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Renovations for an Awkward Kitchen

Michelle
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago

I'm trying to update my kitchen so it's an open floor plan but it's hard to work with what we currently have. Here's a couple ideas we're exploring but would love to get suggestions and other ideas. To open up the kitchen, we are planning to remove the existing wall to expand into the dining room, but we have these bay windows. Is it weird if the counter extend past the bay windows?


Existing floor plans:



Option 1 (2 counters running parallel):


Option 2 (L-Shape Kitchen with Island)


Thanks!

Comments (21)

  • mcarroll16
    2 years ago

    I like the galley kitchen, because you could place the sink on the "floating" wall and look out that window. I'm not a huge believe in island or bar seating, but if you wanted some, you could consider a U where you run the back countertop further along towards the bedroom door, then turn for a peninsula. Bar seating at that peninsula.


    How wide is the dining room, measured from the kitchen side of the bedroom door to the left dining room wall? Also, everything is on interior walls. Do you have any restrictions to consider in running a hood vent up through the roof?

  • emilyam819
    2 years ago

    I don’t like either option because they both seem to interfere with placement of a table in front of the window. What about this? That’s a pantry cabinet between the doors. Sink would be better next to fridge if it fits.

  • PRO
    RappArchitecture
    2 years ago

    You don't say whether you need additional seating in addition to a dining room table. The opening into the utility room restricts what you can do in front of the window. If that opening could be shifted down on the plan by 9", you could make a workable U-shape kitchen with stools at the peninsula, and leave the window as is.

  • mama goose_gw zn6OH
    2 years ago

    I like the idea of moving the entry from the enclosed porch, and making a U-shaped work space. I'd move the entry all the way down, if possible. The base cabinet in the bottom corner could open toward the exterior wall, to reclaim that lost space.


  • Michelle
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    I love these ideas! I do want to try to keep the overhang island clear so it's easier for people to huddle around and hang out. I moved the sink to the other side? Thoughts?


    I also wonder what the clearance of the pathway should be if there's seats at the counter.




  • emilyam819
    2 years ago

    I’d make that 5 feet from counter to window.
    Also, if you switch the sink and dishwasher, then you’d have better access to the cabinets when unloading the dishwasher . And you will have a table in the bay window space, correct? Make sure the peninsula doesn’t impede on its space.

  • Hope, Faith & Love
    2 years ago

    As soon as i saw this i thought it needs a u shape as well. but i would have it come out from the wall where you have your stove is currently, not the other wall as pictured in the sketches from other commenters. i personally dont like stools/chairs that come out into the main walkway and doorway on the left. it also feels heavy to have all the seating on the window side of the room and none on the other side.

  • felizlady
    2 years ago

    The person(s) who use the bedroom must go through the dining room, the kitchen, and the enclosed porch to get to the bathroom…or maybe there is another route we can’t see.
    The dining room is huge, but the kitchen is small with very little counter space. Does the family use the dining room for all meals or is there a family dining table in the enclosed porch? Are you willing to give up a formal dining room? Is the wall you are planning to remove a bearing wall?

  • Michelle
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    @felizlady That's the challenge we're dealing with. The dining room is huge and the kitchen is small so we're trying to open it up by removing the wall. It's an older house and the layout doesn't make sense. We don't care too much for the dining room and though about make that the kitchen but because there's low bay windows, we can't line up the cabinets there.


    Unfortunately if you're in the bedroom, you would need to go through the dining/kitchen area to get there.

  • felizlady
    2 years ago

    Is the wall a bearing wall? If so, a structural engineer could help you open the wall and still support whatever is above.

  • P.D. Schlitz
    2 years ago

    I like mama goose’s rendering a lot and think it makes a lot of sense for your space. An additional option to potentially consider is below— this closes off the bedroom door (and repositions it to hallway as it looked like it had another closet option?), freeing up the entire back wall for cabinets/appliances, etc. I also like the idea of built-in seating in your bay window area (not knowing how far those windows are from floor) with a table in front of it. Good luck with your project!

  • Laurie H
    2 years ago

    I like P.D. Schlitz idea because it is odd to have a bedroom entrance from the dining room. If you can divert this passage, I think it would help.

  • Michelle
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    we have considered moving the bedroom door but thought it would be too far from the bathroom

  • mcarroll16
    2 years ago

    It doesn't seem like it's really that many more steps compared to the current route. If it were my bedroom, I'd be happy to take the extra steps to the bathroom to get an entry that didn't open directly into a public room.

  • mama goose_gw zn6OH
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    To build on P.D. Schlitz's idea--for future reference--if you moved the closet in the bedroom, you could turn the utility closet into a powder room, so not every bathroom trip would need to be made through the kitchen. Existing plumbing and drains might make it fairly simple.


    You might consider using a standard-depth fridge, and making the pantry, and the perimeter counters, deeper--to match the depth of the fridge box. Width of DR entry, and width of pantry is undetermined.

    Since there wouldn't be enough space for a stationary island, you could use a mobile cart when needed, then store it in the little window nook. Of course, that means the only seating is the DR table.

    NKBA guidelines

    New to Kitchens? Read me first.

    Discussions--Extra-deep counters

    Discussions--all drawer bases

  • Buehl
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Maybe I missed it, but what's the size of the Dining Room right now?

    Questions:

    1. Is the "Enclosed Porch" usable?
    2. How high off the floor are the Dining Room windows?



  • Michelle
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    @Buehl the windows are quite low (roughly 30inches?)


    The dwgs are a little deceiving but the enclosed porch is really a laundry room/office. The Utility room in the bedroom will be converted to a walk in closet.


    The (current) dining room dimensions are ~ 16 x 13 and kitchen is ~ 6.5 x 13.






  • P.D. Schlitz
    2 years ago

    This is such an interesting challenge, and I love old houses and all their quirks. And again, some potential additional options to consider:

    1. Going a step further with mama goose’s idea of bedroom closet becoming half bath— have you considered just removing the south wall of the utility/closet and incorporating that area into the existing bathroom space? This would provide ample space to give you a full bathroom and provide a bathroom entrance, jack-and-jill style, directly from the bedroom.

    2. if you did the above and repositioned the bedroom doorway to the hall, you might still have room for a pseudo-walk in closet by making the area under the stairs the bedroom closet.

    Sorry to be giving so much unsolicited re: rooms you weren’t planning to bust up, it just feels like if you’re going to be taking down walls and investing in a gut reno in that zone of your house, you may want to simultaneously invest in addressing some of the awkward layout issues around it, also.

  • mcarroll16
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Agree with P.D. Schlitz on general principles of making the big investments up front. Disagree strongly on Jack & Jill bathroom though. Someone always forgets to unlock one of the doors when they finish. So the bedroom person is going to have to hike around anyway when their side gets locked. Or if they're the absent-minded offender, they will have people tromping through their bedroom to get into the bathroom.


    I'm pretty opposed to hooking up locks and appliances to Alexa or phone apps, but maybe Jack & Jill bathrooms are an area where hi-tech "smart locks" could really be a benefit.

  • emilyam819
    2 years ago

    Maybe enough room for two bathrooms- a full for the bedroom and a half off of the enclosed porch?

  • mcarroll16
    2 years ago

    Great idea from @emilyam819!

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