Suggestions for new kitchen?

4 years ago

First time home owner - 100 year old house and we’re doing a badly needed first floor Reno before we move in. The house isn’t large and even though we’re expanding the kitchen it will be just shy of 14’x15’ without a bounty of wall space since were opening it up as much as possible.

Anyway - space is at a premium and with multiple limitations I was curious if anyone had suggestions. Including a picture

As you walk in from the mud room area the fridge is on your right and range on your left. Beyond the fridge is a large living room and a small play area for the little one. Toward the back of the house is a large casual dining room with office/workspace to one side.

The area from the range to the sink would be considered cook/prep area, we’d put an undercounter trash bin on that side of the sink.

The opposite side of the sink we expect to consider a bar area - you’d find the dishwasher, glassware, coffeemaker, etc. We’re most uncertain what we do here as we’re thinking of putting an ice maker or a convection steam oven under counter. im uncertain whether under counter will work for the CSO but I feel that the kitchen is too small and limited in wall and counter space to add a column. We may skip one or both of those appliances

the island would have undercounter wine refrigeration and another 30” of usable space facing the fridge, and then we’d put 36” of cabinetry on two of the other sides (facing the range and facing the dining room).

We do have an almost 6’ pantry in the hall leading to the kitchen so that will help us with space. any of this make someones head want to explode ? :) We’re coming from a city apartment so while we feel a bit limited this will be a lot more space than we have today!

Featured Answer

wilson853

4 years ago

last modified: 4 years ago

I would attempt to place the refrigerator to the right of the sink so that food can easily move to the sink for prepping. As it stands now, you are moving through the cooking zone to get to the sink from the refrigerator. Another option would be to place the refrigerator and range on the 'L' with the sink in the island. The area to the right of the mudroom doorway could then be used as a beverage zone. Guests could help themselves to coffee or wine without getting in the cook's way.

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Comments (7)

Joe
Original Author
4 years ago
great suggestion. I like the idea of the beverage area freeing up a bit where the fridge is now. My only concern is the sink/dishwasher being too close to the range - in my family it’s more often me cooking and someone helping out with the cleaning which makes me think having some space between the cook and sink/dishwasher areas would be a helpful division. Is that a common want/ problem?
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Newideas
4 years ago
As drawn, it seems like the island is too close to the exterior doors? It looks like 2.5 feet clearance.
Joe
Original Author
4 years ago
Sorry for the confusion - the construction drawings have pre-existing walls/doors shaded out. The walls to the top and to the right of the photo are coming out (almost) completely. Ive stared at this for so long it’s completely intuitive to me but i can see how it’s difficult to follow

so the island is about 2.5 feet from the next room but it’s a large open dining room so no walls/doors in the way and I hope that wouldn’t lead to any other strangeness
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JAN MOYER
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Adjust the window to WINDOWS. Put the sink on the island. Not the end of the world.......
Joe thanked JAN MOYER
mama goose_gw zn6OH
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
I like your plan, and it seems that you've put a lot of thought into how you want to use the kitchen. The fridge is easily accessible from the living areas--if it was moved to the perimeter near the DR, the island would be a barrier from the LR and playroom. Of course, it's more of a walk from the DR, but from that point it's accessed during one or two meals a day, compared to being accessed from the other areas all day long.

I've added some measurements based on 14' x 15', so your 'just shy' might need to be adjusted by an inch or so. The only thing I don't like is that the fridge has no adjacent landing space, and I would caution you to make sure that the door on the left will open past the stub wall (red circle).

If you don't mind having the sink and DW on the island, I think Jan's plan solves the problems, and makes venting easier. Just put the DW to the left of the sink, and dishes on the perimeter across from it.
Joe thanked mama goose_gw zn6OH
wilson853
4 years ago
Good to know that you often have a helper in the kitchen with you. Separate the zones with a clean up sink and DW on the short wall of the 'L' and the refrigerator and range on the long wall. A prep sink in the island would give you your own water source and the zone separation that you want. I prefer to have the long side of the island across from the cooking surface as it gives me a lot of room to prep.