New build in design stage- layout help appreciated!
Thank you for all the knowledge I've gained just from lurking! We are in design stage of a traditional farmhouse style build in rural setting. We are a family of four who likes to eat :) I cook mostly from scratch and it's not uncommon for me to cook three meals a day. I do seasonal canning and bake several times a week. The kids help with meal prep.
Some needs/wants-
- Large pantry for canning storage and large food purchases. I would love to squeeze a fridge and upright freezer in. At very least a small fridge is a must.
-Baking area so I can leave mixer out and ingredients close by. I would love to have this in pantry area along exterior wall for natural light.
- Two dishwashers flanking clean up sink.
- Island for eating quick meals, serving buffet style meals off of and for kids getting homework help while I cook dinner. Preferably we could have seating on one side and a corner so we aren't eating lined up in a row.
- Keeping room area featuring fireplace. The goal is a small comfortable place for hubby to talk w me while I finish dinner prep, a place for me to sit with a cup of coffee in the morning while still keeping an eye on morning chaos. A spillover area for guests to hang out while I cook etc.
-Prefer to not have large clean up sink or cooktop on island. (Prep sink ok)
Our architect (who is eligible for sainthood after putting up with many changes) has developed a wonderful space. I'd like some input with the layout of the kitchen area.
Appliances/zones that need placing- gas cooktop w hood, refrigerator, double wall oven, microwave, cleanup zone/sink with two dishwashers, prep sink in island If needed.
I'm open to any ideas and thoughts from all the very talented kitchen gurus! And thank you in advance for your time.
Comments (11)
7 years agoUsing your scale, here's a quick rearrangement. I moved the pantry wall forward, to provide space for a full-depth fridge in the kitchen, with a second fridge in the pantry. I also added a small sink in the baking area for hand washing and rinsing. If you use the MW for cooking, a drawer can be included in the island. If used more often for snacks, it can be kept in the pantry, where it will also be convenient for melting butter, chocolate chips, etc, for baking.
Posting the plan on a measured grid will help us give you a more accurate layout.
providencesparrow thanked mama goose_gw zn6OHRelated Discussions
Help with New Build Kitchen Layout
Comments (6)Welcome, Michelle1973! Please see the following Kitchens FAQ as it is the most helpful when asking for layout help: FAQ: How do I ask for Layout Help and what information should I include? Other helpful FAQs: FAQ: Kitchen work zones, what are they? FAQ: Aisle widths, walkways, seating overhangs, work and landing space, and others FAQ: How do I plan for storage? Types of Storage? What to Store Where? You mention that looks are more important to you than function - OK - so is function important at all? Note that most of us here are function first/form second. Why? For two reasons, (1) A nice looking but dysfunctional kitchen can become a nightmare to deal with over time - assuming you cook, that is. [No, not everyone actually cooks. For some people, a kitchen is solely for "show" and will rarely, if ever, be used for more than heating up take-out or similar. That's OK - in that case it probably doesn't matter (until resale...)] (2) It is relatively easy to make a functional kitchen look nice - but it's almost impossible to make nice-looking but dysfunctional kitchen function well (short of doing another remodel). Do you have a layout of the entire first floor? A comment on your current design - it's actually not too bad, functionally! Dish storage may be an issue, but if you're OK with dishes in drawers, then I think you will probably be OK. A few other items: Be aware that a "full size refrigerator" will take up more room in the aisle than you show, even if you recess it into the wall behind it. If you can recess the refrigerator into the wall and room behind it, then figure a depth in the kitchen about 5" to 6" deeper than the deepest item next to the refrigerator....if the deepest item is the counter - then another 5 to 6 inches beyond the counter - so: 25.5" + 5.5" = 31" deep. Doors & handles of non-true built-in refrigerators must extend past surrounding items - walls, counters, cabinets, other appliances, etc. If the refrigerator (or freezer) is next to a wall that's deeper than the carcass/body of the refrigerator, then you will need a 9" to 12" cabinet or filler b/w the wall and the refrigerator or freezer to be able to fully open the refrigerator/freezer doors. If they are next to walls that can be changed, then try to make the walls no deeper than the carcass/body of the refrigerator & freezer. For the island, be sure there is sufficient space b/w the edge of the island and the table on the left - at least 60" - more if there will be a lot of traffic passing b/w them. In the "Dining" room, also be sure you have at least 44" b/w the table and what appears to be counters to the left of the table - more if you intend those counters to be work space or a place for staging food while someone is sitting at the table. If so, then plan for 51 to 54" so there's room for someone to be at the counter while someone is sitting at the table. 44" is needed for......See MoreNew mindset... new layout.. input appreciated
