Kitchen remodel - general input and advice appreciated
We are planning to remodel our kitchen and would like some input on our proposed design.
First, some background. We are a family of five - two adults and three children (13-7). We cook and eat in our kitchen nearly every day and often do bulk cooking and meal preparation on the weekends. The bulk cooking entails both indoor and outdoor cooking from scratch so preparation areas are crucial. We do not do a lot of baking except around holidays or birthdays.
All five of us participate in cooking or cleanup although the kids participate more with the setting and clearing the table, emptying the dishwasher and getting their own snacks or drinks.
The general layout of the kitchen is a u-shaped kitchen with two stools at the peninsula plus an eat-in area. Two images from opposite ends of the kitchen are below. The first picture shows the kitchen from the dining room entry. The family room entry is at the opposite end. The second image shows the kitchen from the family room entry. Traffic through the kitchen is quite heavy because the family room is heavily utilized. This traffic passes by the oven, microwave and refrigerator. Not ideal but we are used to it.
We have proposed a similar layout in our redesign utilizing Bodbyn cabinets from Ikea. We could move water or electric as we can easily access from the basement but we'd rather not do that. Our walls are 8' so we'll be adding 40" uppers to gain storage space.
Here is our proposed redesign.
The biggest difference, which isn't probably much of a difference at all is that we've shifted the cooktop to the right several inches and expanded the cabinet size (cooktop is 30" but in the even it breaks we could go bigger). This gives us a 15" cabinet to the left but nothing to the right because we're approaching the corner. Currently we have a 12" cabinet on the left that is underutilized and a lazy Susan to the right.
This new plan results in a bit of asymmetry and the feeling of reduced prep area to the right even though we currently have an appliance garage right there. We heavily utilize spices in our cooking and like to have them easily accessible when cooking so they are currently above the appliance garage.
I've inserted a few 3D images that might help. Is this bit of asymmetry bad or odd?
We've removed the appliance garage and plan on putting our heavily utilized small appliances (pressure cooker, stand mixer, blender) in drawers. We're converting to a single-bowl sink with trash underneath. Currently it is next to the sink which blocks the DW at cleanup time.
A few more things worth mentioning. Our coffee area is all the way at the opposite end of the kitchen on top of a four-drawer dresser. This we're hoping to move to the cabinet we're using to replace the 80's desk in between the hall and office entrances. We'll likely replace the dresser with shallower cabinets where we'll store our lesser used appliances or baking supplies.
We do have a toaster oven and would like to get that off the countertop and maybe find a space for that above the new coffee area.
Any thoughts and input are greatly appreciated. I've purposefully left out cosmetic things or locations of new can lights as this is mostly about layout and function of our kitchen. In general, are there better ways to utilize our space without moving walls? We don't think we can't really move to an island setup as we don't have the recommended dimensions. Again, utilities could be move if it dramatically improved our workflow. Lastly, is the asymmetry with the cooktop location bad?
Thank you for taking the time to look and offer any advice.
