Help me critique my small kitchen layout please!
Tim Gille
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
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Comments (16)
Tim Gille
4 years agoscottie 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 Moremama goose_gw zn6OH
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoTim 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 agoemilyam819
4 years agoTim Gille
4 years agoTim Gille
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4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoTim Gille
4 years ago
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