kitchen possibility

16 years ago

Hi. I'm new and I've got my latest kitchen plan as far as flickr, so here goes!

Sweeby test: I want my kitchen to be warm heavy carved wood, some texture, welcoming. A sense of permanence.

My husband mostly cooks, but that may change as we age. My 15 year old daughter cooks some. None of us are tall. Mostly I sit and watch. My husband says I am so pretty in the kitchen- lol! We bake cookies and sometimes bread. Arthritis is around the corner - hubby wants a wall oven with less bending. I have short arms, and need a microwave and toaster oven (used lots!) that I can reach safely. We don't surf or watch tv in the kitchen. We eat family meals in the dining room or upstairs.

The swinging door goes outside, and the pocket door goes to the foyer which splits the dining room and the living room. Groceries come from the foyer. It's not an open floor plan which is fine with us - the living room is my quiet room, and I want it separate. The noisy family area (tv computers)is upstairs, and the beverage center is up there.

Storage is a major motivator for the addition. The old wall went from the fridge to the "close existing window." We have chrome edging on our countertops, circa 1960. We have lots of gadgets, some oversized.

This plan uses a range and hood as a massive wooden hearth focal point. The problem is that a large sink under a centered window with a dishwasher on the right was hard to fit in. I split it into two sinks, one for cooking, and one for dishes. What do you think?

And here's what I think is the link -

{{!gwi}}
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fiberhouse/4864714270/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fiberhouse/4864714270/

Thanks for looking.

Lyvia

ps - technical challenge in progress - will try to resize and improve link tomorrow.

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Comments (7)

eastbaymom
16 years ago
here's your photo
lyvia
Original Author
16 years ago

I think I figured this part out - Thanks Eastbaymom!
One thing at a time. So what do you all think of this layout?
Thanks,
Lyvia
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palimpsest
16 years ago
I think the octagonal (almost) peninsula is really problematic. I think in 3D it is going to be like having a grand piano in the middle of the kitchen, and not pleasant.

Have you investigated annexing the space you are turning into the powder room into the kitchen and fitting a powderroom elsewhere? Even if you had to leave the part of the structure from the window to the right, getting rid of that corner shouldering itself into the space would be helpful. Right now three important areas are remote from each other. The cleanup sink, fridge and pantry seem to be in a different room altogether from the rest of the kitchen.
juliekcmo
16 years ago
I think that there are some functional layout areas that can be improved a lot. Just my initial thoughts-so please take with kindness.

The refrigerator is quite far away, and blocked off by the big island, from the prep sink and rangetop.

I also agree that the peninsula is an awkward placement. If people wanted to sit there on stools, they would be sitting in the middle of the work triangle.

I suggest generally moving the refrigerator to the other side of the kitchen, at the end of the horseshoe (where the upper right side of the peninsula is).

I would remove the peninsula. Frankly I think it just sitting in the way of everything.

Then I would use the area where you currently have the fridge as a counter-height peninsula replacement. Island, or table and chairs.

This would give a better "refig, prep sink, cook" zone with no one sitting in the way, and a separate "snack at the island, chat with the cook (looking fabulous of course), clean up zone" and it also allows room for one person to work on a task between the prep sink and cooktop, and another to use the new moved peninsula area for a separate task.

Also you might swap the cleanup sink and DW so the DW is closer to the prep area. I would guess you will be storing dishes and pots and pans in that part of the kitchen. This will make it easier to put them away.
bmorepanic
16 years ago
After reading palimpsest and juliekcmo.

I don't usually draw elevations. Now you know why :)

{{!gwi}}
lyvia
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks so much for your help. It is awkward to join the new half and the old half. Things were fitting so much better in the new part before the architect made the walls thinker.

I think next I will lay the whole darn thing out on the lawn, and see if I can get my husband to walk through it and mime his activities. It may be the only way to get true input from him (he tends to abhor change, except to fill space with new gadgets. He will love the advantium!)

I'm the only one who sits in the kitchen for now, so I think of the peninsula as counter space. I agree stools to the north and west of it would be in the way. I see now that I've drawn a kitchen with lots of long counter space, but bare minimum casual eating/visiting place. Maybe I am overcompensating for the current lack of counter space. Hmm. I better lay it out full size. Time to amuse the neighbors. Again.
lyvia
Original Author
16 years ago
Can I join the totally kitchen obsessed club? My shoes socks and tape measure are soaking wet from laying out my kitchen with garden tools in the dew. And DH just can't see why this should come before morning coffee.