Please critique my layout!

9 years ago

Hi all, I've posted before about the process to hire a design-build firm and my husband and I both greatly appreciated the (sometimes brutally) honest feedback.

We've found a KD (at a design-build) that we really like and are on the second draft of a layout. Please forgive the picture quality; the plans were too large for me to scan so it's just a picture of the paper plans.

We have two small kids (4 and 1) and are in our house for the long haul. I am the only cook but like all homes the kitchen is the heart of our home. It opens to an eating area and living room (all very open).

My main question/concern with this layout is the placement of the sink in a corner. I'm afraid it may feel awkward and not be the best use of space.

The island is narrow but I'm ok with that, I think. Would love feedback, though.

The laundry room is adjacent and I'd like to push it back another 6" to make it a true galley room and use that space in the kitchen instead (we are already moving that wall about 12"). I think we'll close it off with a pocket door.

Across from laundry room will be a utility closet on the right with space for hanging brooms, and cubbies/hooks for kids' coats on the left. The garage entry is to the left of that.

Across island from the 36" range top is wall oven/convection microwave, pantry, fridge, and command center.

Thanks in advance for any feedback. I'm terrified I'm making huge mistakes somewhere and this is the only shot I'm getting to ever design my own kitchen.

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Comments (4)

Liz
9 years ago
can you move the garage door down (and mudroom closet to top of that area, so it is either next to or backing up to, the laundry room).

Then the short side of your kitchen's L should be long enough to house the range or sink; the other could go on the top wall.
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slk7e7
Original Author
9 years ago
I just now saw the post about asking for layout help (sorry about that) so I wanted to come back with a few more things:

1) In the first draft layout the range top was on the short wall where the dishwasher is now (my current 15 year-old stove is there now). My KD thought it would be tight in the corner to the right of it and tried to talk me into a cooktop instead of a range top with its protruding front. We have our hearts set on the range top, though, which is where the idea to move it came from.

2) Sink needs to stay on that wall (or in the corner) because we have an amazing view from that side of the house (we sit up on a ridge and can see for miles) so I really want to enjoy it when I'm at the sink. We are almost doubling the size of the window to take advantage of the view.

3) Island shows an overhang at the end near the eating area, but that will be nixed. I don't want seating at the island since the eating area is already right there.

