I assume that is an eating area at the top of your plan? The finishes you picked should work fine. I really love the granite choice. Hard to comment about the plan itself without knowing about traffic flow in your home and how the space orients to the rest of the home. Is the kitchen in the middle of the house? Bedrooms back onto the long run?

Looks like a nice space!

If you are going to have the sink in the island, you may want to consider making that island longer. Or move the sink to the long counter run especially since you have the seating. It's just no fun to stare at a sink when seated at an island. Mine is just a prep sink (although is 18" wide) and everyone seems to avoid that end of the island.

Also, I'd go 14 or 15 inches on the overhang. It won't make much difference in the walkway, but will make all the difference in comfort.

You are asking about layout AND about colors/materials in a single post. I think you would get a better response if you focussed first on the layout. You should follow the recommendations in the "New to Kitchens?" thread (linked below). In particular, look at the "Layout Help" entry.

I think we will need a better drawing, showing the proposed location of more than just stove and fridge. Personally, I got tired of trying to match the text with the picture and just stopped.

Here is a link that might be useful: New to Kitchens?

@remodelfla: I don't think that area will be used as an eating area as i have a dining room also for casual eating i will probably use the island.
Traffic wise the kitchen is at the corner of the house so Great room on the top right... below is dining... the window and door are to the yard and bottom left of the kitchen is hallway that goes to garage and basement.

I want to get input on colouring the cabs.. esp if i should do one colour lower and other uppers or do same colour throughout upper and lower and make island darker and/or perhaps make pantry darker?

@houseful: seating will be only the opposite side of sink and perhaps at the top. Good idea re: overhang.

@Angie_DiY: I am intrested in colours mostly and any other tidbids as i am sure i have overlooked something... i will see what i can do re: updated detailed diagram.

thanks!

Just to echo houseful's suggestion....I have a 15" overhang and think it's perfect.

Are the granite slabs the same kind of granite or two different types?

@mercymygft: They will be from the same slab on both counters and island. I will go for 15" then.

I have updated the original sitemap to reflect various items on the map itself... (hit refresh if it does not show tagged).

if you are certain about all the colors so far I would definitely bring in a warmer hardwood color for the floor.The shades you show look cold.Could you find a granite with some lighter brown or copper elements in it and then with a lighter brown hardwood on the floor I think the space would feel a little better. The floor will be a significant element based on your sketch-do you have ideas for the floor?

Hi JSmith, you have picked out a granite that is a look alike of mine. So I love your choice. My cabinets are a creamy white. I think the elements you have chosen are really pretty. I did crackle subways in cream but I like your idea of brown too. I will leave the layout questions to those who know better. Good luck! It's fun picking out everything.

@herbflavor: Nods i agree a lot of white but not enough colour... here is the Floor tile (not using wood). Also was thinking have chocolate brown subway tile as backsplash to add further colour.

Floor Tile:

Backsplash I was thinking this colour:

Have you been ruthless in your quest for your floor? Cork/bamboo/wood look alike in vinyl plank/floating laminate....etc. I'd seek out a more resilient product-and it doesn't have to be hardwood. Many people complain about the difficulty with their feet and back due to the hardness of tile floors in the kitchen.

@herbflavor: Yes it was initially wood... but i decided to switch to something that can handle my "careless" way of using kitchen.

I will give the tiles a go as they can be washed and if they don't work ill change em down the road.

I would prefer Wood but then i wouldn't be able to use the kitchen!

I know you said you're looking more for color choices, but I wanted to point out a design issue. You don't have what the GW folks call a 'landing spot' for either your fridge or your oven. I'm more concerned about the oven aspect. Yes, you can turn around and put whatever on the island, but do you want to swing around with a huge turkey roasting pan or a hot pan of cookies and walk 3 feet to the island? AND, then put them on the island right where someone is sitting and chatting with you? I can overlook a lot of the design 'sins' people talk about on here, but this one seems like a huge burn waiting to happen - literally. I would probably switch the ovens with the M/W cabinet and drawers. Then you have a little landing space next to the fridge and that area can be a little snack/reheating center. Then switch a drawer stack with your stovetop and you've got landing space next to your ovens.

Oh, and you don't look to be allowing a full 36" for your fridge on the plan? But maybe I'm reading that wrong.

If the wall beside the refrigerator really extends that far, you will not be able to fully open your refrigerator doors -- unless you have some spiffy new model I'm not aware of. Most refrigerator doors have to open well beyond 90 degrees in order to open any drawers inside and have full access to the space inside.

