seeking feedbacks on new kitchen layout
Hi, kitchen experts and enthusiasts!
Please provide feedbacks for our new kitchen layout. This is a late-80s contemporary house. The first drawing is the current layout. A few things I don't like about it: 1. There is a narrow (36") hallway next to the kitchen and dining room area. Heavy traffic between kitchen/mudroom area and the rest of the house needs to go through the narrow hallway. 2. The dining room is closed to the kitchen. It would be convenient if the two were connected.
We are a multi-gen family with little kids. We cook daily and sometimes two people work in the kitchen. We’d love to have an efficient kitchen with open, streamlined, and modern design.
Thanks for your feedback!
Comments (11)
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Comments (16)livewire - Thank you SO VERY much for the plan! I loved it but my hubby instantly saw issues with the oven/micro combo right by the doorway to the hallway and the formal dining room. Hubby couldn't visualize the island for some reason. The guy who jokes at me about my vision skills cannot see what you meant. I think I know exactly what you meant, and the island would be LOVELY! Misiwa - thinking it over about moving the micro/oven combo. LisaA - I like your design, but unfortunately we are planning to go with a counter depth refrigerator. Do you think it could be pulled off with a counter depth fridge instead of a fully integrated? I haven't ordered our fridge yet, so you have given me something to think about! BP - You sound like my mom, lol! So worried about dishes and utensils. I appreciate the concern, it makes me think about something like Lisa's design with the main sink not in the island.... Jdez - Thanks for the vote of confidence. By "like it is" do you mean the original kitchen or something that has morphed since that point? Sena01- I personally really liked your idea. My husband just thinks I would miss my cabinetry on that side. Thinking it over... Okay, I hope I did not leave anyone out! I want to thank each and every one of you for your input and especially those of you that took the time to draw my kitchen out or design it on a computer program! I apologize for not being on here sooner. My tooth is killing me, and my daughter started back to school today. Had an emergency call from my builder and had to drop everything and meet him earlier today. Safe to say, it has just been a Monday! You guys really are so helpful. I am open to more ideas or critiques......See MoreRedesigning bungalow layout - seeking feedback!
Comments (6)Hi A. Wu: first of all, your home, from the photos you’ve provided, looks lovely and very light and bright. Regarding the idea about enlarging the living room windows, is there a view to be opened up? It doesn’t appear that you need them for additional light. Might not be worth the expense…. I quite like the layout you have currently which creates separation between the living room and the bedrooms and bathroom. It is more private. To create the illusion of more space in the bathroom, change out the tub for a shower and, instead of a door with a swing, have you considered switching it out for a sliding door? You could mount a barn door on the hallway side of the wall …. Are there times when two people are in there using sinks at the same time, if not, it probably isn’t worth the expense to go to a double sink vanity (even with stealing room from the hallway, it looks a bit tight for 2 adults to be standing next to one another). What is the room off the bedroom? Could that be made into a dressing room? Could you gain additional closet space in there? If you change the kitchen, do ensure you have room for walkways - as previously mentioned, minimum is 42” and wider is better (especially for 2 or more cooks at the same time). For the fireplace, get an expert in to provide advice - it is in a weird location, so I can see why you would want to remove it. Hope you find this helpful....See MoreSeeking new construction kitchen layout advice
Comments (7)When I click on the images they aren't larger and legible. More megapixels would be necessary. Don't be influenced by negative comments. There'll be help from others. But we'll need larger images. The more useful configuration for base cabs is 36-48" wide 3 drawer. A single bowl sink is the current favorite....See MoreNew kitchen layout for old house. Seeking feedback!
