How about this - make all counters 30" deep instead of the standard 25.5. The contractor can do this easily by building a frame with lumber behind the cabinetry (or you can spring for the 29.5" deep cabinetry. I had these growing up and you could keep a bunch of stuff on the counter and still have room to work in front of it. This kitchen was about the size of yours but was never short on counter space because of this. This will also reduce the aisle between your sink and stove and make it easier and quicker for you to cook.

Then, get rid of the cabinetry in the upper right and build banquette seating in that corner for your table. Alternatively, you could use a counter or bar height table set which takes up less space and would probably be less expensive than having the banquette custom made. This could also provide extra counter space in a pinch.

You have very little counter space on either side of the range. Is there a reason you didn't move the fridge further right? Make sure to allow for the 36" fridge plus some filler so the door can open fully and not hit the wall. OR.. if you have space in your laundry room, consider putting the fridge in there and use that whole wall for counter space. If necessary, you can put fridge drawers or a cheap college mini fridge under the counter in order to keep the essentials like milk, butter etc. in the kitchen proper.

Finally, consider Ikea for your cabinetry. The frameless cabinetry is very good for small spaces, they have great hardware (Blum), and if you can assemble the cabinets yourself, they are super cheap. With the money you save perhaps you can move some appliances around.

Since I see you did this in the ikea planner, I'd for sure also post a link to your plan in the ikeafans forum. They're used to impossible small spaces. :)

I agree with tracie.erin that moving the fridge to the laundry room may be a plan.

What about making cabinets 5 & 6 and the stove an island (so moving it closer to the sink) and putting the fridge where 12 & 4 are.

What's in the corner beyond the refrig in your plan? Not a doorway, right? no window here? The spot is reserved for bigger refrig in time?

How many cooks in ten years? Clarify: are you rebuilding in same space--this isn't new construction?

If you keep the range and refrig at places shown in new drawing, what if there were also two parallel lower cab units that create a dead-ended work zone --one protrubing from the letter A and one along the left-hand wall. No cab at the exposed wall between them. You can put one upper run over the left side and keep some kind of upper cab or open shelves to the left of the dining room door, but you would need the walk space all the way up to the wall. (although you might put shallow shelves into the wall itself) How much of the work could be done there in addition to activities elsewhere? Could you keep drain site but angle the piping to move sink to one of the parallel sides?

Could a banquette go into the corner at upper right with seating in L running from doorway to under the window? Or just under window and up to the corner with a modest table pushed over it most of the time? (perhaps table with drop leaves at sides) You can put some storage into the banquette.

Strongly urge using pull-out boards as work surfaces within the sink zone and perhaps one each side of the range. You need immediate plunk space(s) between the two sides of the room. If you're going to use the dining room, you need plunk space adjacent to the dining room doorway--am concerned about sufficient place for this--but you can't put a pull-out into a walkpath.

____

btw, if you're an electric stove person...I got a 30 inch electric range with 4 burners but they have flexible multiuse configurations plus a warm zone. Works well for my purposes--no need for bigger cooktop or wider vent unit. (GE Profile double oven with small oven on top) I learned about it on the GW and am very pleased. Shallow oven is used for most of our baking but the double oven gives lots of flexibility.

Pull out boards are great surface expanders. In my current (old) kitchen I have a "desk" area - i.e.,no lower or upper cabs for 36", and the counter is only about 30" high. Between the countertop and the thin drawers in this desk is a pull-out, actually in the same formica as the countertop. It's plenty big for one person to use as a table, in fact my stepson ate breakfast there every day when he was growing up. I also use it as extra counter space, like for plating food. I'm going to have the whole thing duplicated (in wood, not formica) in the new kitchen because it's so useful. Would something like that work for you for a work space? Even without the open desk area, the pull-out could be a table for one, or two small ones.

The changes that you say you don't have the budget for--like raising a window or adding/moving plumbing--are a fraction of the cost of new cabinetry and countertops. At the same time, they are the only thing that can make the kitchen functional. Either find out for sure whether you can afford to make layout changes, or hold off on your remodel.

You can also look at Casey's (sombreuil mongrel) for an idea on putting a prep sink in front of a low window without moving it.

