Help me critique my small kitchen layout please!
Hello everyone my wife and I have just opened a wall up in our house and are about to redo our kitchen and just wanted to see if others could provide opinions if we are on the right track or not. The layout I did here was done from Ikea's website but we likely would be doing Barker cabinets. We would be doing a 36" corner (instead of 38" from ikea) and a 33" sink base which would center the sink under the window on the left. The windows in the kitchen are not being moved or widened and our microwave is much shorter then the stock one listed on their program. Thanks for everyones time -Tim
Comments (16)
Tim Gille
4 years ago
scottie mom
4 years agoRelated Discussions
Eat-in kitchen layout in a small apartment - critique my plans?
Comments (24)Good morning. You're busy thinking. There's been lots of discussion of sink placement on this forum--centered, under window, etc. The largest consensuses again and again, often with pix to prove the point, are that 1. In almost all cases sinks don't look at all odd they're not centered, function ruling in this case with no offense to aesthetics. It's often not even noticed. 2. The prize work area in front of window, or whatever, should be allotted to the area where most time is spent. For most of us these days, that's definitely where we do our prep. I personally feel every kitchen needs one good place to "cook" in--big enough, efficient enough, inviting enough to be a great place to work; of course, it could use a window. THIS idea can give offense to tradition. Peculiarly, for some the notion that the sink belongs in front of the window is almost as strong these days as it was when cooks could spend literally hours washing buckets of veggies in from the patch, stringing green beans, and cutting insects out of fruit for canning. :)! Regarding your layouts, personally, I still like your initial one a lot overall. It provides that good work space, not extravagant but adequate and efficient, out of traffic ways, etc., AND provides a great dining area for you and those 10-12 guests to walk around and...party. The second one gains a bit more work space but sacrifices the genuine spaciousness and flexibility of the first to get it, and results in blind corner storage to boot. I'm also imagining needing someone busy chatting away having to step back a bit each time you want to open the dishwasher. No extra chair on the end for sure. You'll know if your cooking style needs more space, though....See MoreCritique my kitchen layout, please!
Comments (99)There is no room for stools, unfortunately, with the 42'' aisle. If I put stools in, you wouldn't be able to use that aisle. Once the thing is in, if it looks like they CAN be fitted in, we can reconsider. The thing is, though, that to put it two stools would require 48 inches of counterspace, correct? So with the overall length of 108 inches and 24 of them already committed to end 12'' cabinets, it's 108 (total) -48 (2 stools) -24 (end cabs) =36. This means the storage on the back of the island will be cut to basically 2 18'' drawer stacks, instead of big drawers now. Big loss. I think trash will go under the sink - would be 18'' wide. I thought I would put my cutting boards into the 12'' ft cabinet. They are all so big. You can visit with the cook!! There's an 8-ft wide booth open for your visiting pleasure!!! :) You guys are all so wonderful. This post was edited by nadya1972 on Wed, Jul 2, 14 at 15:34...See MorePlease critique and help me improve our layout
Comments (43)funky - I totally agree with the practicality of the extra sink, water by the cooktop, the baking area and as a beverage center for parties. Ranges, I don't like them much. The simple freestanding ones are out of the question, spills run down the side into the netherworld between cabinet and stove...yak, shudder! The slide-ins don't create that type of mess and cost less at the outset than built ins, but if either the cooktop or the oven stops working, both need to be replaced, not much of a savings there. We currently have a GE top of the line slide in range in which the oven racks keep falling off the guides as (can anyone even believe this?) the oven walls have started to bow out. So much for "American made" and "top of the line" in today's appliances. Also, we're aiming to achieve a minimalist scandinavian look, and ranges, even the slide-in ones just have so much bulk to them. As to occasionally bending down, it's probably good for us, and just doesn't bother me. I'd say the bending when filling and emptying the dishwasher is much more of an issue, as we do that repeatedly each day and often for a prolonged time. If my DW would butt up to tall cabinetry in my kitchen plan, I'd elevate the DW center to counter height, the way Europeans build theirs right into their cabs, now that would really make a nice difference. benje - I've seen that kitchen, it's very cool looking. An open galley like that is what my dream home would have, so practical and no corners. And yes, it would look and work fabulous in our family room. But, he problem is, the family room would not look good in the old kitchen space, for one the space is just too small. Secondly, the almost wall to wall and floor to ceiling window and sliding door in the current family room are what make sitting there and gazing into the backyard ideal. We also enjoy these views from our kitchen, as we can see through the family room into the backyard. The reverse would not be the case, the kitchen cabinetry would block the view from people who are sitting on low couches. In the current kitchen, the window sills are at ca. 37" and cannot be changed (beneath two of them sits our tall AC). anyway there is no view out the side yard, and we will not add a "picture window" to the front of our house. So, no, I don't think we would ever use this space as a family room. Nice try though benje - thank you....See MorePlease critique my proposed kitchen layout
