i vote the first one :)

I prefer the first one as well. Beautiful inspiration BTW!

not crazy about the narrow upper cabinets in the 2nd option from the left.

the narrow uppers in plan 2 could be super useful if you're doing this:

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the second option works better for me - as it matches in with the cabinetry below so much better and makes the hood look as if it was designed to go there as a statement piece rather, than it had to be there so you plonked one in there !

Great shot! Our clients too love the pull out spice racks. Such a great solution for a narrow space!

I like the second one also as well as the overall layout. As an aside, have you considered the landing space for the refrigerator (and pantry)? It appears that the surrounding countertops are already in use.

Agreed, the second one has much more presence and makes the space actually look larger. Pull outs for those narrow cabinets are perfect as they are pretty much useless otherwise. From a cook's perspective a great place for spices etc. as they are very close to the stove.

Hope you post after pictures. Looks like it will be lovely.

Good luck.

Thanks for all the feedback! We like the proportions of the panels on the doors in the second option, as they are pretty much square ... don't know why - they just looked better. We were thinking of using one side of upper narrows for spices and other side for oils etc. I was a bit worried about haveing too much symmetry top to bottom though .... I have a tendency to always make everything symmetrical ... which can sometimes be a bit boring!

Regarding the landing space for the fridge ... yes ... this was something s played with for a while. To the left of the fridge I have a deeper appliance garage, primarily for toaster. It will be the breakfast toast station - which is always a mess in our house - so we decided to try and conceal it.

On the right I put the full height pantry / appliance storage. In one previous version I had some open counter there - however this are is directly at the end of a long hallway so I was concerned about sight lines. I figured it would look better with some real nice doors (like the paneling on the fridge in the sample/inspiration photo).

I figured that people would use the end of the island for fridge stuff. It is a bit far .... any thoughts on this?

If I wanted to free up space adjacent to the fridge I think the best bet would be to remove the appliance garage. I was thinking that maybe the toaster etc could go on the island somehow.

I also tried the appliance garage to the right of the fridge - but it seemed out of place and too far from other stuff.

With respect to the inspiration photo, if you use a darker finish and lighten it up with frosted glass panels in a few cabinets, you will really get an Asian feel.

Hmm, I don't know, I love the windows above cabs, but I think this space can offer so much more...

I think you should experiment with moving cook top to the island, or the very least have the hood come down from the ceiling, if you decide to keep the range under window, and even though it will cover the window (partially) it will not look as squat...

I had only posted the kitchen part of the floorplan, so it was probably hard to see why we kept the 'hallway' clear (it leads to laundry and side entry etc). Here is the full floor plan for this floor, as well as a 3D view of the layout from a few iterations ago (the fridge has moved over a bit and there is an appliance garage in current designs).

Also we decided on a two level island (eating side is bar height) - even though it is not 'in vogue' so much right now - because we felt we could then leave stuff on the island lower level and it would be partially hidden from view from dining living area, as this is really all one big room.

We didn't want the cooktop in the island because that is what we had in our previous kitchen and we are quite messy cooks - so it sort of rendered the island unusable when we were cooking.

In your layout you note some upper cabs near windows that are glass both sides... I don't think I have ever seen something like this and it sounds super intriguing ... do you have any photos or sources? This could be super cool.

I have been considering the more modern style range hoods - which would mean running the vent pipe up in front of the windows ... but I am not sure how this will look. Certainly we would like a nice modern range hood with a full height vent stack - if I can make it work.

Thank you so much for posting your ideas! It really gets me thinking outside the box (which is what I need).

Oops - the complete floor plan didn't post ... lets try again ...

Hi !! - offering an opinion as a Mum/wife/housewife , if I was living here I'd unload all the shopping onto the island then pile stuff for the fridge down one end along with stuff for the pantry - if I needed more space I'd use the desk area too !
I'd bring plates in from the dining area scrape/rinse and stack in DW with ease. Plenty of prep space and essential space either side of cooker. Loads of well thought out storage !! Yeah I'd be happy!!
Offering an opinion as a designer of 28 years, designing kitchens amongst other things in rural England UK. I think the design will work. It passes the Mum test !! I think it looks beautiful, it appears to be designed with aesthetics and safety in mind and I would be delighted if this were in a home I was thinking of buying ! Nice work !!

That's a beautiful rendering. Still I think the squat cabinets under the windows bug me,

Yes, the hood vent could be something coming from the ceiling, I am gonna try to throw pictures here that I kind of get the vibe for this space more so than the rendering. Including a picture with through to window cabinets, to illustrate the idea, not necessarily the style of course. Your house is to die for, I wanna see more "outside in" as well, Prairie style, mid century modern and Japanese garden, all of it.

The wall with the transom windows, I wanna see it cleaner like the Zephir hood, tile all the way and around and maybe some stainless shelves.


For all intents and purposes, maybe the middle transom window can CLOSE to accommodate a hood.

On a second thought, building the hood in altogether with the cabinets, will help tremendously and scaling some of the traditional Asian back (the stile and rail construction), and towards contemporary.

The island can then be on it's own then and can be the Asian Inspired Focal Point., even with Fretwork, etc.




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I am gonna take a look at the floor plan.

The Front door crammed together with the stair is a problem. The powder room needs to shrink, and front door shift to the left.
Love the mudroom, but it can be configured more usable.

Love that Media Room is on it's own, not an all connecting family room.

I would also focus on some interesting wood paneling, closets built as cabinets with large slab pivot doors, rift oak, etc. Smoothing out the whole wall with the broom closet all built as cabs and same with the hall closet.

Large expanses, alignment, simplified and sophisticated.

Fireplace could be paneling cladded as well, or concrete tile, or Grey Marble.

Some of that look is in these photos

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Yes, the stairs and entry door are a challenge - but it is a renovation and for budget purposes we are trying to keep the changes to the main floor (although it seems like every force in the universe is trying to make us gut and redo the entire house!). I am also being careful not to move things like vent stacks and sewer lines as these all add significant expense. The floor plan is basically committed, as I am finished most of the rough construction (see neilsonhouse.wordpress.com).

At this moment I just need to zero in on a kitchen cabinet layout so I can start coordinating production of the various components (otherwise we will be cooking on folding tables! I do like the idea of a built-in range hood (rather than metal) - I think I will try and do some sketches next weekend.

Thanks for all the time you have taken reviewing our plans!

Definitely, I understand completely, I think your layout is fine insofar as the work "triangle", one thing I would consider before signing off - your family's appliance needs, and good locations for them, including a backup oven, microwave, small appliances, beverage wine cooler, ice maker, maybe a second dishwasher, or fridge drawers, things like a mixer lift, espresso maker, etc.
Yes the moe I think of it, the better the integrated hood sounds, and a really flat one, like in that picture.
Nice house!