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brittany_bolduc

help with kitchen remodel layout

brittany bolduc
15 days ago

We are remodeling our kitchen in an older custom home. This is what has been drawn up so far. I don’t mind it but I’m worried about the function with the sink so far from the fridge and was hoping the additional wall oven would be closer to the range. The peninsula will be extra wide to accommodate the sink and also have a space for seating. The island is small and won’t accommodate the sink or the range. Any suggestions?

Comments (13)

  • dan1888
    15 days ago

    A 2D floorplan of the whole floor with readable measurements is necessary for good ideas. You can use graph paper to draw it to scale.

  • herbflavor
    14 days ago
    last modified: 14 days ago

    the island and the 3rd wall are both shallow depth which is limiting you in this plan because you have these TWO areas but they are BOTH LIMITED in use due to the shallower dimension you show...... Often the extra oven stack would be placed on the third wall in a layout like this. then the fridge skooches to the right and maybe a 2nd sink in that upper corner. the 3rd wall is limiting what can be done w your island...... is another way of looking at this....... would you like to be able to do more w the island? I would adjust things. Not sure where you would be willing to. You have space.....the plan could be improved.....bring some dimensions.

  • PRO
    RappArchitecture
    14 days ago

    It's hard to tell without measurements, but your distance between fridge and sink looks to be about the same as ours and it's never been a problem for us. If there is a window over your sink I would leave it where it is. But I think there are other issues, primarily that hard to use corner next to the fridge. And the island as shown seems too small to be usable.


    As others have said, a dimensioned floor plan is really necessary for you to get the best advice.

  • brittany bolduc
    Original Author
    14 days ago

    Thank you. I didn’t realize it posted twice. I will delete the additional post.

  • Buehl
    14 days ago

    Since you deleted the other post with the questions...here they are again.

    How wide are the following aisles:

    1. Range's oven handle to island counter edge?
    2. Refrigerator handle to island counter edge?
    3. Sink counter edge to island counter edge?
    4. Counter edge on the far right wall to island counter edge?
    5. Counter edge on the far right wall to the wall the ovens are located on (it appears to stick out past the oven cabinet)?


    In addition,

    • How deep & wide is the island, including counter overhangs?
    • How deep will the peninsula be, including the seating overhang?


    The measurements will determine how to answer your questions.


  • Buehl
    14 days ago

    Actually, I just checked and the other post is still there.

  • brittany bolduc
    Original Author
    14 days ago

    It won’t let me delete it on the app and when I login to the page it is not showing this post for me to delete the additional unfortunately.

  • brittany bolduc
    Original Author
    14 days ago

    Here is the space we have to work with measurements. Measurements include counter overhang. Thank you. I have looked at this so many ways.
    We have a large family and host a lot so the two full ovens is ideal but we are thinking maybe a 48 inch range to save wall space?

    Answers to above:
    oven handle to island 48 inches
    Fridge handle to island 43 inches (fridge, wall oven, and microwave drawer on that wall will be set back to counter depth taking some of the walk in pantry)
    Sink edge to island counter edge 48 inches
    Island is 48 wide 36 deep (thinking this will be prep space with room under for beverage fridge?)
    Peninsula 48 inches deep.

    Currently there is a sink along the back wall (the 12 ft. space)

  • dan1888
    14 days ago

    Still hard to figure things without more of the floorplan for traffic flow, windows and more. You can dig out the old ruler to go with this good graph paper. Options may include dropping the peninsula in favor of a larger island if the wall on the living room side can be removed. More floorplan in needed.

  • Buehl
    14 days ago

    Regarding Prep Zone:

    Prep Zones work best when the prep workspace is directly adjacent to a sink - prep sink or cleanup sink and either next to or directly across the aisle from the Cooking Zone, which contains a range/cooktop. The trash pullout should either be in the Prep Zone or immediately adjacent to it. [Far more trash & recycling is created when prepping than any other task, and for a much longer period of time since 70% of the work done in the Kitchen is prepping (preparing a meal, making a sandwich, etc.)]


    Work Zone & Other Info:

    Prep Zone...This is the zone where food preparation takes place. Food prep can be anything from making a sandwich to preparing a multi-course meal. It includes cleaning/rinsing food, cutting, mixing, processing, etc.

