Can you remove the door? Is it possible to move it into the dining room? The kitchen is small and you have to make smart appliance choices to match the size. Usually this costs more. Did you read Buehls' post on kitchen design? I think an island is not possible based on the sizes you have posted. How many people use the kitchen? Are you cooks or is this is minimal use kitchen? This helps people give you feedback. If the door can't be removed, how large is it?

Could you share dimensions and the surrounding rooms in a diagram so we can see how everything flows and traffic patterns?

I don't understand the island layout as it looks like you have drawers opening up into a wall, and that they wouldn't even be able to open up all the way. This type of confusion makes it hard to give you any real advice.

Can the plumbing be moved?

Your two graph measurements are not the same. What is the dimension (top to bottom) of the dining room? Is it 6' something or 7' something? That is making a big difference on how your two kitchen plans are laid out.

Can you move the door to the back from the kitchen to the dining room? That would give you more options for layout in the kitchen area. Would you be open to a banquette...at least on one side of the table?

You also need more than a foot and a half to get around the peninsula...so again, I'd appreciate it if you could check your measurements. It would really help :)

@lavender_lass, @funky_camper so that south wall (labeled: A) you see...it's actually opens up to the living already. In the top picture that's the perspective that you see it is from the south wall. I didn't know how to get rid of that wall in the design program But to be more specific that east wall runs really from at 145 inches (12 ft). I've attached pictures.

@funky_camper - I don't intend to move a sink into the island, but to answer your question yes, plumbing can be moved. I was just given advice that it might save counter space with no sink in the island.

@lavender_lass - I'm actually totally open to a banquet. Is that like a sit-in? If you can see in the pictures I have windows on Wall C and the far east wall where the dining table is...but I didn't know how much extra that would be in the budget, PLUS, the more importantly, I have no idea how to design a banquet or tell the contractor what to do.

@homepro01 - the kitchen is small, you're right. That stainless steal refrigator will be placed where you see in the current design. (it's just sitting in the dining room table). I wasn't for sure, if making an island would flow better, thus making the kitchen bigger, or just make the island look awkward. I didn't read Buehl's post - can you link it to me in the comments?

I'm actually trying to add new pictures but I can't...so I'll just link them here. I can't believe with they won't let your original posts. But here are updated pictures.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/2i59nq7ldcfj7g7/AAAB00B6hQ4RGTybvBs6UH6Qa?dl=0

Here's some info about planning a banquette. I'm sure you can find more here at the forums with a search.

Kitchen Numbers: Dining Nook | 64 Important Numbers Every Homeowner Should Know · More Info

Maybe something like this?

Since you have access to the dining room, from the living room...I think the peninsula makes more sense in this location. Now, you can easily move from dining area to main sink (for clean up) and have the option of adding a prep sink on the peninsula.

Having the prep sink would make a great secondary prep space, as well as a beverage area for parties. Just an idea :)

homepro's suggestion to move the door from kitchen to DR is a very good idea. I drew up 2 plans, both U lay-outs (best bang for buck in your small space) based on replacing the existing door with a window and replacing the existing windows with a slider. Both are much more functional than either of the plans you proposed (IMO, of course).

I made two assumptions. One, that your new fridge is 36" W, counter depth. If it's standard depth, I'll need to adjust the plans accordingly. Two, I estimated your table's width to be 42".

Green lines denote upper cabs. Measurements are counter to counter or table to counter, never cab to cab. I used 1 1/2" overhang for front and back edges and 1" counter overhang for sides. Slight changes in overhang won't make a big difference your kitchen.

Plan A

I created a banquette for your table, as LL suggested. I looked at your photos and the window sill heights look to be high enough for you to put a backed bench against the walls. It would be similar to these banquettes:

kitchens · More Info

Galley Kitchen · More Info

The shelving above the windows in the above kitchen could be for display shelves or it could be cabs with doors for storing seldom used items. You should be able to reach these items by standing on the bench.

Laurelhurst kitchen · More Info

I designed the banquette bench to be 24" deep so that you have enough depth to pad the back and add a pitch to it (no one likes to sit bolt upright). You should end up with about an 18" deep seat. Add drawers to the benches for more storage, like this:

Custom Residence · More Info

The table overhangs the bench by 4". I also don't know your table's length or the full length of the DR but hopefully, you'll have 44" at the top end of the table so that people can walk behind seated diners to go out the slider.

