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maureen214

Help with placement of kitchen island

28 days ago


I am going to have this island moved so it is parallel to the counter with the sink . The walkway between the island and the back countertop will be 44 inches but in order to get enough space between the fridge and the side of the counter we will need to get a cabinet depth fridge and have the surrounding cabinets cut back and even then that walkway space will only be 33’ wide. My question is do you think I should line the island up with the cBinets next to the sliding door on the left which was my original intent or should I pull the island 3” or so to the left to grab every inch on the fr9dge side? I asked Chat GBT to rotate the island for me so I could visualize it but gave up after a few trys - it just wasn’t understanding what I was asking it to do. Also it you have suggestions for a mid priced counter depth fridge I would appreciate it - they seem to vary quite a bit in depth. Thanks so much for you help.

Comments (27)

  • 27 days ago

    A fully dimensioned floor plan will help you get advice but sounds way to tight and cutting cabinets back does not seem to be to be a worth while expense honestly.

  • 27 days ago
    last modified: 27 days ago

    The clearance measurement you should reference is counter edge to counter edge. Not sure but it looks like you have seating on the room end of the island. Place the end stools where they'll be now without the island to see how they impact flow and spacing feel overall. The counter end overhang can be trimmed with the edge contoured as needed if that seating doesn't fit.

    maureen214 thanked dan1888
  • 27 days ago

    thanks Dan The measurements are counter edge to counter edge. Interesting you should say that the overhang could be trimmed - I wanted to do that but stopped at 2 local granite places and they said they could not do it onsite and would not be willing to take it to their shop since they did not install it and it could break etc etc. I will get 2 or 3 minimal island stools to put there but we rarely use them .


    I am now leaning towards moving the island a total of eight inches to the left of the countertop, so stopping 2 inches beyond the door frame and that leaves me a fridge walkway of 37” without doing anything to the fridge side panels or getting a new fridge. It will certainly be better than the 21 inches I have there now from the front corner of the island. to the fridge door.

  • 27 days ago

    Beverly's option looks much more functional. It puts the prep sink and island facing the range, which is much better functionally. Instead of having to run around the island to get to the range, you will be directly across from it. However, without knowing the measurements or what the rooms connecting to the Kitchen look like or their sizes, we don't know if either option will realistically work. You likely don't want to make the Kitchen so big that it overwhelms or takes over the Family Room or other rooms.

    So, please provide a fully measured layout along with the installed appliance depths (especially the refrigerator) and a measured sketch of the rooms surrounding the Kitchen.


    Regarding the refrigerator - from what little info we have, it looks to already be a counter-depth refrigerator. The term "counter-depth" only refers to the refrigerator box/carcass, not the doors or handles as they have to stick out past all surrounding items - walls, counters, cabinets, etc.

    maureen214 thanked Buehl
  • 27 days ago

    Thanksfor doing that Beverly - i had not thought of shortened the island and turning it that way. I am going to measure and see what that might look like.

  • 27 days ago

    I measured and switching the orientation of the island won’t work because it will infringe on the walkway between the sofa and the island when trying to get to the sliding doors to the deck but I came upon a picture that kind of answered my question of whether it would look odd to have the island stick out further to the left than the perimeter countertop on the wall and so I think I am good and we are just going to move the island 8 or 10 inches to the left and not have them lineup

    but it will give me the necessary clearances. I am attaching the photo. Thanks to all of you for helping me think it through.









    c

  • PRO
    27 days ago

    No, do not do this. You are only wasting money and making things function worse. You need the most room in front of the fridge, and moving to a less than 48” aisle there is a huge mistake.

    maureen214 thanked KT Builders
  • PRO
    27 days ago

    I think it all comes down to personal preference and how OCD you are, but we've seen and worked on several kitchen layouts where the island was offset from the parallel wall. Just be sure to consider all the angles because while it may look good from one direction, it may be less aesthetically appealing when viewed from another side. Best of luck!

    maureen214 thanked CASA INC
  • PRO
    27 days ago

    You show us nothing in the room so how do we know the sofa is in the best location?

  • PRO
    27 days ago

    Maybe you need some inspiration regarding kitchens that are placed in corners and have islands. A contrasting island would make things more interesting.





    maureen214 thanked BeverlyFLADeziner
  • 27 days ago

    Thanks KT Builders. I cannot get 48 inches in front of the fridge without cutting the island. By moving the island to the left I can get 41 inches which is certainly better than the 21 inches I currently have where the front corner of the island meets the freezer door. I am trying to male things a bit more functional - this will also mean that I no longer have to step over the dishwasher door when is is open. I am satisfied it will be better , albeit not perfect.

  • 27 days ago

    Thanks for inspiration photos Beverly. I think I will paint the island once it is moved. Do you have a recommendation on color? The granite is uba tuba which I see as black but someone told me is really green. I was thinking a gray to pick upon the backsplash and the fireplace across form the kitchen. I will include a photo so you can see that. I am going to put a rug under the sofa which is on order which is a pale blue windowpane. Should I match that?

  • PRO
    27 days ago
    last modified: 27 days ago

    All selections need to be made in context. I cannot recommend anything without seeing total room and adjacent areas.


    Uba Tuba is green. Perhaps the area is short on ambient lighting.

  • 27 days ago


    Casa Inc. You hit the nail on the head - it was because I am too OCD that I am overly concerned about offsetting it. Once I found the picture of an offset island and read some other houzz discussions where people had a similar I felt better. Thanks for the tip about checking it on all it will look on all sides - I had not thought of that at all!

  • PRO
    27 days ago

    Not enough pictures

  • 27 days ago

    If you move the island how you propose its going to bisect the kitchen. your image of the offset island is a much larger space and i bet the right side does not go past the seating side of the island. beverlys option is much better and makes more functional sense. put a scale drawing of the space in the comments and people will be better able to help.



  • 27 days ago

    Here are more pictures if anyone wants to give input on other issues. we just moved in 3 weeks ago so I don’t have rugs or art yet. I plan to move the cafe table and chairs in the space near the sliding doors and put a swivel chair in that space and get a new dining room set and replace the 3 light fixtures in the kitchen/cafe table space. Here are pictures from various angles, and the diagram from the listing.


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  • 27 days ago
    last modified: 27 days ago

    The craftman you need to find is someone who can cut the counter onsite. The most likely person is someone like Joe who specialized in sink change installations and counter repair. That person is setup to work in your home and deal with residue for cutting stone.

    maureen214 thanked dan1888
  • 26 days ago

    Looks like a beautiful location! Do you have extra flooring material to patch the floor if you move the island and the plumbing for it?

  • 26 days ago

    Thanks Chicagoans. We are lucky there was a bunch of flooring left in the basement. We checked under the wine cooler and the floor there is not finished.

  • PRO
    25 days ago
    last modified: 25 days ago

    The elephant in leather is as big of an issue as the diagonal blockade to circulation. Sectionals hog way too much room and interfere with circulation patterns. That the wrong seating for the room, in the wrong place.

  • 25 days ago

    I agree Monique. We bought the house furnished and will not be able to replace it for a few years. Thanks.

  • 23 days ago

    Do you use the little table in front of the window? Do you watch much TV?

    I'm glad the TV isn't over the fireplace, but where it is located, it's not visible from most of the sectional.

    I would rotate the sectional 90°, with one side in front of the window. This should pull it away from the kitchen, allowing more room for a more logical island.

    A kitchen remodel will last decades; furniture is temporary. Plan for a kitchen that will work long-term, and make the short-term furniture work as long as you have to.

    maureen214 thanked AnnKH