Kitchen layout questions
My husband and I are working on a design for updating our kitchen. The space has good bones, but the cabinets are the original builder grade cabs from 1987 and are falling apart. We plan to tear down to the studs, put in can lighting, add ventilation, add a second sink etc. Below is an initial draft of the cabinet layout. This view shows base cabinets, but the uppers would follow the bases. The layout is based on using IKEA cabinet sizes, but we are going to price IKEA, Scherrs and a local cabinet builder.
We have 8 foot ceilings and I want the cabinets to go to the ceiling without a soffit. Uppers would be 39" tall x 12" deep except for over the prep sink and stove where they would be 20" tall. Base cabinets will be drawers where ever possible.
Some specific questions the hubs has are as follows:
- How to fill the gaps (1", 0.63") on either side of the main sink on the west wall?
- What is the best way to end the island and incorporate a 24" perlick undercounter freezer?
General feedback is appreciated. I cook 2-3 meals a day and I want the space to be fully functional and yet look nice. We played with the layout to have two workspaces - the main prep and cooking zone and a secondary prep zone for washing up, making drinks, dealing with the dishwasher, etc.
The kitchenette (where we have indicated a counter height table with four chairs) opens to a sun room through double glass doors and then the south side opens to the living room and dining room. Living room is a step down to the south east.
I can post additional information on the house layout. Let me know what would be helpful to have.
Comments (8)
cpartist
6 years agolast modified: 6 years ago
Szara Loring
6 years agoRelated Discussions
GW Newbie: Kitchen Layout Question
Comments (118)Lavender - I didn't mean to waste your time... I'm sorry that my wording was so terse here. I've been trying to steer the conversation away from banquettes to other options. I'd previously said: "banquette seating is not desirable" "Unless we fall in love with some kind of banquette (unlikely)," "Sorry to say, but no matter how many times I bring this up, my wife is not into the idea of banquette seating" "But I"m telling you, the banquette is a stretch. It's going to be a hard sell -- we don't usually even like sitting in booths or benches in restaurants!" I'm not saying we'll never come back to the idea.. but for now I want to focus on what other options might exist. In fact, this would have been nicer phrasing than "I'm done talking about banquettes" so I apologize. I am still interested in trying out different island shapes and/or places to stick a table, in search of ideas that allow seating for 5 and better flow -- things like the oval at the end of the island, or the table against the wall, for example. I'll post some more examples later. Thanks again for all the help and suggestions....See MoreKitchen Layout Questions
Comments (9)two 15 inch pantries side by side far left down from sink...away from fridge..with your absence of wall cabinets apparently food stuffs are going in pantries. However you are significantly reducing counter space. i might install some wall cabinets and have one 15-18 inch pantry....full depth with rollouts is pretty nice...it holds a lot....in addition to a wall cabinet or two. What is the thinking behind expensive dbl bowl farmhouse sink. With island the visual won't be significant and dbl bowl is not really good use of space for you. I would change to single bowl, undermount and consider shift to left, NOT centered under window and then corner counter space will expand, as much will be happening there.The faucet can be off center so will rest almost at middle of window....the whole"centering the sink under window" theme has been proven often unworthy,given the sacrifices sometimes made for its implementation....See MoreKitchen layout questions for new construction
Comments (9)Thanks for the help here. Appreciate the suggestions and also the comments on aisle width. I'm going to post a kitchen layout I've been working on. I haven't incorporated all of the suggestions yet, but wanted to get something down to work with. Still learning the software, so it's a little rough around the edges. Planning on all drawers for lowers (except on seating side of island) even though it's not indicated in the drawings. Because we're going to be using ikea cabinets, the 18-inch deep pantry cabinets aren't a good option. I could do the 15 inch deep version. Thinking about putting a microwave in the pantry cabinets (open shelf), and I'm concerned that won't work with the 15 inch deep pantry cabinet? In the drawings I'm posting, I've got 24 inch deep cabinets along that wall. I've also increased the kitchen width to 19 feet. In all of these configurations, I have about 7 feet between the edge of the island countertop, and the edge of the dining table. I've added some notes about where I think things might go, but I have no idea what would work best for prep sink, trash location, etc. One thing I love about my current kitchen is that I can grab clean plates and silverware out of the dishwasher, swivel without even hardly taking a step, and put it all away. I thought about turning one of the cabinets that is on the seating side of the island, and swiveling it to have drawers facing the sink cabinet wall. Would that look weird? Also, I am used to a longer (but not as deep) island. Am I going to miss the extra length? Especially if I am also breaking it up with a prep sink? Please let me know if this is hard to read. Thanks so much! (1) close up of first kitchen plan (2) Same as above, but including mudroom leading to garage: (3) An alternative island option, and sink moved further south (oops, just now noticed I forgot to move the windows down with the sink):...See MoreKitchen Layout Question
Comments (24)Thank you mama goose_gw zn6OH. I really like this idea, and I have no idea why I hadn't thought about it before. Of course there would be a little less space between the dishwasher and the sink, which I know isn't ideal. In order not to feel wedged in when the dishwasher is open, how much space between it do you think it necessary? Also, do you think it would be a bad look to have the built in micorwave and cabinet above the range on tha wall in between the windows? I also like your idea of the 45 degree cabinets if I can find them in stock cabinets AFritzler. I'd love your thoughts on the above option too! Thank you so much for everyone who has taken the time to help. I really appreciate it....See More
mama goose_gw zn6OH
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agocpartist
6 years agoSzara Loring
6 years agoSzara Loring
6 years agoI'll post some pictures this evening. But I've crudely annotated the original drawing to indicate structural features that cannot be changed without considerable expense. I've also noted the "drop zone" in today's layout. It's where keys, mail, junk etc lands on a daily basis.
Szara Loring
6 years agoHere are pictures of the current state of the kitchen. Hope this helps give a sense of the space. The kitchen is a little deconstructed. We bought the house as a fixer upper and took out the original appliances (all circa 1987) so that I could have my appliances instead. There are openings in the cabinets that made no sense to fill as we planned to remodel. Oh the fun of living in a house as you remodel. Sigh.
Looking toward the kitchen from the dining room / foyer.
Looking into the dinette (or whatever they are called these days).
Looking towards sunroom from the dinette
Looking into kitchen from the dinette
South wall - gap is where the original 1987 side by side 48" subzero lived. Hate the cabs that go all the way to the counter. Boo hiss.
West Wall - opening was where a 1987 trash compactor lived. Those were the days!
East wall - there was a cooktop where my Electrolux is now. We cut that cabinet to slide the range in. My 30 inch Miele all fridge is in the cabinet that held a microwave / wall oven combi. Hate the weird little drawers on either side of the range. Seriously, what goes in there?
mama goose_gw zn6OH