The 36" Super Susan is like the one pictured here. The door is attached to the turntable so you don't need to deal with a door in tight spaces.

warrandyte · More Info

I added a pull-out for spices and oils next to your range. Alternatively, you can go with an open cubby, 10" wide, for storing cutting boards, cookie sheets, etc, similar to this:

Retro Minneapolis Kitchen · More Info

Plan B

I did a L with peninsula, similar to something you proposed, however I moved the sink and DW to the peninsula to avoid crowding all the appliances together. That gives you storage and counter in key work areas.

I voided corners in both plans to give you wider drawers on each side of a corner. Drawers almost always provide better storage than corner cab units.

I also spec'd shallow storage on the backside of the peninsulas for canned and boxed pantry items.

I played with an L with island lay-out and it could work but, IMO, you sacrifice counter and storage to aisle space.

@funkycamper - thanks, sorry I didn't answer, I forgot. I wasn't expecting the door to come down and be replaced. There's a deck behind that door, so if I did move the door beside that other window, I'd have to extend the deck, which may or maynot be a problem. It's small house at the moment - we're in Oakland and bought before the crazy real estate prices move from SF to Oakland, so I'm looking for a few enhancements that might sell at an increased price 5-6 years down the line? Newlyweds - we might move elsewhere after we settle a bit. First time buyer here. I'll try to get you the drawing on layout

Also, yea I was thinking about a new post but then I'd lose all these helpful threads here for others to look.

@lavender_lass - that's actually a good idea...didn't think about that layout there...I was also thinking about having the banquet wrap around the other window...so a corner banquet as well. Are you leaving the door near that window or sink still?...also Wall A is going to be torn down I'm assuming...right?

No, you don't need to start a new discussion to add photos. Just add them in a new post here.

Lisa_A took the idea of moving that door and went with it. She has given you a couple excellent plans. I couldn't do as well as her. I hope you like either of her plans.

Yea Lisa_A's plans look good for plan B! I'll actually have to see how much it'll cost me to replace that door.

I'm not sure if I like Lisa_A's plan A though, because we'd like to open up that kitchen to the living room. I posted more pics here https://www.dropbox.com/sh/2i59nq7ldcfj7g7/AAAB00B6hQ4RGTybvBs6UH6Qa?dl=0

@lavender's plans might work as well. If the door can't be removed, I'm kinda stuck it seems like.

Lisa_A's plan looks ideal for the space.

But if you can't move the door, what if you put the kitchen appliances only along the top wall. A fridge next to the door, but opening down. with pantry space behind (opening into the door "hallway"). then after the fridge a sink, then prep space and a range, and more prep space. Maybe continuing the counters in an L if you can/need to.

Banquette seating on the left wall, where you have drawn the fridge and range.

Depending on how much space you can steal from the living room, you may be able to fit a narrow island/work table sideways. Or at least a sofa table, pushed up against the back of the sofa. It would help define the spaces and could serve as a command center, for chargers, drop zone, etc.

This was my best guess as to how the walls/doorways already existed on Wall A. I'm actually still confused about exactly where Wall A exists, in relation to the living room.

If you want a corner banquette, it's certainly an option :) A banquette on one side gives you more floor space (chairs aren't bumping into that wall) and easier for people to slide out on the one side...from either end. Again, assuming there's no wall on the lower right corner.

Also, I was thinking if you could replace the door in the kitchen with more windows....then make the window in the dining room a slider...you could make the kitchen an L-shape with the peninsula.

Yea I guess I should be a bit more clear with where the windows are. Because right next to the door there is already a window...it's in front of the sink in the original plans.

I realize I had a dropbox in the link above...but some might not see it so I decided to post them here (I finially figured how to post photos...you can't drag n' drop directly into the comment, you have to click on "Photo" and then add them.

I'm not sure if this photo helps or not (I actually liked Garden Web's format a lot better with comments)

This is the "dining room" where that that banquet could go.

Photos are also helpful but I think the best thing you could do to help us visualize your space is to give us a diagram. Even something hand-drawn and not exactly to scale will work. Include all rooms on that floor or, at the very least, all areas near the kitchen.

Okay, so it's got an L-shape return on the lower corner of the dining room. But there's no way that wall is 6' long. Can you tell us how long Wall E is?

@lavender_lass 145 inches ~ 12 ft....yea weird, I thought the ikea designer program had it right.

So what are the actual dimensions for Wall B? Can you re-input (is that a word?? LOL) the dimensions into your Ikea designer program, so we can get accurate measurements of the spaces? Try to include the little bottom right corner return of the dining room as well (corner of Walls A and E).

