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queenofmycastle0221

Do you get a glimpse of your kitchen from the front door?

I saw a beautiful home this week but was surprised that when you walked in the front door the master was on the right, the living room part of a great room was on the left and it was open to the kitchen right behind it. The family room was hidden behind the master open to the kitchen. I thought it was a little odd to see the kitchen from the front door but really liked how it looked. Does anyone have a similar layout?

Thanks

Alicia

Comments (43)

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    12 years ago

    No, and I don't think I'd like it either..

  • Billl
    12 years ago

    I don't. It wouldn't bother me, but my wife would hate it.

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    12 years ago

    Ahh, it's always the distaff side

    : )

  • ellendi
    12 years ago

    I have a 50's split. You see part of the kitchen right from the front door. Before reno, we had a door that led into the kitchen. We never used it except when our dog was a puppy. When we did reno, we removed the door and widened it a bit. Now that I have a beautiful kitchen, I like seeing it as soon as I come through the front door.

  • harrimann
    12 years ago

    No, but a friend of mine has a kitchen you can see from the front door. She says the benefit of her big deep single bowl sink is that she can have a sink full of dirty dishes, but they aren't visible unless you are standing right in front of the sink.

  • nini804
    12 years ago

    I think if you were going for a very casual feel in your house, or if it were a vacation home it would be fine. The house we are building is quite formal...I personally would not like it at all. But I can totally see how it might work for some families.

  • function_first
    12 years ago

    The kitchen is now by far the best looking part of my house, I'm thrilled that it's the first thing people see when they walk in -- in fact I'd like to put in a glass front door so they will see it from the street -- maybe then they'll just look right past all the 60-year-old-ness of the outside, too.

  • tracie.erin
    12 years ago

    Ditto what KayceeFL said :)

  • lazydaisynot
    12 years ago

    Not only do you see our kitchen right when you walk in, but it's a couple of steps directly to your right. And the first thing on your right when you step into the kitchen is the dishwasher! There, I've admitted it. I feel better now : )

    Though this layout is somewhat unusual, it has its advantages: easy to keep an eye on the kids playing out front when they were younger, plus I get to be the neighborhood busybody since I see all the comings and goings when standing at the kitchen sink or chopping vegetables.

    Ours is a two story 50's house with a stairway almost directly in front of you when you enter the house. Someone described it as a Leave It To Beaver or My Three Sons house (can't remember which) when we first bought it. We are not formal people so the kitchen placement doesn't bother me. We do close the blinds at night to avoid our family's tableau serving as the neighborhood big-screen tv.

  • katsmah
    12 years ago

    We had the wall removed between the dining room and kitchen during the remodel, so most of my kitchen is now visible from the front door. Initially I wasn't thrilled with the prospect of that, but the benefits outweighed the negative. I'm an empty-nester, so my kitchen is usually clean and company ready.

  • cluelessincolorado
    12 years ago

    LOL krisma!
    Tiny 1912 bungalow here, and yes, the kitchen is visible from the front door. Of course most of the rest of the house is too :-). We actually took down 1/2 the wall between the LR/DR combo room and the kitchen and it's the best thing ever!!! Light from one end of the house to the other. We'll have a deep single sink tucked under the 42" half wall that will hopefully hide some of the dishes. I can see out the front and the back.

  • Circus Peanut
    12 years ago

    Tiny 1921 bungalow, and yes, you can see into the kitchen from the front door, which is itself smack in the middle of the living room.
    I rather like it, but if it ever bothered me I could find an original swinging wooden service door to stick in there like the one that probably vanished sometime back in the 1940's.

  • homey_bird
    12 years ago

    For me it's not; but at one time I played with the idea of opening it up so it could be visible from the entry (our house is not so big).

    Also, a lot of the kitchens I see in newer open floorplans do look like they'd be visible when you stand in the front door.

    It's never bothered me as a thought -- thus I wonder, why would one not want it that way? Is it because of the possibility of it looking messy or something else?

    Just curious!

