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momo7_gw

Please help - window and upper cabs

momo7
12 years ago

Hi, I seem completely unable to decide this on my own. Two choices, sort of. Each wall is 13', more or less. I would like 7' window on one wall, split into three so each window is 2'4". One window on the other wall would be 2'4" as well. Should I centre window over sink and then that leaves the other window kind of all on it onesome. Next two pictures are examples:

Or what I sort of prefer, but not feel secure enough to decide because sometimes I want to do dumb stuff - have the long set of windows start about 1'6" from the corner, the same as the window on the other wall. Next two pictures:

If anybody has any suggestions about upper cabinet placement, I would love that as well. My original idea was not to have too many or as few as possible but they seem to be sneaking in there but I think it probably looks fairly asymmetrical even for me right now.

Thanks for helping me out, again.

Comments (19)

  • breezygirl
    12 years ago

    I like the centered window. If you can do it, it seems strange not to do it. With that option, I don't like the uppers so close the window. Can you shrink it down?

    Are you anti any storage on the walls or just cabs? The space b/w the two windows would be a great spot for some open shelves. Or if you don't want shelves you could put some art there.

  • colorfast
    12 years ago

    I agree with breezygirl that centering the sink under your window makes sense aesthetically.

    What is it you will see outside that window? Do you have young children and would you like to keep an eye on them in the back yard? A pretty view?

    A sink at the corner might be nice--with windows on both edges of the corner. But, it's then too close to your range, so more changes would be necessary.

  • marcolo
    12 years ago

    I'm just an upper
    A lonely upper
    On Gardenweb

    - sung by Adam Sandler.

    Put a hutch down to the counter for dish storage there, it will look less strange. Not so close to the window, though, it looks like the window is a dog trying to sniff the cabinet's backquarters.

  • blfenton
    12 years ago

    I actually don't see anything wrong with centering the last window over/with the sink.
    In the original suggestion the corner looks really bare and everything is squished into the upper cabinet. If you wanted to leave it centered, how about adding some shelves in the corner to balance out the weight of the cabinet.

  • brickton
    12 years ago

    I'm kind of with marcolo on the random feel of the upper. Can you balance it with something on the other side of the windows? Another upper? Some shelves? Something so that it doesn't look so ... alone? Maybe just a beadboad backsplash with corbels that visually ground it to the countertop below?

  • rhome410
    12 years ago

    I think that if that upper goes down to the counter, as Marcolo suggested, it won't need anything to balance the other side.

    The centered window gives you a chance to display something on that wall, like a clock, or artwork... Even room for shelves to show off fun bowls or keep your cookbooks. I didn't think open shelves/display space or wall space were important when I was planning my kitchen, but now consider myself short on both.

    Did you check code to see if you'll have engineering hassles if the window is too close to the corner? In the Pac NW, which is earthquake country, we have to keep them 2'8" from the outside corner, or have special construction signed off by a structural engineer.

  • herbflavor
    12 years ago

    prefer the latter: far right window above sink.And the solo window could be downsized.That wall on the side is proportionately smaller,where you are inserting the window, so a window that is smaller keeps the scale and balance better. don't really need that window anyway, and a breeze near a cooking flame is not good. would be better if a cab were hung there.

  • brianadarnell
    12 years ago

    I agree with Marcolo. That upper looks strange. If you got rid of it altogether, could you add more windows to the right? Or, as suggested above, make it a hutch cabinet. Shelves are also an option. The window should definitely get centered if you keep the current number of windows.

  • momo7
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thank you everybody for your suggestions for window and cabinet placement and song lyrics.
    Breezygirl (btw I cannot wait to see your kitchen it's going to be so beautiful), colorfast, rhome, and brianadarnell: centered window, with attempts to make the upper not look so lonely and weird. Pretend the shelving is somewhat similar to cupboards.


    with a shorter upper cab

    Marcolo, rhome, brianadarnell, brickton if I make the upper smaller so not so close to window then it's a different size than the lower cab. I think looks a bit strange as a hutch, even if I change to a panel dw - not sure what the dishwasher will be yet. I was thinking of corbels or even hutch sides but if I make the upper smaller then it doesn't really work. Oh, yes. I asked about code and was just told the house has to be built to support windows close to a corner.


    I don't know maybe it's not that noticeable

    herbflavor and blfenton: this is my inspiration pic for windows in the corner although mine wouldn't be the same but I still like it. I think I would still like a window on the east wall just for light but I guess I could make it a bit smaller.



