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Counter higher than window sill-worth it for better layout or big no?

M
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago

TL:DR - The longest wall in our kitchen has an 8 foot stretch of windows smack in the middle of it, window sill starts 24" above ground. Historic district will not allow windows to be modified. We could achieve a much better layout by using that wall, but is putting lower cabinet/counters in front of a low window going to be a design turn off?


I've posted earlier about my problematic kitchen layout, and have been thinking through how much it could be improved with a complete gut. I'd want the improvements to be substantial - given time/money involved - and would love some second thoughts. We are at or nearing the end of lifespan for several major appliances, so I feel like this is the juncture where I decide to live with it at least for another ten years or bite the bullet on major changes.

Current layout and pics:









Layout problems (in descending order):

1) Cooktop in island can only be downdrafted. No way around this and the downdraft works horribly

2) Small fridge for our large family

3) There's an empty space along an 8' stretch of windows we are using for our kitchen table - rather than the intended breakfast nook visible in the space behind it - but this space is only large enough for a table if we push it up against the windows. It's tight fitting my family around the table and we'll ultimately need to move it into the breakfast nook so we can use both sides, leaving a lot of wasted space in the kitchen

4) Those windows have an amazing view of our gardens - the best view by far in the house - ideally they'd be the focal point of the kitchen

5) Space is effectively wasted by a vintage stove left by previous residents that we don't use

6) Not much space around the sink

7) Wall oven in awkward position under counter

The main constraints in changing the layout:

1) The house dates to 1840 and it is completely prohibited by our historic district to change the exterior, including the windows. The windowsills start at 24", well below countertop height.

2) Venting: behind the current sink there's a plastered in old chimney. It should be possible to, knock out the wall, remove it and vent up if cooktop was placed in that location (or perhaps to vent up next to it without removing it)

If the windows could be altered, I think it's clear that a much better layout could be achieved by essentially converting into an L shaped kitchen. Wall ovens and a properly vented cooktop could go on the wall where the sink and fridge are currently located (after removing the chimney and knocking the wall back a couple of feet), the sink/dw could go on the wall with the windows (leaving space for convenient undercounter storage of dishes in between the dishwasher and dining nook), a larger fridge could be built in where the vintage stove is located, and there would be space for an island w. seating oriented towards the windows, making them the best view in our house the focal point of the kitchen. The front of the island could also double as a baking zone w. convenient storage, which we do a lot of.



Downside is that the windows start well below countertop height and can't be altered. Having a hard time visualizing exactly how awkward it would look to just run the stretch of countertop in front of them.

The alternative would be to keep it essentially the layout we have now, but 1) moving the fridge to where the vintage stove is so it can be larger, 2) flipping the location of the sink and stove so we can vent up and 3) extending the length of the peninsula. so that there's not so much empty space on one side of the kitchen and there's some space for seating at it. Perhaps removing the old chimney, perhaps not, depending what venting requires. Rough sketch:


It fixes many of the current problems, but with the downsides of having the main sink in the peninsula in the middle of the kitchen (with dish storage a bit further away), less counterspace/storage than the other design, and not orienting the kitchen around the outdoor views. An island also gives better flow than the peninsula (which could be achieved here by turning the peninsula into an island, at the cost of even less counter/storage space, the stairs up have better access than shown, though, due to a 1 ft error in the drawing).

Thoughts? How odd would it look to run a stretch of countertop across the windows to achieve better layout/storage?


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