Comments (56)This is so odd... when I responded to your last post all the renderings you did with the prep table down against the wall didn't show up so when you said "as I listed above" about the problems with it I had no clue what you were referring to. But now that I CAN see it... of course it doesn't work! What a dumb idea that was on my part! I'm so very visual sometimes I can't see things unless I can SEE them. Your pics are so very helpful, I couldn't do this without them. I guess that's the problem with cyber communication. Hmmm... so variegated heights don't work all that well. I would probably do them both desk height and use one of the extra dining room chairs. They would both be height of the prep table which WILL be back at the end where it originally was. That is, if I can retro-fit IKEA to a lower height it'll just all be counter height and I'll put an extra stool there. Does anyone think a built in bench would be cool on the end closest to the family room?...See MoreNew build kitchen decision time, layout please help
Comments (22)No, I think extending that wall would really cramp circulation space. If I've got it measured correctly there's only 4.5 ft between the edge of the counter and that post as it is. I think it would be unacceptably awkward to make traffic go around the end of that wall if it were extended. (Also, we wanted 1 freestanding post somewhere in the design of our home, but that's just a silly personal choice, not a requirement for any real reason.) Also, I think the interior views re better to be able to come into the house and see through to the stairs. That range wall is an interior wall, and can move, or be mostly removed. (Obviously the post, however, can not). The other side of that wall is the main front entry. The closets/bench will not be built as drawn. (The upper closet will go, and probably the lower closet will be a bit larger) I want a closet in the entry, and I need at least a little of that lower closet, because I have to hide some HVAC ductwork to the upstairs in a couple of places, and that's one of them....See MoreStuck on main floor design layout on new build - HELP
Comments (8)There's a lot of space devoted to circulation, and the in-law suite looks almost as large as the regular living space. I think it's possible to do better. I don't know what that space is opposite the entry, but I certainly wouldn't want to enter the house (or have my guests enter the house), and the first thing they see is whatever is in that room. If it was my house I would at least put the entry to that space opposite the stairs, and use the solid wall opposite the entry for display, built-in shelving and appropriate lighting. I think you can do better than this......See MoreRelated Professionals
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Thank you so much for your help! Here it is on a measured grid with the direction MamaGoose was suggesting. Am I on the right track?
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- 7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago
Thank you. If you can recess the fridge under the top part of the stairs, that should work--a full depth fridge will give you more storage space, and will be less expensive. I liked the idea of adding a little space to the pantry, since it's more of a work room, and if you have the fridge and freezer in the locations drawn, the extra space would give you more 'step back room.' It appears that you have space to push that wall out a few inches, and still have comfortable seating at the island.
I'd move the sink and DWs down, to leave space for someone to squeak by, if the DW to the left of the sink is open. That would mean a triple window (better than a double any day ;), and I'd make the end counter flush with the wall beside the window seat, to balance the reveal on each side of the kitchen window. Then I'd add an upper the same width as the wall ovens, 30", which will also give you more space for dish storage. The narrow base cabinet between the DW and oven can house cutting boards and baking sheets. The clean-up sink appears to be only about 24", so I'd recommend at least 33"--big enough for baking sheets to lay flat.
With four seats on the long side, the island needs to be only 96", or 24" per seat, which will leave more space in the clean-up aisle. The trash pull-out is on the end, convenient to all zones (except the baking pantry).
The wide drawers on each side of the oven can house pots/pans, bake ware, and mixing bowls.
Just because you have a dedicated baking area, does not mean that you can't knead bread dough on the island, with your kids near, and I'm sure you'll want to cut out cookies where kids can help from both sides of the island.
Will you be able to easily vent the range on that wall?
providencesparrow thanked mama goose_gw zn6OH - 7 years ago
- 7 years ago
I wouldn't put a seat on the side across from the fridge, due to conflict with the fridge door. If you feel that you have enough space between the kitchen and sitting area, you could have a 48" deep island, with two seats on the short side.
I drew a pony wall for support, but you could add a few more inches and have some cabinets on the back side, to store infrequently used items, holiday decor, or kid's art supplies. I also included another cabinet on the end, where you could store flatware, placemats, kitchen linens, etc.
providencesparrow thanked mama goose_gw zn6OH - 7 years ago
- 7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago
You need 24" for the standard-depth cabinets, plus at least 1" overhang. Add 15" seating overhang for comfortable leg space at counter height. You're up to 40". If you use standard uppers, 12" deep, that would be 52" for inset, another 3/4" for overlay doors. So, at least 53-54" deep. But, you'd also need to make sure the 15" counter overhang could be supported without brackets, since you'd have cabinet doors. You could use filler between cabinets, with bracing behind, to attach brackets to support the top, or if brackets are thin enough, attach them to the cabinet face.
This pic was posted in the KT last year, in a 'hidden storage' thread--notice the brackets between the cabinet doors. Pressure sensitive opening would be helpful, to avoid using pulls.
If you're using custom cabinets, you can choose the depth of the extra run.
Julie B