Please critique my kitchen layout
jellohouse
5 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (13)
Related Discussions
Please critique my kitchen layout.....
Comments (27)Interrupting for the range trim, its gotta have something! Seriously - you need to choose one of them, island, normal or tall. You sound like you should get the island trim (1" tall). If you get the default (4-8" tall trim), it will cover over more of the backsplash than you'd like. For the hutch, remember that black is a pita for showing dust. I gotz the following stuff about the appliance garage - have you thought about how those doors will open? It looks like one will open towards you and without special hinges may actually block you from being able to get into it. It doesn't look like a good place for a mixer because it would need to be pulled out onto the little piece of counter towards one side of the sink - not a lotta room to sit other ingredients nearby. Remember to ask what the clearance height is for the appliance garage and know the height of your mixer. With framed cabinets and large mixers, it might not have enough height. When I used to own a kitchenaid mixer, I felt like I needed a certain amount of overage to be able to pick the darned thing up because it weighed so much. I don't know if I'd be comfortable using a toaster that close to a water source....See Moreplease critique my kitchen layout
Comments (9)Hello everyone, Here is an updated plan. Your thoughts and ideas are really appreciated! A few clarifying details: we are a family of 4 (2 little kids). The refrigerator is 36x36 so its huge and needs to be 'hidden' :) The wall with the sink and dishwasher is a peninsula. I tried to minimize it so there would be space left there to add a granite circular area at the end for an eat-in area. We also have two large pantries in a nearby area so I hope storage space is not going to be an issue. (the design did not show them so I manually squeezed in two boxes just to represent their location - they are 24"D X 30"W). The walkway between the fridge and the pantries is 4 feet - I just ran out of space on the drawing to represent it. Some items I am debating right now are whether I should upgrade to have all my cabinets as drawers or pullouts or whether I should keep some as regular shelves. If I keep them as shelves, will I be able to get to the back - ever? Another upgrade is to switch to all plywood (vs. some "good quality" compressed material). How important is is to have plywood everywhere or just in cabinets that may potentially "touch" water such as sink and around dishwasher and fridge? Another idea I had was to use some of the pantry shelves to store my microwave, toaster, and other small appliances. Do you think its a good idea? How is it from a practical perspective (having to open doors to the pantry to heat anything in the microwave... plus any fire hazard issues?) If possible, I don't want to spend extra and buy a special microwave cabinet and a new microwave but if that's my only other choice... I guess I'll do it. Another question, how practical are 30'' wide pantry cabinets? Too wide? I was hoping to use two wide pantries rather than three skinnier ones since there is a big difference in price. Thank you so much for your feedback!...See MorePlease critique my kitchen layout
Comments (11)I put all my daily pots and pans in one lazy susan right now. What ever is left will go to the pantry. My basket drawer holds all the colanders ( i have 4) and mixing bowls and salad bowl and spinner. I use it for prepping 100% of the time. Currently, I have one large 36 pull out try to hold that. I can use the bottom drawer for pots and pans that I don't fit in the lazy susan. GauchGordo - how can I use up the eat in kitchen to expand? I have the patio door and the room to the left is a family room without any walls. The pantry area right now have built in shelves that are 12" deep for the entire wall. I would love to expand to the eat-in area if you've got some idea....See MorePlease critique my kitchen layout
Comments (11)Prep Zone...This is the zone where food preparation takes place. Food prep can be anything from making a sandwich to preparing a multi-course meal. It includes cleaning/rinsing food, cutting, mixing, processing, etc. For many people, especially those with small kitchens, their Prep Zone is also their Baking Center for rolling out dough, etc. 70% or more of the work and time spent in the kitchen is spent prepping. It's the most often used and longest used zone in your kitchen! So, this zone should be placed in the most desirable place – where you will want to work and will enjoy working. . Cooking Zone...This is the zone where you take the food you've already prepped and apply heat...cooktop, oven, microwave (MW). Only 10% of the work and time spent in the kitchen is spent actually cooking. This is the least used Zone, relatively