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bwasek03

Struggling with Kitchen Layout

bwasek03
9 years ago

I could use a little help from the kitchen pros. I've got the overall layout in the kitchen pretty much set the way I want it, but there are still a couple of issues I'm fighting with.
This will be part of a brand new house and nothing has been started yet, so there aren't any issues with moving existing appliances and/or plumbing or electrical.

1. Should I swap placement of the cooktop and wall ovens? It seems like I would want the cooktop a little closer to the fridge and the ovens further away. In our current house the oven hardly ever gets used, but I'm sure that will change when there is room for 2 in the kitchen.

2. Where should I put the prep sink on the island? Right now it is at the opposite end far away from the fridge. And if I were to swap the ovens/cooktop, then it would also be a long ways from the cooktop. But I don't want to lose the landing space directly across from the refrigerator, either.

Just curious about what the experts think!

Comments (7)

  • sjhockeyfan325
    9 years ago

    First, square off your corners. Then move the cleanup sink and dishwasher to the wall that is shared with the pantry. Put the cooktop and the ovens on the same (long) wall, with the cooktop closer to the fridge. Move the prep sink to the other end of the island.

    The other alternative is to move the ovens to the wall that is shared with the pantry. Move the cleanup sink down toward that wall, and still put the cooktop on the long wall closer to the fridge and the prep sink on the other end of the island.

    Either way, square off those corners!

  • lavender_lass
    9 years ago

    I agree about the angles...maybe something like this? I like the fridge closer to the cooktop, but you could swap the fridge and ovens, if that works better for you :)

    While you could swap the clean up area and cooktop....this would give you the larger window, but also bring traffic into your work area. The prep sink across from the range is handy and the island protects the main work space.

    From Kitchen plans

    This post was edited by lavender_lass on Wed, Nov 5, 14 at 16:49

  • bwasek03
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    What is the reasoning why everyone wants to square off the corners? My wife is in love with the idea, and I think it looks pretty good myself. I'm not too worried about losing a little bit of counter space with an 8' x 3'-10" single level island. I don't think I want to get rid of the 4 foot window in the middle. I'll double check but pretty sure she is going to want a window above the sink as well.

    I've added a perspective view of it the way it sits now. The vent hood will not be the way it is shown in the picture. And don't pay attention to the colors, I was just messing around with the program I have to see what I can and can't do with it.

  • lavender_lass
    9 years ago

    When you back up from the ovens or cooktop, you back into a corner of the island. You can curve the island, but it still ends up being an awkward layout and requires more room around the island.

    Also, in your plan...it would be a challenge to prep at the island and put chopped veggies into the skillet on the cooktop, without stepping over. Ideally, you want to pivot and drop.

    You did ask us for help, remember? :)

  • debrak2008
    9 years ago

    Sometimes people say they want diagonal corners as you have because it looks nice, not because it is the most functional. Not saying it isn't ever functional.

  • bpath
    9 years ago

    What about move the range to where the oven is now, move the oven down to where the refrigerator is now, and move the refrigerator over by the pantry. Here's why: Since you usually put things in the oven for 20 minutes or more, it can be a bit out of the way. But I am in the fridge often as I cook, getting a dollop of mustard for a sauce or some last-minute veggie for stirfry, or the salad when I'm finally plating.

  • Jillius
    9 years ago

    What about this:

    1) It fixes both the problems you were concerned about. The cooktop is now a straight-line walk from the fridge, and cooktop is has good access to both sinks while the fridge still has a landing space across from it.

    2) Other benefits include:

    a) a bigger window
    b) easy unloading of groceries -- drop them on the island across from the fridge, and then both your fridge and pantry are right there together
    c) two long stretches of counter -- one the same length as what you had planned for the island next to the prep sink (that was the only long stretch in your plan -- everything else was really broken up), plus a second one even longer than that as your main prep area.
    d) balance and symmetry -- In your mock-up, the double ovens and associated tall cabinetry make that side of the kitchen much heavier than the other. In this, the main sink, the island, the window, and the cabinets on the window wall are all centered on each other and symmetrical.
    e) generally it will feel more spacious and airy with the larger window and the 90 degree corners

    Is there any reason the island can't be a bit deeper? Like four feet deep? As I recall, it backs up against a wide hallway. so that should be fine. It would be nice to have that much more landing space on the short sides of the island and that much more protection for seating people from splashing.