New build- kitchen layout ideas?

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

Hi everyone, I've been lurking in this forum for a while and thought I'd post my plans here for some ideas, they need some work.

We're building a "standard" model with a builder in a development. Builder's standards are Schrock cabinetry, 3/8" furniture board, partial overlay. We have about 6k in our budget for cabinetry upgrades. We have the option of doing a 3k upgrade, would bump up this current layout to 1/2"plywood, full overlay, softclose, dovetail drawers.

We haven't selected appliances yet, I will do that before I sit down with the kitchen designer. But I intend on selecting an under-the-cabinet rangehood, not a microwave hood. Will be doing a standard 30" range, counter depth fridge.

Some points to consider:

1. I don't like leaving appliances on the counter top. I'd want a home for all of them (toaster, mini keurig, blender, microwave)

2.I'd like to open the kitchen up to Fam room a bit more. I have small kids, work full-time (some days even longer!), and I like to cook, so spend quite a bit of time in the evenings making meals/cleaning up. If the kitchen is open to fam room, I can keep an eye on the kids at the same time, and also feel like I'm a part of the action!

3. We're eliminating the little hallway from the laundry (making the powder a full bath), there will be a door into the family room directly across from the other door in the laundry. Some people who have built this plan previously have put a set of cabinets on the wall adjacent to the bathroom. Not sure how that actually works though, maybe the elimate the snack bar?

Featured Answer

mama goose_gw zn6OH

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

You'll be prepping between the sink and range, so opening up that wall will give you a view of the FR while you prep. Will you need a beam?

Would it be feasible to have the bathroom open from the laundry room, rather than the kitchen area? I wouldn't want the bathroom door that close to the kitchen/snack bar. Speaking of snack bar, you might want to add a few inches to the overhang--NKBA recommended minimum for comfortable seating is 15". Also, if you want to seat 3, you might consider making the island 12" longer--NKBA suggests 24" for each seat.

It looks as if you have plenty of room between seating and the wall adjacent to bathroom for shallow storage--you might consider using the stud bays. I just posted this picture of cindyandmocha's pantry on another thread. Her thoughts, "The pantry idea was the best idea we had. We got a ton of space back
by going between the wall studs. The unit only eats up 3 inches of floor
space, but is 7 inches deep when open."

You didn't ask about the corner upper, but an EZ-Reach corner would be better, and take up less head space. ETA, if you open the wall, you can eliminate the corner and have the only cabinet on the top wall. Since the kitchen will be more open to the FR, make sure you have a good vented hood to suck out odors and steam.

