The little house we built had a wood stove right next to the kitchen.
I guess it would have been considered the dinning room.Kitchen living room dinning room were all one room 13 by 36 foot long.

I loved having the wood stove so close almost in the kitchen as I used it to cook on.It was just the other side of the front door. I would not have a fireplace anywhere.

We had another house that has a ruined fireplace. We put a stainless steal liner down the chimney to connect to the top of a wood stove. That was the best of both worlds. We had the pretty mantel and the mostly smoke free of the wood stove. Also draft free as fireplaces are drafty. I think you said you were going to do glass doors on your fireplace. UGH. You can get wood stoves with glass doors. You clean the glass with a wet paper towel dipped in the ash. Wipe the dirty glass with it and the soot comes right off. Then clean the rest of the way with more paper towels or newspaper.

I'd vote for keeping room. When I am working in the kitchen, I don't have a lot of time to enjoy looking at anything. But I do when I finally sit down and put my feet up.

Living room. Cooking generates enough heat.

I would agree with dekeoboe in a warm climate, but up there where you are LavaLass, I think the reasoning given by your grandmother is right on. I was thinking that your little stove would serve that purpose, and it was by the small seating area near your kitchen, so in my book, that serves as a fire hearth. I would leave the plan with a fireplace in the living room, based on your cold climate.

But I would still think having the black stove closer to the kitchen or a keeping room/dining area, also a plus for the warmth it gives.

Lav, you are so fortunate to have the memories of your grandmother to draw upon. I had two such grandmothers and one grandfather in my life, and what they gave me is precious indeed.

ML- Thanks, I miss both my grandmothers, very much. They were both wonderful, strong, intelligent women, who raised their families during the Depression and WWII. They both knew how to do so much and that's probably where I get a lot of my interest in trying to be more self sufficient.

As for the fireplaces, I want to have the big brick one in the dining room/keeping room area. In the living room, I'm trying to make it more of a TV area, for movies on winter nights. However, I'm starting to think that maybe I should have a fireplace in there (and possibly the master bedroom) just in case we lose power, for quite a while.

I don't like the TV over the fireplace, so I'm thinking about having it next to the fireplace (which I'm not thrilled with) or maybe a corner fireplace. Any ideas? Anyone have something similar? Thanks in advance :)

Well, after nine months, I've finally come up with a plan to keep the big fireplace in the kitchen/keeping room! Okay, Summerfield came up with the plan (of course) but I really like it!!!

So, now I have the big, red brick fireplace (floor to ceiling, raised hearth) that there's no way I want to paint...since it looks great and I'd probably be disowned by the entire family! LOL My husband's uncle built the fireplace and it is wonderful.

But, white kitchen/brick fireplace comes off making the kitchen seem a little cold. Now, I'm thinking about a light wood kitchen with lots of windows and maybe a green island. Some of you saw this picture and I think the bunny tile, blue countertop, marble baking area, and green island with wood top, will all work a lot better with the brick. The window trim will all be white, as will the appliances...so that should lighten it up, too.

Any comments, ideas, suggestions? Oh, and here's the kitchen plan and overall house plan, if you want to see the layout. Thanks in advance :) {{gwi:1446457}}From Farmhouse plans

Kitchen layout... {{gwi:1446458}}From Farmhouse plans

Idea for range between windows (but with wood cabinets) {{gwi:1443515}}From Farmhouse plans

Still love my original french country kitchen picture, for style inspiration... {{gwi:1821568}}From Lavender Lass farmhouse pictures

Bunny tile... {{gwi:1448093}}From Lavender Lass farmhouse pictures

Overall house plan...thank you Summerfield! {{gwi:1856743}}From Farmhouse plans

I forgot to add that I would like to have a window seat in the dining area...maybe with a bit of a bump out. Many of you have seen this picture, but I think it will look great with the fireplace and upholstered chair/ottoman :)
{{gwi:1422907}}From Lavender Lass farmhouse pictures

After some more time on the kitchen forum (and liking the idea of windows by the range, but worried about no upper cabinets nearby) I made a few final changes. The sink and range are switched and the island is now square (5' x 5') which should easily seat four people. More room for nieces/nephews to bake cookies!
{{gwi:1446464}}From Farmhouse plans

And in overall plan... {{gwi:1448514}}From Farmhouse plans

We found out that we need to make some repairs to the wall, between the current living room and bedroom. So, not a big deal to take most of it and install a header (load bearing wall) and open up the space for the kitchen/dining/keeping room. SO glad we decided to change the plan...it's going to work out much better...and we need to do the work, anyway! :)

Hey I like that square island with the seating! Sorry about more work with the wall. Is it one you had planned to take out anyway?

