Kitchen space needed

last year

How much space is needed between counter, island w stools, and then a closed wall with pantries, coffee station etc. Currently between the counter and island there is 46" and then between the other end of the width of island where there is seating, 54" between the island overhang and the closed pantry wall. Is 54" enough space between the seating and pantries? If someone is seated at the island will there be enough space for someone else to be making a coffee or taking items from the pantry (roll out drawers). Any advice?

Featured Answer

palimpsest

last year

I think it depends upon how much traffic there is going to the coffee station and pantry at the same time people are seated at the island overhang.

If the same people who are going to be seated at the counter are the going to be using the coffee station, things can be a little tighter than recommended.

If somebody is going to be going back and forth while other people are seated at the island you may want to have the recommended distance.

A lot of these recommendations are for free circulation as if there is going to be regular traffic back and forth behind the seating, and in most kitchens, unless it's a large family, this isn't going to happen.

I have possibly never eaten in a restaurant unless it is Extremely expensive that has the recommended spaces between tables and seating, it is always tighter than recommended, and that's in a public place.

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Comments (8)

dan1888
last year
You can create 12" of room and save a large amount of cost by making your pantry wall cabs 11" deep. No pullouts needed. Coffee station could be at one end of the run.
Sud Zee
Original Author
last year
thanks, this is full wall of closed cabinets 24" deep... has microwaves, toaster, pantries etc along the wall. (definitely not considering eliminating this wall) Just wondering if 54" is enough space in between the island and cabinets or i should try to move things/shrink the island a couple of inches etc.
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Patricia Colwell Consulting
last year
Not IMO you need at least 60" and that will depend on the stools the size of the pantry doors . I need pics of the plan please .
Sud Zee
Original Author
last year
Sud Zee
Original Author
last year
Pantry doors are around 15"
K H
last year
Your layout looks like mine. You actually have more space than me on both aisles and to us, our aisles are very spacious.
Between island and stove we have 46” and between island seating overhang and coffee station/pantry side we have 48” and it’s very roomy. While someone sits on the island, another person can still walk past without issues.
Your aisles are wider than mine, so you have nothing to worry about. :)
Sud Zee thanked K H
Buehl
last year
last modified: last year
54" is probably OK as long as there's not a lot of traffic behind the seats. I am concerned, though, that since it's a Coffee/Snack Center behind the seats, you will have more traffic than is normally seen when there are cabinets behind the seating. In my experience, even with small families, a Coffee/Snack Center has quite a bit of traffic throughout the day. 60" would probably be ideal, but you're already skimping on the other aisle (should be 48" unless you're the only person in the home).

Is your seating overhang at least 15" after accounting for island cabinets and the doors or decorative doors/end panels on the cabinets "facing" the seating?

If not, then you need to add to the aisle the # of inches you are missing (e.g., if your overhang is only 12", that's 3" less, so add those 3" to the aisle to make up for the skimped overhang. (I.e., 54" + 3" = 57"). People will stick out into the aisle the same even when skimping on overhang -- they're just more uncomfortable b/c they have to lean farther to reach the counter. They can't really scoot in closer to the counter b/c there's not enough leg room b/w the back of the cabinets and the edge of the counter.

Remember that aisles are measured to/from the things stick out into the aisle the farthest -- not necessarily counter-to-counter. If there is a range or refrigerator on one of those aisles, then your aisles are NOT what you are stating.

Where's the range (or cooktop/ovens)?

Where is the refrigerator?

A sketch of the entire floor would be helpful. It would help us see what kind of traffic there may be throughout the Kitchen -- in, around, and through the Kitchen.

An actual layout would also be more useful than the sketch you provided.
Sud Zee thanked Buehl