This is what the space looks like at the moment (that radiator is going to be a toe kick, so ignore). Obviously plumbing and electric haven't been touched yet. Windows are going to be replaced. That fridge isn't staying.

Facing outside of coat closet/pantry area (dining room to right)

This plan is going to have really bad function. You will be running across the kitchen to access fridge/range. And the path is blocked by a peninsula.

Move fridge to range wall and recenter the range. Add standard return cabinets/uppers in place of fridge. and rotate peninsula to make it an island.

oh and add a prep sink in the island nearest the range.

Thanks, Sativa. My concern with that plan (which was similar to another we discussed early on), is that it leaves limited counter space where we most want it - around the range - and the sink seems kind of far away from where the action in the kitchen is going to be happening. I'm not in love with the idea of an island in the middle of our smallish kitchen - somehow the peninsula seems less of an obstacle to me.

If you want to include the powder room space, a floorplan showing more of the surrounding areas would help. Can the exterior door move?

Here ya go! The exterior door is the most convenient access to our deck/backyard, which we use a lot, so I don't think it can move. We also have a brick house so exterior changes = $$$ I think.

Can you spot the fridge in the original layout ;-)

In your current plan the distance from sink to range is further than in the plan i proposed. Especially when taking into account the prep sink. The fridge in its current location will feel huge, it protrudes into the walkway and blocks off the corner cabinet.

The problem with a peninsula in this plan is it essentially chops it into two separate kitchens compared to a normal peninsula which frames the space.

I really don't like the idea of a prep sink in the island, so I feel like that tanks this plan for me unfortunately. I'm not in love with the fridge's current location, but somewhat at a loss for an alternative that doesn't involve some other major compromise.

The only other plan i can see working in the space shown is this.

I don't have the ability to draw right now, but I'd look into moving the door down to near where the left-most window is, put a drop zone on the left wall, then use the right side to make a 3-wall "U" kitchen. You'd have a more efficient work triangle and no traffic path or obstacle issues.

That's not a great place for a powder room, but I don't think I understand where you want to put it.

The dining room would make for a better kitchen layout and moving the dining to the back kitchen space.

I'm not sure I understand what you're saying, but I'm almost certain that switching the dining room and kitchen would absolutely obliterate our budget :-)

Make the wall between sunroom and "dining room" 42" high all the way across so kitchen is open to that room. Have range on that wall cetnered, sink under window and Refrigerator in the old powder room. Turn pantry/coat closet into a new powder room and add a pantry cabinet to the bottom right corner of the space.

You could then run a nice entry bench in behind the door and use the other space for dining.

@jslazart - this was the thought on moving the powder room:

The space doesn't need anymore length it will just feel long and narrow.

@Sativa - thanks for the input, but that scope of project is out of the question. I also personally hate "open concept," especially in my home (a 1928 Tudor).

Okay then stick with your current plan but invest in a counter depth fridge.

Counter depth fridge already purchased :-) (this one)

Better yet,

Take out coat closet to relocate entrance or close off kitchen to the foyer.

Put fridge on south wall and have a small 2x2 rolling cart next to it that can be pulled out when in use.

Thanks, I've actually been noodling over that idea myself - ditching the idea of a peninsula/island at all, and just keeping all cabinets on outside walls. Definitely increases counter space.

I like the *idea* of a peninsula to sit/gather at, but it does make the rest of the layout awkward.

At 10' deep you don't really have room for an island with seating.

120" - 25'5" for perimeter cabinets leave you with 94.5".

You need 42" aisle space for a one butt kitchen and 48" for more than one person working in a kitchen at the same time. Let's assume you're a one butt kitchen.

94.5" - 42" = 52.5"

An island without seating is a minimum of 27" deep when you add in the counter tops. So that would leave you only 25.5" to walk around the other side of the island. Obviously not wide enough so I'm not seeing what Sativa is seeing.

I'm sorry but your plan though is just poor design. It makes the peninsula/island a barrier and puts the cooktop too far from the sink. Additionally how you have it now, you're cutting through your kitchen to get to the outdoors.

@cpartist, would you get rid of a peninsula all-together? My concern with just cabinets on the perimeter walls is that it seems to live a wide open space in the middle of the kitchen...which isn't bad, I guess, it just seems like a lot of empty space.

