Help with kitchen remodel please
last month
We bought a house and couldn't be more excited! We haven't moved in yet but I want to get ideas.
The house is great but needs some updates. We want to start with the kitchen as that's the most important room to us. We want to put in new flooring, appliances and new cabinets that extend to the ceiling. We prefer to install a new wall oven and range top to keep with the mid-century look but are open to a standard oven. The brick that the ovens are installed in is just decorative and can be taken out.
The wall with blue wallpaper backs up to the living room fireplace. The inspector told us that we could take that wall back by about 5 inches. I'm thinking of installing shallow cabinets here to allow for food storage.
Ideas are appreciated! :)
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (12)
PROlast monthI'd keep that breakfast nook for sure. A galley kitchen is not an undesireable situation.
Carmen thanked BeverlyFLADeziner- last month
Related Discussions
Layout Help for my kitchen remodel, please
Comments (11)Thank you, bmorepanic, I appreciate your response. I will try to answer your questions first. The family room is pretty formal and traditional with dark wood antiques and I am hoping to make my kitchen more transitional and lighter in feel, with slab cabinetry, so I think it important to keep the wall up between the two spaces. I also use that wall to hang art on the family room side, and cannot figure out where those paintings will hang if the wall is not there. The sunroom is currently where we eat almost all our meals, on a Moroccan tiled table that is 39" x 78.5" and I hope to incorporate that table into the new kitchen/sunroom area as it's a very functional piece. I am ok with the sunroom becoming more of the hang out place, but am not sure where the table will go if that happens, as it seems too large for the breakfast area. We currently have three stools at the island but the overhang is only 7 inches so knee bumping is a regular occurrence, and the gas cooktop is there, so there is not much room for plates, etc. I only use the dining room when I am entertaining, and when I have the extended family over we split up and sit down to our meals in three different rooms (the dining room table, the sunroom table, and the living room sofa and coffee table.) It isn't ideal, but it works. Problems with current kitchen are too little usable counter space (microwave, toaster oven, juicer, coffee maker, drying rack, etc. occupy too much space), and lack of storage. I also have all of my 12 year old builder-grade appliances breaking this year. We seem to be in each other's way as a result of the layout, getting stuff out of the fridge, using the sink, getting to the pantry. My garage has a ton of stuff I never use that belonged to my husband, old gallons of paint, old chandeliers, etc. I think I can clear out the back part, and still have enough room in the front half for the stuff I do need, ie. trash cans, recycling bins, bikes, scooters, etc. We are able to split up responsibilities with one person needing prep and oven and the other person using cooktop. By my count there will be one regular electric oven (30" Wolf) and one microwave/speed oven (Miele or Adv) and one warming drawer (also 30" Wolf). Finally, the load-bearing wall that separates the kitchen from the solarium holds the HVAC return and I don't think I want to deal with the expense of re-routing that, so it will probably remain as is (behind and to the right of the current ovens). I was thinking the bottom half of some of the load bearing wall could remain, at least for additional counter space and now that you mention it, to stop people from coming into the kitchen prep/cook area from the family room, what do you think of that idea? I like your sketch but don't know what P1 and P2 refers to, please forgive my ignorance. Thanks for clearing up the dimensions and aisle widths, good to know that 48" is the minimum for two cooks. Currently, I have a couch and table in the breakfast area, and my boys sit there all the time and use the table for coloring, legos, etc. I am having a tough time imagining that area gone, especially if it means I have to replace the windows in that area with ones that start 42" from the floor (which one designer tells me is necessary if I am to put the clean up area there) and deal with the exterior siding of the house being matched to the 12 year old pre-existing shingles. If I can keep my existing windows, then I would be more amenable to the idea. I look forward to your response. And thank you again for taking the time to come up with a plan....See MoreHelp with new kitchen remodel...please!!
