[urrugne]

I would like advice on the following design I am considering. I would like to use Solar doors with black stone countertops. The basic idea is an open L shape, with a separation between the stem and base, plus an island. The apartment has an open floor plan and the kitchen is a prolongation of the living/dining area, so order and minimal visual distraction are key concerns.

On the base of the L, which is the back wall of the apartment, place the refrigerator about 20 to 25" away from the entry. Moving along that wall, I would like to achieve a "block" effect--symmetrical and harmonious--with all tall cabinets, setting the oven and microwave into one cabinet, or perhaps instead two of them, with those appliances side by side.

Then, turning the corner, on the stem of the L, my idea is from left to right under the countertop: clothesdryer, clotheswasher with cooktop in the countertop directly above, dishwasher, sink, cabinets. Is this possible/reasonable? The stem of the L would be separated from the base, to allow full access to the corner tall cabinet along the back wall. (How much space is necessary for this?) There would be no overhead cabinets on the stem of the L, only the cooktop vent.

The island with only cabinets and drawers would face back towards the wall with the fridge and into the living/dining area. The island would be set aside a column that will have electrical outlets (a structural given), so I had planned on storing and using small appliances there. The drawers facing into the living/dining area would hold napkins, placemats, flatware, plates and glasses.

This layout has walking access into the kitchen area from the living/dining room with the island on the left and the stem of the L on the right. And also from the front door, when turning into the kitchen, the fridge on the left and the island on the right.

The idea of this layout is that the washer and dryer are at the beginning of the stem, closest to the corner, thus hidden visually from the living room. And from the living room, looking into the kitchen, the only things at eye level are the wall of cabinets along the back wall and the cooktop vent on the stem of the L. To make it pretty, maybe paint the back wall a color similar to the floor tile, a graphite gray. That would make the fridge, set about 20-25" inside, and white kitchen cabinets look "framed" inside the graphite-colored space of the wall. The stem wall would be painted the color of the rest of the unit but the back splash (I am thinking of using the tile from the floor, or the same material as the kitchen countertop) would run along just the length of those cabinets up to the height of the vent, again visually "framing" this segment of the kitchen, and providing full access to the tall cabinet in the corner on the back wall.

I'm not a professional designer, so this layout might have some drawbacks. But visually, I think it would give a much more contemporary feel to the unit and still be reasonable in terms of size dedicated to the kitchen area. What do you think?

I am planning this kitchen in the US, 5 hours by car from the nearest Ikea, from where I live which is in the southwest corner of France. Thank you for your help.

[NBeth]

This kitchen sounds dramatic and potentially very good but I admit it's hard to be sure about things when we can't see the layout. Any chance of posting something? Then there are things that might not work here but could work in France--like a cooktop over a washing machine.

I do wonder about the practicalities--we often do wash while we're working on dinner, which would be pretty much impossible in your setup. And I'd worry about grease from the cooking dripping onto the washing machine front, putting my clean clothes in danger, so I'd be cleaning all the time. I prefer to have a rail to hang business shirts, a table to fold, etc.. I currently lack the table but do have the rail. How do you handle those practical concerns?

[urrugne]

Thanks for your reply. I am not so handy with computer graphics, so I wanted to wait until I had something worth my time before trying to produce a layout for posting. Maybe I'll give it a try this afternoon.

What I did do was plot it all out on a grid with a pencil, making sure of the sizes. So now I can be more precise.

The back wall measures 11 1/2 feet (138 inches), not including the doorway. Standing from the living room, looking at this wall there would be from L to R, doorway, an empty wall space of about 24", the fridge, which is 24" wide, another 8" of empty space, then a "block" of 4 tall cabinets in a row, all of the same height: a 16" pull-out pantry, a 24" cabinet with oven, a 24" cabinet with microwave and plate warmer, a 16" cabinet for cleaning utensils (vaccuum, broom, mop, etc.) in the corner.

Then turning the corner, I envision a 24" separation before starting the countertop. Under the counter, again from L to R, 5 units each of 24" width: the clothesdryer, the clotheswasher with induction cooktop in the countertop directly above, a unit with drawer and shelves for cooking utensils, the sink with open space below for garbage container and soap, the dishwasher.

The induction cooktop I saw only said that it needs clearance of 4.5 inches below the cooktop. So if the countertop itself is this thickness, I think this should work, and this placement allows 24" of counterspace on either side of the cooktop. But I am not a professional, so this may be wishful thinking on my part. If this is not doable/advisable, then I think the solution would be to add another cabinet, to the right of the clotheswasher, for the cooktop location?

