Refresh my memory, please...how do you plan to use the living room? Is the dining table going to be in the dining room or the family room? If the table will fit in the dining room....is the family room for TV, kids, etc?

Could you swap the kitchen and dining room (yippee on moving the powder room, too!) or maybe kitchen in the family room space? I know we had lots of ideas last time...so just checking to see how you're using each space and how flexible the layouts can be :)

Good questions, Lavender.

Our plan is to use the living room as a living room. Couple of couches, a piano. A place to sit and gab, listen to music. I'd still love to put glass doors on the living room to help it double as an away room and/or music practice room. I picture the adults congregating here when we have company over, while the kids might gather in the family room...or the reverse if they (the kids) are wanting to play instruments together, which they sometimes do.

Dining room will hold an 8' table left to right, which seats our family nicely. This is where we will eat most meals.

The family room will have a small table (36-48"?) for crafts and games by the slider, a computer hutch, a couch under the big window with some chairs nearby. Some bookshelves in here, too. I picture this to be the hang-out spot and it will come in handy when hosting large gatherings.

Where will we do school? Ummmm, I'm still not sure. I think we'll adapt as we use the space. I'm not planning anything too permanent school-wise. I have an idea that the kids will stake claim to a few different areas around the house. ; )

At this point, I'd really like to keep the table in the dining room where the best views and southern light are plentiful. The window in this room, which we plan to mimic with a second one when we remove the full bath, is 22" off the floor and easy to see out while seated.

The kitchen's location at the North side seems good. It has direct flow for bringing in groceries. It's close to the patio, and close to basement where freezers and overflow kitchen storage will live, etc.

Thanks for asking. : )

If second fridge and large pantry will be downstairs...here's an idea with one large fridge, two dishwashers, large sink under window, range with OTR microwave and pass through to family room. The small pantry at end hides the post and gives you a little main floor storage. The counter between range and pantry (with pass through above) would be a great baking area!

I added the island and prep sink, because it gives you stool seating and another sink. Plus, great prep area across from the range. You could have more stools in family room, but I think this is a nice start. Also, french doors to living room :) {{!gwi}}From Kitchen plans

Also, if you ever decide to get a larger range, there would be room for it (I drew larger hood) and you could change microwave to an under counter variety. Could go in island or under baking area :)

Ahhh, savvy planning ahead Lavender. ; ) Good thinking on the extra large range hood. And here I thought those were little skinny upper cabinets on either side, LOL.

Your thoughts for the layout were somewhat similar to what I was thinking. I was holding off publishing any ideas rolling around in my head to give others a fresh go at it, but I'm not very good at being patient. ; )

Is there any hesitation about putting the fridge closer to the stove? This would let me get a nice sized pantry over to the right. It's not totally convenient to where I'm cooking, but it's not that big of a kitchen, either. I'd love to have the pantry and fridge as next door neighbors, but don't know how to achieve that.

This post was edited by laughable on Thu, Feb 20, 14 at 18:19

I like it, except you fridge door is going to block your access to the main work area, from the dining room and family room. And while I love the pantry storage, it's making it pretty tight to get past anyone sitting at the stools, with only 4' between island and chimney/pantry.

Could you incorporate some cabinet/pantry storage in the family room? Maybe have it look like dish hutches or cabinets on either side of TV?

DH was looking at this plan tonight and suggested that we recess the fridge into the family room a little bit, something like this.

How much room would you recommend to get past the island sitters? (I thought 44" was the minimum, but I know I don't want it that narrow, and was hoping maybe 48" would be enough.) Do you think we can just do shallower storage in front of the chimney, or does it need to be nixed all together?

Putting some storage in another room is definitely a possibility, it's just not my ideal. I have that now, and it can get a little cwazy to get all the meal parts together or to put things away.

Thanks for looking at this with me!

I like that idea! Recessing the fridge would give you more room and if you put a bookcase behind...might give you room for a counter and stools in the family room, if you like. It would be a solid wall behind the range, but that might be nice for calendar/message board, etc.

I believe it's about 60" from island to wall, for stools and a walkway, but I'm not positive. Something like this? {{!gwi}}From Kitchen plans

Hmmm, that looks like a good spot for a chimney cupboard, then.

I'm not sure what to think about the extra bar seating in the family room. I don't know if it would get used or not. I'm willing to do that if we'd really use it.

I just went through (too many) images looking for pass through window inspiration. I'm finding very little that looks like what I'm thinking of doing. Does that make me ultra-original...or whacko? LOL

So, my thought was to put open shelves in the pass-through windows and use them for storing some of my prettier functional items. Good looking bowls, canisters, etc. Or, to do glass cabinet doors, something like the article in the scullery thread a bit ago. I linked the kitchen from Fine Home Building with the pass through cupboards below.

Here's one image that sort of comes close. I don't have modernist leanings (that I know of), so this is a bit off, but it's close.

Here is a link that might be useful: Maybe cupboards like this in the passthroughs, with glass doors on both sides?

One more picture, from Crownpoint.

Those are nice! I like the way you keep some storage, but still let light through...and see between spaces.

The extra stools might not work, but I do like incorporating the fridge bump out (family room side) into the space. What about bringing the counter top out even (like in picture) but only 10" to 12" deep with built in bookcases under? That would give you more storage and be a great place for school cupboards, if you want to add doors :)

Thanks, Lavender. : )

So, would you choose open storage or glass doors? I'm not sure which way to go for the cutouts.

I love the idea of storage for the family room that would visually blend the bump out for the fridge. I think what we'd have to do is a higher counter over the bookcases, since we plan to use stock prefab formica for the kitchen counters. I still think we could make it work, it just would look a little like a bar top with shelves or cupboards underneath on the family room side.

It feels so good to see a plan taking shape. We're hoping to get the old cupboards and flooring torn out of the kitchen next weekend. Woo-hoo!