[Pookie]

Hi, all -

Thanks to EvaPerconti's advice, I took some time to make some suggested changes. Please look over my revised plan, as shown in SketchUp, and let me know your thoughts about the plan in general, and the following specifics as well.

Made revisions -- leading to more questions! Please help? 

I moved the sink to the peninsula wall, and like the added breathing room around the range. It looks like I would only have 12" on the left of the sink, though...can I get away with this?? Lots of room to the right, and the "bar" counter just above the sink.

Made revisions -- leading to more questions! Please help? 

Made revisions -- leading to more questions! Please help? 

I also replaced the 24" pantry to the right of fridge with a 15"...this definitely gives a more comfortable walkway, but it looks lopsided to me with the larger pantry on the left. And I worry about lost storage space...but I did add a shallow unit in the dining room, hopefully with the sliding Avsikt(?) "glass" doors, so that would help. Any thoughts or solutions??

Made revisions -- leading to more questions! Please help? 

Last big question (yeah, right...): In reading a comment by NBeth in a recent thread, it suddenly dawned on me that we might not have to totally rebuild the corner window wall, which is currently a nook area with large windows starting approx. 28" from the floor. We plan to extend the cabinet run around that corner, as shown in plan, and thought that we'd be forced to replace the windows with smaller ones, getting into exterior walls and siding, etc. Is it really "allowed" for us to place the cabinets around the corner in front of the windows, and what makes it a good or bad idea?? (A pit for scary food stuffs to fall back into crosses my mind...) Love to save the time and $$, but it hadn't even crossed my mind that we could work around the space. Love my natural light, and hate to lose any of it!

Thanks very much for all the good advice so far, and that to come.

Paula

[NBeth]

Paula, local code will vary but the key points are probably maintaining an alternate means of leaving the room and not having range in front of window. Certainly others have done as we did. Yes, the gap into the depths of the window was a bit of a concern for us but we don't keep a lot of little things back there so it hasn't been an issue. Would definitely depend on what you're doing with the space...

[Pookie]

Thanks, NBeth -

We'll check out the codes on the window issue. I have done considerable jimmying of the plan so far just to get the stove situated nicely between the various windows, to avoid having to do more serious window resizing, etc. and I think it just barely works.

There are three doors off the kitchen at this point, one 2 steps from garage/exterior access, so hopefully that will help with the egress.

Any thoughts, anyone, on the sink placement? Will that give enough working room? I am also curious if there are ideas about the wall o' tall, and my symmetry concerns (see above). My mission and some back ground are pasted below from my previous thread:

Background:

Our current kitchen is adequate for approx. .75 of a cook. We have 2, plus our preteen son, who is wanting to learn and help more. Kitchen is a baaad 70's re-do in a 1959 dayranch. Cabinets are cheap melamine, laid out by someone who hated to cook, or maybe hated the cook. Peninsula bisects the space from sink, creating an unused nook area (well, used for recycling and cat dishes...). When dishwasher is open, you have 19 in. of clearance to allow you to squeeze in to the sink. Sideways. Stove is next to fridge, both in main walkway to lower level family room, garage and back yard access.

Layout:

• Dimensions are: 14'3 1/2 " sink wall; 8'8" corner window wall; 7'6" fridge wall (which is framed by door to bsmt/garage on left and doorway (open) to hall on right); 10' 2" facing dining room.
• 8' ceilings; existing soffits will go away.
• We are planning to take down the wall between kitchen/DR, and hope to extend that counter a bit and add a bar to the DR side. I am unsure if we have enough clearance between that new peninsula and the 24" pantry on fridge wall (changed it to a 15" for more space)

Mission Statement (condensed version):

• Plenty of efficient storage (yay, drawers!)
• Counter space for 2 cooks
• Warm, welcoming and non-chaotic, for adults, teen(s), dog and cat
• Modern/mid-century feel without being all retro-y.
• No wasted corner space...I hate corners! I have 2, and am thinking the 36"/Lee valley mod is best, but??
• Keep the natural light in the SE-facing space.

Appliances/finishes:

• Finishes in plan are all placeholders, as I hadn't figured out how to download custom finishes yet.
• Leaning toward Adel MB, but liking Stat, too...etc., etc.
• 30" gas range and 33" french-door fridge already purchased. Full-size DW to come. Would've loved wall ovens, but can't see how to do it in teeny space.
• Gas line will be new, so can be placed in other locations.
• Sink in plan is a placeholder...love the double Domsjo, but need to trade 36" sink cab for some drawer space!

Thanks,

Paula

[bgs]

Re: your sink - my first impression was that the 12" to its left would feel skimpy but the more I looked the better it seems - you'll have easy access from either side and the eating bar would probably work well for staging stuff - if you slide the sink towards the corner you might have problems putting the d/w in a convenient spot that still allows you to get at the sink. The unequal pantries don't bother me at all but if you want a bit more consistency you could put a 12" deep pantry alongside the fridge, opening towards the dining room - then you could put 12" wide doors on the side facing the kitchen (instead of a cover panel) - that would match the two 12" doors on the other pantry (if that's how a 24" pantry is doored).