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dinulhaq

Kitchen plan design

9 years ago


We are in the process of building a new home. Need some help with kitchen plan. We have 7 kids so it'll be bustling. ;) This is what the architect came up with but not feeling it 100% especially by the islands feel too small. Suggestions?

Comments (6)

  • PRO
    9 years ago

    Hi dinulhaq - the island does feel small. The overall kitchen feels a little cramped and the nook feels fairly large. Not sure how the size of your kitchen relates overall to the size of your home.

    Do you have a drawing of your entire first floor to share ?

  • 9 years ago

    When we built I kept looking at our kitchen drawing and remarking that I thought it was too narrow at 14'. Our designer insisted that it would be spacious, and being very young at the time, I took his word for it. From the get go, I knew that we had made a mistake. With our large family the kitchen was never big enough during holidays and parties, as everyone tends to congregate in the kitchen despite the family room being only steps away. Fast forward many years and it took me months to come up with a remodeling plan without doing an addition. Considering the size of your family now and into the future, I would bump the kitchen to at least 18' wide to give you bigger aisles and a larger island, even if you have to steal space from elsewhere to make that happen. Straight walls in the nook will also give you more flexibility with table size and placement. I would not do a banquette.


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  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'd make the kitchen and bay a little wider. If you want seating at
    the island, you could leave the seating out of the bay, and extend the
    island to accommodate 9. In this plan there are two water sources and
    multiple prep areas--the area to the left of the prep sink could be used
    if the stools are tucked under the counter.

    With separate prep
    and clean-up sinks, the clean-up area is partially hidden from the
    family room, and you will prep facing the FR. The island is massive--48"
    x 11.5', or so, but part of the view is hidden.

    I widened the
    entry to the DR, and put double pocket doors there, with a triple window
    over the clean-up sink. Helpers can loaded or unload the DW, and gather
    dishes to set the table, without crossing the primary prep and cooking
    zones. I gave you double ovens and placed the MW beside the fridge, to
    create a snack zone convenient to the FR.

    I'm not sure if this is
    exactly to scale, but if the kitchen is 14.5' wide, you should have
    space for a 4' work aisle, 4' deep island, and seating aisle of 52-53". The aisle between the fridge and island would be 42", with 42" between the curve and the bay wall, unless you also make the bay a little deeper. You might also consider recessing a full-depth fridge into the pantry area, by flipping the pantry door and shelving. A standard depth fridge would have more storage and cost less than a CD model.

    Click to enlarge:

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  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    What do you want and need in a kitchen?

    Do you need seating at the island or is a dining nook enough?

    Where are the majority of your meals eaten?

    How many of your kids will be helping with cooking/cleaning/prepping? Not only now but in the future?

    How does the kitchen relate to the rest of the floor plan?

    I ask because it appears your family room is only 17' long? With 7 kids that will be quite cramped.

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Your design is definitely not for a large family! It's a one-person kitchen b/c all 3 primary work zones are crammed into one tiny area.

    To give you the best advice and not make guesses, we need more information. CPArtist has asked some very good questions. We also need to know where you're flexible...what can/cannot change.

    But first, have you posted your home's design on the Building a Home forum? That would be my first step if it was me. (http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/build)

    Next, please check the Layout Help FAQ for more information about what we need to get you the best design for your large family.

    FAQ: How do I ask for Layout Help and what information should I include?

    http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2767033/how-do-i-ask-for-layout-help-and-what-information-should-i-include

  • 9 years ago

    Definitely post in the building a home forum.