Thanks again; your feedback is appreciated so much!
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Comments (9)
Thanks for all the wonderful comments and suggestions so far! lindybarts - I just removed the double bowl in the master bath. I had to do away with my linen closet, so dh and I thought we would get extra storage room with 1 bowl (we are rarely in the bath at the same time). We are still going back and forth on the issue, though. Our vanity is 72"...should be adequate for 2 sinks? charlotte - Thanks so much for your nice comments! I do understand what you are saying about the deck (I haven't given much thought to it...been working so hard on the interior). Do you have any pictures you could share? Also, we do have a basement patio of approx. the same dimensions. Maybe we could go 12' and step down to 10'. Excellent idea about the window in the closet...never would have occured to me, but will definetely add it in (ordering windows Monday). jeannekay - I have thought about rounding that side of the island. If budget allows, I think that would be a really great feature. pinktoes - the secondary (kids) bathroom went through many changes. Our builder told us the plumbing needed to be on the interior wall, so I flipped the faucet to the inside. We have a boy and a girl and really wanted a pocket door (probably can't see it in the picture, but is between the tub and sink). We had the same set-up with toilet and tub location in our last house and it worked fine, though maybe not as ideal. I think the office location (we don't need a big room for the office) will be wonderful. One of my fav features in our plan. And yes, I do plan to have cabinets over the sink in the laundry room. I am also planning on a dog area under one side of the sink, and the other I am planning cubbies (4) for each member of the family for dirty/clean clothes. One thing I forgot to mention. When you walk in from the garage, to the right are mudroom cubbies (they are our initials - in case you were saying, what the heck is that?). Am thinking 2 on the outside for the kids, and open in the middle for dh and I. Will also put a bench/cushion area in the middle part. Thanks again for all the suggestions so far! Keep em coming!
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Comments (24)
It depends on the model of fridge how far you need to open the door in order to pull out drawers and shelves for cleaning or adjustment. Different models different depths of handles and have their door racks configured differently and in orientation to where drawers pull out. If a drawer, for example, needs to pull out right where there's a shelf deep enough to hold a gallon jug, the door will have to open further to create more clearance. (I hope that makes sense) Anyway, 12" would be safest, but some models may allow less and be just fine. I just checked mine...If I had only 4" between my fridge and a wall, I could get the drawers open all the way, but wouldn't be able to pull them all the way out of the fridge if I wanted to for washing them out...But I see I'd also need more than a foot, so maybe that's just going to have to be one of the compromises in your particular kitchen. Do you mean the blind corner between the stove and sink? Are you doing a blind corner, where one cabinet continues in behind the other, or are you just doing a dead corner, as you have it drawn? I could see either one working OK. With the blind corner, you could keep larger or less often used things back in the corner...It seems like you'd be able to see and access things back there OK, since it's not too deep. The dead corner would probably be easiest if you don't need the storage space. I don't view that corner storage as a big loss.
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Comments (16)
Oh, dish storage...well I'll put some better pictures in here....this is an earlier version with a cabinet to the right of the sink instead of it being completely open. I thought this would be good for glasses, if we went back to having this cabinet. Then dishes could go in the cabinets to the right of the range. Everyday pots would have to go in the lower corner cabinet and in the storage drawer of the range. Larger pots not in everyday use could go in the pantry. I also have some large drawers over on the fridge wall, but I might need those for something else. Coffee cups over by the microwave. Utensils in the drawers to the right or left of the range, even though I like a wider drawer for these better. Adding the island would allow me to put the trash pullout in the island instead of over under the microwave, so I can make that area more big drawers. Anyway, those are my thoughts so far...thanks for asking! And feel free to critique...
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Please critique my layout!
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Comments (7)
Thanks so much for the feedback!! The hood shouldn't be an issue as we will vent up straight through the roof. We originally had the sink on the L but I was worried that it would be really messy and that's essentially the first thing you see when you walk up the stairs to get to the main floor of the house. I also had the fridge on the 129" wall but an architect we spoke with (didn't end up hiring one) suggested that we will go crazy between the sink and fridge if they are so far away. (At the time the sink was in the L so we could face the family room). You are making me rethink all of this, which is great - the only issue is I really hate the idea of two sinks, I don't know why! But also the issue with two sinks is we are on a slab foundation (steep hill so you enter the house on a lower level, walk up the stairs to the slab) and putting in two sinks will require digging into the concrete twice, which would be a few extra thousand dollars. One thing I should mention, the current kitchen has a window on the left that we are replacing with a sliding glass door. The sink is now under that window. Now I am rethinking my island sink though, we have gone back and forth about this for months. Thank you again for your feedback!
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desertsteph
9 years ago
I most likely wouldn't have a corner sink. My sister had one and it worked for her - but she lived alone.

If it were my kitchen I'd have the fridge on the lower short run of the L (my fridge is only 28" w), then dw, then sink facing the wall (yes, up to the corner if need be), then the whole stretch from corner down to range top would be prep space (with the view). People spend more time prepping than they do hand washing dishes.

Or have the fridge on the end of short run, sink on corner area facing window, then dw and down to RT. Most don't like the dw in the prep area because of it being loaded/unloaded while someone is prepping. And if it is running many/most now are vented out the front - right where someone might be standing to prep.

Or I'd run it the other way w/ fridge on the top far R, going left to the sink (a bit more to the left of where you have the RT) and put the RT on the short run (I can't tell how much space is there for it tho). Can't read most measurements. Don't see any measurements for the length of either run.

On either I'd have the corner open into the laundry - probably as drawers.

If you insist on the fridge across the aisleway, I'd move to the left end so there is straight access to the doors of the fridge (no island barrier). I've seen this in a number of remodeled kitchens, but I wouldn't want to have to cross the walkthrough path to get things/put them away - especially with little kids running around.

I'd also prefer to have the oven close to the RT myself.

do you plan on a prep sink? The kids will be of age to start helping quicker than you think.

I also can't tell what is on the left end of the island.

Are you in an area with really cold weather in the winter? That might make it a better move to move the garage door down so when anyone comes in/goes out a rush of freezing cold doesn't flood the kitchen area directly.

laundry room - have you thought about an area to fold clothes? how about a drop down table on the right wall of laundry?

drawers, drawers, drawers!

do the lined areas in LR and above the range top indicate windows? (to the L and R of where it says 'new window')
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Jillius
9 years ago
Does the laundry have to stay there? Most people prefer laundry to be near the bedrooms, and this laundry is taking up really prime real estate on the side of the house with the a great view. Usually you want to expend the best views on the kitchen, living room, or master bedroom. Seems a waste of both kitchen space and view to have the laundry here.

Could you please post the layout of the entire floor your kitchen is on? It helps when considering kitchen layout to see it in context.
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Please critique my layout!

Comments (4)

Liz

slk7e7
Original Author

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desertsteph

Jillius

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Please critique my layout!

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Liz

slk7e7Original Author

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desertsteph

Jillius

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slk7e7
Original Author