Ugly little cottage needs a beautiful new kitchen. Layout thoughts?

6 years ago

We bought this little lakeside cottage a few months ago and are working to make it into the lovely sweet home away from home we think she can be.

I have included several pictures - from before we started the demo and after. The partial wall and pellet stove are gone. The stove is moving to the other side of the stairs and the wall is gone for good. The post at the end of the peninsula is also gone, replaced with a new ceiling beam. This opens the kitchen up a great deal.

The corner sink is not my favorite and the drain for the sink is actually a few feet to the left of it, but the water line from the well comes in under the existing sink cabinet. All the plumbing is visible inside the lower cabinets when you open the doors. Such a nice feature ;)

There is no exhaust for the stove and we will be adding one. It would be nice if the stove could move a bit to the left then we can vent out the small window that's there. The window is being closed off since they left it there after adding a porch - it basically looks out under the porch...another nice feature.

The plumbing stack in that little spot to the right of the fridge can be altered enough to allow a corner cabinet.

My dilemmas and wish lists:

1) how to separate the fridge and stove- where to put the fridge.

2) where to put the sink

3) I would like a DW (18"?)

4) The cottage lower level has no closet - so a spot for brooms and a jacket hook or two would be nice. This makes me think the fridge should be on an end cabinet run where you can sneak in a nice little spot on the side panel - but how does the layout work with that?

5) do we put another peninsula in OR add cabinets along the wall with the stairs.....can I do both if the cabinets along the stairs are skinny?

This is only a cottage but we can see ourselves living here in a few years after retirement, and travelling thru the winter months. So now is the time to develop a functional layout when everything is ripped apart.

Before demo:

After:

I'm in big need of some layout suggestions and help.

Thanks!

Featured Answer

Carly Schwanz

6 years ago

Kinda cute and quirky!

Maybe put the DW on the right side of the sink instead?

Thoughts?

Comments (21)

muskokascp
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
carly schwanz - I like the design but the sink has to stay on the main run of counters.

And thank you so much for the super renditions of the space! I tried hard to convince my husband to move the sink because I would like to face out while prepping and this would work well.
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palimpsest
6 years ago
could the refrigerator be turned and slightly recessed under the stairs? Or is that whole area taken up by utilities or something?
muskokascp thanked palimpsest
muskokascp
Original Author
6 years ago
Pal - I'm pretty sure there is no room for the fridge to be recessed. The water heater is in that space. Next time I am there I will have a closer look.

What about either of these two ideas? I'm trying to stick with the ice, water, stone,fire mantra. Once I have the base cabinets set I can work on the uppers.

What is the minimum opening recommended for walking into a kitchen ?
Elle
6 years ago
I’m a big fan of kitchens where an entire wall is floor to ceiling cabinets when space is tight. Along the back wall I would put the fridge, a built-in wall oven, and plenty of full height pantry storage. Then on the left wall I would do the sink and a cooktop, again leaving all the lower cabinets for storage and/or a dishwasher.
Please talk to an expert before installing a dishwasher- many well/sewer combos can’t handle the usage.
Then you’re free to put in a peninsula which is important for casual lakeside living. Good luck on your new adventure! We just bought a lake house to live in full time and are loving the lifestyle.
Elle
6 years ago
Here’s an example of the floor to ceiling cabinet scheme.
eam44
6 years ago
Can you please post a layout of the entire space? If you are asking for layout help it’s really useful to check out the New to Kitchens thread so you know what the gurus need.
muskokascp thanked eam44
herbflavor
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
I like your 2nd plan...for a few reasons....but I'd make the pantry cabinet a bit narrower and place to L or R of fridge...move sink up, so right side of cabinet is just a bit closer to the corner then. Move range to right a bit, once the pantry cabinet is relocated. Prefer the open feel...assume cottage with ? natural ,casual ,outdoor, or vacation setting.....and does not entice people to sit indoors at peninsulas or bars..esp with no real view. Open configuration allows people to come into space and do their task at hand....you cannot be in control of everything in a 2nd property with friends/relatives/kids. Just embrace it and open it up and make it flexible for whatever is going on. Peninsula: NO. is my vote. Reason for a bit of size reduction of pantry:this is part time use: you don't really want goods sitting there and it will happen, as there are times I can't get to the cottage due to life happenings. Think:some canned soup/tomatoe sauce/canned beans/ etc . Boxes of cereal/wrapped food/ baking stuff:NO..it just doesn't fit the scenario. Think: new well configured French door fridge /freezer drawers ...energy efficient...and just do a smaller basic pantry cabinet if you must have one. You must be excited.
muskokascp thanked herbflavor
muskokascp
Original Author
6 years ago
eam44 I posted the overall dimensions of this floor in the first post above ^ but if more detail is needed I can add that in. The other side of the stairs is a mirror image of the kitchen/dining space - no closets, bathroom etc. The understair area has the hot water tank with little room for much else. The only wiggle room for the kitchen layout would be extending a bit down the outside wall where the pellet stove was. The round dining table in the pictures is staying and I would like to have enough space to use the extensions for it and seat 8 people, so the kitchen can't travel down that wall too far.

The step down ledge visible on that outside side wall is from the foundation but we do plan on re-framing and getting the wall flush up to the level of the heat pump. This will allow us to hang cupboards or shelves.

