Should I move my kitchen?

7 years ago

Our remodel is well under way-we’ve got our master bath addition up and that should be largely complete early in January. Next is our kitchen remodel. I previously posted the plans our architect drew and got lots of strong feedback to find a kitchen designer. That was a bit of a challenge-most around here seem to be part of design and construction firms. I did finally find someone, and she has suggested moving the kitchen to the family room and dining space. I’ve asked her to propose a couple options-best use of current configuration and best move to the back. It is important to us to still have some separation of space with a TV room-we don’t want to have to listen to kids’ YouTube videos whenever we are in front of the fire.

Other important things:
-I have a 36” bluestar range on order. Cooking is very important to me and I’m excited to upgrade from my awful glass-topped stove.
-our house was built in the 40s and we want to preserve some touches (like arched doorways) when possible.
-we want to stick with mudroom and front porch as planned. We do not park in our garage so don’t need to enter mud room from there
-we don’t care about resale. I plan to die in this house many years from now.
-we don’t want to explode our budget with a kitchen move-she indicates the costs won’t be a ton higher and can be somewhat subsidized by dumping the expensive slider. Is that your experience?
-we have a huge backyard and would love to have good views to it.

So, given all thought-thoughts about where we should go with plans below?

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Sina Sadeddin Architectural Design

7 years ago

I think moving the kitchen would be a good idea. Mostly because those current proposed plans are awful. A stove top on an island with uppers is a horrible idea. As is a corner sink. I think you'll get a much better layout and a larger more functional space by relocating it.

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Comments (12)

Sara
Original Author
7 years ago
Thank you! Yes, totally agree re the range location. We are to blame for the corner sink idea-it’s where the sink is currently located and I love the view out of the big corner windows. However, after seeing the options I’ve let that idea go :).

One proposal from friends was to consider putting a small tv/family room where the kitchen is, leaving living room with fireplace where it is, and having kitchen and dining along the back. Thoughts?
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Anglophilia
7 years ago
I like that idea! In the UK, they call such a room "The Snug" and I think that's what one wants where a TV lives.
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Debbi Washburn
7 years ago
Do you do alot of outdoor entertaining or grilling??? You should consider those positions as well - ease from kitchen to outside... You will need tot keep the wall up to "hide" the smaller tv room from the fireplace room....

Then the next questions is - do you want to share your kitchen space with the dining room or a tv room or the fireplace room? There are really 3 options...obviously planning window accordingly...

I have done a few relocations of kitchens - if the plumbing is easy enough to access and there isn't alot of load bearing/header work then the cost is not as great as expected. It is certainly worth exploring all the options since you are going to stay here forever.

Make it the best forever possible!
Sara
Original Author
7 years ago
Thank you, Debbie. We do use our patio quite a bit in the summer for grilling-we are in Oregon so until we cover part of it it’s definitely not a year round proposition :). The kitchen move would make that easier.
Sara
Original Author
7 years ago
Debbi, thanks so much for laying out the options so clearly. What would you recommend re kitchen placement? I wouldn’t mind having some shared space between kitchen and living room-having conversation with folks as they sit out there....
gduplessis
7 years ago
We moved our small kitchen into the living room. No regrets. Since we have a family room, we decided that a living room was not that important.
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Debbi Washburn
7 years ago
You may want to reconfigure those interior walls a bit. I would also take a step back and see where the furniture in the living room is located compared to the adjacent rooms - then maybe do some beautiful large cased openings with columns or columns and arches to define spaces and control visual and noise pollution....
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Sativa McGee Designs
7 years ago
I would definitely be moving the location of the kitchen. As is it is very cramped.

Personally I would flip the kitchen/dining spaces. The tight space will make for a cozy dining room.

I would demo the angled wall to semi open the kitchen to the new dining room. but keep the straight wall, framing in the doorway.

Or for a higher budget you could use the current living space as your kitchen.
ci_lantro
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
I would flip the kitchen/dining spaces. The tight space will make for a cozy dining room.

A little too cozy for a dining room, IMO. I can't determine for sure how wide the current kitchen is but guesstimating that it's something around 10' wide.

I would move the kitchen to the family room, leave the dining room where it is and use the old kitchen for a mudroom/ storage room/ laundry/ pantry/ utility/ freezer/ dog wash room...

Or use the dining room for the kitchen, family room for dining, old kitchen for mudroom.

The proposal to use part of the garage for a mudroom involves major work, removing an exterior supporting wall and creating footings/ foundation to expand. Expensive. As well as compromising the garage in that a car will never fit in there. Maybe not a factor for OP but will be a huge factor for most prospective buyers.
Sara
Original Author
7 years ago
You guys are raising such great points-and the thought of the cost of the mudroom is one we hadn’t really thought through before. Ugh. What to do? Should I get my builder and architect and kitchen designer all together? So much pressure to make decisions quickly.
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Debbi Washburn
7 years ago
Yes you should get them all together and make sure you tell them what your end goals are - being able to socialize with people in the fireplace area - the kids tv room being buffered from the fireplace area - ease of kitchen access to the outdoor grilling area. We can all tell you loads of different ways to lay out this space based on what we think you should do..... but you have to have what you want in the end...And it has to fit your budget...

Rushed decisions are dangerous ones.... get everyone together and get them all on YOUR page - not theirs.