Comments (20)
sheloveslayouts
6 years agosheloveslayouts
6 years agoRelated Discussions
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Comments (17)Wow, what a number of great responses and suggestions! Thanks to everybody! I am beginning to agree the light box will have to go, I'm just having trouble envisioning what type of lighting will take its place. My appliances have already been ordered and the double oven and microwave was installed just last week, so I am locked into the black appliance look, which I really don't mind. I did originally think I would go with the biscuit colored Blanco siligranit kitchen sink, but once I saw the Ladylux Cafe faucet with the black accents, my black appliances and the black streaks in my granite, I decided I would get the black siligranit sink to tie in with those elements. Especially being an undermount, only the sink bowls will be visible and the granite on top I think will help to balance it out from looking too dark. The idea to find another use for my light box is a good one. It has the same crown molding in cherry wood that is on my cabinets so I hate to just trash the thing if it can be recycled somehow. Will definitely think on that for ideas. I still feel the tug to put some type of wallpaper border around the soffit on top the cabinets next to the ceiling....but that is still my 80's thinking talking. Trying hard to think out of the box! I am definitely planning to keep the backsplash and wall paint a more neutral, creamy light tone to pull out the lighter areas of the granite and I also will keep all my window casings, doors and doorway frames painted white. I could paint one whole wall in the kitchen a slightly different color than the rest, which I hear is a popular trend nowdays. One wall of the kitchen, which my pictures don't show, has a gas log fireplace which has a reddish rustic brick front with a solid wood mantle and upper wall wood panels and molding painted white. There is a custom built cherry book shelf/storage cabinet on one side of the fireplace and the wallpapered wall on the other side which leads into the sunroom. I will have to post that pic too so you can all see what I mean. Not sure what I should do with the wall space on the left of the fireplace. I want to start looking also at electric switchplates and see if I can get my electrician friend to relocate some boxes for me. I would love to update the switchplates to dimmers where possible and the newer color coordinated or textured plates, plus add some new undercabinet lighting. Keep the ideas coming! It really helps to try to see the kitchen I've been looking at for 19 years through fresh eyes!...See MoreNeed help and input on kitchen floorplan/remodel
Comments (22)Hi, all – thank you for all the feedback and apologies for taking a few days to get back to you. To address the comments made since I last checked in: The overhang on the island is currently 12”. I agree that the seating near the stairs will be a pinch point going to the dining room, even though it gives us more room than we have now (without someone seated there). I really like your idea of adding/shifting another seat to the end of the island, mama goose. And shifting the island towards the living room. Thank you so much for doing up the layout like you did. I’m not sure if we can shorten the half wall by the stairs, as it might make the top stair awkward with entrance from two sides? I don’t think I’ve ever seen that? Unfortuantely I can’t move the cabinet-corner next to the stairs, or put the ovens there (to the right of the dishwasher when you look at it) because of the stairs to the basement (floor isn't flat and it slopes upward under/behind those cabinets). Even though our fridge is shallow, I’m going to see about recessing it in the wall – thanks for that tip, mama goose! Strob06 – thank you for your input about the pantry! I appreciate hearing about your experience. We currently have two 18” cabinets, but they each only have two pullouts in the bottom, and the rest is fixed shelves. To be honest, we don’t use them to capacity because things just get lost in them! If they were pullouts top to bottom, they’d be so much more usable. We also have a second pantry/linen closet in the hall, where bigger or less-used items go as well. Oh, I forget who mentioned it but we aren’t using corner angled cabinets (those are showing incorrectly in the plan views) but instead we’re putting in open shelving (as shown in the elevations). Thanks for the explanation on the cabinet face layout, dan1888 - I haven’t had a chance to check out sinks yet, but I think I’ll take my biggest sheet pan and see how a 24” would work. We do have a utility sink in the basement, but I’d hate to get down on my knees and use my bathtub to do my big pans! I am really stuck on getting away from a range and moving to wall ovens to save my back. I was back at the appliance store today and checking out the miele induction range really solidified my desire for wall ovens – it is just SO low to the ground! Salex – I’m going to check out the 24” sinks, because you’re right that I’ve been using such a small one to date that 24 will seem huge! Backyardfeast – you’re right about us having an issue with dishes in proximity to the dishwasher. Our dishes are currently in the uppers to the right of the range (about where the cooktop will be) and it’s not the most convenient, but it’s not awful. But we really can’t do any better (or any worse) because there isn’t anywhere else to put the dishwasher. Thank you again to everyone for their feedback – I’m going to get some changes made and come back for some more advice and feedback (probably MUCH more) once it’s revised....See MoreNeed input for Kitchen remodel