  • Kay M
    12 years ago

    For me, it was definately a mess thing. The kitchen has always been a dumping ground for mail, etc. and my son has some odd adversity to actully putting dishes in the DW! But since its been opened up and remodeled (thus looking way better than the honey oak/mauve thing we had going on), its no longer the dumping ground for the mail. We also have a deep sink for those times when the boy fails to put his dishes in the DW (although he is finally doing better with this...only took 16 years LOL). And the more open plan motivates us to immediately put those hand washed pots and pans away once they dry, rather than before when they sat out for a "bit" longer than necessary because they were hidden from view.

  • lisacan
    12 years ago

    When I first found this forum my kitchen renos were already underway and the plan included opening things up and this meant a nice large entry area that opened directly into the kitchen. At that time there was a similar thread about this subject and most felt it was something they would not like and did not recommend it! Well it was too late for me with cabinets made and walls demolished...I started to panic and fret about it. I had to get over it and now that all is said and done I love it and it does force me to clean up a bit more! It makes sense for our house and how the traffic flows through. Hope to post pictures of the kitchen when it's finished.

  • kadydid
    12 years ago

    No but I think it would make me a MUCH neater person if you could see the kitchen from my front door. lol Mine opens to my formal living room, which is nice because its almost always clean.

  • jakkom
    12 years ago

    Yes. Our cottage is less than 40' long and you could throw a softball from the front door out through the massive picture windows in the back wall (but please don't, LOL) where the kitchen is.

    You don't see much, just one of the ells with base cabs and countertop. But there is a small peek at the dishrack on the counter, which I could clean up but only do so when necessary.

    Right now we're having the bathroom flooring ripped up because of dry rot, so a few dishes drying in the rack is the LEAST of my issues when you walk inside, I'm afraid. My living room is currently holding all the unfitted bathroom storage cubes as well as a nicely boxed Toto toilet with two soft-close toilet seats (one for our master bath Toto), with canvas drop cloths from the bathroom to the front door.......gawd I hate remodeling projects, even small ones.

  • laur66
    12 years ago

    You can see my kitchen from the front door but it is soooo much better than what you used to see which was a hideous box closet which we removed. I can see how it might bother people but I like it because you can only see the best part of the kitchen, not the sink. To open up our floor plan we couldn't avoid it so I am ok with it :) and yes, it definitely makes my kitchen cleaner so that's a good thing!

  • chisue
    12 years ago

    My kitchen and main sink w/archtop window are on the front of the house. I enjoy the view of people walking by on the street 200 feet away and can see anyone coming up our driveway. I can also see the side yard through the breakfast room french doors. From my island I can see through the DR arch to the french doors to the back yard.

    Our foyer is 15 X 16. Immediately right of the recessed entry is the library, then the stairs, then the BR hallway. Ahead is the LR. Left of the LR arch in the foyer is a smaller arch to the kitchen. From that arch you see the 'walkthrough' part of my kitchen -- an 8-foot island is to your left, and to your right are a buffet, arch to DR, then a desk, ending in the breakfast room. You have to step into the kitchen to see beyond the island to the 'L' of ovens, cooktop, sink, dishdrawers, fridge, etc.

    All our floors except baths and back hallway are medium dark oak -- no thresholds -- so it all flows together.

  • formerlyflorantha
    12 years ago

    You can't see it from the door but you can from the end of the lobby hall--look left and see straight onto a refrigerator. The balance of the kitchen is too far behind the lobby closet to be seen until you enter the kitchen area.

    I remember a discussion somewhat like this last year when the subject of refrigerators being seen from rest of house was discussed and I went "gulp!" but it's worked out. As long as you refrain from using the thing as a magnet bulletin board it's fine. Much better to see a clean refrig front than a sink.

  • norcalpeetnik
    12 years ago

    Our kitchen is viewable from the front door, and it does not bother me at all (like one poster said, it is a motivating factor to keep it clean!) We have a great room layout with the living room, dining room and kitchen all open to each other so it goes with the open-ness of the house that you can see it. I love that I can be working in the kitchen and see who is coming through the front door. We live in a neighborhood where neighbors are frequently knocking on doors (either kids looking to play, someone borrowing sugar, or coming for a visit) so I just call for them to come in and I can see instantly who it is.

