I'd be inclined to place frig below point B where you have "narrow unit" Is that wall space there? Across the top wall and say half down your 19 ft wall do an L shape alignment. Lower in your space, closer to french door/patio I'd configure a squarish island with seating or an actual table/banquette with seating.

The 7 foot opening to the DR, could it be wider? Could that whole wall go all the way to the laundry room opening? That would let you have a more piano shaped island and give you better seating and more room on the prep space end as it could encroach onto the DR a bit.

What about doing some type of pegboard organizer on the back of the bedroom closet? Look at Julia Child's kitchen in the Smithsonian if you want to see more clearly what I'm talking about. You also have room for a narrow storage cabinet at the bottom next to the opening to the patio, and I'd rather see a narrow storage there than crowding the island.

I LOVE those brass pendants! It's great to see brass coming back into style. And it's great to see people using storyboards to pull their ideas together!

How wide is your island? If I"m reading it correctly, it looks like it's only 24" wide with the overhang. I keep thinking I must be wrong.

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone! I'm soryy to be so slow in responding. I've been wrangling a sledgehammer between computer breaks. Here are the answers to your questions:

RemodelFla- The ikea software won't let me make the island conter bigger. With 13' of width, I was thinking 3 of that would go to perimeter cabinets (12" and 24"), 7 or 8 would go to aisles, and 2 or 3 to the island. It will be a narrow island, most certainly. I'm not sure what else to do though as DH has his heart set on one. It looks as though the island will have to have very narrow cabinets, if many at all.

HollySprings- We'd love a larger opening! Sadly becase of the way the walls line up on the other side, that's as big as it can go. We're working around the laundry room cabinets and dining room cabinets, too. I've always loved Julia's peg wall! What a great idea to incorporate one there. I've been telling Dh that I want to use that as a "fun" space, with a chalkboard or something, and I love the peg board suggestion! The lights are my big splurge, for sure. I'm going to have to scrimp somewhere so I don't feel guilty over them. ;)

Herbflavor- That's neat to hear. The space you set as the island space was actually the original breakfast space, which makes it easy for me to picture. I'm going to try graphing your ideas and see what I can come up with. Thanks! I haven't tried putting the fridge on that wall (actually where it is now), but I will.

You can take the cabinets back even when you've assembled them.

hth

I can't quite decipher your cab arrangement, but I would get your trash to the island/prep area and closer to the fridge. Perhaps you could config one of the narrow cabs on the cooking aisle to be a trash p.o., but sideways-mounted?

Move your dishwasher inboard so it can be closer to where you are storing your dishes and cookware. Devote space outboard of the sink for storage of low-use items. Or maybe depending on the exposure and your climate for storage of baskets of potatos/onions which you will only be gathering at start of prep.

You've got a whacking lot of high-value, in-kitchen space devoted to cooling. I know you have a garden, but perhaps you could move your upright food-storage freezer to the mudroom/laundry and use that space in the kitchen for a dry ingredient/ cannned good pantry instead. (It looks to me like you could use that storage space in the kitchen.) You could get a fridge with a freezer just for ice and day-to-day freezing needs.

Perhaps a smaller, even rolling, island might be a good idea (though it would sacrifice the prep sink) for the time being. What part of the island is your DH really committed to? Islands are used for many things and I think it's important (where space is a critical) to identify the most desirable use and work with that, while letting some of the other possible uses go.

How about a round table (pedestal) near the French doors if you want the eat-in kitchen thing. But you have a perfectly good DR, so why not eat there?

It is dangerous to try to cram every attractive kitchen style/item into a limited space. You will wind up not doing justice to any of them.

Three stools at your island only allows for two adults and a kid, or two kids and an adult sitting and the other one standing. Do you need this now? If this is for your future kids you are at least 2 -3 years away from needing kid seating at an island. Who knows what you will need/want by then?