Comments (1)We can't recommend anything without a measured drawing to scale with all measurements of windows, doors etc noted with correct sizes....See MoreHelp Please: Kitchen Remodel Drawings
Comments (5)Since you have a basement, can you add plumbing for a prep sink on the island? You don't have much space at the sink for prep area, and if you add the island sink, you'll have a nice triangle with the range and fridge. A separate clean-up zone will make it easier for a helper to load or unload the DW, or to gather dishes to set the table, without interfering in prep or cooking tasks. I'd suggest making the island only 84", which will be sufficient for 3 seats (24"/seat is the minimum recommended by the NKBA). You need 48" in the clean-up aisle, especially with traffic from the back door, and if you want symmetry, that will allow 48" in the traffic aisle to the stairs....See MorePlease help with kitchen remodel layout/dishwasher placement
Comments (7)Have you considered moving the Kitchen to where you have the banquette seating and putting in a table in the bay area. Then, you could create a Snack/Coffee Center and include some shallow pantry storage on the far right and bottom right. Honestly? I don't think this is a good use of space nor do I think it's very functional. There's too little counterspace where you need it most (b/w the sink and range) and too much where it's not particularly useful b/c it's too far from key components in the Kitchen. If you'd like other ideas, please post a fully-measured layout of the space under consideration and a sketch of the entire floor. The layout you posted is missing too many key measurements. By "fully-measured", we mean a layout with the widths of each wall/window/door/doorway and the distances between each wall/window/door/doorway labeled. See a sample below. If something cannot be moved or changed, label it precisely on your layout (see post in sample) and tell us why it cannot be moved/changed -- we may have some ideas for you. The sketch of the entire floor lets us see how the Kitchen relates to the rest of the home. It doesn't have to be to-scale, but it should accurately show how the rooms relate to each other and should include all interior & exterior doors. In addition, it will help us see how traffic flows in, around, and through the Kitchen. Label the front entry and family entry. The family entry is usually a garage or side entry, but it might not be. It's helpful to know which door you use to bring in groceries. Regardless of how you draw it up (by hand, computer, etc.), please be sure all measurements are labeled. (Note: Computer generated layouts often lack key measurements and, sometimes, measure to/from things like the middle of a wall or the middle of a window. Neither are useful. Measure each item and the distances between each item.) Other questions... Tell us about you and your family and how you plan to use your Kitchen. All-adults? Empty Nesters? Children (now or in the future)? What appliances (& their sizes) do you plan to have? Where are you flexible? Can walls/windows/doors/doorways change (move, change size, add, delete)? Do you have a basement under the Kitchen or are you on a slab? This might interest you... Ice.Water.Stone.Fire, a humorous discussion of Kitchen design: https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2699918/looking-for-layout-help-memorize-this-first Taken from the "New to Kitchens? Read Me First!" thread regarding asking for layout help....See MoreRelated Professionals
Annandale General Contractors · Browns Mills General Contractors · Columbus General Contractors · Meadville General Contractors · Northfield General Contractors · Asbury Park Architects & Building Designers · Sahuarita Furniture & Accessories · Indian Creek Furniture & Accessories · Hainesport General Contractors · Hagerstown General Contractors · Irving General Contractors · Jacksonville General Contractors · Red Wing General Contractors · Ogden Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Los Altos Cabinets & Cabinetry- last month
- last month
- last month
PROlast month
PROlast monthlast modified: last monthA really great example of a MCM kitchen but we do not live in the 50s and our kitchens are not like they were. I have a MCM ranch it had the original kitchen just not good for my use . Do you want to go in the MCM direction ? I have to say those kitchens were often not really functional for how we live now . I moved the kitchen to the much larger DR space in my home . I like galley kitchens they are very functional but need real planning to get what you need . The booth is kind of fun but really test it for actual use . I really barely like a booth in a diner for 1 hr not what I want for my life . BUt if you love it then let it drive all the rest of the kitchen design.THis was my old and my new kitchen in my MCM home still keeping the vibe but the functionalways trumps all else The patio door yyou see behing theDR table was the old kitchen window . If you post a to scale floor plan here in jpeg format we can help you get the best for how you cook and live .
- 15 days ago
Related Stories
KITCHEN DESIGNHere's Help for Your Next Appliance Shopping Trip
It may be time to think about your appliances in a new way. These guides can help you set up your kitchen for how you like to cook
Full Story
SELLING YOUR HOUSE10 Tricks to Help Your Bathroom Sell Your House
As with the kitchen, the bathroom is always a high priority for home buyers. Here’s how to showcase your bathroom so it looks its best
Full Story
REMODELING GUIDESWisdom to Help Your Relationship Survive a Remodel
Spend less time patching up partnerships and more time spackling and sanding with this insight from a Houzz remodeling survey
Full Story
WORKING WITH PROS3 Reasons You Might Want a Designer's Help
See how a designer can turn your decorating and remodeling visions into reality, and how to collaborate best for a positive experience
Full Story
HOUZZ TOURSMy Houzz: 38 Years of Renovations Help Artists Live Their Dream
Twin art studios. Space for every book and model ship. After four decades of remodeling, this farmhouse has two happy homeowners
Full Story
HOME OFFICESQuiet, Please! How to Cut Noise Pollution at Home
Leaf blowers, trucks or noisy neighbors driving you berserk? These sound-reduction strategies can help you hush things up
Full Story
BATHROOM WORKBOOKStandard Dimensions and Measurements for a Primary Bath
Create a luxe bathroom that functions well with these key fixture dimensions and layout tips
Full Story
BATHROOM DESIGNKey Measurements to Help You Design a Powder Room
Clearances, codes and coordination are critical in small spaces such as a powder room. Here’s what you should know
Full Story
MOST POPULAR7 Ways to Design Your Kitchen to Help You Lose Weight
In his new book, Slim by Design, eating-behavior expert Brian Wansink shows us how to get our kitchens working better
Full Story
JAN MOYER