Please help! - Small dining room and kitchen needs ideas

10 months ago

Hello - large family of 7, purchasing house with small kitchen and dining room and will be redoing this space completely. Can I get some help on how to maximize the space, brighten it, and even make it better used?

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Comments (15)

Lindsay Lewis
Original Author
10 months ago
Additional photos.
shirlpp
10 months ago
Holy Moly - carpet in the kitchen! I've never seen that.

There's so many unanswered questions. What are the dimensions? Are you keeping the fireplace? Are you keeping the space as a kitchen and dining room - or - is there other dining in the house? What is your style? What don't you like about the layout - if anything at all?
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I have a split style home with a planned layout similar to your last one on 3/31. Looks similar except I have about an extra 6' in the length (kitchen to DR) as well as no door to the garage on that side. I think ideagirl2 has good ideas. You will want an opening on either end for easy access into the kitchen or DR side. If the basement is unfinished, then swapping the steps might be a practical solution. A contractor can order a prefabricated set of steps to put in. If the closet in the hall is basically useless then this might be a good idea. Since its a ranch, then you should be able to flip it since there isn't another set of steps going up to a second story where then it would be impossible to flip them. However, this would mean you could not overlay another staircase on top of this one to expand for a second floor one day. You then would have to add another staircase somewhere else in the house and loose space. Moving the utilities can be expensive and it can affect headroom or remodeling plans for the basement. It depends where the waste lines are located in the home more then anything, since they need pitch from the sink to the waste stack. If that waste stack is located where the steps are then the pipe will have to drop below the floor joists below, since they will run front to back, and you will loose headroom. Not a big deal if this ends up in a utility area. Does the garage run all the way front to back? If so I would do the following to the plan noted above. 1) Move the garage doorway more to where the table is on the LR side. Thus, the door would start roughly where the table ends need the opening between the LR & DR. You then will be flipping the DR table and the door. This way when you come in from the garage you can enter into the LR or walk through the kitchen with Groceries. I would make the back window a sliding door. So the table is looking out the sliding door. It will make the room feel much bigger. I am putting in a nice 10' 4 panel sliding glass door for this very reason. If in fact no furniture could be placed between the right side of the fireplace and the wall as you drew it, my last recommendation is more structural and one I am grappling with now in my own home. That would be to make the opening even wider between the LR and DR table area. If you look at your pic you posted of the fireplace. I would take that opening and open the fireplace side all the way to the wall. This will make it more open and feel less cramped. You could even have them cut the ceiling joists and put the beam up so that you have a flat ceiling in the opening. This is what I am contemplating now. You then can see the fireplace for the DR table and the kitchen area, when facing the peninsula. You also can extend a table out into the LR if you have larger company at holiday times.
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Don't write off fabric just yet. You could use microsuede, Crypton, or any of the newer indoor/outdoor fabrics available now. My DD chucked a whole bowl of tomato soup on one of my pale blue microsuede chairs and I swear it cleaned up perfectly. I think softer lines, and fabric, would bring some balance to the angularity of your room. I love the artwork and might think about pulling some color from the painting next to the stairs into said fabric. I know and love your kitchen from the KB. Nice to see you over here. looking forward to seeing more! :-)
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I have about that size dining room with walkways on all sides. In my previous house, I had a 48" square dining table that I used when we moved in. I bought a 48" round table, it was amazing the difference it made. There are only 3 of us so I just keep 3 chairs around the table on a daily basis. You could do a drop leaf. I am not sure it you could find one in a style that would go with your house. I have 2 drop leafs that I use around the house and bring out when I need more tables for company but they are both Duncan Phyfe antiques. Another option would be a round with a leaf or two that expands for family. You'll be amazed how a round fits the space better. Something about cutting off those sharp corners make it easier to maneuver through the rooms.
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Hi guys, Thanks very much for your replies! @mdln: I also thought about a similar distribution (I'll post the plan if I can find it), but it doesn't have much kitchen storage (on mine there's a counter). Also the sofa isn't big enough for 4 people. But thanks very much for trying! :) @benjesbride: Thanks very much for taking the effort of drawing it too. Moving the kitchen to that bedroom was my original idea too. The size of the flat (60m2) is more appropriate for 2 than 3 bedroom. But unfortunately it is a requirement to have 3 bedrooms, so I just can play around with the distribution of the main area. I attach a distribution I made when thinking about moving the kitchen to that bedroom. As you can see is very close to yours, even the laundry is moved to the main bathroom ;) I guess with the given space there aren't many more options than what mdln or I did. I will give it another thought and if I don't get better ideas just go with it. Thanks very much for your input, it really helps!
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eld6161
10 months ago
last modified: 10 months ago
https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5972404/new-to-kitchens-read-me-first-2020-interim#n=11