I'm a big fan of the kitchen planning gurus here and will happily give whatever dimensions are asked!
herbflavor
6 years ago
you didn't place upper cabs in your sketches. I will vouch for wall cabs in cottages vs open shelves. The odd serving bowls/vintage pieces/ snack bowls of various types really get used here more than main home. Also, with the various antique, vintage shops, pottery guilds,etc, I have picked up quirky pieces, not part of "sets". Having wall cabinets with shelving to store as opposed to long open shelves would be my choice.They hold more, no dusting, and the odd sizes don't matter when they are behind doors. I love bringing out these things when people are around and they get use. When not in use: back in cabinet .
muskokascp thanked herbflavor
laughablemoments
6 years ago
This is one where you need to assess how you will really use your kitchen. When we go on vacation, we still cook nearly everything from scratch. (Too picky, too many dietary restrictions, etc.) So for me, I’d really appreciate the plan you drew with the peninsula. I love to be able to face outward while prepping, and it would make a good spot for a buffet. Visitors could chat with you while you prep, sitting there with a cup of coffee, without getting in your way. I love that about peninsulas. All they need is a velvet rope across the opening into the kitchen. :-) I think 54” would be a wide enough walkway if you want a longer peninsula. (You could go as narrow as 48”, but it’ll leave you with many “excuse me, pardon me” moments, especially if anyone is on the larger side.) You’ll find having the peninsula to be quite handy for items going to and from the fridge across the way. My dad’s kitchen was like that and it worked very well.
sheloveslayouts
6 years ago
If the plumbing is staying in the corner, I think a corner sink cabinet is better than trying to put the sink right up against a perpendicular run of cabinets.

I put the range to the left, the dishwasher and 30"fridge to the right primarily because the pantry cabinet with pipe access is in the corner and I think fridges look best next to pantries.

I didn't put any seating at the island because I assumed with the dining table so close you'd prefer storage. However, there could be a 15" overhang on the back of the island instead of shallow cabinets.
muskokascp
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
laughable - I agree with you in that the peninsula that was there originally functioned well as a place for a second person to prep, a place to set dishes/food etc on and I like being able to stand there and look out the window where the only view is. We also cook all meals from scratch so there does need to be pantry space for this which saves us from having to transport staples from home.

Herb- I appreciate your experience as a cottage user as well. It is possible we will be spending 5-6months at a time there in a few years so storage is important especially since the main living area is quite compact and there is not a lot of extra room for sideboards or other furniture type storage pieces. I would like to try and maximize the storage possibilities in the kitchen space.

benjesbride - I could live with the corner sink if I had too. I would like to try working a peninsula into the plan, although the trade off is losing the broom closet in the plan that had the fridge at the end of the counter run. We can steal some space from the eating area to extend the main counter run a bit.

Would it look odd to wrap a narrow cabinet on the stair wall from the pantry corner?That could be the broom storage.
sheloveslayouts
6 years ago
How far do you want to encroach into the dining area. The drawing above leaves 11' for the dining area.

Do you need counter seating?

Can you use the tall "pantry" cabinet in the drawing above as your broom closet and create kitchen goods storage under the stairs...

Brooklyn Townhouse · More Info
muskokascp
Original Author
6 years ago
benjesbride - the picture of the storage under the stairs is exactly where the door to access the water heater is. I never thought to put a pull out in there instead, although having kitchen staples over there would be a bit pesky to have to walk around. Our thought was to leave this space as a place to put rain boots, umbrellas type of thing. The dining room I think should not be less than 11.5-12 ft but I can measure out the table fully extended the next time we are there.

This plan has narrow cabinets along the stair wall which would be a good spot to house the microwave and have a coffee/tea station without cluttering up the other main prep space by the sink. It would also let a second person do some prep work, make a sandwich, set out platters etc. Are there any major issues with a plan like this? I haven't figures out the exact dimensions of the cabinets on this, more a general plan idea for placement.
laughablemoments
6 years ago
Have you considered switching to a tankless hot water system? They take up less room than a traditional tank.
muskokascp thanked laughablemoments
muskokascp
Original Author
6 years ago
If it was our home vs a cottage we would probably look at that option, but not at this point.
bbtrix
6 years ago
Are you dry walling the stair wall in the kitchen? If so, you can get a tremendous amount of storage on that wall with 15" cabinets. I used a 48" aisle between fridge and peninsula. 48" is plenty for that small area. I have 36" for mine and love the proximity to the island. The peninsula seating and extra prep space is more valuable. How many people really need to be in the fridge at the same time.

Full wall cabs:

Uppers and base, microwave on shelf in cab:
muskokascp
Original Author
6 years ago
Oh bbtrix, that is the million dollar question I wrestle with!

Pros to drywalling that stair wall - loads more storage space with uppers and a perfect spot for the microwave. Plus you know how dust and debis falls off the sides of stairs ....well then that wouldn't be an issue.

Cons : 1) kinda like the quirky look of the stair spindles,

2) the pellet stove is on the other side of the stairs and the stair spindles allow a nice flow through for the heat. Although to be honest, there is a heat pump in the eating area so it woudln't be that affected.

3) the stairway is very narrow and the open spindles allow more light and a sense of space when using the stairs. This would be the biggest reason for me to leave that wall open.

I could always leave the space open with the option of closing it in with wall cabinets later if I find we want the storage. How's that for a mambi pambi decision lol?

And I appreciate the visuals for the floor plan. I'm back in the old days of graph paper, pencil and ruler.
sheloveslayouts
6 years ago
Do you have to leave that back corner on the stair wall accessible to under the stairs? I think I misunderstood your requirement for that corner.
muskokascp
Original Author
6 years ago
Initially my husband said we couldn't close that corner in because of the drain in the plumbing stack. He now thinks we can swing the drain to the right and make it accessible from the other side under the stairs. We could also have a removable panel in the lower cabinet in that spot and get to it that way. I imagine we will have to have the cabinets pulled away from the wall a bit to accommodate the stack. And I was thinking of doing this on the fridge wall as well to make the fridge look more built in. I won't be on site for a few weeks to take a closer look and measure the spot.