Looking for Kitchen Layout Design Suggestions, Peninsula vs Island
We are currently working on a kitchen remodel that will begin in the next couple of months and are looking for layout suggestions and opinions.
A general contractor will be removing a wall that currently divides the kitchen and dining room. Once the space is open, we would like to add a peninsula or island to the space. We are also looking to add additional pantry cabinets, as we do not have a separate pantry.
All of cabinetry, appliances, and counter tops will be replaced. The current hardwood in the dining room will be matched and laid in the kitchen.
Besides my husband and myself, we have one child. I enjoy cooking and cook almost every night. I am primarily the only one using the kitchen work space.
We do a lot of entertaining, year-round, and it seems everyone likes to gather and hangout in the kitchen.
Flexibility
- We would like to keep all of the current windows and doorways the same.
- We would like to keep the sink, dishwasher, and gas range in their current positions, though we are open to other considerations.
- The sink is currently centered under a window.
- The gas range is currently located under a pass through opening to our living room. It is currently a downdraft range which will be replaced with a regular gas (or duel fuel) range - along with an overhead hood, blower, and make up air damper.
The cabinets are being made by a local woodworker (made to order) So, any custom configurations can be made.
Appliances
- 36'' Gas Range, 6 burner (with proper venting and make up air damper)
- No Wall Ovens
- We rarely use the microwave and are thinking of placing it in the pantry cabinetry
- Standard dishwasher
- 36'' Built In French Door Refrigerator/Freezer (flush inset installation)
- 24'' Under Counter Beverage Center
I have included the dimensions of the room below, once the wall is removed.
There are also two rough layouts that we have come up with so far - one with a peninsula and one with an island.
**These are rough layouts, as we are currently just trying to get the cabinet layout together and have not contacted a kitchen designer**
• The upper cabinets will be placed at the ceiling and finished with crown moulding.
• The dining room built-in and pantry cabinets will be floor to ceiling. (8 foot ceilings)
• Pull out trash bins will be located in the base cabinet to the right of the sink (or in the island)
• We are open to a prep sink in the island
• The peninsula in the first layout would extend 90'' from the wall, with a 12'' counter overhang into the dining room for seating.
• The island in the second layout would be 36'' x 96'' (we are open to seating options, if space allows)
• There are obviously no counters shown in the layouts, but there will be counters.
Thanks in advance for any, and all, suggestions!
Comments (13)
Related Discussions
Kitchen layout, island or peninsula, etc.
Comments (6)I'm partial to islands, but if there is not enough space to make one efficient, then a peninsula can be better. If you already prefer a peninsula, then I think it's great idea. IWSF is also a great idea, and an even better idea when you have space to have an island prep sink--it depends on the space available in a kitchen. If you keep the sink and DW on the right, then someone can be starting clean-up and loading the DW while you are prepping in the corner, without crossing your path (plan on left). There is also a nice secondary prep zone, beside the water source, with less zone crossing, and you have the choice to prep facing the kids/guests, when you are the only cook. In either peninsula plan, the only place to stand to unload the DW is in front of the sink, unless the sink and window are moved toward the corner (on the right side of the kitchen), leaving less prep space between the sink and range. If you omit the trash pull-out to the left of the sink, and put the sink against a corner susan, you'd still have 45" of prep space beside the range. In the plan on the right, you can see how the DW would be caught in the corner between the sink and fridge, and sometimes that can't be helped, but you have space in this kitchen to spread out more. OTOH, the wall of windows above the sink, with the backyard view, would be nice!...See MoreIkea peninsula kitchen layout design, how does it look?
Comments (15)One of my motivations for keeping the sink/range where they are is to minimize labor costs, which seem to be almost two times higher for any work (on the plus side, it's as if all appliances and materials are 50% off). For example, a quote from a highly rated (for both quality and cost) installer to just hang the stock Ikea cabinets is $2000. I plan to go with them, or just do it myself. It's a small condo, so both walls are interior walls with no exterior access. The range hood duct currently vents to the exterior through the dining area (running straight between two ceiling joists). I'm hoping to reuse the existing 240V junction box where the slide in range currently sits for both the oven and cooktop to avoid breaking into the concrete slab to run thicker wiring. Will extending the countertop overhang from 10" to 15" help with safety and usability of the cooktop? The dining area isn't large enough to really take advantage of countertop seating. To keep the range in that position: 1. Move sink supply/drain lines several feet along existing wall. 2. Buy a more expensive, larger 36" range hood. But use existing ducting. To switch the sink and range: 1. Break concrete slab to route 240V across kitchen. 2. Run plumbing and drain line around kitchen wall. 3. Modify ikea cabinets to run supply and drain lines through them (the toe kick solution looks nice, but will require elevating all cabinets). 4. Modify ceiling to extend existing range duct across kitchen, and through two joists along the wall. On another note, I will probably go with a 30" GE induction cooktop with 28.5" cutout width requirement, as it seems to be the only one small enough that can fit the 30" ikea cabinet (which has two 3/4" sides for an opening of exactly 28.5"). But I'll have the countertop opening cut slightly larger so larger cooktops could be added in the future by shaving down the sides of the ikea cabinet....See Moreisland vs peninsula in kitchen and hood vent design question
Comments (20)I like this plan a lot. I had sketched it out this way but wasn't sure it was really enough space. Thanks for taking the time to show the dimensions. My one concern about the refrigerator placement is whether of not it will make the kitchen feel "boxed" in when I am working in it. Maybe just when I am at the sink?. Question- could I put the DW next to the refrigerator without struggling with the DW door when it is open? I would most likely house my dishes and silver ware in drawers at that end of the island. It's nice to be able to move things straight from the DW into their storage spots without having to first put them on the island and close the DW door. I like the idea of the pantry. Do you have the space next to the pantry as a coat closet or the W/D? Thank you so much for responding and taking the time to sketch and upload. I am very, very appreciative....See MoreKitchen Remodel - in early phases - looking for layout suggestions!
