We had a similar decision to make as we have a view we were trying to maximize. It's nice to have the benefit of being able to stand in the space and consider the view; I spent HOURS standing in different places trying to think through furniture placement and the views and the windows.

Because it didn't have a significant impact on view I chose to not take the windows to the corner. I really like drapery and how it finishes a space and looks lovely at nighttime when the mountains aren't visible. Also, our best view is out the southern windows and I wanted to be able to control summer heat/light with drapery. So I allowed enough wall in the corner to completely stack back drapes without covering any window glass.

Our neighbors have a similar view and chose to take their windows all the way to the corner. They have a very modern/midcentury aesthetic. I don't think they have any window treatments or they may just have solar shades.

Gosh - all that to say that maybe window treatments are worth figuring into the equation.

I hear what you're saying. But...we're going to avoid drapes/curtains partially because of the kids, and partially because I lack creative imagination! :)

I was thinking of getting the up-down blinds or just pull down ones. We can't really see our neighbours from these windows, nor they us so its pretty private. This is the south-east side of the house so it will get sunshine and light, and inevitably heat. Being in MA, I don't think it'll get ridiculously hot though.

I've attached the rest of the layout in case it helps.

The view is a big deal for us... I'd rather see more of the greenery and pond than the old garage. Its how the aesthetics work in terms of symmetry that we're undertain about.

Does it matter at all? Maybe if we keep the window the same size 8' 10" and pull it to the corner, the extra unbalanced wall towards the bathroom wall can be decorated with a painting/photos a small table with decorations/vase/other and we won't even notice the window not being centred in the room? I think looking in to the kitchen from the space on the other side of the peninsula it might be more obvious and a challenge to get over?

From what position in the kitchen/dining area are you evaluating the view? That window looks quite closed off by the stairs and it doesn't look like you be looking out that window while working in the kitchen. You only need to evaluate the view from the dining chairs and from the entrance near the powder room, right?

Since you're in framing, it's probably too late, but it looks like you did not post your kitchen plan here. There's a lot of room for improvement, so if you're open to kitchen layout changes, please post; three foot aisles are not even the NKBA minimum and cooktops on islands with such minimal landing space are typically avoided (safety issues, inefficient exhaust venting)

Personally, I would be tempted to put floor-to-ceiling doors-windows on both sides of that corner and extend the deck right around the corner. I would not put anything that breaks up the glass in french doors.

I would definitely take the time to figure out how you are going to cover the windows because you will want to have them covered at some point.

Since you have the weight of the second floor on the corner of this house, if you want to make a wide expanse of window without any supports running through it, you will need a new header beam and I cannot imagine that you could figure out what size/get a permit unless you had an engineer familiar with the building codes involved.

I didn't share the kitchen design because we're been a bit zombie like with the new born :(

Evaluating view from the kitchen island with back towards the tall pantry cabinets, and the entry to the kitchen space.

Practigal - I don't get what you mean about the french doors - are you talking about avoiding having any SDLs?

We can't extend the deck around the corner due to distance from the wetlands (we're building over the space that was the rest of the deck actually). We're kind of at the limit of how close we can go. Of course, we could ask for a variance but it would be painstakingly time consuming and also shrink the space between the house and the garage. We're keeping the deck at the back though.

Personally, I think the more/bigger windows, the better - especially with a view!

Will the sliding door have the first view you posted? If so, I would consider making the kitchen window wider and counter-height to maximize that view.

Edited to add:

Here's a link to pictures of counter-height windows. Of particular note are MamaDadaPaige's and ErikaNH's windows. Both have interior and exterior pictures.

Thread: counter height window pictures please

• http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2484108/counter-height-window-pictures-please

I echo BenjeBride's comment about the layout - is it too late to address it? It's not just the narrow aisles and the cooktop, it's also the DW in the middle of the Prep Zone and in front of the cooktop - a definite safety issue.

Since you have two young children (saw that in your Bathroom's post), I strongly suggest you re-consider that layout! It's up to you though. If you're interested in help, here are the FAQs that will help:

Kitchen Design FAQ threads - These FAQ threads explain best practices/good design guidelines for items such as work zones, aisles, island/peninsula seating, etc. These threads will help you understand questions/comments you will receive.

Layout Help - FAQ for asking for layout help. It has a sample measured layout as well as a description of the other information we need

Read Me thread - Other, helpful information for using and navigating the Kitchens Forum.

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Layout Help:

How do I ask for Layout Help and what information should I include?

• http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2767033/how-do-i-ask-for-layout-help-and-what-information-should-i-include

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Kitchen Design FAQ threads:

Kitchen work zones, what are they?

