I wouldn't cover up any window or door. you have plenty of wall area for cabs! on both sides.

the side of the fridge (if it's showing to the other room) can be disguised with bookshelves built to that side of it. could even be a cabinet with glass doors for display. or just regular cab doors for a pantry area,

if you have to (or can) get a new fridge, get a cd one.

you have a great area for a galley kitchen. sinks don't have to be at a window - but if you have one with a good view, why not? do you have a decent view out of any of yours? it looks like you have space to do that - and space for a stove/cooktop with venting.

what area of the country are you in?

I'd also keep the brick if at all possible.

I don't think that you'll be successful putting the kitchen in the back - but it would work well in the middle and you could create a beautiful eating and storage area in the back section
{{!gwi}}

Where is it best to have the door open to? In other words, where on the outside do you want to get to from the kitchen? That should help determine, or even dictate, where you want the door.

How high are the side windows off the floor? If they are lower than 36", can you shorten them?

Will you have custom cabs? With the kitchen different widths at each end, I'm guessing that at least one of the corners isn't square, which might make more of an argument for a galley...Maybe?

What do you plan for the kitchen? Cooktop and oven? Dbl oven? Range? What size? What size fridge? What size sink? Do you have any special requests or needs?

I also wouldn't lose all the windows at the end. Is there some reason why the side is better for the door? If you don't like the view of the neighbors, I think it would be better to reglaze with pebble glass or frosted than lose the windows.

Is there a style you had in mind? Budget?

If it's not a budget buster, I'd say that an integrated, cabinet depth fridge, on the living end of the space, would be better than the very end of the room. It would be easier for people to get drinks, snacks, ice, condiments, etc.

Looking at the photos my first thought was to do loft style down the whole length, with the window changed to a framed glass door. I think I like Sailormann's layout better in some ways, but I'm not sure I'd want the work area in the center of the house, so here's my sketch. I didn't put in details--just threw the major bits at it to give a general feel.

I tried to make a proper island down the length, but there just wasn't room. Instead, I put a banquette with a 30" surface in front of it. This could just be a table, but it could also be 12"-15" storage with an overhang. If the latter, the measurements have to be made with great care so people don't hit their knees. It's 9' long, and deep enough for pillows.

You need to call zoning - I bet you'll be told you aren't permitted to move the door into the side wall.

Oh, no, really? I have no experience of zoning in high-density zones. What's the rationale?

ACTC, I take you at your word that you really want a peninsula for 2. So, my fancies for you:

1. Keep the back window for SURE. Your home would truly feel half the size, and have half the natural light, without it. Plan on developing what you see out there as part of your remodeling, staged if necessary. Creation of a charming and pleasurable view is almost always possible. As said, the side window and door could have frosted or some other form of decorative glass if desired.

Put the peninsula opposite the first window, connected on the left wall. A small cabinet could take advantage of the little wall space created between the peninsula and the divider wall, and the stools would fit neatly into a separate space that's been created apart from the dining area right next to them.

With this setup, traffic will flow along the staircase, with furniture arrangement to the right, then swing right at the dining area, allowing furniture placement to the left. The view from the bottom of the staircase and front door will be semidiagonal right on back to the window and on out.

Assuming it's legal, put the door outside at the second window where there'll be no congestion caused by door swings and comings and goings, also less of a walk to the back.

Build the rest of your kitchen in as an L on the left and across the back, with a 30"-deep counter on the long arm, and the back if you wish. If a island cart that pulled out from under the counter could be integrated, that would be very useful. Just don't put it on the right wall where it'll clutter up foot and visual traffic. Open traffic ways are especially valuable in making a small home feel more spacious and allow you to get away with more clutter elsewhere.

I like it. I'd be ready to start thinking of finishes if I weren't wondering where the refrigerator should go... :)

Here, specific zoning controls stuff like if you can build a side entrance. Because these are townhouses, a new entrance would need side stairs that almost touch the neighbors matching addition. That may or may not be permitted depending on where this particular house is.

I strongly recommend at least a call to them as you are making a clearly visible change and all of your neighbors can see if you have a building permit or not in about 10 seconds.

Here is a link that might be useful: Baltimore City Permits Search.

'...a new entrance would need side stairs that almost touch the neighbors matching addition."

Perhaps not. I'm familiar with city houses in Philadelphia (not that I can recall seeing anyone actually do this) but I can imagine a wide top step on your side of the alley, then smaller steps descending toward the back of the house. In older row homes there is usually a fence between the houses. I kind of like the idea myself.

Deliveries of furniture and stuff will always be made to the front door on the main street. This might actually free up space in a tiny backyard (by removing the steps) and putting them, along with the trashcan, over in the alleyway.

I too would leave the window in the back of the house. Just make sure if you put the door where Rosie described you can still get around the steps to the other part of the alley (it's a storage area). I might actually like the door at the window near the DR area in the front of the kitchen. People could go outside without walking into the kitchen at all. Then you have full use of the alley.

Is there a yard back there you plan to use? Or is it parking?

Please keep us updated, this is a rather interesting space dilemma. I will be very curious how it is resolved. :)

Light is your best friend in that space. I would think long and hard before I closed up any windows.

PS-- you can keep the door and have cabinets along that wall (the end cabinet could be built out to face the door and act as one of the following: 1) mini-mudroom,2) bookcase for cookbooks, 3) storage for things you need on the patio for the grill 4) recycling center, 5)pantry, 6) broom closet.

OH! Duh! Where was my brain? My husband's cousins house. I HAVE seen that done. Just haven't been there since they moved to the burbs.

Their top step was very big, almost a small porch, with steps going down toward the yard. They did this because there was enough yard (yards backing to other fenced yards - no drive or alley) that they could add onto the kitchen. It was bumped out another 7'. One of the biggest kitchens I've ever seen in a row home.

The next door neighbors (on the other side) then put a deck on the back of their house using the cousin's expanded side wall. It's also common in row homes to use the cellar stairway as a pantry. My mother has the same thing. Everything is "down on the steps". :)

Thanks for all the suggestions. I would personally like the kitchen in the middle of the house, but I dont plan on living in it for more than a year, so resale is very important.

I plan sealing up the existing door, and making the back window into the door.

When I was talking about a peninsula, I meant having an L shaped kitchen with the L separating the Dining room and kitchen. I just have no idea where to put the fridge, and in what positions the appliances should be.

The brick wall is coming down to open the space up, but the house will have lots of exposed brick.

Two points to consider: If you only plan to live in this place for a year, try to minimize the money you spend on moving windows and doors, and this layout would work so much better (and make the space seem so much larger) if you ditch the idea of the peninsula (seating in the kitchen is still very do-able, but a peninsula between the kitchen and dining room will cut that space in two the same way [but to a lesser extent] that wall did).

This space is a natural for a (very nice!) galley kitchen. Trying to make it anything else is fighting the nature of the space.