Layout/Flow advice: Broken L or L Shaped Kitchen with Island
This is our new house we are building in Central Florida, the dining room window has eastern exposure, with a view of a nature preserve with water in the distance, and a pool along the length of the back porch. The concrete block walls went up last week, so we are unable to change anything on the exterior, but can still make changes to interior framing (except where plumbing is located).
We have been struggling with the kitchen layout, and wanted to get some feedback from others on the idea of closing off the highlighted entryway to the kitchen to make it a true L shaped kitchen. We were thinking that this would give us more options in the kitchen for placement of appliances/cabinets, more counter space, possibly larger island, and eliminate using the kitchen as a primary walk through.
However that change would result in having to walk from the garage/laundry, down the short hallway past the den, to get into the kitchen, (around 13 feet further in distance). We would also have a corner to deal with using either: corner pantry, corner oven, or corner cabinets (lazy susan).
I am personally not a fan of the complete open concept, and prefer to separate spaces, so have been leaning towards closing off the kitchen entrance.
Does anyone think closing that off would be a mistake or hurt the flow of the house?
Here is a closer view of the kitchen area showing dimensions. I also have some renderings I did using a 3d drawing program of some of the options we are playing with as far as the kitchen layout that I can share. Thanks everyone!
Comments (12)
Michael
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoRelated Discussions
Layout Opinions. L-Shaped, Island, 130sqft
Comments (8)I saw this thread when searching for advice on L-shaped kitchen layouts and just had to post as my kitchen is pretty much identical to the example posted by fireberd350 at 21:10. We're embarking on a remodel now and while I think the layout in general isn't bad, to me it does seem like the fridge would make more sense over on the other wall by the dishwasher, as suggested by blfenton. It is so true that in the year that we have been living in this kitchen, the no man's land of the counter over by the dishwasher has always been junked up since it's not a very functional area. We should be able to carve out some room for a pantry beside the fridge too. Good luck fireberd350 and I'd be interested to see how your layout develops!...See MoreAdvice for arranging small kitchen into L shape layout
Comments (19)I actually did look at a couple 24" fridges in my price range and as much as I wanted them to work I decided the one I picked was better for me. I don't know how long I will live here but if the fridge lasts that long enough I planned on taking it when I leave.No dishwasher and for me personally it wasn't a big deal when I bought the place but I know they are a selling point. I find doing dishes by hand to be quicker and more efficient for me. I also prefer to have the cabinet space over a dishwasher when storage is that limited. With that said I hope to have room in a redo to allow for a dishwasher should the next owner want one. But for now I just want a kitchen that works better and is not an eyesore without investing too much. My improvements have to be budget-minded not only for me but because the house will only get so much in return no matter what is done to it. I know what it is to have so many big ideas and have to downsize everything to something more realistic :) Yes that is a deck that was added on to the house. It will also need redone in time and I would like to expand the porch some when it happens. I do like the idea of sliding doors or at least a full view door. It is amazing in the summer the difference with leaving the back door open. All the light that comes in really brightens and opens the place up....See MoreL shaped kitchen with island - appliance layout help needed
Comments (8)I'm not sure which layout I like best yet, and it might not be any of them. Here's why. Are you really going to spending your entire time entertaining at your sink? Point being, I actually think an island sink is in the way of any entertaining (and any view) and really limits your prep space. If I'm entertaining, I wash dishes at the end of the party. I try to load dishes into my dishwasher as the event progresses, but I like the island clear of anything since that's where people tend to gather. Having a sink in the middle of the entertaining space gets in the way of all the action. Add dishes that are waiting to be washed will just add to the mess. Having a clear island gives you a TON of prep space. Your prep space in all 4 of those options above is really choppy. So, I'd put your micro drawer in your island. You could also try putting either 1 or both your ovens in your island. Put your dishwasher and sink in your perimeter....See MoreSeeking kitchen layout advice for L-shaped kitchen
Comments (26)@Buehl, @ulisdone: thanks for the great replies. For reference, the distance from the edge of the countertop to the island in the current 1989-built kitchen is 40" by the window and 40.5" where the rangetop will go (a downdraft cooktop is angled in the corner of the L, which is a huge waste of space). The aisle measurements in the photo are a bit out-of-date -- they're from the first posting. The software I'm using really doesn't want to measure countertop-to-countertop so I figured what it does do is standard and I just mentally subtract 1" of overhang on each side, not 1.5", which seems like a lot -- is that standard for quartz countertops? The current measurement (countertop to countertop) from sink to island is 44-3/4 and rangetop wall to island is 40-1/4, about the same as we have now and 2" less than ideal. Also, the rangetop sticks out a bit further I'd love to move the island further from the rangetop (window seat to island top is about 47") and the issue is with the flooring -- Amendoim (aka Brazilian Cherry) in a size and height that's no longer available and we have exactly one 22 sq ft box left. It runs perpendicular to the rangetop, so to move the island towards the bay window, we'd have to fill in with a bunch of short pieces. Maybe our contractor has some suggestions, or maybe moving it down