@damiarain - thank you for those photos. I was thinking of something like that. If I switch the fridge and range, then I think I could get at least 12" and up to 18" between the range and wall, so that would help reduce the grease factor.

@cluelessincolorado - excellent idea. I will definitely ask my contractor about this. I hadn't considered it before (with the fridge against that wall) since the fridge door would block most of the wall when open. But if I switch appliances, that changes everything!! :)

What did you think of the 24” Liebherr as a solution? Any others that you liked? The vent does complicate the design of that wall. Hope he can move it to the window wall or to your current fridge location.

Straying from the fridge issue, have you made any decisions about the dining room?

Love your home!

Thank you for the compliment, my place is growing on me too :) It just needs some cosmetic work - don't we all - ha! Honestly the 24" Liebherr is super cute in person (not that it's important) but I got a kick out of it. My only concern is that I will meet the man of my dreams (insert maniacal laughter here) and then it will be too small. My current fridge has 19 cu. ft. (14.5 fridge; 4.5 freezer). My freezer is almost full, the fridge is about half empty. The 24" Liebherr is 12.7 cu ft (9.4 fridge, 3.3 freezer)... I didn't see many other dainty options (sure, the SubZero's were great, but they were also $9000 and I can't justify spending more on a fridge than the rest of the appliances and the cabinets combined).

Re the dining area. You will not be surprised to hear that I haven't made any decisions. ;) I long for a built in bench, but friends and family think it would be impractical. I have decided the room is too small to put any IKEA built-in type cabinets though (without major hacking). I put a 12" deep bookcase in there for awhile along a wall and I felt crowded...

Couple more questions ;)

I think you said you like to entertain. Where does the entertaining happen i.e. more indoors vs outdoors? You've been there a while, where do bottle necks happen?

I do like to entertain - due to my dainty indoor dining area and large deck, entertaining happens primarily outdoors between the months of May and September :)

Hi all, so I've been agonizing about fridges. IF I can switch my fridge to the left (should find that out on Tuesday), then I think I have made a decision! I like the 24" Liebherr, but I can't reach the top shelf, which makes it impractical for me - I know this would annoy me in the long run. So, I'm now leaning strongly towards the mid-height 73" tall 30" wide Liebherr (below) - not the super tall (79") one where I can't reach the top shelf. It has a smaller freezer compartment, but I will have two freezers in my basement so I should be covered. Link to details on fridge: https://home.liebherr.com/en/usa/ncsa/residential-appliances/freestanding-semi-built-in/30-inch/details/cnpef-4516.html

With this decision made (I hope!), I went to IKEA again, this time with an eye for my new layout with my fridge switched. I wanted to see if a 24" counter on the left side of the range and 18" on the right would be 'enough'. Turns out there was a display kitchen with exactly those proportions - see below and pretend the tall cabinet on the left is a fridge. It felt really good! Sure I wish I had more space, but I think it will totally work for me, AND the 24" drawer held a lot - see next photo.

This kitchen also helped me realize that my primary prep space will now likely be to the LEFT of my sink, since the range will be so much closer to that side of the kitchen - I actually pretended to cook in the kitchen above and I was immediately annoyed with prepping on the right side since it was 'so far' from the range. This means I would need to move my dishwasher to the right side of the sink... Thoughts??

I would for two reasons, closer to DR and out of the hall doorway. I think this is a good compromise without sacrificing fridge space. I have both 24” and 18” Ikea cabs and they store a lot. And your 36” will be great!

I don't want to get ahead of myself @bbtrix, but this kitchen reno may. actually. happen. :) Thank you for all of your help!

Following to see final product. Looks like it’s going to be great!

Thanks @Gcubed! I hope so!

@AMS I think the space around your range is going to feel so luxurious after what you have been dealing with so far! It sounds like your plan is coming together. Have you done it up in the planner yet? Post it here if you have.

Seeing the photos of your kitchen reminded of this kitchen and eating area. https://www.houzz.com/magazine/kitchen-of-the-week-a-hardworking-room-with-1925-cottage-style-stsetivw-vs~95787957

Thank you @4rbnglw - that is great to see, it really does have similar issues! I love the finishes they chose as well.

