Will this kitchen cabinet design throw off symmetry of eating nook?
Help! I have a dilemma regarding kitchen cabinets. We are doing a completel remodel of our kitchen and wanted to extend our base and upper cabinets a bit in order to get more storage space, but I realized today that that might throw off the symmetry of our eating area and make it look weird.
Here is the current space. I've always thought it was strange that the previous owners did not extend the base cabinets and uppers to match the length of the countertop, but now I realize that may have been done in order to make the eating area look balanced. Notice how the wainscoting extends about the same distance to the left and right of the window because some of the wainscoting is visible under the countertop overhang:
Here are some pictures of the kitchen and our adjoinging homeschool room (on the other side of the half wall) so you can see the whole space we are working with):
I'm going to ask my question in the comments because this website has glitched and deleted my question twice already...
Comments (13)
bonniebrownhair
2 years agoI was thinking of extending the upper and base cabinets to match the length of the current countertop, which would look approximately like this: For the purposes of this photo, imagine the posterboard is a backsplash and white uppers with glass fronts that extend to the ceiling, and imagine the tablecloth is the base cabinets. I will be repainting the green a lighter neutral color and extending the color into the homeschool room (so it won't stop at the half wall). Wainscoting is staying. Does this look okay to you, or does it look too "off"?
If I add a small corner bookshelf to the right of the window, does that help or make it look too cluttered? (Real shelf would be narrower and an actual corner bookshelf)
bonniebrownhair
2 years agoI'm also playing around with the idea of extending the base cabinets, uppers, and countertop by another six inches or so (because we REALLY could use the extra storage space), but now that I see it like this, I think it's way too close to the window, right?
Photo without corner shelf:
Photo with pretend corner shelf:
Related Discussions
Kitchen design to eat less--houzz article
Comments (13)I just read that article this morning and other than having a comfy chair and TV in the kitchen (or open kitchen/FR plan), I think it's off-base. Yes, having the TV, comfy seating, and snacks nearby (without having to take eyes off the screen) does encourage mindless eating. Even if you don't buy snack food, I think some studies in the past have shown that eating dinner in front of the TV encourages you to eat more without realizing it. Something conversation doesn't? But I use my MW to reheat leftovers, not Hot Pockets, so I think it encourages healthier eating. As far as cereal, well, if you're eating whole grain cereals and oatmeal, I don't see that having them out makes you eat more - now maybe if you buy sugary chocolate-flavored cereals and the boxes or clear containers are out on the counter, the kids will snack on them. As far as clutter, I wish I could get rid of DD's school projects and hair ribbons and binders etc. that she leaves on the counter next to the fruit bowl (and coffeepot). I also have a bowl stuffed with my old digital camera and odds and ends I should empty out. I did clear a lot of her stuff away when I started filling the breakfast bar with bowls of ripe tomatoes that need to be processed - I did 7 quarts of tomatoes the other day but picked 23 gallons more of tomatoes yesterday (in the garage, but sorted through what I had out there and brought more in). Maybe in another month my counters won't be cluttered with tomatoes, canning jars and rings, and I won't have a 12 qt stockpot and a pressure canner permanently installed on my stove. Not to mention the 2 cases of canning jars (1 washed and ready for the next batch, 1 partially filled with full jars waiting to be carried to the basement) sitting in the DR! Oh, and the counter by the sink is always filled with colanders and DS's water bottles and aluminum cookware and plastic bowls that need to be handwashed, or the dish drainer is full of them drying. I run the DW twice a day on days that I'm canning and I still have stuff piling up in the dishpan and the counter. I think it's the white rice and pasta (have to have something to eat with all these tomatoes!) making me fat, not the design of my kitchen! Sometimes I think it's people with uncluttered kitchens who don't cook, they eat out or MW meals, maybe they're more overweight than people who do cook? Time to go make the salsa...(and we don't have any chips in the house, DH is going to have to buy some if he wants them, they are too tempting for me. I use the salsa as a chili starter along with whole canned tomatoes)...See More''Eat-In'' Kitchens - Reasons, Importance, Trade-Offs?