Next time you are drawing on your plan, could you outline the current house in another color? I'm just nosy.

Marti- Hi! Actually, we weren't planning to do work on the wall...decided to take it out for the remodel...and then found out it needed work. So, good news that we wanted to take most of it out, anyway.

The current house (more or less) is everything except the porch on the right, the living room, study, laundry and mudroom. Those aren't necessarily what the spaces look like now...but that's the size of the house 'as is'. Summerfield drew one of the plans with the green lines...I'll see if I can find it.

How do you like remodeling? I'm watching your posts to get an idea what to expect, when we start. It's probably a huge pain, but you're making a lot of progress...and it's really looking good so far! :)

It is a huge pain, but shouldn't be quite as bad for you since you have a finished house to live in while you do it. If we were just doing the dining room addition without the kitchen facelift, it wouldn't be as bad either. It's trying to do them both that is the real pain.

What do you think about a pot rack (with light) over the island? I like this one, but it does need a light. Since we'll probably have a friend make it for us, I can add a few details :)

I really like the combination of herbs with a few other items, too.

Cabinets with green island... {{gwi:1446457}}From Farmhouse plans

And pot rack... {{gwi:1448518}}From Lavender Lass farmhouse pictures

Summerfield is going to do an update on my plan, with the changes to the kitchen and a few other things! So excited to show our contractor when he comes out, in the next few weeks. He's doing some finishing touches on our front porch (current house) and wants to see the plan.

I think we may have to do some work on the future kitchen/keeping room this summer, so I'm very glad we know how we want to use the space. This has always been a project that will be done in stages...so it's very important to have a good idea if I'm taking down the wall (which we are) and how we want to use the space. Now, I'll probably have him take out the tiny bathroom, at the same time!

Oh, I just put a green line around the current farmhouse area, but I think Summerfield might show it a lot better, when the new version is done :) {{gwi:2072882}}From Farmhouse plans

Summerfield just updated the plan...and it's beautiful! And, the way the laundry is incorporated into the utility room is amazing...and the mudroom looks great, too.

I'm so happy that we finally have a plan we love...with a kitchen in the area with the big fireplace! The living room with the wood stove...has a wall for a HUGE TV (LOL) if we decide we need one, so my husband loves it, too!

So excited to finally have a plan, because now we can start working on the kitchen/keeping room (1950s addition) to make sure the roof is repaired and go ahead and take down the wall (well a chunk of it...it is load bearing). This plan feels like it fits us, the house, the farm, everything! Planning is done...time to go garden :) {{gwi:1856764}}From Farmhouse plans

Must feel good to finally have a plan. Does this mean you will be going to a local architect and structural engineer soon? What size it the house? It looks very comfortable.

I really like this plan. Will the study double as a guest room too?

Dekeoboe- Sorry, I missed your post. I was over on the kitchen forum, fine tuning my kitchen/island situation. We will eventually be going to an architect...and engineer, if necessary. I'm not sure of the exact square footage, but with the mudroom and porch...probably close to 2200. Thank you, I think it will be very comfortable...not too many rooms, but the rooms are large enough to entertain our large family, when they do come out, but cozy enough for just us.

Marti- Thank you! Yes, it will also be a guest room, so I wanted it close to the hall bath. There will also be the small upstairs area, but I think for now that will be unfinished.

I love everything about the plan...except the kitchen island. While I don't want people (especially nieces/nephews) lined up along one side...the big 5' x 5' butcher block just felt too big. So, I was looking at the Country French magazine and came across this picture...and got a new idea. With the help of the kitchen forum, I made a few changes.

Picture... {{gwi:1448525}}From Lavender Lass farmhouse pictures

I like the two surfaces...butcher block on the island itself (now 6'x 3') and the small marble table for seating. Here's the plan with a few other changes, including 18" upper cabinets...on each side of the sink and the range. I also made the hood/vent a bit bigger, for my husband's french fryer and George Foreman grill :) {{gwi:1856765}}From Lavender Lass farmhouse pictures