Would love feedback on our kitchen plans/layout
First time poster hoping to get some feedback/advice/critique on our kitchen layout. There's not much we can change as far as the actual footprint - we love the floor plan we've chosen - but would like feedback as far as flow, placement of appliances, size of island, etc. Here are the particulars:
- We are a family of four with two young children, planning to build our "forever" home (or at least our 15+ year home - the home our kids will grow up in)
- As you can see, this home has a large formal/eat-in kitchen and no dining room. It's one reason we chose this plan. We spend a lot of time in the kitchen and eat informally but would rarely use a dining room.
- I cook at least six nights a week, so the kitchen is a heavily used area. I bake a lot and my daughter has begun to help, so my dream kitchen has a large workspace for baking, rolling out dough, etc. (That's what I envision the 9' area that overlooks the living room being used for a lot.)
- Appliances will be double ovens, a french-door bottom freezer fridge, microwave (any suggestions as to where to place it?), a dishwasher, and a four-burner cooktop (probably electric because that's what I'm used to cooking on though I do love the look of gas).
- The island is currently sized at 8' long x 3' deep and will house a double sink, the dishwasher, a trashcan, and cabinetry. We envision kids eating breakfast and lunches here and doing homework here after school. I'm thinking I may want it expanded to 8' x 4' but am concerned that it would impede traffic flow. Thoughts?
- Do we need a secondary prep sink or is the one we have enough?
- I have a lot of kitchen "stuff" so all of this space really appeals to me but I am not sure exactly how best to arrange cabinets. I know I want to utilize drawers for pots and pans, etc. when possible but would love any advice.
Thanks!
Comments (19)
cpartist
8 years agolast modified: 8 years ago
mama goose_gw zn6OH
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoRelated Discussions
Would love feedback on our kitchen/office/pantry
Comments (8)Quick review.... Refrigerator & Sink... If you put a prep sink in the island facing either the range or the refrigerator you will have solved the problem of the ref being too far from the sink. It's actually pretty close to the range. Right now, your island is pretty much a "barrier island" b/w your sink and refrigerator...the prep sink also solves this problem. Wait...is that square in the island w/a dot in the middle a prep sink? If so, you've already solved your problem! But, I would move the prep sink to the range end of the island so it's accessible from both the range & refrigerator/prep zone. It also frees up the rest of your island for those big projects like baking, crafts, homework, gift wrapping, etc. That's a great size for an island, btw. BTW...a prep sink helps to separate the prep zone from the cleanup zone...always a plus, especially for multi-worker kitchens. Pantry... The pantry is too far away from the kitchen...plus I would not want to have to go through the office every time I needed to get something from the pantry. The pantry should either be in the kitchen (preferred) or just off it. In this case, the current office location would be a better location for the pantry. I recommend one of two things: (1) Switch the office & pantry and then open up the office from the room that's south of the current pantry. I don't know what that room is as the print on the second plan is illegible (at least to my older eyes!) (2) As you suggested, move the range up (I think that's what you meant) to make room for a door into the pantry. But first, let's crunch some #s: I think your kitchen is approx 18' wide. If so... 25.5" for sink cabinets + counters 38" for office doorway (30" door + 3.5" on each side of the door for trim + slight space b/w counter & trim) 36" for range 38" for pantry doorway 25.5" for refrigerator cabinets + counters ---------- 163" If the kitchen is 18' then...216" - 163" = 53" left for counter around the range. Leaving you 26.5" on each side...so 24" cabinet + 1.5" counter overhang + 1" b/w door trim & counters. That actually isn't a bad idea...24" is the minimum I recommend on each side of a range or cooktop for working room, emergency landing space, and safety margin b/w the doorways and the range. Yes, you lose some counter space, but not that much plus you have a large island that is much more useful anyway. It also eliminates the corner & gives you a straight run of cabinets...preferable in many people's eyes (I like both; I don't really have a preference...at least not in a kitchen with so much room already.) [Note: If your kitchen is less than 18' or maybe 17'8", then you might want to rethink either the second door idea or the size of the doorways...you could use 24" doors, but I prefer 30" doors whenever possible, especially for the office. You could put in a 24" door for the pantry & 30" for the office, but since symmetry is important to your DH you probably won't want to do that. Whatever you do, try to keep at least 24" b/w