Please critique my kitchen layout

I think you will have just as much success with an L shaped kitchen, eliminating the peninsula. Put the fridge on the right hand wall near the dining area, leave the d/w and sink where you show them, and put the stove on the bottom wall.

If the stove must go on the exterior wall then I would still eliminate the peninsula. I think if you focus on maximizing your pantry storage and base cabs you won't miss the three cabinets you will lose.

Even with the peninsula your clearances look pretty good to me, but I know I like a tight kitchen. If you don't know that about yourself or resale is a consideration widen the aisles to 48"

Welcome to the Kitchens Forum Laralynnie!

I'll be honest, it needs improvement. First, though, I'm going to suggest you read through the following links -- they're also found in the "New to Kitchens? Read Me First!" thread.

For layout help, see the following FAQ thread:

FAQ: How Do I Ask For Layout Help & What Information Should I Include?

• https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5500789/faq-how-do-i-ask-for-layout-help-what-information-should-i-include

To understand comments you will receive, please see the Kitchen Design Best Practices FAQ threads:

FAQ: Kitchen Work Zones, What Are They?

• https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5500762/faq-kitchen-work-zones-what-are-they

FAQ: Aisle Widths, Walkways, Seating Overhangs, Work/Landing Space etc

• https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5500771/faq-aisle-widths-walkways-seating-overhangs-work-landing-space-etc

FAQ: How Do I Plan For Storage?

• https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5500787/faq-how-do-i-plan-for-storage

Humorous discussion of workflow and other layout topics:

Looking for layout help? Memorize this first.

• http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2699918/looking-for-layout-help-memorize-this-first

Regarding cooking with your back to others...in reality, the Cooking Zone is the work zone you spend the least amount of time in -- it's the least "used" zone (time & work-wise). The Prep Zone is the work zone that you spend the most time working in and the zone I would want it in the most pleasant place to work.

• 70% or more of your work and time is spent preparing a meal -- collecting ingredients, washing/rinsing veggies/fruit, combining ingredients, getting everything together b/f putting the food in the oven or on the cooktop/range. This is the "Prep Zone".
• 10% is spent cooking -- adding ingredients to a pot already on the cooktop/range, stirring, watching food cook). This is the "Cooking Zone".
• 20% or less is spent cleaning up -- and that includes chores not at the sink like clearing the table and counters, wiping down the table and counters, sweeping, unloading the DW, etc. So, far less than 20% of your time is spent actually standing at the sink while cleaning up. This is the "Cleanup Zone".

Prep Zone...This is the zone where food preparation takes place. Food prep can be anything from making a sandwich to preparing a multi-course meal. It includes cleaning/rinsing food, cutting, mixing, processing, etc.

For many people, especially those with small kitchens, their Prep Zone is also their Baking Center for rolling out dough, etc.

70% or more of the work and time spent in the kitchen is spent prepping. It's the most often used and longest used zone in your kitchen! So, this zone should be placed in the most desirable place – where you will want to work and will enjoy working.

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Cooking Zone...This is the zone where you take the food you've already prepped and apply heat...cooktop, oven, microwave (MW).

Only 10% of the work and time spent in the kitchen is spent actually cooking. This is the least used Zone, relatively speaking. Think about it, you usually don't spend the entire time standing in front of your oven or cooktop watching your food cook. Sure, there are some things that do have to be stirred constantly, but most things do not. And even then, you usually still spend more time prepping before you begin cooking.

This is the zone that should be the most protected from traffic, especially traffic that's "just passing through".

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Cleanup Zone...This is the zone where the dirty dishes are handled! Tasks include clearing the table and counters, loading the dishwasher (DW), wiping down the table and counters, sweeping the floor, etc. Since the DW is in this zone, it also includes unloading the DW, so Dish Storage should be nearby – more on this later.

20% or less of the work and time spent in the kitchen is spent cleaning up – most of which is not spent at the sink (see above).

[In the past -- pre automatic DWs -- far more time was spent cleaning up because all dishes were done by hand. Today, the majority of dishes are washed in the DW and, with today's DWs & DW detergents, dishes don't even need to be rinsed! So, the amount of time spent in this zone is far less today! BTW, this is where the paradigm of "the sink must be in front of a window" came from – back when so much time was spent hand washing & drying dishes). Today, it makes more sense to have the Prep Zone in front of window or in the most preferred view/location.]

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OK, now we know what the primary zones are. So, how do we design a kitchen keeping them in mind?

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Prep Zone...works best when it contains a water source (sink) and is next to or across an aisle no more than 48" wide or so from the Cooking Zone.

• Trash & recycle bins should also be in the Prep Zone. More trash and recyclables are generated during prepping and cooking and for much longer work time than cleaning up, so place the trash/recycling in the Prep Zone and near the Cooking Zone.
• It should have a minimum of 36" of counter space (with at least 42" much, much better) that is next to a sink that is uninterrupted by the Cleanup Zone (dirty dish "storage").
• If you have only one sink, then the Prep Zone is on the side of the sink opposite from the DW. (The DW side of the sink is the Cleanup Zone in this scenario.)

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Cooking Zone...works best when next to/across from the Prep Zone (see Prep Zone). It's also nice to have a water source as well as trash & recycling nearby. Note that a pot-filler does not count as a water source since pot-fillers do not have a drain, a sink bowl, or access to both hot and cold water.

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Cleanup Zone...works best when separated from the Prep & Cooking Zones. This can be on the opposite side of a one-sink kitchen from the Prep Zone or it could be in a completely separate location (the latter usually only works well if you have two sinks). Obviously, it also needs a water source and the DW.

Hi! Love that size space. First thoughts are 3-7 too narrow and the DW should switch with the trash.

I like the L layout of the kitchen. You have nice counter space on each side of the stove and sink. My island is 42 inches from the fridge and works out just fine. The only thing I would change is to put a bottom dept cabinet above the fridge. It is great for storing sheet pans and platters. My last house had one and I loved it. You will constantly need a ladder to clean the floating shelves above the fridge. I am tall and I even have trouble cleaning the inside of my wall dept cabinet above the fridge with a two step ladder. I like the peninsula, but would eliminate the half wall. The peninsula would make a nice place to lay out a buffet close to the kitchen table. You can never have enough counter or cabinet space as far as I am concerned. Personally I like 4 ft between the table and a structure. Can you turn the table the other way?

Looks good so far. Here's some more info to help.

Looks correct on plan, but make sure wall adjacent to fridge is less deep than fridge when fridge is against wall or wide enough fillers for fridge door swing. Give fridge manual to designer, installer, & builder of walls.

Also, you may want to do diagonal cabinets in corner for easier access compared to blind corners.