That's a neat dining room with the coved ceiling. What are you doing with the existing kitchen? Why are you moving it?

The existing kitchen is going to be a bedroom as we need 3. We are moving it becase the existing kitched is too small and too isolated. The new kitchen will be gteat for the dame reason the original dining room was great... It will fully open up the public ateas of the main floor.

Here are a couple of alternate plans. In the first one, I've switched the cook top and sink--no one coming from the main house needs to walk by the cooking zone to get to the sink. I used the 24" cook top shown on the plan--is that correct?

The DW is still between the sink and cook top, which is not the best location for function, but provides a wider prep space. I've made the window narrower, but kept a single French door to let in more light. Or, you could have a Dutch door, which I think would be appropriate to a 1940's bungalow.

Click to enlarge:

In the second plan I've really mixed things up, moving the seating bar to the other side, and using full-depth cabinets underneath, which makes room for a super susan and drawers for dish storage.

I used a range, and moved the DW to the right of the sink. The disadvantage is that the DW will block traffic while it's open, but in both plans the cook top/range is more protected from traffic. There is a trash pull-out under the sink in both plans, but it could be located to the right of the sink or left of the DW in the first plan, and left of the sink in the second plan.

Window and door changes:

Good luck! New to Kitchens? Read Me First.

Why not a double patio door (French, hinged, etc) instead of a door and a separate window. I love the clean, open look of mine, and it makes a fabulous focal point.

Carrie B, excellent idea--I'd forgotten about your doors, but I remember the beautiful garden space. Your layout on the right side is very similar to the one I drew.

There was an other recent thread with a galley kitchen, and glass doors at the end. Anyone remember that one? In the meantime, I'm lifting a couple of pics from one of your threads:

Row House Kitchen and Bath Renovation · More Info

kitchen · More Info

dmildenb, your kitchen drawing is more modern, but I've always liked the treatment of the French door and window configuration in trish21's kitchen--I'd saved it because I have a similar door and window in my DR:

eastfallsglass, another favorite:

Here's a single door in NWraingal's 1925 Craftsman kitchen. Oh, man, does that blue tape on the door trim look familiar!

Dutch door and window:

Historian has had a bunch of recent posts about her rowhome galley kitchen with a door at the end. Searching her handle should turn them up. Here's my "layout" ideabook. I was focused on galley kitchens w/ a big door at the end, but, obviously, you don't need a galley kitchen to have a big beautiful door! My Layout Idea Book

My thought: the dobule french door (or updated slider) with the transom to create a window wall is 100% and the photos others have posted leave no dobut! Definitely something to consider if budget allows.

Personally I would swap the dishwasher and sink in your original design to put the dishwasher in the corner. Yes I know it would mean adding a small filler in the corner but I would want counterspace on both sides of the sink and cooktop. I always access the dishwasher from the side next to the sink so its OK to be in the corner.

Oh, I second StanZ! My row goes 24" trash pull-out, 36" sink, 24" trash pull-out and a 33" fridge space.

Who knew I'd do absolutely everything on those stupid 24" spaces, when I have a good, 12x12' kitchen. Make 'em bigger! Particularly with a family. I foresee everyone trying to get ready for school on that space, whether you plan it that way or not.

I also 2nd the idea of a wall of doors. If you did a slider, you could actually place something in front of the fixed panel without having to move it. Hopefully nothing that really obstructs the view, but it would give you yet a little more usable space. Being 1940s, I imagine those type doors with just the horizontal pieces, not a grid. It would also give the impression of a wider space.

Oh, how pretty this is going to be!

To turn our 2 bedroom into a 3 bedroom, we turned the kitchen into a bedroom as well. We put the new kitchen in one end of the old living room. We're so happy to have a 3rd bedroom!

Sorry to back track, but I'm curious about the rest of the house. How big is the future living/dining space? Do you have a floor plan of the rooms around this former dining room?

Here is a link to the main floor plan. The living room with dining area is huge...22x17.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_UoHa9j5rYeVGNJM1g1R2ZfQzA/view?usp=sharing

Thank you all for the input. I didn't use tiny appliances by design. The app I was using has a more international twist to it.

Great suggestion with the double doors or otherwise wall of windows staying.

I'm going to mock up a few possibilities with empty moving boxes and see what works.

22x17 is a nice living/dining size. Ours is 21x16.5' and I like it, but I definitely wouldn't want any smaller.

I like MG's plan directly above. Speaking as someone who currently has the DW in the prep area, I hate it. I rant when people plan something like that into their space. It makes it impossible for someone to prep while someone else is doing clean-up. Even though it might be a bit inconvenient to have the DW open up in the aisle, that is much better than having the DW in the prep area, imho. Sure, the DW door might have to be closed to let someone in/out of the kitchen, but it's far less annoying than having to move aside while you're busy prepping. It's NEVER good to disturb the cook!

I think MG's plan with a window wall leading out to the deck is doing to look great and be so much more convenient for your family. And easier to entertain guests on the deck when they don't have to walk through a bedroom to get there. It will certainly make your house feel a lot bigger, too.

Your house looks so cute. I think this is a great idea.

MG, I LOVE that my doors are in dmildenb's space. My cats think the squirrels look different (and more interesting) there, too. ;-)

Just wanted to note that my doors aren't sliders and they're not French doors, they're hinged patio doors, where one door opens all the way in, and can rest against the stationary part when swung all the way open. Just another option - each has its own plusses & minuses.