each doorway & the range.] Island... Do you plan for any seating at the island? I wouldn't advise it on the sink side...seaters would definitely be in the way! You could proabably have seating on the refrigerator side, but I would move the island north (toward the sink) at least 7" so the sink side aisle is 4'0" and the seat/refrigerator side aisle is 4'7". Seats on that side would also give your visitors a view out of what looks to be 8' of windows. If you do put seating on the refrigerator side, moving the prep sink to the end is even more important to maximize your seating capacity. You could also put a couple of seats on the DR end. Just remember these guidelines: 24" of space per person (so a 6' long island would accommodate 3 seats....2'/seat.) 15" of overhang/leg room for counter height seating. Microwave... Where do you plan to have the MW? I recommend on the refrigerator wall, especially as you don't want the pass/view through. Dishwasher... Think about moving the DW to the other side of the sink . When open, it could block the office doorway. I think I'd rather have the DW on the DR side. Pass/View Through... If you do keep the pass/view through, would you have seating on the non-kitchen side? Where is the extra light coming from there anyway? It actually doesn't look like it's a room...what I can see in the 1st pic says "Mech Rm" which, to me, means Mechanical Room...and I wouldn't want to look into that room! In the 2nd pic it looks like it looks out onto the stairs...??? Sorry, but that second pic is way too busy and pretty much impossible for me to read. HTH!...See MoreWould love feedback on my kitchen layout!
Comments (18)With the prep sink, Lavender's plan alleviates the issue with the barrier island but it doesn't do anything to make it safer to be at the cooktop with traffic coming through that door right into the cook. And the aisles are quite narrow at 36". Yikes!! Sorry, your kitchen is one of those that is too wide to be an efficient galley but too narrow for an island. A small, movable counter-height work table should suffice. This plan moves your range where it's out of the traffic corridor and safer to use although I would prefer to see a wider counter between it and the door for safety. I would go for a 30 range and be done with it. 36" max. Also, hoods should be 6" wider than the cooktop. A 48" cooktop means a 54" wide hood. Expensive and will probably need make-up air. This plan also has all the prep/cook functions on the same side of the kitchen will be a lot more efficient. And all the clean-up functions on the other side. It's much safer to get bonked by a passer-by when you're doing dishes than it is when you're cooking, for them and for cook....See MoreWould love some feedback on our remodeling plans, and a money question
Comments (17)Thanks for all the hints, guys. We like the corner sink now-as I mention above, the view is great and I’ve spent a lot of years watching kids climb the tree outside while doing dishes. Willing to reconsider though. I share your though about the front door and the stools-except we never actually use that door. We always come in through the kitchen door, which will be a mud room after the remodel. I mean, we use the front door when we have trick or treaters and solicitors. I really think of the mud room as our entry. We will use the front door ourselves to go to the porch but don’t see it as a main entry generally though hopefully it will look pretty :). That being said, we’d love to expand our kitchen more in a useable way. We are pretty constrained in space in this part of the house, unless we switch the kitchen to the dining room area which I think would cause all sorts of other expensive changes....See More1st time home builder, here are our plans and would love your feedback
Comments (37)1. Your builder may have an interior designer on staff that will help with all of the interior decisions. This, of course, comes with a pricetag (maybe not a line item, but it would be included). If your builder doesn't have one on staff, your best bet would be to hire someone. When we got bids on our house, we spec'd out generals: windows, floor type, cabinet type, shower material, counter material, etc. We didn't pick the EXACT material - those were included in an allowance. When it actually came to picking WHAT floor or cabinet style, we would have used the interior designer. 2. Your stairs are narrow. 3'0" is code minimum, but that is not comfortable, especially for stairs that will be used all the time. Ours are 40" and widen to 44". You'll be going up and down them a lot so you may want something a bit roomier. 3. I agree with others about all the 2 level rooms. I would close that up in an instant. 4. You walk into your master straight into a wall. Or a closet. Consider if that's the look you want. Plus I am not a fan of double doors. One will never get used. Where is your light switch? 5. You don't have room for a freestanding tub in your master bath. Toilet room is too small for an inswing door. 10' is a HUGE vanity. 