Is that wall between the breakfast area and kitchen removable? Would you consider using some/all of that space to help your kitchen flow issues if some type of breakfast/snack seating could still be maintained next to the family area?

live wire oak: Thank you for responding. Yes, the wall between the kitchen and breakfast room can be moved. We just haven't been able to come up with any ideas on how to utilize the space better. The breakfast room has a bay window area where originally the table and charis were located. We moved them over by the counters because we wanted to add more seating and did not like the large wasted space.

DH has plumber coming this afternoon to give an estimate on cost of installing plumbing in slab for prep sink. I was planning on putting a sink in the corner of the island in front of the refrigerator. My induction cooktop will be centered on the counter where the wall oven is located. Does this sound like a good location?

DH is anxious to get this moving and I have been struggling with some design software so I could post a better floorplan but have been pretty frustrated with how it works.

Thanks.

Can you post a sketch of the first floor layout (with room sizes) to give us a better idea of the traffic flow and other room locations?

Anne

Anne:

Here's the floor plan I have been working on in my design software (which I am having trouble working with). I apologize in advance for the visual but hope you can make out the dimensions. I've been struggling with trying to learn how to use the software but without much luck. Seems that my kitchen cabinets were made on site and none of them are a standard size so it's hard to accomodate with the software.

Thanks for any help you or others might be able to give.

Kathy

The overall layout helps, but I'm still sort of confused. I'm not really sure what's happening between the pantry and the dining room. Do you have an extra wall in there?

Do your DH's skills include drywall repair and moving a few studs, or could you pay to have someone do it? If so, I'd want to square off the wall to the left of your new cooktop location between the cooktop and the door (into the back entry?) if that's possible, both for better symmetry and to have a more useful cabinet space.

Do you and your DH sit at the island now? Why are you expanding the seating down the side? Seems like with that lovely eating area so close, that you'd eat there, but maybe not. If you keep the seating on the side of the island, the fridge would be better left where you have it. However, visually it wouldn't stick out so far (if I'm reading your plan correctly and understanding your pictures) if you moved it towards the dining room as you indicated you might prefer. But that would interfere with the additional island seating. Which way does the door open on the new fridge? If it's the same as the black one, then the dining wall location would be better, IF you have a prep sink in the island. In either case, I would definitely put a prep sink in the corner of the island near the cooktop if at all possible

Anne

Anne: Thanks for your response. You're right about the confusing floor plan. It does look like an extra wall. The pantry wall actually bumps out into our garage. I'm about ready to just hand draw something.

DH is very handy. The kitchen originally had soffits which DH removed and redid drywall. We are very into DIY and have installed wood floors throughout our home, tiled bathrooms, screened in our patio, removed popcorn ceilings and painted every single room in this house. DH will be ripping out all of the tile in the kitchen, mudroom, bathroom area and we plan to replace with much larger tile.

I agree with you about doing something with the wall where the vent hood will be placed. I currently have a built in ironing board in that angled wall that is on the laundry room side and there is a sink next to it. So, I tried to come up with an idea for the other wall (that connects to the pantry). My thought was to have DH add some drywall to try to match the angle of the wall on the left. After the cabinets are removed and the vent is installed, we are hoping that will make a nice focal point for our kitchen. If later we decide the vent looks like it is floating, then DH can add a narrow cabinet to each side or we can add something to help anchor the hood. The vent I plan to get is a stainless steel 36 inch chimney style wall mount VentAHood. If I angle the wall I will reduce the amount of counter space but I am installing a 30 inch GE induction cooktop and will have some space on each side plus the island.

We bought a stainless steel side by side counter depth refrigerator but because the wall by the pantry is only 23 and 1/2 inches it sticks out. Our plan now is to move the refrigerator to the end of the counter by the dining room entrance. We bought a stainless wall oven (Electrolux) and the dimensions should allow it to fit very nicely next to the pantry. I think we will get a Sharp microwave and put it above the oven.

As for the island, originally I thought I would like for more people to be able to sit around it which is why the KD came up with the proposed layout. Now, I think we are OK with the current setup. The current island is 46 by 72 inches and there are 48 inches of aisle space between the frig and island and 43 inches between the cooktop and island and 46 inches between the DW and island.

DH really wants a farm house sink and last night he told me he would prefer that the island was oval shaped. He could tell by the look on my face that I wasn't exactly sure about that. We are planning on installing granite and I haven't seen many oval shaped islands so I guess I need to do some more research on that.

Thanks for your help.
Kathy

Goodness, Lovebirds (me too) you have so much space to work with, I don't think you should let the current pantry location limit your options. Your current layout is attractive and obviously suits you in most respects, but it's not nearly as efficient as it could be, and if you cut loose of that one requirement I think it'll really free you up big time to continue improving.

Rosie, I would love to hear any ideas you might have. We are really stumped. I thought we had no real options concerning doing away with the pantry because of the way that it was constructed -- it literally is bumped out into the adjoining garage. I figured that even if I eliminated it it wouldn't get me much since I wouldn't gain much added wall space. That's why I posted here so that maybe someone could offer some really creative ideas so that maybe we could have one of those WOW kitchens. The pantry is a nice size but I but usually have to keep the door open so that it gets air conditioning from kitchen.

Bump! Layout wizards?

Lovebirds, I just dropped in on my way out for the weekend but look forward to checking out the discussion.