@KathyNY76: thanks for pointing this out i will speak about this to the cabinet maker and see how we can sort this out. There is enough space for fridge (36") and Wall oven in the cavity. Cavity width is 71.5".

@Chibimimi: I was/am worried about this and from the fridge i picked the doors seem to open fine. I will confirm again though.

The room looks lost without a larger island occupying more space closer to the windows. With the larger island, you have room to shift the sink down closer to the windows and have a better prep space. I also would do the previously suggested swap of the ovens with the MW cabinet. Its much more functional to have the ovens on the same counter run as the cooktop, and the MW functionally needs to go next to the fridge for your snack central.

If you want a cool black grey and white kitchen, then those tiles and the brown backsplash and the granite do not work with that color story at all.

If you are looking for a warmer feeling then a brown backsplash with grey granite and black and white cabinets and a tannish yellowey floor still reads as a pretty cold kitchen. It's a bit confused on the color palette as well. It needs to be tightened up. It's all over the place and the undertones are fighting.

If you want tile and want to keep the warmer feeling that the brown backsplash gives, then I'd consider something like a saltillo with brown tones or a colorful slate that has some brown in it or even the porcelain wood look tile in a brown. A warm color palette that is darker than your choice but not tan. Lighten up the dark brown cabinets a tone or two so you can actually see that they are brown and not black. That will bring in more warmth and then the major players actually relate to each other better. I'd also pick a granite that had warmer tones as well, or else go with something like Coffee Brown Silestone.

@GreenDesigns: Thanks for all the suggestions. The kitchen is not black and white... i just don't have a picture of hte sample of island colour.. it is more brown/wood colour than black like in the picture... even white is not pure white like it shows.

I will speak to the contractor about moving sink and oven swap as well.

Floors i cannot change as they are almost finished with flooring.. my "colouring" is limited to cabinet colours and backsplash and granite only.

If you are keeping that floor, then lighten up on your backsplash tile. Something in a handmade 4x4 yellow (look at circupeanut's tile for the right color) would work with both the granite you have picked out and the floor tile and would be a warm and elegant look. The wood cabinets do read a lot more black than dark brown, so perhaps a slightly lighter stain would work better.

I agree with the longer island and moving the oven suggestions.

'a better drawing, showing the proposed location of more than just stove and fridge'

I don't understand this... are we able to pull up our posts now and update them/make changes to them?

the floorplan in the OP seems to be very detailed - and better than most we get here.

I agree with some others above that this layout doesn't make very good use of the space.

At a minimum I'd want to extend the island about 3 feet, moving the dw and sink to the top end and having a longer and therefore more useful prep space to the right. I'd also see about having the overhang extended to the top side as well, perhaps even with the 24" cabs before the curve-in, so that you can have a seat at the top end. Better for conversation, etc, if you can have seating on more than one side of the island.

I'd also move the range more toward the top end of the cabinet run. As it is, anyone wanting a quick snack or a drink from the fridge is almost certainly going to cross past you between range and sink to get a glass or a plate or a spoon, etc. If you could put the range further to the top, then you have a better chance of storing things that snackers will want at the bottom end, thus keeping them out of your way when you cook.

@hollysprings: Great idea... will look into a tile that compliments granite/cabs and is not very dark "chocolate". Yes the cabinets in my post seem to be very dark... i was aiming for a bit lighter i will play with colouring and update it.

@desertsteph: Can't edit but you can trick by replacing original image.

@taggie: The reason i did not go with the huge island is as many folks here like to have a "sit in area" in the kitchen so i am leaving it be as a sit in area for potential buyers when i get rid of hte house.
I like your idea about overhang on the top as i was thinking that as well so i can get 4 stools.. in the diagram i have four stools but in reality it can only fit 3.

This thread has been very informative for me... please keep suggestions coming as i am incorporating most if not all.

Cheers

Tile floors are cold, hard, unforgiving to you and anything you own, and not really in style right now, if that matters.

You really should consider wood or cork. Goodness, people put would on their sinks now, no one is worried about wooden floors anymore.

I urge you to rethink that.

Actual seating looks better than an area left blank. Extend the island and round off the end for seating. You can do this at counter height, or lower table height for more comfort. Angle it a bit if you have to to keep the clearances from being too tight.

{{gwi:1564996}}

@KitschyKitch: I hear you and i would have prefered wood floors as it is open concept so it would have tied in well together but unfortunatly i am stuck with tiles unless i rip the new tiles out at this point.

@GreenDesigns: I like your idea of making a built in seating area... how about extending the island and have stool based sititng?

