Another layout possibility, help me choose.

16 years ago

Well, here I am with another possible layout. I am just trying to thoroughly investigate all the options so I don't say to myself "Why didn't I think of that before." I appreciate all of your patience. It seems like even after talking my kitchen to death, I still cannot make up my mind. I am surely not the only one who has had extreme difficulty during this decision-making phase??

And just to refresh, here is a pic of our original plan with the rest of our home's first floor included for consideration:

In the following pics, the vantage point is different than this original drawing. You will be viewing it from the playroom/dining room side of the space.

DH has determined that the wall between the kitchen and dining room/all-purpose room can come out to make a 8'4" opening. The bar would divide the kitchen from the dining room/all-purpose room. And the u-shape would keep the traffic out of the work areas. We are still flip flopping about whether to close the 2nd door to the Family Room off to provide more kitchen possibilities. Its a tough choice. We thought we decided to keep it, then we changed our minds (again) thinking that leaving the doorway only adds more traffic into the work areas. So why not get rid of it and cook in peace, and just walk a few extra steps to get there? Anyways... The doorway to the playroom is closed up in this scenario.

We aren't sure about where to put the fridge, but we thought it might be good to have it standing alone on the left over bit of wall, there.

Here are the other two main layout ideas we've considered:

L shape with island:

Separate stations w/ extra family room door, Version 1:

Separate stations Version 2:

Thanks you again for your input, everyone. I don't know if I'll ever be able to choose.

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Comments (6)

Buehl
16 years ago
Now that you've gone back to the FR door idea, could something like this layout be back in the running (not necessarily this exact layout)? It basically moves the FR door down and moves the peninsula to the other wall. It seems to give you more open, connected, and usable counter space.

Switch the sink & range and, if not wanted, skip the sink bump out (adds back 12" of lower cabinet space). The 30" peninsula seating clearance would now be a little better b/c you're putting a bench in the Nook area so it pushes the table & chairs toward the window(s) in the Nook [2 smaller windows instead of the one large one].

You still have a door to the FR, but now it's down near the DR/LR/Playroom door so the wall isn't so broken up and both the DR/LR and FR doors can share the same entrance space that needs to exist in front of any doorway.

You still have the refrigerator in the kitchen as part of the main work flow, it's accessible to the FR & the Nook, and, now, it's near the DR/LR/Playroom as well. Ditto for the MW.
gardenwebber
Original Author
16 years ago
That could be a possibility. The thing about moving the extra door to the family room door down as you have it is that the *other* family room door is only about 4 feet away, so it seems redundant. In other words, I think the only way I'd keep the family room door in question is if it was near to its original spot. Know what I mean?

Also... I feel like the peninsula is too close to the eating area, there. Chairs up against chairs.

Beuhl - I want to also say to you - my impossible kitchen aside - that I really appreciate you. You are one of the most helpful people on this forum. I see you going the extra mile for so many people, and I can tell from your posts that you really put a lot of thought into your advice. I actually printed something out you said about organizing kitchen stuff in someone elses post just the other day. Thank you for all you contribute to this forum.
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I'm so pleased to have this feedback. Hi again, Rosie - such encouraging comments, and I really appreciate your remembering & being sensitive to our goals w/ respect to views. Actually, if I removed or narrowed that "spice pullout" to the right of the cooktop, we could shorten the island back from the traffic line - I'll definitely try that. And while the prep area no longer faces squarely through the living rm to the water, I think that it would be more-than-OK, given the glass expanse in doors to deck & your notion of the repeated happy encounters w/ the view as one moves w/in the work space. I did have a question for you from previous thread: you had mentioned a scary "close call" w/ a basement stairway - may I ask which side of the basement doorway (as one is standing in front of the door) would be best for the hinges to be on, in your experience/opinion? Thanks in advance for that and for all the times you've responded - you've been so helpful & supportive. And hello again to you, bmorepanic! Good questions about the microwave - it's been a pesky issue. Yes, I do frequently use our MW (22 yrs old & counting - guess we'll never bet on that lifespan again, from what I hear) to steam veggies, as well as to serve my coffee-reheating habit. One of the few efficient things about the layout of our existing kitchen is that the MW is on the counter right behind my chair at the table - I can reach back w/ my coffee mug, nuke, & retrieve w/out even standing up! Not that a little more excercise would be a bad thing - I will indeed consider your suggestion & would love to hear any others you have. JeannieMer, hello & again I'm SO thankful to you and others who take the time to read, consider, & then actually propose layout changes. In many homes, having the cleanup sink & DW where you've placed them would make lots of sense; our planning is self-complicated by the fact that we're trying to move the cleanup area away from that wall! Given that, I'd be grateful to see what else your obviously-logical approach to things could come up with - please post more ideas!
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I like all the suggestions offered above better than either plan. You mention being able to visit as you prep on the peninsula, but I noticed that the seats will be in the traffic path from the porch. How often will you use the wood cooker? If not as often as the cooktop, I'd prefer llucy's idea of putting the fridge where the wall ovens are drawn in the first plan. That puts the fridge closer to the dining area, prep and cooking areas. I'd also use only one island if the fridge is moved, and I think I'd put the ovens where the wood stove is drawn, and build in a nook and wood storage for the range (which has soooo much charm, btw.) Re: Stages sink against the wall--there was a thread in the last year about that situation, and IIRC the owner was very disappointed and didn't like the cabinets above or beside it. I think this is the thread--you might want to read through it. Here's a quick rearrangement, just to illustrate a couple of the ideas suggested above. I know you don't want to change things up much, but something to consider. The clean-up sink would be the water source for prep for the wood stove. Can wood for the stove be stored near the garden entrance? I didn't read the previous planning thread, but if there's no reason the prep sink can't be on the island, you could have more space around the cooktop. There's a seat at each of the island, for someone who is hanging out while you work, and plenty of room for helpers to cook together. Whatever you ultimately decide, it looks as if you're going to have an amazing kitchen. I hope you'll come back and post a reveal thread, because I am looking forward to seeing the AGA in action!
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rhome410
16 years ago
I like the plans with the island better. (Prefer L w/island or Version 2) I don't know if it's at all correct, but my perception in looking at the U is that it's a small kitchen, while the island plans look larger and more gracious. I think it's probably the expanse of counter space.
sarschlos_remodeler
16 years ago
I like the L-shape with the island. I like that the two seating areas are not facing the same direction, and the fridge->landing->sink->prep->range flow you have in the L-shape.
malhgold
16 years ago
I prefer version 2. I like the frig on the end so it doesn't get in the way of the FR door. I am also a big fan of separate stations. Good Luck. And I know how you feel about going around the block again with layouts. I've been working on mine for at least 6 months now and still don't have anything nailed down.
bmorepanic
16 years ago
I'm with Malhgold. Could there possibly be small prep sink in island or potfiller?

Another layout possibility, help me choose.

Comments (6)

Buehl

gardenwebber
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Another layout possibility, help me choose.

Comments (6)

Buehl

gardenwebberOriginal Author

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gardenwebber
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