Hi all, I finally got around to updating the IKEA renderings for the new layout with the fridge switched (see below). My latest debate is about drawer configurations. I mapped out everything in my kitchen, and food/pantry items will be in uppers, as will dishes and glasses. My drawers I intend to use for all prep and cook/bakeware (though cake pans/pie dishes will be stored up as well). I originally thought the best layout for me would be 5/5/10/10 in all drawer stacks - I don't see the need for 15" tall drawers. But then did some searching on gardenweb and saw pictures of people's kitchens and 15" tall drawers look useful for some tall items like pots... So now my thought is to do 5/10/15 on both stacks flanking the range, for taller pots and the blender, and then 5/5/10/10 on the sink side (though the planner wouldn't render properly so it looks like 5/10/15 to the left of the sink). I feel like I need lots of 5" drawers for flatware, cooking utensils, measuring cups, saran wrap, tinfoil, hot pads, dish towels, trivets, all those things... FYI, right now I keep my small appliances in the basement (KitchenAid, crockpot, instantpot) and it's not a huge deal to bring them up when needed. Obviously I don't use them very much.

I am meeting with a planner at IKEA next weekend to finalize things - I'm now considering getting quartz counters from IKEA too, and I think a sale is coming up... Right now I'm looking at getting started on the remodel in January (!!).

Hi all, as detailed here, I briefly considered having a single dishwasher drawer in this kitchen. While I think I'm over that idea (too much hacking required to work with IKEA cabinets), people's comments did make me re-think dishwasher size. So, I now have even MORE ideas, this time related to how to make a full size dishwasher fit. I came up with 2 plans, both of which require a 24" sink base, rather than 30". I had originally dismissed a smaller sink base because I wanted trash and recycling under the sink, but with the new positioning of my fridge and range, I think I could get a small free-standing trash in the kitchen. Or still get them under the sink, but literally nothing else. I'm not worried about the smaller sink - I've never had anything bigger than a 21" wide sink before, so it's a non-issue. ANYWAY, here are ideas:

1. Full on symmetry - from left to right: 15", 24", 24" sink cabinet, 24" DW, 15". This has symmetry going for it, and the fact it uses the available space well (~1.5 extra inches on each side). But I wonder if the 15"/24" cabinet combo to the left of the sink will have basically the same space as a single 36" set of drawers, but be less usable.

2. Replace the 15/24 with a 36" set of drawers, but now have a pesky ~3" space to fill. I welcome creative ideas! I had thought about one of those fancy built in step stools, but they cost $600! But perhaps I could tuck a step stool in the gap, that kind of thing?? World's skinniest bookshelf? Kitchen towel drying area?

I must admit I think the 36" drawer bank would be more useful than the 15 & 24. What do you think?

Frankly, I’d keep your previous design with the 30” sink, add the 24” DW, and reduce the 18” cab to a 12”.

Thanks @bbtrix! You must be so tired of my waffling! :) Is your thought that the benefits of the larger sink base outweigh the slightly less usable 12" storage (or that a plan that requires a 3" filler isn't a good plan)? I don't think any of Ikea's 12" options are that great, though I know Rev-a-shelf and others make some interesting solutions. And I still think about having to store my cutlery on the left side of the sink, when all of my other dishes and glasses etc. will be stored on the right side (near dishwasher).

Yes, I’d prefer under sink trash, a larger sink, and as little filler as possible. Cutlery really doesn’t need to be with dishes and glasses. And it’s only steps away. I’d look into the rev a shelf options.

But if you decide on the 24” sink, I would put the filler/gap to the left of the 36” bank.

If you go with the 36 inch cabinet to the left of the sink could you then use an 18 inch base cabinet to the right of the DW? The sink would then not be centered under the window, but you could slightly offset the faucet to make it appear more centered if that was important (I almost always choose function over symmetry and I find the 18 inch drawer base much more functional than the 15). I might also consider putting dishes and glassware to the left of the sink rather than directly over the dishwasher. I would think about where you will stand to unload the DW into the cabinet; is the 15-18 inches between the DW and the wall enough space to stand?

