Please critique our layout

16 years ago

We have been reading every post we see for months trying to plan the best kitchen we can. Here's what we've come up with and would appreciate your feedback.

DH and I cook every meal together so this was designed for us to both work without getting too much in the way of each other. The island has a trash pull out at each end, opening up in opposite directions. There is an Advantium oven in the island facing the trough sink.

The refrigerator aisle is about 44" wide, the prep sink aisle about 38". Sink to the island is almost 4'.

Thanks for your help!

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Comments (6)

marcydc
16 years ago
I'd add about 6" to the width of the island - for 30" at least. 2 feet can look too skinny.
pps7
16 years ago
You will have to walk around the island to the prep sink. All of you cooking supplies will be coming from the fridge and pantry, so maybe put the prep sink in your island.

Do you want 2 smaller pantries? Why not have one bigger one and move the fridge over to the left?
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breezygirl
16 years ago
Where is your Prep Zone? At the trough sink? That's an awfully long ways to the fridge around the island for fresh ingredients, and it's a long trek around the island to the cooktop. Prep Zone should ideally be located near the fridge and near the range/cooktop.
Buehl
16 years ago
Very quickly...

What is the purpose of the "Trough Sink"? Is it for prepping? If so, it's not situated correctly. You will either need to move the range to the same wall as the "trough sink" or move the "trough sink to the island. As it stands, the expanse of counter b/w the DW and the "trough sink" is pretty much wasted b/c it's not located where it's easy to get to/from the range, refrigerator, or the main sink.

Are you measuring aisles counter edge-to-counter edge or cabinet-to-cabinet? If the latter, then your aisles are 3" narrower than what you stated. Cabinets have approx a 1.5" overhang...for an island that means 1.5" on all sides. So, for a wall run, the depth of the cabs + counter = 25.5". For your island, assuming you have 24" deep cabinets (standard), your island is going to be 27" wide, not 24". The overhang is to protect your cabinets from spilled liquids, etc. The overhang directs the spill to the floor and away from the cabinet doors/drawer fronts. It also protects the cabinet/drawer insides since it covers the opening b/w the door/drawer front & the cabinet box.

Is this a new build or a remodel?

Can walls, windows, and/or doors be changed?

Where do each of the doors/doorways lead?

Have you tried eliminating the bottom wall and making the island deeper?

Another option would be to move the sink & DW to the top wall, leave the pantries there as well. Deepen the bottom wall and move the range to the angled wall and the refrigerator to the far right on the bottom wall. Put the "trough" sink b/w them. I don't think an island would fit, but perhaps a small peninsula on the sink side? It could offer a couple of seats, if you like. It takes the range out of a thoroughfare (b/w the deck & the rest of the house) and offers some protection for it and the Cooking Zone. This is assuming, of course, that windows and doorways can be changed.
kiffgirl
Original Author
16 years ago
Wow, everyone, thanks for the feedback!

marcydc: I don't think we have wide enough aisles to make the island 30" (although I wish we did).

pps7: We had the prep sink in the island at first, but because it was so narrow we moved it to gain counter space. We also had a 4' pantry to one side and separated it to surround the fridge. We thought that was a better look, but maybe not. Didn't think we would loose THAT much interior space to separate it.

breezygirl: yeah, I know. I think we would use the trough sink sometimes and the main sink sometimes.

buehl: We did add in for the counter overhang in our measurements and still come up with 44" and 38". Where am I going wrong?

This is a remodel/addition. Our current kitchen is 7' deep, we are adding the rest.

We can't really change the walls/windows/door.

The door in the kitchen leads outside to the yard. The wide opening at the other end opens to our dining room.

The bottom wall can't change. Our powder room is on the other side of the wall and there is an elevation change at that wall.

We originally had the sink, etc., on the top wall but that wall backs our entry to the house and I didn't want people to see in to the sink area (we're not always neat). People approach the entry by walking down a flight of stairs, seeing straight into our kitchen below.
kevinw1
16 years ago
I suspect with this layout, you'd find yourself using the main sink for prep all the time, and the trough sink would end up as an expensive decoration.

You might consider marking out your layout somewhere (on the lawn?), perhaps placing big cardboard boxes for island, appliances and cabinets, and try a run through of preparing a meal (or even a single dish). That will teach you a lot about how it feels to go around that island repeatedly. Right now, it's more of a hindrance than a help IMO.