Here is an updated plan and i went ahead and extended the island. Have not spoken with contractor about moving of appliances...

- Increased island by 4' (giving each stool 24" of area i think i can put no more than 5.5 stools so say 5 - as opposed to 6 that i have in the diagram)
- the lowers i set all as drawers.
- Island lowers maybe have some storage for large appliances like stand mixer.

I'd replace that last set of drawers next to the pantry cabinet with another shallow pantry and angle the end of the island to the left with a round seating area like GD showed. That helps traffic through the door and looks more interesting. Ducks in a row seating isn't conducive to conversation. Put shallow storage cabinets on the back of the island until you get to the angled round seating area.

Woops, tornado siren just went off, so I'll make this brief. Are you planning on moving the oven over and the cooktop down as suggested?

@live_wire_oak: As i posted it i realised the seating is more like a "class room" than like conversational adult seating. I updated the plan as below.
I had already converted the cabinets to shallow while you were typing this.
I have to speak to the contractor about oven and cooktop and range movement as lot of wiring and venting is already done.

So having a round "extension" is more functional than square? i thought youd lose more space if it were round?

@live_wire_oak: P.S hope there was no tornado carnage.

Looks like i cannot move the wall oven or cooktop.

Atleast i can move the sink and dishwasher around a bit... here is what the architect suggests and i think maybe doable its not 100% but see if you guys have any more comments.

Island reduced to maintain seamless granite.

Also note the architect is suggesting i keep the overhang at 12" and not 15".

12" is too short for overhang. I'm not that tall (5'7") and my legs always hit the underside of my mom's overhang and it drives me crazy. I went for 18" on mine because I'm so scarred from her 12" overhang. Also- The lineup stadium seating isn't as functional for communicating for people sitting there in comparison with grouped seating. Are you sure you can get one slab of granite for that island? My island is 7.5' long and I barely got mine to be one piece. It really depends on the slab you choose so unless you have already chosen, I would not make a layout based decision based upon the need for a seam. My seam is at my sink and is virtually unnoticeable. I have White Alaska Delicatus and love it! :) hope that helps.

No tornado damage. Just a couple of limbs down from the high winds.

The fridge and ovens aren't in the ideal location, and you say they can't be moved (yes, they can, the logistics are NOT that difficult, even with angling the vent, but he just doesn't want to) so making a better landing space for them is a big safety priority. Move the sink down at least 24" and move the DW to the other side with dish storage in the wall cabinet behind it. That will give you 48" of prep zone and to act as the landing space for the fridge and oven. Even if you have to chisel the slab up to tweak the drain you need to do this. Again, this is not that difficult logistically to accomplish unless you have trades that don't do as you pay them to do. Start yelling about the layout violating several NKBA guidelines and risking lawsuits due to the potential for accidents here. You'll get what you ask for.

Also, the two sided seating that you had in the earlier drawing with the cabinets on the back side of the island would work much better than this inline version.

A 12" overhand won't be very functional. I'm a visual person. Get out a ruler, sit in a chair, and put the end of the ruler even with your knees. Notice how much difference is left between where the granite will drop off, and you will begin? That's going to be uncomfortable to sit at, not to mention horrible for ergonomics. Builders like 12" overhangs because they (say) they don't have to support the overhang. Corbels will do wonders, and so will at least 3" more overhang. :)

Your vent & cooktop look the same size. 42" hood is best paired with a 36" cooktop.

I would probably move the microwave. It's either going to be opening into the wall, or into the vent hood, where it is now.

I may have missed this - will you be adding a table in that big open area by the window? Or is the island your only seating?

If your fridge is truly recessed that deeply into the wall (in your plan the wall protrudes past the fridge, so it would have a negative reveal, so to speak), then you won't be able to fully open the left fridge door. Looks like it's a good 4" - 6" difference. If you forget and try to open your door all the way, I'm afraid you'd dent your door and chip your corner.

Dishwasher (Bosch) is next to the sink and the other side will have pull out garbage/recycle bins.

I have two (back to back) pull out trash bins in my island. I use them both for trash, though I wouldn't have thought I'd actually generate that much trash. My original plan was to use the front for trash and the rear for recycling. I don't know what your specific plan is here, but if you can do two separate double pullouts, I'd say go for that. One dedicated to trash and one dedicated to recycling. As it is now I either keep a nice basket (nice, but still something else junking up the room) for recycling, or walk all recyclables into the pantry... which unfortunately means more tends to get thrown away.