You ask about cooking splatter and the clothes. Good point. That might be another reason to go on and add this 6th cabinet under the countertop. (Now that I think about it, I have forgotten to leave a space for the water heater, which could go here.)

This layout with 5 undercounter cabinets and the separation between stem and base of the L, measures 13 3/4 feet from the back wall to the end of the countertop. If a 6th cabinet is added, the distance would be 15 3/4 feet. Is this reasonable?

This kitchen is located in a vacation rental. I had envisaged the guests bringing the clothes into the kitchen in a laundry basket, then taking them back to the bedroom for folding once dry. Or folding in the living room (which is a prologation of the kitchen) while talking, or on top of the island--previously wiped-down, of course.

The vacation rental purpose also explains the relatively small amount of space for food storage. People generally buy food, soap in small quantities and mostly eat out. The grocery store is very close.

Thank you again for your help in refining my ideas.

[urrugne]

I have now spent some time trying to work out a postable layout. Am a Mac user. Sorry. Will keep trying.

Have also spent some time reconciling my original layout with the products offered by Ikea USA. A few changes necessary on the back wall. Will now use three 24" tall cabinets in a row to create the "block effect", with the oven in the middle unit, a pull-out cabinet to its left, and a cleaning appliances unit to its right, in the corner.

I see that the oven offered by Ikea is designed to fit into a 24" high cabinet. But I do not see a 24" high cabinet with a space for the oven? Should I buy one with shelves and 2 separate doors, for above and below the space where I install the oven? Are the shelves sturdy enough for the oven installation? Then I had thought of just placing the microwave inside the cabinet with door immediately above the oven, so that the door would muffle the sound. Any issues?

I also see that Ikea does not offer an induction cooktop in the US, so I will look around for a substitute brand or alternative.

Thank you for your guidance.

[Zenoforum]

One thing you can try is to get a piece of paper and draw some lines, meaning a layout of your space, put measures and identify:

- dimensions and position of openings (windows, doors, passages);
- gas, water, heaters, etc.;
- other tings you think is convenient.

Scan it and post a JPG here, maybe someone here will try to translate into the planner.

If you're not used to Sketcup and other graphic aplications, and Mac is all you have, paper and pencil are your best friends.

Zé

[Dave of the Coonties]

Provide measurements (including ceiling height) and someone with a PC might provide you some planning help.

[urrugne]

Fingers crossed, here it is:

[Zenoforum]

Some questions:

- Is there windows?
- What's gonna be the space at the bottom left with a doorway?
- The "Counter only wall" has no doors or windows?
- Is your ceiling only 83" heigth? Cause the tall cabinets are 79 1/2" plus the feet with a minimum of 4" plus the room to move it into its place, that means you'll have to custom make a base or get feet elsewhere, and the plinth too, or cut ikeas one.

Zé

Edition:

The Faktum system has the 195cm tall cabinets with the use of the 4" SS or aluminium legs, making a total of +- 82", the base cabinets are 27 1/2" heigth, but that's not the ones at the USA.

[urrugne]

Zé. Thanks for your reply. Planning a kitchen in the US while living in France is so difficult. But I'm not giving up yet.

To answer your questions:
1. No windows in the kitchen area.
2. I had planned 24" between the doorway and the fridge.
3. Counter-only wall has no doors or windows.
4. The kitchen guy told me 83" ceiling height. Will reconfirm. And also consult with him about a custom base or other legs. Am going to consider this a "solvable" issue for the time being. (Bingo. I based my calcs on Faktum specs, which fit, barely.)

Any other comments/suggestions? Maybe it would be better to center the cooktop over the two 24" cabinets with drawers and the water heater?

I don't see a 24" cabinet specific for a wall oven. Though the Mumsig oven is designed for that purpose. Which is the correct high cabinet for this?

Thanks again for all your help.

[Zenoforum]

In france so my plan must work cause it's cm.

I'm not to inspired too, but tried something.

After it was done I have a question.

Ca the Dryer and Washing Machine move to the fridge wall? And put them stacked, occupying just 24" (60cm)?

That way I would fill that wall with all tall cabinets, appliances, pantry, cleaning, oven, microwave.

Over the sink, dw and right of range the wall cabinets are shorter, they're called "Hood fan Cabinets" of 57cm (+-23" height).

Good luck.

Zé