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Please review my kitchen layout

NDSA
10 years ago

I recently posted my kitchen layout. Since that time, I took some of the advice to move my prep area closer to my cooking area. We re-reviewed my options and decided that if we put in a counter-top fridge we could get an island with at least 39" walkways. Will you please review this new design. Thanks!!!!

Comments (16)

  • NDSA
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Here are the upper cabinets (that didn't change since the last time)

  • Gracie
    10 years ago

    First, I'd darken the lay-out so people can read it and also include all dimensions.

    Have you read the threads about putting a microwave over the range? Is that what you have now? You do have other options.

    Having had a 12" tray storage base cabinet, I didn't find it a good use of prime cabinet space. Another drawer stack is better. Cookie sheets, muffin tins, and trays could go over the fridge in slotted storage. You only need to grab a corner to pull one out. Or I would put them in the pantry. I know height is a concern. I keep mine in a small cab over a pull-out pantry. I'd put a cutting board cabinet in the island.

    Are you locked in on the lazy Susans in the upper and lower corners?

  • NDSA
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Sorry about the picture, hope this time the layout is more readable.

    We always have had a microwave above the range and never had a problem. So we were planning on keeping our range and microwave.

    As for the lazy susan...I definitely want one for the upper cabinets. I like being able to rotate the items so I can get to the back items. I looked at the open one (my Cabinet guy recommend that too), but I won't be able to reach the items in the corner. The original plan we looked at the LeMans for the corner base cabinet. But the door would have to be ~20+" and I think that would take away from either the pots and pans drawers (next to the fridge) or my corningware/bakeware drawer (next to the range).

    What was the issue with the 12" tray cabinet. Was it too small? We plan on putting tray storage in the pantry for ones that we don't use often. But I was thinking of storing the cookie sheets (probably 3 or 4) by the trash can (~15" cabinet). And storing a few cutting boards in the same cabinet or in the island. (not sure what the better option is). If I don't put cutting boards in the island...do you have any other recommendations on how to lay the island out?

  • Gracie
    10 years ago

    I wouldn't devote an entire cabinet to a couple of cookie sheets. Do you have a drawer in your stove where you could store them? Use a drawer in the island for cutting boards.

    If you put the trash in the island, you could make that 31" cabinet your pot and pan storage. Most of the time you'll be adding water to the pots, so it's nice to have them by the sink. The trash seems far from the eating area for anyone clearing the table.

  • bookworm4321
    10 years ago

    I don;t have a problem with a divided 12" cabinet for cookie trays, serving platters, muffin tins, etc; my cab is full. (Baking is a hobby.) However, that is the only 12" cabinet that I have. (I didn't have room for a trash cab, but you do). I'm more concerned with the 2 12" drawer cabinets to left of DW. Why not make that 1 cabinet? (Most of mine are 30".)

    I apologize if I'm not reading your lay-out correctly. I'm a newbie at this.

  • Cindy103d
    10 years ago

    Hopefully you'll get some advice from the experts. In the meantime, my two cents is that the island doesn't really work.

    Your main work triangle in this version is basically the same as the first version. Adding the island actually made the triangle longer since you now have to walk around it to get between the fridge and the sink. Try marking out that space with tape on the floor and then making the trek back and forth a bunch of times to get a sense for how far it is. With an armload of dripping veggies or meat, etc. A prep sink in the island would improve the flow immensely, but it doesn't appear you have space for the sink and sufficient prep counter top on the island.

    Another consideration - Are you a 1 or more cook kitchen? The walk space is pretty narrow if more than 1 in the kitchen at a time. And consider if those needs will change. Kids grow into kitchen helpers, especially teens. People retire and start helping in the kitchen.

    Your space is hard to configure due to the openings, making contiguous counter space difficult. I know you didn't want to move door openings, but moving the dining room door down to where the super susan is now might enable you to have a nice galley kitchen. You'd have the long wall where the sink is now, plus a long, wider island.

    Another consideration is eliminating the table from the bay window area so you could push the island further that direction. Do you need that table since you have a separate DR?

