Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
heathero_gold

Waterfront and windows - Layout feedback please :-)

heathero_gold
9 years ago

We've been in our home four years this week. It's all about location and we have a great spot on the water. We've held off on any major renovations and have been working on a bigger plan that will include a kitchen overhaul.
We are a family of two adults, one 8 year old son and 5 Golden Retrievers. We cook from scratch everyday. During the week, it's just me in the kitchen, but weekends usually include my husband or guests doing prep. My son has a growing interest in food and cooking, too. Our food storage needs vary seasonally as we have friends and family here most summer weekends. There is a spare fridge and chest freezer currently in the basement and will likely move to the garage.
We hope to have a kitchen that works - flooded with lots of natural light and taking full advantage of the view. Appliances include 36" induction cooktop, wall oven and combi/speed oven, 36" CD fridge, DW and tall wine storage with fridge drawers in bottom.
We've been working with an architect and kitchen designer and before we go much further with this plan I'm hoping you could provide some feedback. Thanks in advance!
Heather

Existing layout (garage is far right):
{{gwi:2141818}}
Proposed:
{{gwi:2141819}}

Comments (26)

  • sena01
    9 years ago

    I like it. But since,usually more time is spend in prep than in cleanup, how would it be if you moved prep sink to the perimeter and main sink and DW to the island? Island can get messy at times, but prepping across the view may be worth it. Just an idea.

  • heathero_gold
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Sena01 I thought about that too! My dish cab was planned for the cab to the left of the dw. If I was to swap sink, dw and trash, would I shift dishes to island?

  • Errant_gw
    9 years ago

    Is there anyway to separate the oven stack from the refer?

  • heathero_gold
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Errant, I would love to do that, but I couldn't figure out how other that putting them under the counter or next to the wine fridge (front corner of pantry). I had really hoped to keep them in the wall as I'm tall....Any ideas?

    This post was edited by heathero on Mon, Dec 8, 14 at 18:54

  • sena01
    9 years ago

    I'm not sure if you can have room for a large enough cab for your plates in the island. The fireplace seems to limit the size of the island. But, upon looking more closely at the size of the kitchen I realized that it will be possible to keep both sinks on the perimeter, or even if you have the main sink in the island there'd be sufficient cabs for plates, on the DR side of the range.

    I think moving the range too close to the DR room would not be functional, because it would then be too far from the fridge. I didn't do the math but even with a 21" prep sink base and a total of 42" cabs next to it before the range, the distance b/w the fridge and range would be around 9, which is the maximum recommended.

    The oven cab seems to get in the way. But, since you planned an upper next to the deck door in your layout, maybe you can consider moving the wall ovens there, if you have the main sink in the island. Then I'd move fridge closer to the corner, have a 15-18 cab b/w the prep sink and the corner. On both sides of the fridge I imagine you can have 15-18 deep glass door uppers reaching the counter.

  • heathero_gold
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Sena01, let me try to draw that up tomorrow morning. Thanks!

  • sena01
    9 years ago

    Here's a rendering with approximate measurements.

  • heathero_gold
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks, Sena01! I appreciate the rendering!

  • sjhockeyfan325
    9 years ago

    I wouldn't make that change because having the cleanup sink and DW directly across from each other means neither the cook nor the cleaner has his or her own space - they're essentially butt to butt the whole time. I'd leave it the way you had it originally.

  • annz3
    9 years ago

    Heathero...just wanted to say I love that part of your family is 5 Golden Retrievers. Part of ours is 5 Labradors :) It sounds like you have a wonderful life on the water. Enjoy your remodel!

  • sena01
    9 years ago

    If have first the fridge after the corner cab and then the ovens, would have room for a tall cab with a pullout cutting board or something like that for landing for the oven? Maybe if you make the pantry a little shallower and/or play with thickness of walls around the entry on the right? Prep sink can be either in the island or perimeter.

    Edit: I think this new position of the fridge would be better for prep/cooking. If you keep anything that can be needed from DR and Deck in the winefridge+fridgedrawers, you can avoid traffic passing through your work area.

    This post was edited by sena01 on Tue, Dec 9, 14 at 6:46

  • mgmum
    9 years ago

    No comments at all on the kitchen, but if I was doing a major renovation like that and moving everything all over, and if money was no object (ha ha!) then I would extend the deck the length of the back and have sliders/french doors in the dining room and family room. Not as efficient for heating/cooling but man, the view and the access!

  • heathero_gold
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    If I split the fridge and ovens in the original plan and had a landing space between, that would give me about 18". Is that enough to do anything at all with?

