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kitchen layout design

11 months ago

I need some help, looking for a way to redesign our kitchen to get the same look but with the island centered with the hood so the sink lines up correctly, i liked the empty space next to the hood for sconces. I can’t shift the island over to the right because there won’t be enough room for the fridge to open. Any ideas?

Comments (16)

  • 11 months ago

    Symmetry is way overrated! No one will notice, or care, what is or isn't centered once the kitchen is finished. Strive for balance, not symmetry.

    Also for something to look "lined up correctly", you have to always stand in that one exact spot, which isn't how most of us live!

    As for redesign, I would want my main kitchen sink to be on an exterior wall, under large windows, and not on the island.

  • 11 months ago

    Yeah, don't worry about the symmetry. That puts form over function, which is NOT the most important thing in a kitchen!


    Mine is off-center and after a few months of living here, I don't even notice it...

  • 11 months ago
    last modified: 11 months ago

    Plus one to the above posts about symmetry. The other consideration is that if you ever have one person at the range and another at the sink, the back-to-back setup is awkward and tight.

    At this point I'd consider where your trash and DW will go vis-a-vis your workflow from refrigerator to sink to prep space (probably island?) to cooktop.

    Also you didn't ask about this... but please consider as many drawers for your lowers as possible. Drawers are so much handier than fixed shelves and even handier than roll out shelves. (The only places I don't have drawers are under my sink, and I wish I had them there, and where I have pullouts. Cutting boards and baking sheets are stored in vertical storage in my MW stack.) Make a list of what you need to store, measure your tallest pots and other items, and go from there.

    If you're unsure whether drawers will work for you, I would be happy to show you how mine are set up for storage and I'm sure others would be as well.

  • PRO
    11 months ago
    last modified: 11 months ago

    Better to work better, than be a PIA butt bumper. Symmetry is not aligning things along a single axis that is only viewed from one single point in the whole house. It's a balance of weighted items that create pleasing proportions. And right now, that hood is not a pleasing proportion in any sense. Way too much negative space, and the "legs" of the appliance garage do not work at all in that configuration. The whole wall is just too long, and disproportionate to being used as a kitchen without roller skates being involved. It's exhausting just looking at it.

  • 11 months ago

    Better than wall sconces would be good undercabinet lighting, and good task lighting above the island. You don't have a ton of cabinet space, so the empty spaces around the hood might be better used for cabinets.

    How high are your ceilings? I find a single door on uppers to be more efficient than stacked cabinets - it allows for additional shelves, and better use of the interior space.

    Yes to all drawers! It also looks like you have pullouts on each side of the range - what is your plan for those? Have you used them before? Some folks like them, but others find them inefficient use of space.

    What is your plan for the cabinets to the counter? I would rather have more counter space - especially if you have small appliances that live on the counter.


  • 11 months ago

    We have a butlers pantry that will have upper and lower cabinets in there as well also the space where all our appliances will be. The pull outs on the sides of range will be for spices/utensils or pans.

  • PRO
    11 months ago

    The obsession with symmetry is creating a much poorer design. Bigger is not better. The kitchen is twice the size that it needs to be to work well.

  • PRO
    11 months ago
    last modified: 11 months ago

    Do you care about the function of the kitchen or only the appearance of the kitchen?

    Is the "butler's pantry" located between and connecting the kitchen and the dining room?

    Symmetry is only one easy way to achieve visual balance. When I see a symmetrical kitchen layout I think "this meal is not going to taste good".

  • 11 months ago

    I care about both function and appearance . The room is all one open concept so I’m wanting it to look good since it’s basically the main point in the house. I guess I need someone to redesign the kitchen around. The house is already up so can’t change the architectural design

  • PRO
    11 months ago

    Is the dining room really that small? With the kitchen that large? Start with cutting back at least 1/3 of the kitchen space and giving that to the dining room. Relocate the pantry door and reduce the island. Condense that long stretched out range wall with all the wasted space. So much inefficient wasted space everywhere.

  • 11 months ago

    The house is already built and framed I can’t revise it now. I have to work with what is there.

  • PRO
    11 months ago

    You can work with what is there and make the kitchen smaller and better. And less costly. For sure.

  • 11 months ago

    I just posted this on another thread. Symmetry only makes sense in 2D and we don't live in 2D.

    Can you tell my range and sink are not aligned?



    My kitchen basically has the same layout as yours. If you actually cook, you don't want the sink centered in the island, and if anything you want it to be a bit farther from the fridge than the stove. My island is 10' and my DW is at the very edge of it, with the sink right next to it. I have 5' of prep space next to the sink and I wouldn't want any less. With the sink centered you would only have 3.5'.

    The DW should be to the right of the sink (as it's shown in your plan view).

  • 11 months ago

    Have you actually planned your dining space for a table and chairs and space to walk around the table and the chairs? It looks like maybe 8ft x 14ft. How do you expect the table to be placed and allow everyone to access a chair without having to bother others to get up? It looks very out of proportion as well to the kitchen. I know you said you're already framed. However moving the doorway to the pantry is going to be a very minor cost and the amount you save in cabinetry for that portion will make up for the difference. If you move the pantry door down 2 ft you'll have a better space for the dining area and look a little less out of proportion. It still will still be a bit tight with a full table, but better. Then shrink the island and the length of the perimeter cabinetry appropriately as well.

  • 11 months ago

    I have a really similar kitchen but the sink isn't lined up with the stove. That way the cook isn't back to back with anyone at the sink. It looks fine without being symmetrical, and my kitchen is a focal point in an open plan also. You might miss those extra cabinets where the sconces are going to go but it's personal preference. I agree with the commenter who said to put in as many drawers as possible. I did a mix of drawers and cabinets and really wish I had gone with all drawers. Good luck with the project. It's a very pretty kitchen.

  • 11 months ago

    To align the sink with the range, you’d need to add a tall cabinet to the right side of the range next to the door. This would allow you to shift the range over and align it with the sink. However, I’d suggest sticking with the current kitchen set up. Perfect alignment and symmetry don’t always make the most sense. Sometimes, having the sink and range slightly misaligned works better for kitchen appliance placement, especially if aisle clearance is narrow. This will help avoid a cramped work area when two people are in the kitchen.