I would move your cooktop/range to the sink side of the kitchen so your workspace is all together on one side. That way, pass-through traffic won't get in your cooking space.

Lightly, That was my instinct, too. Put everything in the "U" shape, moving the wall ovens to the wall where the fridge is and make a lot of cabinets/drawers on that wall. I feel that I would stand at peninsula to do a lot of prep/chopping, also unloading of the fridge there, where I can look out the window. Not sure if there is enough room, though. I want a 36" cook top, and about a 36" sink (negotiable).

It would be ideal to get it all in the "U".

I like the idea. You just might have to give up the lower end of the U, forming an L with the peninsula instead...That will give you a longer run of counter for spreading the sink and cooktop apart.

I know I'm pushing it, but...(also, there is a pantry behind the fridge wall)
{{gwi:1407246}}
looks like about 9" to the left of cooktop, and about 12" for a base to the left of the sink, and about 12" for a base to the right of the dishwasher-before you get to the peninsula counter (I added a 12" raised bar on the peninsula. There is just about 3'3" between peninsula and fridge. Is it too squished together?

{{!gwi}}

I almost wish I could block off the door to the dining room and get more space for the cooktop.

A slightly different approach:

36" range
33" main/cleanup sink base
18" prep sink base
42" counter depth refrigerator
24" DW
42" DR doorway
~44" b/w refrigerator & peninsula

I was thinking along the lines of an 18" trash pullout to the right of the prep sink...for trash from the Breakfast room or prepping & cooking zones.

Or, you could move the prep sink to the corner (corner sink base) or to the far right on the peninsula.

It would be nice if you could figure out a way to have the door of the pantry open next to the refrigerator rather than in the hall...

Buehl,

I never considered this, looks very interesting, I think I like it much better. What do you think about the almost 8+ feet span from sink to cooktop? (Would NKBA put a warrant out for me? lol.) I don't think it would bother me, but I've never had a kitchen span that far.

This looks more 'zone' friendly. This design, like my first plan, leaves a tiny bit of traffic flow through the middle, but I don't anticipate it happening too much. We are empty nester and would only use dining room for company, etc. Big family gatherings, I don't even dream of being in the kitchen alone, might be good to have a back escape route to sent kiddos on their way through.

Wish I knew. We renovated remodeled kitchen several times in our last house. This is our 'last' house. I want to get it as close to right as I can. I will probably be taping cardboard up in the area as soon as there are 2x4's in (*_*) Lisa

P.S. My last kitchen (I designed along with the cabinet salesman-DH nephew, did a great job) was 14 feet wide, with a 24" barrier island in between the fridge/pantry and the sink. looked great, but after living in it, I wanted to get a sledge hammer and tear it out when no one was looking...I just want to avoid doing something I'll be sorry about-this time.

Buehl, I guess that's served by the smaller prep sink. I just never even considered this addition. I get it now!! I really like the upgraded fridge, too.

On the wall between the dining rm and kitchen: I would put wall oven/microwave at the open end of the cabinets. Is that what you did there?

Also, I peeked at your album of other's kitchens. Very impressive. Would it be worth considering making my kitchen a deeper U-shape and moving door to dining room over to the right 2 feet and making that whole side of the kitchen a blank wall/walk way? Something like BDay's layout? Just stretching the limits of my own imagination....

Very nice, Buehl, I like that a lot!

{{!gwi}}
Just a variant on buelh's excellant design. Bigger clean up area.

Hi, Lisa. If were you put the entire counter on the left, making longer horizontal limbs to the U, in addition to all the other benefits of that setup, you could then also move the door to the pantry into the kitchen.

Another great arrangement! Maybe adding a small 2nd sink is the key! (something I always downplayed as 'not for me' or 'not necessary'....until now!!

am I on the road to becoming TKO?...I wonder....

I was questioning moving the door to the dining room over, but didn't feel like I had permission. I totally worked.

Lisa

Did you use google sketch to draw floor plan?

or ?

Lisa

I mean that to bmorepanic: very, very nice layout! Thanks a bunch.

Rosie, I wrote it off as impossible, but you're right about moving pantry in. (*v*)

Buehl, would you be able to reposition prep sink in the corner of the peninsula? I love this layout the very best and am wondering how big of a cabinet will need to be there, for an 18" prep sink and faucet. Do you think there will be any room underneath for a trash can? (no garbage disposal, though). Thanks so very much. I would love to see something like this in 3D.
Lisa

I replied to your email with a couple of questions. I will work on it tonight (off to the Pool for a Schools Out Splash Party!)

Here are a couple...

buehl,

Spot On!!! This is now my working kitchen layout! I can't tell you how much I appreciate this. I now have masking tape on the floor of our shop, according to this plan, to see how it functions; and I love it. I will be able to take this to the cabinet man...
Thank you, Thank you!!

I like this layout (buehl always comes up w/ something simple, yet totally functional) and it's making me think about my own design. I've got the same shape layout, but right now have the main sink + DW on the long wall of the "U", w/ the range + fridge + prep sink on the straight run.

I can see the sense in putting things where buehl did...the stove is out of the aisle, away from intruders. There is a definite cleanup zone, and a definite prep zone. I like that, and think it will help my project a lot.

Don't take this as a mini-hijack: I've got thepond's interests in mind, too, but am thinking aloud about my own design here. The prep zone and cook zone is where I feel a little uneasy. I tend to do a heckuva lot of prep work, often doing mis en place and then refrigerating my ingredients much earlier in the day; at the same time, I might be fixing lunch/snacks. Or I might be making breakfast and packing lunches at the same time. Often, since we grill a lot, I'll do very little to the meat (maybe trim, rub, and marinate), then a lot w/ the veggies/potatoes, and nothing w/ the stove at all.

I know that thepond has only two to cook for, so may not need more prep space, but I really want to slide the range down (away from the end w/ seating), and possibly the prep sink too, to gain longer stretches of counter space. E.g. put the range next to the lazy susan, and move that 9" spice pullout to the other side of the range. (You can see I'm not a symmetry nut -- but would this be too lopsided?)

OTOH, the range in the center separates two prep areas...the veggie-and-meat area near the prep sink, and on the other side of the range, the lunch-packing + baking + toast-and-coffee + crock pot area. That could be a useful separation, either for two workers, or one multi-tasking one who doesn't want to make a PB&J near the meal-prep-in-progress.

Re: the cleanup zone...the 27" upper cab above the DW wouldn't be enough room for my most-used dishes to be at reachable height; the 33" would come closer but still be tight. For me, I'll have to play w/ the sizes on this wall (possibly including sink base, fridge). Great starting point, though!

Just some thoughts as I try to contemplate my bizarre, multi-tasking cooking style in this setup. thepond, I hope some of my questions/thoughts here will help cement in your mind that this layout will work for you!

Now everybody -- where's the microwave? I'd put it in the toast-and-coffee area (in the 42" upper on U side atop the 30" drawer).