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pharmd Momma
Original Author
8 years ago
Floorplan:
standard kitchen layout:
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Thanks for the ideas so far. The window wall in the kitchen faces south and looks directly at a neighbor's bedroom but we do want more natural light. We are definitely including solatubes in the plan and there is the slider plus the windows in the family room to help. blfenton - the raised bar is angled since that opening into the kitchen is line-of-sight from the front door. We experimented with the iso view with it straight and it looked disconnected from the rest of the kitchen, almost "floating" between the kitchen and family room. We're still working to figure out what will be best there. I will try to get a pic of the overall floorplan. MG - we aren't fans of speedcooking ovens (have one in the RV and don't like the result) so we do want a set of double ovens and a separate microwave. That's what I've had for the past 20 years (in 2 different homes) We were also thinking more windows. I hadn't considered a sink in the corner; that might make for a convenient place for the espresso machine. I tend not to like to have my back to the family room which is one of the reasons the rangetop was placed on the side and the small prep sink somewhere in the island. I like the idea of the fridge closer to the family room. (fun face you drew on the island ;-) - those eye circles are supposed to be pendant lights) lharpie - the rectangular island is 4' by 4' 9" plus counter overhang so it's pretty good-sized. The prep sink we'd planned would be maybe 16" or 18". We had a similar arrangement 2 houses ago so that's where this comes from. bpathome - yes, most glassware will be in the uppers above the wine fridge. Special occasion glassware will be in the flex/entertaining area. Dishes would be in drawers in the island as you suspected :-) We'd mostly eat at the counter and family room. The flex space will have a table in it and will have a slider that goes to the (large-ish) covered front porch. Folks in the community tend to gather on each others' front porches to socialize and the flex space is there to give us some inside options. Thanks, Michelle
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@cevamal Regarding dropped soffits and angles, to me it sounds like the lesson you need to take from the advice given is: If everyone else is doing it, so should you. Teach your kids that valuable lesson as well! Rip out soffits just because everyone is doing it? Really?! The only three related circumstances in which I could conceive that to be a viable design rationale—rather than just the fickle whims of the herd—are these: 1) you plan to update a kitchen for a quick resale to satisfy said whims; 2) you don't expect to be in your house long enough to go beyond the current fashion trend, and 3) you are a builder of spec homes. But these don't apply to you, do they? Make your decisions based on how you want to live, and the actual functional ramifications of any particular design choice. It's your kitchen. Our kitchen has a cathedral ceiling and a soffit wouldn't work with the overall look, but we also don't have an indoor and adventurous cat, and never will. And absolutely, it gets nasty dusty on top of those cabinets. I wonder how many of the herd who are ripping out their soffits are going to regret that decision down the road? Maybe at the time the herd then decides to build them back in? And how many of the herd who have installed floating shelves have regretted that decision? (And yes, I have designed a few kitchens with them, but always taking the lead from the clients' wishes—because those are their kitchens!! I just make sure the client considers all the issues, and once they are fully informed and make their decisions, I can live with it.) Same goes for the diagonal corner cabinet: I offer a design rationale for it not founded on the whim of the herd. If the design and design rationale don't work for you, not a problem. And hey, if you wanted to go with a full-on retro look, say MCM or the fading days of Art Deco or true Craftsman, well, go for it! As to the wall ovens, I only go along with Mark Bischak's comments to a limited point. I would not want to move the ovens closer to the entry because of the circulation question. Yes, I had already considered this. But his logic only goes so far. There is always the possibility of a rug rat (or anyone else for that matter) running into an open oven door. Or a refrigerator door, or a dishwasher door. It doesn't matter where in the kitchen these things are. I have bruised my shins a few times on our dishwasher. It's inescapable. And you as a parent and anyone else with children who happen to be using the oven would be aware of a present hazard and so would limit any horseplay nearby. If the possibility Mr. Bischak suggests makes you at all queasy, I have already suggested one option (borrowed light and close that loop (though you will still have a loop around the island!)), and there are other possible tweaks. We can also explore other arrangements (as you previously mentioned my first scheme was completely different, and it didn't suit you at all. You said above, "I intensely disliked it. Probably just because my current island is oriented the way it is, but I like it and don't want to change. :p" As you already know, telling me what you don't like is more important than telling me what you like!) If you want to bring in a KD for this one as well as you did for your current home, again, no objection! At the end of the day, you will be living in this kitchen for quite some time. Decades perhaps. It's not "short sighted" to design for what you want for the long haul. So, does the plan, at least in its basic form represent to you the potential better beyond the current good of your existing kitchen?
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pharmd Momma
Original Author
8 years ago
The FR wall shouldn't need a beam, there's nothing on the FP indicating a need.

I don't think we'll be able to move the entry to the bath due to the layout with the full bath modification we've requested. I'm thinking more that i'll Nix the snack bar. Seems silly w/ the nook right there!

The shallow storage seems like a nice feature, but I imagine it will be costly for not that much additional storage.
funkycamper
8 years ago
I think you'd be amazed at how much that shallow storage will hold. A lot! And very accessible. It's a great pantry design.

You can't flip the bathroom door? I'm sorry but it's super gross opening right into the eating area. Would guests feel comfortable using that? I bet not. I wouldn't. And sounds, smells and view when eating are less than appetizing.

