Need design help with 11' x 10' (approx) galley kitchen please!

last year

last modified: last year

Note: edited to update drawing with notes on location of rooms and objects surrounding the kitchen.

Looking to maximize the storage and ease of use of our small galley kitchen. Would love some input on cabinet types and placement, and where to put the appliances. The only elements we have decided upon are that the sink will be centered under the window on the right, with the dishwasher to the immediate left, and that a stackable washer/dryer will be in the lower left corner of the drawing. Edit: willing to consider other locations.

We can't move walls to take space from the dining area because there is an original built-in cabinet in the shared wall which we want to preserve. The 10,5" bump-in in the lower right of the drawing is a linen closet accessed from a hallway, which we want to preserve, but could consider eliminating. This is the preliminary drawing of the space from our contractor (edited to add location of rooms/objects surrounding the kitchen)

Below are some photos of what the kitchen currently looks like. I have to think there are better possible cabinet placements, but am having trouble visualizing it. We will be getting rid of the antique Wedgewood stove and getting a standard size range and removing the small broom closet to make space for the washer dryer.

I would SO appreciate any thoughts on the best layout for this kitchen, and any ideas for cabinet types and placement. Thank you so much!

Featured Answer

Buehl

last year

last modified: last year

As RappArchitecture mentioned, deciding on the sink/DW and Washer/Dryer locations without looking at the Kitchen layout as a whole severely limits your options. If you are willing to consider other options, here are three.

A couple of important notes:

(1) As you know, you are severely limited in usable storage. I understand you do not want to remove the wall with the built-in. Have you considered, instead, removing the 17" x 5" wall and the 28.5" wall and extending the 42.25" wall another 31.2"? This would give you much more usable space. It keeps the Linen Closet but opens up the Kitchen space. from your drawing it appears that space is a hall that leads to the Bedrooms & Bathroom. If your drawing is accurate, you should be able to make these changes without adversely impacting the overall flow.

From this:

To this:

(2) The washer & dryer -- probably the biggest obstacle to a decent layout. The first two only work if you can find another place for the washer & dryer -- maybe in the Bedroom/Bathroom part of the home (which makes the most sense in general since the vast majority of laundry comes from and returns to the Bedrooms). We'd have to see a full-floor layout to see if there's another place for them. [Ideally, the dryer should be on an exterior wall for exterior venting. My mother has a "ventless" dryer and it takes forever for even small loads of clothing to dry! And, she has to empty a reservoir each time (the reservoir is where the moisture is deposited once it's removed from the clothes).] By moving the W/D elsewhere, you gain a lot of storage space!

For your consideration:

Includes an alternate upper cabinet arrangement (which would work in any of the layouts)

Washer & dryer staying in the Kitchen

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Comments (24)

PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last year
Lets start by never using a contractor to design any space they do what a designer tells them to do not what is easy for them So get an actual independant KD then see what is possible . You need to have the appliances on hand before starting this process since availability is huge issue right now and I never start a kitchen design without the appliances for sure those IMO are very personal and need to be chosen for how you cook.I am having some issue with what the scale is in the drawing usually best to have 1 sq =6 inches. so mayeb just check the drawing.IMO a linen closet should not be interfering with a good kitchen design
Kj Albany thanked Patricia Colwell Consulting
Kj Albany
Original Author
last year
Thank you for your response Patricia. The contractor's drawing doesn't represent a design. It's just a dimensional drawing. I hear the issue with the appliance supply line, but in such a small space, trade-offs are going to be necessary. I don't necessarily want to prioritize appliances over a great cabinet solution. I'm not at all experienced with this, so I may be completely off base.

I also get your point about an independent KD. I have had a tough time getting call backs from local independent KD's. I am in the SF Bay Area.

