Help!!! Impossible Island Design! Need to Order Cabinets Monday

8 years ago

We have gutted the kitchen in our 1930s Bungalow and I HAVE to order cabinets Monday. I have been struggling for weeks with the kitchen design. Our architect gave some insight during a brain storming session, but we do not have time for him to draft a full set of plans. He did tell me to have 3'6" - 4' of walk space between the counter and the island.

I have a U Shape kitchen. In order for things to be symmetrical the Sink and Range need to stay where they are. We are doing all windows with only one row of upper cabinets to the right of the dishwasher.

Here is my problem. The Island is going to have to be our breakfast table. I have a one year old and a two year old. They need constant help while eating. So the chairs cannot line up like soldiers on one side of the island. I need chairs on at least two sides. Ideally Chairs on three sides then it would be really like a table. I prefer five or six chairs.

The problem is that on one end of the island is a refrigerator and on the other side is a range with an oven. I don't know how much clearance you need when the fridge or oven door is open and there is a chair right there? The lady at Home Depot gave almost no clearance and I am getting scared.

I can scoot the island back two feet toward the living room and clear the oven but then it would be more than 4' from the sink. It would be 6' from kitchen sink counter.

I can move the fridge down a foot or two and then have clearance on that side. But then the kitchen would not end symmetrically. Not sure if that matters?

The overall size of the kitchen is 11x21.

The first drawing is what home depot came up with. This island it too big.

The second drawing is a sketch showing six chairs on the range side of the island. It is apx 4'x7'

The third sketch shows that there is a 9'x5' area for the island. I was thinking of an island 4' deep and about 6 or 7 feet long.

My concern is that when someone opens the fridge door they will bump into the person sitting at the island. If we put seating on the other side then I have the same problem with the oven door. When you are trying to get in the oven someone will be sitting there,

The other problem is if I do seating for 6 then one of the chairs will be directly behind the kitchen sink. That's probably weird right?

Would love any ideas/comments/criticism/thoughts!!!!!

Featured Answer

mama goose_gw zn6OH

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

If the two back bedrooms are combined, you probably don't need a door into the kitchen from the master, so how about this? The fridge is close to the DR/LR, and the sink overlooks the back yard (also the super cool sink and windows are a worthy focal point, IMO :). The pantry is across the room--it should be closer to the fridge, but there is space for a closet just inside the back door, and room for extra dish storage near the DW. Just a rough sketch--might not be exactly to scale, and I didn't complete the island (no prep sink needed in the layout). The pantry cabinets and closet could be 72" tall with high windows above, to let in more light.