Kitchen Layout Advice Needed

J H

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

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Hi Folks:

We are building an addition to our home and need advice about the kitchen layout.

About us:

2 adults 2 children (elementary age)

Both adults cook and will likely be cooking at the same time

We expect that the kitchen will be a place for breakfast, as well as homework while dinner is prepared as well as an informal space during a party.

Since we are in the design stage, the layout is very flexible (windows, sink, doorways, appliances can be moved around). We would like to have the following appliances: cooktop, double oven, standard size top fridge/bottom freezer refrigerator, dishwasher, built-in or drawer microwave. A pantry would be nice to have and storage to put away appliances like a coffee machine, mixer, toaster, juicer and crockpot.

Thanks in advance for your ideas and input

Featured Answer

funkycamper

8 years ago

Riffing on the ideas you've been given, I'd do it like this. The red daily dish storage drawers would actually be in the island but the red boxes show how they would pull out for easy access to the DW and clean-up sink. In order to have plenty of prep counter both on the island by the prep sink and between cooktop and ovens, I would nix the pantries and have regular upper/lower cabinets in-between. The cabinet marked Serving Dish Storage could also be or instead be an overflow pantry or pantry for items less often used. Parts of the Beverage Center could also be used that way. Oh, notice the three stools have shifted a bit to the right because the drawers on the end would eliminate possibility of seating there. If you really need the room for seating, you could only have one dish drawer, the top one with the arrow in it, and eliminate the other drawer to have room for someone's legs.

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Comments (7)

Carrie B
8 years ago
Big Achievers - I can't really make out the image - the photo is small, and I don't think there are any dimensions on there - could you add them?

Also, if you haven't read this post take a good read through to it and the linked posts and drop back here. You'll get lots of great advice!
desertsteph
8 years ago
yes, read the 'new to kitchens' thread. lots of info on it. we need a layout with measurements. large enough and dark enough print to read. a lot of getting older eyes on here. a sample is shown on the new kitchens thread.

I can see a sink and maybe a stove - don't see where a fridge is tho. see a lot of maybe cabinets (to L of island?) with what looks like doors opened - not sure why. you need to have the sink, stove and fridge rather close together for function.