Start by reading the above link. Educate yourself as much as possible.

if you are lucky, Buehl might stop by and give you personal advice.

Everyone here will request a floor plan with measurements. Show the entire area.

Looks like a lot of potential. Congratulations on your new home!
Lindsay Lewis
Original Author
10 months ago
@eld6161 thank you for this!

@shirlpp - I guess I didn’t know what to expect when posting other than that I know there’s a way to design this to function well even for a family of 7, still be nice, AND be able to have great storage.

I will have to get the dimensions:
Kitchen / Dining Room 13’x22’

Right about half of the room is dining and half is kitchen.

The fireplace is double sided —- and we have considered possibly closing off the kitchen/dining side to make room for more cabinets and the table.

Our style is currently between farmhouse/traditional and some modern.

I’m adding some photos of our CURRENT kitchen area for you to see. This is a house we JUST sold and renovated.
Lindsay Lewis
Original Author
10 months ago
This is the CURRENT kitchen we have. The one thing I would NEVER do again is have dark floors.
Lindsay Lewis
Original Author
10 months ago
Floor plan now, without measurements.

Kitchen and Dining measurements are 13’x22’ (shared space)
shirlpp
10 months ago
That fireplace is intrusive in the kitchen/dining area and your thoughts on closing it off sounds good.

Consider getting a kitchen designer to help you successfully layout your kitchen.

Living in the spaces will allow you to also decide if you can remove one of the entrances and gain more wall space.
Rachel Lee
10 months ago
First thing I’d do is rip out that closet for more countertop space. I’d also think about exchanging the island for a narrow kitchen prep table.
Toni Schiavo
10 months ago
Talking to a designer is a good idea. I am not sure what the budget is but if there is money for it, I would flip the kitchen and dining room. You could get a good size kitchen and island where the current DR is now and the DR could have great bench seating along the back and garage walls. Congrats on your new house
Lindsay Lewis
Original Author
10 months ago
Toni —- Flipping the spaces wouldn’t do anything … the dining is half the room and kitchen is half the room. Thank you though!
Lindsay Lewis
Original Author
10 months ago
@Rachel Lee would you show me at example of a kitchen prep table? Thanks!
shirlpp
10 months ago
Rolling or stationary.
nelliebean
10 months ago
I don't mind the current layout, but if I could change anything I would put the fridge where the pantry cupboard is now. I'd then place floor to ceiling cupboards on either side of the fireplace for storage. I'm not sure how you feel about bench seating but you could put bench seating with storage along the dining room wall.
Rachel Lee
10 months ago
Shirlpp has the right idea, but aesthetically I was thinking more English countryside
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VarnaChitra
10 months ago
last modified: 10 months ago

This landscape painting would bring nature inside, in my opinion. Actually you can take a look at some paintings like this here.

More such paintings are on varnachitra.com

Please help! - Small dining room and kitchen needs ideas

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Lindsay Lewis
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Please help! - Small dining room and kitchen needs ideas

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Lindsay LewisOriginal Author

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