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Kitchens Remodeling Design Dilemma

Small Kitchen - No Pantry Space - Remodel

3 years ago

Hi All! I am about to close on my first home and I am eager to get some thoughts. Currently I have a small kitchen with zero pantry space. My thought is to expand it out to the half/pony wall to the right of the stove. I fear that if I put Cabinets it will close off the kitchen/become outdated. Not sure if open shelves mounted front the ceiling would look good. I also was thinking to put make it a bar area. I have a lot of kitchen gadgets and minimal space. Also no drawers! Any suggestions would help.

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Comments (9)

sparkshooter
3 years ago
You should 100% live in the space for 6 months to a year before making permanent changes. It looks like a small kitchen, yes, but it also looks like a smaller place overall so I imagine you will have to make trade offs. In the short term store your overflow kitchen stuff elsewhere. For us, that meant the basement (with trips up and down as required). Not sure your set up but hopefully there is someplace with a bit of room!

Also, putting less used stuff elsewhere will help you assess whether you actually want to keep it. If you don’t use it once in a full year do you really need it (if storage is limited)?
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Beth H. :
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
oh my. was this a flip?? how in the heck does a kitchen get done w/no drawers? where is silverware supposed to go? (I'm betting there was no female involved on this kitchen design)

and that sink is so small. how are you supposed to wash a baking pan?

without seeing real pictures it's hard to give advice. what's to the left of the fridge?

can you remove that wall where that dining spot is?

you're not getting anything done before moving in, so move in, post better pics with a floorplan.
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I'd do the powder room. It's where people want a powder room. That is, in the reception area of the house. When you have a houseful of company, you'll have them using the guest bath and master as well. I only have the powder room on the main level, and people climb the stairs (they do ask) rather than waiting. Family members don't mind, but others feel awkward. I know some people make do with one bathroom for a huge family, and lots of people around the world don't have any, but I still vote for the powder room. You have a good sized kitchen. If you use it as a pantry, what all will you put in there that won't fit in the kitchen? Unless you're a lover of little nooks, the desk idea sounds like it would become a dumping ground. Romantic in concept, but a pile of junk in most people's reality.
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https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5874997/small-tight-u-shape-kitchen-layout-not-many-choices-got-any-ideas From ""Buehl About pantries...several years ago, there was a lot of discussion about pantries, with an emphasis on shelf depth. The consensus was that 12" is the "sweet spot" for shelf depth. 12" is deep enough to hold all food (cereal boxes, 2 or 3 deep cans, etc.), pantry storage containers (e.g., Tupperware), and the vast majority of small appliances (KA stand mixers, blenders, breadmakers, etc.). 12" is not so deep that things get lost in the "depths". Even 18" is too deep -- I had that in my old Kitchen and things got lost all the time! Plus you end up putting things in the front that are unrelated to those behind them. The most efficient pantry storage is one that 1. Allows you to see everything in it with one look 2. Doesn't "let" you stack unrelated things deep (e.g., cans of peaches in front of cans of green beans or pantry storage containers holding different things, ...) 3. Utilizes the entire space floor-to-ceiling, or as close to that as possible Pantry Types: 24" deep pantry cabinets don't meet any of the three above, made even worse when over 18" wide. Even if they have doodads that swing/pull out (and are generally expensive), storage is limited b/c of the need to accommodate the hardware and other parts to the swing out. 18" wide x 24" deep pullout pantry cabinets meet #1 & 2. BUT, they have to be pullout pantries, not shelves unattached to the door or roll out tray shelves (ROTS) (which don't work above waist level or so anyway). They work only because you can see everything when you pull the door open fully by looking at both sides. If you had to move things around, they wouldn't work. 15" deep pantry cabinets meet #1 & 2 and have the added advantage that you can look without moving things around. The 15" depth includes the back wall, so the shelves are really only 14" or so deep. (In non-IKEA framed cabinets, both the back wall and the face frame are included in the 15" depth, so shelves are 13" deep or so.) Built-in pantries, whether reach-in, step-in, or walk-in, are the most efficient and meet all three above.""
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Maddie Victoria, Don't blow off Buehl's request for some additional information. She's a very experienced planner. You will be getting some great advice from her. If we told you that there was a way to get both a walk-in pantry and an open or semi open plan kitchen at the same time for less money, would you be interested? In order to properly advise you and present viable, cost-efficient options, we need to know where your windows, doors and walls are located. We need to know where the front entry and rear exit are located. We also need to know where the fireplaces are located. We also need to know some general, basic measurements. We aren't talking about a full, time consuming CAD. The easiest way is to hand draw it with labels on a piece of graph paper with some general measurements. If a specific measurement is needed later on, you can add it. I really think there is room to get everything you want. You just need to give us the tools to explore the project.
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@rr4580 I'm not sure what you mean about changing my opinion? I would make the current fridge wall the beverage center. Most adult beverages are not being poured AT dinner - it's the casual appetizers and happy hour time that you want it accessible, when people will be in the great room. So I would put your wine fridge and ice maker on that side, and the fridge in the corner by the pantry. It won't crowd your range. The best kitchens are compact. Another thing you might consider - it's best to have your sink & DW pushed over to the end of the island so you have sufficient prep space next to the sink. Symmetry is overrated and only looks good on paper. My island is 10' as well. My sink and DW are at the very end (intentionally), leaving me 5' for prep. I use every inch. Next to the trash I have a 3 drawer stack with all of my prep tools. I've been in my house for 3 weeks and so far it's the most efficient kitchen I've worked in. It's also better not to have your sink & range lined up, as those are the 2 busiest places in your kitchen. Your DW door will overlap with your range, which means you will trip over it if you ever have it open while you cook (oven door may also interfere with the DW door). One more thing - make sure your overhang is at least 15" - otherwise your cabinets are going to get banged up and it won't be that comfortable to sit there.
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mama goose_gw zn6OH
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
We need a measured floor plan to make suggestions. The only solution I see would be to add a peninsula where you have the table, with drawers on the front and seating on the back--but we won't know if it will fit unless we have dimensions. Is this a split level? Is that the only dining space in the house? Why is the range pushed against the wall?

ETA, if there are no pipes in that stub wall to the right of the range, you could install some stud-bay pantry storage for cans and small boxes.

Houzz--stud-bay storage solutions
raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
3 years ago
Are those stairs that go down to another level (or 2) behind the table?

Definitely need a floor plan of the entire space (not just the kitchen)!
suedonim75
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
You should 100% live in the space for 6 months to a year before making permanent changes.

I couldn't live in a kitchen for 6 days that didn't have drawers, let alone 6 months. <-- a bit of hyperbole, but no one needs 6 months to figure out this kitchen needs work.
Tara
3 years ago
OH I bet you'd find a way to live there without drawers if you had to. Like put silverware in baskets inside a cabinet.
suedonim75
3 years ago
My point is, the OP doesn't have to live there for 6 months to realize that she wants to change things. It has obvious flaws that need to be corrected.
sparkshooter
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
This is an itty bitty kitchen! From the photo it isn't even clear where drawers would make sense. There is literally one sink cabinet and one corner cabinet, and no obvious room for any others.

I highly doubt there is some giant extra space to move the eating area to, so any expansion is going to take away space to seat 4 people. Maybe OP will tell us we are wrong, but when you have to deal with trade offs, including a lack of drawers or space, then you better make sure the new trade offs you want to make actually make sense for the way you live.
suedonim75
3 years ago
You’re right, there isn’t anywhere for drawers. I wonder if they removed a bank of drawers to install the dishwasher?

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