• http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3638270/faq-kitchen-work-zones-what-are-they

Aisle widths, walkways, seating overhangs, work and landing space, and others

• http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3638304/faq-aisle-widths-walkways-seating-overhangs-work-landing-space-etc

How do I plan for storage? Types of Storage? What to Store Where?

• http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3638376/faq-how-do-i-plan-for-storage

Ice. Water. Stone. Fire (Looking for layout help? Memorize this first)

• http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2699918/looking-for-layout-help-memorize-this-first

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New to Kitchens? Read Me First!

• http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3638784/new-to-kitchens-read-me-first

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Where do I post it benjesbride? The photos I've posted are all I have to share - would that be sufficient?

Not sure how much flexibility we have at this point -kitchen all ordered. We'll be doing the installation ourselves though so might have wiggle room provided we can keep the cabinet sizes etc.

Countertops and extractor hood not ordered.

buehl - That view was from the patio door that opened on to a deck that wrapped from back to the side. We are now building over the site of the deck on the side. As you can see from the views of the house from the outside, the french doors/slider (undecided) will be facing the deck at the back and the windows will be on the side of the house.

There's no view from where the counters are really so we're ok with just the one window there. The french door and windows on the side wall will be the ones looking over and down the hill to the pond.

The Layout Help FAQ that I posted above tells you what you need to know.

Since the cabinets are all ordered, if you could post a list of the cabinets you ordered, we could try to put them together in a new configuration - like a puzzle!

The only issue will probably be what I think are pantry cabinets along the back wall - they're probably what's causing you to have such narrow aisles.

FYI...the aisle widths in your plan are not correct (they're at least 3" narrower). Your plan shows them cabinet-to-cabinet instead of the correct measurement of counter edge-to-counter edge. (Even professional KDs make that mistake.)

The aisle in front of the refrigerator is even narrower - b/c you need to measure from the refrigerator's handles to the island's counter edge.

Understood about the windows. I would probably want a wider window anyway, but you're right about all the light and view from the other windows!

If those are pantry cabinets, can you use them elsewhere? You could then build a shallow reach-in pantry along the back wall to allow you to gain more aisle space as well as provide you with much more efficient & spacious pantry storage.

Just another reason why the IKEA kitchen planning service sucks big time!

The list would take up a ton of space but I could try to scan and share later tonight. I'm on the forum and folding laundry at the same time! #FunOnTheWeekend :)

My immediate concerns are the bathroom layout and windows as they involve the ordering of the windows and conversation with the plumber.

Which layout is correct? You have two different ones -

• One has the DW to the left of the sink with a fairly wide window
• One has the DW to the right of the sink with a fairly narrow window

If you're using IKEA cabinets, you might be able to return the pantry cabinets... Built-in pantries are not only more efficient & spacious, but they're much less expensive.

Edited: To correct the cabinet sizes I think are in the layout.

Is this what you have on order?

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Bases:

• Three 24" drawer bases (on
  perimeter)
• Two 18" (in island)
• One 24" sink base
• One 30" (?) cooktop base
• Two 30" drawer bases (peninsula)

.

Uppers:

• Two 30"
• One 15"
• One 36" wide over the refrigerator –
  24" deep, I think (and hope!)

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Tall:

• 30" oven cabinet – MW + oven, I
  think
• Pantry cabinets - unknown # & widths

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Is there anything in the corner? It looks like a wall in the elevation views, but you appear to have a seat in that corner in the overhead views. If it's a true 24" blank space, be aware that you will need 3" of filler on each side of the corner to allow the drawers to open on each side - you need space to allow the drawers to open out past the adjacent drawers & drawer pulls.

i wouldn't go to extremes to try to use the cabs you've ordered. The beauty of IKEA is the ease of changing it up. I've never heard of someone making one trip to ikea to complete their kitchen. We've certainly made a few exchanges.

Excellent point BenjesBride!

TNQ-- what's on the other side of the kitchen?

Hmmm...I think those peninsula cabinets are 30", not 36". And, I think the island cabs are 18", not 24" - at least based on how little counter space I see on either side of the cooktop.

Transnationalq - if you would like help, a measured layout would help. I tried to create one & a layout of your current plan using the various pictures you posted, but they're all different, so I couldn't do it. This is what we usually ask for:

• Measured layout of the Kitchen space - in this case, since you're also adding on another table space and Powder Room, I suggest a measured layout of the entire space.
• Sketch of the entire floor - not just the addition or Kitchen, the entire floor. It does not have to be fully measured, but it should be to scale as best you can do. We need this to see what else you have as well as to see how the Kitchen relates to the rest of the house and how traffic flows through and around the Kitchen.

As BenjesBride mentioned, if you're using IKEA, you can easily exchange cabinets - unlike using other cabinetmakers - a definite plus!

Sample layout for the Kitchen and addition.

