trying to post more photos.

Another photo.

Last one.

I'm having a hard time visualizing the space and where all the doors are. Can you draw a current layout with measurements and doors/windows marked?

Attached is a great thread will lots of info. It is different than the "sticky" note. It will explain about what info you need to post here to get the most help. Also how to post more that one photo in a post. Lots of good info!

Here is a link that might be useful: new to kitchens

This post was edited by debrak2008 on Thu, Mar 27, 14 at 9:20

Here are 2 pix showing the opening between the living room and kitchen and the basement door, if it helps.

Not helping here, but I actually like your cabinets apart from the diagonal handles.

Here is a drawing with dimensions.

Left of entrance(wall A) is 60”
Right of entrance(wall A) is 84”
Up to basement door(wall B) is 87”
Between window (wall C) is 53”
Right of 2nd window(wall C) is 43”
Left of window(wall D) is 44”
Right of window(wall D) is 42”

I tried to sketch out what you are saying but I am confused. Very.
I urge you to read debraK's link. It will really help you give the design gurus here the info they need.

Then carefully graph on graph paper with a marker or using your computer what you are considering.
Show, don't tell.
Where do you plan the breakfast bar? How wide will it be? Cabs on one side?
Can the sink and range be moved?
How often do you use the basement door?

List what you want in the kitchen. What you need.

Make it easy for us.

Here, if it is of any use, is a rough sketch of your kitchen and the available space as I understood it. It is not to scale. The cabs should be wider. I was trying to get an idea of the space.

The 2 windows are 41" wide(incl. trim) and 27" off the floor. The other one above the sink is 37" wide. With the dimensions I've given, I'm not sure what to do exactly. We want to move the refrigerator to open up the space where it is and the only way to fit it in the corner left of the sink is to get one with a single door, hinges on the right or to put it between the windows. The only places possible for the stove, are either between the windows or left of the sink. With either the stove or frige left of where the sink is, that leaves minimal room by the exterior wall(maybe 8 inches to do small counter with narrow cabinet or small drawers) and then not much space by the sink. The only way to do the sink(I want it to be 25-28 inches wide) is to do a corner sink in the corner to the right of where the sink is now. The breakfast bar would be left of the opening to the kitchen. We will tear down that wall and build a 42" high bar with seating on both sides. Yes, I use the basement door a lot to go down to do laundry. I'm thinking after measuring, that there would be pots and pan drawers under the window(left of corner sink) and drawers to right of sink with dishwasher next to that. Then between the bar and basement door would be a counter with drawers/cabinets and cabinet(s) above. I'm thinking an 18" wide, tall pantry between the basement door and counter/cabinets, or a 15" deep cabinet there that goes all the way down to the counter, plus base drawers under that cabinet to use to store food(instead of big pantry). My concern with having the stove so close to the window that is over where the sink is now, is splashing on the window trim when cooking(can't make window smaller). Stove needs to go there or between windows in order to vent it. Also, if I put a refrigerator between the windows, what to do above and on sides(only 8 inches on each side between windows). I am looking for any input or suggestions. We have a budget that we are trying to stick to. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

Man those windows on the back wall are a killer! What are you currently doing for venting the stove?
Since you are on a budget, have you considered using a recirculating vent instead of externally vented? If so, there are a lot more options, I could sketch something out for you.

We currently do not vent the stove. We prefer it to be vented externally. Although it makes it harder to design the kitchen, we love the long, deep windows. They bring in a ton of light.

As bellsmom said please show not tell. I get lost on sentence three of your very long paragraphs. Many of us can't follow that. We need to see it. Graph paper and a fine point sharpie are your friends. : )

Agree. I took one look at that long paragraph and moved on.

I hope you don't mind, but here's your original post, with a bit of spacing. Now, it seems most of this is about fridge placement...

Hi, We are tearing everything out and completely remodeling our small 14 x 10 kitchen. We have a log home and are going to expose the log on the exterior wall.

We decided to put the new refrigerator somewhere other than where the one we have now is, so that we can open up that area and have more cabinets, drawers, counter and dishwasher there. Originally, we were thinking of putting the refrigerator in the corner to the left of where the sink is, but when I measured, I realized the door wouldn't open enough on the left side by the exterior wall.

We are going with a French door refrig. Even one with one door wouldn't open and would look funny opening on the right side with one door.

Between the exterior wall and the window above the sink, there is 42", so I'd have about 8 inches on the left. We can't put it next to the basement door, because it would stick out too much(even a counter depth would), and it would take up too much space on that wall where we want cabinets and counter.

The only other place is between the windows. Not our first choice, but the only logical place. We can't recess any walls(like where it is now) because of log walls(exterior and by sink) and a door on a log wall in the living room, preventing moving the wall the refrigerator is on now.

If we put the frig. between the windows, then in order to vent the stove and have a hood, it would need to go to the left of where the sink is, with about 8 inches to the left for small counter and narrow cabinet, and a few inches between the stove and window that is above the sink.

