Does the entry door have to be in that location? Could it scoot over 32 inches or so?

Benjesbride - the entry door does have to be at that location. Unfortunately all our design efforts and $$'s went to the main house a couple of years ago ... and I got whatever was leftover - lol. I am just now beginning to look at how to make this space livable for short term visits.

If you need extra storage, make the area over the bath all cabinets (if left open it will be all dust anyway). Same for over the sink run, if you need storage continue the cabinets up the wall. Your design is good. The only thing you may want to consider is the location of the toaster, coffee pot and microwave as they are what a guest would most likely want to use in the a.m.

Is a stove with oven planned for the space?

What is the distance from the entry door to the couch/living area? If it's on the scale drawing, I can't blow it up enough to read it.

designsaavy - a small built in under counter convection oven is planned. In the views provided the oven is planned at the end of the run near the entry door... with a cooktop on the counter. The couch/ chair were just thrown in for size, not necessarily how or where they should go. I am also thinking about a movable narrow counter height table across from the kitchen run. The internal dimensions are below.

One issue I am stymied on is the layout of the upper cabinets dimensions - how they would look or align to the lower cabinets which must accommodate an 18" DW, a Sink, and a 24" oven.

The current layout has a 9" pull out and a 24" refrigerator... then 96" for the other cabinets.

Practigal - coffee maker! Great thing to consider :) Thanks for that reminder. Right now it would probably go left of the sink on the counter above the 18" DW. The "open" area above the bathroom and closet will for now be a "niche" for the grandchildren to read etc. (they are very excited about that). Eventually converting that to storage is a good idea - as is the potential to run more storage up the cabinet wall.

A couple of months ago there were two threads on small vacation rental/mil kitchens. I think the original posters were prairiemoon and rebunky. Those threads might have ideas for you.

Have you nailed down the appliances? I'd start there so you know what you need to design around. I'd look at an induction cooktop, a microwave plus convection oven or a GE advantium, and either a single dishdrawer or an 18 inch dishwasher. Lg makes a 10 cubic foot refrigerator with bottom freezer. We owned the previous model in our first house and were very happy with it. It is counterdepth.

edited to add:. We cross posted.

And here is one of prairiemoon's threads on a mil-type kitchen.

As far as a coffee maker goes, could guests use a pour over set up? So much smaller to store and the kettle could be used for hot water for tea too. (Disclaimer, we don't drink coffee, so I donated our coffee pot and switched to a couple of pour over cones because I read that pour over coffee is awesome and it takes so much less storage space.)

Another consideration, depending on the space on each side of the bed, is to put an armoire on each side for closet storage and enter the bathroom from the bedroom where the closet currently is on the drawing. That would give you another wall in the kitchen. I wasn't sure if everything is set in stone.

could guests use a pour over set up?

Sorry, but I don't think this is a good idea. Those have something of a learning curve and it's hard to get decent results the first time you use one. And who wants to have read instructions when you're half asleep?

I use a melitta-type filter myself, but I wouldn't expect a guest to know how.

I couldn't resist trying to move the bathroom door out of the kitchen area, with a couple of options:

(click to enlarge)

Thanks, mamagoose. I thought that would work great and still have a small closet or linen closet.

You're welcome. :) And if that's not practical, here's practigal's idea of cabinets above the closet/bathroom area. You could think of the cabinets as railing for the reading niche, and design the ladder so that it can be used on a rail, to access the cabinets, as well as the loft. I also rearranged the sink and cooktop, so that there is less chance of hitting a hot vessel as one enters the apartment.

(click to enlarge)

Mama goose that looks really nice! I think rather than use a ladder attached to the wall I would probably use a library ladder as I think it would be safer and you could easily move it down to give you access to over the top of the kitchen cabinets

Thank you. :) I've seen pics of vintage kitchens with library-type ladders, but if this kitchen is ultra modern, I think an industrial looking ladder would work. I recently used an old, wooden, paint spattered ladder in a tree house--that would have been a good foil for the sleek look. ;)

Really, the pour overs are hard? Because I read how to do it once online and then made it for guests who all drank their whole cups and one who said it was wonderful coffee. It didn't seem a bit harder to me than a drip coffee maker.

I'm not saying it's hard. I'm saying that most people don't understand the process, the preliminary wetting of the filter, the way you have to time how you pour the water and so on. The average person thinks you stick in a filter and dump some water over it, and you know what happens if you try to do it that way. Most people who drink coffee do know how to use a drip coffee maker.

EDIT And I know a fair number of folks who do understand the process who think it's a darned nuisance to have do it first thing in the morning. They'd rather stick a Keurig thing in, no matter how terrible Keurig coffee is, because you don't have to be so involved.

How about a French Press? Super easy and makes great coffee.

Oh, I'm so glad someone else said Keurig coffee is bad. I always think it tastes like coffee-flavored water.

