Looking for input and guidance

last year

Hey gardenweb friends!

Construction has finally started and I need to finalize kitchen plans so we can proceed with getting quotes. And I’d love some advice and suggestions!

As context, we have some orchards and edible gardens, so it will be a bit of a warm modern tropical homestead. (House is in Costa Rica)

I’ve pasted current preliminary drafts of the kitchen area, plus a couple of other pictures to help situate the kitchen. Note that the round table in the courtyard is not to scale!

Some questions:

- what do you think about the spaces between the sink, cooktop, etc. on the long window counter run? I’m trying to reserve the island for prep and gathering, it will be somewhat table like, although there will be drawers facing the work area (the area outlined in red). I’ve always had the sink and cooktop across from each other, so this kind of layout is new for me.

- I want open bookshelves, or a screen of some kind, to separate the kitchen from the living room. The architect has drawn it as a 30” wide bench, I’m not crazy about it. Any thoughts? It would be nice if it could hold some books, binoculars, maybe some baskets. or just a decorative screen, I’m not sure.

- the 30” counter zone that abuts the screen or bench dividing the kitchen from the LR will have a solid wall behind it. The rest of the counter is all windows. What do you think about a wall oven there, at the extreme end of the counter run. I don’t expect to use it often, but we need one somewhere.

All thoughts welcome!

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Comments (11)

Allison0704
last year
What is to the right of the fridge?

That is a lot of bench. Like you, I would rather have a screen that can be decorative alone or somewhat filled.

None of these are exactly what I was looking for, but ideas that can be worked with... depending on your wants/needs.

I like the openess of this one, but it feels very cluttered with all the accessories.

More open, but too deep? Depends on how you want to use.

I think this look with more vertical than horizontal is a better fit for the house. Even if no shelves and angled slats a bit, but would not feel as open.

If you don't want shelves, you could do slats (smaller than this) where you can close as many or few as you want to close off the kitchen to the living are
RNmomof2 zone 5
last year
I can see the reason for the screen but I do not think I would want it as long as pictured. Maybe stop somewhere along the island? Still will give some privacy to kitchen activities but not close off the area as much.

Just looked at picture of the area again. I like the short little section at the end of the cabinet and no bench. The bench looks like an awkward junk collector (at least in my house!)
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mtnrdredux_gw
last year
last modified: last year
I think the room divider should be indigenous and a work of art; do you or your architect know any local artists. I might ask a few to submit ideas?

I might also google "Costa Rican luxury hotel lobby" for ideas

And congrats, I know this has been a long wait!
Allison0704
last year
That's a good one, Mtn. I was looking for an artistic one, but all I saw were too busy.
Lars
last year
last modified: last year
I would shorten the bench so that it does not extend past where the island ends - I would want a larger traffic space there. It looks a bit like a bottleneck to me.

The living area looks a bit small, and so I would not extend the screen, except to maybe halfway along the bench, and shortening the bench would help. If the screen were movable and could open, that would be better, if you extend it.
sochi
last year
last modified: last year
Thanks!. We seem to have an emerging consensus that the screen should only go to the island edge. I really like the last image Allison posted and mtn’s image. Good advice to ask local artists. The LR is a step down, so I do need to signal that - a low railing (rather than a bench) perhaps continuing from the screen?

RNmom, you’re right about it just collecting junk! So you’re vote is small screen not even extending to the island?

Lars, you're right the LR is small. It’s really just for watching TV at night, the main living and dining spaces are in the courtyard. It will be transited frequently though, the outdoor kitchen is that way. A movable screen is a good idea, thank you.
sochi
last year
Allison, the area next to the fridge will be a coffee station type zone, something like this.
Allison0704
last year
We had one at our last house for coffee and small appliances. We had a pull-out tray with a lip on all for sides (in the case of future spills) so the coffeemaker could be pulled out to avoid heat on shelf above.

Smart to do the shorter drawer on top, as we had two the same depth and there was a lot of wasted space.
mtnrdredux_gw
last year
I agree that in designing it, you need to decide exactly what you want to put there and if it will be used in situ or just to store the appliance (like those in the photo), as that informs considerations of heat, moisture, and code, not just layout and design (eg pocket doors or not).
RNmomof2 zone 5
last year
last modified: last year
I see the step now that you mention it. Are you wanting a bench? It looks wide in the pictures which looks massive and out of place to me. Could the divider end at the step?

I would think the length of the screen wuld depend upon how open you want that area to be.
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sochi
last year
Allison - great points about the shorter drawer on top and the pull out tray. I will do that.

Mtn, agreed. Our space isn’t huge and will be coffee and tea only. Small applicances will be in the pantry. I think how DH drinks coffee will change there too, he needs to think through what he wants. I don’t drink coffee, so its all greek to me.

No, I don’t want the bench really, and I agree the bench looks massive. Orginally I was thinking of having a peninsula with cabinets there, but decided against after some advice I received here. The architect seems to be still thinking of replacing the counter rather than doing something different.
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