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Kitchen layout advice needed - thanks

truffula
10 years ago

Kitchen gurus, I am renovating a kitchen in an apartment and hope for your input. The pictures are below. The washer/dryers are allowed in the kitchen and nowhere else so a combined unit is hidden to the right of the dishwasher under the cabinet. Other things different from the original layout are the drawers under the gas range (for pots and pans) and a 27 inch double oven (one of which is also a microwave). It's a small space with a lot crammed in there, so any suggestions are welcome.

This post was edited by truffula on Tue, Mar 18, 14 at 16:00

Comments (36)

  • canuckplayer
    10 years ago

    couldn't get any of your pictures to open

  • truffula
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Better layout picture is below

    This post was edited by truffula on Tue, Mar 18, 14 at 16:00

  • truffula
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Pictures are attached one by one below

    This post was edited by truffula on Tue, Mar 18, 14 at 16:01

  • truffula
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    This is what the kitchen looks like now

  • truffula
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    This is the proposed layout, keeping things in general where they are

  • truffula
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    A couple of 3D renders are going to follow

  • truffula
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    From the top

  • truffula
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    cooktop and fridge side

  • truffula
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    window/dishwasher/washer and dryer side. Door is to the living room

  • truffula
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    current eat-in area

  • truffula
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    proposed eat-in area (not sketched to size)

  • Catharine442
    10 years ago

    I am not an expert, just planning my own reno for a couple of months.
    I think you might be crowded at that cooktop with only 9" of counter to the right and 15" to the left. Could you get more from the left, where the refrigerator is in you plan? I don't see your refrigerator in the first photo of your kitchen. Where is it currently?Then again, at the cooktop you are still very close to your countertop on the other side.

  • truffula
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    In the first picture, I think the fridge had to be replaced, but it's up right against the countertop (sort of where it is in the proposed layout). Someone with the same kitchen layout moved the fridge where the pantry is but it feels sort of far away from everything...

  • truffula
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I wonder if moving the double oven closer to the sink would give more countertop space near the stove or it would just block light from the window.

  • truffula
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I think the counter is 12 inches to the right of the cooktop - the KD said you need 3 inch filler to allow the oven to open up

  • Catharine442
    10 years ago

    I think moving the ovens closer to the sink is possibly a good idea.

  • ineffablespace
    10 years ago

    I don't think the kitchen benefits from having a separate wall oven because it takes away elbow room in/ and interrupts the natural prep space in the kitchen.

    My old complex was designed with separate wall ovens originally, in kitchens this size and smaller. Virtually everyone has converted to a conventional range to increase counter space.

  • nmjen
    10 years ago

    Have you considered swapping the fridge to the spot directly opposite where it is now? It would then be on the wall with the dishwasher and sink, and allow you more counter space next to the cooktop.

    Also, I love double ovens, and wall ovens, but I agree that in your limited space, a single range (and microwave elsewhere) may be a better solution. Good luck!

  • truffula
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Good idea about swapping out the fridge...but I think the washer/dryer is hidden directly opposite the fridge...think it has to be on the same side as the sink and the drain, or so I am told. You know, I can see why one unit moved the refrigerator to the pantry area to get more counterspace.

  • canuckplayer
    10 years ago

    I agree, this is a small kitchen that could benefit from having a range, rather than a cooktop and wall ovens.

    I don't think you will be able to work at that sink, it actually overlaps the counter to the left of it. You will always be bumping your hip.
    What does the door right of your sink run lead to? Can it be moved to the right, to allow a longer run to move your sink right.
    How about the door left of the fridge? Can it be moved to the left to allow the range counter to be longer, so you have more space on each side of the range.

  • annkh_nd
    10 years ago

    This kitchen doesn't have enough room for the luxury of a double oven. Stick with a range, and gain back some much-needed counter and cabinet space.

    I would ditch the 15" drawers on the sink wall, in favor of moving the sink to the right, where you can actually use it. This should gain you enough space to put a 36" super susan in the corner. Then you can have 33" drawers where you have the double oven. Make the upper cabinets on that wall 15" deep, to gain even more storage. Since you have tall uppers, make sure you order extra shelves in all of them.

    The fridge/range side is so crowded - I'd be temped to find a smaller range, just to make the cabinets and counter on both sides of the range more useful.

  • truffula
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Those are great ideas especially about the extra deep upper cabinets - didnt know those existed! Let me rethink the double oven idea. To be honest I don't have that much counter space in my current kitchen now. What I have in my current apartment is a microwave above the cook top (not crazy about the location) and an oven below the cook top. I end up storing some of the most used pans in the oven which I would like to avoid in the new kitchen.

  • truffula
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    As for moving doors, I don't think I can move the door next to the fridge - that goes to the service elevator and out to a hallway. I was thinking about moving the other door that leads to the living room, but the eat-in area is nice for the kids to sit and eat cereal. Also one contractor thought there was a lot of concrete in the walls - that it would be a pain to move the door

  • truffula
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I tried to free up more counterspace...moved the fridge to where a pantry was previously.

    This post was edited by truffula on Sat, Apr 12, 14 at 15:58

  • truffula
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    picture is below

    This post was edited by truffula on Sat, Apr 12, 14 at 15:59

  • lisa_a
    9 years ago

    You need to post the plan within this thread. Clicking the link took me to an IKEA page requesting my agreement to their terms of use, not your plan.

    I vote with all the others; lose the double ovens and either keep the double oven range you already have or buy a similar type of range. Or follow annkh's advice and go with a 24" wide range. Your kitchen is petite; the appliances should be sized appropriately. For that reason, I suggest you consider a narrower fridge and an 18" wide dishwasher. A few inches here and there will really add up.

    I also like annkh's suggestion to lose the drawer cab between DW and W/D so that you can move the sink out of the corner.

    Are you including the clearances required for the W/D units? Most W/D units require an 1" on each side.

    One last suggestion: increase the depth of the banquette bench. 12" is too shallow to sit comfortably, especially bolt upright. Is this your only dining space?

  • truffula
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    This post was edited by truffula on Sat, Apr 12, 14 at 14:16

  • truffula
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    If you've made it this far, thanks. This is the version using a microwave drawer (version 2) and a regular range. The refrigerator has taken the place of a pantry and unfortunately intrudes into the eat-in area.

    The eat in area will be helpful for the kids. The dining room is a little far away

    This post was edited by truffula on Sat, Apr 12, 14 at 14:22

  • truffula
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    This is version 3 - putting the oven and microwave at a height I like but using up counterspace. A plus - the the 2 drawers immediately below the cooktop that will corral the pans/pots. Fridge is again taking the place of the pantry.

    This post was edited by truffula on Sat, Apr 12, 14 at 14:48

  • truffula
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Here's a 3D picture of version 3

  • truffula
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    This is a 3D of version 2. There is a microwave drawer to the left of the combined cooktop/range (that's the empty base cabinet). Thanks for your suggestions

  • lyfia
    9 years ago

    If you put the DW there you can't access the sink when it is open.

  • truffula
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Good point. Here's a layout (version 4) with a corner sink. It's almost the exact same layout that's there now.

    This post was edited by truffula on Sat, Apr 12, 14 at 16:04

  • debrak2008
    9 years ago

    What about getting a washer/dryer combo unit? I used one in europe years ago and loved it.

    It would give you some extra space to work with.

  • truffula
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I may do that if the corner sink is not really convenient. Then that wall would go sink looking out the window, dishwasher and then combined washer/dryer

  • truffula
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    This layout (version 5) would have a sink looking out the window, dishwasher next to it and a combined washer/dryer under-counter and hidden by doors.