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Extended Kitchen vs Breakfast nook

5 years ago

Hello Houzz! I just bought a home built in 2013 with a kitchen that looks completely outdated (crazy how things change in 8 years). This home has an open L-shaped Kitchen/nook/living area with VERY little natural light (4 windows and a door in the space all on the back wall). There is a completely separate formal dining room.

Looking for recommendations on updating/renovating the kitchen/nook with modern farmhouse style while bringing in more light. I do not have kids at home so I’m not sure I need a separate breakfast nook, in addition to the island bar seating and a dining room. Would prefer to extend the kitchen in some way.

Would it be feasible to add windows to the far wall where there currently aren’t any? Is that a mistake with the TV directly opposite (glare)? What would Houzz do??

See current pics and inspo pic. Thanks!

Comments (14)

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    We need a to scsle floor plan showing all windows doorways where the doorways lesd all mesurements clearly marked the floor plan able to enlarged . My advice is you wait to do anything for at least 3 months to see how the space functions for you.I do not find the kitchen terribly dated but you will need to replace the flooring if you want to change anything and that could open a whole can of worms since you tehn will need to match the flooring in the rest of the house IMO. So wait .

  • 5 years ago

    Windows marked

  • 5 years ago

    Flooring is already being replaced throughout, dark wood.

  • 5 years ago

    Be sure to buy extra flooring to use if you need it if/when you remodel the kitchen.

  • 5 years ago

    If you want an updated look I wouldn't go with dark wood floors. Go light! A simple facelift would be new countertops & new backsplash. I would personally square off the island if space allows.

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    Anything is possible with a hearty budget.

  • 5 years ago

    If you like white cabinets I would start by painting the cabinets and then see how you feel about the light in the room. Can make a huge difference.

  • 5 years ago

    Thank you for all the suggestions! Cabinets and walls are all being painted white this weekend. Replacing counters and rounded island with square, white quartz. I have dark floors in my current home, which I thought I’d hate but actually love the look (attached). I’m just wondering more about the layout/design of the kitchen vs decorating

  • 5 years ago

    You have no windows on either side of your house now - which makes me suspect you have neighbors close by. If you do then adding windows may just get you a nice look at a blank wall of your neighbor's house. I don't see from your floorplan how the TV could be directly opposite, but if those windows would let in western sun, then no I wouldn't do it.

    Regarding extending the kitchen. Your island probably can't get much longer as you'd start pinching the aisle into the nook. If you don't want another dining space, make it a morning coffee space or a reading space. You could probably extend your cabinets down the back wall but that's about it, at least not without a complete overhaul.

  • 5 years ago


    I think youd be talking about a major overhaul if you want to extend the kitchen to the nook. None of this is to scale, but as a rough idea I think a sink over on the nook wall could be interesting, and you could probably carve out a larger walk in pantry. The fridge isn’t close to the sink, so maybe not that functional- just an idea! I’m always for adding more windows if you can.

  • 5 years ago

    Actually love this idea, if I could still manage to have a decent walk way past the island toward the back door. Thank you!

  • 5 years ago

    Ang_p- it’s a corner lot and the kitchen sits on the side yard near the street so no neighbors. There are windows on both sides of the house just not in the main living area. The TV would sit next to the fireplace so adding windows in the kitchen wall would be directly opposite. The backyard faces west so the kitchen wall is North. Thank you!

  • 5 years ago

    You can do what MR suggests as long as you don't make your island any bigger.

    You can't extend your island into that space without either reducing the width of the island or squeezing your aisles (12.5-25"-3.5'-3.5' = 3'-5" - that's really not big enough to have a walkway to an exterior door, especially with island seating...and that's using the bare minimum island and aisle widths.

    So, you'd have to keep your island from extending into that space. You'd probably need to keep it M/L where it is now. If you still want to extend the kitchen and put the sink under those windows, I would keep a prep sink in the island so you still have a water source that's not so far outside the work zone of your kitchen.

    Regarding the windows...if you decide not to extend the kitchen, north facing windows would be fine in that corner. I do not think they'll impact TV viewing that much...and if you find they do, you can get some shades for them. Same goes for adding them near the cooktop/oven.