To be clear, the exterior door leads to our deck/backyard, which I love. There's also outside access from the garage, front door, and sun room.

My kitchen is 11' wide and there is no way I'd put an island in it. Consider getting extra deep perimeter cabinets and/or a rolling cart if you're concerned about extra space in the middle.

Mock-up of kitchen with relocated powder room. Each square is 12”.

I think the only way to make this actually workable is to remove seating from the island (which is fine, I can’t see us eating in here), but even then I think I like the original more.

Anyone??

The plan you just posted is better than the first one.

In what way? I feel like the island is too big for the space, without enough clearance, and the stove and fridge are miles apart? I don't mean to be contrarian, I'm just curious about specific points.

Remove the seating from the island like you mentioned and just have prep space which will free up walkways.

The fridge/range are the same distance away from each other in both plans so one it not greater than the other in that situation.

But with this plan you will pull items out of the fridge and set them on the island. Then all cooking/prepping/cleaning will happen in the same space.

In the other plan you pull items out of the fridge and wash/prep by sink. Then move again to the peninsula to finish prepping/cooking near the range. Then move all the dirty pans across the room to the sink.

Neither plan is perfect, but the very first plan doesn't function at all and won't be aesthetically pleasing either. Avoid it at all cost.

IMHO, if you have to estrange one of the three points in a kitchen triangle, the fridge is the one that should go. You'll learn to grab everything at once and take it to the sink (I use a large colander) rather than making 5 trips back and forth. Having a distance or physical barrier between stove and sink is the worst possible setup. Your first plan has both distance and a peninsula between the sink and the stove, so I agree with Sativa. Avoid it.

You definitely can't have seating in the island. I'd look into a relatively narrow table or cart so that you have some flexibility to position it where it works best.

I may not be understanding your project, but I wonder if you have considered the following. Put the powder room in the garage corner (blue) its door across from the back door. Closet next to the back door (yellow.) kitchen in the rest (red) next to the dining.

Maybe it’s in my head, but the peninsula seems like less of an obstacle between the range and sink than the island does??

The stove and the fridge are about 4’ further apart in the second plan (because the room is 4’ longer by removing the powder room).

I should note that our current layout, the range and sink are pretty much where they are in the first plan, and the fridge is way over across from the powder room. The fridge is the only thing that bothers me because it feels *so* far away (and is tucked away). We have a small kitchen table where the peninsula would be, which is handy, but not a great use of space because it’s too short and smal for useful prepping, etc.

I’m wondering if we keep the powder room as-is - so stick with 11x16 kitchen vs 11x20 - and do a narrow, non-seating island in the middle. Similar to this prior workup (minus the prep sink) but leave the fridge where it is.

If you have the choice, why would you choose to put a bethroom between your kitchen and dining?

For me a bathroom opening up directly into the kitchen is a little gross.

It wouldn’t be my first choice if I was planning a new build, but it’s the original floor plan from 1928, so it kind of is what it is?

Even if we relocate the powder room, any potential location for it to go is pretty darn close to the kitchen.

I agree with you on fridge placement. Give yourself lots of room on either side of range. The peninsula chairs would have driven you nuts, I think, because they would always be jutting out into the entrance. They would always have to be pushed in. Tight squeeze if people were sitting in them. I think you could have island seating, but it could go either way. You don't think anyone would sit there? We use island all the time for seating. But, if you don't have one now, maybe you wouldn't miss it!

Would the budget support moving the powder room to the bottom right corner, and creating a mudroom entry area? If the laundry is in the basement, you could also move the W/D to the long wall. This plan does not provide seating, but it puts the sink and range on adjacent runs, with the fridge nearby. The pantry is a framed, step-in, which could be reconfigured to a corner pantry, or more shallow cabinetry with ROTS.

If you live in a climate where mudroom storage is not necessary, and you don't need the laundry on the first floor, the pantry could instead be located along the right wall of the entry area, and a coffee/snack/breakfast station created in the kitchen. (second drawing)

I included a mobile cart with shelves or cabinets above, on the bottom left. The cart could have a fold up section, to provide a seat, or two, when needed. Note that I closed up the small window in the former PR:

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