A 24-28/29" island is seems too narrow for both prep and seating. You'll have to keep moving things off to use both functions in the same meal. That would mean that it would be limited as actual prep space, I think. I plan on a similar narrow island (with prep sink on one end,too) but it is intended to have working prep from either side, no seating. Your stools will block that kind of prep use from one side.

Dishwasher (and hence dish storage) should be closer to place of eating for convenience and diminish need for traipsing through main area or around island to get a meal on the table.

I have a kitchen with somewhat similar dimensions, so I know how hard it is to shoehorn in an island (and my room is 3"-6" wider). But my room is two feet shorter than yours, with four doors. (That's an improvement from the present 6 doors!)

I would go back to the initial planning tasks (setting your current solution aside for the moment) and do a re-design with the new space. It's a risk ro try a re-jigger of an existing plan because then potentially fungible, but already planned-on items can take on an over-importance that they would never have been able to get if planned from scratch. If you re-plan afresh, I think you'll get a better solution. With a new plan you can rejoice in what you already have on hand, but not allow the phantom of the old plan to interfere with getting a better design in the newly enlarged space, IYKWIM?

Is the entrance through the laundry/mudroom the main private one to the house? If not, you can affrd to crowd it a bit.

Think about the path of the food from storage to prep to cooking to plating to eating to returning for storage and plate washing. If you can move the windows, maybe consider moving the cooking point farther away so food goes from top of drawing to sink to prep to cook, and maybe plating on the island (dishes underneath, across aisle from DW for easy unloading?) then either being eaten on a mostly eating-island, or from there for delivery to DR and then back to island as a staging for clean-up and food re-storage in fridge?

Your aisles, too, are very narrow on both sides of the island for either two-person work, or circulation behind seated diners. That means if you have a kid/guest parked on the island you'd be forcing other traffic into the cooking aisle.

These are just a few random thoughts to noodle on if you go ahead and replan the new space. If any are useful, good. If not toss 'em on the slag heap, with my compliments.

L.

bmorepanic- That's GREAT news! I think I can use almost all of them in one place or another if I get creative, but it feels so good to know I'm not limited now! THANKS!

liriodendron- You are so sweet to help! Great idea about getting a trash can near the second sink. I think I can do a pull out there. You're right; I do want them at both sinks. Hadn't thought of it.

You're spot on on the DW location, too. I was wide awake in bed last night, trying to think of where it would be more convenient in regard to the dining room and dish storage. 19' makes for a lot of walking when it's all in a long line.

If need be, we can keep our 36" french door. I am able to squeeze a 24" freezer into the laundry if that cabinet in that spot isn't needed for the water heater. I'll look into that. I was just thinking yesterday that I'm actually comfortable having the freezer and fridge in 2 rooms, so I'm glad you brought it up for me to think on further.

I think DH's goal for the island is a "hanging" spot. We had a table in the kitchen and never actually ate there, so I'm guessing we won't eat at the island. We actually do all of our eating in the DR. The other thing he has mentioned is having space for entertaining, so perhaps that, too.

For kid seating, I'm not sure I'd put them at the island. That's quite a spill for a little one to take from a stool. I'd like to save myself room for a very small kid-table somewhere, whether that's in the kitchen or DR.

Yes, the laundry/mud entrance is the only access point to that room, and currently to the yard. We enter through that door for our own comings and goings since we don't have a foyer.

Too many style ideas...That's EXACTLY my design fear. I'm feeling so very overwhelmed. This was not a project that had been on the boards, so I'm not feeling ready to pull it off....not totally sure what I want, and it shows! EEK!

Thanks for the feedback on flow. That's just what I need to hear right now. You're right. I'm not thinking outside the layout, despite feeling it's flow flaws. I need to turn to a fresh sheet of graph paper.

Off to do that right now!!

Thanks for all the feedback. You're a gem!

Young- Is this the plan, where you switch the dining room and bedroom locations? If so, what if you put the fridge/freezer over on the end (by the french doors) and put a HUGE window where you have the range. This would bring light into the dining room and also give you tons of light, as you work at the main sink. Put the range, over where you have the fridge/freezer, closer to the dining room.