Thanks for the replies so far.

>How about this - make all counters 30" deep instead of the standard 25.5
Had not thought about this! Will definitely consider.

> Is there a reason you didn't move the fridge further right?
Unfinished design! Had wanted to both leave room for a bigger fridge someday and also see if I could fit a set of cupboards/pull out unit over there, but with only 2 ft between the current fridge and design, there was not much to work with. I am thinking about adding more counter space around the stove and moving the fridge closer to the window wall.

> OR.. if you have space in your laundry room, consider putting the fridge in there and use that whole wall for counter space
This would be a great option if there was room, but it is just big enough to fit washer, dryer, plus our small chest freezer, and a tiny bit of shelf space left for pantry or small appliance storage.

> consider Ikea for your cabinetry.
This is where we are planning on shopping.

> I'd for sure also post a link to your plan in the ikeafans forum. They're used to impossible small spaces. :)
I had not noticed this forum, but will definitely go look. Thanks!

>What about making cabinets 5 & 6 and the stove an island
The room is only 9.5 ft wide, so I am having trouble envisioning how an island could possibly work in there, while actually having space to move around and use the opposite wall.

> Clarify: are you rebuilding in same space--this isn't new construction?
Not a new construction, a house built in 1873. Not sure when this kitchen was last done, but am guessing a while ago. :)

>what if there were also two parallel lower cab units that create a dead-ended work zone --one protrubing from the letter A and one along >the left-hand wall. No cab at the exposed wall between them
Just to make sure I am understanding... so there would be nothing in the corner of the room? And open shelving on the walls above?

>Could a banquette go into the corner at upper right with seating in L running from doorway to under the window?
Maybe! I didn't think there was enough room for something like that, but if I measure it out, I can see that it could work.

>Strongly urge using pull-out boards as work surfaces within the sink zone and perhaps one each side of the range
Will definitely look into these. Do they need to be built into/included in the cabinetry or can they be added to anything? ie -- did not see this as an option at IKEA where we planned to buy cabinets from, can the pull-outs be purchased elsewhere and installed with IKEA cabinets?

Imagine two peninsulas making a U but not connected at the short end of the U, just the wall there

have no idea as to Ikea offerings

Another good expander is a hinged pull-up surface. It could be positioned at end of the peninsula that comes out from the dining room door area. Or a cart.

On the other side of the fridge, I'd do open shelving along the 3'8" wall. It is simple and inexpensive and can be easily changed if you go with a wider fridge in the future. Otherwise, you can also try a freestanding bakers rack.

I'd make cab #4 as an open counter with a shallow shelf below it. That can be used to eat at or as a place to work on your laptop. It could stick out further than normal depth if you don't use a normal cab below. Alternatively, you could use a shallow wall cab underneath instead of a shelf, but still put a deeper counter on top. You'd still have some storage there but just not as deep as what you currently show.

Ditto marcolo

post what height that window is now.

A low counter may be installed in front of it, and no laws are broken in doing so.

2/.
Post where plumbing drain is now.

--

You have many more options that those you are currently considering. You are limiting your options now, because of your current lack of knowledge.

As in my original post, the window is ~24 inches from the floor, and the plumbing for the sink is exactly where the sink is shown in the above layout.

I have requested quotes from our contractor for moving the window up to accommodate cabinets, and a quote for moving the plumbing for the sink/dishwasher from the existing wall to the wall with the window.

We have money earmarked from our mortgage for a modest kitchen reno, and had scheduled the work to be done before we move in, by mid-August. I am expecting our third child in early September, and had REALLY, REALLY wanted the work complete before then. But, I suppose I can try to live with the hideous kitchen (did you see the photos of what it looks like currently??) and save up for additional work, though it will probably be a few years. :(

Kitchen renovations always take longer than expected ... do you want to be 9.01 months preggers and have a ripped-up kitchen? All it takes is one unforseen problem when he rips out the old cabinets and you are going to be on the phone with the contractor and trying to talk between contractions.

Live in it for a year or so, note down what is convenient and not, and take the time to REALLY plan out what you need and want.