Prep usually happens next to a water source, so you will be prepping in that corner, and ONLY that corner unless you slop back and forth from the peninsula to sink, with your back to the room. That's fine if there will only ever be one person in the kitchen and you don't mind prepping facing away from guests, but annoying if not... and you will also be still staring at a wall while prepping over that counter. Also, your dishwasher doesn't look like it has a lot of dish storage nearby, so you will be trekking for that as well.

Can you swap sink/window and range and do a layout like the archway picture? That's a gorgeous picture, BTW. Such a layout would give you a nice amount of prep space on either side of the sink, and a lot of room in the peninsula for dish storage. If that's not doable, I would at least consider a small prep sink somewhere on the peninsula.

Re the raised bar: personally I think they cut up counter space, close off the kitchen, and are clutter magnets. I liked your previous plan with the worktable more and thought that had better flow.. but this isn't my kitchen ;). If you like it, do it!

Just to clarify, where did the woodstove go? That was my favorite part. : ) Is it in the room directly above the sink zone in this drawing?

Where will your dishes go? The cupboard over the dw looks little. Other than that, it looks like it lays out nicely.

Is the laundry area to the left already built? Is the wall loadbearing bt it and the kit/dining room? I might consider shrinking it up some and making the dr and kit a bit bigger if it can be done.

Oh, and I like the arch. : ) It shows up in both the one kit example and the one window seat shot. The one bt the kit and dr helps define the boundaries between the 2 spaces in a nice subtle way.

It's just me and my husband, so we like to throw together some quick meals (and I'm sure the counter will be used for prep occasionally) but when my nieces and nephews come over...that's the baking area. I love to bake and it's the one space I don't have in my kitchen right now.

The raised counter is to hide my mess and make an area for drinks or helpers, but I don't want an all one level peninsula. I know they're popular, but I'd rather have the bar height for the stools. This is my only dining area and I do NOT want to look at the kitchen mess, while I'm eating! LOL

The arches would be nice, but I'll have to modify it so that it starts on the raised counter area and goes across to the other side, where the cabinet stops, by the oven/microwave. I also plan to have an oven, with the range, for meats and broiling. The wall oven is for cookies, muffins and pies :)

'Clutter magnets' LOL that would be my whole house, if I didn't stay focused. Since the raised counter is the first thing you see, as you walk into the dining room, that would not be the clutter magnet. The trick is to have a place for everything and not need to dump stuff off. That's why we have the bench with hooks in the mudroom area (of the laundry/pantry) and another one in the front vestibule for guests. We also have a hall closet for more coats, a mail center planned for the front hall and another area to the left of the bench in the pantry for 'clutter'...and all that's just for the two of us! :)

Buehl- Don't know how busy you are, but if you have a few minutes, can you let me know what you think? I'm hoping to get some changes made to my plan (if I can find Summerfield over on the other forum) and get this ready to show my contractor, this weekend. I'm trying to get a rough idea of budget.

Also, any ideas for countertops...anyone? I don't know if I want the same countertop all over, or different types for different functions...maybe just an accent? Would appreciate your input! :)

Hi, We are planning a somewhat similar layout - penninsula with upcounter. Will also have a framed opening, so I will be clipping your photos here for examples!

We are planning on soapstone countertops with a wood upcounter... our neighbor has granite with butcher block upcounter, it is really beautiful.

:-)

Lavendar Lass your kitchen looks amazing!! I LOVE your seating arrangements, both the island and the window seat. I have always adored window seats! Gorgeous!! (:

Mabies- Your kitchen sounds like it will be beautiful!

Midnightgirl- Thank you...I love the window seat, too. I'm happy with a little more division between the kitchen and dining room and I really like those stools, in the first picture :)

Still debating about countertops. I think butcher block would look wonderful, maybe with a marble or marble-looking granite inlay, on the lower part of the peninsula. If I did this...should I put the same stone, next to the oven/microwave? Maybe make it a little fancier, so close to the table? I really like this picture of the countertop!

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Also, do you think that countertop has to line up with the peninsula, if it's not a load bearing wall? I think it would be neat to add a couple of feet and put in a little bar sink, for my husband. Maybe store some glasses overhead...you know like the upside down wine glasses? Maybe a glass front cabinet with more wine glasses.

I'd like the hutch to have a plate rack in the middle, with maybe some storage for china...although most of my teacups, etc. will be in the hutch, out in the sunroom.

{{!gwi}}

With teacups and saucers like this...

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Also...a few more pictures of ideas for the laundry/pantry area and a great sunroom picture. I love the blue, all the plants and especially the kitty...but the furniture would be more of a french country!

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LL, It looks great, my only thought was is 12" or 1' wide enough for the upper part of the island? Or maybe it's a mute point because you plan on having the countertop extend out into the DR.

Pevo

Pevo- Thanks! Probably not enough space on the upper counter...I was looking at that this morning. Should it be 15" or maybe 18"? Plenty of room to go over into the dining room a little :)

omg, i need to train a vine like the one in the last picture! to die for!

Mtnrdredux- I know, I think that picture is so cool...I'd love to have plants grow like that :)

After seeing Buehl's input on the other post, I think I need more pantry space and I miss my bigger pantry, in the old plan...so, what do you think about this? I moved the farm sink under the window and created a little pantry area, divided from the rest of the room with an arch. Uppers with glass and lower cabinets (with pull out shelves) combine food and dish storage. I have a LOT of dishes! :)

{{!gwi}}

I think the aisle between penninsula and oven stack is way too narrow. In that position (the only main traffic path through to the porch) you should have at least 42 -45", preferably at least 48". Plus the open oven door will block it altogether.

It's hard to tell from what you have drawn (with the overlaid lines), it appears to be not not quite 36"? A measured drawing would make all the difference in being able to offer you the best help with your plans... (sigh!) Can you, at least, measure the actual distance across the kitchen, from wall to wall ......?

Just whacking off six or more inches from the far end of the pennisula will begin to compromise the room needed for two seat positions, unless you get rid of the overhang from the wall cabs as they hang over the penisula.

L

L- It is a measured drawing, as usual, one square equals one foot. There's 4 feet between the counter by the oven and the peninsula...four squares. The oven may stick out a few extra inches, but it's the second oven and not open all that often.

Sorry the lines appear dark and smudged, but I'm working with a tempermental scanner that doesn't read the picture if the lines are too light. Sometimes I have to outline the whole thing with a crayon!

As mentioned several times in the past, the kitchen/dining area is 13' x 22' and the porch is 17' x 10'. Those are the current interior measurements, so the walls would not make a difference. I know I should probably mention this each time, but I get so used to counting squares, I assume eveyone is doing it! :)

My understanding is that you can place two stools, at a five foot wide counter...this peninsula is seven feet, so they should fit, no problem.

If you have lots of dishes, and many of them are decorative, do you want more of them out in the DR? If so, you might be able to flank either side of the window seat with glass relatively shallow doored cupboards. OR corner cupboards, with arched glass doors?

Laughable- That sounds pretty! I love displaying dishes and I hadn't thought of that...any pictures? I'll have to go look for some ideas, on the Internet :)

I do have a beautiful teacup and saucer rack. It's metal painted a gold color...and it just fits over the bookcase, I plan to put by the entry, from the foyer. It holds four teacups on hooks, with the saucers diplayed behind them. I'd like to find a similar piece, for displaying plates!