Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
cblanco75

Small Kitchen Layout feedback

cblanco75
10 years ago

Somehow my post got deleted so I try again! :) My fiance and I are doing an addition and reno to a small 2b/1ba bungalow and making it a 3b/2ba ranch. The kitchen currently is "disjointed" to say the least. The new layout, I think, uses the space more efficiently. What do you guys think of the layout. (the colors on the rendering are not the colors we chose,).

Comments (15)

  • cblanco75
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Here is the actual color palette :)

  • herbflavor
    10 years ago

    if the perimeter must be as shown/in other words this is the total space you have to work with it seems fine....it will be open to adjacent area but is remaining small,so it seems. Is there no way to eek out some more perimeter somewhere/ or can a hutch for storage go in the adjacent space[dinette?].... this is very small...like a condo sized kitchen....somewhat of a concern considering you are adding on.

  • annkh_nd
    10 years ago

    The corner sink may not be the most efficient use of the space. If you put the sink on the window wall, you can have a bigger drawer stack next to the range, and access the corner space through the sink cabinet (for rarely used items). That might even allow you to move the range a little to the right, giving more counter and cabinet space on the left side; it definitely gives you more prep space between the sink and range, where you need it most.

    I'd change the diagonal upper corner to an Easy Reach, change the base cabinets next to the fridge to drawers, and extend the cabs above the fridge to full-depth (that would require a fridge surround, which adds cost).

    What's to the right of the fridge? Would you have room for a full-height cabinet, 12" deep? That would give you a ton of storage for very small footprint.

    I like your color choices!

  • rosie
    10 years ago

    No way to evaluate the kitchen's relation to the rest of the house and property, of course, but it looks nice to me. It's compact but (and/or for that very reason?) should work well. Between counter and island, you have lots of nice work space.

    I personally would move the sink to the right, DW to its left under a big work counter (as now) between the sink and stove -- with the window to look out as I worked, but I could be happy cooking there the way you've drawn it. :)

    If you don't have food and broom storage not shown, hopefully you live in an urban area and just don't need to do massive stockings (beyond emergency stocks on shelves in the garage, under a bed, or in a crawl space of course). IS there room for a sideboard/hutch somewhere, as herbflavor is wondering?

    I would try doing as annkh suggests and then choosing the version you like best.

    And I like your finishes, too. It should be really nice to work in.

  • ControlfreakECS
    10 years ago

    I'm not a fan of the sink in the corner for this kitchen. It makes things extremely tight around your range. I'd put the DW all the way down next to the fridge with the sink next to it and see how much room you have for some decent drawer stacks. Without actual measurements it is hard to tell. Plus, having the full length of the island directly behind the sink makes it a bit more useful. I say to keep the DW to the right of the sink, because I don't like to have it between the sink and the range, a place that gets a lot of action.

  • magsnj
    10 years ago

    One more person who's not a fan of a sink in the corner. It's not enjoyable to stand there and it isn't an efficient use of space.

    I think if you provided a before layout (doesn't have to be anything fancy) or even just photos, alot of people here could be tremendously helpful. For instance, my remodel is underway on a relatively small kitchen and I was convinced not to knock down any walls. As I see the kitchen coming together, I'm so happy I didn't. Not only is the kitchen not as tight as I thought it was going to be (honestly it doesn't feel tight to me at all), but it also saved me a ton of money.

    Personally, if I went to the expense of doing an addition, I wouldn't be thrilled if this layout was the payoff.

  • cblanco75
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    First of all, thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately i don't have digital copies of the prints, just the large blue print itself but I will try and paint some context. I have attached a picture of the kitchen as it is now. We cannot add any space onto the floor plan of kitchen area, the addition is to add a family room, bedroom, and bath, plus we have zero room to add on to the width of the house. We are just talking the opportunity to make the kitchen work better for us. In the attached picture we are removing the wall to the left of the picture, that will provide the space to the left of the range and go to the back door. It will basically be a walkway. We are expanding the kitchen past the window on the far right of the photo. That window then becomes a single window (instead of the double it is now. The whole area we have to work with is 13' wide. The kitchen dimensions will be 13x15.

    I realize this is not as grand as most of the kitchens here, the house is in a perfect location for us for work, family and schools for the kids. I appreciate the input.

  • Brandywine72
    10 years ago

    I don't quite understand the need for a corner sink here either. Why can't it go in front of the window, or elsewhere along the wall with the dishwasher? I think it is nice to have the dishwasher right next to the sink so you don't have to trail water or food parts across extra counter or floor space when rinsing and then loading.

