Need Help - Expanding Kitchen into Breakfast Nook with bay window

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

Our current kitchen it tight. We have a small peninsula directly across from the refrigerator that creates a chokehold and makes the "kitchen space" too small for 2 people to work in. We have both a dining room and large breakfast nook, and don't need both. Contemplating ways to extend the kitchen into the breakfast nook, but it has a bay window (which poses some problems. Not opposed to raising the windows, just can't figure out how to make make it aesthetically work or if you'd need to remove the bay window bump out. Anyone with ideas or who has done a similar renovation would be most appreciated! I've attached photos below. You can see we also have an opening into our "game room". Considering seeing the cost to take out this wall fully so it'd be completely open to the kitchen space. Functionally, the location of all the appliances work nicely. It's just not enough room/counter space for 2 people to work, let alone when we're hosting.

Featured Answer

cglosch

4 years ago

This might not be the easiest solution, but spacewise, I would think about breaking into the dining room. That would give a long (20 ft?) wall to use as your main cabinet wall with room for a large island with seating. Then you can use the breakfast room as the dining room. I would also break down the point wall between the breakfast room and the game room to give you more elbow room for a dining table.

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Comments (9)

herbflavor
5 years ago
eliminate the peninsula /eliminate the diag sink / eliminate double ovens-get a range w a good hood instead of cooktop. Construct a U kitchen with your three walls and w the changes it should work better. You have over 10 ft across...so 5 or 6 feet of aisle. there is no reason why you can't get a U kitchen to work for two cooks. Eliminating the bay window seems unnecessary. You need lighter walls..lighter counters.. w blinds closed and only one window. You'll get better task lighting as part of a redo. Good ceiling feature also: so start with calculation of budget, as new appliances and new everything are part of a good plan. You have space.
houssaon
5 years ago
Why is the refrigerator sticking out so much?
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latifolia
5 years ago
The easiest way to eliminate the pinch point is to remove the cabinets above the fridge and get a taller, counter-depth fridge.
yvonnecmartin
5 years ago
I agree with herbflavor. Rework what you have before you ruin the breakfast area. If you need more storage, put cabinets on the far wall of the breakfast area. An auxillary cook can do lots of prep on that kitchen table--eliminating the barrier to the table will help a lot with that.
petula67
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Ideas: (1) Eliminate the peninsula, and (2) consider an island, instead of a table, placed in the middle of the breakfast nook. The base could be square, but the top could have its corners "clipped" to mirror the shape of the bay window. This would add a bit of overflow counter space while allowing a spot for a counter stool or two. A freestanding or mobile island might work as well.
Rachel Rocha
4 years ago
I'm interested in knowing what you finally decided to do because I have a similar dilemma with our bay window...thanks!
twoneelys
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
I agree, the breakfast nook should become part of the kitchen. The space is not large enough to replace a real dining space (IMO most breakfast nooks still feel tight with just a small round table).

You could turn the nook into an alcove for the Fridge flanked with angled shelves, a pantry space, or put the sink there by raising the windows and placing cabinets a good 10-15" from the back wall (similar to the pic attached)

You could then move the fridge and increase your opening to the dining room.
Sally Sue
3 years ago
Did you ever do this? I'm looking at the same thing with my kitchen