Layout comments please!

16 years ago

I finally have a layout to post and I am looking for your comments.

Here is the proposed layout:

This is an interior room, the only source of natural light is a skylight, about 22" x 7' approximately running along the passage between the island and the range. The ceiling height is 92". The doorways at the top and left cannot be moved - top is opening to the hallway and left is staircase to lower lever/garage. The area below the island is going to be open to the family room. The existing kitchen is within the same space but laid out differently, doesn't work well and will be gutted!

I have already ordered the major appliances: 36" Blue Star range, 48" Liebherr fridge and a 24" Miele dishwasher. The microwave will be an inexpensive convection microwave, such as GE, Sharp or Panasonic. It will go into the island facing the range.

Here are my wishes/comments - trying to get the range/hood area symmetrical, as it's going to be the focal point looking from the family room in. The hood is a 42" copper, the range is 36". Therefore, I was thinking 24" cabinets on both sides of the hood, 18" drawer bases flanikng the range, with a 9" pull out in the beginning of the cabinet run, either for spices or trays.

One of the pantries next to the fridge will be a broom closet, the other is a roll out drawer pantry behind the doors. All base cabinets will be drawers, except for trash, 9" pull out, sink, 15" ones in back of island and corner lazy susan.

The sink will be a farmhouse copper 33x22x9. My cabinet person thinks that because we are bumping out the sink, we should bump out the glass cabinet above it as well; I think if anything, it should be recessed.

I do not want seating at the island because I am planning ot have a good size table in the family room right beyond the island. Hopefully, there will be a pot rack hanging over the island.

I know some of you are real experts, so I am looking forward to everybody's comments. Thanks,

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Comments (10)

salal_08
16 years ago
It's probably too late for this since you have already purchased the range & hood but I think it would be better to move either the sink or the range to the island so you could put the fridge where the sink or range is. The fridge is too far away from the stove and sink to work well I think.
bostonpam
16 years ago
The pot rack over the island I think would take away the look of the range and hood. If you want that to be a focal point I think you should not have anything blocking the view of the hood.
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palimpsest
16 years ago
One way to get a more direct path between fridge and sink would be to place the fridge in the upper segment of that run of cabinets rather than centering it, and shifting the island "down" a little bit so that you didnt have to walk around it within the work triangle.
homechef
Original Author
16 years ago
Salal - I haven't ordered the hood yet, but I presently have the sink in an island and absolutely hate it. The idea was to have a long run of counter space and not have a fridge block it, especially not having any windows in the room.
Bostonpam - good point about the rack blocking the view. Any thoughts about where I could stick it? I have visions of copper pots hanging off the rack :)
Palimpsest - my thoughts about the fridge where it is now were twofold - symmetry and having a counter space to put things when taken out, ie the island, but I will try to mock it up on paper and see how it flows.
Thank you everyone for taking the time to look and comment.
rhome410
16 years ago
Symmetry is overrated if the work layout is aggravating, which I'm afraid it would be to have the sink and fridge on exact opposite sides of a barrier island...Especially since it seems that the fridge wall isn't that visible from anywhere? You would still have the same access to the island as landing space if you shifted the fridge toward the top of the plan. The more it could line up with the aisle that leads to the range and sink, the better.

Otherwise, it sounds like you've put a lot of thought in, and you'll certainly have a nicely appointed kitchen! Enviable appliance suite, that's for sure!
bmorepanic
16 years ago
{{!gwi}}

Little bit depends on whether aisle to the left of the island is a traffic aisle.
homechef
Original Author
16 years ago
It's THE traffic aisle, as that would be the only way to get from the front to the back of the house. That was the reason I kept the main working area to an L on the other side. BTW, that's where I presently have my cooktop and ovens, and although the traffic pattern now is slightly different, it feels awkward to have traffic behind me.
palimpsest
16 years ago
Is the Liebherr panel ready? If so, placing it at one end instead of the middle may not upset the symmetry as much as you fear.
bmorepanic
16 years ago
If ref is on the back wall and range is on the right with cleanup on the left side and shift the 4 foot aisle to the traffic side - the main cooking action zone is still in the "L". With the addition of a small prep sink in the larger island, and closer ref access, it looks easier to prep in to me.
homechef
Original Author
16 years ago
Liebherr currently comes with stainless panels but can be matched to the cabinetry. However, it has a glass front wine fridge on the top half of the freezer, so no matter what panels it will have, it will not completely blend in. I am currently debating whether to have the cabinetry panels installed on it and if so, whether to match that wall to the island (dark wood stain) or to the L (white-ish paint with glaze). Any thoughts?