Help with small kitchen layout
We are just getting started with a kitchen remodel, and we are total beginners. We would love suggestions on layout for our small (11 by 13 foot) space.
Last year's bathroom remodel was easy because we weren't changing the layout. For the kitchen, we are open to moving windows, doors, plumbing, and gas. We are also taking advantage of this opportunity to rethink the dining area, which is now located in an area that was once a back porch (far from the kitchen).
I've attached the current layout followed by one of the proposed new layouts.
We really like our designer's idea of adding a small entry way and changing the direction of the front door. We also like the idea of removing the fireplace, moving the dining table to be near the kitchen, and changing the former sunporch part of the living room to be all at one level, without the half-walls or step-down floor we have now. So far, so good.
The kitchen layout is more of a challenge. I've only shared one of designer's ideas here; the others are all interesting variations. My main concern is how to create a seating area that leaves a wide enough space to walk through. I don't think we're there yet. In the drawing of the proposed plan, the distance from the edge of the curved counter to the fridge is 36 inches.
We are two adults. One of our adult kids lives with us temporarily (and loves to cook), but he will not be living here when the kitchen is done. We have one main cook and one (occasional) prep cook in the house. We need enough counter space for food preparation, clean-up, and a good-sized espresso machine, coffee grinder, and hot water kettle. I'd prefer to keep other appliances stored away if possible. We eat breakfast in the kitchen, and right now we are using an awkward counter with no overhang for that purpose. Even if we didn't eat in the kitchen, we want people to be able to sit and hang out while chatting with the cook.
The door to the outside from the kitchen can be moved elsewhere along that wall. It leads to a side yard with a grill, couple of chairs, and garden storage cabinets.
We'd welcome suggestions at any level. Thank you!
Comments (15)
mama goose_gw zn6OH
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoI'd try to get the sink and range on the same side. The seating nook could have a bench with storage, or skip the bench, which would give you the choice of turning the table 90°. For the small window in the new entry, I was imagining one of those cute little octagonal windows.
All base cabinets can be pulled out to provide deeper counters, therefore more counterspace, or you could have custom bases made with deeper drawers for more storage space. The MW is on a shelf beside the fridge, or in a drawer beside it. The narrow cabinet beside the DW could be for cutting boards and sheets pans, or a pull-out for flatware and utensils.
Click to enlarge:
ETA a second version, with the table turned 90°:
Also, the side windows above the sink are narrower, which allows you to have a pull-out pantry to the right, and wider cabinets on each side of the range. The coffee station is also a little wider. If you wanted the look of a vintage dining nook, you could put a wall at the end of the coffee cabinet, with a second bench, with 'morgue drawer' storage.
GW discussions--deeper counters
coffeeberry thanked mama goose_gw zn6OHRelated Discussions
Please help with difficult, small kitchen layout
Comments (19)With Bmorepanic's layout, I was able to piggy back with tweaking that. What if you were to close off the entry from dining room to kitchen except for a 3-4' doorway at the very end of the room (staircase end). I would then bring the frig to along the DW run. BTW we have a corner sink and we have a small spacer and a 9" cabinet between sink and DW which allows plenty of space for loading the DW). The frig was too far away IMO for everyday use. I would then actually open up completely the kitchen to the family room. This would "enlarge" both rooms. It would also give more natural light to the kitchen. You didn't say anything about wanting to feel less isolated when in the kitchen, but there is definitely a huge trend to join the two rooms. You would then have a few options for an eating area. You could create a huge island with seating. You could place it either vertically or horizontally in the room, depending on what else you want to do with the space by the slider. I'm not big on prep sink, but with the large island, it might be nice to have on on the end closer to the family room. If you don't want to go the prep sink route (I'm not), you could easily accommodate your main sink and DW in the new large island. You could create a smaller island with a round dinette corner in the area to what is to the right of the slider (wall would then be mostly open) Purchase a large table that can be centered lengthwise in the kitchen. If I can think of some of these ideas, it's going to be fun seeing what the others can do with this kitchen....See MoreHelp please with small kitchen layout
Comments (4)You kept the DW out of the prep zone between sink and range. Bravo! If you have room to stand at the sink and load the DW, then I think your DW placement is just fine. I think your layout looks quite functional. And I'm a bit of a DW Nazi, lol. I see you have a side-by-side fridge in your drawing. Do you already have one and are continuing to use it? If not, you might not want to buy one. They don't get a lot of love here due to how narrow the fridge interior is which limits putting in things like a bigger tray of food for entertaining, a big turkey, etc. Just something to think about and do some more research on if you're buying new....See MoreHelp with small kitchen layout
Comments (11)Forget the peninsula thingy - no way would that fit. Having the table and chairs at one end would take up 10'8" with a 48: wide table. (Finding a 36" wide is gonna be tough. With a peninsula, that would only leave you 33 1/2 inches from side to side when in the u-area. (The peninsula needs a wall to support the cabinets so you don't just give up 25" for cabinet and counter but 29 1/2") You would have LESS space from side to side than in the galley of a 54' boat! As for turning the table and running cabinets down the whole wall...... well that is going to be tight. THe wall to the left is only 7 1/2 feet before the hall. After the counter, you only have 65" left. No way can you have space to move along the counter + have chairs at the table + the table. Walk space chair space + table + chair space + walk space to hall = 208 inches needed and you only have 107 inches with the counter down the wall. IF this a converted garage, you can run the stove vent straight up to the roof. (Or even - the horror of the Houzz upmarket expectations - do without out a vent as people did for decades.) Keep the sink and frig where you have them. Put the stove where your original sketch shows the dishwasher. Consider going with a 24" stove rather than 30". Put the dishwasher next to the sink - again consider going with an 18" built in DW rather the standard 24"....See MoreHelp with small kitchen layout
Comments (11)The rendering Rebekah Gibbs posted is what we had in mind for the layout. We are all in agreement that there is not sufficient enough space to incorporate an island. By moving the refrigerator to the wall shown in Rebekah's rendering, you will have created an efficient layout of a "kitchen triangle", Typically a leg of the working triangle should be no less than 4' however; given your existing space constraints, we believe Rebekah's layout is the best solution....See More
Buehl
7 years agocoffeeberry
7 years agoThank you so much for the suggestions so far - very helpful.
I'm adding a drawing below with measurements; if there is a way to edit my initial post to add the drawing there, please let me know and I'll do that.
I'm not marking windows on this drawing, because the current windows aren't relevant and everything else is up for grabs. We are expecting to move/replace all the windows in the kitchen and the front living room window. We're willing to move the door that leads from the kitchen to the side yard. The current door opening from kitchen to living room is 30"; we simply unhung the door that was there to leave the walkway open. We like the designer's idea of widening that opening considerably, up to 60". Or we could leave the opening smaller and have more cupboard/drawer/counter space.
The sketches we have from the designer so far are meant to be concept drawings to give us an idea of possibilities; we are not far enough along to have actual plans. But I still find it helpful to think about what fits where with workspaces and flow in mind.
About the porch - I'm not sure if we could absorb all of it, but it's an interesting question; we would need to look at setbacks. What good things might we do if we could fold in the entire porch?
Thank you again.
PROOrlando Cabinetry, Llc
7 years agocoffeeberry
7 years agocoffeeberry
7 years ago- PRO
Orlando Cabinetry, Llc
7 years ago coffeeberry
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agocoffeeberry
7 years ago
Buehl