the one thing that jumps out at me is how far your dining room is from your kitchen..... otherwise your kitchen layout looks amazingly like mine except totally inverted.

Fair point elizabeth714, but that was a conscious choice so that we could have slightly more living room space. We're also building a foyer and didn't want to walk into the living room from it (we don't use the dining room in our curent place extensively).

I prefer your plan #2 because you have limited counter space as it is and if you can get rid of one thing (ie the coffee station) to another spot it frees up counter space and one station.

(I happen to be all about the counters, but I am messy in the kitchen and like to spread out so my comments come from that sensibility. I also like the lines that a counter can give to a room)

Is there a specific reason you want an appliance garage? They are being put into fewer and fewer kitchens (not that that is a reason not to have one) and again take up counter space and can be "chunky" looking in a crowded space - that same comment goes for your down-to-the-counter glass cabinet, if that is still part of the plan.

I, too, wondered about the placement of the living room and dining room. For me, reversing them seems to be more logical but...

Adam, my perspective comes from a different place, perhaps. You stated that you don't use your current dining room "extensively". I think if you proceed with this plan, it won't be used at all. If t'were me, I'd nix the dining room, extend your kitchen and open it up to the living area. Nobody that I know uses formal living rooms anymore and any company that I have flocks to the kitchen. My current kitchen has no room for a flock and I hate it. If you and your wife are both "avid cooks", then you need space and, as I see it, there's not much in the way of prep areas. I have more comments, but will wait to see what you think of these. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Your plan

blfenton: we have ditched the glass cabinet in favour of a few open shelves on that side. The appliance garage idea is still in the mix, I think my wife and I given our OCD cleaning tendencies would use this to move clutter away. Perhaps a wide lower drawer could house these.

tomatofreak: that's a good point ha ha! Just for some background..we are creating a foyer in our entrance area because at the moment you walk directly into the living room. Here's a couple of photos:

West-facing:

East-Facing:

We don't use our dining room and as you mention we don't need a formal space. Are you suggesting a larger eat-in kitchen and more expanded living area? Interesting thought if you are.

Keep working on/tweaking your layouts.

My gf's house was like this and we would all squeeze into the kitchen.
OR she'd be stuck in the kitchen while everyone else is in the living room, no interaction due to the fridge-wall.

If you keep the kitchen layout, definitely move the dishwasher out. I usually prep/cook between the sink and the cooktop, so to have people putting stuff into/taking stuff out of the DW while I'm standing there = bad.

Even if the fridge wall is load-bearing, I would consider investing in the cost to remove it.

I would flip the LR and DR, so it's Livingroom flowing into DR then into kitchen, like this, then the DR table can be where future kids do homework, where you buffet the food and people will hang out around it, instead of in your kitchen/work-zone.

okay,
back to work, enough playing for me,
Amanda

Hi folks,

A few versions later and we're getting a bit closer to what we're looking for. We have nixed a wall oven/cooktop in place of range. When we're in the kitchen if gives us better flow and more counterspace given the kitchen's size.

We have also opted out of the appliance garage - in part thanks to your comments and in part because its location wasn't great (tucked in a corner).

We are now turning attention to lighting, venting and design of the island. I would really love to have this island feel "tabel-y" so that we can sit there as a family. Have seen nice options on Houzz for this.

Any thoughts on the layout here?

Layout:

Elevation:

I would do exactly what huango suggested with the dining room. Much more usable space and the table will be used for guests hanging out and maybe for actual meals if it is close and open to your kitchen. Where it is now seems so wasted.