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island /peninsula with storage both sides and drawers on seating side

5 years ago

doing a kitchen remodel. has anyone done drawers under the overhang side. I know the top drawer would be dummy drawers. As long as the second drawer opens. I'm also ok with the drawers not being deep at all. Currently countertop is 8'*42" with seating for four. I can make the peninsula wider but not longer. Can this be done?

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Comments (5)

PRO
Anglophilia
5 years ago
With only 42", how are you going to have storage on both sides? That would only work with an enormous island big enough on which to land a plane!
PRO
User
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
That would be a poor choice. Better would be to put roll out trays behind full height doors.

But the size is getting rather large in scale, and you need to be sure that you have 60” behind any island with seating and a passageway behind it if people with full arms are to pass by without turning sidewsys.
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Welcome Elizabeth! If these are the only options, then definitely the left. You should not have seats in front of a range, cooktop, or oven if you can possibly avoid it. If you do have seats in front of them, be sure to have at least 5' b/w them (you have less than 4'). Besides, it would be far more pleasant sitting on the left side! Right now, your island is a "barrier island" b/w the refrigerator and both your Prep Zone and Cooking Zone -- are you sure you want that? It means running around the island every time you need something out of the refrigerator. The easiest and least disruptive fix for this issue is to move the Refrigerator up so it opens into the aisle b/w the sink and island (or close to that aisle). That would also alleviate most of the issues with seating on the left side. Dishwasher...Your DW is in the middle of your primary Prep Zone (b/w the sink and range). I strongly recommend moving it to the other side. I also recommend having all your table dish storage on the left as well. Do you have plans for the counterspace on the left? It's pretty much wasted b/c it's not located where it would be useful for prepping or cooking. I would consider making the left side a Snack and/or Tea/Coffee/Beverage Center. I would also place the MW there. I would place this Snack Center "below" the Refrigerator - that puts the refrigerator b/w the primary work zones and the Snack Center for both cooks and non-cooks to use without getting in each other's way. What are your plans for the island? Without water, it won't be particularly useful for prepping - water is a key component to a successful Prep Zone.
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PRO
Hal Braswell Consulting
5 years ago
To me, staying within a single slab 4’ x 8’ is optimum for no seams and saving money. Island height determines how much overhang is best for seating. Take stock of what you intend to store there. Back to back cabinets will jack cost up, won’t provide accessible storage and potentially means it is wider than a single slab. Depending on intended use, I would strongly consider 30” deep cabinets (if drawer bases) on the working side and a finished panel on the seating side. And depending again on height, with some structural support you may add shallow drawers similar to the seating area of a desk.
royaune
Original Author
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago

Thank you all for commenting. I believe the potential counter width would be 56".. increased from the current 40" not 42" like I stated originally. I have plenty of room for passage behind chairs . We currently have 14" of leg room and would have enough leg room for 10" of overhang so that is not an issue. Instead of drawers I think it would be wise to have cubbies for short decorative baskets instead of drawers that would serve the needs of storing thin charging cables for my fitbit, garmin, power meter etc. Another cubby would be for pencils and note paper. All items easily accessed from the area we need them. Below short cubbies would be cabinets with narrow storage. We will be losing some uppers and replacing with rustic thick shelves on peninsula wall. My husband is wanting his cables at his fingertips when working on the computer for downloading garmin and power meter info. That is his only demand in my new kitchen. He sits next to the wall at the beginning of the peninsula every morning and after his long bike rides. So there is no changing his working station. Plus that is where he view the kitchen tv from. His so called "favorite seat in the house".

Would I truly need two slabs for 56" wide peninsula? Budget is not a concern at this point. Just want convenient space. I drew this up quick ...peninsula on right is area visiting about. From end to end of counters is 19' 8"

Current kitchen... Cabinets also on opposite wall.
palimpsest
5 years ago
Ten is skimpy for long term seating. It's okay as a short term perch, and I am small.

If you want the storage, cubbies would be much more accessible than drawers because you will need to remove them for access.

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