I also like a light perimeter and darker island.

You can also do the L part of the perimeter light, the fridge wall and island dark.

Why would you put a diagonal corner unit next to the sink? It seems to me that would crowd you at the sink, for no evident gain.

Is there a reason you have 3 separate pantries?

I think I would shorten the island a tad and place the frig at the end of the short L. You have no landing space from the frig or ovens without turning around. I would consolidate the pantries some. Ditto Angie on questioning the logic of the diagonal corner. Do you have a large family? I'm assuming yes with two dishwashers. Therefore, I wonder how efficient seating in the kitchen for 3 will be for you though I do love the look of a round table built into the island.

Hi -

Thank you for the feedback. I had the separate pantries for 2 reasons:
1. I thought you weren't supposed to have a fridge against a corner wall and
2. To provide some symetry on both sides of that wall oven.

I am reconsidering this and thinking about going back to a previous plan where on that fridge wall I had a microwave/snack counter area with drawers underneath. I think it would be a handy place to put things like tomatoes/apples/bananas that do not go in the fridge but also I would not put in the pantry. Currently these items are in our prep countertop space and I am always working around them.

I could put the pantry in the corner/then fridge/freezer/microwave cupboard then snack area. Would you put the snack area on the end so that it was a bit more open on the end when you walk into the kitchen. Or would you sandwich (pun intended :) ) it between a high microwave cabinet and the fridge.

The lower corner cabinet is actually not a diagonal I just could not find a corner cabinet in Visio that make it look right. It is a lazy suzan/2 door hinged cabinet.

Another question is where to place the smaller sink:
1. under the smaller window (it brings some symmetry to the layout and keeps the sink where it is currently)
2. on the penisula to the dining room area (allows access from dining room)
3. on the island (allows access from both sides)

I can think of good reasons for each of these options. I was thinking of moving the 2nd oven back to a lower oven either in the peninsular/under the window or in the island. Making that peninsula are somewhat of a baking area? Or should that be prep space. Or should the island be prep space?

Thank you!

Roberta

We can't put the fridge on the L because we are going to open that wall up the our dining room. Or do you mean move it down on the wall it is on now?

We actually do not have a large family, it is just me, DH and 1 toddler. Maybe another someday. What we do have is 1 messy cook who takes a lot of space (me) and DH who grew up in a small NYC apartment and just loves space, space and more space.

Goodness!
You're not ready to order cabinets at all, are you?
I wouldn't order before my plan was set.

Even at $5.00 a reuse cabinet, it's a SERIOUS PIA to move them around. At the costs you're going to incur, I don't think you would want to find you've ordered something about which you've already changed your mind.

Sales come and go.
Finish your plan!

You are so right!!!! I said to my hubby this weekend "so you want to move forward on a 30-40k project to save 2k? His response was "but the current kitchen is so awful anything we do will be better"

Sales really do come and go but planning stretches on and on...... Nevertheless, IMO all that endless, difficult, upsetting planning is completely worth it in the end. You won't remember the pain of right now, later on. And these layout folks are so eagle-eyed in their critiques; I'd say that's priceless.

Plus, you could use the extra time to shop around, even, for cheaper cabinets -- never know?

I figured IKEA was a cheap as we would get. I was considering the Barker or Scherr's option, but I would want to get them finished by them and that is $ too.

I am concerned that if we try to do the finish ourself it will not look as nice.

We bought solid pine doors for all our interior doors and had them installed. 4 years later I am embarrassed to say they are still unfinished.

White on top, black on bottom. No question. :)

Hey,
Your layouts (the current and the planned one) remind me of mine.
And I did just get the Ikea Ramsjo blkbrown for perimeter, and Ramsjo white for peninsula and upper cabs flanking hood.

While I like the look of the white on perimeter and black on island more, I wanted less white cabinets in my kitchen for lower maintenance/less scuffing from my children.

But I've been working on my layout for over 1 year that works for my family.
Even w/ this design, I made 3 small changes AFTER I purchased the cabinets (switch cabinet sizes).

I also have all-fridge and all-freezer (put that in another room because we don't open it frequently) - live in NewEngland.

I also have 2 Dishwashers (one will be my drying rack, so I don't have one on the counter).

I also thought about Barker cabinets, but since I really like the Ramsjo, I like how they're already DONE. But if I want to in the future, I can refinish the Ramsjo wood doors, and maybe use milk paint, like I've always wanted (but didn't have the $ for Crown Point milk painted cabinets).

Good luck.
Amanda

closest one to final layout:

Fridges can go in corners but you usually need fill of between 3"-5" in order to open the door wide enough to open the vegie drawers. In your case I wouldn't put it there because it is in a doorway.

Definitely consolidate your pantries. Every time you change a cabinet you lose space for the box. So in your case if you just have one pantry you will gain maybe 3"-5" of pantry space plus it's more economical.

You could put your pantry in the corner - how big were you planning on making it? The one thing I wouldn't want to see happen is moving your fridge to the right (towards the family room). It's almost behind the island as it is and endanger of becoming difficult to get to when cooking.

Where do you see yourself prepping? For me the range wall is quite crowded with 2 sinks, 2 dishwashers and the range.

Any chance you could add some measurements to the floor plan? The width of the entire space, aisle widths, and size of island and length of pantry wall?