Your dining room is 9' x 5.5'? Do you use a banquette on the long wall? Or maybe an L-shaped banquette? If not, that could give you more storage, too.

I'm sorry, the drawing are nice...but I'm not sure what you're asking about. Do you need a place for the microwave? (Possibly in peninsula, so easy access from fridge?) Is the layout pretty similar to what you have now, except for the wider peninsula? The extra seating area looks nice :)

It's great that you've given so much info about your family and cooking habits -- it sounds like you could really use a functional kitchen! But I am also a bit confused by the drawings (which are pretty); are they pictures of what you are considering? In that case, I think you'd be better off posting floorplan layouts of both your existing space and what you are considering doing, complete with dimensions. Also (and keep in mind I do have middle aged eyes, much to my chagrin) I found I couldn't read the layout picture you posted because it was just too small! I suspect you will get more useful feedback if you post layouts that are easier to read and contain a full set of dimensions.

Sorry I don't have more substantive comments right now!

Your kitchen floor plan is identical to mine so it's likely to encounter the same issues I have.

My first suggestion is to extend the sink run so the eating counter is under the window. That corner where the DW is -- with cabinets opening against it -- is a prime choke point.

Also, the closed upper cabinets over the peninsula section will be inaccessible with the current plan. I went to a plate rack as a result. But extending the cabinet run will resolve that. Even 18" will be a huge help. I have 6' French doors where you have a window and the door could have been made smaller.

My fridge was relocated to where you have the long wall. Depending on the width of the opening it may/may not be possible. That would give additional counter space and storage where the fridge is now planned.

My peninsula is double-sided. There's no counter seating but I did pull a lightly scaled sofa up to it and that works really well as people can sit down. With kids, a table would be needed in the adjacent space (or perhaps it's your dining room? Unclear from the post).

I made the peninsula deep (it could be deeper) and found the side facing away from the kitchen a huge help with storage. I have 4 drawers and two cabinets, all used for tableware and related storage. It also could house a microwave, a set of refrigerator drawers, or many other items that help keep the kitchen congestion to a minimum.

This kitchen plan is great for one person working in there. But when more than one person is trying to do something they are inevitably in the way of a necessary drawer, cabinet or appliance.

My kitchen, linked below, is in our house but we just moved from a Manhattan apartment so I am familiar with those constraints.

Here is a link that might be useful: My kitchen

I am so sorry that the pictures are so confusing. Let me try again.

Here is the current floor plan to give you an overview of the apt. Two bedrooms in the back, 2 bathrooms adjacent to the bedroom , then kitchen, dining room, and finally, living room in the front. Big window that I am referring to is in the living room by the front. This was the drawing done about 14 years ago when we first renovated the apt.

The more specific areas that I like to change in the apt this time: completely renovate the kitchen, take out the closet in the living room by the staircase, and put up cabinet /shelves by the front window.

This is an enlargement of current layout of the kitchen and dining room ( again done about 14 years ago).

I like to replace the kitchen to this (drawn by the cabinet guy). This is essentially the same layout except I asked for the peninsula to be removed closer to the wall with oven and fridge, so that the living room will be 3 ft bigger. Currently there is 7 feet between the wall with oven/fridge and the counter. So I will make it 3-4 feet instead.

This is the current area by the window on the right sided ( left sided is similar). Note that the heating panel in the second picture under the window, above the floor. It is our only source of of heat.

I like to replace the area adjacent to the big window with cabinet and shelves ( shown below, drawn by the cabinet guy again). I actually like to get rid of the closet adjacent to the stair ( the cabinet guy left it in the picture below) Since the heating panel above under the big window is the only source of heating in my apt, is this arrangement going to compromise the heat or cause damage to the wood cabinet/shelves above?

here is another view of what I like to achieve with next renovation, except I want to get rid of the closet in the living room shown below " view E"

Please critique the layout and give me advise about the heating panel. I hope this is a little clearer.

Thank you so much,

Nancy

Are you planning to move the dishwasher to the peninsula?

Currently I don't have a dish washer :(, which is the main reason that I want a new kitchen. Since I am moving the peninsula closer and kitchen smaller, the only place for the dish washer will be the peninsula.

Thanks for asking.

I think it would be safer to have no cabinets under the big window.

What's under the stairs? If you have space there, you might consider some cabinets like these.

As to the kitchen, when you have 3-4' b/w range wall and peninsula I don't think you'll be able to open the oven and DW at the same time. But for a single cook kitchen I don't think it will be a great problem. However, if this will be difficult for you, the DW can be next to the sink to form an L kitchen and an island across from the DW (3' aisle should be OK I guess).

So you loose 3' base cabs, but a wall cab, reaching the counter and with more depth over the DW can help to regain some of the lost storage space (if the cab has glass on 3 sides, and can also be opened from the sink side it would be much more convenient). On the side of the island a folding counter extension can be quite useful.

{{gwi:1956777}}

Sena01: I don't have that space under the stair. I am on the second floor/top floor in a 2-story building. Sorry, the drawings were not clear. L shape kitchen with folding counter instead of U shape is an idea that I didn't entertain yet. I am going to write it down and investigate more. Thanks for the idea. Nancy