Photo of kitchen currently. Vertical section of Galley with sink on left and space for banquette at the end. Also, to there is a door at the end on the right to the laundry room.

2nd image of current kitchen. This is the horizontal galley. The current plan is to move the oven and stove from the vertical to the horizontal galley so that it is out of the way of the walking area, away from banquette, and leaves the old spot for food prep. Also, visually it makes this section feel larger since it will have a countertop going all the way across without the double oven blocking the view.

What's on the other side of the coffee pot and toaster? It is difficult to visualize the contractor's drawing. Are you committed to a cooktop and double oven? With a regular range, you'd have much more space and open up that section visually.

So, if I'm reading this right, the plans call for moving the cooktop and ovens around the corner to the other leg of the "L." Yes? The sink stays more of less where it is now, and the fridge would be located more or less opposite the cooktop?

It looks like about 8 feet from the sink to the cooktop, and and only a foot or two farther to the fridge. That's not that far.

I'm terrible at layouts, so I won't comment beyond that.

TomatoFreak, Next to the coffee pot is a built in desk and shelves which we will remove. Across from that is a broom closet and pantry. We will get rid of the broom closet and make it a large pantry. I love to cook and bake, so I am REALLY looking forward to a double oven.

Cawaps, I am not great at layouts either. 8 feet seems SO far, but maybe in the scheme of things it really isn't. In the original layout it is much closer but just doesn't seem like a good place since that is the main walking area.

Here is the entry to the kitchen from the dining area. The wall will be opened to make a pass through countertop that is about 5 feet wide to visually open the space.

Also, this is not my decor style. We are putting in distressed hardwood, painting the house shades of grays, blues, and whites. The kitchen will have light colored or white shaker cabinets, farmhouse sink, chrome bridge faucet. I like the transitional style.

This would be a good inspiration kitchen for you -- it has a similar unusual layout: http://www.thekitchn.com/maureens-maximized-upgraded-kitchen-small-cool-kitchens-2012-174024

Here is a link that might be useful: Similar Kitchen

Ouch, tough room. I assume you are not willing to take down the walls between the kitchen and laundry room and configure both spaces? I'm going to assume no and give you suggestions - if you come back and say yes, though, that may open a lot more possibilities, so be sure to let us know.

Also, if you can repost with more and clearer measurements, I might be able to draw a layout for you. I am having a very hard time reading your measurements, and some are missing - lengths of all the walls, cabinetry runs, widths of doorways, etc.

Regarding the distance issue, I can't read your measurements but you can refer to this NKBA Guideline: "Distance between Work Centers (Kitchen Triangle).. In a kitchen with three work centers the sum of the three traveled distances should total no more than 26' with no single leg of the triangle measuring less than 4 feet nor more than 9 feet." Do you meet that, or are you close to it?

The second issue I see is that you have next to no actual prep space - if you added a prep sink to that run by the banquette that would help, but it's around the corner from the range and it would be better to consolidate your space. What I would really suggest is putting a little prep sink on your peninsula, right up against the fridge. It looks like you have maybe 45" on that space, and if you make the opening low enough so the counter can run right over it and into the DR a little, you will have a nice, deep (deep is important) prep space. Something like mamadadapaige's peninsula:

Alternatively, or in addition to doing that, you can deepen the sink/DW run by 6" to make that viable prep space. You can do this inexpensively by simply building a 2x6" frame, installing the cabinets against it, and running the counter over both. Or, you can do this less frugally by getting custom depth cabinetry.

The reason I am harping on deeper counters, by the way, is that they are very superior for prep work. That is why so many put in islands and peninsulas, even without seating. I grew up in a home with a super tiny kitchen, but I didn't notice and cooking was always a pleasure. When we moved to a home with a technically larger kitchen, the standard depth counters, PLUS uppers in my face, made cooking much less nice. I basically stopped cooking!

The third issue your planned prep space, where the old stove/oven space for prep. I see two problems with that. One is that you have no water source there, so you will not actually end up using it to prep. Again, that could be fixed by putting a small prep sink there. However, the second issue is that keeping cabinetry there makes the banquette area pretty useless and inaccessible. There is simply not room to fit a table because you have that run on the left squeezes the space too much - 5'9" (i can read that one) for a table plus room to squeeze by and get into the laundry room, all while carrying fully laundry baskets? No, especially if there are chairs on the other side of the table. You need to get rid of that run. I would end the stove run to be even with the wall and wouldn't turn the corner with it.