  • NDSA
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I am also not sure what to do with the drawers next to the dishwasher. We have a little over 40". So I wanted to divide it into 2 cabinets. I think 40" would be too wide for drawers. But I am not sure where to make the divide. If I do it in half it would make the outside of the drawers 20" and the inside 15". I was hoping to put my every day plates, bowls there but I think I need and inside dimension of 17". My other thought was to line up the divide with the upper cabinets. So one will be 16" and the other 24". That will work for my planned usage of the cabinets. But I am afraid that the cabinets being not the same will look weird (I like symmetry). I attempted to put a photo of the sink wall but I am working off a iPad and the photo didn't come out well.

    We have taped off the island on our floor and the space is fine. But thank you for the feedback.

    I am also thinking about the trash in the island instead of next to the sink. Any other feedback about moving the trash to the island and moving the pots next to the sink so they can be filled with water easily. I would love to add a pot filler over the range. But I don't think it would work with the OTR microwave.

  • Gracie
    10 years ago

    I thought you planned on putting dishes in the bumped out upper cabinet. What's going in there? I'd make that a glass cab for glasses and serving pieces and use the dish drawer for plates.

    You can put your trash between the sink and DW to make the dish drawer narrower. That's what we have. I thought it would be awkward to separate the DW from the sink, but my KD assured me I wouldn't even notice, and he was right. My trash cabinet is 13 1/2" with a 13 gallon Rev-a-Shelf top mount can. It's nice to dump peelings in right from the sink.

    This post was edited by may_flowers on Sat, Dec 28, 13 at 11:13

  • NDSA
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    We originally we planning on putting the dishes and glasses in the upper cabinets. But now I am thinking about putting glasses in the upper cabinets and the dishes in a middle drawer next to the dishwasher.
    Also for the outside upper cabinets (to the left of the sink) I am thinking of using glass doors. The inside cabinets will have traditional raised panel cabinets. I am not sure about this. But l my cabinet guy is recommending that I put a glass door cabinet in my kitchen somewhere.

  • sjhockeyfan325
    10 years ago

    Why is the space for the dishwasher 30" (most dishwashers only take up 24" in space between the cabinets to the left and right). I'd make the dishwasher 24" and the drawers one unit, either 30" or 36", which either way is less than the 66" you show on your plan.

    Also, I agree with the person who said you don't need to keep cookie sheets and trays in the kitchen proper, especially since your pantry is so close. Use that space for more drawers.

  • NDSA
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you for finding my screwup. I just remeasured and the dishwasher is 24". So I just gained 6". Now the space between the bay window and dishwasher is about 46". That seems large to me for drawers. Would two 23" drawers make more sense?

    Also right now my cabinets go right to the edge of the window molding for both the window over the sink and the bay window at the end of the cabinets. Should I keep it like that or have the cabinets (both upper and lower) end a few inches away so you could see the painted wall? If I should show the wall..how much? 2"?

  • lavender_lass
    10 years ago

    Can you move the doorway to the dining room? That would put the sink and range on the same side of the doorway...no walkway between...and your fridge on the other wall, with pantry.

    For the island, what if you used a mobile work table, with a butcher block top? You could have storage built in, but if the island could move, it would give you more flexibility in a fairly tight space. Just an idea :) {{!gwi}}From Kitchen plans

  • NDSA
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    The door to the dining room can not move. It currently enters the edge of the dining room (the dining room extends past the edge of the kitchen...and even thought I would like to move my exterior kitchen wall to end where the dining room ends, that would probably be way above my budget) So if we moved the doorway it would now enter the living room instead of the dining room.

  • Gracie
    10 years ago

    I wondered about the 30" DW and I also wonder about the 40" fridge cabinet. My fridge opening is 37". No problem pulling it out and pushing it in. Check your model's specs.

    I have a 23" drawer. Mine are frameless, and I could probably fit 4 stacks of plates and bowls.

    I would get the base cabinets and island lay-out locked in before worrying about where to put glass in the uppers and how to lay out the cabs around the window. When you get there, we need each cabinet dimension, not just the wall dimensions.

  • NDSA
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    The fridge cabinet only needs to have a 36" opening. But since we are doing framed cabinets that adds another 3" and then my cabinet guy likes to have decorative trim around the edges. So that is why I said 40" (2" of trim around the opening).

    I am meeting with the cabinet guy on Thursday so I hope to lock down some of the actual cabinet dimensions then.

  • kksmama
    10 years ago

    I agree with May_flowers (on your other thread) that you could use 2 trash cans in this kitchen, And I think if you had a second sink, to the right of your cooktop maybe, you wouldn't be carrying heavy pots of hot water and pasta across the dining room entrance.

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