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ash6181

Review my plan please

ash6181
10 years ago

Please take a look at my plan and let me know what you think. It's just me and my husband and we will probably not have children. I am typically the only one who works in the kitchen, although I usually do have some canine helpers who lay in the floor waiting for crumbs. I do a lot of cooking and baking, mostly from scratch. I also make jams and jellies and like to preserve seasonal food. I like to have parties and have a lot of serving dishes, china, glasses, linens, etc. to store.

Some concerns I have heard are that there is too much counter space and no where to eat other than the island. I'm not sure how to "fix" the counter space problem, if it is indeed a problem. Coming from the small amount of counter space I have now, I can't imagine having too much. I don't think we will mind eating at the island, but I welcome opinions from those with experience. I'm not sure where to add other seating, and we do also have a dining room.

I'm planning to add a prep sink. I'm thinking either the corner of the island closet to the refrigerator or the cabinet run next to the refrigerator against the pantry wall. I'd like to keep the island solid (without anything in the top like a sink), but I would consider putting the prep sink in the island if it would be better.

The kitchen is open to the living room through the opening and the right of the plan. The opening can be made smaller if needed. From the island I should be able to look through the living room and see the lake. The windows over the sink will look over our backyard and a pond.

I think I'm going to ask them to take out the niche to the left of the fridge. It's there because there is an air return below, but I think it can be moved elsewhere.

This is new construction, so almost anything is possible. I'll post a link to the entire first floor plan if anyone wants to see the kitchen in context. Thanks for your advice!

Ashley

{{!gwi}}

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

Comments (14)

  • ash6181
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Oops, used the wrong link for the floor plan.

    Here is a link that might be useful:

  • blfenton
    10 years ago

    There are others who are way smarter than I am at the floor plan ideas but I will start. The distance between the sink,stove and fridge even with a prep sink is quite large.

    I would consider putting the double ovens where the fridge now is and making that entire area a baking center with a prep sink on the island. I would then consider putting the fridge on the same wall as the range, at either end. If you put it at the garage end you would have to move the range down. Or you could put it anywhere from where the double ovens are now located down into the corner at the pantry.

    Given where the DR, sunporch etc are, I would probably switch the DW to the other side of the sink for easier access when doing clean-up.

    Have you posted the floorplan on the building forum for ideas as well.?

  • remodelfla
    10 years ago

    Having a kitchen that size and considering the amount of home cooking/baking/canning you do; I'd definitely put in a larger cooktop. Would you upsize the appliances (s) and also add the prep sink? Those considerations may change how someone would work out a layout.

  • ash6181
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    IâÂÂm sorry, for some reason my e-mails werenâÂÂt coming through and I didnâÂÂt realize anyone had responded to my post.

    ted by blfenton , thanks for your ideas. If I swapped the fridge and double ovens, I definitely wouldnâÂÂt want to put the fridge to the right of the cooktop (if youâÂÂre looking at it) because it would be very visible from the living room, and IâÂÂd like to avoid that. IâÂÂll think about the switch, though. The dishwasher is an easy switch. I have posted on the building forum.

    Remodelfla, weâÂÂre planning on a 36â induction cooktop. WeâÂÂll also have an auxiliary kitchen on our lower level so weâÂÂll have an extra fridge, range, etc. if needed. IâÂÂm willing to upsize appliances, add a prep sink, and at least consider any other changes that anyone may have. I have an open mind.

    If anyone else has ideas, IâÂÂd love to hear them!

    Ashley

  • noopd
    10 years ago

    just a crazy idea.. how about taking out everything in the top wall (with the sink), and put in a wall of sliding glass door to the grilling deck, which can open up the whole place to outdoor. put the sink in the island. :P

  • sena01
    10 years ago

    I think it would be a waste to turn your back to the lake both during prep and eating. So having the prep sink on the island and the rounded eating area on the short side may be considered.

  • gpraceman55
    10 years ago

    That small counter between the ovens and wall seems strange. What about moving the ovens against that corner and put the refrigerator next to the ovens? That would give you a little better of a work triangle between the refrigerator, range and prep sink (less distance to travel to each).