    MGMMum, I'd so love to have a deck all the way across the back of the house. The PO built the existing deck on top of my septic tanks, so that deck needs to be removed. Yikes! We'll stay clear of them with the new one.

  • bmorepanic
    9 years ago

    MGmum, that was my thought too!

    I wanted to say at least consider what it would be like with that door to the outside constantly in the way from the kitchen side. You'd have to ferry stuff around the door and would not be able to just grab stuff off the counter or dishes from the dish cabinets.

    Same sort of objections to using that particular space (near the door) for an oven cabinet or other tall object. It will visually remove separate the kitchen from the dining room a bit more - that's either good or bad depending on how much you like being part of the indoor dining experience while getting ready. But it also removes the nearest counter to the door as a parking space for stuff coming in or going out.

    I've seen, but can't find an example pic right now, of a service ledge outside of the window for landing things going to and from the kitchen to outdoor cooking/eating - something else to think about.

  • heathero_gold
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Great points! especially about that swinging door. I'll have to revisit a slider off the DR and shallower deck with the architect. We have a french door there now and its been great.

  • sjhockeyfan325
    9 years ago

    I've seen, but can't find an example pic right now, of a service ledge outside of the window for landing things going to and from the kitchen to outdoor cooking/eating

    I think this is what bmore is referring to:

  • Karenseb
    9 years ago

    I'm glad you have a septic tank under the new FR window. A deck off the family room would obscure your view!

  • sena01
    9 years ago

    If I split the fridge and ovens in the original plan and had a landing space between, that would give me about 18". Is that enough to do anything at all with?

    I guess 18" will not be enough. Maybe you can place the trays sideways, but it won't be practical and perhaps even dangerous.

  • heathero_gold
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I like the service ledge idea. I do feel like I'm working a roadside lunch stand much of the time ;-)
    but will have to think about my screens and research retractable options....

    Karenseb, my architect felt the same way!

    Sena01, if I could eek out another 6" it might work? I just am concerned about cramping the entry from garage and main entry door....

  • sena01
    9 years ago

    Depends on the biggest size tray/pan you're using. My oven is just 60 cm (23.62") and biggest tray is about 17.72". Yours will most probably be much bigger than that. So I guess ovens stay where they were in your first layout.

    How wide are your aisles by the way? In the drawing it appears as if the aisles b/w the island and the sink and wine storage counters are equal or nearly so. Since there is a walkway behind the seats, I believe you'll need a larger aisle there (close to 60").

  • beaglesdoitbetter1
    9 years ago

    We had one of those "service windows" in our old FL vacation house. When we moved in, it had an ugly metal slider window that went back in the wall but that really looked terrible any time the window wasn't open. We got a new slider window from Lowes and it looked much nicer:

  • heathero_gold
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Sena01, you are right about the aisles. They are tight on the seating side. I'd be happy with one seat on the end, but may need to concede the additional two to DH.
    Beagles, the window looks really nice!

  • Texas_Gem
    9 years ago

    I am not a kitchen layout expert so I will leave that to the others but am I viewing this correctly that anyone who comes in the house will be walking through the kitchen?

    Some people may not mind that, some prefer to not have their kitchen be the first thing other see and still others (this one is me) hate having constant foot traffic through my kitchen.

    Especially if people are seated at the island and someone comes in or needs to go to the restroom from the family room, they may be walking straight through your work zone.

    Just something to think about.

  • sena01
    9 years ago

    I have an idea, but not in anyway sure if it's feasible/acceptable or not.

    I believe your Master Br will be your FR after the renovation. What, if you have the 1/2 bath where you now have the master bath.

    Something like this maybe,

    {{gwi:2141820}}

    Would you then be able to change the garage/porch entry like this?

    {{gwi:2141821}}

    I think, that arrangement can give you a big enough landing next to the ovens.

    {{gwi:2141822}}

  • heathero_gold
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Sena01, thank you! it's great to have different perspectives! I'll spend some time on this tonight :-)

  • heathero_gold
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks for putting the drawings together Sena01. I think I'd like to leave the 1/2 bath at that end of the house. I like how it's tucked around the corner.

    If I shift my prep sink over 12-18" it will give me some more fridge landing space. I could use oven landing between ovens and cooktop.

    I still need to find a bit more space for my aisle between island and wine fridge wall and perhaps that will mean losing seating on that side. I'm ok with that and should be able to convince DH. We have plenty of seating at the table.

    Texas_Gem, I've always lived in capes where the front door wasn't ever used except for light or air. We (friends and guests, too) always used the side or rear kitchen entry. This one is a cape too, so it's a familiar feel for me.