Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
laughablemoments

Please critique what I'm hoping is my once and for all final plan

laughablemoments
11 years ago

My dear, sweet, overtired DH compared me to a yo-yo last night when I tried to share this yet another plan with him. Sigh. He's ready to be done looking at floor plans. Maybe you all are ready to be done looking at my floor plans, too. I'd like to be done so that I can have a truly useful kitchen and finalize our appliance purchases. (Our steers are at the butcher shop and will be coming home to stay in just a few weeks. Right now, there is no freezer space for them. The basement freezer is full.)

Could you please check this plan out? I had posted it under a different subject heading, and it's fast disappearing down the list, so I'm trying again under this heading.

I think it has everything that I'd like, except for a walk-in pantry. I am consoling myself with all of those storage drawers under the benches on the right side of the page.

Any thoughts?

Comments (11)

  • rhome410
    11 years ago

    My concerns:

    So you'll have a post in the aisle just 9 inches or so away from the island?

    Is there no hood over the induction hobs?

    Having the ovens so close together kind of negates part of the plus of having 2.

  • debrak_2008
    11 years ago

    Not an expert here but the range, oven area seems cramped and lacking landing space.

  • mrspete
    11 years ago

    I would never, never, never sacrafice the walk-in pantry, though I must admit I can't see a way to get it into this space.

    Also, I think I'd move the main sink in front of the existing window -- this would make it more convenient to, well, everything, and would bump the less-used baking area to the more remote end of the counter. If you do this, I could do without the prep sink.

    Does the freezer have to be IN the kitchen? Mine's in the laundry room, and I like that it doesn't eat up prime space.

    By the way, if I'm remembering right, this is light years ahead of your previous plan. Good editing!

  • camphappy
    11 years ago

    Forgive me if you have already scratched these ideas but...I would think a banquette at the benches would be a better use of that space and then make your island 4x5 with no seating and aisles between DW's and ovens 42". This would allow you to put a pantry, fridge and freezer on the angle brace wall and use the end of the island (near the table) as your prep area. If you built the pantry out so it wraps around the corner where your hutch is labeled, making it an "L" shape I think your wall might also fit the hutch at end near the table.
    If you move your main sink under the existing window I agree you probably don't need a prep sink but may like one in the corner of the island across from the cooktops and leave your main sink where you currently have it planned.
    By moving the fridge/freezer you could add counter space in that location providing landing for ovens and for buffet serving.
    Hope this makes sense! :)

  • laughablemoments
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Yes, Rhome, the post would be about 9" away from the island. I tried connecting the island to the post by extending the grain bin area to it, so there was a small "L" shape to it, but it didn't seem to work quite as well. If I attach the long edge to the post, it puts the sitters in the walkers' path. So I let it float.

    I'm not sure I'm following you about the ovens being close together. They are the same distance away as two separate stoves would have been. Also, wall ovens are usually 1 over, 1 under. I must be missing something.

    Is it clear that the oven is *under the counter?

    Hi Debrak, thanks for chiming in, too. You've made me really look at landing space, which is something I wasn't evaluating before, so thank you! I need to think it through, so I appreciate the extra eyes checking it out for things like this.

    There would be no hood over the induction hobs. I've even thought about just using a portable unit. It then could possibly be used at the island??

    Hi, Mrs. Pete. I was so excited to have a corner pantry in my last plan, so I understand you wanting to hang onto one! I'm trying to decide which is more important to me, since I also like all the space at the island, with room for the kids to sit up at it.

    Baking is a major part of our lives, so that area gets used a lot here.

    You are very fortunate to have room in your laundry for the freezer. We must be very careful in our laundry room to not turn around too quickly, or else we'll bump into ourselves, it's so tiny.

    Camphappy, your kitchen windows are my inspiration for the windows along the left wall. Boy, as I'm reading your description, it's sounding awfully similar to what Rhome drew up a bit ago. Is this like what you are thinking?

  • williamsem
    11 years ago

    To clarify, what is it you like more about this new plan? What did you feel was missing in the other plans? I am genuinely curious.

    I don't, at first glance, see the advantage of this new plan. There must be something you are still looking for.

    What I like about the other contenders:
    - large dedicated clean up zone, sounds like it is needed with all the canning, baking, and feeding your clan
    - lots of storage near the DW for dishes, also near the dining room, and in a place that doesn't compete for other uses
    - pantry (wish I could have one!), probably very useful for all the activities and associated accessories you mentioned
    - prep sink near the cooking space

    Plus it seems like some earlier plans feel more solid to me. Not sure what I'm looking for...grounded?...balanced?...settled?...stable?...can't quite put my finger on it, but whatever it is the other plans give me that I've where this new one feels very different.

    So what's nagging at you? There must be something you are still looking for, I'm sure someone here can make it happen.

  • gwlolo
    11 years ago

    I am not an expert but there seem to be a lot of windows being added or removed. That can really add up from a cost perspective and will affect how the house looks from outside. It would be a good idea to consider the window changes very carefully.

  • camphappy
    11 years ago

    I like the "A" plan better than the one at the top. The pantry hides the angle bracing well (and you get a pantry!)
    I would consider shortening the island to about 5-6' so it is not as much a barrier (keep about 42-48" from end of island to cleanup sink and shorten other side).
    Do you want 2 ranges or would a 6 burner work for you? 2 ranges mean 2 hoods - or one very large one. 6 burners would give you more counter space.
    You had induction on the one layout. I'm assuming the main cooktops will be gas? Do you want both or just looking for ways to add extra burners?
    If you keep your cooktop close to the corner then move your prep sink to that end.
    If you have both freezer and fridge on pantry wall then you could have more counter space for prep and landing near the MW on the cooktop wall.
    It sounds like you have been given a lot of ideas from many different folks. See if you can pick and chose what will work best for your clan.
    I understand what you are going through. It is a very overwhelming process. :)

  • rhome410
    11 years ago

    I meant that if you''re going to have a single, separate oven, it'd be much more advantageous to split the oven from the range more so different people could access each, like put it in the baking area.

    I think plan A with the post incorporated, with a pantry, and more elbow/breathing room in the stove area is much preferable. I know you had other plans similar to this, so I can't remember if it's my favorite, but of these 2, it's the clear winner for me.

  • User
    11 years ago

    It will be a lot cheaper to put in a beam to get rid of those posts than it will to move around a lot of windows. You need to START with the structural changes that can happen with your budget. Only after that gets figured out can anything else happen as far as a layout. If your budget won't stretch to moving a bunch of stuff around, then you're going to have to drop back and punt.

  • laughablemoments
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I will wait until I'm more clear-headed to respond to these helpful comments.

    In the mean time, here is one more to toss into the soup. It's a bit rough, but again, if it has potential, I'll neaten it up. (Does the big island look to much like a Christmas stocking? I could certainly fill it.)

    -Amy