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cliftonite82

Kitchen layout/island question

8 years ago

Does anyone have a picture of an island that is 7'X4' The model we are looking at has the following kitchen: http://i.imgur.com/KqDl5bk.jpg which would be 13'6"X17'

I was wondering if I should ask for an upgrade to a bigger island (8 to 10ft) or if I can or should rotate the island.

Also has anyone heard of Legacy Cabinets? The builder uses them for the house(Debut series) and it looks like the executive/presidential line might be ok (all wood).

Comments (22)

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    The kitchen in the link is 13'8" x 15'. Are you adding 2' to the width? Will you have a table and chairs in the nook?

    ETA--posting the floor plan:


  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Yes they offer a 2' addition that we are going to add. Have not decided on the table. If the island is more convenient we would use that.

  • 8 years ago

    Anyone?

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Which dimension is the 17'? Up/down or left/right?

    what's the point of the island in your kitchen? seating? storage? prep space?

    It's not a great layout for the kitchen work flow and could be improved. Can you move the sink cooktop dw fridge etc? could you add a sink to the island if you wanted?

  • 8 years ago

    I would also ask the reason for a BIG island. I'd question whether it's really needed for seating because there is already an adjacent dining nook and a formal dining (which is so far away that I know I'd never use it).

  • 8 years ago

    It would be for seating. The builder has already said that they would not move the appliance location. The side with the cooktop would increase to 17'

  • 8 years ago

    I added the floor plan upthread, which might help get more comments. If you can't move anything, I'd check into adding a 15" overhang on the short side of the island, for another seat. I doubt the island can be reconfigured, and even if you are making the kitchen 17' wide, I wouldn't turn it. I agree with DrB and littlebug--neither the kitchen nor the entry rooms have a good flow.

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    If you really just want the answers to your initial questions

    You need 24" of space per person as a minimum so if you just want 3 stools you are fine with it as is. If you want more seating, it needs to be bigger. If bigger, make sure there is (at least) 4' between the island and cooktop.

    If you rotate the island you have 17 ft total width - 4' for base cabinets - 8' for walk ways so your island could only be 5 ft long. You could bump it out into the nook area, but then it become basically a built in table rather than part of the kitchen.

    I've never heard of Legacy cabinets.

    If you want more than you asked for

    The layout of the kitchen isn't good. The kitchen workflow should be fridge--> sink--> cooktop/oven. You have a very big distance between your fridge and sink, plus an island sort of in the way of your path. It would be a bummer to have such a big (presumably expensive) kitchen where the size makes it a pain to use rather than a pleasure.

    A couple "easy" changes could improve things a lot

    1) Add a prep sink to the island. If you have a basement this is almost a trivial change.

    2) Flip the seating on the island so it backs the dishwasher and sink side rather than the fridge side

    3) Flip the dishwasher to the other side of the sink

    If you are open to it, I'm sure people who are good at this sort of stuff could really fine tune it to perfection.

  • 8 years ago

    Where on this island would the prep sink go? Should it be across the sink? Across the fridge or across the range?

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    It depends.

    To be honest, if the island remains as it is in the "January 27, 2017 at 6:33PM" post, then I'm not sure you need a prep sink. The island is not really convenient for prepping b/c of, first, the orientation of the island; second, the location of the refrigerator; and, third, the location of the DW. The island is a barrier for any prepping on the island, the island's long non-seat end is not convenient to the range and, in fact, someone prepping on the island will be in the way of someone trying to cleanup or load/unload the DW.

    You really need to move that DW - it's smack dab in the middle of your Prep Zone - and in this layout, it's particularly bad b/c you are pretty much forced to prep on the perimeter b/w the sink and range - and now the DW is in the way as is the dish storage. Dish storage works best when it's adjacent to the DW, not separated by the sink.

    .

    "...The builder has already said that they would not move the appliance location..."

    Your builder won't move the DW??? That's strange b/c it's not like it's a structural change. It makes no sense to have it there!

  • 8 years ago

    So what would be the best moves that can be made? DW to the other side of the sink and the fridge to the side where the range is (next to the range or the intersection of where the ovens are?). If the builder is only willing to move the DW, then where could a prep sink go? Say you had to put a prep sink in, what would the best spot be? By the range?

  • 8 years ago

    If they can change the seating to the sink side, then a prep sink on the side where the seats are now would let me go from Fridge->sink->cooktop/oven. That I think would make it a much better flow?

  • 8 years ago

    If you have a wide enough aisle b/w the cleanup sink and island, seats might work - but the aisle would have to be wide enough to allow someone to be seated at the island + an open DW door + room to easily pass b/w the seated person and the open DW door.