I would move the fridge and move the sink/DW down. This gives you the proper layout for cooking: fridge --> sink --> prep counter --> range. It also allows someone from the breakfast area or the family room to get a drink or quick snack from the fridge without getting near the cook and hot pots, sizzling pans. Safer for everybody.
pharmd Momma thanked funkycamper
pharmd Momma
Original Author
8 years ago
We'll be modifying the bath/mudroom lay out. Like this :
pharmd Momma
Original Author
8 years ago
I do like your idea though funky! It'll be kind of like a window for the sink/dw /prep counter. Then a full wall for where the fridge is.
funkycamper
8 years ago
I think the bathroom idea is horrible. Sorry. The door location just doesn't work. Why do you need a full bath in the kitchen?

Why can't you move the bathroom door to the little hall? You could either put the triangle where the X is by the bathtub in the bathtub area as a niche for toiletries and/or kid's toys. Or have that triangle section walled off in the bathroom and then open to the eating area for open shelves to display some pretties.

Believe me, this door placement is so much better.
pharmd Momma thanked funkycamper
User
8 years ago
No to the full bath idea. It's not in a location where you would get any use from a full bath. Or any increase in value from adding it. And it needs to open to the utility area, not the breakfast area. Combine the leftover space where you aren't adding a tub with that dysfunctional, angled lost space for a pantry.
pharmd Momma
Original Author
8 years ago
I see what you mean, but I dont know if the other option will work for us. There is a guest bedroom/study on the other side of the bathroom. We don't have overnight guests often, but I'm not sure how I'd feel having them have to walk with their shower things through the whole house. FWIW, I did walk a build with this floor plan, and the location of bathroom didn't feel too close to the kitchen to me.

I think if anything we wouldn't be able to use that bathroom wall for cabinetry. Maybe a decreased depth peninsula with a microwave shelf under the counter would work instead.
pharmd Momma
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks for the idea about the bathroom. The more I think about it the more it makes sense. I'll have to see if the build goes for it though. Any ideas on the cabinetry layout?
mama goose_gw zn6OH
8 years ago
If you can't change the bathroom entry location, and you've decided to eliminate the bar seating, there is room for drawer bases on both sides of the island.

Here's another iteration of a full bath with the door opening to the laundry. If I were your guest I'd prefer to walk a few extra steps for the privacy.
funkycamper
8 years ago
If I were your guest I'd prefer to walk a few extra steps for the privacy.

This! Although I really agree with Sophie. If you know someone well enough to let them stay in your home, don't you know them well enough to walk to the bedroom area of your home and use the bathroom there for showering? If not, why let them stay?

We host bicycle travelers via Couchsurfing. We have one main bathroom, not even a master bath, so they use the same bathroom we do. No biggie.
chisue
8 years ago
Yes to bathroom entry off the hall. A shower would be easier for an elderly guest or injured family member kid who needs first floor bedroom.

Not enough space between fridge and range. Fridge is the 'most visited' appliance in a kitchen; I'd keep it near the family eating area.

Rotate the island 90 degrees? (Ten inches isn't enough depth for a snack bar; I want room to push stools *under* the shelf.) Will this be counter height?

Where's the electrical for over the island?

I'd like a pull-out for trash and recycling left of the sink.
Karenseb
8 years ago
I am not sure what part of the country you live in, but I would really miss the little hall off the kitchen to the garage. Snow, rain and dirt directly into the Family room is not the best idea. I've had garage entry into the family room and would avoid it if possible.

I don't think the shower/tub would be worth the re layout for an occasional guest. When I visit, I have no problem taking what I need to the shower. I agree that the entry to the hall bath should not open directly to the kitchen/breakfast area. Can the coat closet be eliminated so that the angle can be removed and the bathroom opens to the entry hallway or the mudroom hallway?

New build- kitchen layout ideas?

mama goose_gw zn6OH

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