  • dianalo
    12 years ago

    Our old kitchen was such that I did not want people to see while they were in it... Our new kitchen is almost entirely visible from the front door but is approx 30 feet away. We have a long peninsula separating the living room from the kitchen, but that does not restrict the view. I was expecting to see in, but am not 100% sold on the particular angle one sees from the front entry. I had pictured what they saw once in the living room. Our plan is to get a glass arch of cabs that we fell in love with but could not afford yet and that will go on the peninsula. It has glass sides all around and we plan on using reeded glass in it to allow the light to go through and to be display cabs of sorts.
    I was just thinking about it this morning (out of the blue) that I might want a full wall of glass cabs on top of the peninsula instead to limit what is seen from the front door. I'll have to discuss it with dh and see what he thinks. I imagine it might be cheaper than the more stylized arch since the cabs will all be more regularly shaped.

  • plllog
    12 years ago

    My kitchen door is straight ahead of my front door, but you see through, past the chairs out the patio door (not the working part), which is nice. And I can close the kitchen door. :)

    I don't like front doors that open into rooms. It wasn't at the top of my wish list, but I was very happy that my house came with a nice foyer. :)

  • cjc123
    12 years ago

    We have a center hall colonial so YUP you can see the kitchen from the front door. It does make me clean up which is really helpful, and I don't mind a bit. I also love that while prepping I can look out to see a view.

    From Kitchen before and after

  • breezygirl
    12 years ago

    I remember a thread like this last year too. Most people IIRC didn't want it seen. In my new kitchen, as part of a whole house reno, will all be visible from the front door. We have a small entry which is open to the main part of the house.

    Mt old kitchen was only visible at one end. But the family room was right near the front door and exterior path from the street to the door. By changing that and moving the kitchen to get the space we wanted, it meant the kitchen was clearly visible across the house. Ideally, I wouldn't want the kitchen visible. It was a tradeoff. We'll enjoy the more private family room and big kitchen every minute we're home. We don't have guests over everyday.

    Besides, like someone else mentioned, my kitchen is going to be so fab that it should be shown off!

  • lala girl
    12 years ago

    We have a 1920's colonial - when you enter, LR is on the right and dining room is on the left. Kitchen is just behind the dining room so you can definitely see it from the entrance. I don't mind it at all - that's where the gin and tonics are being served, so everyone heads to the kitchen first - might as well make it easy on them.

  • lolauren
    12 years ago

    Lauralincoln -- LOL :) I like your logic. Also, that room is gorgeous.

    We have an open great room, mostly. You can see the dining room on your right, the living room straight ahead, the backyard through our big sliders and the kitchen to the far right. :) Hiding the kitchen is not something I have ever thought about or cared about. (1. I love my kitchen!! 2. I don't have kids, so maybe I'm better able to keep the mess down... *shrug*)

    {{!gwi}}

  • elizpiz
    12 years ago

    Practically the ONLY thing you see when you walk in our house is the kitchen!! LR to the right; DR is not in view from front door - you can only see it once you're right in the kitchen. I hate being separate from our guests when we entertain and they're gathered 'round the island while I(we) cook, G+T's and apps in hand :-). The kitchen was designed to be the heart of the house.

    Like Lolauren, no kids, so perhaps mess factor isn't such a big issue. I think it also relates to how you like to cook/entertain - remember the thread about whether poeple liked having guests/family in the kitchen or not while meal prep was happening? Lots of strong opnions around that too.

    Eliz

  • holligator
    12 years ago

    You can't see mine from the front door, but take two steps inside and look to your left, and there it is. You have to walk through the eat-in area to get to the actual kitcheny stuff, but it's all open and quite visible. Like others have said, it has definitely made us all neater, and that those are habits I don't mind a bit.

  • gillycat
    12 years ago

    actually with mine you don't even need to come in the front door.
    this was the design of the house when i bought it and was obviously the original design as there are a few others on the street.
    you come in through a glass door to a vestibule and there is a big glass window on the other side of which is the kitchen, in all it's glory
    since it has always been that way I have learned to live with it

  • Cloud Swift
    12 years ago

    Yes, but it is just a glimpse. There is a large almost floor to ceiling window to the right of our front door and the door to the kitchen is just beyond. At the point on the front walk where the kitchen is most visible, one can see about half our island through the window and kitchen door. That includes the prep sink and the very back corner of our range top.

