Kitchen Layout Help

6 years ago

The first photo shows the main layout of this end of the house. The dining/kitchen area opens to a large living room area. The 3' door into the mudroom comes from the garage. The only major change from the first drawing is that the island will only be 9' instead of the 10'4", centered with the range wall. We've thought about making the island just 3' wide to help with walk space on both sides.

We're struggling to find a good spot to put the microwave. I am taller than average and do not want the microwave in the island. The designer who drew the kitchen up put the microwave in the top cabinet on the sink/window wall. I don't want to have to open a cabinet door to get to the microwave. Plus, that blocks the path to the pantry with the cabinet door open while the microwave is in use. I also do not want an OTR microwave.

We're open to changes and suggestions to find a good home for the microwave or an improved layout. My wife does need double ovens but they don't necessarily have to be side by side, they can be stacked.

Featured Answer

mama goose_gw zn6OH

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

If you're planning under-counter ovens, why don't you just use a range, with a second wall oven, especially since you mention being tall? A UC oven will be even lower than a range oven. I drew the second oven in the huge pantry, with a counter for landing space, and put the MW in an upper cabinet where the wall oven was originally drawn. Use a trim kit, and no extra door will be necessary.

Your plan will benefit from a prep sink on the island--fewer steps and less zone crossing. If you choose not to use a prep sink, at least move the DW to the left of the main sink, so that it will not be in the prep zone to the right.

The island drawings show a pony wall, which I omitted to give you a deeper seating overhang. If you use a 1" overhang on the front counter, and a thin panel on the cabinet backs, you can keep the island depth to 40-41". Put drawers for dish storage on the end facing the DW, and you don't need to worry about seating at the pinch point. If you need a fourth seat, it can go on the end near the DR.

One of your drawings shows a standard-depth fridge, which I recessed into the utility room. If you're using a CD fridge, ignore that change.

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Comments (8)

scottie mom
6 years ago
Just want to add @mama goose_gw zn6OH you are amazing!
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mama goose_gw zn6OH
6 years ago
Thank you, scottie mom! I am getting ready to leave for jury duty, but wanted to get my 'Kitchens' fix before I go. You've made my day better. ;)
scottie mom
6 years ago
From one public service to another...you’re an inspiration to us all. Hope it’s not too long ;-)
wilson853
6 years ago
If you aren't planning on a prep sink you could move the refrigerator to the right of the sink so that it is central to both the sink and cooktop. Of course you would need to make sure that you have enough of a buffer on the right side of the refrigerator so that the door would open fully. It looks like you have room to scoot the pantry door to the right so that you can make the sink wall a bit deeper to absorb the depth of the refrigerator. You could then place the ovens on each side of the cooktop like the first photo so that you are not standing in front of the ovens while you are cooking. That is what we did and like the setup with counter space above and across from each oven. Your MW could go in in the pantry and still just be a few steps from the refrigerator and cooktop.
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mama goose_gw zn6OH
6 years ago
wilson853, your kitchen is gorgeous!

If the fridge is moved to make room for UC ovens on each side of the cooktop, then anyone accessing it would have to pass through a work zone (blue lines). Keeping it on the end, as originally drawn, will help keep grazers out of the work zones (green lines) and keeps it near the dining area.
sheepla
6 years ago
I 'd suggest a range with oven and then separate stacked oven and microwave. That's what I'm planning to do when I renovate my kitchen.
wilson853
6 years ago
Hi mama goose, I can't take credit for that gorgeous kitchen but I did copy the oven idea. I separated them from the range top by pullouts on either side - one for utensils and knives and the other for baking sheets and cooling racks. After careful consideration we purposely moved our refrigerator to the rear of our kitchen because our guests often blocked it when it was at the 'gathering' end of the island. Now it's protected and in a triangle with our range top and island prep sink. When it is just the family here there is no issue getting to the refrigerator. They just access it from the other side if I am cooking and don't have to walk behind me. If it is possible I would switch the OP's mudroom and utility room so that there could be direct access from the mudroom into the pantry.