Comments (19)I love you people! Seriously, you're amazing. Mama goose the first picture you have is an accurate representation of the beam and shelves I would like to have in the space. And my husband and I sat down yesterday to go over the whole thing again. This picture is where I would like to see those shelves and the distance between those sides is 223" if my husband and I measured correctly. The jut sticks out 6-8 inches. The next picture shows the exterior door and where the sink will be. The distance from the corner to the door frame is 110". This house was built in 1940s and had no insulation in the walls. This is the other side that we had the wall built out to eliminate the 2 inch angle where the plumbing chase is. That window is lower than the other two and the apron is approximately 30" from the floor. The corner to the window frame is 33". From that corner to the beam support is approx. 107-108" This picture shows the beam support sticking out. This picture shows where the refrigerator will go as you can see the ice maker hookup in the lower left. Between the framing for the HVAC is 27" on the right side, 27" wide, and it is approximately 55" on the other side, reminder that this is without drywall installed for these measurements. The framing for HVAC sticks out 20". The section of the wall to the right with the electrical box is 43 1/4" out. The exterior door frame starts at approximately 42" from that left corner. This is the other side of electrical box and where we intend to put an opening through to the other side, a dining room is on the other side....See MoreKitchen Plans - your input is appreciated
Comments (20)I would not spend the money on a vaulted ceiling. I would look at drawer cabinets with split shallow doors at the top for cutlery, gadgets etc. No open shelving especially near cooking area. Remove the little curved shelves at the end of a cabinet run. You need a prep sink in the island the fridge is too far away from the main sink. Make sure the drawers are deep enough to hold you pots and pans I like 2 deeper drawers and then the shallow split ones as I mentioned. Pull out pantries are IMO much better than walk ins for organization and amount of storage. IMO appliance garages are dated and honestly I don’t like clutter either but I it is a kitchen with stuff that gets used all the time so I have some stuff in drawers or pantries but I love my counters to be as deep as needed not with cabinets sitting on them. I keep my baking stuff in drawers next to my wall ovens but my mixer is on the counter since it is heavy and I use it a lot. I always get my clients to pretend they are making a simple dinner and visualize how many steps it takes to make meat,pasta, and a salad.. The one thing I wish I had done was have 2 DWs since I entertain a lot plus I run a catering biz from home. I have 8’ ceilings everywhere in a 1956 MCM ranch and I love them I can dust everywhere without a ladder and my heating and cooling is kept to a min. I would rethink having the oven open right beside a doorway. If you do not have a KD get one now a cabinet sales person is not who should be designing your kitchen.BTW I would look at other cabinet choices other than Clique studio since there is no way of knowing what comes from China in their cabinets. IMO if you are on a budget Ikea is much better choice....See More
C B
6 years agoThank you, benjesbride. Here is a sketch with the first floor plan. I've added arrows in and out of the openings to show flow. I did try to scale them to show the heaviest flow. I also added red lines to show the main flow.
Here is a link to the design also.
Thanks again.
sheloveslayouts
6 years agoC B
6 years agoC B
6 years agosheloveslayouts
6 years agoC B
6 years ago
sena01
6 years agoSome ideas for the kitchen and the rooms.
I don't know how big your dining table is but since DR gets the less traffic I wonder if it'll be a good idea to move DR next to the kitchen to ease the traffic passing in front of the fridge. The old DR can be the Office and old Office plus part of the FR at the front can be the new FR and so there'd be alternative entries to the FR. You may also consider adding some cabs to the new bigger office for extra kitchen related storage.
For the kitchen I have a new U with sink and DW on the peninsula and I have a range to give you some counter next to the fridge.
I have the toaster over the coffee counter but I must admit I've no idea if a toaster can be used/kept on an upper shelf.
cpartist
6 years agoC B
6 years agosheloveslayouts
6 years ago
Milly Rey
6 years agoMilly Rey
6 years agocpartist
6 years agoC B
6 years agocpartist
6 years agoC B
6 years agoHello again. We've been investigating benjsbride's design. We had a builder come in and give us an estimate for removing the big wall. It is load bearing plus it had 3 HVAC lines in it. Since the wall has HVAC and there are no relatively easy ways to relocate the HVAC line we would have a 12"x12" soffit on the ceiling. Something we could live with considering the improvement we could get by removing the wall.
The space that benjesbride had designated for the wall oven is also a load bearing wall and that one has water and drain for the upstairs bathrooms. We may forgo making that change and leave the closet as is for the moment.
What we have now is show below in the image and also the linked plan. The left wall (when looking at the 2D image) has our builtins remaining that come out to 12" which should then be rather flush with the 12" wall they need to build for the HVAC lines. You can see this space in the linked plan. We end up losing the wall oven so what about placing it in an island? Is this type of thing even done?
Overall thoughts on the updated plan?
Cheryl Hewitt
6 years ago
sheloveslayouts