large kitchen layout help needed

6 years ago

Hello! Long-time board stalker here. I've read tons of posts, but I'm finally starting on my own home project and need some extra sets of eyes to help me figure out my future kitchen layout.

I live in a large 1908 brick house that used to be a 2-family, but was converted to a single family home before we moved in. So, in our 2800 sq-ft house, we have a tiny 8x8 ft kitchen, since there used to be an entire apartment on each floor. (the upstairs kitchen is our laundry room now - hallelujah!)

Anyway, we are in the planning stages of reconfiguring our first floor to work better for our needs. we have 3 kids and cook almost every night of the week, plus I love to bake, so we've got BIG plans!

First, we're relocating the kitchen (it's currently in the middle of the first floor, between the basement stairs and the bathroom, neither of which we're planning to move). We're moving it to the back of the house to take up what is now 2 "bedrooms" (we use one for a playroom, and the other goes to the backyard, so it's the dog's room, haha).

The area we are making into the new kitchen is rather large (about 24x16 ft), which suits us just fine! :) This does pose some challenges, though, when it comes to filling the space and trying to keep a somewhat reasonable budget. Also, there are a lot of windows and doors to work around.

Attached are some screenshot of a kitchen layout I've put together in the IKEA planner. We haven't decided if we're using IKEA cabinets for sure, but i really like being able to play around with the layout, so it's been a great tool!

Anyway, what I'd LOVE is if you all could take a look and let me know your concerns, fi any, that you might have with this layout. A few things to know:

1) the fireplace wall is there because we've done a little poking around in the walls and found the remnants of a fireplace on that wall and would love to uncover it to add some character back to our historic home (we may or may not expose the brick on that entire wall - we will definitely expose at least the brick on the fireplace all the way to the ceiling though)

2) the butcher block counters shown are just a placeholder - it's the only way IKEA's planner let's you show an overhang for seating - we're planning on the island counters being a marble-looking quartz and the other counters being either concrete-looking quartz or butcher block

3) The metal cart on one end of the island is meant to symbolize a baking station that I plan to make for myself out of an old workbench or wooden buffet and put a slab of marble on top of, and will be a few inches shorter than the counter so that my 5'2" self can roll out dough. (I'm most excited about this part of the kitchen!! :D )

3) appliances: the sink will be a 36-in Whitehaven sink, not the IKEA one shown; the dishwasher is to the right of the sink (shown covered with a cabinet front); the range will be a 48" jennair with a single hood over it (again, the limits of IKEA's software make this look funny in the rendering), and we've already purchased the fridge and freezer (Frigidaire's professional series full fridge and full freezer)

4) Yes, I am planning to cover the entire back wall of the kitchen in classic white subway tile with dark grey grout

At some point, all of the character was taken out of our lovely home, so we're just hoping to add some of it back in, while making it work for our needs.

Thanks for taking a look and offering any input!!

Nicky