Comments (83)This thread is great...both the topic and IglooChic's stories! This is definitely a keeper (and maybe I can sneak it into the "Read Me" thread...???) On topic... In our old kitchen we had an eat-in kitchen that could seat 6 - if you didn't need to use the kitchen for anything else! Even just 4 became too many when our children outgrew the booster seats! (Both my children are very tall & long-legged for their ages...and probably will be as adults as well!) We also had a formal DR that only got used at Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas...at least for eating. The rest of the year it was home to all our mail (junk & not-junk) as well as a sewing room when necessary and a place for my computer when I worked from home. This DR is rather small...13'8" x 11'1" and really doesn't have room for a large, formal DR set (table, chairs, china cabinet, buffet). Since we couldn't afford an addition on the house, even just the kitchen (which is what our KD really wanted us to do, but EXPO wouldn't let her...no modifying external walls, load-bearing walls, or roofs was their "rule"), and we knew we needed more table space for everyday as well as more counter & cabinet storage, it became a no-brainer (for us, anyway). We converted the Formal DR into what I call an "Informal DR/Formal Kitchen" dining space. We took down the wall b/w the DR & Kitchen to open up the DR b/c it was so small. We put in a peninsula b/w the rooms for some separation (we had seen another house in our development w/a similar floorplan remove the wall completely and the combined rooms looked like a bowling alley...we didn't like it at all!) We didn't want to give up seating in the kitchen totally (especially my DH since he likes to watch TV at breakfast), so we added two seats at the peninsula. Yes, the two seating areas are close (a little too close, if truth be known), but they're rarely used at the same time. We totally eliminated all other seating in the Kitchen and doubled the amount of counter space and cabinet storage. Taken together, these changes were a huge improvement on how our Kitchen & DR work and fit together in the rest of the house. I do find that I occasionally miss the DR "drop zone", but I'm trying to train everyone to use the "one touch" strategy...touch an item once & either put it away or throw it out...especially effective with mail, btw! I haven't been totally successful yet, but it's getting better. So now, we have: Two seats at the peninsula A DR table that seats 10 - 12 (or would if we had enough surviving chairs...it's an old, inexpensive set we inherited from my in-laws when they sold their house & moved into an apartment. The chairs are slowly breaking one-by-one and aren't worth fixing. Someday I'll have my "dream" DR set...but not until the kids are out of college...8 years from now *sigh* Well, not too heavy a sigh as I'm not looking forward to them leaving home!) I've gotten many, many compliments from family & friends about the new kitchen, the open feel both the kitchen & DR now have, and the fact that we now use all the rooms in our house all the time!...See Morekitchen nook--what size table will fit?
Comments (1)Is the nook east or south of the kitchen? Do you have a formal and separate dining room for entertaining? This might be fine as a breakfast nook for two, or a work area for one, but not really for a group. It will be entirely too tight. What is through the door on the east side?...See Morehood cabinet symmetry vs. alignment with base cabinets
Comments (34)Haha, love the sharpie idea! I think your wife’s choice of the Cloe tile would be lovely. The other samples are very nice as well. Backsplash is always the hardest kitchen decision for most of us. I do lean more towards a glossy tile for your kitchen style. I agree with you on seeing some pictures of the cloe that look great and others not so much. My husband (gc) and son just installed the white cloe in a shower for someone. The homeowner asked me to help her pick out the tile. I showed her the cloe and she fell in love. Since they had not worked with this tile before, I showed them pictures of what not to do. One photo had major lippage going on. I notice that mostly happens when no spacers are used. I also showed them a photo where they had placed two or more of the same exact color of tiles right next to each other. It is especially noticeable with the ones that are a little darker. I believe they ended up doing a 1/8” grout line and it turned out so pretty! Homeowner was thrilled. I am sure whatever you and your wife decide on the tile, or cabinets/no cabinets on range wall, it will look wonderful. I honestly don’t think you can make a bad choice. Please let us know what you decide!...See Morekathylawyer
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2 years agoHere are the almost-finalized plans for the kitchen, if you're interested in seeing them. We decided we are still increasing the base and uppers to the width of the current countertop (just because we really need the space), but we are not going beyond the current countertop).
Let me know if you have any suggestions for changes. I'm hoping to sign off on the finalized design tomorrow. Thanks!
Beth H. :