  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    OK - you seem to think you can move some things around...so here are five options. They start with the fewest changes to the most changes. Personally, I like Layout #5 the best - assuming you can make so many changes.

    Be aware that Layouts 1 through 3 really do not work very well. These are the ones with the least changes - the appliances are in the same basic locations.

    The refrigerator in Layouts #1 & 2 is quite far from the Prep Zone and sink - and the workflow doesn't work well - there's zone-crossing and backtracking b/c of the poor workflow.

    Layout #3 (seats on window/DW side of island) forces all traffic to/from the refrigerator to go through the Prep Zone, something that should be avoided!

    Here they are (since there are so many, I combined the detailed layout with the zone maps)

    Note that all have appliance moves, so what you can do will depend on what can/cannot be moved - I would try very hard to convince the builder to move the appliances!

    Note: When we were looking around recently, the sales people in the model homes all said we could not make any changes. However, when we talked to the supervisors/managers later (by phone), every builder told us we could move things and that we could redesign the Kitchen if we so desired. (At a cost, of course!) So, I would try contacting corporate or regional headquarters to find out what you can really do! (We ended up buying land instead b/c we wanted more land and I couldn't find a decent plan anywhere (GW has spoiled me!) - but it was interesting how the salespeople in these developments weren't very knowledgeable about what was really allowed!)

    • Layouts #1, &2:
      -- Oven & Refrigerator are switched so the island is not a barrier b/w the refrigerator and Prep Zone
      -- DW is moved so it's not in the middle of the Prep Zone
    • Layout #3:
      -- Oven & Refrigerator are switched so the island is not a barrier b/w the refrigerator and Prep Zone
      -- DW is moved so it's not in the middle of the Prep Zone
      -- Cooktop is moved so the island is not a barrier b/w it and the Prep Zone and to bring it closer to the Prep Zone - both for better workflow
    • Layouts #4 & 5:
      -- Refrigerator and Ovens are moved to the right wall
      -- DW is moved so it's not in the middle of the Prep Zone
      -- Cooktop is moved to the left ("up")

    .

    Layout #1

    See how this layout (#1) and the next (#2) have backtracking - since workflow is:

    Refrigerator & Pantry --> Sink (in Prep Zone) --> Prep Workspace --> Cooking Zone (w/Cooktop)

    In these layouts, you have to cross through the Cooking Zone to get to the sink from the refrigerator - at quite a distance! - and then backtrack to the Cooking Zone.

    The island, btw, is a barrier b/w the Pantry and the sink in both of these layouts.

    (The only difference b/w these layouts is the lower right corner - without and with an Appliance Garage.)

    .

    .

    Layout #2

    .

    .

    Layout #3

    See how this layout (#3) forces all traffic to/from the refrigerator to go through the Prep Zone, something that should be avoided!

    .

    .

    Layout #4

    .

    Layout #5

    My favorite, given the constraints of the space. (I would rather have the pantry be located so it opens into the Kitchen around where the arrow for the 51" aisle is located - and then the island could be another 6" or so wider so a third seat could be added to the long side and the prep sink could be 21" to 24" wide. 18" is OK, but another 3 to 6 inches would be even better.)

    Note how the workflow is correct and how there aren't any marathon distances b/w key appliances and zones. In addition, traffic is kept out of the Prep and Cooking Zones with the refrigerator on the end and the MW drawer facing out the side - someone looking for a snack can get to the refrigerator and/or use the MW without getting in the way!

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Regarding the "Flex" room - I would eliminate the wall b/w the Mudroom & Flex room and combine them into one larger Mudroom. You could have a couple of cubbies as well as a Command/Message Center in addition to a bench and closet.

  • 8 years ago

    buehl -- WOW. THANK YOU so much!!!!! This site and the folks here are so AMAZING, I can't believe how helpful everyone is.


  • 5 years ago

    Did you end up with the Legacy cabinets, and if so, how are they working out for you? It's a cabinet line that my KD is recommending.

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    this island is 7'4" x 46"

  • 5 years ago

    @jay walsh Thank you for that feedback, I appreciate it. Trying to renovate a kitchen on a budget is tough. So far, I've heard more negative about two of the lines that my KD is recommending than positives.

  • 5 years ago

    Did he/she give you the layout? You can submit that to cabinets.com and they will give you a quote.

  • 5 years ago

    @jay walsh not as of yet. He was at my house earlier this week. I have a couple of layout ideas from the big-box stores. This KD works at a well-regarded KD store, so I'm very interested to see if he might come up with something different than what I've heard in terms of layout/functionality.