towards the window exactly 3.25" and filling in with a board the long way under the toe kick would be ok. We are kind of assuming they can remove the existing cabinetry without wrecking the floor, otherwise it'll be something else to deal with. And we love this floor. The seat on the window side of the island is for my wife. She would like to sit in the kitchen and be able to see the TV without straining her neck, so we asked the original designer for a solution to provide 1 or 2 seats on the window/sink side of the island. At this point, it's just the two of us (kids grown and moved out) so the design factors are both our comfort along with future-proofing or we'd only need 2 seats. We do expect to be here for at least another 10 years. We also keep going back and forth with trading the location of the refrigerator and ovens: I agree that the refrigerator is more practical on the non-window wall as far as opening and usability goes, but it makes the line of the upper cabinets look odd. This is from the original posting but I'll repeat it here: That supporting wall to the right of the fridge sticks out 2" into the room, so the refrigerator has to be moved to the left to allow for 110 degree opening. I stuck a 6" pantry pullout there but our contractor/cabinet maker will have to tell us if that's practical. or if we move the fridge to the right and leave just the 2" of clearance and expand the drawers or move the rangetop and upper cabinet down a bit. I figured considering a pullout here would be wide enough for cans and peanut butter. It's the cabinet over the fridge that just looks a bit odd. For reference, here is the other wall: This version of the island has seating for 4 which is enough,but doesn't have the big, deep 36x36 island drawers on the sink side, which are 24x34 here. Is this a better layout overall? Here is a west view. This has the island centered on the bay window, which is where the current island is as well. I moved the island to the left in this view to increase the space when the refrigerator was on the sink wall so it was no longer centered and that looked ok (the flooring strips can be inserted on that side). There will be a toe kick and paneling on this side of the island as well but I can't get the program to draw that. Regarding the appliance sizes, The difference in the appliance prices between, say a 36" and 48" rangetop or a 42" vs 48" fridge is nominal and they've been ordered (2 month lead time). I am curious about your comment about the hood -- this is what the original kitchen designer specified and we all agreed this was more elegant and spacious than the blockier commercial-looking range hood that takes up the entire space. I'm curious about what you'd recommend instead. Something with glass? Or a cabinet running across the top? We also aren't wedded to the door styles, so I'll try a rendering with slab cabinet doors. The cabinets are going to all be custom (a benefit of using a local cabinet shop), so we can do pretty much whatever works. We meet with the general contractor/cabinet maker in 10 days or so to finalize the plans and actual measurements, and I'm sure he will have some suggestions as well. Thanks for the measurements -- I've printed those and will use them to see what works....See MoreMichael
6 years agoThanks everyone for all the replies!
There are four of us that dine nightly in our dining room, so won't have a huge table in there. I know we would like to get a table that would seat a max 8 person if we can fit it, but not a requirement.
I know the island plumbing can be adjusted a bit, as it is just a stub-out of the concrete at this point, also the fridge can be moved along that wall without any issues. Everything else is pretty much unmovable (that bathroom wall next to the dining room), unless concrete is torn out and plumbing redone, and re-poured.
We have been playing around with some ideas for the layout in a graphic design program. Attached those below, both the Broken L and True L Shaped designs.
Broken L
True L with Corner cabinets
True L with Corner Pantry
True L with Corner Oven
wilson853
6 years agoI would not close off the current entrance. There have been many threads on this forum from people trying to figure out what to do with their corners. If you decide to go with the 'L', I would not angle anything in the corner, as it is a huge waste of space. I think that the 'L' also makes the kitchen look smaller than it really is with the tall items crowding the range. I like the entrance there as it allows the kitchen to breathe.
Functionally, I think it makes more sense to 'zone' your kitchen and put food storage together on the shorter wall to the right of your entrance. I would flank the refrigerator with pantries or pullouts and place a MW drawer across the aisle on the short end of island. Although it sounds like a great idea to have the frig near the dining space, it is not necessary. I had that in my previous kitchen, and there was just too much going on in the same space with my cooktop. Snackers can then get to the refrigerator and MW without traipsing through your cooking zone. It's also less steps when putting groceries away.
I would use a range and as many drawers as possible on the long wall for all of your cooking needs. By eliminating the refrigerator and double ovens you would have a very spacious look and a tremendous amount of storage and prep space.
Dirty plates will be coming from your dining space, so I like the DW on that end of the island, with dish and cutlery storage either across from or next to the DW, making it easy for someone to set the table without getting in your way at the range. I would also extend the island and make it as long as the range wall.
Michael thanked wilson853
mama goose_gw zn6OH
6 years agoI like wilson's idea of flipping the fridge to the other side, and leaving the DW in the original location. I'd keep the fridge on the long wall, but it doesn't look as if you can recess it into the hall--then it protrudes into the work aisle. Does a counter-depth model have enough storage for your family? Maybe it's just the perspective of the drawing, but it looks as if having the fridge on the short wall would crowd the traffic aisle.
Michael thanked mama goose_gw zn6OHMichael
6 years ago
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