Comments (12)Thank you for your comments!. Right now the island is about 3'x5' with 36 inches all the way around it. I know this is smaller than most would desire - but it hasn't been a problem for us. I would certainly consider a range vice a wall oven. The issue i have with it being on the wall where the oven is now is that my cook/prep area would be mostly behind me, and even then - its the narrow side of the island. It might work - i'm just not 100% sold on that yet. I thought about the fridge next to the pantry - but the biggest issue there is that i only have 24 inches of depth - and thus the fridge will stick out into the walkway. I thought about a counter depth fridge, but i only have 36 inches to work with there - and the reduction in fridge space would be a non-starter (its always PACKED!) Removing the wall oven is certainly something we're looking at to maximize counter space. One thought i got from your comment is maybe splitting up the cooktop on the exterior wall and then putting the oven under counter next to the pantry. Something like this is an option i was considering....See More
mama goose_gw zn6OH
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoI like the island plan, too, but I would switch the DW to the right of the sink, and store dishes in drawers on the end of the island. Even though you are usually in the kitchen alone, if you have a helper, he can unload the DW or gather dishes to set the table, without entering your prime prep space between the sink and range.
The shallow pantry cabinets, as you have them drawn, will allow you to have a seating overhang on the island, with the minimum recommended aisles, and should house any small appliance. Can the beverage fridge be recessed into the schoolroom wall behind the pantry cabinets, so that it is flush with the front of the cabinets? Also, if you're considering a true built-in fridge, you might think about using a counter-depth fridge with a cabinet surround instead, which might be less expensive.
Since you have cabinets on only one side of the range hood, I'd suggest a 42" hood for a wider capture area.
I drew the sink wider, with a trash pull-out to the left:
GW discussions:
stephanielynn thanked mama goose_gw zn6OHstephanielynn
6 years agostephanielynn
6 years ago
lisa_a
6 years agoCheck out shanghaimom's pass-throughs on each side of her range and hood. IMO, it's a great way to combine the desire for sight lines with safety and better drafting of cooking grease and fumes towards the hood.
I vote for the island plan.
Have you calculated the angled dimension between table and pantry? If not, do so to make sure you're not creating pinch points here.
stephanielynn thanked lisa_astephanielynn
6 years agoThanks Diana Bier Interiors, LLC
Closing up the wall is an option. Currently we are trying to configure building a venting/hood source above the opening - using an external in-line or external exterior blower, along with an automatic make-up air damper. This is still one huge piece of the puzzle that is not yet set in stone. We have even considered moving the range to a different location in the kitchen altogether, but cannot come up with a better placement with the footprint we are working with.
As far as a smaller sink in the island - would you suggest placing it on the sink work aisle side (A) or the pantry wall side (B)?
I really like the suggestion of breaking up the pantry cabinet wall with a small beverage center in the center. We did want to add an under counter beverage fridge in the space. Do you think that wall would be a good location if we were able to bump out the pantry cabinets to a depth that would accommodate the fridge?Thank you for your help and suggestions!
stephanielynn
6 years agomama goose_gw zn6OH
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoIf you choose not to have seating on the island, I'd suggest making it 38" deep, which would be standard 24" deep drawer bases on the front, with 12" deep upper cabinets on the back, and 1" overhang on each side. Also, if you add a sink to the island, I'd put it on the work aisle, but make the work aisle 48" wide, then you'd have two prep spaces with water.
Can you recess the beverage fridge into the stud space in the pantry wall? That would give you another 4" of aisle space, and if the lower pantry cabinets are made 20" deep, then the beverage fridge would be flush with the fronts. You could have a ledge, then make the upper pantry cabinets 15-18" deep, with counter space above the beverage fridge. Similar to the cabinets below, but with deeper bases with drawers:
PRODiana Bier Interiors, LLC
6 years agostephanielynn
6 years ago
Diana Bier Interiors, LLC