Big Family Kitchen - Help us refine our dreams!
We're building a new house (full floor plans and discussion over here in Building a House.) The kitchen is crucial for us though, and I've heard I would do well to ask the wise people on the kitchen forum to look at our plans! :)
We have a big family (4 kids and hopes for more) and we cook nearly everything from scratch. I homeschool our kids predominately at the kitchen table and I spend a whole lot of time in the kitchen.
Here's what we have so far, focused in on the kitchen (click through to the other thread for context within the whole house):
High resolution photo here: Bigger Kitchen Photo on SmugMug
Dimensions, for quick reference: 12 ft island, 12 ft counter with range/fridge/wall oven, ~8ft counter next to an ~8 ft desk. ~4'6" aisles.
KITCHEN NOTES:
- The large desk space is our e-space where we'll have two computers.
- 9 ft ceiling where it's white, 8ft lowered where it's purple.
- We never anticipated having such a long island, but it seems to make sense in the space and I like the idea of being able to prep while keeping an eye on the the other spaces in the house. I also like the possibility of seating up on the island for kids working on schoolwork or eating lunch while a project is still spread on the kitchen table.
- We are strongly considering a second dishwasher next to the one in the plan (Zone 2), but it will most often be used as a drip-dry spot so that the island can be free(r) of clutter. We always seem to have a dozen overturned bowls or measuring cups drying at any given time and that was a major concern with locating the sink on the island. Is there a more economical solution I'm missing here? Besides adding hand drying all the dishes to my day. Gulp.
- We are opting for a 36" range and oven below (unsure at this point about whether we'd want a commercial-depth, but I'm guessing it will be cost prohibitive), with a separate 26" wall oven + microwave.
- We are hoping for a big fridge: 36-48" because we use a lot of fresh produce.
- I am planning on pull out trash/recycling in zone 1 along with knives, measuring stuff and cutting boards.
- Zone 3 is where I plan on putting all our dishes, glasses, tupperware, and silverware.
I would love any and all feedback!
Comments (14)
mama goose_gw zn6OH
7 years agoWelcome to Kitchens, B Mac. Purely for function, I'd do some
rearranging. First, I don't think the powder room door is going to work
if it opens in, so I'd switch it to swing out. I'd omit the patio
vestibule and move the PR to the end of the mudroom, which gives you
more MR storage space.I put a window on the patio side, but that could be a single door, and I'd restore the patio door from the dining room.
That arrangement leaves more space on the long wall in the kitchen,
which gives you a separate clean-up space with 2 DWs near the DR--a
helper can be loading or unloading the DWs, or setting the table without
interfering with prep and cooking. It also provides more space on each
side of the range, and space for a 48" fridge. Dishes can be kept in the
uppers over the clean-up zone, and in drawers across the aisle, in the
island.
The island sink is now a prep sink, with a large prep area--extra prep spaces are available on either side of the clean-up sink.I'd
move the wall ovens and MW to the perpendicular wall, and put a
snack/breakfast center there so that someone can access the fridge, MW,
and snacks without moving into to the work zone. Having an oven in a
pathway is not ideal, but it's the second oven, and without a door on
the MR entry, someone entering the house can see if the oven door is
open. My family is trained to stay out of the work aisle if they hear
the words, "Oven is open!"I put a tall cabinet, for small
appliances or extra large cooking vessels, next to the ovens. This means
the desk would be a couple of feet shorter.An alternate
location for the MW is in a drawer across from the snack center--easier
for kids to access. I added a couple of seats to the other end of the
island, which would be better for conversation than a straight line-up.
Good luck!
B Mac
7 years agoRelated Discussions
small kitchen, big range dreams; kitchen measurements
Comments (35)''John-the pots make tons more sense there. I was wanting a small pot rack close to the wall to the left of the range hood (for maybe 3 skillets). Would I regret open shelving in (base cabinet) to left of range for pots (a la the Julia Child kitchen)? I wouldn't have to deal with clearance for a cabinet door in that smaller space then. But from the standpoint of funkiness and clutter?'' I think open shelves in the base cabinet to the left of the Lacanche would be hard to get to, because you'd be squatting in a small space (between that cab and the Hoosier-thingy, whatever that is). Drawers would probably be easier to work with, I think. Also you might want a shallow drawer in that base cab for utensils, and maybe even a sturdy pull-out board for more workspace. Because of the tight quarters, I think storing stuff up high would also be useful. Pot racks flanking the Lacanche's vent hood, for instance. You will, naturally, buy a whole set of thick French copper saucepans to feed the Lacanche, and those would look very nice, hanging. I still think a small prep sink near the range would be helpful, to save you from having to lug an 11-quart copper stockpot full of boiling liquid to the main sink. What do you think about fitting such a sink in the narrow base cab that will be to the right of the range? Then maybe drawers under the sink, for oils, spices, and other stuff that you would want close at hand when cooking. I was thinking about your layout, and realized that because you have a sizeable pantry room, the limited storage in the kitchen itself might be workable. Over on the sink wall, seems you could put glassware and dishware in the shallow tall cabinet where they'd be close to the dishwasher (make sure your dishes are not too large), flatware and prep supplies and mixer in and on the 58'' cabinet to the left of the sink. Don't forget the microwave needs a home too. You might also plan on trying a small (2' x 3', say) worktable in the center of the kitchen. If the clearances work, great. If not, it becomes a potting bench or something. One other thing - you were talking about about the view into the kitchen from the rest of the house - which suggests a sink/window that is eye-catching and beautiful? Maybe plan on later installing a large apron-front or freestanding sink - something visually striking? (Shame the window is there, or you could place the Lacanche on the sink wall, splendidly on display.)...See MoreNeed help organizing family papers in our new kitchen
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7 years ago4kids4us
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoUser
7 years agomama goose_gw zn6OH
7 years agoA pocket door to the PR is a good idea, but it would take at least a couple of inches away from the mudroom aisle.
If
you go back to a 36" fridge, move it down a couple of inches, move one
of the DWs to the island as you mentioned before, and made the dining
room entry from the mudroom 32", you still have space for 18" on each
side of the range.With a large family and eventually (I assume) more
than one cook/helper in the kitchen, I think a prep sink would be very
convenient.
artemis_ma
7 years agoB Mac
7 years ago
prairiemom61
7 years agojpmom
7 years agoRenee Texas
7 years ago
kksmama