    Sorry, this must be getting to be kind of like spot the difference game. Thank you again for your help. I will spend some time looking at all these pictures myself and at least try to come to some decision.

  • momo7
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I forgot to say that originally I was going to put open shelves there but it was my DH's only opinion on this kitchen that he didn't want to store glasses on an open shelf. Since it was his only request I thought I might do it.

  • rhome410
    12 years ago

    The problem with your renderings, I think, is scale of the objects. The hutch might look better if taller than the window a little. Definitely not touching the window, but maybe about 4 to 6 inches away from the trim. The shelves should also not fill the whole space, and I bet there's a better style... ;-)

    Looks a little familiar... Here is the elevation for my kitchen sink wall:

  • breezygirl
    12 years ago

    I really like the hutch cab instead of the upper, windows centered. I was going to suggest the same thing rhome mentioned. I'm sure it's just a glitch in the software, but the hutch would look better taller than the window like rhome's. And I know you'd arrange the shelves at a pleasing height with breathing space on both sides of them. ;)

    Was DH opposed to any open shelving? Or just to the right of the sink? If he doesn't want them at all, find some interesting art work to hang on the left instead.

    Thanks for the comment on my kitchen. It might be too much pressure to live up to!

  • brianadarnell
    12 years ago

    I like the look of rhome's rendering. Would that work for you? I think that looks best by far.

  • bigjim24
    12 years ago

    rhome's drawing looks much more balanced. Everything looks like it belongs and was meant to be. The upper on the 1st drawings looks like an after thought. Just my 2 cents.

  • enduring
    12 years ago

    There are some terrific ideas listed. I like the symmetry of the windows when they are the same distance from the corner and the sink centered over the 3rd window. Or better, in my opinion, if you went with a larger center window and 2 sides that took the run over to the corner like the other wall. This is sort of like Rhome410 shows. That would be nice and you could center the sink under the center larger window. The other wall window would be the size of the 2 sides. One thing I have to remember is that in real life I don't stand in one place and an elevation might look good from one view but be odd from another. I like the hutch as designed to go to the counter and taller than the windows. I don't like the open shelving as indicated in any of the renderings, I'd like to see more ideas for that.

  • blfenton
    12 years ago

    The last mock-up but without the open shelving looks like it could have some potential.
    Your inspiration photo works because the windows are all the same size and are equidistant (in this case they meet) from the corner. If Rhomes renderings are true, her faucet is not centered on the windows but the weighting of all of the elements is comfortable to look at.
    It's hard to get a true feeling of what it will look and feel like because I think the scale is off.

  • rhome410
    12 years ago

    Didn't notice that...The rendering is not accurate for faucet location. Our sink is centered under our window...but because the sink is not equally divided, the faucet is just barely off center. Not as far off as the rendering, and to the left rather than the right. I actually never really noticed and just had to go look to check!

    Here is a photo of what it looks like at the moment. Still needs the trim pieces on top so that it ends up taller than the window to get the proper proportion.

  • momo7
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thank you rhome for coming to my rescue again. That looks perfect. It is beyond my capabilities to render anything like that so I'm just going to keep that picture and instructions for when we start pricing cabs - soon, yikes! Hutch taller than windows, windows centred on wall. Do you think some open shelves would look good in the corner? I was thinking of maybe going around the corner from window to window - with breathing space.
    My DH doesn't mind open shelving or anything else I want to do ; ). He just didn't want them next to the dw for all our glasses, sippy cups, gawdy disney straw cup, etc. Now I think about it, I really don't understand why. I keep forgetting what my real life is.
    I was thinking of wood shelving stained whatever colour my cabinets happen to be - lots of choices there.
    I almost hate to put this up because your idea is so much better than what I had in mind, I feel like it is sort of ungrateful not to just to take it and run but.. What do you think of this pic? Would something like this (not exactly this) work at the end of that run of cabinets?


    or should I just quit while I'm ahead?

  • rhome410
    12 years ago

    It is NOT ungrateful! And something like that should work fine, too. You might want a little more room between it and the window, so it doesn't look like the counter/cabinet run just cuts off. My hutch has less counterspace in front of the hutch piece and with this you get separated counter space, which may not be as good, but deeper, which could be better...So a plus and a minus to choose from.

    Another thing...You can see in my drawing that doing it the way we did allowed me to fudge/cheat a little...with the hutch not exactly the same width as the drawers below. That gave me the separation from the window without adding something between the dishwasher and the drawers. With the separate, full-ht unit, you might want to add a 12" or larger cabinet between the dw and the hutch.