Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
larsha

Kitchen Layout feedback appreciated please

larsha
10 years ago

Our house plans are final and we are about to start building. We are a bit unsettled about the layout of the kitchen. Should we completely open it up to the Family room by removing that small wall of cabinets? Should we replace the bar height counter with a big island instead? How do you think the layout could be improved upon? Thank you VERY much for your help!

Comments (7)

  • huango
    10 years ago

    I think you can get some great feedback on this forum.
    let me try/get started.

    1. I'd switch the oven w/ the range. I don't like the range on a high traffic aisle, from mudroom to rest of house.

    2. I'd get rid of the small island.
    I'd make the angled peninsula should just be 1 peninsula parallel to the pantry (new range location) wall.
    The angle makes it difficult to use the DW and sink at same time.
    Don't like how the fridge opens right into the peninsula/cutting off traffic.

    3. I prefer 1 level countertop.

    hope others will chime in.
    Amanda

  • sena01
    10 years ago

    Agree with Amanda that mudroom traffic shouldn't pass in front of the range.

    I'm not sure where the rest of the rooms are, but I think you have the garage on the right and since FR is on the left I assume traffic would be mostly to the left. So, if you have an island instead of the peninsula, you may have a bigger entry to the FR side.

    Experts may come up with valuable ideas if you can tell more about yourself and family. Below link may help.

    Here is a link that might be useful: How do I ask for Layout Help and what information should I include?

  • Fori
    10 years ago

    Is that a downdraft cooktop or is it just the image the architect used? A downdraft is what you use when you have absolutely no other options and there are other options if the place isn't built yet. If it's just a stock image never mind. :)

    I think I'd put the DW on the other side of the sink (with a drawer bank in between so you can get into it) and store dishes in the island. Then you could lose those upper cabs by the family room if you want. I'm not sure you would because that's just a personal preference thing, but you'd miss them less if they weren't your dish storage.

    In general I prefer some consistency about angles. You have some angled passages and some straight and some have arches and some don't and they're all scrambled up together and might look great installed but weird on paper. The counters/cabinet shapes are square corners or 45s and I'm not so sure it's a good feature. The mudroom entry seems to have Great Importance with the special treatment it has.

    Seriously now, is the mudroom layout (and the rest of what is down there) so perfect/unchangeable that it can't be reconfigured to open more naturally into the kitchen?

    Forgive me for being critical--my plans have some pretty nutty angles too, but I'm working with old construction and yours still has a chance! :P

  • larsha
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you very much for your thoughts. We really appreciate it! Here's a little background if needed. The garage is on the right and family room on the left. We're a family of 4 with 2 young boys. We love to entertain informally and we cook a lot. The cooktop is just a stock image. Thanks again!

  • live_wire_oak
    10 years ago

    Do you have a larger shot of the whole house. The BIG issue of the traffic all going through the kitchen needs to be addressed, and I'm not sure that just rearranging the kitchen will take care of that problem. Especially since the kitchen island makes the breakfast room crowded, the pantry appears to be disproportionate, and the family room appears to be too long and narrow with too many traffic paths through it to support a good furniture arrangement. I'm not sure that the overall home plan is a very good one.

  • larsha
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Additional photo

  • sena01
    10 years ago

    Any chance of moving bath to pantry and have the pantry next to mudroom? If bath needs 3 entries, a shower instead of a tub perhaps?

    And here's an island with 2 sinks.