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pippiep

Final(?) layout -- feedback?

10 years ago

This is a near-final layout for our kitchen remodel. Other than the one narrower-than-recommended aisle between the pantry wall and island (~39"), is there anything else I should consider changing?

The range-to-island aisle will be ~42", and 50-something for fridge-to-island.

Hood will be 36" undercabinet.

Thanks!!

Comments (4)

  • 10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago

    I have concerns.

    IIRC, you said that you and your DH prefer to prep on the island together. 48" is the recommended minimum aisle for width multiple workers. 42" is probably going to feel cramped as it is the minimum recommendation for single-worker kitchens.

    Most people actually end up prepping by the sink. Are you really sure you won't be doing that? 36" is the MINIMUM recommended counter width between sink and range. That's all you have. I have 54" and I wouldn't want to lose an inch of it.

    Sinks don't have to be centered under windows. I would move DW and sink to the right and prep in front of the window in the wider counter that would give you between sink and range. Of course, if you really prefer prepping on the island without a water source right by you, maybe this issue won't be the same problem for you as it would be for many of us.

    I also think the 39" aisle between island and pantry wall is too narrow. Sure, it will work but I think it will feel cramped. Of course, then you either have to go completely back to the drawing board or eliminate the pantry wall. I undertand you need the storage so that might not be possible.

    Is it possible to have the pantry cabinets recessed into the wall? If it's not load-bearing, the 2x4 studs can be turned sideways or you could put in a header like in a doorway. If you could gain 2 or more inches by doing this, I think it would be worth it.

    In general, the layout looks fine. You have ice-water-stone-fire which is the typical kitchen workflow. I just know those aisle issues would bother me. Have you been able to mock up what it would feel like to work together in a 42" aisle? Especially if the person farthest from the fridge and sink needs to use either? How will you jockey around to do that, sometimes continually depending on the task, without it being an irritant to the other?

    And how it will feel walking through a 39" traffic aisle? Since you're not planning island seating, this is the less bothersome of the two aisles but it would still be nice to squeeze that space by recessing, if at all possible.

    Not everybody is as obsessed with aisle widths as I am. It may not be a problem for you but you will want to be sure before spending the time and money and finding out they bother you later.

    Well, at least my comment will bump you to the top so you will, hopefully, get more feedback.

    pippiep thanked funkycamper
  • 10 years ago

    I only have a sec -- but there will be a prep sink on the island, in the 18" cabinet.

  • 10 years ago

    Having 36" between sink & range seems disproportionate to a kitchen this size. If you have the space to increase there why wouldn't you?

  • 10 years ago

    @funkycamper -- yes, we thought long and hard about the aisles, and considered getting rid of the 12" cabinets on the back side of the island... but, we want the storage more than we want wider aisles. Because we'll have the prep sink, I think the 42" on the cooking side will be fine.

    Our hallways are about 39", so we've mimicked making coffee while someone tries to get by, and it's fine. No one will be hanging out for long over there, so collisions aren't likely.

    To both you and llucy -- would you make the space on the other side of the range smaller, then? We originally had the 12" cabinet on the right, next to the 36" drawer stack, but moved it to the left so we had more than 27" to the left of the range. That side will likely be a landing zone for hot things. The right side will have our big knife blocks, possibly utensil holders, and salt/pepper grinders, so in 14 or so years, we've never used the area to the right of the range. We've always used the left side. The prep sink will be almost right behind the range.