Comments (21)Maybe I have really low standards because our current dishwasher is between the stove and sink, and it’s fine :) My current trash is even further away from the sink and it never bothered me. I’ve spent most of my life in old homes, so I can live with the quirks. (But we also have a 2nd home that’s newer construction, so I know the pleasure of working in a spacious kitchen that follows modern rules!) I too lived mostly in old homes my whole life. I grew up in a 1920's colonial then my first old home I owned was a 1927 bungalow and that and my current kitchen, were the two the best layouts ever. Why? Because if followed good layout principles. It was an L shape without an island since the room was too small for an island. However, on the left was the fridge, then the DW, then the sink and on the short end of the L was the stove. I've also cooked in poorly designed older kitchens and trust me the difference is night and day. Take the time to find a real kitchen designer and work with him/her to get a kitchen that will work. Why would you pay 5 figures of your hard earned money for you just to "live with the quirks" versus having something that daily is a pleasure to work in? Re: the prep sink, that could be omitted. But I thought it would be handy since it’s common in my house that one person is doing dishes while the other needs to quickly use the sink to rinse produce, wash hands, etc. I thought it could be an “out of the way” prep station for school lunches, etc. How can it be an out of the way prep station when everything would have to be carried to and from the fridge? Most days I make myself a sandwich for lunch. I can't imagine trying to juggle the bread, the peanut butter, the jelly, the plate etc to that prep station and back again. Yes to doing it on the island, but... The beverage fridge could also go, and I can let go of having island seating (although I would really love it!) The current kitchen, before changing any walls, is 12” wide. You don't even really have room for an island. 12' is = to 144". Cabinets take up 25.5" when you add countertops. 144" - 51" (the main counters plus the prep sink area) = 93". You need a minimum of 42" for your work aisle IF no one is helping in the kitchen. 93" - 42" = 51". An island with seating is a minimum of 42" so that would leave you only 9" for a walkway between the island and the prep sink area. I will likely bring in a kitchen designer but wanted to explore some different ideas first. We have even looked at moving the kitchen to a different room but the current location (with all its constraints) still seems to work the best. A good KD will come out, measure, check everything out and really brainstorm with you. @er612, don’t get me started on the powder room area. That’s a whole other story but you should see how bad it is now! Hahaha! The joys of living in an old house. Gotta love them. I know I do and if I wasn't up there in age, and could have found another one that hadn't been complete remuddled in terms of layout, I wouldn't have built new. (Although I did build a new craftsman that actually wound up in The Old House Journal.)...See More
zjz_1999
4 years agozjz_1999
4 years agozjz_1999
4 years agozjz_1999
4 years ago
damiarain
4 years agoWhat about something like below:
- Large aisle for garage traffic (best guess is >55")
- Move the laundry door
- I assumed there were windows along that right wall (shown as yellow boxes)
- Aisle between the two counters is 48" - wide enough that the DW can be open and someone can still be moving/working at the other counter
- Can enclose the storage/pantry area like the example below
- Instead of a table-height section, seating along 3 sides of the island (which is large right now - could be shortened)
Do the skylights already exist? If so, the one in the new dining area may cause you issues for lighting the dining table
Example Pantry Wall:
zjz_1999 thanked damiarain
mama goose_gw zn6OH
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoI like damiarain's plan with the cooktop on the exterior wall, but I think there needs to be some separation between the PR and kitchen.
In this plan you could keep the left side of the hallway as is, and keep the existing window locations. Without measurements we won't know if ovens will fit between the window and LR wall, or the exact width of the aisles. Without pics of current kitchen we won't know the slope of the ceiling. I centered the cooktop on what looks like the peak. (Also centered between the existing windows.)
I'd normally put the prep sink on the island, but since the view would be the pantry, I centered the prep sink under the bigger window.
There will be some traffic through part of the kitchen, but the cooktop and clean-up zones are not in the path. Anyone coming from the LR or upstairs, looking for a cold drink or snack, can easily access the fridge without entering the prep areas, and the prep sink is available if needed.
zjz_1999 thanked mama goose_gw zn6OHzjz_1999
4 years agolast modified: 4 years ago
Mama goose and Damiarain, thanks for your ideas. I put some structural info on Damiarain's drawing. There is a small attic (not living space) over the hallway and storage area (it's one attic, although I made two rectangles) and the black little squares are posts may be hard to relocate. Post A supports a beam, which runs right under and parallel to the house main ridge. Post B supports the attic floor. I will definitely consult a structural engineer and architect about this renovation.The ceiling slopes down from left to right (7'). One of the "yellow" windows is close (13") to the floor. This window is in good shape and I hope not to retire it before its lifetime. The other can be added anywhere looking out to the deck and woods beyond. The skylight over dining table is my proposal to lighten up the room, which is darkened by the screened porch.
I like the design of a long countertop along the exterior wall. The fridge location in this drawing is not ideal though. People will need to walk through the kitchen to access it. Also, I would love to have a walk-in pantry for easy access.
cpartist