Upper cabinet at the end of peninsula

last month

I'd like to talk about a single upper cabinet in a small U-shaped kitchen. The layout is a lot like this -- simple U-shaped kitchen with peninsula seating -- actual kitchen is a little smaller than this Google image, but the sink and range are in the positions shown, and the peninsula is 7 1/2 foot total with two stools -- peninsula is 3' 3" wide.

The goal is to use this cabinet for everyday dishes /to make it easy to unload the dishwasher straight to this cabinet + to use these dishes to set the dining room table with ease.

The ONLY QUESTION I have deals with the cabinet that'll be placed on the wall at the end of the peninsula -- where this Google image shows a brown shelf and a plant. We have two windows over the sink, so this will be a SINGLE CABINET /A STAND ALONE CABINET.

Possibility 1: Shelves. This would be cheap and I think would look good between the kitchen windows and dining room, but it would hold little. I think this is my least favorite option

Possibility 2: A standard cabinet. This would hold more than the open shelves, but I'm iffy about the door swing. I could go with two doors opening towards the kitchen ... then set dishes out on the peninsula, then walk around to retrieve them /set the dining room table. I am very short /have proportionally short arms.

Possibility 3: A taller cabinet. This is kinda old-timey looking and would fit the cottage-look, but is it worth giving up that bit of cabinet space? Or is space in that particular spot not worth much anyway? (Coffee pot, etc. will live in adjacent pantry) I could see cloth napkins living in the small drawers. I am really drawn to this cabinet, but it'll have the same problem with the door hinges -- do I hinge them both towards the kitchen for ease of loading clean dishes from the dishwasher?

Possibility 4: Variation on the tall tower above. This one is smaller, and it has two doors -- one opening towards the dining room /one opening towards the kitchen. This looks practical -- but I'm guessing it's about 15" square? How will that look on a 3'3" peninsula? Will it look too small? I see that this room has a "cased opening" dividing the kitchen from the dining room, which I don't have.

Thoughts? Pros and cons? I'd appreciate any discussion.

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Comments (8)

herbflavor
last month
from a rough estimate I think its about 51 inches from a bit away from window trim to far edge of peninsula overhang..can you provide that exact number? what are sizes of cabinets to left of window? around windows is the one visual where basic symmetry [ with a bit of wiggle room ] has its merits. But an underlying issue is a missing notation in your intro...that has to do with DRAWERS in your space . You have choice of peninsula or between fridge and stove.... for day to day dishes/ 1. closer to where food is plated and 2. easier to move along to seating area 3. drawers have universal better access for shorter or any sized individual. Storage decisions need review , Houzz will provide this but can you give some measurements?
Theresa Peterson
Original Author
last month
last modified: last month
In my mind, the goal is to keep this cabinet above the peninsula -- so it will be centered (centered?) on the 3'3" peninsula. That'll probably place it about 10" from the window.

On the other side of the windows we'll have one 36" cabinet (over a Lazy Susan) .... one mostly-inaccessible over the range ... and a 24" cabinet. 7 1/2 wall of upper cabinets /all flat against the wall.

No big concerns about symmetry.

No, we don't need to talk about drawers. Lower cabinets (plus dishwasher, sink and range) are all laid out /items are assigned to drawers /pleased with those plans. Refrigerator is actually on a "back cabinet run" /not part of the U -- but this Google image gave a good approximation of the peninsula + corner I'm trying to figure out. It is a SMALL kitchen, and this upper is the best place for everyday dishes.

Thanks for your questions.
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herbflavor
last month
cannot discern from your provided image any sizes of anything. Below is an image of space utilized left and right of window...for ease and symmetry ..then the far space above overhang of peninsula for display or in other words..a lower usage location. Am I wrong..you seem to imply that furthur spot above overhang is what you intend for day to day dishes. Its atypical to rely on that spot in that way........there are infinite combinations of sizes that can be installed on kitchen walls ....from the image you provide one cant tell if your wall cabinets are set up in the best way possible. Good Luck.
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amystoller
last month
If you anticipate sitting at the peninsula frequently, whoever sits at the wall end will be more comfortable if there is no upper cabinet. Make sure the counter extends far enough so that you can sit comfortably, without banging your knees, and having to lean forward.

Dish storage over the dishwasher is what I recommend.
amystoller
last month
My remarks above are based on experience of the layout you’re contemplating. The upper cabinet at the wall end of my peninsula was useless for daily-use items. I had to get up on the counter to reach inside it. 0/10, do not recommend.
Jennifer Hogan
last month
These are pictures of my last home. The cabinet at the end above the peninsula held our everyday dishes. The peninsula was 8' long. Access from in the kitchen allowed me to load from the dishwasher into the cabinet and pull dishes out and set them on the peninsula.
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Phyllis
last month
Do a butterfly cabinet so that stuff on the cabinet on the inside is easily accessible, and folks from the peninsula side can reach things there.
Theresa Peterson
Original Author
last month
Responses:

- Yeah, the image I shared was just to give you an idea of what we're doing -- it is not my own drawing. I'm not concerned about anything except that one cabinet at the end of the peninsula, and the peninsula is 3'3" wide. So that's the space with which we're working.

- I hear you when you say it's not a typical place for daily dishes, but my motivation is that I could set dishes IN straight from the dishwasher and reach them from the other side to the dining room table.

- I do anticipate we'll sit at the peninsula frequently, but it is 7'6" and we have only two stools. If this cabinet is 12" deep, that'd leave 6'6" -- or 39" for each sitter.

- I hear you when you say this cabinet can be hard to reach -- and I am very short -- that's part of why I thought the to-the-countertop cabinet might be a winner.

- 0/10 is a strong no-vote.

- Jennifer, that's exactly what I'm considering.

- Someone sitting at the peninsula will have 15" of leg space under the overhang.

- Butterfly doors? I didn't know that term, but it looks like a good idea.

Thank you for your thoughts. I'm not feeling settled at all though.