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Remodeling Design Dilemma Kitchens

Help! Need help with Kitchen design...and awkward nook!

Taylor Webb Glover

2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

Hi all,

I'm struggling with a design for this awkward kitchen nook that's not quite wide enough to accomodate a table and four chairs as the door opens in so we always push the table to the wall. I recognize a banquet may work, but not in love with that idea. Any other ideas (with pictures is a bonus..I'm a visual person!). We're also wanting to redo our kitchen, extend the island to accomodate 4 stools. I'm thinking 4 ft x 7 ft but that will allow the minimum space between island and counters. OR contemplate a peninsula instead, but am concerned there will be a lot of empty space in the middle.

Unfortunately we're dealing with all exterior walls and a staircase on the other side of the pantry fridge wall. Any design suggestions would be appreciated.

Kitchen dimensions are:

Wall oven/stove wall is 13.6" - corner sink with window, adjoining wall is 10 ft to awkward nook

Fridge wall is 8.75" with doors on either end, one leading to dining room, one leading to hallway/foyer.

Nook is 55" deep to bay window, and 87" wide.

Thanks in advance!!!

Featured Answer

PRO

Beth H. :

2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

removing windows and putting in a door is easier than vice versa. remove the brick, frame out the area for the door, install.

if you want to bring up the floor level,(what do you plan on doing w/the fireplace? you would have to redo it and the book cases)

for the new floor, they would have to lay joists, sub floor, and flooring to even it out to the other.

At this point I would advise you to replace all of that white tile and do the same flooring throughout the first level. can you match the wood you have in the other room?

.Oh, demo of all that tile? 1-2 K (can't see how much you have)

remove a window and install french doors, about 2-4K.

building a banquette? have no idea. 1-2K?

new table, custom made cushions, etc.

I don't mind the sunken part. I'd do the french doors and close off that other door by the nook.

would be cool if you could extend that whole side of the house further out another 6-10 feet. I'd rather do that than raise the floor level.

i'd also widen your stair area leading down. on the living side, you could do something like this w/stair sides (little built ins)

install a cool beam above it:

or move the stairs to one side

If you replaced your windows w/doors, you could do one large sofa, and place the two chairs as you come down the stairs. (that's why it might be nice to move the stairs off to one side, gives you a bit more space.

or try this layout. you may have enough room to walk behind the other sofa in front of the doors. (if you could bump out that wall another 6' or so, it would be perfect!

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Comments (13)

PRO
RL Relocation LLC
2 years ago
I would not do an island here rather a peninsula L. with bar stools. and not put a table in here. its not big enough for a bench either in fact its a passthrough area I would maybe put a sitting chair or a table with plants.
happyleg
2 years ago
You need to put your table over by that window or over buyer railing to one of the sides or at the individual island
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The swap between the kitchen and dining room was discarded because my son and DIL felt it would put traffic from the garage/family room through the new dining room. Bringing in groceries from the garage would be just that much further., and as my DIL has some mobility issues, it would be harder on her. They also have traditional dining room furniture which includes a large breakfront; there would be no large wall space for one in what is now the kitchen. There would be space for it if they didn't remove the shared wall between kitchen and dining room, but since the goal was to open the kitchen/dining room as much as possible, that wall wouldn't exist. Flooring is a tough issue. Currently, the foyer and kitchen, including the hallway to garage/family room is tiled. the dining and living rooms have a pickled wood floor. However, whoever installed the tile put it down with literally a 2+ inch mud base, Where the tile meets the wood floor at the entrances to living and dining room there is a nice toe-stubber. The tile floor will need to be jackhammered and repaired. I believe son and DIL would prefer tile in foyer and kitchen again, new wood in dining/living again. With DIL's style of cooking, tile is the wisest choice in the working area. They seem to be enamored of the island layout I posted yesterday, the same layout their friends have. I'm not so sure. The friend has a 2 level island, which sort of defeats the extra working space it could provide if it were a single surface. However, in their current kitchen the sink area is usually wet, and a single surface island might be disastrous. The 2 level does have an advantage with electric outlets, though. I suggested they pretend to prepare meals in there. I also encouraged them to give mama goose's layout some consideration. DIL would still like to see some sort of island in there; maybe to fit in a small stool or 2? If fridge were moved to the area designated as ”hutch”?
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happyleg
2 years ago
Table over by the island and the railing Are the window
Shawna Rushford
2 years ago
Peninsula coming off where pantry is now. Turn “awkward nook” into pantry space? Are you able to remove bulkheads and take cabs to the ceiling?
PRO
Beth H. :
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
why wouldn't you want a banquet? it would be beautiful w/your windows.

However, that door is a killer. any table you put there has to be squished back. is the door mandatory? can it be moved at all?

you could lose the island and do a peninsula w/an overhang for seating, but those window/nook will be wasted.

honestly, the door is the problem. change that and the problem is solved

then you could a nice large built in area
Taylor Webb Glover thanked Beth H. :
jslazart
2 years ago
If this is a gut and redo of the whole kitchen, you should post an overhead layout. I'm not convinced you can fit an island with seating in a logical way. I feel like you could put a drink/snack center (and/or landing space for people coming to/from the grill in the back yard?) in that nook against the windowless wall, but it's hard to tell from just photos and a few dimensions.
HU-187528210
2 years ago
I agree. This space screams for a banquet. Do you have any other eat in area? I also think go with an island and that’ll help for more seating space during meals
PRO
Sabrina Alfin Interiors
2 years ago
The banquet idea seems to make sense, except for two things:

1. the sill height of the windows in the bay don't seem high enough off the floor to accommodate a built in bench. You'd likely have to replace the windows so you could build it in at the right height.

2. the door to the outside is flush up against the right window. You'd have to relocate that door to make it work OR change the door swing to swing out, not in.

All in all, this is an expensive proposition because you'll need new windows and possibly a new door and framing for that door if it's relocated.

This was a poorly designed layout. Save your money and address a new layout when you do a full remodel on your kitchen.
Taylor Webb Glover
Original Author
2 years ago
Thanks all, great suggestions. I would say this is going to be a full remodel of the kitchen however we're limited with the current wall placements. I love the suggestions for the banquet, the pictures posted were a great inspiration. You can see in the family room, off the kitchen, there are two windows. Debating lifting that sunken room up to the same level as the kitchen, and remove the door and put in a set of french doors where those two windows are. Anyone have any experience with this? I have no idea the approx cost of removing windows, altering brick work, etc. Ughhh, remodels are tough!
Rehabit
2 years ago
i have a bay window dining nook area with center door in my kitchen leading out to deck We changed the door to out swing. Maybe something that could work for u
Taylor Webb Glover
Original Author
2 years ago
Those are great suggestions Beth! Thank you! Yes, forgot to mention, all flooring on main floor will be redone in the same product. It's actually vinyl tiles so that part won't be hard to pull up. Unfortunately we're unable to bump out any exterior walls due to our property line so I have to work with what I have....not my #1 choice, but we love our neighbourhood, so we're here to stay! LOL

I have a window/door company coming out to the house to quote on the doors, I really love the banquet idea, especially if that door turned into a window, so it could be a complete semi circle :)

Thanks again!!
PRO
RL Relocation LLC
2 years ago
yes only do the banquet if you lose the door, but I also think you really need a full-scale plan for the whole space once that decision is made, bc I still dont see an island in this space.

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