Again, please post a layout with clearer and complete measurements, and let us know if you can move or remove any walls, or move any doorways - and which ones those might be. I have some ideas I would like to draw up for you.

Here is a link that might be useful: NKBA's Thirty-One Kitchen Design Rules, Illustrated

Tracie.erin

Thank you for such a thorough advice. Unfortunately, both contractor and my husband have nixed the idea of moving laundry room, for both cost and where to put them. That means this is the space I have to work with.

I verbalized that the walkway seemed tight, but never really thought it through. You are right, 24" to carry laundry through will be near impossible and I will dread that space! I called the kitchen GC just now and asked him his thoughts. He is going to render a drawing of it completely removed and also with a small 12" counter just to put the serving dishes for when we are eating. I can't picture if that will be helpful or wasted space? I also have a small an adorable white open shelved hutch that is 34"wide and 16" deep that might fit well there without protruding into the walkway.

The prep space across from stove is approx 50"x38", and the cleanup space to the right of sink is approx 50"x24" If we deepen the counter/cabinets, then the entrance to the kitchen will be 36" instead of 40". The GC seemed to think that it would be wasted cabint space and would be a congested to make the walkway smaller. What do you think?

Removing those cabinets will make it a true galley kitchen, but it will be tight in that area since its only 14'x4.5' with a walkway being down from the entrance to the banquette. ALSO there is a terrible doorway at the other end by the oven/pantry that goes to a hall to guestbedroom and office. This is such a nonfuctional space and I am pressed for time.

The GC will be emailing me the rendering with dimensions, I will post here as soon as I receive it. Actually, that walkway is only 5', not 5'9. ::sigh:: its even narrower than you thought.

Here is the updated layout, which isn't helpful at all. I asked him to put in measurements, but he didn't. My husband and the GC really think I will miss the cabinets across from the banquette. So they made them a shallow 14", the uppers being 12". I measured my small appliances (crockpot, breadmaker, waffle maker, electric skillet, rice cooker) and they will all fit in a 14" space.

So I am considering making it look like a shallow hutch, with a curved upper cabinet and glass doors. I think that will make the space seem larger and not be annoying with a cabinet in your face when setting things on the counter top?

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[Traditional Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by Jacksonville Interior Designers & Decorators Studio M Interior Design, Inc.
Here is another example of the curved upper in the forefront of the image. What are your thoughts?

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[Traditional Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by San Francisco Photographers Ken Gutmaker Architectural Photography

The new layout didn't come over.. please repost. If the measurements aren't on it, you can get them yourself easily. Please grab a tape measure, go into the kitchen, and measure the space - wall to wall, not cabinet to cabinet. Here are the measurements we need to be able to help you :)

Re shallow cabinetry: While the high/curved uppers look better, I'm still not convinced you have room, so please be sure to provide the measurements as above. Can you tell me your plans for the banquette - how many people do you need to seat on a regular basis? Will you NEED additional chairs on the outside of the banquette?

A question re the wall between kitchen and laundry room - and again, I will need measurements to be sure - I wonder if you pull off the drywall and use the space between the studs for a pantry. Cindyandmocha did this and has a 7" pantry that uses only 3" of actual floorspace. It holds way more than you might think - and since it's shallow, you'll never lose anything in the back recesses of the cabinet :) This might be a great way to both get some cabinetry on that wall but not impede traffic, as well as open up your top wall and get you some more prep space in the "main" part of the kitchen. Like so:

Re the walkway on the top wall, 36" is a normal opening to a room. I really don't think you'll miss the 4". NKBA ADA/Universal Access Guideline (which exceeds normal guidelines): "Clear openings of doorways with swinging doors shall be measured between the face of door and stop, with the door open 90 degrees. (ANSI 404.2.3). When a passage exceeds 24" in depth, the minimum clear opening increases to 36". (ANSI A117.1 404)."

You say you are really looking forward to double ovens - would you consider a 48" range with the standard and smaller oven below instead? The cost difference might not be as much as you think - you are only buying one appliance, plus you will save on cabinetry because you don't need to buy the specialized cabinets to hold the cooktop and ovens. That would open up that wall immensely. Even if you don't need that much cooktop space, the extra space can add as landing space for a hot pot or cookie sheet (as opposed to a trivet on the counter), or you could get a cast iron or granite/marble remnant that lives two or four of the burners permanently and act as extra counter space. Here is a link to 48" ranges sorted by price.

