@Patricia Colwell Consulting Thank you for your input. You bring up valid concerns.

High end appliances are expected in a new build in this area even in a 2700 sf home.

Lighting-wise, I thought we could get away with no kitchen window because we do have 14 ft windows in the living/dining space. See image I added in the post. But yes, no kitchen window is not ideal.

By no view from the window I mean, the view is the fence and neighbor's roof. The "view" being ugly is the rational for eliminating the window in one of the layouts.

The style of the house is contemporary and the kitchen space is 16x11 ft with 10 ft ceilings and 14 ft ceilings in the adjacent living dining space. I added floor plan in the post.

I don't like walking past the range from fridge to sink either.

Cabinets near the range are 30-36 in:

Kitchen A layout: 36 in cab - 36 in range - 48 in blind base.

Kitchen B: 15 in cab, 30 in cab, 30 in cab 48 in range, 30 in cab, 30 in cab, 15 in cab.

Kitchen C: 30 in cab, 30 in cab, 48 in range, 36 in cab, 48 in blind base.

I am curious what layout you would suggest.

@arcy_gw high end appliances are expected here. 36 in is good enough though but I see new builds with 48 in ranges with double ovens around here. Kitchen A with a built in oven actualy has a built in oven and microwave; it's not a double oven.

@Jennifer Hogan Thank you for posting your thoughts. By no view I mean it's ugly: fence and neighbor's roof.

I love your suggestion to talk to the neighbors. I think I'm going to do that!

I added the floor plan to the post.

@Buehl Thank you for your suggestions.

The pantry is 5x5 ft.

Prep sink is a great idea. If we end up going with option A I'll definitely add the prep sink on the island. The way it's laid out now I hate that there's no sink between the fridge and the range.

The right side wall space for the kitchen is 11 ft. Unfortunately, it's not enough to fit a 24 in counter, 21 in trash, 36 in sink, 24 in dishwasher and 48 in fridge. Also I want that perspective to have visual impact as it's the first thing home buyers are going to see when they walk in the kitchen. So I went with something symmetrical. I may be overthinking it.

@Buehl tagged it for Buying and Selling; thanks for the suggestion.

@Debbi Washburn Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Do you think the ref placement is bad because it's not near the entrance to the kitchen?

I think ref and oven make the space feel narrower because of the perspective. Here it is from the side.

(There's going to be seating on the island. This kitchen designer software doesn't let me show it/I don't know how to do it. This is more of a layout stage.)

@HU-18205843 Do you have any suggestions?

You need to add a scaled sketch of the space -without any cabinets/appliances added. Have dimensions for every wall/window/opening. You can use graph paper (you can print some off the internet) or simply use a ruler (1/2" = 1' for scale). If you post a blank area, you will receive actual layout suggestions that will function better than any of the three that you have posted.

@JAN MOYER - my tag isn't showing up in "green" - so, I don't think it's actually working. This kitchen could use some of your magic if you have time!

@dani_m08 Thank you for your assistance. I added the floor plan to the post. Maybe I should add it here again. The kitchen space is 16'2" by 11', 10' ceiling, and the window can be placed anywhere along the right wall and the size is up to me. Pantry is 5x5.

LOL........ Can I look tomorrow? Dani?

While I hoe you create a really functional kitchen, you need to primarily think like a marketer and for that you need to know your audience. Who is buying this home in this area? Mostly empty nesters, families with kids? And what do they want regarding appliance size?

Forget the side window. Nobody looking at an open house or photos online will even realize it is missing. They are going to be looking at the 14 ft wall of windows. In fact, they might consider the bad view from the kitchen window a negative.

I’d fit the pantry in. I think it is a plus on a floor plan, great to write in a home description. It means more storage and most Americans want that.

Hard no on the waterfall counter. They really take up a lot of visual real estate and can make a kitchen your size appear much smaller. Don’t do it. Not a worthwhile investment.

Big base cabinet drawers - yes. High end appliances for upscale in Northern CA - yes. 60” fridge? Probably not. Again too large for a kitchen your size. If it is likely empty nesters for sure not 60”.

Remember, once you start throwing too many wow items into this kitchen it starts to feel circus instead of lux.

I do not like cleanup sinks in islands. I prefer A and add a prep sink in the island.

@Kendrah Thank you for your feedback.

The house is next to an elementary school, so we’re almost sure to have a family with young kids as buyers.

@Kendrah Can you talk to me about what constitutes too many wow factors? 60 in fridge, waterfall island, what else? do i want to stick to only one?