Regarding the linen closet - we are very very low on storage space in this 938 sqft house. We are already taking the closet out from one of the two bedrooms to create a decent sized bathroom, and the broom closet for the washer/dryer. We will be left with a small closet in the other bedroom and this linen closet.
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Can you put the bar seating on the living room side of the half wall? Also, can you relocate your range? If so, then this might be a possibility. Take out the closet and replace it with a smaller cabinet pantry and put the fridge next to it. Have the microwave above the counter, on the other side...and then a wall, with another shallow (12" cabinet) on the other side, facing the back foyer. This would be for phone chargers, kitty bowls under the counter...and maybe a bookshelf or two above, for cookbooks? On the other side, take out the small windows and replace them with a larger window(s) to give you more light. Have the sink centered under the windows, with dishwasher to the left and move the range to the 'north' or top wall. This will make the range a focal point from the living room and you can have upper cabinets on each side of the window...or have shelves on the left (for dishes) and hang your pans on the right (by the range). Just a few quick ideas :) Very rough sketch... From Cottage house plans
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Lots of ideas! I like the idea of the larger kitchen window and possibly the refrigerator on the right of the dishwasher. I'll have to take a look those measurements and see what size we would have to reduce the sink cabinet to get that to work. To get a feel for the island and different layouts, we have turned the island sideways and taped off the floor for both seating and base cabinets on the backside, and we also moved the refrigerator to the wall opposite of the kitchen table. I think we live with it a couple of weeks and see how we like it. Moving the door to the patio is not an option for us. I like the cabinets under the other windows as we have considered this before, but the windows go a little to low resulting in a very low window bench. We are all tall so it feels very low! Thank you
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Carolina Kitchen and Bath - the trash is not next to the range. There is a cabinet between the range and the window. The trash is under the sink. The distance between the wall and island is supposedly 30 inches. As there are other doorways in our home that are this wide (and some smaller) this seemed OK to us. I think the distance from the front of the range to the kitchen island was 36 inches, but I will check.
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If teal isn’t doing it for you that blue color is really pretty too and still would look gray with brass and the grey floor tile! I found a few good options on amazon for the hardware by searching brass square pulls and also these on way fair: https://www.wayfair.com/Hamilton-Bowes--Ventoux-5-Center-Bar-Pull-24128SB-24128SCOP-L1123-K~HMBW1035.html?refid=GX293766718941-HMBW1035_40348394&device=m&ptid=762818256643&network=g&targetid=pla-762818256643&channel=GooglePLA&ireid=83020192&fdid=1817&PiID[]=40348394&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsbjP3fmW5AIVgrfsCh1oWwbcEAQYDSABEgIS_PD_BwE Here is a link to a similar light fixture! https://www.bellacor.com/productdetail/elegant-lighting-ld6042br-eclipse-brass-and-frosted-white-12-inch-one-light-pendant-2116486.htm?partid=googlePLA-DataFeed-Pendants-2116486&kpid=2116486&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Shopping_-All_Products(NEW)&utm_term=&utm_content=multi-converters_(2-5)&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIv_64qPqW5AIVFKrsCh0HGQGgEAQYCCABEgJyK_D_BwE I think the subway tile will look classic and gives you more leeway to get a countertop that can be the star! If you picked the geometric backsplash I would say go for simple very toned down counters.
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cpartist
last year
I hope you're keeping that stunning stove. People pay good money for that and it fits the style of the house.

Where do the doors go to?
Kj Albany thanked cpartist
Kj Albany
Original Author
last year
cpartist I do love the stove, but alas we have to let it go to clear space for the washer dryer, which is moving to make space for a powder room, crucial to this 2 bed/1 bath small house. The door next to the fridge goes to the dining room. The other door goes to a mudroom, half of which will become a powder room, and the other half a hallway to the outside door to the backyard/deck.
Morgan L
last year
Not a pro but familiar with small house living and needing every square inch to work for you! Question: where is your laundry now? Or is there currently no laundry? If it’s in the garage, it maybe best to keep it there. We left ours in the garage to keep as much storage as possible in the house.

Also, it seems like you’ll get a more usable layout by removing the broom closet and squaring off that corner. You may be able to add a cabinet that can store the broom/vacuum in the kitchen (or perhaps the mud room you mentioned).
PRO
RappArchitecture
last year
Your decisions about the sink/dishwasher, washer/dryer and linen closet don't leave you many options. The window locations further impact your layout. The stove next to the refrigerator in your existing layout is suboptimal at best. Which means either the stove or refrigerator needs to go along the exterior wall at top. You need to think about how that will work before you worry about cabinets.
Kj Albany
Original Author
last year
Thanks all, sounds like I don't have good options beyond improving the visual appeal a bit. Now I am second guessing a remodel and thinking about just replacing the stove to make space for the washer/dryer, and maybe refacing some cabinets. Does anyone know of a KD in the SF Bay Area that would consult on a small space like this? My phone inquiries have gone unanswered.
PRO
Madden, Slick & Bontempo, Inc
last year
Where is the built-in in the dining room located?
Kj Albany thanked Madden, Slick & Bontempo, Inc
Lyndee Lee
last year
My kitchen is only slightly larger than yours at 141 long x 117 wide so I understand the challenges. My first thought is that standard cabinet sizes don't always fit well I to existing spaces. We adapted our cabinets to fit the space available but new custom cabinets would be designed to fit. In your case, I see a 24 wide by 12 deep floor to ceiling pantry against the 56 inch wall. At the corner, I would use a blind corner sink base for a base cabinet with an upper cabinet next to the pantry. The sink would be under the left window, next to the DW. On the other side of the DW use a narrow drawer base then put the stove as close to the window as practical with a 6 inch tray cabinet between the stove and wall. Use a smaller size deep single bowl sink and turn it so the long dimension goes front to back. Over the stove, put a 36 inch chimney style hood from window to wall.

