skip to main content

Design Dilemma Kitchens Remodeling

what should I do- tear down pantry and lower island to one level?

Megan Kea Spark

6 years ago

so I am trying to decide what I should do with this kitchen. as you can see there is kind of an awkward pantry that closes off the kitchen area, and the bar height counter on the island. i am considering removing the pantry, taking out the bar height counter and having just a huge one-level island. I think it would really open up the main living area and make it feel larger and more bright. only thing is pantry= great storage, but I could put in better cabinets and maybe a cabinet pantry on the other wall. what would you do if this was your space? (besides the obvious ugliness haha)

Featured Answer

richfield95

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

Is the pantry hiding structural supports? Or perhaps utilities to the second floor?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (11)

PRO
Beth H. :
6 years ago
yes. lol. extend cabinets/pantry to the right of the stove area. tear out those cabs, get some that are taller, bigger fridge, and extend everything towards that first window. do a little built in banquette seating if you want.

Actually, if you have a budget, I'd move the sink over to the window and configure the cabinets around that. you could still have an island, no sink.
suzyq53
6 years ago
I'd consider putting the fridge in the pantry.
Related Discussions
Should we do it? Considering a tear down and need advice.
Q
Comments (5)
The cost per sq ft can vary tremendously, depending on what materials you choose even more than the cost of labor. Actual cost could be much lower than $165 or double that! Is the process of building hard? Yes, and the less you plan and decide in advance, the harder it is. Even if you don't get into the mechanics of building, and don't expect to do more than choose colors and finishes, there will be approximately 987,000 decisions to make that you never expected. Do your plans in advance with as many details as possible -- it's unfair to others (spouse, architect, GC, foreman, mason, HVAC, etc) to expect them to mindread what you want, and it's unfair to your budget to make decisions at the last minute. Last minutes decisions almost always cost you lots more than those made before the build began. Besides, your contract should be so well written that only a hurricane/flood/etc should cause the need for alast minute decision. Your husband is right that you aren't aware of all the difficulties, because NO ONE ever expects the build to be as problematic, time-consuming, detailed, and unexpected as every build actually is. Even experienced GCs with many houses under the belt can be caught by surprise --- by a boulder, or by lumber costs, or by a hurricane/ tornado/ blizzard/ flood, or by clever thieves, or even by his favorite expert crew going on vacation. Because of the stresses involved, your marriage will either deteriorate with remarkable speed, or improve slowly. Whichever happens, the couple that moves into the new house are not the same people they were when they first met the architect. Personally, I prefer people who have built a house; there's something about the process which adds a wonderful depth of character that no renter can achieve.
...See More
Lower level of tri-level is musty smelling
Q
Comments (8)
You may need a bigger dehumidifier. I live in a raised (or high) ranch and the lower lever can start to feel and smell musty sometimes. I close the windows - no point in bringing more moisture in to the room from the outside - and run the dehumidifier for a few days.Just be sure to check the bucket as it can fill up quickly. It seems to eliminate the problem for a while. High humidity and rain days can cause it to get yucky again, so be prepared to run the dehumidifier again as the weather warrants.
...See More
Should I put lower cabinets in my pantry? Help me think it through pls
Q
Comments (18)
"Veering: I think Costco , SAMs, etc can be a quick trip to a fat farm, or a poor house," Yes, if you're an impulse shopper and/or haven't done your homework regarding what works and what doesn't in your family. Just like shopping anywhere, IMO. I love Costco even in a household of 1 person, but I know what I want and don't want, what I'll use and won't use, etc. I buy things that will store well and I will use up (things like dishwasher detergent, garbage bags, contact lens solution, body lotion, batteries, etc). Outsized packaging is something I figured out easily how to deal with back when I had a little kitchen with awkward shelves (2 kitchens ago), and I decant many things (from white vinegar to baking flour) into reusable jars. To each his/her own -- I'm more likely to be an impulse buyer at Home Depot than I am at Costco.
...See More
Island - should butcher block end be level with other counter material
Q
Comments (4)
It should always be higher or lower, or done as a half lap. Vertical seams between materials like that will always be a problem.
...See More
Fori
6 years ago
I don't know about the pantry, but if you make the island one height, people will enter your front door and be IN your kitchen. Maybe that's okay, but I'd rather not have it.