The reason my layouts only include 48 in and 60 in fridges is that I’ve been to open houses at Thomas James Homes and have seen a 60 in fridge in a similar size home in our area. It is impactful. For context, Thomas James Homes is the nation's largest, single-lot, new home replacement builder so they must be doing something right and I try to copy them.

I hate ovens next to refigs. Yes to sink & window. Wall oven to right of sink or left of stove.

The whole space is too disproportionately large, and too poorly designed. You are not working with an actual architect, are you?

@HU-350590897 yes

Where is the floor plan for the house in ENTIRETY? It's a single and ranch? It is two floors?

" It's a 4 bed, 3 bath.......where is the 1/2 bath, powder room? Where is and how large the mud entry for the kids who live next to a school, as ONLY someone with kids wants to be next door to the kids and the bus line up: )......and consider it more important than 60 Inches of cooling, unless this is 70 miles from the grocery store.

Yes the kitchen is important......but it is one element in the whole.

For context, Thomas James Homes is the nation's largest, single-lot, new home replacement builder so they must be doing something right and I try to copy them.

If they are popular and sell fast where you are actually building, then just copy them. I know nothing about newly built homes. I went online, looked up their available ones in Northern California. The kitchens look cheap, poorly laid out, builder grade, with massive stainless no name appliances. If that is what actually sells in the neighborhood where you are and what would be satisfying to you to build, then do it.

They look most like your C plan. I saw:

No waterfalls. (These smart builders are not eating out of their bottomline by paying for extra counter top material on the sides of an island.)

The uppers go all the way next to the hood, no open shelving.

Everything is white - cabinets, counters, paint. Or light grey and white. (Still. Maybe their newer builds have caught up with wood cabinets trend?)

Cheap lighting over the island.

More chairs at the island than is reasonable for anyone to actually get in and out of.

Sinks in the islands, directly behind the range for terrible circulation and guarantee only one person is easily cooking in here at a time.

Tiny drawers in one kitchen, all cabinets in the others - super low end. Hilariously tiny above fridge cabinets.

They do not spend on coffee stations, drink fridges, stupid items like that. (Smart.)

My final assessment is you would be their ideal customer. Wow'ed by a big fridge that distracts from everything that is wrong with the kitchen. Their average buyer may be the same. Charmed by looks. You are building for the average person, not the kitchen custom designers on Houzz who know better. :)

@JAN MOYER I’d be happy to post the whole floor plan if it would help with the kitchen layout. The house layout is set in stone, permitted and framed at this point. We have what we have for the kitchen space.

That is only a die on the sword, done deal with exterior framing and footers. Nobody cares if an interior wall moves a foot. Especially as it applies to plumbing rough in etc.....even a stupid linen closet.

If you now have no soil pipes, sink drains. etc? and all open walls?

I'd post it, were I you: )

You nailed it, Kendrah!

Those Thomas James Homes‘ kitchens, that @Kendrah shows above, basically look like operating rooms. It has been, and continues to be, a popular/quite overdone look. It is definitely not the latest/most current in design. However, there are many people - including certain designers - who don’t know about - and/or just don’t want/or do anything else.

So in terms of the aesthetic design as well as features, it really depends on your area, market, and who your targeted buyers will be.

The best thing you can do - versus looking for opinions here - is to talk to local realtors, attend local open houses, etc.; and this idea was suggested to you in the very first comment here at the top of your thread - the comment from @Rachel, which you did not even have the courtesy to acknowledge.

@JAN MOYER Here’s a link to the floor plan if it helps. Some of the internal walls here used to be external walls and had to be kept per planning regulations. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hkU94zkjo9RTMPpv2ZJz6wa4gyG1yQNy/view?usp=drivesdk

I like option A or option C.

I think your laundry room is not wide enough. 5 feet is narrow. Take at least one foot from the length of bedroom 1 and make bedroom 2 closet not as deep so as to make the laundry room wider by at least a foot.

You know the area - who is the ADU for? The au pair?

You're not living in it, you're investing in property next to a school. with kids ( probably for the buyer )? I'd want a bigger laundry. I would want a real dedicated powder room.

Four feet of depth is NOT a walk in closet in that bedroom and the other has no closet? Reduce that so called walkin , to a 2 " deep reach in. Alas.........

But you want a 48 range, bells and whistle kitchen? No......jmho

It's a pretty ordinary or less than plan in all other regards, NOT luxury, so I suppose you need it: ) ? for "wowie" and hope they ignore other flaws??

