My frustrating odd shaped kitchen

14 years ago

We have an oddly shaped kitchen. I would best describe it as a block A shape - one wall is angled the other straight. The traffic flow from the front of the house to the family room is at an angle between the kitchen and breakfast nook.

We would like to create an island to allow more than one person to work. We have spoken with 4 kitchen companies and they all suggest a rectangle island - but that disrupts the flow of traffic and creates a very narrow space to walk.
Our plan is to remove the carpet in the family room and have new tile, thus creating a "great room" consisting of the kitchen, breakfast nook and family room.

The dilemma is a design for a workable island.
We're so frustrated, that we're ready to give up, please help.

Featured Answer

cfay
Original Author

14 years ago

last modified: 14 years ago

An update.
Our kitchen has been remodeled. We love the new layout as it makes the best use of space and allows a better flow throughout the house. And your eyes don't deceive you, the island is a triangle shape! Lots of storage, lots of room to work! It is exactly what was needed for the space.

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Comments (17)

manda7293
14 years ago
You could reangle the peninsula so that it is straight and shorten it a little so the peninsula is not sticking out too much. By reangling the peninsula it creates a constant 90 degree angle making it comfortable on the eyes and allowing space for the island.
PRO
Dytecture
14 years ago
last modified: 14 years ago
Hi cfay, I would agree with the rectangular island, it doesn't make the passage to the family room any narrower.
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cfay
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you for the ideas.
We took your ideas and used tape to mark them out on the floor.
Again, a rectangle just doesn't work in the space.

One of the problems being that it creates a very odd line of sight from the formal living room and dining room (located at the bottom right of the builder plan)

Also the floor will ALL be tile which would give us the freedom to go a bit further into the family room area. We would like to do a built in oven and maybe move the refridgerator to the shorter angled wall - leaving only a cooktop on the long wall.

We were wondering about a triangular shaped island.
PRO
Kelli Kaufer Designs
14 years ago
How about something like this - remove the breakfast area and put in a larger island, it allows seating for 5, 6 or more! Still have cabinets underneath for storage and lots of prep space. You can put a piece of furniture in the corner or cabinets. Something to think about - Add a few pendants.
PRO
Dytecture
14 years ago
last modified: 14 years ago
If sight line is your concern, then I would extend the wall up so people won't see into the kitchen when they are seated in the living room, a rectangular island is more usable.

If you want to do a triangular or trapezoid island, you are basically cutting a section off the existing wrap around counterspace, which means less working surfaces when it's finished, unless that's something you could live with.
cfay
Original Author
14 years ago
Dytecture,
I agree. A rectangular island is much more user friendly. I wish I could have one. This kitchen is so odd! We've had 4 kitchen companies out to look and they all have agreed that the floor plan doesn't express how awkwardly it is laid out.
When we purchased this house it needed alot of work, the kitchen and the surrounding floor is the last large project. Had we known the difficulty we would have passed on the house.
I GREATLY appreciate your time and insight.
PRO
Dytecture
14 years ago
last modified: 14 years ago
You're very welcome :) I want to solve this dilemma for you !

Are you wiling to move some walls ? do you have the entire floor plan you can attach ? looks like you have to go through the kitchen to go into the bedrooms ? maybe there are more potentials, which means more costs involved.
cfay
Original Author
14 years ago
For Kelli Kaufer Designs.
Oh!!!
I Like this! It's different - which I like.
Thank you for your time!
cfay
Original Author
14 years ago
last modified: 14 years ago
Dytecture,
We couldn't move walls - due to the upstairs.
I appreciate any ideas you have.
PRO
Kelli Kaufer Designs
14 years ago
You're welcome Cfay - since it is open to the family room, making the island larger and doing away with the breakfast area makes it all one complete space instead of 3 seperate areas. Have fun!
PRO
Dytecture
14 years ago
last modified: 14 years ago
Has it been 3 months already ? your kitchen looks great, I am beyond just 'liking' it :)
PRO
Carolyn Albert-Kincl, ASID
14 years ago
Wow! That's really beautiful and a fabulous solution to your problem kitchen! Hats off to the designers involved!
cfay
Original Author
14 years ago
LOL!
My husband and I came up with the design and we found a great company that took it and ran with it!
youregorgeous
14 years ago
last modified: 14 years ago
Your kitchen looks great cfay, what a transformation! Kudos to David and Kelli for their great suggestions which no doubt inspired your final design
PRO
Charmean Neithart Interiors
14 years ago
Wow, what a great solution and three months is quite impressive from start to finish. Enjoy your new space, I smell breakfast cooking! Charmean Neithart
cfay
Original Author
14 years ago
Actually, it took 5 weeks from demo to completion! Isn't that awesome!

And while the suggestions we received here were interesting, they were very similar to the professionals that came to the house. The final design is one my husband and I had been kicking around for the 8 years that we lived in the house. We discussed it with the kitchen company that did the remodel and he loved the idea and figured out how to bring it to reality - we were lucky to have found exactly the right person to work with us.