As for the island...the prep sink would be nice, but it looks a little cramped. I like the idea of the furniture with jar storage, but I don't know if they'll both fit. Do you need the prep sink, if you move the sink, where the range is now? Maybe a bigger sink and a work table, instead of an island? Just some ideas :)

Lav- Just popped on with a new layout, and it sounds similar to your ideas.

Here you go:

I'm hoping to keep the island narrow and mostly open, like this:

The prep sink is primarily for veg. washing. RIght now we have one double basin sink, and that has been an issue. The sink pictured is a 36" double. Ours is going to be a 24" single, but I needed to account for the turned legs we're adding.

Young- Great minds think alike! LOL

I LOVE the new floor plan...it's so bright and cheerful! I know the Ikea floor plans are rather limiting, so some of these comments might not even apply. First, I think the big windows over the sink are wonderful, but I wouldn't want the divider down the middle, blocking your view outside.

Your inspiration picture for your island is beautiful...and I think it would look much better from the dining room, than the metal cart. The only other thing I have a question about is that blank wall (back of the bedroom closet) by the range. It seems like such a wasted space. Do you have room on the other side to bump it into the bedroom 6" to 12"? If you could put a bookcase for cookbooks...or even the shallow spice shelves, like your last picture...it would look so much better than a blank wall.

Would there be room for some bookshelves on the bedroom side, next to the closet (behind the range area)? That would add lots of nice storage to both rooms. Hope that helps :)

Thanks, Lav! Agreed on the window divider. Our current window has one, and it drives me crazy! DH has put in a vote for casement windows in the kitchen. We'll see what we can find that matches our cottage....minus a view-blocker. :)

I'll play with the closet and see what we can come up with. We ended up putting it here for a couple reasons:
1. Use of existing doorway
2. It doesn't eat at the small bedroom
3. It allows for good furniture placement in that room

That said, it does take a big chunk from the kitchen. I couldn't sleep last night as I rolled around ideas. I've considered a lot of different things for that wall. I wonder if they could build a nice in between the studs on the range side...for my most common spices and whatnot. ??

You're right-- Ikea's stuff is super limiting. I'm drying to see the space with the real island and not that cart. Haha! It's hard to visualize it as it is.

:)

Have you worked in a kitchen with the cabinets all the way to the counter before?
I ask because it limits your work space, and since you don't haves miles of counter, you might find that it's in your way. I would suggest that you put a box on the counter and see if you like working with it in front of you.

Singingmicki- Good point, about the countertops. Those would take up a lot of space.

Young- What about one appliance garage, in the corner between the sink and range? Or, just 'park' the big mixer there and choose something retro and cool...maybe a light turquoise one...or even a classic white?

With that big pantry, some of the smaller appliances might be able to be stored in there and that would give you more counterspace, too. If you're using marble for your countertops, I know you want to show them off, as much as possible :)

I much prefer the refrigerator location in this plan than where it was in the first.

What if the closet intrusion was in the corner? That would allow you to expand the opening to the DR, making it seem more like one continuous space. It would also allow you to have a peninsula out from where the closet is now with a few seats on the DR side and your prep sink could go there. It would give you a great "cockpit" out of the main traffic flow to the fridge and DR. You could still do a small open island in front of the fridge area for landing and storage space, but it would no longer be your primary prep space. Being close to the cleanup sink, it could work well as a secondary prep space though.

Have you considered doing a built in closet system in the bedroom without creating a "closet"? That could give you even more space in the kitchen if it wouldn't make the bedroom too small for a bed. Look at Ikea's system for ideas.

Counter cabinets-- Good point, guys. I wish I had a kitchen right now so I could test it out! (Lav, I'd loooove to leave my mixer out. Alas, it's candy apple red....not my thing.) I'll play around with the uppers and see if I can get some of the space back and still work in a "hutch" somewhere.

