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Improving Kitchen Remodel Layout

5 years ago

Thoughts on how we can improve this kitchen remodel? The left side is open to the dining room in a great room style 1st floor floorplan. The door on the bottom right wall leads to a pantry and the doorway on the bottom left leads to a small hallway where there's a bathroom and inlaw suite. There is a 2nd floor above this.

  1. Should I put a sink in the island?
  2. Suggestions to put along that bottom wall? Desk/Cabinetry/Shelving etc..?


Comments (14)

  • 5 years ago

    Is the window existing?

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    If you move the fridge to the other wall, near the pantry, you could turn the island and add a prep sink, which would give you separate work areas with no zone crossing:


    Layout would also work without a prep sink:


    NKBA guidelines

    New to Kitchens? Read me first.

  • 5 years ago

    It's a new window. It looks into the backyard. The right side of the kitchen looks into the side yard which is very narrow and faces the neighbor's house.

  • 5 years ago

    @mama goose_gw zn6OH Thank you, what is the symbol that looks like a "2" that you put on the top right edge of the island?

  • 5 years ago

    It’s the “n” in “kitchen”. She rotated the island and covered most of the text.

  • 5 years ago

    @mdln Great link. The other post lines up much better with the first recommendation by @mama goose_gw zn6OH (fridge/pantry -> prep sink/island -> stove) saving the primary sink for washing/cleanup.

  • PRO
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Mamagoose is an excellent KD and designed using zones, that work well when more than one person is cooking/cleaning up.

    As a single cook/clean-up, I prefer the Marcolo's ice-water-fire layout.

    Pick the design that works best for YOUR lifestyle.

  • 5 years ago

    Agreed. Definitely a big improvement to move the fridge to the bottom right as regardless of which suggestion I move forward with, all food is stored in the bottom of the layout and moves up. Also, having the dishes close to the dining room (left of the kitchen) would make setting the table easier. The prep sink does make things more isolated with more than one person in the kitchen which is good. Especially for larger meals (e.g., entertaining etc) and not having to do prep/water in a sink that could have dirty dishes in it.

  • 5 years ago

    @mama goose_gw zn6OH in your diagram with a prep sink where would you put a.microwave? My preference would be to avoid putting it on a countertop. I like the idea of using the island space above the trash and to the right of the prep sink as a prep zone.

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    MW should be near the fridge, and if it's used mostly for re-heating coffee ;), to the right of the fridge would work. Depending on the size of the MW, you could move the fridge far enough to the left to put it on a shelf in an upper, or build it into an upper cabinet. If you need a larger MW (and you might, since you asked about MW location), a 24" drawer would also work in the base cabinet. I was trying to keep the uppers on each side of the range the hood the same width, but that's not necessary for function. The range could move left, too, but you need to make sure the perpendicular drawers will open fully, and not hit the range door or handle, especially if you have full-extension drawers.

    Another thing to consider, since a MW is deeper than an upper cabinet, is pulling everything on the range wall out a few inches to match the depth of a standard fridge. You'd have more countertop and if it's in the budget, deeper drawers for more storage. You could use deeper uppers, too, and an extra-deep range hood. If deeper, custom, cabs are not in the budget, just pull the standard cabinets forward (except for MW in upper cab).



    Discussions--deeper counters

  • 5 years ago

    Would definitely keep the kitchen sink beneath the window.

  • 5 years ago

    @mama goose_gw zn6OH We do use the microwave for more than reheating water. The kids have oatmeal or we use it to reheat leftovers etc. I have considered putting it to the left of the fridge (put the fridge in the corner?), but I could see having a drawer to the right of the range that contains stove utensils (spatulas, oven gloves, tongs, wooden spoons etc). Could put the microwave in the uppers, between the fridge and the range.

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    You need something in the corner to the right of the fridge, to make sure the fridge door opens fully without hitting the wall, so as long as you have enough space that a MW door, in an upper, will open, I still like that location. If you use the deeper counters, you'd have landing space in front of coffee maker or other small appliance on the counter. MW to the left of the fridge would be in the prep triangle.