Kitchen layout advice

4 years ago

We are building a semi-custom (right name?--builder’s plan but changes allowed) home in a few months here in Virginia. It is a single level home with basement and it’s just the 2 of us empty-nesters with occasional guests. I am the cook and DH does clean up. The kitchen is a wide galley with a peninsula, 12’ wide and 13’ long, and 9’ ceiling. The plan calls for peninsulas at each end, but I like it better removing the one (see my attempt at floor plan). It has a corner sink, which I like, having stood at a couple of similar models, but in a home we toured was put next to the dishwasher (see photo). It seemed cramped so I put a small cabinet there for some extra room (not sure it’s enough space or big enough to be useful). Some things I’d like: Standard 30-33” refrig recessed into wall, site built pantry 36-42”, 30” electric range (convection?), about 30” sink, mostly drawers in base cabs.

The peninsula has either a raised eating bar or 36” height bar (haven’t decided). The sink could also go on the peninsula with a corner cabinet and then the DW—not sure. Looking straight from the peninsula is the dining room, to the right is the family room, in front of the kitchen is a “nook” we’ll use with a couple of swivel chairs & table to read, have coffee, watch birds. Our main access will be from the rear hallway to mud room & garage.

This is a rough idea of the layout—looking for suggestions to make it better. Can the DW even go next to the range? Would the sink be better elsewhere? What size cabinets to put where? I’ve marked off measurements as cabinets, but I think pretty much anything here is movable except that the walls are both load bearing. Thanks so much!

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Comments (5)

Alex
4 years ago
think you're right about only one peninsula otherwise you'll feel like you're in a pen.

There are two ways to do a corner sink. In your layout and the photo it looks like a corner sink cabinet is being used. To have a 30" sink you'd have to either push it way back and have 6" or more counter between you and the front of the sink or you'd have to eat into the sides of the sinkable cabinet and the cabinets on either side which may invalidate their warranty. With a corner sinkable cabinet a 23" max sink is recommended. You could use a regular sink base cabinet and install it at an angle giving you a 33" cabinet front- you need a larger base cabinet than sink unless you use certain farm sinks- but that will have to be pulled away from that corner and will take up a lot of space.

You're right in bringing the dishwasher away from a corner sink cabinet otherwise you can''t stand at the sink, rinse and load the machine. Draw in an open door on the dishwasher and you'll see how little space you have even in this layout. It is doable, but may not be good for aging in place if you start to loose your balance. There should be a dishwasher return panel between the range and the dishwasher. The countertop has to be supported at the end and the dishwasher doesn't support it.

I agree completely with you about drawers! They are more expensive, but much more user friendly over time. Consider rollout trays in the pantry, too. You loose a little space but you gain accessibility and are less likely to forget about stuff or loose it way in the back. Their size usually maxes out at 36" cabinets. It may make more sense to have a pantry cabinet that a frame and sheetrock pantry since you loose spacer the framing out.

I would move the fridge down sandpit it next to the pantry. It would open up the entry area and could give you a longer run of countertop to the right of it.

I'm of two minds about raised eating bar. It hides the dishes from the other room and can keep company close but out of the way and it may be better too if you decide to put the sink there. (Remember a corner sink cabinet is 33" -36" from the corner as would be a lazy Susan corner cabinet. That only leaves you Maybe 9" for a cabinet to the left of the sink.). But if it's raised you need at least a 12" surface to comfortably put a plate on if you plan to eat there.

I hope this helps!
mountain_mist thanked Alex
emilyam819
4 years ago
There is no good reason for a corner sink in your layout when there is so much space to not have a corner sink. And definitely avoid dishwasher between sink and stove.

Can you post a layout of the whole floor?
mountain_mist thanked emilyam819
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I would put the DW to the right of the sink, out of the prep space, and put the trash pull-out next to the range. Is the tiny sink next to the range a mistake on the plan? On the fridge wall, I'd use a side-loading pantry to the left of the fridge, to keep landing space to the right. Items on the shallower shelves will be more accessible than in the narrow pantry. Use an 18" drawer base to the right. You have 84" of cabinetry on the island, so the top will be larger by the depth of the overhangs--at least 1" on the sides without seating. Will you have seating? One side, or two? Seating overhang should be a minimum of 15" for comfort at counter height. The upper cabinet to the right of the range hood looks fine.
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You don’t have space for island seating. It’s difficult to tell what you have space for without more photos or pictures, but if you are looking to create seating, I think a small table pushes against the wall by the exterior door may fit, and allow for seating on 3 sides. If you are looking for working surface space, you could consider a rolling cart type of island in the middle of the space, though I suspect you have space for a cart or a table, but not both.
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Dining table is not yet purchased. But we have 12 chairs. Peninsula as island creates some difficulties with the existing cabinetry. We have a lazy Susan without anything to really replace that with on both walls. Living room - not sure. But switching the lazy Susan to that end also creates complications. Since these are secondhand and we are trying limit additional purchases it does create a puzzle and some challenges. However because it’s a small living room off the dining room in one space it’s almost like a big dining room with seating in the back. Sort of like the open space and symmetry of the doorways on each side of range. Pantry door - i suppose can be in hallway but seems to waste space where we were thinking about keeping our old fridge. Also it’s a bearing wall so more complex there as well. Ideally we’d get a pantry door to match other cabinets next to it that opens to the pantry but likely out of reach budget wise.
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I don't mind the appearance of the windows with cabinets in front--as long as the windows aren't on the front of the house. You'll have more storage space with the cabinets under the windows, even with the corner cabinet, and you need drawers across from the DW for dish storage. Also, the base cabinets and island will align much better. It looks as if your prep space to the right of the sink is only about 24", so extra counter space beside the range will be convenient for the times when you need it. NKBA guidelines New to Kitchens? Read me first. Discussions--Extra-deep counters Discussions--all drawer bases Discussions--dishes in drawers
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mountain_mist
Original Author
4 years ago
Alex—Thanks so much for your advice! I don’t really understand the sizing needed for a corner sink, I’d tried to draw in a larger size than I thought was in the photo (at 42”). I will have an undermount sink, and if it will have to be pushed back from the counter edge 6” I might have to rethink the idea of the corner sink—that sounds like an extra reach. Great idea to move the fridge down to the pantry, I like that. As for raising the bar or not, also excellent comments. I doubt we’ll ever sit there to eat, maybe a drink. I believe the one in the photo is about 12-15”. I see it more as a place for visitors to sit & chat as I cook. We have a small galley now & no space for anyone to talk to me—I have to be moving them out of the way all the time as I move around. Again, thanks!

Emilyam819—Thanks for your comments! I don’t have a plan of the whole house yet from the builder. It’s been so revised that I’m waiting for him to get me a copy with the revisions. Where would you think about putting the sink & DW? What about the DW on the peninsula and the sink about where the DW is on the drawing with a corner lazy susan between?
salonva
4 years ago
I currently have a corner sink with a bank of drawers next to it and THEN the dishwasher. The new to us townhome was built about 25 years ago with builder grade cabinet etc so we are re-doing. I don't mind the corner sink by itself, but I find when moving dishes from sink to dishwasher, because of the angle, it seems impossible to do so without slobbering water on the floor. That is my only point I would make about the corner sink.
mountain_mist thanked salonva
mountain_mist
Original Author
4 years ago
Thanks, salonva--I wondered about that. How wide are your drawers? That may be another point in favor of moving the sink to the straight side opposite the refrig. I'll have to try resketching it to see how that might work.

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