In terms of when you are actually cooking (not storing things), this is actually quite a functional layout. It'd be nice if the fridge weren't sticking out quite so far into the room, and if the trash were to the left of the sink, but, really, this is amazingly good for an old kitchen.

You have counter everywhere you need it and a large amount between the sink and cooktop where you will be prepping most of the time and will want the most counter. You have wall ovens, your dishwasher is not inconveniently in the prep zone, you have the perfectly ordered flow of fridge (get food) --> sink (wash the food) --> big prep counter (chop/peel/mix the food) --> cooktop/oven (cook the food) that is most natural for people cooking.

All of these are things people remodel to achieve.

I would just live with it for a bit and see what you are truly missing after six months or so.

Do you have a picture of the fireplace wall? The dining room is already so small that extending the kitchen into that space would really compromise your ability to have any sort of table. The only area with room to spare is the living, but if the fireplace is in some sort of symmetrical arrangements with built-ins or windows flanking it, you may not want a kitchen expansion to throw that off.

Thanks! That is reassuring. I've honestly lived with a bad layout for so long that it's hard to imagine what a good one will feel like. The kitchen was remodeled at some point, likely in the early 1990s, and the granite countertops and tile backsplash (and sink) are probably within the last 5 years.

I think I wasn't clear. The fireplace room is the original den but is currently being used as a second dining room. The fireplace is open on both sides into an addition that is the current den/great room.

It does sound like you have more space to expand into without compromising your other spaces. That's the good news. I do think it's best to live with a kitchen for awhile so you can define what you do like and want to keep before doing a remodel. I agree that this looks like a nice layout to work in.

In our first, very small home, we had an entertainment-style unit with a couple cabinets and some drawers on the bottom and open shelves on top. It was actually in the living room but we put overflow kitchen storage in some of the enclosed lowers with serving items and other more attractive pieces on display on the open shelves. Maybe you have something like that to use in the room with fireplace for extra storage in the interim?

Could you post a floor plan of the whole floor this is on with the rooms labeled? Where is the living room? Where is the front entrance?

Here is a rough floor plan with all the public rooms (bedrooms are to the left of the formal living room).

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If you're considering a major remodel in the next few years, then I wouldn't want to build in any thing permanent since it'd just be wasted time and money soon enough. I'd look at free standing or ready-to-install items to meet whatever vital needs you have now . . . For instance, I put in $200 worth of Gundtal IKEA shelving in my kitchen 2 years prior to demolition and remodel. That stuff was 1) cheap 2) met my desperate need for increased storage and 3) totally reusable in any other place I want it. I'd seek some similar solution for your need. So, if it's workspace -- a freestanding island/cart. If it's food storage, a free standing cheap cabinet or shelving or adorable hutch. Etc.

For the oven space, I'd definitely live with what you have for the time being. Why change ovens? You aren't increasing your size, and you are committing yourself to an oven for the big remodel. Also, you might find you need new wiring for a new microwave type oven, which won't be cheap IME. I'd live with what you've got, and then, if you really need more cooking space, get a nice large toaster oven for overflow baking. That will be very convenient during the actual remodel when you are truly without a kitchen for some time. I've been baking (for a large family) in a large toaster oven since May . . . It is horrible, but we've survived. (New ovens are finally supposed to be installed next week.)

Your space certainly looks like you have room and layout options for a total remodel . . . but you're looking for temporary solutions . . . I'd start with looking for a hutch (or worktable/cart with shelving installed on the wall) that would fit in the current informal dining space adjacent to your kitchen. IKEA has lots of great stuff for this sort of thing.

This post was edited by szruns on Fri, Feb 6, 15 at 18:49

There are a few different things that work well for pantry storage when there is no pantry to speak of. I've used all manner of dressers, bookshelves, armoires, inexpensive metal storage shelves. Dressers and armoires are nice because they are easy to blend with their surroundings--no one needs to know they are hiding the cocoa puffs but you. Dressers also give you a feel for how wonderfully useful drawer storage truly is. Bookshelves can be covered with a curtain to disguise their contents. Metal storage shelves can be hidden similarly.

I agree with the poster above who said to hold off on building something permanent for storage at this point. I'd take a look at what furniture you have first that could stand in for a storage unit, then try to fill in with something inexpensive and portable until you know for sure what you'll do with the kitchen.

Enjoy your new home! : )

Laughable, your secret cocoa puffs made me laugh out loud. NO ONE CAN KNOW ABOUT THE PUFFS.

Thanks, everyone! I think I'll live with the lack of pantry for now and just use one of the closets or pick up something inexpensive.

One of my remodel ideas is to just sort of extend the cabinetry into the informal dining area and build a pantry with buffet and bar. If would provide storage space without requiring a huge remodel, so that's a thought.

I still may switch the microwave for a steam oven sometime before the remodel. I know the wiring is an issue (my dad is an electrician), but it's an appliance that would expand my oven space temporarily but still live in a remodeled kitchen. The oven is a pretty low-end model without convection. I'm torn between adding the steam oven and hoping for the main oven's imminent death. :)

I am definitely switching the ceramic electric cooktop for an induction unit right away, and we also need to replace the dishwasher (currently used as storage space).

I think that sounds wise. Unless it's a very inexpensive item to make your space work for now, and hopefully you will find another use for later, I wouldn't spend much now. But it does make sense to improve appliances if they will be the same appliances that you'll just re-position in a new kitchen anyway. A DW is a horrible storage unit, lol.

@laughable - yummmmmm, Cocoa Puffs. You just pushed one of my secret splurge buttons.