@brianadarnell: I will keep the 15" overhang. The slabs of granites here tend to have 9' runs I am waiting to hear from granite supplier to see how they can deal with this worst case is a seam and as you say its hardly noticable.

@live_wire_oak: the problem with moving the fridge and oven would mean all of floor comes off which was just put down... cooktop and vent are moveable but demo + cost.

Right now the landing is 36". I had the sink centred... you think i should move the sink towards the top corner i.e make it 48" as you suggested for hte landing?. Dishwasher at the top end does make sense instead of where it is and garbage and cabinet towards the bottom end.

@avesmor: 15" it is. Cookto is 36" and vent is 42". Mwave door will open towards the wall. The open space at the top initially was for a table (if when i sold the house) eveyrone suggests i just extend the island and not worry about the space.

Island would be casual seating... i do have a dining room available.

The fridge oven wall will have to be dealt with for sure in terms of the wall being longer at the fridge side. the wall with casing is about 2.5" longer.

Is your fridge a built-in or stand-alone? If stand alone, is it full depth or counter depth? If the latter, you'll need to pull it forward to be able to open the fridge doors wide enough to pull out fridge drawers.

If you need to do that, and also if it's full depth, it would be a good idea to shift the island towards the windows a bit so that you maintain 42" between fridge doors and island corner. Otherwise, that could be a pinch point.

How do you intend to use the 9' of counter between range and pantry?

Do you really need seating for 5 at the island? (your plan shows 6 but a 9' island only provides enough room for 4, not 5 as you show). If you don't need that much seating. I'd add a cabinet at the end facing the fridge/oven wall for more storage. As someone already pointed out, the end of the island is prime oven landing zone (and fridge landing zone, too) so that seat location isn't ideal.

Why can't you swap the oven and MW locations? Are you on a slab? Have the cabinets been ordered already? I don't understand why the newly laid tile would have to be lifted to make this change.

Yes, move the sink so that you have 48" of prep space. It also offsets the potential of butt banging if you have someone working to load the dirty prep stuff into the DW while someone else is stirring stuff on the stove.

If you want to keep the seating possibilities more versatile, just place a counter height kitchen table next to the island there as an extension of the island. If someone doesn't like it, it's an easy fix, and it looks much better than leaving the space vacant.

Swapping out the oven cabinet with the base cabinet and wall MW cabinet is easy to do. The only thing that would need to be really moved to do this would be the oven's electrical. No tile needs to be changed, and I don't know why your contractor would tell you such a ridiculous lie. Moving the cooktop down is the same thing. Only the electrical is affected. The vent is slightly more difficult, but not at all impossible. All that needs to happen there is a couple of 45 degree angles be installed in the attic before it goes through the same roof penetration.

@lisa_a: fridge is CD. The counter between cooktop and pantry will be just that platting station or prep station or just temp storage to aid plating/prep.

Island wise i just need 4 seating... the image for seating seems to be small so i just filled it up.

@live_wire_oak: Moving ovens on the same run as the cooktop and moving dishwasher at the top and sink there has the same issue of people running into each other also not to mention the garbage pullout will also open into the person cooking.

Perhaps move the wall ovens back? or do some more shuffling? i like the plan before where dishwasher was close to where dishes would be stored... sink was out of the way and garbage pullout was the only thing that would open into the person cooking... recomendations?

This is very intresting architect and kitchen designer are always clashing with kitchen layout.. for me personally i have hard time visualizing so i am relying on real life experiences from you guys.

I am going to push for oven location change as per this diagram:

That will work. The only thing I don't care for is the inline seating. Here's a pic of what I'm talking about in adding a table to the island. Don't fear a seam in granite. It's really not a big deal. Or, it could be in a different material, like wood.

If it's a CD fridge and not a built-in, you won't be able to open the doors wide enough to pull out fridge drawers with that 31" wall next to the fridge, not without pulling the fridge forward so that the cab box is even with the wall.

Can you shorten that wall at all?

Cool pics, lwo.

@lisa_a: I will keep an eye on that wall as i have conflicting info about it as when i see on site its switched i.e wall side is 31 and fridge side is 28.

@live_wire_oak: Still have to speak to the cabinetmaker, granite installer and electrician. Now that i have all my ducks in a row for design/placment... waht about colour and scheme.

Initially i was doing island brown (not super dark) and the lower and uppers some sort of white with hint of beige.

I am entertaining the thought of doing all lowers including island to brown and do upper only white? Is that too much of a contract going from brown to white when it comes to uppers and lowers?