[mams99]

Maybe this may seem like I'm jumping the gun as the house is not ours, but to know WHAT we can do and what it will cost, helps us plan.

Here is what I have to work with. I've JUST used the IKEA planner for the first time, so bear with me. Some doorways are actually just entryway s and not doors. The room from the dining room goes to the family room. Kitchen cannot expand without a HUGE remodel and that's just not happening.

existing kitchen 1.fpfexisting kitchen 2.fpf



This is what I propose. Again, things aren't lining up quite right, but you can get an idea. I would be moving the slide in stove into the penninsula. Bad idea? Wall of tall behind. Other suggestions (without demolishing walls and windows)?
proposed kitchen 1.fpfproposed kitchen 2.fpfproposed kitchen 3.fpf




The mudroom is 5' behind the kitchen. I will just be adding the corner cabinets. Everything else is already there. The small cabinets are tall shoe cabinets we already have. I'll have to make an entire floor plan to show the flow.

mudroom.fpf

[karen51]

I like it.

1. I think the range in the peninsula is a good solution. I have a friend with this basic arrangement and it works very well for her since it allows her to cook and talk to people on the other side of the peninsula at the same time. Hers has seating on the other side, but she has more space.

2. I might put the fridge in between the two cabinets. Not for any functional reason--I just like the look of cabinets on either side of the appliances.

3. Why did you switch the dishwasher and sink? I ask because the same friend with the cooktop in the peninsula did the exact opposite. She moved the dishwasher to be nearer to the dish cabinet (corner) and the silverware drawer (in the base cabinet next to the wall of tall. She thought it was inefficient the other way. I don't have an opinion--I'm just curious.

Karen

[mams99]

The reason I switched the dishwasher and sink is that I would have more continuous counter space this way. I do a lot of from scratch cooking and baking, so a large work area is key.

If I leave the stove where it is, two things happen, One, i can't get a wider refrigerator without the stove and fridge touching. and we need the french door configuration as we are joining households with my MIL and those single doors with bottom freezers are great as the doors hold so much, but they make that door really heavy and opening and closing that door is an issue. So, two doors would be easier.

I am a bit worried about a slide in range there though, but that space is so small it's hard to shuffle things around without a HUGE expense and I would never get myhusband to agree. Like having the range where the dishwasher sink is would be great, but that involves moving plumbing, removing a window and so on. My husband would balk.

	MIL definition MIL means Mother In Law

[karen51]

That makes complete sense. I wasn't thinking about the countertop workspace, which is definitely at a premium.

I really think the range in the peninsula will be fine. How high is the half-wall behind the range?

[mams99]

Right now there isn't. I did move in the kitchen from 9' wide to 8.5" wide so that there would be room to putting a halfway behind it without impeding on dining space. I don't need a 30" cab for a sink, 24" is fine.

I would probably run the granite over the 1/2 wall si that it would be even, but overhanging the back of the oven 6".

I just tried a differen configuration where the stove would be in the center of the U . But wouldn't I have to remove a window for that? That would be more costly with moving piping for the dishwasher and sink though.

[dafogle]

I'd ditch the upper corner cabinet and just put another wall cabinet in that ends at the wall. I don't like the look of the corner cabinet with nothing next to it ...

Doreen

[NBeth]

For safety I'd like to see 12" behind the cooktop or a little wall. The little wall takes less room. Otherwise, it should work.

[karen51]

I think code says no stoves under windows that open, but I am by no means an expert. It's not an option in my kitchen so it's not something I've worried about.

It looks from the drawings like you could afford to make the peninsula a little longer if you wanted to increase your workspace. Speaking of that, my friend's similar kitchen has an asymmetrically placed cooktop. The space to the left is maybe 15. She doesn't have a cabinet to the right, so the edge of the cooktop is 24" from the wall. You could use a smaller cabinet to the left and a larger one to the right...

[karen51]

Originally Posted by NBeth

For safety I'd like to see 12" behind the cooktop or a little wall. The little wall takes less room. Otherwise, it should work.

I'd go with the little wall too. Along with safety it provides an easy place to put the required electrical outlet. Plus I guarantee that I would knock things off the backside of the counter without either sufficient space or a barrier.

[mams99]

I keep playing around with it and I just can't find a way to make it more efficient. That blind corner, if I put in a 49" wide cab, then means that I have to put the stove next to the fridge - not happening. If I make it 36" blind corner, it's exactly as it is now - it better be stuff I never need as it will be a HUGE pain to get to things.

I'm just not comfortable with the stove out there like that. I have a klutzy son and a 4 year old.

The other problem is, with this house, the formal dining room dining room and living room is being converted into an in-law suite for my MIL . The butler's pantry is being converted in an expanded bathroom (right now a half bath is behind the butler's pantry). My husband also wants to remove the closet in the dining room (lower left corner, not shown) to make it more open... So...losing a pantry and a butler's pantry is HUGE.

So... I'm torn, do we just live with what's there (replacing the counter) as I can't do much more than what's there for configuring the space?

Anyone have any better ideas?

	MIL definition MIL means Mother In Law