Thanks @bbtrix and @klynneg! I do think it will be possible to get recycling and trash under a 24" sink (this option was showed at Ikea - but at Ikea there is no plumbing under the sink). A 24" sink base would also get me a bit more counter space (39" vs 36" on each side of the sink) but I don't think that's a deciding factor.

I did consider the off-center sink, but - know thyself - that would drive me crazy. I currently have a similar situation in my bathroom (mirror not centered over sink) and I notice it almost every day (and I've lived here a year and a half!).

Why don’t you want the 18” DW anymore?

Comparing your latest, I don't see the benefit of a 36" drawer over 15"/18". Yes, you lose some inner storage space with smaller cabinets because of drawer sides, but that is where your extra 3" comes in, so you aren't really losing storage there. (I don't think there is a great attractive way to use just 3", so it won't be that helpful. If you store something there, it won't be easy to have a door with hinges that looks finished.)

I like smaller drawers to be honest. It helps keep things organized by keeping only similar things in each drawer.

If you think your home will end up as a tear-down in the future and you are only designing this for yourself, then I would decide which is more useful to you: 30" sink/18" DW vs 24" sink and DW. I'd prefer the sink space personally, but if you don't mind your sink now, either will work.

@cluelessincolorado: well, it's well documented that given more time to think about something, I will :) And when I proposed the single dishwasher drawer idea, I received feedback from quite a few people that it makes good sense to get 'normal' sized appliances if you can, simply to preserve future replacements. That's really the main reason (that, and, TBH I have a mild obsession with DW drawers, and this would enable me to get them). I could absolutely be swayed back to an 18" DW though! I'm planning on visiting a friend with an 18" DW tonight so I can see one in the wild :)

@Lisa - thanks for the insights. Any size sink will be an improvement over my current situation, which involves no DW and a double sink, meaning I wash dishes in a sink that is 11.5"' wide side to side, and 16 top to bottom. It's the pits. Off to think some more! (why do I have a sneaking suspicion that I'm going to end up with my original plan?) :)

IMHO I think you should decide on what’s more important to YOU, storage choices or a standard appliance size. I can’t help with the obsession part...

I agree with @cluelessincolorado. But you also need to analyze the logistics and impact. If trash under the sink is a must (I think it will be very beneficial in your small space) then you need to find a sink and compact disposal that will allow the space for bins. Are you planning for a garbage disposal? There are less choices of sinks that will fit in IKEA's 24" cabinet with a rear drain and preferably a rear-offset drain, but it's not impossible. A rear drain and compact disposal will only allow about 8" clearance. The rear-offset gives you more flexibility with bin storage.

What do you plan to store in the cabinets to the left of the sink?

Have you revisited how your items will fit within the 15/24 configuration? Do you have any pots or pans that measure greater then 22.5"? My largest All Clad measures 25" and while it fits diagonally in my 24" drawer it leaves little other usable space. I'm a fan of the 30" and 36" drawers for versatility, but if your items fit nicely in the 15/24 then go for it. If you do decide on the 24" DW and 36" drawer base, I would position the 36" upper and base to line up and adjust the filler on each side of the base. This can allow for a 3" rev-a-shelf pullout but they are pricey. This will give you a little breathing room around the window.

Since symmetry is paramount to you, only you will know what you can live with. I think a combination of symmetry and balance is important. I dislike the looks of the first configuration the most. The filler draws the eye. Which looks best to your eye?

Thank you @bbtrix! Those images are very helpful. The third is the most appealing from a usability perspective, even though I know the sink base is about 1.5 inches off center. The problem is: my space measures 105.5 to 106 inches (I've measured from multiple locations on the wall, with a laser measure). And the cabinets in the third option measure to 105 inches. I think that's too tight a fit (right?)... I suppose since it's IKEA I could try it and if it doesn't fit, exchange the 15" cab for a 12"... I really want to buy everything in black Friday sales or early December, so don't worry, I'll stop agonizing about this soon. I swear I'm not this flaky in other areas of my life :)

I went off the 106 inches that you had on your initial drawing, allowing 1” filler on the far left. You do not need any filler on the right side since you have no door casing. What is the depth of your door casing on the right side? That is the only thing that your drawers and upper door has to clear.

