6' by 5' (the 6 foot length is from seatback to setback. 5 feet is the length of the table.
If it doesn't work, we could go out another four feet so the back wall of the kitchen is even with the entry way. That seems like a lot to build the room around a table, but we do get everything in.

The area that was the nook (in the adjoining room) would be a hallway - wirh the powder room on one side where the nook was and would keep the pantry under the weird ceiling.

What is the cabinet, behind the back door (in the kitchen)? Is this going to be in the way of accessing the banquette?

6' might work...maybe take a measuring tape with you, the next time you visit a restaurant with booths? It might give you a better idea and see if there's enough room...and you want comfy backs, so you might need a slight slope with the benches...or are you padding them?

I don't think you can move the back wall to make it even with the entry way and still use a banquette. You would only have 5' and then how would you sit at the bench? The table would be up against the corner of the room (where the entry way meets the kitchen).

Hopefully, the 6' will work, unless you can bump out the entire kitchen a foot or so, then the bump out for the entry way. Does that make sense? If it will fit, it's a cute plan :)

The box behind the door is an additional cupboard, purpose TBD if the rest of the room works out. The banquette is not a separate room, the sink peninsula is like the two in the inspiration pictures, just a small backsplash.

Agreed on measuring restaurant banquettes. It's hard to get a real feel from online drawings.

Moving the back wall to the back wall of the entryway would push it out for feet (so the addition has one smooth backwall, rather than the entry vestibule jutting out on its own) which would mean 10' for that banquette space which would be more than I'd need.

Exactly, but it would be 10' x 5' right? If you incorporate that space into your drawing...how would you get into the space? The way it's drawn now, how would someone get between the bench and the cupboard TBD?

Blue prints can be kind of tricky, so I always imagine myself walking around in them, sitting in different locations, and picturing what I will be looking at, while I'm sitting. I'm always measuring spaces and walkways I have now, to see if I'll have enough room, in the new plan :)

Oh. Geez. You're right. Thank you. I missed that entirely. I am right not to trust my instincts entirely. The cabinet was a toss in at the end. I think I'd just cut it out entirely and put a pretty picture on that wall.

Kitsch- No problem. It always helps to have a fresh set of eyes, look over your plan. As for your instincts, I think you're doing a great job...your inspiration pictures are wonderful.

My farmhouse is from 1904 and I'm planning a 1920s/1930s kitchen remodel. Kind of a country/cottage feel with some jadite and other vintage touches...one big room with a little island, dining table and window seat :)

Try both the sink and range on one wall with a table in the middle of the room. Even if it has to be a nun's table (I just learned about these), 24-30" wide table. If you want, you can make a 36" high table...

The other thing I'd encourage you to try out on paper is flipping the dining room/kitchen.