What do you think of my kitchen plan?
Would love comments on our oversized galley kitchen: Ideabook: Kitchen Renovation. I say galley because on side is the DR, the other is the entrance to the FR, mudroom, and half bath. We'd like to get started in late Spring!
Ideabook: Kitchen Renovation · See Ideabook
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I would recommend a minimum of 36" between the stove and sink and unobstructed space. Because of that it, would be better to put the sink and the dishwashesr in the island. I would move the refrigerator to the end of the stovetop wall and make a larger pantry next to the wall ovens. You will use the refrigerator much more beside the sink and stove than you will beside the ovens.
I would also try to incorporate two of the three trash drawers into one to have one place for trash and recycling. It would be handier than having to throw away napkins in one place and then walk to another place to dispose of a bottle, both of which you were using at the same time.
Are you planning a microwave or microwave drawer anywhere?
I would also recommend task lighting in the soffit on the stovetop wall. It look like you may have that? Two large drawers under the stovetop would accommodate pots and pans so they would be handy.
Also, it's nice to have a wide drawer for cooking utensils beside the stove. To do that, I would take the two cabinets with a drawer on the top and door on the bottom and make that one cabinet with 1 large drawer with 2 doors on the bottom with 2 or 4 pullouts on the bottom.
What are the rectangles on the stovetop upper wall? Wood? Stone? What are the squares over the stove?
Could the wall cabinets on the oven wall incorporate architectural glass? http://www.bendheimarchitectural.com/catalog.cfmhttp://www.bendheimarchitectural.com/catalog.cfm
BTW-Your drawings are upside down on your Idea Book page.
- Upside-down drawings: for the life of me I can't get them to view right-side up. In my view they are fine, then they turn on the upload... Sorry for the inconvenience here.
- Trash: I like the ideas to combine the trash and recycles and will do that. The bottle recycle area is the bev/bar area, but you're right, I would be forcing guests to walk in two areas for disposal and most likely would loose the attention it would wind up in one unit anyway.
- Sink/dishwasher, I need to think of this one. I've been trying to avoid a sink in the island for no other reason than I want it to be a flat, unobstructed surface. Good idea.
- The fridge: this is a constant issue. The fridge needs to go on the side of the space closest to the FR, patio entrances. If I put it to the far side of the stovetop, it's the first thing people will see when they walk in my house (standard 1968 Garrison Colonial with center foyer). I was thinking if I shorten the island 6"-12", it's a few extra steps but not around the island. Need to stew on this one, as any improvements are better than the current set up.
- Lighting in stovetop side soffit is included in design (I'm excited about this!)
- Rectangles and squares: the rectangles on each side of the stove are two new triple windows, and the squares are a backsplash. I love the windows in the design to let some light on this Northern side of the house. Hence if the fridge goes over here, the windows idea needs to change. The other two rectangles on each side on the windows are ceiling to counter wood panel cabinets (thought glass panels would be too much with windows).
- Drawers: I like your ideas for the drawers for cooking utensils and pots/pans under stovetop.
- Microwave: the standard question that usually ends with a gasp when I answer. I don't use a microwave. Frankly, I couldn't believe my husband bought into it, too!
Thanks again for all of your great ideas!
Here are a few ways to address the fridge issue:
Whatever you decide, I certainly agree that the stove area could make a great focal statement.
If you decided to move the fridge to the stovetop wall, you could get one that accepts a cabinet to match the other cabinets--minimizing it's impact on the focal point of the stovetop wall. Putting it either on the left or the right and to maximize that focal point, bump out the soffit, facia, modling over the whole stovetop area as far as the fridge and come out further than than the fridge, so that it returns at the fridge and equally on the other side. It doesn't have to be much to get the same look--just an inch or two. In other words, the cabinet on the right would be the same width of the fridge and the sofft, facia, molding would also be the same as the fridge. That will center your focal point and make it seem larger and also diminish the visual impact of the fridge. Additionally it will keep the 'wings' of the crown visually evident and balanced. If you use a column fridge (again, with a cabinet door) instead of a normal width fridge, there will be a smaller visual impact of the fridge as well. Again, balance the cabinet on the right with the width of the fridge. (Remember there will be a small spacer on the wall side if you put the fridge on the left so that the door can open all the way while pulling out drawers. The opposing cabinet should reflect the size of that spacer as well). If you use a column fridge, then a column freezer could go on the wall oven side but still make the pantry larger. The stovetop should remain centered between the fridge and end cabinet.
OR
You could get two undercabinet refrigerators to go under the island and a column freezer to remain on the oven wall, again, making the pantry slightly larger. if you went that route there are still the sink(s) to consider. Here are some suggestions for the sink(s):
Besides, putting a sink in the island, an option for the sink issue is to have a smaller single bowl sink in the current location, leaving more room on either side and then also having a small single bowl prep sink closer to the undercabinent refrigerators where you would be washing vegetables etc.
Another option, if you decide you really just want to leave it there, would be to get one that has an inset butcher block, essentially, giving you more room on the stovetop side for prep work.
I just noticed that the link for architectural glass didn't come. Sorry about that. Here is another one.
http://www.architecturalglass.com/