@freedomplace1 I reqursted input on the kitche layout. Style is not my concern right now. The style in suggested layouts is placeholder.

Rachel’s suggestion is good and valid and ive already done what she suggested.

@Karenseb washer and drier are 27 inch wide they will fit perpendicularly to what is shown in the drawing. I don’t think I need to make an issue out of it.

@JAN MOYER Most buyers here are after a 4 br house. It’s a two income work from home thing all around here. Yes, they want an au pair suite or an office. And they want it sound insulated. And a family room is also a desirable feature. ADU was the only way to add square footage.

I chose the appliance sizes I chose because that’s what I saw at new build open houses but I understand that our kitchen space has constraints so I‘m open to kitchen layout suggestions in any appropriate appliance size.

I think realtors vote mostly kitchen A so I’d love suggestions on how to improve it.

@JAN MOYER all bedrooms have closets

If it is for sale B would probable be the best for resale because it is less cabinets to buy . As long as it looks nice, the majority of prospective buyers won't hang out in the kitchen to determine the usability of the layout. Also, make those island base cabinets on the island a litltle deeper on the range side, and have an overhang for seating. More buyers want the seating, and you will save the cost of the 4 cabinets.

Another layout we’ve considered but the counter space is almost half compared to the other ones.

TJH uses cheap import cabinets tarted up with a few visual tricks. Ronbow a cheap import with a bigger price than they deserve. Everything about those houses says "Imported From China" at the lowest cost possible. Looks like the appliances cost more than all the rest of the kitchen put together. And they should only cost 10%.

I don't mind the ref/wall oven on the right wall but then it forces the sink onto the island. I feel that decision is risky - for many its a hard no. So why risk it. Is it ideal to walk from the ref past the cook top to the sink? No but you would be surprised by all the houses out there that are set up that way and it's just fine as long as the walkway is wide enough.

As far as the window over the sink - personally - it's not always about the view - it is about the natural light. You said you see the neighbor's fence - I would plant a beautiful flowering tree or something there so at least it is pretty.

A 60" ref??!!! I'm sorry it is going to be too much. The focal point of this space are the windows - not the appliances. Even with decorative panels on it! 48" is more than enough to be impressive and will fit the scale of the space you have.

People want light and countertops and storage in their kitchens. I would also ditch the waterfall ends on the island. I'd rather see a second material mixed in or more interesting design. I find the waterfalls boring and over done. I am also not a fan of bar seating - straight row, not social at all. I would do 2 sides with seats.

Don't as aspire to do what that builder is doing. Strive to do even better and for less.

Best of luck to you!

In response to your question @Lia Sorokina about why I thought the kitchen looked cheap. (Note, in my mind Lux is a label that makes you feel something is expensive but might be cheap. High-end is really quality.)

1. Cheap - because of the particular cabinet sizes and doors vs drawers. It looks like someone was using a plan from 10 years ago or longer. Current kitchens are designed with large, wide, deep drawers for all lowers. So these kitchens signal old and lower end immediately. I would be sure to address this no matter what your layout. And the dinky cabinets above the fridge are just poor taste.

2. A high-end kitchen doesn't have a suite of matching kitchen appliances. Someone with high-end taste knows that the same company that makes a great fridge does not make a great stove. Someone looking for the appearance of luxury doesn't know the difference and doesn't care.

I personally want a subzero fridge and any number of different kinds of ranges. But I can look at this and tell it is not a subzero and was probably a single line thrown in here by a developer who doesn't know about good cooking. Again, maybe it just doesn't matter in your market. But it says lux rather than quality to me.

3. The countertops look cheap.

4. The hardware is completely off scale and makes it look like a Home Depot special. This has nothing to do with layout, and I get it is not what you are concerned with right now. But all of these things start to add up and make me wonder if this is a lower grade kitchen with a "lux" look rather than a high-end of kitchen with the kind of value I want. Again, I've never lived in a new built home and I prefer quality over a lux look so I may be your wrong customer. Perhaps the opposite of my opinions are what sells!

I’m a big advocate for positioning the main sink on an island. From my experience, the island is where friends and family naturally gather, making it the heart of the kitchen. When the sink is on a wall, last-minute prep and clean-up often mean the user has their back to the guests, which can feel isolating. Placing the sink on the island allows work to be done while staying engaged with guests, creating a more social and welcoming environment. It’s a small shift that makes a big difference in the functionality and atmosphere of the space.

I think you are asking the wrong people. Houzz is very, very focused on the functionality of kitchens. Most home buyers are not - they care about name-brand appliances and fancy finishes and aesthetics.