speaking. Think about it, you usually don't spend the entire time standing in front of your oven or cooktop watching your food cook. Sure, there are some things that do have to be stirred constantly, but most things do not. And even then, you usually still spend more time prepping before you begin cooking. This is the zone that should be the most protected from traffic, especially traffic that's "just passing through". . Cleanup Zone...This is the zone where the dirty dishes are handled! Tasks include clearing the table and counters, loading the dishwasher (DW), wiping down the table and counters, sweeping the floor, etc. Since the DW is in this zone, it also includes unloading the DW, so Dish Storage should be nearby – more on this later. 20% or less of the work and time spent in the kitchen is spent cleaning up – most of which is not spent at the sink (see above). [In the past -- pre automatic DWs -- far more time was spent cleaning up because all dishes were done by hand. Today, the majority of dishes are washed in the DW and, with today's DWs & DW detergents, dishes don't even need to be rinsed! So, the amount of time spent in this zone is far less today! BTW, this is where the paradigm of "the sink must be in front of a window" came from – back when so much time was spent hand washing & drying dishes). Today, it makes more sense to have the Prep Zone in front of window or in the most preferred view/location.] . . OK, now we know what the primary zones are. So, how do we design a kitchen keeping them in mind? . Prep Zone...works best when it contains a water source (sink) and is next to or across an aisle no more than 48" wide or so from the Cooking Zone. Trash & recycle bins should also be in the Prep Zone. More trash and recyclables are generated during prepping and cooking and for much longer work time than cleaning up, so place the trash/recycling in the Prep Zone and near the Cooking Zone. It should have a minimum of 36" of counter space (with at least 42" much, much better) that is next to a sink that is uninterrupted by the Cleanup Zone (dirty dish "storage"). If you have only one sink, then the Prep Zone is on the side of the sink opposite from the DW. (The DW side of the sink is the Cleanup Zone in this scenario.) . Cooking Zone...works best when next to/across from the Prep Zone (see Prep Zone). It's also nice to have a water source as well as trash & recycling nearby. Note that a pot-filler does not count as a water source since pot-fillers do not have a drain, a sink bowl, or access to both hot and cold water. . Cleanup Zone...works best when separated from the Prep & Cooking Zones. This can be on the opposite side of a one-sink kitchen from the Prep Zone or it could be in a completely separate location (the latter usually only works well if you have two sinks). Obviously, it also needs a water source and the DW....See Morelefty47
5 years agojellohouse
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agomama goose_gw zn6OH
5 years agokatinparadise
5 years agojellohouse
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agomama goose_gw zn6OH
5 years ago
Related Stories
BATHROOM DESIGNUpload of the Day: A Mini Fridge in the Master Bathroom? Yes, Please!
Talk about convenience. Better yet, get it yourself after being inspired by this Texas bath
Full StoryKITCHEN DESIGNKitchen Layouts: A Vote for the Good Old Galley
Less popular now, the galley kitchen is still a great layout for cooking
Full StoryKITCHEN DESIGNKitchen Layouts: Island or a Peninsula?
Attached to one wall, a peninsula is a great option for smaller kitchens
Full StoryHOUZZ TOURSHouzz Tour: A New Layout Opens an Art-Filled Ranch House
Extensive renovations give a closed-off Texas home pleasing flow, higher ceilings and new sources of natural light
Full StoryKITCHEN DESIGNKitchen of the Week: Barn Wood and a Better Layout in an 1800s Georgian
A detailed renovation creates a rustic and warm Pennsylvania kitchen with personality and great flow
Full StoryKITCHEN LAYOUTSThe Pros and Cons of 3 Popular Kitchen Layouts
U-shaped, L-shaped or galley? Find out which is best for you and why
Full StoryKITCHEN DESIGNKitchen of the Week: More Light, Better Layout for a Canadian Victorian
Stripped to the studs, this Toronto kitchen is now brighter and more functional, with a gorgeous wide-open view
Full StoryHOUZZ TOURSHouzz Tour: Pros Solve a Head-Scratching Layout in Boulder
A haphazardly planned and built 1905 Colorado home gets a major overhaul to gain more bedrooms, bathrooms and a chef's dream kitchen
Full StoryKITCHEN OF THE WEEKKitchen of the Week: A Minty Green Blast of Nostalgia
This remodeled kitchen in Chicago gets a retro look and a new layout, appliances and cabinets
Full StoryKITCHEN DESIGNKitchen of the Week: Brick, Wood and Clean White Lines
A family kitchen retains its original brick but adds an eat-in area and bright new cabinets
Full Story
lisa_a