Would you substantively change this kitchen layout?
Long time lurker, first time poster. I'm working on plans to remodel my small and storage-challenged 1920s kitchen. I am ready for feedback. Some things we won't change: The window seating nook is non-negotiable per the husband who cannot imagine his life without it. We can't expand in any direction or eliminate/change doors for functional and flow reasons. My personality will not allow the sink to be anywhere but centered under the window- other people might be fine with it, but it would drive me crazy every singe day.
This is not an exact inch-for-inch plan (though pretty close). Consider this a pretty accurate but sill not refined sketch. For example, there will be a standard 3/4 or 1 inch panel to the right side of the fridge (not 3", which was the only option on the planner I was using), these are not my appliances, and there will be a spacer to the right of the uppers on the west wall. There will be trim all the way to the ceiling and this is probably not my exact height for uppers. Ignore all the weird measurements in the pics- the online planner and it kept throwing meaningless numbers in there.
OVERHEAD PLAN
WEST WALL (Range)- Current 30" range will be moved to this wall. Glass doors on the uppers, thinking about "transom" with solid top to mimic double stacked cabinets. Two 18" base drawer stacks flank the range. Should they be 3 or 4 drawer? No idea. Yes, that is a 33" corner cabinet. It will have a susan with the doors attached so they spin around with the susan. I have gone around and around (no pun intended) on this one, but I think this is the most suitable solution for this space. I plan to keep some smaller appliances in there, maybe some smaller pots. I don't want an asymmetrical because I would rather have two 18" drawer bases flanking the range than one 15" and one 18". It is all about trade offs, right? But if anybody sees something I am missing, I am open to other options.
SOUTH WALL (fridge) The upper cabinet to the right of the fridge will have doors on top and a shelf on the bottom- no stile. I plan to put a small microwave and cookbooks there, more like an open shelf than a microwave. I might make it touch deeper than standard- I am doing semi-custom so this is an option. I will adjust the doors on the 18" W pantry cabinet so the top door is the same height as the other top cabinets. One design question- I am almost settled on quartersawn or rift white oak lowers (a contemporary nod to my 1920s bungalow) and light uppers, but what would you do with the pantry cabinet and the cabinet above the fridge? Light or wood? My instincts say light, but I am really not sure about this one.
NORTH WALL (sink) - Windows are both actually two double hungs each, not just one. I was too lazy to do two. Note the sink is centered as it should be ;-) . I already own a 30" Whitehave Koehler sink, (long story) but am willing to sell and buy something else if somebody has a different idea for this area.
3D looking South
3D looking NE, no nook window benches in image (obviously)
Current East Wall (will move range here) Swinging door goes to dining room.
Current South Wall - chimney stack and soffit to be removed. So many things are wrong with this current arrangement. So many... This is a 30" Bluestar range which I recommend with all of my heart. It stays after the remodel, but fridge will be replaced with a 36" wide counter depth (probably Fisher Paykel because I prefer one without an ice maker or water, but undecided). We've already moved the furnace and hot water heater flues out of the chimney stack and it is ready for demo. There is literally nothing in the soffits. So that's good news. Did I mention there isn't enough storage in this kitchen and I am addicted to fizzy water? Yeah.
Current North Sink Wall- dividing wall to nook to be removed. This is the actual new dishwasher (Bosch 500 panel ready) but in a half assed cabinet install because the space is simply not right and the old one crapped out this past summer. Believe it or not, this looks better than what was here before. And no, I didn't do the dishes before taking snaps.
Current Nook- Removing wall "enclosure" but keeping bench seats with drawers
Replace standard door with pocket door to avoid weird door swing when the useless wall is gone. Door goes to back hallway to basement.
Whew! Thanks for participating in my brain dump. I know how awesome you all are at giving advice. I've already changed a lot of things in this design based on the forum discussions, so thanks. I want this little kitchen to be the best it can possible be!
Cheers,
Emily
Comments (9)
anj_p
3 years ago
weedyacres
3 years agoRelated Discussions
What would you change in this kitchen layout?
Comments (11)You could move the fridge to the pantry wall, with the ovens beside it, similar to one of these layouts: If you pull the fridge forward far enough for the doors to clear the pantry, you can have an extra-deep appliance garage, and the functional flow would be the same, but in reverse of the current plan. There wouldn't be as much prep space between the sink and cooktop, as in your plan, but it exceeds the NKBA recommended minimum of 36"....See MoreWould like to renovate the kitchen island. Would you change color?
Comments (11)When you say remodel do you mean tear out existing island or are you just talking about painting the drywall? If you mean remodel then yes I would tear it out and do a single level island with some lighting over it. It would increase the size of your kitchen visually. You can do it in the same color cabinets you have if you like the dark and do a solid warm white quartz counter on it or do the island a warm white to match your back splash. I would do cabinet finish all on four sides of the island. I would also keep the counter light in color....See MoreHow would you change the layout
Comments (1)Are you on a slab? Can plumbing/venting be moved? If range hood can be vented from the other wall, here's an idea which gives you more prep space where it's needed, beside the sink. I like a clean-up zone be outside the prep triangle, but the island line-up could be flipped to put dish storage closer to the fridge and DR, but then the trash pull-out might be too far from the fridge. The plan incorporates one of the support posts, but the other is floating, with enough space between it and the island to slide by the third seat. If you want an entry to the DR, it could go to the left of the fridge, but that would decrease counter/pantry space. Another idea to increase storage would be to enlarge island to incorporate the other post, with cabinets under the seating overhang, for seldom-used items. But--anyone seated would need to walk around the post and base cabinets to access the fridge and MW.Island layout flipped: NKBA guidelines New to Kitchens? Read me first....See MoreHow would you change this kitchen?
Comments (28)All: - Yes, that room is massive, the whole house is... ~10K sq ft on four levels. - No, the sellers did not remove any load bearing walls (I know...I can spot these things), the house was overbuilt even before the sellers bought it, with steel beams running throughout and 10ft ceilings on each floor. The pictures do make the room extra roller skaty...but it is still a big room. The kitchen is actually quite large, the scale of the room makes it look smaller. - Yeah, that soffit is...a bad design choice. - You should see the basement...marble. on the floors. and on the walls..the sellers did not do that btw, they just didn't redo it, it was already there. - We've been looking...and trust me real estate is hard in this area...and very very expensive. Edit: Forgot to mention. The house also is extra quirky in terms of layout. - Main floor - 1BR/1FB (and that kitchen/great room) - Upper 1 - 2BR/2FB (Each floor is ~2500 sqft, so these are two very big. very very big master BRs) - Upper 2- 2BR/2FB with a second family room that rivals the main floor great room in size) - Basement - 2BR/2FB with an open area that rivals the great room in size). That is most likely the top reason it hasn't sold, aesthetics are probably second or third. While I'm not happy about the layout, I'm willing to make it work, hence my interest. Oh and @Circus Peanut - I'm quite a handy person when it comes to DIY. I can build furniture quality pieces given enough time (which I don't have) even though that's not what I do. I write software...for crying out loud......See MoreEmily Headen
3 years agoEmily Headen
3 years agoHere's what that area by the dining room door looks like. The edge of the chimney stack is basically wheee the new cabinet run would end. I was thinking maybe an angled base cabinet at the end of the stove run- it could add surface space and storage without impeding the doorway passage.
stillpitpat
3 years agoEmily Headen
3 years ago
Altair