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kristen_hallock

Have layout, but need help planning cabinets

Kristen Hallock
11 years ago

I really am hopeless on planning which cabinets should go where and I would appreciate some help. Here is the general kitchen plan. I've had people review here before and I think all seems fine and dandy with the layout. Feel free to point out any issues if you need to though.

I went to Lowes today and the kitchen designer there drew up the model above for me. I know I want almost all drawers. I know I want some nice big Pot & Pan Drawers.In the pic above I put them on either side of the range, but then I couldnt think of what I needed in the island, so i did more big drawers there too. Is that overkill? I am thinking of other items that I have to store currently and I need a place for dishtowels and probably cloth napkins and stuff like that. Right now our silverware is located to the left of the sink - is that still good for the future kitchen? Should I have a 4-drawer stack there instead? So I could have drawer for forks/knives/spoons and another drawer for special utensils/cooking tools?

Where should the trash be? The Lowes guy put it at the end of the island opening up to the range - is that ok? I was thinking it might be nice to have on the island but far from the range? I have a prep sink in my plan that will be in the island opposite the range and across from the fridge.

He put in 2 base cabinets with doors to the left of the range so I could change those to be more drawers too. I just have no idea where the best place for stuff is. I always just work with whatever I have and not plan it out.

What cabinet would be ideal for dishes and glasses? I usually store those in wall cabinets, but I am on 5'2" and so I wouldnt be opposed to putting them in a drawer...although my 6' husband might not be into it. Should I have some glass front cabinets? If I make one of the wall cabinets on the sides of the sink a glass front cabinet, would it be better to make both wall cabinets on the sides of the sink glass front?

The fridge is on the opposite wall from the sink and that wall measures 61", It would have a 36" fridge that we would recess back into the wall (maybe like 4"?) to give more aisle space. There is just enough room I think to have a panel on one end and a 24" wide pantry cabinet with roll out shelves. I would put most of my food in there (cereal, cookies, crackers, pasta, baking supplies...)

Oh, I'd LOVE someplace to store spices that is easy for 5'2" me to see and where everything is in view and easy to read. Where should that go? I've seen one in a drawer before that was pretty cool.

Ok, if you made it this far, thank you!!!

Oh, if you need to see an overall layout here is a picture. But keep in mind the cabinet placement in this picture is not final. it was just a mock-up. But it shows where the doorways lead and what not.

And here is a view of the current kitchen

Comments (5)

  • blfenton
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    These are only suggestions to begin. Once I got into the kitchen and actually working in it I probably reorganized the drawers etc 2 or 3 times.

    Pull-out trash: That goes where ever you are doing your prep work. If that is on the island that is where it goes. If it is on the counter between the sink and the range then I would put it to the left of the sink. It looks like you have a prep sink in the island so if that is where you are going to prep that is where the trash goes. What about putting it by the prep sink put opening up towards the clean-up sink and then it can do double duty. This is something you will have to imagine yourself actually doing and so perhaps mock-up the island in different configurations and see which makes the most sense.

    In the drawer stack to the right of the DW - maybe put your dish towels/clothes, napkins etc there.

    Across from the DW- perhaps put your everyday cutlery there. If you wanted dishes drawers they could also be put there. maybe a 3 stack and then you just empty the DW straight across. OR they could go in the upper cabinet to the left of the sink.

    Pots/pans - should go next to the stove. I have a 3 stack next to the stove for these things. The top drawer is my cooking utensils, next drawer is pots and pans, and the bottom drawer is my frying pans. I have another 3 stack on the other side and the top drawer is my eating cutlery (my kitchen is of a different design) and you could put your spices there, but the next drawer down is my "white" casserole dishes W/lids and the bottom drawer is my small appliances. (grinder, hand-mixer, small electric mixer, emulsion, etc)

    My cookie sheets, wire racks and other pyrex casserole dishes are above the fridge. Do you have a place for trays, etc yet?

    Those 2 cabinets to the left of the range - DEFINITELY change those to drawers.

    Anyway - maybe this will get you started and others will chime in with ideas. But, as mentioned, you will unpack and then reorganize. The only rule I got was from my DH and he requested that I stop moving the breakfast cereals when I reorganized.

  • debrak_2008
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have flatware, dishes and casseroles in drawers across from sink.

  • Kristen Hallock
    Original Author
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    My husband is mixing things up. He's going to get me my 36" BlueStar range but he wants a built-in side by side fridge. So the only place to put this thing is on the 61" wall where the fridge would go in the layout above. We could put a 48" fridge/freezer there and have 12" leftover...one KD suggested a 12" deep cabinet that was 24" wide placed on the side so it opens up by the bathroom door or by the door to the laundry/mudroom.

    Also if we do the large built-in fridge we would probably need to put a 24" wide tall pantry cabinet way to the left of the range.

    So I'm wondering what people think of those changes. Would a 48" fridge + 12 inch cabinet be ok in the space? Would a tall pantry be OK at the far left of the range?

  • rhome410
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    How about a 12" deep open shelf unit, facing the side, next to the fridge... For cookbooks, cool mixing bowls, etc?

    I think a pantry cabinet at the left end would be OK, as you considered that previously. But where does the microwave go?

    I'd put the silverware in the island, across from the dw. I'd put dishes underneath, and glassware and other dishware in the wall cabs...since not all dishes and serveware will fit in the drawers, most likely. (Plates of 2 or 3 sizes, bowls, small bowls, cups, mugs, platters, serving bowls, mixing bowls, pitchers, sugar & cream servers, gravy boats, etc., etc... ) We also keep our Tupperware types of containers in the bottom drawer of our dish cabs.

    I'd put the trash where mine is... In the island on the stove end, but main sink side, facing the main sink. That way it serves the prep, cooking, and cleanup areas quite conveniently.

    I'd encourage you to try to map out reasonable storage areas for what you have. Some adjustment may be necessary. But unlike a kitchen you move into, you are able NOT just to 'make do,' and really plan the storage for what you want.

    I would keep no more than one doored cabinet, if even that. I left my island in top drawer/door cabs, because I thought the island was kind of 'extra' and looks could matter there more than function. But within a year, I was planning the change to all drawers, and I like it much better that way.

    I still have a couple cabs with doors. One is vertical baking pan storage, one holds casserole pans and broiler pans, and one holds odd things like a deep fryer, and huge stainless bowls. Some of those things could have been in drawers or better planned storage, had I thought more about it.

  • ginny20
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Don't forget to think about things like where does the bread go and where do potatoes/onions go. I put in a bread drawer, and I love it. I have a separate deep drawer for all our dog paraphernalia. I put cookie sheets and big baking pans in a thin vertical lower cab with a door, and I have a cab with a door for bottles of pop, beer, and juice - I don't have a big pantry for things like that. I also have a lower cab with a door and roll out for my small appliances. Make sure you have a junk drawer, even if it will be well organized. And a place for pot holders and trivets. So my suggestion would be to think about the strange stuff and make sure you can accommodate it.

    Here are some old threads on storing potatoes/ onions, bread, and spices

    http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0213152618456.html

    http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0802203121063.html

    http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg02124116986.html

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