Please visit our website at LeoClaudioCabinets.com Sophisticated design solutions and a full range of services for a variety of lifestyles. We provide you with a unique opportunity to share in the design process. Discover your creativity using our versatile compositional solutions, both custom and standard, infinite choices of material, finishes and colors to compliment the aesthetic elements of your home Call us for your free estimate today! Thank You

Howdy! Cute house! A few quick thoughts. It's good that you have a prep sink but there is very little prep space between it and the range. Consider either: center the range more on the breakfast room, rather than on that counter run, so you have more space (but leave 18" or so to the left of the range) or 2) put the seating bar on the other wall, upwards, so that you have an L shape with the range on one leg and then a prep sink with seating bar on the other. A prep sink is nicer to look at while seated than a pile of dirty dishes, plus you get to prep while facing family and guests. Now your cleanup sink can go in a straight run below, or else where you currently have the pantry. Perhaps the fridge could now move closer to the family room, too. Not many folks here are fans of kitchen desks--they tend to be clutter magnets.

I think that's a workable solution while still keeping the door you desperately want. Since they make exterior double-door sliders, it seems like one should be able to have a single exterior slider. Something to consider is your sink. I'm sure you are planning bigger than the 15" wide one you've pictured. Since you'll only have one sink, I suggest you get the biggest you can fit into that space so someone can do a bit of DW on one side while someone uses the other side to wash veggies and such for prepping. Yes, you can do all that in a single sink without a barrier in the middle. You'll find that most of us here at GW prefer single sinks. I think you should be able to fit a 30" one there. If possible, consider going for a 32". A couple of things I'm concerned about: Walkway into kitchen: 38" is narrow. I have roughly the same situation with walkway between a peninsula and a perimeter counter. I would actually like it to be a tad bigger. 42" is more than enough for one person at a time but tight for when one person is exiting while another is entering. Both have to turn a bit sideways. I'm toying with the idea of removing a 9" cabinet at the end of the peninsula for a wider opening but then I would lose my cabinet for storing cutting boards. It's a trade-off. However, if my opening was only 38", I would lose that extra cabinet in a heartbeat to gain a wider space into the kitchen. Peninsula seating: If someone is sitting at the stool at the end, it will really be crowded there. Anyone entering/exiting the kitchen will be blocked by the person seated there. I think the only way a seat there works if it's a space that is rarely sat at and if the stool used is backless so it can be slid all the way under the counter when not in use. Also with legs that go fairly straight down instead of widely-splayed so the legs don't cause a tripping hazard. You also only have a 12" overhang. Very frequently here at GW, people point out that 12" is very uncomfortable for most people as it really doesn't allow enough space for knees and feet to fit under the counter with the seat at a comfortable distance. Most people report that people need to slide the seat farther from the counter to make room for knees/feet which means they have to lean uncomfortably to reach the counter. 15" seems to be the minimum counter overhang that is comfortable. You don't have room for a 15" overhang on the walkway side. This would make a maximum 35" walkway. I think this would feel congested and make your kitchen look crowded. A more spacious opening there will make your entire kitchen feel more spacious. I think you need to either (1) reduce the cabinet to the right of the wine fridge to 12" which would allow you to add the 3" for better counter-depth for the seated person while still maintaining a decent width walkway, or (2) eliminate the seat at the end. I just think it's too much to try to have both. once you give the other three seats their 15" overhang, when seated they'll be in the doorway to the family room. Actually, they already will be even with the narrow 12" overhang. This would really bother me. I think you need to move that doorway down at least a foot although I think about 18" would be better. This would allow people to be seated there without feeling like they're blocking the doorway.

shead - I'm going to post a few "hacks" I did. Maybe they have some merit, maybe not. HOWEVER, I need to mention something else. We asked ARG if it is possible to add a window from kitchen to see into side parking/garage/play area. In our current house, we use our kitchen sink window that looks into back yard, patio, garage, etc.. to view the kids riding bikes, playing in treehouse, grill, etc... It's a small window, but in our current situation it is invaluable. Given the amount of time we spend in the kitchen, the ability to see the fenced in back yard, driveway, parking, patio and garage is actually very reassuring as a parent. We picked this house over another when we purchased, for this very reason - as we could work in kitchen and watch small kids at same time. We realize in another 10-15 years, this may not be as important. The new build is a different animal with the terrain in that the play areas will be in the rear - BUT also on teh side of the house with the garage. This is why we asked ARG if possible. He put a very clever change in and provided a conceptual drawing. He pushed kitchen wall out 2 feet, then pulled back landry/pantry wall 2 ft, creating a 4 ft difference - enough for a window. Here is his idea. The net change to the sq ft is almost 0.