Lots of great ideas, GreenDesigns! I'm going to talk them out with DH tonight and see what he thinks. You've given me some great things to chew on, and i know he'll love your seater counter idea.

For a point of reference, here is the room that's going to be getting the closet to become a bedroom. Where the lanterns are, there will be two XL twin beds.

The closet door is on the near right side, just cut off. The room is 13x13 mostly, and 13x12 in one area.

below is looking through the future closet into the new bedroom. The bump out is the back of the fireplace. THe small doorway on the right is where the 7 ft opening will be.

Hope that helps a bit. :)

Young- As you know, I'm banquette-happy (LOL) but I'm wondering if you can access the laundry area, from the dining room. If you didn't have to have that smaller doorway...and maybe a single french door to the patio...you might be able to fit in a small corner banquette. Maybe with a round pedestal table and a chair or two? Really more for drinks/snacks than dining, but it would be a cozy place to sit in the kitchen :)

That would be cozy! I'll toy with it and see what will fit. The fit challenge will only be the laundry appliances; I'm certain a bench would fit in the kitchen. I love banquette seating!

No help here, just wanted to say I love your house! Love all the detail and high ceilings and warm wood floors. :)

Oh, clubcracker, THANK YOU! Remodels are stressful, so that really did brighten my day.

Here are 2 layouts using some of the ideas suggested above. DH loved the bar idea; I'm still trying to figure out how to manage a closet in that room now. I have to fit a dresser (for changing table), the xl twin bed, and a crib (later to be the second xl twin since it'll be a shared room). With two windows, it's a tough fit. I was hoping to save the original shelving in there.

I wasn't able to draw the island to scale or in the style it would be, but the inspiration pic is above.

I like the cabinets off of the counter, but I'm a bit confused as to why you have windows on the stove run if that's not an outside wall? Because I can see where a cabinet to the counter would work on the left side of range wall where you show the window and additional wall cabinets would be useful there. And I'd make the cabinet to the left of the fridge a MW cabinet shelf. Other that those tweaks and that question, I think you have a great hard working layout.

live-wire: It took me a minute to figure out the window question. LOL! Those are open-faced units, like this:

For some reason, they look like windows. OOPs! I like the idea of a hutch cabinet where you mentioned. I'm going to do a mock up on that. This will sound crazy, but we don't use a microwave. ;) I'll likely wire an outlet for one somewhere just in case we ever do move.

Young- In your final layout picture, it looks like upper cabinet 20...has at least a foot hidden, by upper cabinet 21. If you're changing to the bar design (which looks great) can you center the range on that wall, now that you have no closet?

This would give you the option of solid uppers on that whole wall, a mixture of open shelves and solid uppers...or maybe just the open shelves, by the bar area. I think the room would look much more balanced, if you moved the range towards the dining room, just a bit.

Good idea! I'll see if I can scoot it. Here is the OPen shelving fixed as much as Ikea will let me and the hutch on the left. I'm planning to have the open cabs built to size so I can get the size I want. oh for better planning software!!!

So is the hutch just on the left of the range now...and not on either side of the sink? I really like that, since it gives you such a great place for the mixer. What a perfect baking area, especially when you have little ones, who want to help with cookies :)

Oh, I hadn't thought of that! What a great point! Oooo, I like that feature, and it softens the blow of the bedroom issue a bit. Haha! I'll need to make sure there's a handy outlet for the mixer. I printed out the layout to look at paths and zones, but I haven't mapped it out yet.

I was thinking of putting the steam/convection oven (MW sized) in the last cabinet of the bar. So, I could do most of my prep/cooking at that end of the kitchen.

Young- That sounds like it will work out really well! It would leave your island for an extra prep space, which is great when you have two people working at the same time. I like that you have one area for washing/chopping vegetables and another for cooking/baking. Can I come play (I mean work) in your kitchen, too? :)

Come on over!