I also like mama g's last LO. I like the peninsula end on the left - it gives landing space for fridge and oven also. And dish drawers are close to dw and eating space. Top skinny drawer for flatware.

those doors look awesome in there! Carrie B's the 2nd!

maybe it'd be better to have the door open on the left side IRL - so no one needs to disturb the cook when going in/ out.

Are your washer and dryer downstairs? If they are, maybe you could put stacking units in a closet outside the bathroom where the old bedroom door used to be.

That is EXACTLY where I plan to put the laundry. It involves moving the bathroom door and relocating current fixture locations in there but that's not a big deal because that room is down to the studs.

Will your planned laundry closet protrude into the kitchen at all? I think our laundry closet is 36" deep to accomodate the machines and the dryer exhaust.

The alcove will be extended out instead of intruding on the precious kitchen space.

I'm just checking this because I've seen people miscalculate stuff like this before (including our own architect.) Is this where you're putting the washer dryer? Maybe you're rearranging your bathroom?

That's the spot. The bathroom door has to slide down making the shower and vanity switch locations. I haven't seen the sketch yet but I can see it working and I don't mind if that foyer is a little tight.

Have you thought about widening the bathroom a bit? In a one bathroom house, I would probably value an extra foot or two in that bathroom than the kitchen.

My builder suggested that but I have to draw the line.

I understand drawing the line. I'd sincerely hate for you to work on your kitchen plan and find an error in the dimensions.

Your bathroom doesn't make sense to me based on the drawing above. If your tub is a standard 30/32 inches wide and your vanity is a standard 21" deep, I don't see how they can swap places and still maintain the required 21" minimum (or 30" recommended) space between front of toilet to tub nor leave room for the washer dryer and the doorway.

If you're willing to give up some vanity space, you could have this arrangement. You could pull the vanity out to match the depth of the tub, and have extra space behind the faucet, for a shelf for cosmetics or a deeper medicine cabinet. You could also have very shallow storage on the wall behind the door for shampoo, TP, etc.

The bathroom is 6 feet wide so I think a vanity can go across from the shower. The floorplan I attached is one that the measuring company made to market the house so it may not be quite right. I have an architect sketching the area to give me some options. I hope he takes it well when I show him the kitchen plans from the combined talent here.

Back to kitchen content I see the benefit of having the peninsula on the left especially for unloading the dw that would be right across from it. I would lose one of the aesthetic features that I drool over in modern kitchens and that is a big expanse of tall cabinets. It would still be there but would lose some of its visual impact by having a bank of base cabinets and a countertop coming out of it. I have seen a few pictures with contrasting colours that might satisfy me but there's nothing quite as sexy as an 8 foot or so cliff face of smooth doors and drawers.

Yes this sounds like form over function but I have to love looking at my kitchen.

What plan do you prefer then? Warning! If you decide on the plan with the DW in the prep space between sink and cooktop, you're probably going to end up getting one of my rants. ;)

I will explore the plan with the lower side reordered and with full size appliances as per the sage advice above including your dw location.

Your home and style reminded me of this kitchen HERE

I tried another layout to try to improve the sight line from your front entryway; I try to avoid seeing the clean up sink first. I tried putting your pantry-fridge-MW-clean up sink on the bathroom side and a prep sink and range on the other side. I haven't been following this thread very closely so I may have missed some critical requirements, but I put this together...

The only thing that I would insist upon it is landing space on both sides of the sink and the stove. I'll leave the rest of the design up too much better qualified. You're getting some great ideas.

On reflection it looks like the bar has to come out of the left:

2D: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_UoHa9j5rYeU3lWWkJOWHhJRkU/view?usp=sharing

3D: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_UoHa9j5rYeT3NkdnA0aTRTYW8/view?usp=sharing

The drawings don't quite show all of the detail due to restrictions of the program and the user.

I think the eating bar coming out of the high units will look great if the high units are a contrasting colour and material from the two banks of lowers.

dmildenb - I randomly thought of your kitchen today. I was wondering if your basement is primitive and unfinished like ours, if it wouldn't be a big deal if you entered it from outside. it would make a huge improvement to your kitchen if you didn't have to worry about door clearance on that left side. Our basement is old, hand-dug creepiness, so I was happy to not have inside access when we renovated. Maybe yours is the same. Maybe not.

Thanks for thinking of me. My basement has a suite that will provide a little income as soon as we move out of it and up to the main floor. I don't need access to that part but I do need that access through the kitchen to reach the exercise room plus the mechanicals. I've seen basements like yours and agree that inside access wouldn't be so important.

I think the kitchen plan will work. I have one quote and am seeking a few more.

It's been a long haul but the plumbing, electrical and ventilation are in. The linoleum goes in tomorrow. I might kiss it. I opted for IKEA cabinets and the first 4 are built and waiting for the floor to be done. The appliances are stored one room over. The countertops are committed: Neolith white for the run along the wall and bamboo for the peninsula. More to come. D

Oh, how exciting! You might want to start a new thread with a link to this one. People don't always open a thread that is date-stamped as old as this one is so you might not get a lot of folks popping into this one. We love photos!!! Can't wait to see them.

Thank you for the tip; I will do that. So far there's not much that is photogenic enough to post (though that hasn't stopped me from snapping some pics every day when I get home and see progress).

Good to hear that there's progress. HaHa, we want to see the kiss--I still remember the pic of sabjimata kissing her marble slab, and the video of another member (the name escapes me) rolling around on her newly finished penny floor. :)