The IKEA drawing shows 72 inch peninsula (2 36" bases) and an 84 inch island (likely 2 24" base cabs and a 36" cooktop without consideration for 1.5" overhangs on the sides.)

Right, but when I put those 36" cabs in, there was virtually no passage b/w the peninsula and wall on the other side of the aisle. Maybe I didn't get the measurements right - I'll try again.

My suspicion is that the sketchup like dimensions are correct regarding the stair to sink window dimension and the IKEA room dimensions are wrong.

forcing less than standard aisle widths into the IKEA planner is a pain because it keeps popping up alerts. To avoid those alerts they may have increased the stair to window dimension for ease of using the planner.

Just guessing, but maybe thst will help you play, Buehl.

You're right! Something is off here.

I have the floor layout... I'll post it in a bit. Thank you!

Correct, SDLs

Images 1-3: First Floor All the area that is bumped out to the right of the first image is the new extension. The columns are an exisiting plumbing stack and HVAC return duct in the room to the left of the kitchen.

The kitchen layout can be ignored in these images as we haven't updated it with the new one.

The column between the pantry cabinets is an HVAC supply duct.

Images 4-5: Second Floor

Image 6: Third Floor

We need dimensions. Do you have a drawing like this of the whole house?

Is this a family room or maybe a dining room?

I just read on the bathroom board that the room to the left of the kitchen is going to be a hang out space. Why don't you leave it a dining room and turn the proposed dining room into a family room/hang out space. you'll get a lot more view enjoyment out of some kind of sitting area than a dining table.

What are the dimensions of your present dining room?

The current dining room is 13X11.

We don't have a full drawing of the whole house as you asked. We've put it together ourselves on home planning software.

I like the idea of leaving the current dining as is and using the new space as a hang out/ area.

Are the two posts abutting the peninsula required structural supports?

Is the front door your family entrance?

Did you ever consider putting the powder room in the foyer/partially under the stairs maybe?

Are you sure you have to have that hvac ductwork in the kitchen? I thought the same and then our contractor just put a narrow duct that fits between the studs of a standard stud wall. Something to ask about. Of course, ours is a single level with a basement, but patching the roof was no big deal.

Ok, so the two columns you see next to the peninsula will be moved (hopefully) to the far back end of the wall where they will be boxed in (the 2ftx2ft boxed structure in the new IKEA kitchen design is supposed to be the housing for those two namely the HVAC return and toilet stack).

Our house is old - built 1900 - so the structure is 2x4s and we did look in to getting different kinds of duct work in but no one proposed anything like that unless we spent circa 30K or more to get a new system and new duct work etc It worked out ridiculous.

We looked in to getting the powder room under the stairs but there isn't enough clearance under there, we'd have to put the stairs to the basement somewhere... none of the contractors we met with had any good suggestions. The platform for the stairs leading to the basement isn't to code as it is (less than 28" I think!) It wasn't worth it in the end.

Yes, the door at the front is our main entrance. At one point we considered doing a bigger extension all along the side of the house front to back and 10ft out but again, other things come in to play - cost being a big one, and that we'd go over the square footage we could add without having to redesign the septic system ( as per the contractor although I've only heard of bedrooms being the limitation!) and then the extended bit to the right of the foyer could have been the mud room entrance with a door to the side... but that isn't an option now.

I tried a few things with your kitchen today and came back around to a U shape that is open to the back wall with a peninsula on the "family room" side because it places your primary prep area in the sweet spot for a view.

I encourage you to move your patio door over so you can have a nice corner area for furniture that doesn't have a major traffic pattern through it. I moved the patio door to the end of the peninsula but it could be right across from the range if you wanted.

I tried out an open galley layout with all the appliances along the stairwell wall and an island with sink in the center, but it didn't give you a good vantage point to the view and it seems inappropriate for a house of this age. I can draw that up if it would help you, though.

If you can open up the stairwell wall to the hvac duct it looks like you could have a nice view from the front door and help your walk way around the base of the stair not seem so tight.

I'm still having trouble with dimensions, but I think it might be because your drawing is not to scale? Anyway, I'll throw out this drawing with my best guesses for dimensions.

Your view from your mom-perch :-)

Possible view from the foyer across the bottom few steps:

http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2484108/counter-height-window-pictures-please

You'll find more information there. Shouldn't be that costy though. :)

I've posted the kitchen design with details and all floor plans/drawings on the kitchen forum: http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3877265/m=23/kitchen-layout-design-your-feedback-please

benjesbride Nice layout but we have a limitation that there is a door to the basement next to the pantry cabinets which cannot be moved anywhere else. Not even to the other side of the staircase in the foyer because of height limitations of the staircase and the usable space available for a door before you hit the opening wall to the living room.