Kitchen/dining/family room layout

11 years ago

Need help with this space! I'd like to open up the kitchen to the family room and to the dining room too, but, I'm struggling with the layout. I'd love an island overlooking the family room but the kitchen is so skinny, I'm afraid it would take up too much room. I've attached a floor plan and a picture. I think opening the wall to the dining room would really open it up and make the dining room more functional. It's so small now, you can barely move in there. Would love some ideas...

Featured Answer

decoenthusiaste

11 years ago

You need to find out which are the load bearing walls before you do anything. The dining room is so small. Consider incorporating it into a major kitchen overhaul. Then open the dinette and family room to flow as one large space. You'd still have a skinny kitchen, but it could be a really glamorous galley one with dining in one end.

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Comments (9)

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Dytecture
11 years ago
Consider just removing th the wall separating the family and dinette area only as the current kitchen seems to be in great shape and design.
Sonya Schreck thanked Dytecture
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risris
11 years ago
Agree that the kitchen looks beautiful as-is. If you're set on the island, here's one idea.
Sonya Schreck thanked risris
risris
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
On the other hand, if you have a lot of money to spend, you could get both a larger kitchen and a larger dining room by combining the square footage that's currently split between the dinette and the dining room. I even threw in a coat closet, because why not. I'm not necessarily recommending a complete overhaul like this... it's free for me to cut and paste, but it would be a lot of $$$ for you to implement in the real world!
sootsprite
11 years ago
To open up the wall to the dining room would not add more space to the room and make it more functional. You could gain space by expanding the dining room to the doorway near the stairs. Rearrange the kitchen to include the eating area and add in an island. Your kitchen looks great as is!
Sonya Schreck thanked sootsprite
Jeff H
11 years ago
The first layout risris would be great. I would not move the sink their, too far from everything. Think about turning the island at a 45* and ad cabinets to end turning them at a 22.5* to get a Simulated U Shape.
Sonya Schreck thanked Jeff H
Sonya Schreck
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks for the comments! I redid the cabinets this year from a medium 90s oak to the espresso using General Finishes java gel stain. It made a huge difference but not with cabinet and counter space. The lower cabinet door doesn't open all the way because of the fridge. I don't like the idea of a galley kitchen. I already get lonely in here as it is! I like @risris first plan but I'd like to move the fridge from its current location.
Sonya Schreck
Original Author
11 years ago
I would love to do something like this if only I had the room! http://houzz.com/photos/8362459
sootsprite
11 years ago
Put in the island per risris, move the fridge to the end of the counter by the powder room, and put additional counter where fridge was.