Mama goose and practigal - great suggestions and visuals! I really like the ladder idea (although I am getting closer to the age I would likely have someone else do the climbing :)). I also really like the push out version of the bathroom vanity - and the wall oven! On the other hand the very small closet is a loss. I did think about doing wardrobes on either side of the bed and overhead - or just double wardrobes on one side - but when I viewed the visuals it felt closed in... and sent me looking for how to have a reasonable sized closet yet keep the open airy feeling about the bed area. You've added much to the mix and given me lots of new ideas to think about and play with. Merci!! I love gardenweb.

Re coffee - I'm a northwest gal so it is a very critical item lol. Keurig's are an absolute no go for me. I do remember thinking though , many years ago before there was a Starbucks (yes, I did say that), what a silly waste of time grinding beans was when introduced to it by Alaskans who insisted upon fresh ground beans. Alas, it didn't take long and I was a convert ... and anyone who visits me must deal with fresh ground beans for their coffee.

French press coffee is even better! Recently was introduced to the ultra portable Aeropress to use when camping or traveling - it's great for those of us that need that smooth extra kick wherever we are.

We're portlanders and happy aeropressers :-)

I just read the two threads crl provided links to - there was some serious design options going on in those threads! Thank you crl!! I'd like to see the end product from both of those projects.

One poster mentioned a dishdrawer under the sink - does anyone have that arrangement? I like the space saving factor and the potential for a larger sink - but it also seems a bit awkward to rinse and put dishes in. Capacity wise how does a dish drawer compare to an 18" dishwasher?

Yes miruca, it WAS a serious design process! I am so grateful to all my GW peeps for all the help I received.

Thanks Crl! You started it all off with a bang!

Each and every poster played a part in what lead to the final outcome.

Here is the thread that shows the crazy process leading to the ultimate layout we are going with now.

http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3461107/please-help-with-kitchen-plan-for-my-tiny-vacation-rental?n=166

i would love to see what is happening with prairiemoon!!!

I will take a better look at your plan later.

Re:coffee. I'm so spoiled with our farms coffee. I actually like to use my electric percolator. Go figure! When it died recently, I tried out this adorable red French press my mom gave me that she found at the thrift store. I had to look up the instructions online. Dh, said it was really, really good coffee! But, I will probably just provide a regular coffee maker along with this cute French press in a cupboard for the cabin....:-)

oh and MG! You rock!

Rebunky - thanks for posting the latest link. It looks fantastic. Following the creative exchanges as the plan evolved is sheer "stinkin' fun" as someone expressed :).

Reading your comments on the strong response to not access a bath via the bedroom area resonates with me - especially since many of my friends are traveling fools and are likely to visit.

For my own design I am feeling now like neither access is optimum (bedroom or kitchen).

mdln, on the bath forum, came up with third option of reconfiguring the location of the bath, bed, kitchen On paper - I like this best as it provides a nice separation of the living areas, could easily accommodate a closet, and resolve the bath door issue. The downside is loss of functional space to an entry hall. I need to do some 3D views to get a sense of how it feels and whether the small space still retains an open expansiveness.

I would put the appliances fridge, sink, stove that is the order you will use them in. Why not go back to your original design at the top and flip it-put the bath in its own corridor by the entry way and move the kitchen to where the path was?

I think it's a great plan. Were you thinking of having a shallow closet or wall of cabinets along the wall in the entry hall? That would give you more storage, and make up for some of the lost space. (And provide a barrier on one side for a reading nook.)

I assume there is a patio or deck through the French doors--if so, I like the kitchen in that corner. It provides easy access for taking a meal or cup of coffee to enjoy outdoors, and a visitor with children can supervise them while in the kitchen. The appliances are fine, IMO--in such a small space the functional order isn't as important. It does seem kind of strange to have the fridge at the foot of the bed, though.

Does the bed fold up or slide into the void behind it, for more floor space during the day?

mamagoose -yes, the French doors lead to a balcony. No, the bed does not fold up or slide into something (darn it all!). I like the idea of a shallow closet - but space is very limited so will have to play around with it.

I got the impression that the bed was a Murphy bed too because I don't understand what is the dark brown space behind the pillows in the drawing?

Also, I assume the door to the bathroom is to the right of the entry door? If so, maybe there is only a tiny spot for a closet there?

I like the plan but I'm confused about a few things, too. Are #1 and #3 closets? What is #2 (the big brown thing)?

Unless that brown thing is some, strange unmovable thing, I'd sure consider making it a Murphy-bed. You can buy the kits to make your own which gives you a nice savings over buying their cabinet units.

ETA: Where do you plan to store linens? Have you considered a smaller shower to make room for linen storage in the bathroom?

Excuse me if some of these questions have already been answered. I admit to laziness as I didn't re-read the whole thread to remind me of any specifics you might have mentioned.

Or maybe this, with a slider on the BR side? When using the sink for shaving, dressing, etc. the slider could be left open for a more spacious feeling.

Even better, MG!