Looking for feedback on my kitchen layout

5 years ago

We're remodeling our kitchen from a very old fashioned layout to something like this. Would you make the island longer or closer to the windows at the top, or both? We're thinking a 12 inch cabinet for the area labeled "? area" but interested in other ideas as well. Do you have a tall pantry next to the fridge and like that layout? Thanks!

Featured Answer

Vicki B

5 years ago

A few random thoughts:

1) For the most efficient layout for cooking, the work triangle — refrigerator, sink, and cooktop — should be primary (fairly close to one another in a functional arrangement). When we built our home, I determined it was more important to have the frig in that area than my double oven. I make WAY more trips to the frig while cooking than to the oven. I also have the microwave near the frig for heating leftovers or “steamable” frozen bags of veggies, etc.

2) Wherever you have the frig, keep in mind that most refrigerators are not counter-depth and can sabotage a walk-space. They also don’t work well against a wall (for instance, if you put it where your dbl-oven is). They need room to open. (That might well dictate that the best location in your layout is in the middle of the counter-space area that includes the micro drawer.)

3) It is really helpful to have the frig on the “dining” end of the work-space so that someone preparing ice in glasses or accessing the tea pitcher for a meal has good access as the meal prep is finishing up.

4) It is important to have countertop space available near the frig and the dbl-oven. For instance, think about putting groceries away that go in the frig. I believe I remember the maximum recommended distance is 3’.

5) It is helpful to have the dishwasher within easy reach of dish storage, as well as your silverware drawer. When possible, it would also be helpful to have the silverware drawer at one end of the main cooking traffic area, so that a table-setter could access the drawer during meal prep.

6) Are you raising the bar seating area to bar height and the rest of the island at counter height?

7) I agree about the 3’1” walk-space being tight. The 12’ cabinetry is probably not a good choice.

Thanks for listening to my ramblings. I’m not an expert, but I do enjoy studying and thinking about such things.

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Comments (11)

jck910
5 years ago
I would put the fridge on the same wall as the ovens and cook top. Very long island. Do you really that large a sink? 6 seats?
lauriedco thanked jck910
littlebug zone 5 Missouri
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
My first thought is the fridge is very poorly placed. I wouldn’t put ANY appliance on that wall. Too far away.

I’d figure out a way to put the fridge near where it says Micro Drawer or reconfigure where it says “? area” to put it there.

One more thing - the whole island should be slid up, or reduced in length, so there no pinch point where it says there’s a 3’1” pathway. That pathway is too tight.
lauriedco thanked littlebug zone 5 Missouri
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anj_p
5 years ago
It looks like your island is 8'. You won't get 6 seats around corners, since people can't share corners. The off centered island is also making me cringe a bit.

Regardless, I would like to see what you have now, and which of the openings are doors and which are windows. Your fridge, pantry and microwave aren't part of the kitchen proper, and you have a nice dance space there.
lauriedco thanked anj_p
Mazsola
5 years ago
I have a tall pantry next to my large fridge, and I like it a lot. It looks clean and is functional. I also like the large sink and island — you have the space! Why not use it? Personally, it doesn’t bother me having a fridge and microwave removed a bit from other appliances — it means my kids and husband can come help themselves to whatever they want in the kitchen without bothering me. And a few extra steps never killed anyone 😆. I have a large extended family and entertain often (when it’s not a pandemic 😅), so I’m a fan of floor space in kitchens, to give people space to mingle. I wouldn‘t extend the island unless you have more than 6 people who would regularly want to eat there at the same time. Good luck!
lauriedco thanked Mazsola
lauriedco
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks everyone. We don't think there's room for the fridge by the stove. I think the sink can definitely get smaller, that's a good point. The windows are at the top of the drawing, everything else is interior doors except the large double doors out to the patio.
Sammie J
5 years ago
I would also move the refrigerator closer to the other appliances - can it be on the wall with the micro, and then make the old fridge space another pantry area? The walk space by the ? area will definitely be a pinch point. Re: the pantry - consider more narrow cabinetry - I used 12" and it was perfect, as nothing gets "hidden" behind other products...
lauriedco thanked Sammie J
PRO
adalisa frazzini
5 years ago
Can you tell me where the
doorways lead to? and what’s on the other side of each of the shared walls?
lauriedco thanked adalisa frazzini
lauriedco
Original Author
5 years ago
The door at the bottom leads to the formal dining room, the left goes to the garage, the right goes to a hallway that leads to the living room. Thanks!
PRO
adalisa frazzini
5 years ago
If you’re able to shift the door leading to LR to line up with the garage door, it would allow you to move the fridge and pantry to the R corner, base and wall cabinets between (as well as the drawer mw).

You could also leave the pantry where it was but enlarge it, or add base and wall cabinets (or shelves) that could act as a serving area for the DR, bar, coffee bar, etc.

The island can be extended towards the window leaving 30” min. I’ve incl a pic for reference.
lauriedco thanked adalisa frazzini
Little Bug
5 years ago
You’ve got some major traffic patterns going on here which interfere big time with the way your kitchen functions.

#1 are there any of the 3 interior doors that could be closed off without affecting livability of the house?

#2 could either (or both) the garage door or the dining room door be shifted? Perhaps toward each other?
lauriedco thanked Little Bug