kitchen window view dilemma

2 years ago

Our house is situated on a corner lot so the builder was able to get past the rear yard zoning requirements (40’ from property line) by the placement of our driveway. This allowed them to zone our backyard as a side yard and our side yard as a backyard. Therefore, the back of our house is only 15’ from the property line and very close to our neighbors. We use our side yard as our main playing/entertaining area. The problem is we have no visibility from our great room into our side yard, additionally, our kitchen window looks right out to the neighbor’s house and yard. That’s always been the only (and hugest) obstacle to get me to love our home. Recently, I’ve had the idea of moving the kitchen window to the opposite wall. If I move the sink and window to where the stovetop currently is, it will give us that visibility into the yard space that we use (and want to eventually put a pool). It will also eliminate the view directly to our neighbors. To me, apart from the obvious costs, it seems like a great solution. However, I’m looking for insight and possibly issues that I may not be considering. Please scrutinize this option so that I really think it through!

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Comments (8)

PRO
Norwood Architects
2 years ago
Any chance of you providing a floor plan to help us better understand your situation?
Sarah Landis
Original Author
2 years ago
Unfortunately, I don’t have the formal floor plan, but here is a markup of our lot. Our kitchen (“K”) is open to our family room (“FR”). I also labeled our dining and living rooms. The red X is where the current window is and the star is where I’m considering moving it to.
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PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
2 years ago
Where I live you would not have space for a pool but as for the view to the neighbors all I see are trees and maybe acorner of the house but I guess if you have little kids it is nice to see them outside even more so if you can have a pool I guess for me the window would be an additional window not a replacement to get better lightinto the space for me it would make a new kitchen better for sure than what you have now for cabinets for sure and layout. I guess the question is how much do you NEED to do this .
Sarah Landis
Original Author
2 years ago
Thanks for your insight Patricia!
kandrewspa
2 years ago
Anything is possible given enough funds. :-) What is the exterior cladding? I see brick in one picture. Is it brick on all sides of the house? If so, you will not be able to close up the window over the sink attractively as it is usually impossible to match brick, but where were you thinking of putting your range if your sink moves to where the range is? I don't like cooktops or ranges in islands, but I guess some people don't mind them.
lharpie
2 years ago
Can you remove 2 uppers and put in narrow windows on either side of range? i don’t see a problrm with window to neighbors.
ker9
2 years ago
Seems like you could put nice landscaping between your window and the neighboring home to block it and make it pretty to look at.
Olychick
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
I guess the new window would go where the cabinets to the left of the stove are? I would leave the sink and window in place because the trees seem to provide enough privacy from and view to the neighbors (at least for me). You could add a nice screen at the edge of the patio out that window if you feel you need more privacy.

I would either add the window and try to expand storage from the downed cabinets to another spot (not necessarily kitchen cabinets) or perhaps consider a window below the existing cabinets. I would raise them a bit and make them and the one to the right of the stove all the same height at the top, level with the above refer cabinet. In addition to that, you could add a filler cabinet above so they rise to the ceiling.