    Apparently, when we took photos of the kitchen, we tend to take an overview looking into the corner of the L or something looking at a particular feature. Here is the best one I could find showing the front door's relationship to the kitchen:

    The front door is through the doorway in this picture - you can just barely see the wood panels of it on the left before the entry hallway jogs right and the wall between the front door and the kitchen door is almost all window.

    Actually, there is a pocket door that can close the kitchen doorway off, but we rarely shut it.

    We are very happy with this arrangement. Actually, friends and family almost always end up in the kitchen/family room anyway but I like not having the kitchen shielded from a casual visitor to our home.

  • jakabedy
    12 years ago

    You people and your little visible slivers of kitchen. You just need to quitcher bellyachin', I say. Now THIS, THIS is a kitchen visible from the front door (front door on my right, kitchen island ahead on the left):

    Standing just inside the front door (which is glass, so you can actually see all this from the front steps):

    Yeah, it gets messy. What about it? I thought so.

  • annettacm
    12 years ago

    In my old house, this is what you'd see from the front door:

    After remodel, I wanted to at least make the view pleasant:

    In my new house, the layout is nearly identical, but I don't have the pretty new kitchen to show off ..... yet.

  • BumpyRoadtoHome
    12 years ago

    nope! When you walk in, you have to turn left into a hallway which then leads to the kitchen around the corner. I kept the entrance to the side because we have really cold weather here and we didn't want the cold air to rush in when the door was held open.

  • breezygirl
    12 years ago

    LOL Jakabedy! You go girl!

  • histokitch
    12 years ago

    My kitchen is off of the entryway for my driveway door. The original front door of the house is harder to find for most people (lots of additions over the decades). The kitchen is the first room on the left. You can see my pantry cabinets and fridge before you get in the house. It works for me, but I am not a formal person.

  • farmgirlinky
    12 years ago

    Camarodreamer, I think I am more bothered by the fact that one can see directly from our front door through the front hall into the living room (and on through French doors into the back yard). It makes the living room seem too exposed, in my opinion, and too much like a transitional space rather than a destination for repose. I don't like that a person standing at the front door can see who is sitting in the living room. Does that make sense? A view into the kitchen, especially if one has the theoretical option of closing a door to block that view when the pots and pans are flying, would bother me less.

    Histokitch, to me, a kitchen off the driveway door seems just where you would want it: good for hauling in the groceries, ideally through a mud room with a powder room opening off the mud room. (We don't have a mud room -- that goes into the design for our next life.)

    This 1910 house is unusual: not a center hall colonial, and most of the utilitarian spaces (kitchen and bathrooms and dressing room and hallways and third-floor "luggage room") are in the front of the house. The nice thing about that is this: the living room, library, dining room and bedrooms open to the back yard. The house is broad and shallow so that most rooms have windows on two walls, and visible natural light from three sides in most cases. When you walk up to the front door, if you look in the windows to the right of the door you see the kitchen. It's a good way of monitoring activity on the street!
    Lynn

  • jakabedy
    12 years ago

    I tells it like it is.

  • allison0704
    12 years ago

    For me, it depends on the house and the kitchen. Our main level is open great room/kitchen with dining room of great room. Breakfast room off kitchen. The thread below shows the view from just inside front doors toward the kitchen. I love my island (and so does everyone else that comes over) so I don't mind seeing it from the foyer.

    Here is a link that might be useful: 9 from top, 5 from bottom

  • Richelley
    12 years ago

    We live in a 1924 bungalow and we are about to remove half the wall between the diningroom and the kitchen which will totally open it up. The kitchen is so small - really really small, like about 6x20 feet that I'm hoping it will feel less claustrophobic and let me talk with guests if they sit at my dining room table.

  • farmgirlinky
    12 years ago

    jakabedy keep on keeping on.
    lynn

  • ironcook
    12 years ago

    lol @jakabedy!

    i always thought your kitchen was way cool, but with that location, it really makes a statement!

    c'mon... your kitchen's never really messy, is it?

    you're just trash talkin'. i bet you're like martha stewart, only cooler. ;)