6. You'll be hauling 3 kids' laundry upstairs to do it. Consider either adding a 2nd laundry space on the main level - and teaching your kids how to share laundry machines - and/or putting in an elevator. You will not have an entirely private level unless you plan on doing all of your kids' laundry forever. 7. Having the powder room right off the kitchen may make that bath really uncomfortable for guests to use. 8. Get rid of the pocket door into the shared bath and flip that bath around so the toilet is up against the closet. That bathroom is just about the worst of a jack and jill. Consider adding a tub/shower combo in that room for resale (anyone with kids under 5 or planned kids won't want to buy your house because they'll have to have their kids bathe in the master bath and truck up and down stairs with all that goes with that). 9. Any deck that you want to use for anything other than a couple chairs needs to be at least 10'. For dining, you need at least that width for a dining table. For comfortable living room type seating, 12'-14'. 10. Do you plan to watch TV in your living room? If so, consider flipping the living and dining room, and put the TV on the bar wall. And insulate that wall. 11. Kid in the middle bedroom gets screwed. Smallest room, no direct bathroom access, and toilets on both shared walls. 12. Reconsider pantry window. Typically food should be stored in a dark place. 13. Consider having seating on the edges of your island as well - this will make for easier conversation if you actually plan on eating there. 14. 3'-6" is pretty tight between a fridge and island. This probably doesn't include fridge handles or counter overhang, either. We have 4' between ours, and it only works because it's a french door fridge....See Moremama goose_gw zn6OH
8 years agolast modified: 8 years ago
Matt E.
8 years agoI don't know if it's possible to move the passageway to storage behind kitchen, but here's one idea to get a better flow from fridge to prep to oven, and get some wider stretches of prep space.
I wasn't sure where to tuck double ovens in this layout, so made it a range plus a second oven under the counter in the island.
Alternatively, you could put the clean-up sink on the 9' counter overlooking living room, which would let you get double ovens over on the other side of kitchen. However, that gets the dishwasher further away from the cabinets where you are likely to put away dishes.
beachguy321
8 years agoherbflavor
8 years agobeachguy321
8 years agoHere's more of the plan. There are two ways to get to the garage; not just through the kitchen. As far as working space goes; the kids (and myself) are always everywhere whether it's coming in from the garage or just playing in the house.
Stan B
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agobeachgirl315
8 years agocpartist
8 years agobeachgirl315
8 years agocpartist
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agocpartist
8 years agobeachgirl315
8 years agomama goose_gw zn6OH
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoGreat ideas cpartist!
Beachfamily, if at all possible, I think you should explore Matt E's idea of rearranging the traffic/storage, to have the entry nearer the 9' counter. That would direct traffic through the clean-up zone, but better there than cooking or baking. Then use cpartist's suggestions for the cooking appliances.
With the fridge on the outside, the symmetry of the columns on each side of the entry isn't as important, so maybe the oven stack could be the center point.
With this plan you've eliminated a corner, and provided a drop zone on each side of the entry. The MW could be a drawer or on a shelf next to the oven. If you don't need the oven as a center point it could be moved left, with the MW on the right (as we're looking at the plan), which would give you more counter space for baking.
ETA, with this plan it would be easy to make range/cooktop the focal point by putting in the center of the wall, then moving the ovens beside the fridge.
It's a few more steps from the garage, but no farther to the pantry or utility room.
cpartist
8 years agoMake sure your lower cabinets are all drawers and you'll be very pleasantly surprised at how much more storage you have.
And I agree with Mama if at all possible to explore Matt E's idea of rearranging the traffic and storage flow. It would give you the best kitchen of all. Here I played with Matt's idea and again moved the fridge to the end of the counter. I again would put the microwave next to the fridge in a drawer and then you have a nice long counter run for baking! And you'd still have room for the key drop.
As for the microwave drawer, it's so much easier to lift something up and out then to pull something from overhead. Plus with the drawer if the kids want to microwave something it's at a height they are able to. (FYI: My daughter when she was 8 years old would make herself "scrambled" eggs in the microwave. She was able to do so because the microwave was under the counter at a height she could reach. For us though it was a pain as we had to bend down and reach in. Not so with the drawer!)
cpartist
8 years ago
mama goose_gw zn6OH