  • ash6181
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Noopd, that idea is not so crazy. IâÂÂve actually considered something like that. Others have suggested at least one door in that area, so IâÂÂm going to play around with some ideas. Another thing IâÂÂve considered is trying to add some sort of breakfast nook in that area.

    Sena01, I agree. I plan to prep on the side of the island facing the lake. Given that, it probably makes the most sense to put the prep sink where youâÂÂve indicated. As for the rounded island eating area, do you think that would interrupt the traffic flow by the sink? Thanks for drawing it up.

    Gpraceman, my concern with that idea is that it would be more difficult to access the ovens if they were all the way against the wall because there wouldnâÂÂt be as much clear room in front of them. Also, if I started something on the cooktop and planned to finish it in the oven, IâÂÂd have to get around the refrigerator, and wouldnâÂÂt have a surface to set down a hot pan immediately next to the ovens. What do you think of those issues?

  • gpraceman55
    10 years ago

    @ash6181,

    Any layout has to make sense for your lifestyle.

    I'm not sure about your concern about clear room in front of the ovens. It looks like you have good sized walkway in front.

    If you keep the refrigerator where it is, I'd consider sliding the ovens over to the corner, so you have a continuous countertop instead of what looks like an awkward and lonely bit of counter. That is, unless you had some special purpose in mind for that area.

  • sena01
    10 years ago

    "As for the rounded island eating area, do you think that would interrupt the traffic flow by the sink?"

    Well, that depends on how you serve your meals. That is, if you first serve some dishes, and while people are eating these, need the prep space/sink for something else, then eating area should definitely be outside your prep area.

  • kiko_gw
    10 years ago

    I know someone who has a "to die for" yard/view in the back but sadly not one thing in the house faces it. It's very strange! So I would really work on re-orienting things to focus on the lake or backyard. Also, why have a grilling deck you can't access from the kitchen? Grocery access from the garage doesn't seem very easy. Maybe you could add a pass-through from the garage straight into the pantry??

  • ash6181
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    gpraceman: I'm not sure if I had a special purpose for the space next to the ovens or not, but I had thought about what to do with it. I'm going to do some revisions and I'll see what it looks like with the ovens moved down. Thanks for you input.

    sena01, most meals are served all at once- we don't usually have courses. I would prep at the island (I plan to add a prep sink), but wondered if I needed to extend the island to incorporate the rounded eating area if in would reduce the functionality of the aisle in front of the main sink..

    kiko: we have tried to orient things to the backyard/lake. I've oriented the island so I can look out to the lake as I prep. The windows over the kitchen sink would look over the backyard. I know people sitting at the island don't have a view, but I'm not sure how to change that, other than the rounded island posted above or changing the main sink wall to add an eating area there. I'll probably add a door to the grilling deck, and I've been working on ideas for cutting down the garage to pantry trek. Thanks for your ideas.

  • debrak_2008
    10 years ago

    We radiused our island (thanks to GW) so that at least 2 would have the view. No stools are in the photo but now we have 4. It was a must that there be at least 2 seats with views.

  • sena01
    10 years ago

    "... but wondered if I needed to extend the island to incorporate the rounded eating area if in would reduce the functionality of the aisle in front of the main sink.."

    I didn't think of an extension of the island further than the present size. I assumed the rounded section would be a part of your prep area when you aren't eating.

    If I understand the NKBA Guidelines correctly (sorry not a native speaker) you should be OK.

    Guideline 5 says you'll need 65" clearance in front of the main sink. So you are 14" short. If you decrease the aisle b/w fringe wall and the island by 14", you'll have 37" there. I think Guideline 1b applies to that aisle so 37" would be enough. But you may have to move the oven closer to the pantry door.

    You may also find this link useful.

    http://ths.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/kitchbath/2011105828006802.html

    Edited to add paragraph re. size of island.

    Here is a link that might be useful: NKBAâs KITCHEN PLANNING GUIDELINES

    This post was edited by sena01 on Wed, May 15, 13 at 20:27