U-Shape Kitchen Design Problems = Range + Hood + Windows + Cabinets
Husband and I are constructing a new build as owner-builders. I have design concerns with the range, hood and windows. Any advice/pictures/input is super helpful!! :-)
Space We Are Working With:Kitchen is 14'8" x 17'2" (exterior measurements). With 6" thick walls, we are working with a space of 13'8" x 16'8" for the kitchen interior. Design is modern/contemporary/southwest and the kitchen is part of an open floor plan with the dining room and great room. On the wall where the 48" dual-fuel range will be are two casement windows (1'6"x5'0" ea.) flanking the range at 50" apart. (See layout pictures below). Island will be rectangle and flat (we removed prep sink/break in the island) and approx. 3' - 3.5' x 10' with cabinets on one side and about 2 - 3 stools that can slide completely under counter on the other side. There is a separate pantry not pictured.
1. Keep the flanking windows 50" apart or expand them or scratch them? The rule of thumb (so I am told) is to have an additional 6" space for the range hood (so 54" preferable). I don't want the hood eating over into the window areas (so a 48" hood/range would just fit the 50" space) and the farther we push the windows out, the more it eats into the available space for the upper cabinets. Is it better to space it farther apart? Is it fine as is? Do we scratch those windows entirely and add transoms below/above the upper cabinets for light?
2. What to do about the range hood? I fell in love with a 48" glass range hood that is now discontinued and sold out (insert sad face) that would have fit perfectly in our modern contemporary design and over the range (pictures below). I cannot seem find a similar hood range at 48" but have found a similar (and cheaper) one at 42" - if the windows next to the stove are casement windows, can I get away with a 42" hood by popping open those windows whenever I am doing some major cooking? Will that just look too weird? Will is completely ruin the function of the hood?
3. Keep upper cabinets to the right of the sink (when facing the sink) or substitute floating shelving? This is purely thought of as a design option - it would open up the space in the kitchen but it would lose the storage. FYI, there is only a 10'6" long wall behind the fridge and freezer space (behind which is a hallway to the guest rooms and to the garage), then the wall will drop down to a pony wall creating either a flat counter-top peninsula or have a slight lip and top molding a few inches above the counter-top to define the space between the hallway and kitchen (have not completely decided on that issue either). So there is no upper cabinetry that will be hung to the left of the freezer/fridge (when facing the freezer/fridge) and it will be open. So if we do floating shelves to the right of the sink, it would work well into the design (I think) but the only storage would the the upper cabinetry in the corners and all the lower cabinetry/island cabinetry. Thoughts?
Comments (7)
Jenna Dee
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoRelated Discussions
Design options U Shape or L shape?
Comments (14)particularly if you stick with the U plan=all those cabs will be sandwiched together-you can get RTA flat packed sent to your door. Try Scherrs or Barkers-the latter can give you an online quote. these are good cabinets.Use graph paper and figure out what cabinets go where-plug it in and see what you get for the best you desire-drawers! Cheaper carcasses can be had from Ikea but the sizes are limited-can be done though-and you can get better doors from Scherr's. this is your starting point. Repurpose the glass doors[paint them??] on newer carcasses for the wall?? I would start with something like quartersawn oak with the factory furniture finish from Barkers for the base-it's a good finish-and maybe switch to a paint grade door for the uppers-you could easily have the uppers painted for you. or stick with the same quartersawn oak for the uppers-but just get a couple main dish cabs and leave some blank wall for open shelves. If this all comes in affordable-you could have the kitchen designer help do an island with detail because you've saved on the perimeter. If you liked that white kitchen-another way to price is paint grade on the perimeter and let the designer do a darker stained wood island and have that match the tall pantry etc over on the right. I don't think you realize how easy this all would be/why? bcause the configuration is straightforward-the walls are in-you are replacing. the redesign is only in your colors/finishes and adding the island. Put the thoughts on the look you desire-you can easily get the price to where you wish it to be.....you must be thorough in searching on the internet though and then access local hanydmen with paint/install/etc, if you folks are not super DIY'ers. Take that white kitchen expanded to the U shape with some sort of island in the foreground[not sure about sizes on that issue]...really pretty -and your floor is already in!...See MoreHelp me design my small U shaped kitchen!
Comments (32)Does the current sink share plumbing with a room behind the wall? If not you could make the kitchen a galley, with a stud bay pantry at the end. If there is space, you could even recess it into the other room. Having the wide, shallow pantry allows you to see everything stored there, at a glance. I drew a plan with separate cooktop and ovens, but you could still use a range. The cooktop is on the exterior wall for easy venting, and there are no uppers on that wall, to keep it open. There is an open shelf, also in the stud bay to the left of the hood, for oils and spices, and the narrow base cabinet at the end could store sheet pans and cutting boards. The window has been enlarged. If you leave a positive reveal on the sink, you can use a cutting board that fits over part of the sink, to extend the prep area. On the opposite wall I left the shelf for a MW, and extended it for cookbooks or other items....See MoreDesign help needed! U-shaped kitchen - what to do with uppers?
Comments (1)I think you can do your plan if you know yourself well - sounds like it as you have had open shelving before. Your present kitchen has a bit more storage then mine, so I can see living without some of it. I do use a pie-safe as a pantry. I personally am glad to have limited space because it keeps me from collecting clutter and dishes / bowls I never use. If you live the same way then your plan should work. The area around the stove will tend to be greasier and need more cleaning then around the sink, so my feeling is I would put shelving on both sides of the window. I did that concept in my basement kitchenette and only use the bottom shelves for dishes and the upper for a few decor or not frequently used items so that only the lower shelves need to be kept supper clean. Another thought is to use some cabinets with glass doors....See MoreKitchen Layout Decision Time: Island, or U-shape....?
Comments (4)Oh I know to be careful with the fridge, opening, ty. It will be a full size fridge that I can embed into the wall just enough to keep it from sticking too far into the room yet also not too far to impede the door opening. Unfortunately, that prep sink is for DH. Technically that 2nd fridge, sink wall, with an eye level microwave is for him to make his oatmeal every dang morning! However, I have plenty of time to run that by DH in the future when he is actually interested in talking floor plans again, for now he doesn't want to hear anything about it, he's still too busy working on building the roof. eta: I noticed you dropped my second fridge. If it's not there it has to go next to the stove, it wasn't a mistake that I had 2 in the plan....See More
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