There are no casings on either opening in the kitchen.

Don’t worry about being flaky! This is an expensive proposition in time, energy, and money. Flake away until it feels right ;)

Ah, it’s an arched opening and not a door. In that case you’re fine if 105.5” is your smallest measure. If there is base molding that wraps the walls you can remove the short pieces and recut to butt with the toe kick allowing the cabinet sides to go as close to the wall as you need.

Thanks!! I didn't realize cabs could fit that tight... will have to go home and mock up slightly off center faucet and see if I go crazy :)

What did you think of your friend's DW?

@cluelessincolorado: the dishwasher was... small. She has a ~8 year old Frigidaire. She is happy with it, for her family of 4 but does wish she had more space. I still can't get over how cartoonish they look :) I think I'm going to go with a standard size DW and do a 12" cabinet next to it. I have mapped out my kitchen storage and plan to store cookie sheets, trays, and cutting boards in there vertically.

@nancyk14: your kitchen looks great! I can't wait to start on mine - I've been thinking about it for TOO LONG :) Edited to ask: Nancy, how wide is your kitchen? ~7 feet? I'm curious if you chose to go with standard or smaller size appliances, and why :)

The width is only 82 inches and the length is 169. Our appliances are standard size. The refrigerator is a side-by-side depth saver, which I'm really glad we chose because our old one stuck out further and made the kitchen feel much smaller.

Hi all, thought I'd pop back in and give an update. After much hemming and hawing about the fridge location (@bbtrix can bear witness!), I decided to keep it where it is. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I had been living with a fridge only 2 inches from the wall the whole time and it was fine. Just to be sure, I did some serious research on 'normal' depth fridges with hinges that didn't result in the door swinging out when open (meaning, when I open the door 90 degrees, the door remains in line with the fridge case - it doesn't extend beyond it). Very few non-Euro fridges do this, but I found success with a Whirlpool.

Then, to be extra sure, I bought the fridge and put it in my current kitchen, and it worked just fine, even with only 2" clearance to the wall. YAY! I got the fridge home over the Thanksgiving holiday, and then things really started moving. Also, my 40+ year old range died that weekend, so I have been without a range for almost 8 weeks. Sigh.

Anyway, thought you might like to see some progress photos!

Before (with new fridge):

During:

(check out the original linoleum in the bottom left corner of the photo above - previous owners painted over it, and then laid new lino (?!)).

ETA: to remove photos - wasn't posting right

Here's where I am now - I will spend the weekend assembling/installing drawers, aligning the doors, thinking about hardware (advice?!). The appliances arrive Monday, and countertops will be templated on Tuesday. Then the backsplash decision making process will begin. And take much longer than it should, no doubt. Also, I have to pick a faucet and a pendant for over the sink this weekend - all ideas welcome! In my two years of thinking about this, I devoted zero effort to pendants. I did buy a faucet, but realized with my left rear draining sink, the faucet extends too far. So also, ideas welcome there!

ETA: I don't know why all the photos are truncated. If you click on them, you can see the whole photo.

ETA 2: I just read my initial post. Funny how many things I have changed since then! I'm doing white counters (not black) and a 24" dishwasher (not 18"). I am very happy with where I've ended up though.

Congratulations on finally getting there! It’s looking great and perfect for your space! I’m glad you chose the 24” DW and the 36” drawer base. I think you’ll be very happy!

What sink and counter material did you choose? Do you have a style and color scheme you are going with throughout the house? That should play into decisions regarding the pendant, faucet, and hardware. What is the color and style of door knobs/levers and other lighting? Matte black hardware would look great and carry through the black DR windows. Are you changing out the DR light?

Hi @bbtrix! Thanks for the kind words. I have appreciated your advice and guidance so much! For my sink, I'm going with this Elkay 25" (23" interior) single bowl sink, with left rear drain: sink

My counters will be Caesarstone Frosty Carrina - a white quartz with very subtle wispy gray streaks: frosty carrina

The house is from the 1940s, and my style, for lack of a better word, is simple traditional - I'm not into ornate stuff, but my house isn't modern either. I don't really have a whole house color scheme - my house is tiny and my bathroom is pink, which throws everything off :) But a color that appears a lot is teal, simply because it's my favorite color. Another Houzz poster recently showed her teal/gray/cranberry backsplash tile, which I thought was really pretty: tile.

