Need help with new kitchen

11 years ago

We are planning to do an addition to our house with a new dining area and kitchen. We want to reuse our current appliances which includes a 24" dishwasher, a 30" wall oven and warming drawer, a 36" cooktop, and a 30" fridge as well as a 30" freezer, both of which have doors that swing to the right. We would like to get a 2nd oven as well, but it doesn't necessarily have to be together with our current oven. We have thought about placing it in the island or maybe even in our walk in pantry. Or we'd possibly get a combo microwave/oven. Our current microwave can go anywhere.

I took some pictures and included some measurements, hopefully that helps. My husband would like an island that seats 6, as we have 6 people in our family (4 kids - youngest is 3, oldest is 12). I think if we can at least get 5 people at our island that would be ok, I see us eating family dinners at the table vs island. I also included pictures of our current kitchen with the appliances we will be using. I think we will have the same general layout, with window, sink and cooktop in the same places. Just a bit bigger and hopefully brighter. Our current kitchen will become part of a bigger mudroom and walk in pantry.

We both like to cook, and we also bake quite a bit. We definitely want a prep sink in the island. The planned walkway around the island is 48" and I think a little wider on the seating side of the island.

Right now I have 3 main quesitons/concerns:

1. Where to place the oven(s), fridge and freezer. The drawings include where the architect and designer think they should go. I have debated putting the ovens to the left of the sink, but not sure that is the right spot.

2. Dishwasher on left or right of sink? I was thinking to the right of the sink, because for unloading that is where I see most of the dishes/glasses going - to the right of the sink or along the wall with the cooktop.

3. Right now we have a large window facing north that we will keep. The architect thinks we should include a smaller window facing east to allow more light into the kitchen. Good idea? Or skip it in favor of more upper cabinets? I'd like white or off-white painted cabinets which I think will brighten it up, plus it opens up to our dining area which has a wall of (north facing) windows.

Thanks for any help you can give!

Featured Answer

Lavender Lass

11 years ago

It might be more conversational to do something like this....a T-shape island (all one height if you like) with prep sink across from range and seating facing each other.

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Comments (6)

mama goose_gw zn6OH
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
If you need to keep the fridge and freezer to the right of all the work spaces, this rough sketch is a more efficient layout. But it requires rethinking the windows. Any chance that the large window could be re-used on the other wall, then a smaller window used on each side of the cooktop?

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AnnKH
11 years ago
While I like Lavender Lass's island idea, I can't help but wonder why you need island seating for the whole family - when you have a nice table RIGHT THERE! It looks like you are devoting a huge amount of space to redundant seating. You could lop 2 or 3 feet off the island, reconfigure the mudroom entrance/pantry area, and cut 2 or 3 feet off the whole addition.

We only have one eating area in our house, at the dining table, so I probably don't just get the appeal of sitting at an island instead of a table. I would think that if the whole family is eating together, the table would be the logical place to do so.
mama goose_gw zn6OH
11 years ago
LL, I like that plan! I've always liked the table/island combos.

How wide are the aisles? I think I'd put the DW on the left side of the sink in LL's plan. The counter to the right could then be a secondary prep area--in front of the new window.
mama goose_gw zn6OH
11 years ago
AnnKH, we have a dining table just a few steps from the kitchen island. When my kids were growing up we ate every meal at the table--at that time I had only a small work table in the kitchen, with no seating.

Now everyone wants to sit at the island, even though there is more elbow room, and a nicer view, at the table--maybe it's because the island closer to the stove, where we fill our plates. I suppose if there was no seating at the island, we'd just have to walk all the way to the table. ;)
ediblekitchen
11 years ago
On the question of windows and light, I think the more windows the better. I love kitchens with lots of large windows. But north facing windows are ideal for even lighting because you don't get direct sun beating in on you (if you are in the Northern Hemisphere that is). You will get glare and direct sun from an East window in the morning, but morning sunshine could be kind of nice. And, of course, you can always put up window coverings.