A functional kitchen Can be one with fancy finishes and aesthetics. But, that is neither functional nor aesthetically pleasing. No amount of breaks in 5 years appliances will make up for that lack.

Noticed two things when I saw you design that made me cringe.

First is the pantry - why place the door in the corner instead of maximizing storage space.

With a 5' wide pantry you can have storage on both sides - 12" on one side 18" deep on the other side and along the back wall.

Same kind of thought with the master closet. You need 7' to have hanging clothing on both walls.

WIth 6 1/2 feet wide (what you have) you can have hanging clothes and 18" deep shelves or drawers. But only if the door is centered.

The corners you are showing as hanging space are wasted space - like blind kitchen cabinets.

You also are only leaving 2.5' between the two sections of hanging space at the back - that is too tight - need 3'.

The ADU has a dishwasher, but no shower or bath? I don't know about you, but I have had efficency apartments with just a tiny stove, sink and fridge, but never one where I couldn't get a bath or shower.

@Jennifer Hogan

If I am reading her plans correctly, it looks like the ADU has a second floor for the bedroom and full bath. It's seems more like a full apartment. I was thrown by that at first.

I completely agree with your pantry and closet notes!

I would set up the kitchen as a one wall / island galley kitchen

I personally don't like to see a refrigerator, so it would either have to be panelled to match the cabinets or hidden, but not every one hates the look of a fridge.

Here are a couple of quick thoughts on how I design this space.

Hide the fridge - have some shelves / coffee station, cabinets behind the fridge - leaves the possibility of using a full depth refrigerator and narrower shelves on the opposing side.

Leving the fridge where you first had it - Again - I would build out the wall behind the lower cabinets a few inches to accomodate a full depth fridge.

The wood piece on the island gives you a break between the faucet and soap and stuff so it isn't all visible from the living space. Link below to an example.

https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/element-house-pj-vj~5751175

Thank you for the correction on the ADU.

@Debbi Washburn I appreciate you describing the trade offs and laying out the order of priorities. The big picture view you painted is very helpful.

@Rachiele, LLC I agree. I can appreciate a sink under the window if we're talking a large window with a better view than the living/dining room. Otherwise, I don't want to be tucked away in the corner with dirty dishes like a hired help looking at the neighbor's roof when I could be looking at the gorgeous 14' windows and living/dining space with a fireplace. I'm not as concerned about what occasional guests might think when the island sink has dishes in it. I would be move concerned about how I feel working at that sink on the daily basis.

However, I am not designing this for myself. I want this house to appeal to many buyers. Probably 90% of people I asked (mostly RE agents and neighbors and this site) prefer a window sink. I certainly don't want to end up being the snob who builds for the clientele she wishes she had. I want to give people what they want. On the other hand, the high end developers (TJH, Veranda Homes, Style & Co) seem to go for the island sink with the view of the living/dining almost all the time. Why would they build layouts that don't sell? I'm pretty sure those are data driven decisions for developers. This is a mystery to me. (Or perhaps I just ended up in a weird corner of the internet and formed a skewed opinion.) Thank you for sharing your thoughts and support.

@Jennifer Hogan Wow, thank you for taking the time to write up such thoughtful posts. Great point about the pantry and closet. Those kitchen layouts are different and fresh as well. Galley and U-shape probably result in the most storage and counter space in this case.

Have you thought about where a television will go? People hang their TVs over the fireplace because no one thought about where a TV could be placed before they built the house with the huge fireplace in the center of the only wall where the TV can go.

I prefer the galley type kitchen because I dispise corner cabinets. 2" of utterly wasted cabinet space.

Looking at the pictures above from that other builder, the design makes sense for their particular space. There is some sort of entry ( maybe from a mudroom ) into the kitchen so it is best as that galley shape with the ref on the side. It is only open onto the dining room.

Your space is very different from that. The L-shape layout works better and people prefer a sink in front of a window.

If you look at the kitchens posted above they are all white, slab doors, white tops, a tiny bit of color in the splash and white walls. They need something to break that up and make it attractive so they used large appliances. Do you need to do that? No , maybe - does that "look" even fit the house you are doing?

If your finishes are good and you stage the home properly, it will sell.

I work with someone who flips larger homes - she does patterned tiles, wallpaper, fun designs all based on the style of the home - not just a cookie cutter from someone else. Here are a few pics from the last place

She has amazing style and stages all the houses she does. This house sold in 3 days.

Hope you can find all the things that will make your place sell fast and be profitable for you!