will watch for new layout w/measurements...
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I figured that thing moved. I can say your kitchen is unique! I don't care for sketch up, but there are tutorials on how to see a floorplan view. If you really can't go that far, maybe rearrange the ref wall - its not that bad - just move cabinets. Do pantry, range, double cabs from end of run, ref, single cabs. At least you'll get some counter space to one side. Or replace just the single cabs with a drywall broom closet or small amount of open storage. Or Junk Lockers. I would probably try to replace the over the ref cab with a full depth cab and re-hang the doors from the old over the ref cabinet on the new cabinet. I can't tell how hard that would be without seeing the mouldings on that side. All together, nothing a competent carpenter can't do in a couple of days. What doesn't make sense about prep sink in island, but can't be addressed (at this time :) is that your cooking zone is in a major hallway. If the moving bar is staying, it would be difficult to enlarge the island- altho you can still replace the open chrome stuff with cabinets. That makes a mighty small surface for a sink. Also, if you entertain a lot, it might be difficult - but really just a little bit more so, since duffers will tend to use your island sink for bar service! The prep sink makes sense in the respect of giving you a better function work zone. It will be easier to use the kitchen for everyday cooking. If the bar is staying, but you re-arrange the ref wall cabinets - you'll have some counterspace by the side of the range and another possible location for the prep sink. I'd consider it - you won't have to tote full pots back and forth across the hall - just veg! During the next couple of weeks, notice who is the family is using the micro and where whatever came from. We have this theory that the ref and mw have a close and intimate relationship. See if it would make more sense elsewhere. Where it is might encourage more trips through your work area.
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It's not bad the way you've set it up - just a couple leetle monkeys I would move the prep sink one way or the other to consolidate the counter space on that side of the range. If it moves towards the double doors, the work area between the sink and range is expanded - but you lose a "sit down" space for stuff while opening the door. The sit down area might be too small to be useful. If it moves towards the range - its amazingly convenient to be able to fill and dump pots and the work space consolidates with "sit down space" and also things going to/from the ref. Since you batch cook, having a place where you can sit down a lot of things at once might be important. Bummer is that chopped stuff has to be lifted over the sink. All of that said, you know if that's the direction you actually want to face while cooking. This is just a reminder that you'll be completely facing away from everyone and everything while prepping and cooking. I think I would shorten the peninsula. It would irritate me to have to walk around it and it looks like it has a clearance issue (aging in place). BTW - the elevator exit towards the dining room might also. I'm guessing you're adding on the pantry there, but between that space, the closet and the fireplace side, it looks kinda narrow. It might be partly the overdrawn lines. As someone else found out - its a good idea to have at least one 42" entrance way because that's what a person needs when carrying grocery bags. Also reminding you that the dishwasher placements mean that you won't be able to reach the wall cabinets or get into the side base cabinets when the dishwasher(s) are open. If you haven't already, you might explore a variation of cutting the peninsula entirely to improve cabinet access and add either workspace under the micro with a small single person seating area on one side or the other. Or maybe think about what I call a micro-island - something around 18-24" x 36-48" that lets you stackup the ingredients after pulling them all from the pantry. If you choose to think about expanding the depth of the mw wall, you could then do a wall oven and shrink the range down if you wanted. Full disclosure - not in your price range, but if I was - well, the sexy feelings involved the 48"'ers might carry the day. HTH.
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Could you move the sink and DW over far enough to put a 30" oven in the corner? If that puts the sink off-center to a window, the faucet can be centered on the window, to disguise the asymmetry. Then move the cooktop and hood toward the fridge. (Plan on left.) Ideally, you could add a prep sink to the island, to give you a more compact work triangle, and a more open area as you prep. (Plan on right.) In either plan, if dishes are kept in drawers on the island, facing the DW, they will be out of the prep space between the sink and cooktop.
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@mama goose_gw zn6OH I plan to center the window between the French doors and the wall, I'm not sure where else the sink could go besides under the window. Any ideas? Love that you added a trash can next to the sink. Unfortunately the door to laundry cannot be moved. There is a large furnace in the void next to the washer dryer - the space next to the hallway.
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J H
Original Author
8 years ago
Carrie B and desertsteph: Thanks for the input. Here is a screen shot. You'll see that the width is about 21 ft and length is almost 16ft (the center island is 8ft by 4ft) all of the aisles around the island are 4ft wide. I'll try to get some more details shortly!
cpartist
8 years ago
Right off the bat, why would you have the chairs in the work area facing away from the cook? Or is this the before layout? If it's the after layout, it's not very conducive for two cooks working together. You'll be running into one another as one preps or cleans up and the other is using the cooktop. Add in the chairs in the way and the island becomes wasted space. Plus with the fridge 21' from the only sink, you'll be needing to carry stuff across the room over and over.

However it's not too big a change to make this work.

Move the 3 chairs to the other side of the island. Forget the fourth chair.

Add a prep sink and trash drawer to the side of the island facing the ovens.

If you do that, then you're following Marcolo's Ice, Water, Stone, Fire.

Additionally how wide are your aisles?

What is the cabinets on the bottom of the plan?

Where is your garage or entry where you bring in your food from the car in relation to your kitchen?
J H thanked cpartist
blfenton
8 years ago
Can I ask what that area is with all the doors between the kitchen and the great room and dining room?
J H thanked blfenton
J H
Original Author
8 years ago
cpartist: Great comments! I totally agree with you about moving the chairs and loosing the one on the end of the island (and adding in the prep sink & trash).

Aisles are 4ft wide, except the one created between the island and the cooktop/oven which is 5ft

The 21ft width and all of the entrances to the space are a challenge any thoughts on reconfiguring the space (maybe I need to use a range to save space?).

I haven't quite figured out what to use the cabinets on the bottom, or the ones near the refrigerator for yet - one thought is to put a larger recycling center there perhaps, or a charging/mail station?

There is an exit to the deck (and barn) on the left side of the sketch. The main entrance cooridor is located on the bottom left of the sketch

blfenton: on the bottom of the sketch there is a hallway between the great room (left) and dining room (rt). In the hallway there are closets and the closest closet has a washer/dryer)

Kitchen Layout Advice Needed

funkycamper

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Carrie B

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