Comments (10)If you haven't come across the New to Kitchens thread, I'd suggest reading the section on storage (I'd suggest reading the whole thread, plus the NKBA guidelines, if you want to know the science behind the 'rules' we all want to bend on occasion ;). Then make a list and prioritize. Aside from cutting boards and knives, what do you use most for prep? Keep those items in the prep zone. Do you always use a colander for draining rinsed fruit and veg? Large salad bowl in use every day? Same for pots and pans--can the stockpot move to a spot a little more distant? Although in this kitchen, nothing is more than a step or two away--which is going to be great when you get everything organized. As lucky998877 mentioned, you could move the prep zone trash to an undersink pull-out, and use the narrow cab next to the prep sink for knife and utensil storage--unless you like a knife block on the counter. I don't know your style of cooking and prepping, or your family's needs. I do a lot of baking, so if this were my kitchen, I'd keep dishes in the uppers and drawers to the right of the DW. Mixing bowls and baking dishes could fill any unassigned space, according to use and frequency of use--casseroles, cake pans, roasters, etc. I would dedicate most of the kitchen space to prepping/cooking items, and keep foodstuffs in the pantry, but if your family members make a lot of toast or sandwiches, keep bread and peanut butter in a drawer to the right of the fridge, or in the appliance pantry to the left of the fridge, if that's where their toaster will be kept. If they eat cold cereal, make space for it there, too. Spices, oils, and vinegars in drawers to the right of the fridge--near the prep zone and range, but not next to the heat. If the MW is not used often, or you don't need a drawer model, put it in the appliance pantry or the WI pantry--or skip the extra seat on the short side of the island, and put the MW drawer there, facing the WI pantry, to keep users out of the prep triangle. I would look into drawer dividers, to keep everything organized--you can check with the cabinet supplier, or search for kits to customize for your needs (I made my own with some wood scraps). Take your time and do your research--it's apparent that you've already done a lot, and that you know what you want to achieve. NKBA guidelines New to Kitchens? Read me first....See More
mama goose_gw zn6OH
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoThese two plans probably won't get much love, since corner sinks waste some space, but you'd have more prep space between the sink and range, and the hood would be a nice focal point from the living area. In addition, the dish mess is somewhat hidden. In the plan on the right, you have an option for a separate cooktop and ovens.
You could add a small mobile cart or table for extra prep space, with or without seating:
Tim Gille
4 years agoTim Gille
4 years agoscottie mom
4 years agoTim Gille
4 years agomama goose_gw zn6OH
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoTim Gille
4 years ago
emilyam819
4 years agoBuehl
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoAnother idea...
First, though, please realize that with a small space compromises are often needed. However, I think this layout has few, the primary being the sink is not under a window -- it's b/w the two windows. This does have the advantage that the Prep Zone workspace is in front of the window, many people prefer this setup.
The other, minor, compromise is that the refrigerator does not have landing space directly next to it. It does, however, have landing space within the NKBA guidelines of no more than 48" away (the perimeter counters are 43" away). To make it even easier to get food to/from the Refrigerator (and Pantry cabs), I suggest a small rolling cart (there's an example at the end of this post).
What does the layout have?
- Separation of the primary work zones...Prep, Cooking, Cleanup
- Follows the Kitchen workflow of Refrigerator --> Sink --> Prep Workspace --> Range
- Plenty of prep workspace
- A secondary Prep Zone using the Cleanup Zone
- Real vent hood over the range
- 18" pullout pantry
- 24" tall cabinet with...tray storage on top, additional food/dish storage below the trays, an alcove for a countertop MW at counter-height, and more additional food/dish storage below the alcove (in drawers).
- The upper cabinet above the sink and b/w the two windows is only 9" deep so there's more "face room" while working at the sink. If you don't need the storage, you could eliminate it altogether.
- Pots & pans in the corner susan
- Note that I extended the wall on the right side to hide most of the refrigerator from the other rooms "below". This isn't necessary from a functional standpoint, but it is for aesthetic reasons if you're someone who doesn't like to see things sticking out. The wall, however, can be no deeper than the refrigerator box b/c the doors must stick out past all adjacent items. (The Refrigerator is surrounded by finished end panels, so it wouldn't be stainless steel sticking out.)
.
[Select/click on an image to a larger version]
Layout:
.Zone Map:
..
Rolling Cart example (found on Home Depot site)
https://www.homedepot.com/p/StyleWell-Glenville-White-Single-Kitchen-Cart-SK17787Cr2-BBW/304083100
Tim Gille thanked BuehlTim Gille
4 years agoTim Gille
4 years agoThis is the newest potential option which would give additional prep space with moving the pantry to the spot between wall and living area where there is already a small pantry that we have which is just not deep.
cpartist
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoYour latest plan still won't work because you don't have enough room to open the fridge door.
I don't like corner sinks, especially corner sinks in a dark corner because I had one. I always felt like I was being punished.
I do like Buehl's layout a lot and had thought of something similar. It works really well for your small space.
I'd like to propose something more radical which is a U shaped kitchen.
The compromise here is you have to walk into the kitchen work zone to get to the fridge which is not ideal. And the other compromise is it's basically a 1 butt kitchen.
However this gives you tons of storage and another eating spot.
The arrow is showing how that cabinet would open to the living room side for extra storage.
Tim Gille
4 years ago
thinkdesignlive