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salex

Finally! Ready to beg for your esteemed advice on my kitchen layout.

salex
7 years ago

Greetings GW! I have been absorbing great advice from so many of you for years, and I'm finally ready to ask for some of my own.

The layout and traffic flow of our current kitchen is horrible. It was the first thing we wanted to remodel, but we realized that we might want to move the sketchy stairway to get more kitchen space (and a stairway that is safer and up to code!). So we dealt with that first - the floorplan shows the before-and-after. Note that the kitchen has not changed yet at all and, yes, the range pretty much blocks the doorway from the dining room. My proposed plan has a prep/beverage wall, a range wall, a clean-up wall, and a pantry/fridge wall.

Here are a few specific questions:

  • First, the obvious: Am I
    missing or misplacing something major? E.g., would we be better off
    reconfiguring the one big window to two smaller windows, with the range
    in the center and then one set of drawers on each side of the range?

  • Does the overall layout seem like the most efficient use of a fairly small space, especially considering that we frequently cook together (and are fine with small spaces)?

  • What
    say ye about where to put the microwave? In the pantry? Or should we sacrifice the
    aesthetics of a gorgeous hood for an OTR-microwave (or an Advantium)?

  • Are super Susans really so much better than adjustable-height Susans with poles in the center?

Here is more background about us, our house, and how we use kitchens:

  • We are 2, we both cook, and we like entertain with friends in the kitchen (but we like them to stay "out of our kitchens" ;) ). So having 2 sinks on the way to the range would let us both follow Ice-Water-Stone-Fire and keep guests on the other side of the table.

  • We did a huge remodel 3 years ago where we moved the stairway shown in the "existing" floorplan to the mudroom. We gained a coat closet behind the existing range - we'd like to keep that coat closet.

  • We are coffee people and envision the coffee stuff going to the left of the prep sink. Bar stuff goes above this countertop.

  • We also have a small Cuisinart steamer/toaster that will sit on the countertop to the right of the range.

  • Secondary prep will be in the clean-up zone (right of range toward big sink/DW).

  • In the proposed plan, there is barely space for a small table for maybe 2 people to sit and chat while we cook. This leaves ~42" on three sides, and 52" between the table and pantry/fridge wall.

  • Corner uppers will be easy-reach. Corner bases will be susans.

  • Everyday dishes and serveware will go on the clean-up wall (around big sink and DW).

  • Cookware, cutlery, and other prep-ware will go on th range/window wall.

  • Misc. small appliances that we don't often use will go on the countertop in the pantry wall (hidden behind cabinet doors).

  • We (ok, I) really want to add the 2 tall, narrow windows on the prep-sink wall to get morning sun and views into our lovely backyard. But we don't want to totally remove that wall because we need the other side for hanging coats in the mudroom.

  • I'll be making the cabinets myself. I have a small shop but also periodically pay to take a self-paced course at the local technical school, where I have access to every fancy tool imaginable as well as an amazing instructor (who is also a professional cabinetmaker).

Timeline: Within the next 18 months.

Budget: I'm hoping to spend much less than I can afford, so don't hesitate to suggest big changes if you see problems!








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