Two thoughts... you have alot of uppers. Could you dedicate any of them for pantry space and use space elsewhere for overflow or bulk storage? Have a basement or mud room? Secondly, is there anywhere you could put some 12" deep cabs for base cabinet pantry storage? I had one layout where I was considering doing such.

Are you doing an island? Put you seating on the island, ditch the table, and put in a pantry or narrow pantry cabinets along that recessed area where you have the table in the drawings (unless that would block a window?).

Will it continue to be the 3 of you? or are there plans for additional children? I understand not being able to sit at an island. My mother is very short and can never sit at an island comfortably.

Have you considered a table height section butting up to the left side of the island so it forms a sideways T or L? Pushing your seating over to the middle connected to the island would free up the bump out wall for 12" deep pantry storage. I've seen a bunch of kitchens in recent magazines with this type of island/table arrangement. You can do the table height section in a different countertop like butcherblock or tie everything together with the same countertop treatment. I'll look for pics. HTH.

I wouldn't make the necessary sacrifices to have a pantry like that...Too narrow and too deep. You will lose even more width to necessary hardware for pullouts, etc. Without it, you have almost as much storage, plus the counter space and configuration the way you prefer for better workspace and nicer sink.

It's hard to tell just seeing a plan of the kitchen and now how it connects to the rest of your house, but I'm wondering the same thing as Remodelfla...Is there anyplace else in the house you can fit better pantry space? In my last house, I had a little cupboard in the hall for a few things, and the rest was in a set of shelves in the basement. I never thought it was inconvenient, I was just glad to have it. Maybe your physical limitations that keep you from sitting at the island would also limit your abilities to run up and down stairs, but maybe you can find somewhere else in the house? My main point was that it doesn't have to be right in or by the kitchen to be helpful.

I found a rendering of the multi-level island I was thinking of. Scroll down to the 4th - 7th pics.

Here is a link that might be useful: table height section at island

Hi guys! Thanks for all the responses I knew I could count on you! I am posting a diagram of my house and also will tell you a little about myself. Supermom my ds is 16 and I'm 47 so no more kids. Rhome and remodlfl you pretty much have said what I was thinking. I have multiple sclerosis that's why I don't get around so well. Please don't think I am disabled because I am not. I was diagnosed 7 years ago and am pretty stable. I do have to where a prothetic leg brace which makes it hard to do stairs. The original kitchen has a penninsula with two blind corners that are a nightmare for me! It's kind of a catch 22 if I have to bend down too low it's hard and also crawling in those scary corners is hard too. That is why we thought the island would work. The original owners added a 24x16 pantry on the wall where I was thinking of putting the pantry. It is an eye sore and sticks out but we are use to it and I'm afraid I will miss it. DH keeps telling me that we will have so much more room when we take out the soffits that we won't need it but he is 6'2 and i'm 5'4 so if it's too high I won't reach it either. That said I guess with the rigt planning of cabinets or drawers I may not need it. Please know I may have MS but it does not have me, I still like to cook and I just want to make my kitchen more user friendly for me. We do use our dining room because we both have big families, we even thought of eliminating dining room but I really don't want to do that because one I like having a dining room and two I really don't want to create more steps than I have too. I welcome any ideas and truly value your opinions. Thanks!
{{!gwi}}

Is that a coat closet in the vestibule? I visited someone who had the opening to their kitchen directly opposite the coat closet, and had the closet converted into a huge pantry, with shelving. On your plan, it would still be handy for the kitchen.

What do you store in the closet off of the garage? I'm guessing you use this as a coat closet? Could you redesign the interior of this closet so that it has hanging & broom space on one side and shelves for pantry storage on the other?

That about turning the island into your "pantry"? Include 12" deep cabinets on either end that can be used for cans/spices/oils/baking cannisters&ingredients. Use deep drawers on the side facing the range for ingredient and snack storage. Include more 12" deep cabs on the other side under the overhang (or forgo the overhang completely and get more drawers) for storage of pantry items you use infrequently. Then you only need to find a place to store your bulk items and small appliances that you don't use regularly.

