New design concept, feedback welcome!
Hello wise kitchen designers,
I posted a thread a few months ago as I contemplated a large reno to our 1950's 1.5 story Cape home, including a new kitchen. The likely extremely high price tag for my initial dreams brought me back down to earth and I've since been trying to figure out a (potentially) less pricey and more functional plan.
We are a family of four with kids who are 4.5 and 2 yrs old. We do a fair amt of cooking at home, not much baking, and would like the ability to host small dinner parties (6-10 ppl) periodically. Our current kitchen is woefully short on storage and prep space - for example we have nowhere to store wine glasses so we have 4 that sit permanently on the counter. :)
This is our existing 1st floor plan (with two more BR's and a bath upstairs):
I experimented with a 4' bump out of the kitchen and opening up the walls to the LR and sun room. But it didn't increase the square footage much, nor add any new rooms, so it seemed like it would be a high price tag for incremental gain.
After talking informally with some design friends, they indicated that the most cost effective way to do an addition is to add a box onto the existing house. That inspired my current design concept which is to build a new kitchen off the back of the house and convert the old kitchen into a dining room:
I understand that moving plumbing and gas lines would add cost, but if for now we assume that this is the best location for a new "box" addition, and that a kitchen is the best use of the new space (push back if you think otherwise!), I would love input on the kitchen plan/configuration I've come up with. I've read the forums here fairly carefully and think I am following the design principles suggested here, but I'm open to recommendations. Here is a closer look at the kitchen plan:
In my dreams there are counter-to-ceiling height windows by the sink. DW is to the right of the sink, between sink and range, near dish/utensil storage. The open door would not interfere with the range.
All comments and suggestions welcome - thanks in advance!
In case it matters I did the design and drawings on my own using Home Designer software. No design professionals are involved yet.
Comments (8)
PRO10 years agoRelated Professionals
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10 years ago
10 years agoThanks for the input!
Briana - thanks for the compliment! I have an architecture degree but never worked as an architect (career just went in other directions). It has been fun to scrub the rust off of my CAD skills. :) You are probably right about needing a beam, so maybe the window sizes will have to change. I can live with that. You might also be right about a header beam between dining and kitchen. I left a support post in the plans thinking that it might be too hard/costly to span that distance though I did imagine recessing the header into the ceiling. That may not be feasible.
Anglophilia - yes, it is a small living room. Do you have a suggestion?
Mamagoose - thanks for your input! It probably IS tight between stools and DR table. I can probably nudge table a few more inches toward the LR but need to keep the walkway to the hall clear. If I was certain we didn't need a support post in the opening in the wall between DR and new kitchen, I could shift the whole peninsula down a foot or so to provide additional clearance.
The glass cabinets were going to be for specialty glassware with regular plates/glasses/flatware all stored in the cabinets & drawers to the right of the DW. But, taking your suggestions into account, I have basically mirrored the layout of the long wall w/ sink to keep dish storage near the DW. I've also shifted the range to be centered in the floor space:
10 years ago
PRO10 years agolast modified: 10 years ago
10 years agoVery nice! I assumed the rectangle on your plan was the dining table,
but in looking at your 3D drawing I think it's the rug? If that's the
case, I think your table is OK.Since the division between the new
kitchen and DR was formerly an exterior wall, I'd definitely plan on a
beam--I thought you had included one in your plans. If you need the
support post, you might consider closing the end of the peninsula
between the cabinet and post. You could put a similar post on the other
end.
Have you seen huango's appliance garage? You might consider something similar for the corner beside the tall pantry:
Or something like this:
Thanks, raven :)- 10 years ago
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