On the other side, lengthen the wall a few inches to have a space for a 36 inch wide, counter depth fridge. In the remaining space, use an extra wide and deep drawer base so the countertop would be 30 inches deep. For the upper cabinets, build out the wall slightly and use 15 inch deep cabinets to maximize storage. This design would require custom built cabinets but you are in an expensive market where the added cost would be reflected in the added value. My kitchen is similar but the fridge is in the corner between the windows and dining room. The ventilation would be much easier if I had put the stove on the exterior wall but it isn't getting moved now! We have lots of basement storage so our 12 inch deep pantry cabinet became the dish storage cabinet.
Kj Albany thanked Lyndee Lee
Kj Albany
Original Author
last year
@Madden, Slick & Bontempo, Inc The built in is located in the 42.25" wall on the right of the drawing. I've updated the drawing with notes on the location. Thanks for taking a look!
lharpie
last year
Not sure where you are located but i know someone who was happy with these folks: https://www.cucinadicannelora.com/services/

they must do a lot of small 1920s kitchens.

we did our own design and i wish we had used someone!

short of using the mudroom space i’m not sure how you are going to significantly improve function other than some cabinet space on the range wall. seems like you are choosing powder room over better kitchen - which having just added a 1/2 bath to my house i will not argue against! we did do the itty bittiest powder room with 19” wall hung toilet and the smallest sink you have ever seen to make it work (and, shhhhhh, i’m sure still not to code). we have 300 sf more than you and it was still a struggle to find space so i understand your predicament!
Kj Albany thanked lharpie
Kj Albany
Original Author
last year
@lyndee lee Thanks for your understanding and recommendations. I really like the idea of a pantry and I had no idea what a blind corner sink base was, and now I am enlightened. I'm going to sketch out your suggestions and see where we wind up!
Kj Albany
Original Author
last year
@lharpie thanks for understanding the constraints and the significance of a half bath when there is only one other toilet in the house! I will check out the folks you linked. They look great and they are pretty close to where I live!
Lyndee Lee
last year
What is the story of your current ventilation? Do you have exhaust vent to exterior?
Kj Albany
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
@Lyndee Lee there is an exhaust duct running from the old Wedgewood stove to the roof, via the closet next to it.
cpartist
last year
Post a layout of the whole house please. I had issues with my first house which was a 2 br, 2 bth house.
Erika McConnell
last year
I just had to comment about the beautiful stove. Wow!! LOVE!!! Yes Sorry I have no kitchen tips :) I have a similar small kitchen so feel your pain.
Lyndee Lee
last year
Your pictures show a sparsely furnished house. Did you just recently move in?
Kj Albany
Original Author
last year
@Buehl thank you so much for your response and all of the drawings. The changes to the walls makes so much sense. We will think long and hard about an alternate place for the washer/dryer. It's tricky in 938 sqft. The garage is detached and does not have plumbing. Even your drawing with the washer/dryer staying is a huge improvement to the current space.
PRO
Madden, Slick & Bontempo, Inc
last year
last modified: last year
Wow! Buehl really did a nice job. My idea is similar but only removes the 17" wall and the doorway between the kitchen and dining room - it doesn't extend the wall. The measurements are kind of estimates especially at the bottom of the drawing where the washer and dryer are. I was a little confused by the measurements as drawn by your contractor. (Not a criticism) You could also add floating shelves across the windows for additional storage. I love the sconce above the window in the picture below. It would especially work nice with your high ceilings.
Kj Albany thanked Madden, Slick & Bontempo, Inc
Kj Albany
Original Author
last year
@Madden, Slick & Bontempo, Inc thank you SO much for your help and design. It is super helpful. I love the floating shelves and the sconce! I've asked our contractor to confirm measurements - they confused me too. Thanks again, I really appreciate your time and insights!
everdebz
last year
Again not a pro - is there any chance for "shed" tiny building close to house, for W/D and its pipes?
PRO
Madden, Slick & Bontempo, Inc
last year
Keep us posted on what you decide to do! It's a challenging space; but sometimes those are the most fun.
Kj Albany thanked Madden, Slick & Bontempo, Inc

Need design help with 11' x 10' (approx) galley kitchen please!

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