    I also think it makes sense for the length of the island to run behind an area where you will be doing a lot of your work. I like that it runs parallel to the big counter, but your sink and stove are far away from that area, so it just doesn't make sense. It seems like between the stove and sink in the layout you are showing, you would be using the short end of the island a lot, and that doesn't make sense.

    From your drawing it does not look like you are using cabinets all the way to the ceiling and I wonder why not. The extra cabinet space for infrequently used items is a must for me this size kitchen. (Which by the way does not seem all that small to me. I have lived in cities my whole life so this kitchen seems to have a lot of counter space to me. I think it is ironic that most suburban homes these days have kitchens bigger than those used by chefs in fancy restaurants!)

    Lastly, I really like the color pallet minus the countertop surface. The colors are just not meshing as well as I think they could with the with the floor and creme and green. Also, I get the feeling that things are a bit of a squeeze and as such it could be nice to have a solid - or more solid - color counter for the eyes to rest. This seems very busy to me. Look at the first picture in the series of flash images on this homepage. http://www.alberenesoapstone.com/ It reminds me of your color scheme minus the counters. You have greens and reds in your scheme that I think would play nicely with a cool grey colored counter. The brown in the countertop you are showing just doesn't do anything for me to bring the red floor and green together.

  • ControlfreakECS
    10 years ago

    This has nothing to do with a "grand kitchen." 13x15 is a perfectly acceptable sized kitchen, which makes me wonder even more if you are utilizing space to the fullest. There are certainly people here that have created both beautiful and functional kitchens in a smaller space.

    The best way you can get help to make this space more functional is to post an overhead drawing with all dimensions of the space. Honestly, I just drew mine on a piece of graph paper and took a picture of it with my digital camera. It worked fine as long as all my lines were dark enough.

  • chesters_house_gw
    10 years ago

    Second or third on getting the sink out of the corner and on the wall and a drawing. I just tore out a corner sink in a small kitchen. Even a small single bowl requires a big cabinet that's useless for storage of anything else.

  • debrak2008
    10 years ago

    Here is a CONCEPT only. No exact measurements and not in proportion.

    These are just things I would do it it were my kitchen. Change the angle cabinet next to the range to a 3 drawer base that would be more useful. Not a fan of otr mw so move it so that you could have a real vent hood. Change upper corner cabinet to an each reach. The area of base cabinets from the range to the wall would have to be determined by exact measurements. 30" sink base. Full depth cabinet over fridge. More storage and looks better.

    What exactly are you plans for the island? What aisle clearance? edge to edge? Can the refrigerator be moved out of the L?

    Great suggestions are already posted. Kitchens do not have to be large or expensive to be functional.

  • annkh_nd
    10 years ago

    I found this thread from a while ago, with a photo of arlosmom's corner solution. It's like DebraK's suggestion, but the corner is accessed from the sink side instead of the stove side.

    Cblanco, I think if you did something like this, accessed from the sink base, you could put a drawer stack to the right of the range. If you didn't want to do pull-outs, even shelves in the corner for a large roaster or stock pot that isn't used often would be worthwhile.

  • Buehl
    10 years ago

    Be aware that a corner sink cabinet that fits the sink you drew in will most likely need to be 42" to 48" on both sides - so I don't think it will actually work - but without more information it's difficult to tell.

    If you have a blueprint with the dimensions, could you take a digital picture of it and post it here? It would be better if you took graph paper and drew it up with all measurements labeled....but the blueprint might work - depending on what is visible and what measurements are included. See the layout help topic in the FAQs for more information about what information will help us help you.

    FAQ: How do I ask for Layout Help and what information should I include?

    Here is a link that might be useful: Kitchen Forum Acronyms

  • lavender_lass
    10 years ago

    So, in your picture, is the fridge going to move to the 'back' wall by the current sink? Or is the sink going to move to the window, to the left of the current fridge location?

    On the remodeling forum, I said pretty much the same thing Control says, here. But, if you are moving the sink to the window wall...then I would swap the range and fridge, in your new plan. The side of the fridge is not the view I would want from the dining room. It blocks the light from the window, over the sink. Maybe something like this? {{!gwi}}From Kitchen plans

  • magsnj
    10 years ago

    I'm not positive I'm following you perfectly, but I'm trying to reconcile the floorplan to the pic. In your floorplan, is the fridge where the window is in the picture (the one on the far right)?

    If that's the case, I have to wonder if you've thought of doing a galley kitchen. It is (and not only in my opinion) the most efficient floorplan you can have. I wish I could've done it, but I don't have your dimensions. You would keep your "wall of tall" for the fridge and maybe the stove or sink, and then whatever doesn't go there goes on a wall-less side (kind of like a big island or peninsula. You could also do a U shape.

    Or maybe I just haven't figured out your floorplan and none of this makes any sense. :) Sorry you had to read it if that's the case.