You all have been so helpful, I'm wondering why I have not gotten one response here. Have I worn out my welcome? Did I seem unappreciative? Is there something I should be doing differently to engage all your talented & insightful help?
Thanks,
Carrie

I'm not a layout expert but I find it hard to see you photos/layout. Can you post the layout directly and make it larger? I was trying to see your layout but ended up looking at your cats, LOL. Your layout is much too tiny for me to read.

I know everyone loves design programs but honestly the easiest to read layouts are done on graph paper, except for buehl who does them in powerpoint (no one does them like she does)

It seems a little slow here this week. My advice is always make things easy for people. Most do not like having to click on things to open them up.

Attached is a thread on getting more responses.

Here is a link that might be useful: getting more responses

I'm just confirming what debrak said above. My eyes aren't as good as they once were, and your Ikea program images are impossible for me to read, even if I click through to enlarge them. Could you take a sheet of graph paper and draw a floorplan of your kitchen? Use 1 square for every six inches on the floor. Draw it in sharpie so it's nice and dark. Then you can either scan it or take a photo of it and post it here with your questions. I'm guessing you'll get a much bigger response. Good luck!!

Thanks for responding, Debrak!

Click on the photos and they get big!

I will re-post the layout I posted on graph paper.

Here's my graph paper layout:

In your OP of this thread they get bigger but not big enough for many of us and I have my reading glasses on : )

The graph paper is better.

I can't say I see anything I would do differently. Hopefully some experts will jump in soon. Don't hesitate to bump this again if needed.

Hi Carrie, I would like to help, but not sure what would help. I’m not sure where you’re at, at this point. I also could not get much out of the photos of that IKEA program that you posted. From your post above, it almost sounds like you are starting over again at the beginning and hoping for some entirely new idea.

I think if you are stuck, instead of more ideas and suggestions, it could be that making some key decisions might help you move forward. People can help you figure out how to get the most out of your space, but the decisions about what you want are yours.

Maybe you could explain more about what you are trying to do and where the problem is and you might get more responses. Ask more specific questions for what you need help with because for me at least, your request for more thoughts or advice is too broad a question.

Thanks, debrak and prairiemoon.

Maybe it would make sense if I separate out my areas of question in future posts - into separate threads. I'm pretty much set & decided on basic layout, but there are certain areas I'm unsure of. I tried to post the ikea photos of each area that I had specific questions about, but understand that those photos aren't easy to understand.

So, maybe I'll start some new threads with the questions separated, and with those particular areas drawn out larger on graph paper?

Thanks so much for your responses.
Carrie

Yes, separate specific questions are good. Title the threads accordingly. Many here want to help but often time is limited and threads with specific titles and questions seem to get faster attention. Unless its something like "does anyone have xxx granite?" and no one has it.

I just reread you OP in this thread and see you have a question about whether to have a DW or not. I missed this the first time I read it.

Don't give up!

Thanks, debrak. I also see that it was difficult to understand what was a question for you all (what to do about my fridge wall, for instance.) And what were questions that I just really have to decide for myself (like the DW question.)

So, this morning, I'm looking again at my design & trying to figure stuff out & see what specific questions I have for all of you. Thanks so much.

There's just so much to consider - and this is so new to me that I am both excited & overwhelmed.

Sometimes it helps just to post a question. By writing it out and posting it, it helps clarify it.

It can be very overwhelming! I found at times I had 'Analysis Paralysis'. A very common condition for many people. [g]

On the question of whether to have a DW or not….I think in a small space, you have to prioritize what is important to you and weigh that against what is usually expected in a kitchen. If you rarely cook and only make an egg once in awhile as you've mentioned before, then maybe you don't have a need for a lot of storage in the kitchen. Not for a lot of items that people who cook have. Like a lot of pans or baking equipment, large bowls, a lot of utensils, spices, etc. If so, then it might be that you have room for a dishwasher. If it is not going to take the space of something that is really important to you, you may as well add it.

It might help you to make a list of what you want in your kitchen. Just what YOU want and think you need without considering what is a 'standard' kitchen and what is expected. Then take your list and see if it is included in the layout you're now working with. Then if you have everything you want and need, like the refrigerator, the window you wanted, the door in the place you wanted, then you can see if you still have space to add what is standard.

Great ideas for how to proceed. I would add that you also need to consider how long you'll likely be in your home when making decisions regarding what is standard/expected vs what YOU want. Kitchens seem to be deal makers or deal breakers for a lot of people shopping for homes. A unique kitchen design or addition/lack of a critical element makes a difference.

I also can't read your floorplans, even when I click to expand them.

Do you have PowerPoint? You could map out the floor plan on a slide, as large as possible (with dimensions) and then Save As a jpeg file.

An alternative is to zoom in on your Ikea planner image before taking the screen shot. Then open the screen shot in something like Paint to crop out all the extraneous stuff that no one needs to see but takes up so much space in the image. Or download a free screen capture tool that will let you capture just the part of the screen that you want.

When you click on a photo and it brings you to the Photobucket account, I found it wasn't showing the photos, but if you click on the magnification circle in the lower right corner of where the photo was supposed to show, it brings it up.