We are also thinking of doing a corner sink in the corner to the right of where the sink is now, so that I have more room to the right of the stove. I was thinking of doing pots and pans drawers and utensil drawer between the sink and stove and drawers between the sink and dishwasher on the right of the sink.

The only place I can see putting an 18" wide tall pantry, would be next to the basement door, with a small counter and cabinets to the left of the pantry. I can only go so far with counter and cabinets there, since we are turning the wall there by the living room(by the table) into a 42" breakfast bar.

Oh, and the old chimney between the windows will be gone, as well as the broken dishwasher and the table.

Also, if I put the refrig. between the windows and have about 8" on either side of it, do I box it in with cabinet above and narrow pull out cabinets on each side, which could maybe be our pantry(eliminating the other pantry), do only one above, look for taller narrow decorative shelving for both sides, or ????

I do like to have the side of the refrigerator for my calendar. Also, if the stove is so close to the window that is above the sink, I'm worried about getting stuff on the window trim when cooking. Here are some pix. Sorry some are so dark. Any ideas/suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks! Kathy

And here's your response, again with some spacing...

The 2 windows are 41" wide(incl. trim) and 27" off the floor. The other one above the sink is 37" wide. With the dimensions I've given, I'm not sure what to do exactly.

We want to move the refrigerator to open up the space where it is and the only way to fit it in the corner left of the sink is to get one with a single door, hinges on the right or to put it between the windows.

The only places possible for the stove, are either between the windows or left of the sink. With either the stove or frige left of where the sink is, that leaves minimal room by the exterior wall(maybe 8 inches to do small counter with narrow cabinet or small drawers) and then not much space by the sink.

The only way to do the sink(I want it to be 25-28 inches wide) is to do a corner sink in the corner to the right of where the sink is now. The breakfast bar would be left of the opening to the kitchen. We will tear down that wall and build a 42" high bar with seating on both sides.

Yes, I use the basement door a lot to go down to do laundry. I'm thinking after measuring, that there would be pots and pan drawers under the window(left of corner sink) and drawers to right of sink with dishwasher next to that.

Then between the bar and basement door would be a counter with drawers/cabinets and cabinet(s) above. I'm thinking an 18" wide, tall pantry between the basement door and counter/cabinets, or a 15" deep cabinet there that goes all the way down to the counter, plus base drawers under that cabinet to use to store food(instead of big pantry).

My concern with having the stove so close to the window that is over where the sink is now, is splashing on the window trim when cooking(can't make window smaller). Stove needs to go there or between windows in order to vent it.

Also, if I put a refrigerator between the windows, what to do above and on sides(only 8 inches on each side between windows). I am looking for any input or suggestions.

We have a budget that we are trying to stick to. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

Now, I'd like to know...do you have another eating area? Will the breakfast bar be your only space? Could you put the stools on the living room side?

Your kitchen is too small to make these changes and keep everything on that side of the room, IMHO. If you don't need the table, could you put the fridge on the wall by the basement door and then make an L with the other part overlooking the living room?

This would give you a space for the prep sink and you could have the range and main sink in the other area. Would something like this work?

If not, could you do something with that beam/bump out between the two windows and put the fridge there? If you could draw a floor plan of your space, it would be very helpful :)

Would I want the fridge by sticking out by the basement door(even a counter depth) and then have to walk around it to get to the basement door? Would I lose some light from that window?
Also, then if the stove went between the windows, there wouldn't be much space between the stove area(with counter on either side) and the fridge.
Since we are opening up the wall by the entrance on that side, would it look strange to see the fridge right there from the living room?

We are tearing out the old chimney(bump out) between the windows, but would it look weird to have the fridge sticking out there and it being the first thing you see when coming into the kitchen?

It's difficult to tell for sure....but from your picture, I would put the range between the windows. That should leave you a little prep space on the left and plenty on the right.

The main sink could stay where it is, with the dishwasher on its right. Get rid of the U and make it an L, instead.

The fridge...I would put that on the same wall as the basement door, but I would try to change to a pocket door, if possible. Just so you have less door space being taken up, when it's open.

Where you have the stools, I would put a prep sink and make it almost like an island/peninsual...so it's close to the fridge (L shape with the fridge wall) and across from the range.

This would give you two sinks with two prep areas (one on right of range and one by prep sink) and still have a separate clean up area.

As for the pantry...it might fit by the fridge or maybe on that wall where the fridge is now. You just want easy access to the dishwasher, so maybe a shallow pantry.

Hope this helps! I tried to copy your picture, but it's not Picasa-friendly. Maybe someone else will post an idea for a layout and I can use that :)

Thanks for all the great suggestions!

If it's that complicated, maybe you need professional kitchen design help?

Anyone have any other thoughts or ideas?
The more the better! Thanks!