Finally, and I mean no disrespect to you or your family, but you may want to give weight to the opinions of DH only according to the amount he cooks - and I wouldn't give weight to GC's opinion at all. He'll put in your kitchen and leave. He won't have to live with it as you will.

Please be patient with my beginner photoshop. Also, we wont have the keys until next week, so I can only count boxes as I don't have exact measurements.

Our intention for the banquette is for morning coffee, sitting to talk while I am in the kitchen, or a casual meal. Only to sit 3-4 people. No chair. Although, my daughter is 2y and we plan to have one more. So at some point there will need to be room for a high chair. We will put barstools at the counter passway. Right in the next room is a dining room.

Something that my mother brought to my attention, is that the laundry room has another entrance, through the guest bedroom/bathroom. This is likely the way I will walk the laundry, since it connects to the hallway of all the bedrooms. Looking at it from that point of view made me think I won't need the extra walking space. For the banquette table we will do a drop leaf.

Regarding the upper wall (entrance has no door), that is a good point, it is only a few inches, and I see what you are saying about the deeper countertop by the sink. So that makes it a 36" entrance that opens up to the main kitchen only 2ft in.

I never considered the 48" range because I thought they were too pricey and also the oven size it smaller than the 4.2cuft that the double wall ovens are. I need to sleep on that. It would REALLY open up that small space that all the appliances and pantry are basically shoved into.

I think I addressed all the points you made, thank you for all the time you took to respond. I agree that my opinions weigh more than DH and the GC, which is why I am tweaking everything. We are in a time crunch as we need to start construction so we can get out of this house and into our new house. I would be fine taking my time and work on this for months, but time is not allowing me to.

Here is my idea for you. Let me explain it:

1) I put a prep sink on the peninsula wall, because it is the most logical place for you to prep. If you can't add a sink, as previous, make sure to deepen the counters on the cleanup sink run. You may want to deepen them anyway to make a secondary prep zone on either side of the cleanup sink. You have a growing family, and your kids may want to help in the kitchen one day.

2) I think 3 to 4 people squeezing in and out of that L shaped bench on a regular basis is not practical and you will grow to hate it. Also, what if a person in the middle has to get out - everyone else gets up? So, I tweaked that for you, and gave you some chairs. I also feel this way gives everyone sitting at the banquette a nicer view. It also makes the banquette itself more aesthetically pleasing and makes it a destination in and of itself - before it seemed hidden in the corner, as if an afterthought.

3) I gave you two possible pantry locations - a 12" deep hutch look on the left, or a 24" deep at the end of the cleanup run. Note that the hutch look pantry keeps you from having an additional seat - or height chair - on the end of the table. So, if you need that, you should shorten the hutch pantry by about half or not have it at all. Note that if you don't put a prep sink on the peninsula, you should NOT use the 24" pantry because it will severely detract from your counter space on the cleanup sink run, which will be your primary prep area.

3) Note that I gave you the 48" range. You could go to a 60" range to get bigger ovens; here is a link sorted by price. If you go for the bigger range, I might open the dining room wall even more to put it (or rather the range hood, which you will need) on display! However, you can still do the double ovens and cooktop on that wall if you prefer; the MW would have to move to the cleanup sink wall in that case.
4) You mentioned you will have stools in the dining room, at the peninsula. Please make sure you have the room. The peninsula overhang needs to be at least 15" to be comfortable, so it will jut out into the dining room at least that much. On top of that, you need to have enough space between the peninsula and dining room table to allow people to get out and between the two - based on the below, seems like minimum 54" if people need sidle by, or 66" to walk by. Since you have the dining table lengthwise, you can probably go less though, as people would just scoot out of their seats and walk along the long sides of the table - not between table and peninsula.

Thank you for the detailed layout and dimensions. I met with the GC and KD this past week and made the changes for the banquette table to be a parallel seating instead of L shape, that is such a better use of space. I'm so glad you caught that.

We met in the middle for that wall across the banquette and chose 18". It doesn't leave the large walkway that is preferred, but it will be better than 24".

I chose to keep the double ovens as a personal preference and will be satisfied with them despite the awkward position they are in. Once the kitchen is demo'd and we are living there, I still have the option to pull the cabinets away from the sink wall to make deeper counters. Also, thanks for noticing the barstool area will need counters deep enough. Once our kitchen table is in we will decide if we want that space or if it will be too many seating areas and needs to be condensed to just the banquette and dining table. I will be sure to update with pics as the project begins.