Help on redesigning a 1960s kitchen layout!

3 years ago

I'm looking for feedback on a kitchen layout that was drawn up for me at Lowe's. I've attached that mock up, an overall mock-up of the first floor for more context and a photo of what it is today. Any and all feedback is helpful! Overall thoughts:

Our goal is to modernize what is a 1960s kitchen, adding more counterspace and aiming for a traditional / elegant / simple look.
We're combining what was a separate kitchen and dining room into a single space (total space now being 13'x23'6"). We have access under the kitchen in a basement and can move plumbing around as needed. We're also enclosing a slider to gain wall / cabinet space.
We're a family of 3 and tend to congregate in the kitchen though usually only one of us cooking. We love the idea of having an island in the kitchen for prep space and for others to sit around if someone is cooking. Otherwise, we're pretty flexible on layout.
We entertain from time to time but not something we do very often.

On the Lowe's mock-up, we already know we're going to change the following:

Swap the dishwasher to the left side of the sink and the garbage disposal to the right so we have more counter space between the sink and stove. The window placement at the sink can be changed since we're enclosing the slider. We may also shrink the cabinet to the left of the stove to add a few more inches to the right to gain prep space in the triangle.
Sink the fridge into the wall so that we can have a full size fridge appear like a counter depth. Behind the fridge is a smallish pantry. We're going to eat into this a couple of inches so we can fit a larger fridge with better aesthetics.
There's no microwave in the mock-up. We're currently planning to put it in the island but not 100%. We don't often use a microwave so we're struggling a bit on where to place it.
It's not super clear but the bottom right of the Lowe's mock-up are open hallways to other rooms.
We'd likely move the island slightly closer to the stove side so that we gain the inches behind the seating. We considered if we put cabinets on the wall behind the seating but think the floorplan would get really cramped.

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Comments (6)

cpartist
3 years ago
Bad. We take food out of our fridge, bring it to the sink to rinse and prep between sink and stove. You have no room for prepping between sink and stove.

Have you considered moving the kitchen?

I see there is nothing in the house. Do you live there now or did you just buy the house?
Mike
Original Author
3 years ago
Just buying so nothing in the house as of now. Planning to remodel and then move in. Agreed on prepping area you described! We already decided to flip the dishwasher and garbage and to take more space away from the left of the stove to gain more space between sink and stove (going from the photo that shows ~18" to closer to 33"). Thanks for the input!
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cpartist
3 years ago
Don't remodel before you move in! Wait 6 months at least to learn how the kitchen works in the house you're buying. Too many times people have a need to remodel immediately and then once they've lived in the house, wished they had done things totally differently.

For example, you may decide after living in the house for 6 months that you hate that the kitchen has no natural light and that there might be a better spot for it.

Also where does the doorway lead that you think right now you want to close off?

Basically you're just repeating what is already there and trust me, there's a better layout. However live with it first so you understand what works and doesn't work. What you think you want to do, doesn't work.

What is the age of the house?

(going from the photo that shows ~18" to closer to 33")

33" is still not enough prep space.
PRO
Debbi Washburn
3 years ago
Not all kitchens are right for an island. I do a lot of kitchens like these since many homes are raised ranches around me. I would do a great peninsula. You can pull it from either side.

Either one gives you ample room to move around.

Here is a picture of a similar kitchen

I do agree that you should live there of a little while before making any decisions.

Congrats on the house!
dan1888
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
You're removing the wall between the dining area and the kitchen. You want more work zone counter space, and you can move plumbing. I see the best kitchen space and function by moving the kitchen to the old dining space. More wall and the kitchen will no longer be a walk thru. You can have an island. I'd configure it without seating because the more comfortable dining height seating will be a couple feet away. The broadest range of design choice would come if you also took down the wall between the kitchen and the living room. A structural engineer could give you the cost for that. Looks like a long beam.
Mike
Original Author
3 years ago
Thank you all for the feedback! We're taking this all into consideration as we move about the process. A lot to think about.