@lavendar_lass: So I think what happened is because the dining room is 'open' so to speak and ikea wouldn't let me design without wall A, Wall E and B appear to be the same when they are not. They had to stretch out proportionally. So Wall E is 145 inches, and Wall B is 91 inches (7.5 ft).

(still working on full layout of house...gotta find time after work).

UPDATE:

Hey guys, I just wanted to revisit this (if this post is still alive).

I think I"m going with Plan B by @lisa_a, except with no banquett. The door in that kitchen will be closed and instead of a window, I'll probably have more cabinet space there. It'll be pretty "affordable" for me to open up that window in the dining room and turn it into a door. I do like Plan A @lisa_a, but I'm not sure about that shallow storage space and basically closing off that kitchen to the rest of the house (opinions or thoughts on this?) I've attached the overall plan of our house in this post.

Overall House Floor Plan

Previous people had asked about this:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0hhUYSjWIaBeG1yWm4zRVo3NzQ/view?usp=sharing

Also, the contractor mentioned that going with wood/laminate in the kitchen really isn't a good idea because of the water that can drip alot around there. But I received advice that if you have an open floor plan you typically don't want to separate kitchen tile/ceramic and then have the other rooms just wood/laminate.

I've seen many houses with just wood/laminate in an open floor plan. Is the contractor being overly cautious or is this more a design vs. functionality choice? Should I go with the same laminate and wood throughout or separate this small kitchen with this tile? Remember, it's an open concept I"m trying to go with.

Congrats on settling on a plan! I'm glad I was able to help you.

Don't forget to come back to post your reveal when you're all done. We *love* to see transformed spaced!

Oops, we were cross-posting so I missed your last comment.

When you say "wood/laminate" are you referring to pre-fab floors? Or do you mean a pseudo wood floor like Pergo? The water concerns aren't the same, at least not to my knowledge.

"drips a lot" - aren't you in the Bay Area? We get more rain than you do (Portland area) and we're putting wood floors in our kitchen. A lot of people do. We have neighbors who have wood floors in their kitchens going on 20+ yrs without any issues. Several neighbors have refinished the wood (solid wood, finished on site) but that's because of pet damage (big dogs) not water issues.

But if it's still a concern, I don't see any reason why you can't put a different flooring in the kitchen. Check out the upscale vinyl tiles like Alterna by Armstrong. They look amazingly realistic but are much kinder on the budget than porcelain tile.

Here are some inspiration pics of open plans with different kitchen floors:

Northbridge House II · More Info

The Mill House · More Info

m.a.p. interiors · More Info

Modern Kitchen · More Info

kitchen · More Info

Hmm, okay, so what you're saying is matching the kitchen floor with the overall house floor layout (assuming house floor is pre-fab/wood/laminate) is not an issue?

Yes I'm in the bay area.

Sometimes wood/pre-bab/laminate and transitioning that between tile into the kitchen can look a bit clunky...so I'm still up in the air on that decision. Again kitchen space is small as it is, plus the contractor mentioned that I might have to redo the laminate in the living room - so I might as well take the opportunity to put new wood/laminate/pre-fab/ flooring from living room extending into the kitchen. Or try to save the laminate from the living room, and put tile or porcelain in the kitchen.

You really need to get your terms straight here! laminate isn't wood. :-) It's a picture of wood with a plastic coating on top of MDF or HDF. Engineered wood IS wood, it's just thin layers of wood. It can be pre finished or site finished. They aren't interchangeable. Laminate is the one that really doesn't like water.

I see, okay, thanks for clarifying. :) Yes, so I do have laminate, then THAT might be a concern in the kitchen if all the flooring in the house were to match...OR go with wood flooring (or even bamboo!!!) flooring throughout.

I had laminate flooring in my previous kitchen in a house that's now a rental. It's been down for 11 years and is fine. Laminate flooring is only a problem if there is flooding as it can swell. Or if you mop way too liberally with water and let it sit. So that's why you're getting the warnings. We did have a plumbing issue once where we did have a bit of flooding but we must have gotten to it in time to keep it from damaging the floor. I'm not saying you should get it but it may not be as bad as some people warn.

We have laminate in a rental and it has survived several tenants. Its in the bathroom and the kitchen. A lot of people worry about wood too but I don't see the issue. I find melted ice cubes on my hardwood and clean it with a steam mop and it holds up fine.