I was thinking of black pulls as well, as I am considering a black dining table and colorful chairs (TBD). But maybe still do stainless faucet? Oh and YES I will be changing out the dining room light - that stained glass thing has to go. And painting the dining room an actual color. But again, no idea what yet. TOO MANY DECISIONS.

Would a black pendant (not the glass part, but the rod/hardware), black door/drawer pulls, and stainless faucet look OK?

Yes, I think black is a good choice but I would definitely look for the dining room light at the same time so you at least know there are choices for coordination even if you don’t choose it at this time. Are there any other ceiling lights near the kitchen? And what about door hardware? Why not choose chrome for the faucet? It’s a natural classic for an older home, reflects light, and is easy to keep clean.

i have an older pink bathroom that I’m updating and am happy with its evolution. I went with a light gray Godmorgon vanity and antique brass pulls and light. You can have fun with your bathroom!

Yay! So glad I jumped on this morning to catch this, I was wondering what was happening on this front. Looks great :-)

What faucet did you return? What do think of either of these? The Bellera is traditional and has a great spray and good price. I have the Bellera in one of my houses. The Trinsic has sleek, simple lines.

The faucet I returned was Delta Essa - it was before I knew about spout reach and all that. Those are very pretty options! I had never thought of chrome before - there isn't much chrome in my house (any?). All the door knobs are brass with glass knobs - see photo below. And the fireplace surround is also aged brass looking. I had also considered doing all brass hardware, but I don't know what faucet finish to do with brass pulls ...

The Kohler Bellera is really pretty! Hmm, is oil-rubbed bronze out? If I did that faucet and ORB hardware, that would jive with the brown marmoleum floors and walnut hardwood in the rest of the house. Could I still do a black dining table? And does that dictate ORB light fixtures, or could those be brass? I like brass in small doses.

Also, here is a photo of my always-in-progress living room with brass fire place surround, to get an idea of the place and my love for teal. Be gentle. :)

I really like this kitchen (follow the link to see more photos) - it's making me wonder if I should go with solid quite quartz instead of a wispy gray/marble look (IKEA offers Caesarstone "pure white")? I think I can still change my mind up until Tuesday... I did consider solid white - extensively - but thought it could look too blocky/like a huge monolithic expanse of white. But perhaps that's silly? In real life, the gray wisps in the Frosty Carrina are very subtle - the photo that follows is a kitchen in my local IKEA that has my cabinets with Frosty Carrina.

Narrow Alley to Open Galley · More Info

I consider a chrome faucet a neutral and IMHO goes with most everything. Same with your glass door hardware. I would do chrome rather than ORB. I’ve shown you pics of the house I did for my daughter previously but don’t have a good one of the faucet together with the black Ikea Bagganas hardware we installed. We initially bought chrome cup pulls but switched to a simple black.

Thanks @bbtrix! I meant to respond yesterday and then instead just created a new thread and forgot to follow up. Argh, the waffling is making me crazy. I'm going to go to IKEA today to stare at the counters again, and buy some drawer inserts (I only live 10 minutes away). If I can't change my mind, I'll be OK. If I can change to the Pure White quartz, ugh I don't know. It is ~$200 cheaper...

Thank you also for sharing the photos of your powder room, it's looking great. Is that tile pink? It's so light! Some of us are dealing with - how do I say this - a much more intense pink in our bathrooms. Think pepto. :)

Did you decide after your trip to IKEA? I’d be in trouble if I lived that close! I really like the mid century and Elena chandeliers in your ideabook! Have those given you guidance on a pendant? Any closer to a faucet decision?

Yes - I did decide! I'm switching to the pure white, and feel very good about it! Plus, puts $200 back in my pocket. No closer to faucet decision - I've got a bit more time on that. But I did buy a pendant - honestly just to have one for the electrician tomorrow - I may change my mind later, but I do know how to change a light fixture so am not too worried. I bought this from Home Depot in a "let's-just-get-this-done-right-now" mood: