Also any ideas on where to put light finishes and where to put the dark finishes would be appreciated.

It looks like the hood that is your inspiration could just replaced the cabinets shown over the stove in your plan?

Is that supposed to be a prep sink where the cooktop is? Are you planning that window treatment as shown? Are you planning a range as shown?

I think the inspiration kitchen is an unfitted look and your kitchen plan isn't really? Do you need a prep sink? COuld you move the fridge to the left and put in something that looks more like a hutch to suit your style vision?

My microwave is supposed to go above my stove and this plan was made befroe I found the insiration kitchen. You are right it is unfitted. The cooktop is a mistake, There is nothing there. I'm struggling with giving a penninsula kithen an unfitted look and moving my microwave somewhere else. Anything can change, including the windlow treatment. Maybe it would be best to leave that open, or glass cabinets above the winow. Or anthing you can dream up that would help. Yes I could move the fridge to the left, and ideas about how I could do that? Or I could leave it where it is and have that hutch style pantry at the end with the microwave in it? I could do a range or a cooktop if it could work in the plan. Space is my limitation here. Creative layout ideas welcome. I know there are some really great minds on this forum.

Oops, I actually meant move the fridge to the right and have the hutch on the end. I do think to accomplish the dream kitchen, it needs some reworking. It's not my forte', since I'm better with functional layout, but I will do some thinking...and hoping someone with more style vision jumps in to help!

I like the idea of keeping your cooktop in the middle, making it and the hood with backsplash a focal point. I would do it as a cooktop with an oven installed under the counter elsewhere. Personally, I'd do the CT cabinet and pantry/hutch in the darker wood and the rest of the perimeter cabs light. Maybe the sink cab darker as well. I'd consider making the overhang counter height if you can bump out the sink cab some gaining some extra depth. That would also allow you to add legs to the front of the sink cab giving it an unfitted look. I'd do the same bump out if space allows with the CT cabinet. With the bump out your countertop will come out and around which I think may also give it more of an "old fashion" feel. I also like the look of the small glass cabs above the wall cabinets bringing it straight to the ceiling. You can make those glass as shown. I'd move the frig over one direction or the other (not sure which would be more functional) so you can have a hutch style cabinet with come counter top showing but uppers that are narrower and come down to the counter. I'd match the door/drawer fronts on all the darker cabs (sink, cooktop, and hutch) If you do beadboard on those; you could also back the peninsula with the same beadboard. Just throwing some suggestions out there!

Rhomed410 & Remodelfla,

I like your ideas. I meant move the fridge to the right too. Like that idea. The only thing I didn't understand remodelfla, about your suggestions was the comment about making the overhang counter height. Do you mean the raised bar, amking it all counter height instead of raised? Functionally I think that is a good idea. What I was trying to accomplish is hiding some of the sink and the mess that goes along with a well used kitchen. Also making a place for electrical outlets. Where would I put thos if my penninsula was all one level?

You having me thinking and I definitely think this plan needs your help and suggestions. Thank you for taking the time and the thought that goes into this. This will be the first kitchen I've ever planned.

Yes katie... I meant a single level countertop by the sink. I thought bumping it out to greater depth would address any splashing concerns and a deep sink should hide the clutter. Please keep in mind that I am biased because I'm not a fan of bi-level countertops. As to the outlets; I learned about pop up outlets on this forum. I used to have a great pic of mocketts but I can't find it. However; I did find this:

{{!gwi}}
I understand that some areas have code issues so you'd have to check with the rules where you live.

Oh... let me try to imbed this:

Here's a link to the thread I found that on

whoops... couldn't imbed the pic. Scroll down halfway to rmlanza's pictures.

Here is a link that might be useful: outlet thread

remodelfla,

Oh, that is ecellent! I had not idea such a thing exsists. Thank you so very much. What do you think about a divided framhouse sink, not sure what finish but I love the look and functionality plus I think it would work with these cabinets. I was planning on backing the cabinets with 12" cabinets and then extending the overhang 10-12" for barstools. That should work all one level. It will really change the look.
Peggy

I haven't gotten a chance to draw it, but what about an island with sink and dw, center the range on the wall it's on, but have a pantry in a traditional style tall cabinet on the far right of the range wall...Then a hutch for dishes to the left of the fridge. The stove and hood, and 2 hutch pieces could be the light color. The island could have details that communicate the style you're after, where with a peninsula, that gets difficult.

rhome410 ,

I like that idea. As a matter of fact I love that idea but the problem is we are removing a load bearing wall to do the penninsula and that creates the problem of one odd support column. That doesn't work very well with an island kitchen in the space I have to work with. If we try to add two support colums for balance it takes up to much space. But I love the idea!

Peggy,
I don't know what the construction is of your home but we plan on removing a load bearing wall and to avoid support columns in a small space we are going to drop an ibeam in the ceiling for more then adequate support. We live in South Florida and are on a slab with concrete wall construction.

remodelfla ;

Our load bearing wall is interesting. It doesn't meet with another wall. It's like a half wall that divide the kitchen and living room with the dining rooom open to the living room but it's not even with either of the hallway walls. I had thought about that. I don't think there is a way it can be done. But that is a thought. I have a contractor coming sometime this week and I definitely will ask.

This is a partial pic of the wall we will be removing. Excuse the mess as no one lives in that home now and it's a construction zone. It does meet the wall of our sunroom on the other end that you cannot see.

It didn't sound all that different then your setup. Hope that helps.
Elyse

remodelfla,

Looks like you have a nice amount of space to work with. More that I have. Do you have a thread on here about how you are going to do your kitchen?

Peggy

Oh my.... I have an embarrassing amount of threads and yet the entire project is on hold for a year (most likely). Looonnnnggg story. I have a junky little weird space in the middle of the house that my DH (actually long term BF) is VERY resistant to changing anything on. I'm almost relieved that it's on hold so I don't have to battle with him about it. The layout I love most that rhome helped me SO much with is a galley layout. One 10' wall of stuff and an island running parallel to it. I'd have storage on another 5' wall and a 6'x10' laundry room that i'd turn into a walk in pantry. But whether or not I actually get this layout or any layout remains to be seen. I'm confident with the input of so many great people on this forum you'll come up with a functional working kitchen that you can deck out with materials that you'll love giving the feel you so want.

Where are the posts going to end up?

Hey rhome... did ya' chuckle just a little when Peggy asked if I had any layout threads? I think I won the award for the most layouts ever posted by one person and most of them I came up with were really lame. You are light years ahead of me!

Elyse,

:-)

remodelfla,

I'll look for some of your posts. You have peaked my curiosity. I know what you mean about putting it off. We were going to do this last year and started the living room. But I had trouble making a decision on the kitchen........imagine that! I'm living with no basboards, holes for the recessed lighting, removed the old florescent light box, and to top that off my carpeting is totalled after painting my living room and having scaffolding in there for over a month. It was a fiasco. Now I need to settle down and make a decision It's embarressing!

If you look through all my layouts you'll lose all respect for anything I might have to say! We weren't going to rent the house out again (we had rented it out for 3 years and the tenants totally trashed the house) but have an aquaintance who hit some hard times and we were going to let him have it for cost for a year. The odd thing is we haven't heard a word from him so I don't know what's happening. So... I'm just sittin' back and gonna see how things pan out. REAL hard for a personality like me who likes to dive into things head on.

rhome410,

I love that layout! You are better than any kitchen designer I've met so far! How far would that come out past my existing wall, I wonder. I also wonder if I could use that and have support columns on both sides of the island. They would have to be where the wall was but it looks to me like they might hit right at the edges of the extended countertop. Could the countertop be notched around the columns and they tie in somehow? How would I do the finishes this way??????? Dark cabinetss, light granite and island or the other way. Phew.....I think this is why we get overwhelemed and give up! Too many decisions.

remodelfla,

No way after my fiasco could I lose respect for you. I understand what it's like to put things on hold. Also it's sometimes easier to see for someone else what needs to be done than for yourself. My husband says I will never make a decision! I really am driven to get this done now. I have such anxiety just taking the risk for fear that I will do something I don't like. I see so many kitchens that have no character, just cabinets lined up and that is not what I want. I don't have that trained eye to put things together, but if I see it I know what I like. I wonder how many of us there are out there that have this problem. That's why this forum is so great.

That's why I asked about column location...to see if they could be incorporated somehow. It's always best to work with the structural elements, making them part of the design, if they have to be there.

I like how the colors are arranged in your inspiration photo... Mostly medium cabinets with light counters and light hood and hutch. (I think I might do the dish hutch light and leave the pantry the same as the cabinets or just a tad darker.)

The island is a tough one. It is big, so if you make it light, it'd be a big focal point. If you leave it darker, the details of the island will make a more understated impact and let the hutch and hood stand out more. It's a matter of preference. I think I'd leave it darker, since it's size and out-front location already give it so much visual weight already. Although, the light counter on a light island is an elegant look that I really like, and it could set a nice tone for the room, too. Obviously, I could probably be convinced that either was the right decision!

Do you think support columns tied in with an island take away from it? I agree that the colors could go either way. The most traditional would be light with the dark island or dark with the light island. I wonder what it would be like to just do the island light and maybe the range hood, and a hutch at the end. Thinking out loud now. By the way the cabinets are really on the dark side. The photo lightens them up a bit more than they are. I have a door here and it's dark without the red undertones. Thank you for the help.........suggeations. I have so much to think about I can't sleep!

mpeg... way back when, before I knew I was going to remove the wall; my layout attempts included islands or peninsulas that had the support columns in them. People posted some FABULOUS ideas of such designed with support columns. The threads must have fallen off because I did a search and can't find them. If you want to see some great ideas (pics) post a thread with a new title like : "Pics of islands with support columns please" or something to that effect. You should get some feedback where forum members imbed pictures.

remodelfla,

Thanks, that's a good idea. A picture speaks a thousand words.