Could you please post a fully-measured layout of the Kitchen & "Nook" space?

I see you have BOTH a Dining Room and a "Nook" space -- pretty close to each other. Would you be willing to eliminate the Nook table/chairs and, maybe, put in a peninsula with a couple of stools? The Dining Room could then become your primary eating space.

Depending on what else is in the Nook space, you might be able to add more storage and, then, maybe eliminate the upper cabinets on the range wall -- that might help with the "off balance" look.

There may be other options as well. E.g.,

• How do you feel about opening up the wall b/w the Dining Room and Kitchen?
• Maybe banquette seating in the Nook against a far wall?
• All depending, of course, what the rest of the spaces look like.

Some, all, or none of these ideas may work, but until we see the entire space -- pictures as well as a fully-measured layout -- we won't know for certain.

Others may have additional ideas -- it certainly won't hurt to try for others' ideas!

See the Featured Answer in the "New to Kitchens? Read Me First!" thread.

Don’t know if this would work as far as measurements? It was a plan where they wanted to move my stove but all the measurements are there as far as room size

More views

More views

More view

The dining room is behind the kitchen

Hood issue aside, a good place for a MW would be in an upper to the right of the fridge:

BTW, can you change the swing direction of the fridge door? The way it is now would drive me nuts.

I'm confused about you wanting refrig door swing to change. You have French doors which are designed to only open from the center out.

I agree with the microwave, this is exactly what I was planning until the hood issue became such an hiccup. Was hoping someone would have a goose suggestion regarding the hood placement.

Great suggestion

Appliances will be replaced and I plan to go with the French doir

Sharon Fullen

6 hours ago

I'm confused about you wanting refrig door swing to change. You have French doors which are designed to only open from the center out.

I was referring to the existing fridge, which is not a French door model. It takes about 15 minutes to change the fridge door hinges and handles to the opposite swing (on a model which has that option, hence my question). Opposite swing would be much more convenient in this case, because landing space is on the right, rather than the left. HTH

Is the closet really a pantry? You could switch the fridge and stove, replace pantry with a cabinet and allow the stove to be centered one the wall opposite the sink.

or if keeping the stove where it is, just eliminate all uppers on that wall and only have the hood.

I wouldn't move the stove over, the small cabinet will yield you nothing in the end.

Questions from my first comment...

I see you have BOTH a Dining Room and a "Nook" space -- pretty close to each other. Would you be willing to eliminate the Nook table/chairs and, maybe, put in a peninsula with a couple of stools? The Dining Room could then become your primary eating space.*

Depending on what else is in the Nook space, you might be able to add more storage and, then, maybe eliminate the upper cabinets on the range wall -- that might help with the "off balance" look.

There may be other options as well. E.g.,

• How do you feel about opening up the wall b/w the Dining Room and Kitchen?
• Maybe banquette seating in the Nook against a far wall?

We opened a wall and it was one of the best things we did!

You eliminated a wall?

Yes, most of the wall - we had to keep 24" of it for the HVAC leading to our bedroom upstairs, but the rest of the wall was eliminated.

We had no problems transitioning to using our Dining Room each night for dinner instead of eating in the small nook we had. Our Dining Room went from only being used for holidays to being used every day -- it's nice to be using all the space you're paying a monthly mortgage payment for!

Here's before and after:

Before

(Lots of magnets on the refrigerator -- the kids loved playing with them when they were young!)

After (with old furniture)

The 24" wall segment is next to the refrigerator. You can see some of it in this picture:

so I have been trying to post and upload a photo but it will not. If it works, here is a photo of our updated micro over the stove. I had a very similar layout in having a small ledge on the side of your stove and a small closet for pantry. I am still finishing the kitchen which will show in the photo but at least you get the idea. (new stove needed, some doors needed to be installed. The mirror/wreath above micro is for size reference only. I will be buying a wreath the size of the mirror and will not have both)