I am going to have to get pics of my mom's addition that she did three years ago. Your kit/fam room space is similiar in size. My first thought was when I saw the whole house plan was, left to right, island, parallel (long ways) to table, parallel to sofa (facing fireplace). This set up works FANTASTICALLY, and is balanced. This would give you room to put a long shallow (12"-15") pantry on the stairway wall. You could also put your sink in your island if there is enough space (My mom's island is 84" with a 36" sink base, DW w/ end panel, and 18" trash w/end panel).

Also, think about getting a narrower table. We are going from a 42" to a 32"-35" table becuase with the island, you don't always need the center space to put casseroles, etc. Sometimes 6" like that can make all the difference. Get rid of the tall cab, move your DW to the end, with your sink next to it, and then you have a larger corner to work with btwn the sink and range.

Do you use both your living room and family room? Many people hardly ever use a formal living room. Would you consider making your living room a dining room and extend your kitchen into the dining room?

The wall in the kit that goes along the stairs looks like it has about a foot to the end of the up stairs. If it does - I would enclose that wall with even 8 inch top to bottom shelves. No reaching, everything in site. It could be done with doors that match other doors in your home or matching kit cab doors.

sarschlos, I'm sorry,there is no closet there I did not even notice that there someone must have sketched it there. I was given these plans by previous owner, maybe they were trying to figure out where to put pantry too LOL,amberley I was also thinking of going with a smaller table, sara yes that is a coat closet/broom closet but I don't think we could give that up not enough closet space now, laxsupermom, thanks for the pics they were beautiful, we were thinking of that but DH did not like that idea he is a big guy thinks table would be too small but I am saving the link, I could not find anything that nice when I was looking. Without rambling on too much I also had another suggestion by a KD suggested but I did not get alot of positive feedback about sinks in penninsulas . She suggested keeping my penninsula and putting sink and dishwasher there, moving stove to where sink is now, jogging down the fridge so I could have a nice pantry on the end run. I have not seen plans but I think it would be something like this if you look at my current layout. Pantry, fridge, base caninet super susan more base cabinets ,stove, another base cabinet, sink and dishwaher on penninsula. Pro's I would have room for a pantry plenty of counter space , room for table. Cons, sink in penninsula basically same layout as I have.

marybeth, I love you're attitude. I don't like the sink & dw on the penninsula either, because you'd end up with a blind corner in that corner again. MS or not, blind corners are horrible. They were the top problem in the kitchen we ripped out and I'm so glad they're gone. I agree with eandhl. The wall by the stairs seems like it could be great shallow storage, open or with doors.

Marybeth, how about switching the positions of the dining room and kitchen? Then you could do a straight counter down the outside wall, giving yourself a nice window too, then a parallel island facing out into the dining/family spaces, simple and elegant, with all the room you could want to move around both ends of the island and NO corners.

Your dining space could benefit, too, because the table'd be right in the cozy intimate middle of your home for people to gather at, and there'd be all the room in the world to expand as needed.

I understand your need for closet space and reluctance to give up that hall closet, but could you build a coat closet and broom storage etc in the garage? Is it dry/insulated enough in there?

Thanks guys for all the grat suggestions! I woke up at 4:30 am thinking about all of them. That's scary I have'nt even started yet and I'm already obsessing! Sara you have got me thinking about that coat closet. I never thougt of the garage for a coat closet. I also like the idea of the shallow storage by the stairs. Thats where that big ugly ulility cabinet was built. 24 x 16 useful but sticks out way too much a real eye sore. laxsupermom still love the island table idea but I think table probably would be too small for growing 16 year old and big kid husband. Rhome and remodelfla I am also going to really try to maximize my base cabinet storage and think outside the box as far as where to put pantry maybe even eliminate it.Thanks again guys!

What about a storage wall at the end of the dining room? You could borrow about 12'' from Bedroom #3 and have a long storage wall opening into the dining room.

OR, another approach you could borrow from BR #3 but have the storage open into the hall...