As tempting as it is to expand the kitchen into the dining area, that would leave you without a dining area.

Post the overall floorplan with measurements. It's hard to tell what would work without those. And post them on the kitchen forum.
Elizabeth B
6 years ago
I think it would look better without pantry but it could be structural?
gtcircus
6 years ago
Hire a kitchen designer and tear it all out!
Jmc101
6 years ago
If you start removing, what are you going to do about matching the flooring?
PRO
JAN MOYER
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Better without it? Of course! Just know that it appears to be housing your THERMOSTAT and be prepared for the expense in relocating that, and it could also have structural support issues involved. Put the rest of the kitchen in a dumpster. Along with the flooring
tozmo1
6 years ago
richfield95 is spot on. I had a similar pantry that had an odd shaped inside because it was formed around the furnace vent. Go under the house and see if anything is coming up in that area or if the lines of the inside of the pantry are not exactly tracking to the outside, there is something being hidden that you need. Even then, you could have plumbing lines hidden between the framing that you just can't recognize. Once i changed my furnace to a high efficiency that vented with PVC pipe in a totally different path, I could tear out the pantry.
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
That pantry could be hiding many things so before doing anything find out what is in there.As for one level counters they are always my choice and believe me the raised up one hides nothing if there is a mess .It looks like you have a dining room so I would rip out that whole space and start again to include the eat in space in the kitchen design you would have a fab kitchen if you go that route
Megan Kea Spark
Original Author
6 years ago
thanks for all the comments!! I do need to double check that the pantry is not structural.. I don't think but if in that case I could maybe put a wood beam or something. there is not a thermostat as this in in east side of the big Island of hawaii and we don't really use a/c or heat here. :) . I am changing all the floors. I really like the suggestion for the built-in banquettes seating! I think that would look awesome. there is another area in the house that is supposed to be the dining room

Related Stories

GREAT HOME PROJECTS How to Tear Down That Concrete Patio

By Christine Tusher

Clear the path for plantings or a more modern patio design by demolishing all or part of the concrete in your yard

BASEMENTS Basement of the Week: Tall-Order Design for a Lower-Level Lounge

By Becky Harris

High ceilings and other custom-tailored features in this new-build Wisconsin basement put the tall homeowners in a good headspace

REMODELING GUIDES What to Know Before You Tear Down That Wall

By Mitchell Parker

Great Home Projects: Opening up a room? Learn who to hire, what it’ll cost and how long it will take

LIFE What I Learned About Moving a Loved One to a Retirement Home

Setting up an elderly family member’s apartment in an assisted-care facility is a labor of love for this Houzz writer

KITCHEN STORAGE Walk-In Pantries vs. Cabinet Pantries

We explore the pros and cons of these popular kitchen storage options

DECLUTTERING How to Go Through a Deceased Loved One’s Belongings

By Tailorly, Professional Home Organizing

A professional organizer offers sensitive and practical advice on sorting through a loved one’s things

KITCHEN DESIGN 12 Great Kitchen Styles — Which One’s for You?

By Sheila Schmitz

Sometimes you can be surprised by the kitchen style that really calls to you. The proof is in the pictures

KITCHEN DESIGN Kitchen of the Week: A Wall Comes Down and This Kitchen Opens Up

By Jeannie Matteucci

A bump-out and a reconfigured layout create room for a large island, a walk-in pantry and a sun-filled breakfast area

KITCHEN DESIGN 7 Steps to Pantry Perfection

By Christine Tusher

Learn from one homeowner’s plan to reorganize her pantry for real life

KITCHEN ISLANDS Plan Your Kitchen Island Seating to Suit Your Family’s Needs

By Toronto Interior Design Group

In the debate over how to make this feature more functional, consider more than one side

Sponsored

39 Reviews

Ohio's Kitchen Design Showroom |11x Best of Houzz 2014 - 2022

More Discussions

White oak kitchen cabinets stain?

74

Subway or herringbone backsplash for our new kitchen?? Thank you!

12

Seeking comments on our kitchen reno layout

15

Looking for a good prefinished hardwood floor product

4

Would you like to unlock your home's potential?

0