Please review my first pass on kitchen-breakfast-family room design
E J
4 years ago
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mark_rachel
4 years agoRelated Discussions
First post, first time home design review request
Comments (30)Oh, that's wonderful Summerfield! I wish I could just build that almost as you have drawn it! Unfortunately, I've got some restrictions I have to work within due to the lot I have and city setbacks. I've been reading "The Not So Big House" book (loving it, thanks for the recommendation minneapolisite) and was looking at some new ideas from my original layout. **This is pretty rough** and there's a bunch I really don't like on it just yet, but I wanted to give an update. What I like most about my latest update is more windows in the main living area on the south side of the house and all three living areas having direct windows instead of the dining room being sandwiched into the middle of the house. I also like the shared entry so that the 'nice' entry doesn't end up being for guests only. I hate the way I have the pantry laid out, but I do like the idea of a good sized pantry with room for the chest freezer (currently in the basement in our house today). Also, this opens up the living room for a bit more space. My favorite things about the plan you've drawn, Summerfield, are both of the bathrooms, laundry and master closet. Those are the areas I'm struggling the most with. (as well as the whole bedrooms side of the house...) We may have a small television in the kitchen, and temporarily in the living room, but once the basement is finished we would only have the kitchen tv. So no need to build a dedicated spot for it on the first floor. Site Plan:...See MoreBreakfast bar creeping into family room? Is this bad? PICS
Comments (14)From the photos and what you've described I don't think the overhang should be a big issue. It would be extending out three inches into the family room, about the size of the palm of your hand (w/o fingers even). You would probably want a foot or two of clearance for chairs/stools or 2.5-3 feet for walking between the bar and any furniture anyway, you could probably eat into that for laying out furniture without too much difficulty. As far as the look of it goes, it is a very slight difference well away from your doorway so it should be difficult for someone to notice. You might want to go over with some cardboard and position a fake bar along the edge so you can see how it would look. If you decide to go with the overhang and then don't like the intrusion you could probably obscure the protrusion further by putting tall potted plants (or something else tall) near the door edges to make their position fuzzier and have them look even with the bar....See MorePlease review Ver 2, cheaper k. expansion-: add breakfast room
Comments (17)Ok, kiddo, here's spacing and all. You need to leave 5 feet between the edge of the counter and the edge of the breakfast bar. Seated people take up 2 feet beyond the counter edge (temporarily using 32" to get into or out of the stools) and you need to leave at least 3 feet behind them for passage and for people to be able to use the breakfast bar. are you aware the overhang for the counter as shown on the drawing doesn't match the size stated for it? If I remember correctly, you're using the ikea planner but have no plans to use ikea for the actual cabinets? That sink is smallish for cleanup (ask me how I know), a better choice would be to plan on using a 27" to 30" sink. You can't put a stages sink in a 24" sink base. The part of the sink that is less deep - in cabinet terms, is still too deep to have a top drawer in the adjacent cabinet. And you'd need to make significant cuts in the cabinet sides of both the sink base and the cabinet beside it. Even the small stages has an array of rack, board, bowls, etc that live on a rack under the less deep end. I'm not sure it would be possible to use the storage rack with two cabinet sides in its way. Plus - no rolling cart - or at least none over about 26" tall. The dishwasher positioning means two things - you'll need to be careful to choose an integrated one to avoid having huge fillers in the corner because: -- Dishwasher doors frequently sit in front of the cabinet line - even integrated ones. The filler on the drawer side would start out being 2-3" deep. Generally, with framed cabinets, the minimum corner filler is 1.5" on both sides, but dishwashers don't have cabinet sides or frames but you'll need to allow 3/4" for the corner overlap, another 3/4" to get beyond the cabinet door, plus extra to get beyond the dishwasher door. -- Drawers perpendicular to a dishwasher need to avoid its handles. I have a bar handle on mine and it sticks out 2.5" beyond the outer surface of the dishwasher. I would need to add at least 2" to the filler on the drawer side - making it more like 5". -- It is impossible to get into the cabinets to the left of the dishwasher while the dw doors are open. This is a sorta galley without extending the room at all. If I could do something more, it would be to replace the former kitchen window with a door + transom. I'd put a small deck out there to connect better with the screen porch. I garden, so it would have steps so me and my garden produce and dirt end up directly in the kitchen....See MoreMy family room and breakfast nook need help!
Comments (33)Sorry for the delay in responding. I have a senior graduating from high school this month and we have been busy with senior activities. I'm not feeling the whitewashed on the brick. Too country I think. I'd like to tone down or get rid of the pink altogether. I definitely don't like the black surround. I agree with Grover that it looks like a big black hole. I finally opened the fireplace screen (first time doing so!) and it's so dirty inside the box, I don't even want to go near it. Not sure I'm up for the fireplace project yet. Would like to get it converted to all gas and paint inside the box too. Probably best if I wait until after I get my daughter off to college later this summer. Would like to add additional lighting too as Izzy suggests. Can I ask for opinions on furnishing the rest of the room? I've decided against the chairs and media console I referenced at the start of this dilemma. I want to have a transitional-coastal feel to the space, if there is such a thing. I've had my eye on this swivel chair from All Modern in the Classic Smoke fabric. The color pulls one of the tones from my sofa. Two of these to go side by side across from the fireplace. The height of the arms and back are the same as the sofa, so scale should be good....See MoreE J
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