    For many people, especially those with small kitchens, their Prep Zone is also their Baking Center for rolling out dough, etc.

    70% of the work and time spent in the kitchen is spent prepping. It's the most often used and longest used zone in your kitchen! So, this zone should be placed in the most desirable place – where you will want to work and will enjoy working.

    This zone works best when it contains a water source (sink) and is next to or directly across an aisle no more than 48" or so wide from the Cooking Zone.

    • Trash & recycle bins should also be in the Prep Zone. More trash and recyclables are generated during prepping and cooking and for much longer work time than cleaning up, so place the trash/recycling in the Prep Zone and near the Cooking Zone.
    • It should have a minimum of 36" of counter space (with at least 42" much, much better) that is next to a sink that is uninterrupted by the Cleanup Zone (dirty dish "storage" or DW).
    • If you have only one sink, then the Prep Zone is on the side of the sink opposite from the DW. (The DW side of the sink is the Cleanup Zone in this scenario.)

    .

    Cooking Zone...This is the zone where you take the food you've already prepped and apply heat...cooktop, oven, microwave (MW).

    Only 10% of the work and time spent in the kitchen is spent actually cooking (watching food cook, stirring, adding ingredients). This is the least used Zone, relatively speaking. Think about it, you usually don't spend the entire time standing in front of your oven or cooktop watching your food cook. Sure, there are some things that do have to be stirred constantly, but most things do not. And even then, you usually still spend more time prepping before you begin cooking.

    This is the zone that should be the most protected from traffic, especially traffic that's "just passing through".

    This zone works best when next to/across from the Prep Zone (see Prep Zone). It's also nice to have a water source as well as trash & recycling nearby. Note that a pot-filler does not count as a water source since pot-fillers do not have a drain, a sink bowl, or access to both hot and cold water.

    .

    Cleanup Zone...This is the zone where the dirty dishes are handled! Tasks include clearing the table and counters, loading the dishwasher (DW), wiping down the table and counters, sweeping the floor, unloading the DW, etc. Since the DW is in this zone, it also includes unloading the DW, so Dish Storage should be nearby – more on this later.

    20% of the work and time spent in the kitchen is spent cleaning up – most of which is not spent at the sink (see above).

    [In the past -- pre automatic DWs -- far more time was spent cleaning up because all dishes were done by hand. Today, the majority of dishes are washed in the DW and, with today's DWs & DW detergents, dishes don't even need to be rinsed - just scrape & load! So, the amount of time spent in this zone is far less today! BTW, this is where the paradigm of "the sink must be in front of a window" came from – back when so much time was spent hand washing & drying dishes as well as prepping). Today, it makes more sense to have the Prep Zone in front of window or in the most preferred view/location.]

    This zone works best when separated from the Prep & Cooking Zones. This can be on the opposite side of a one-sink kitchen from the Prep Zone or it could be in a completely separate location (the latter usually only works well if you have two sinks). Obviously, it also needs a water source and the DW.

    .

    Dish Storage...works best when it's near the DW and near the serving/eating locations (island, DR, Nook, etc.) but out of the Prep and Cooking Zones. You don't want someone setting the table or unloading the DW to get in your way when preparing a meal or cooking.

    .

    Zone-crossing - avoid!...When planning zones, etc., try to minimize zone-crossing. For example, if you can avoid it, don't put the refrigerator such that you have to cross through the Cleanup Zone to go between the refrigerator and the Prep or Cooking Zone. Sometimes you cannot avoid a bit of zone-crossing, but keep it to a minimum. Aisle widths also factor in here -- if there will be zone-crossing, be sure your aisles are on the wider side -- I recommend at least 48", even if this is a one-person Kitchen.

    .

    Protection...of all the zones, the Cooking Zone should be the most protected from through-traffic as well as general-kitchen traffic. The Cooking Zone contains the range/cooktop where you will be dealing with fire (if gas), hot foods, etc. You also do not want to have to cross a busy aisle when taking a pot of boiling water from the range/cooktop to the sink for emptying...or anything else hot, for that matter!

    .

    Kitchen Workflow...When designing your kitchen, ideally, the zones should follow the normal/usual workflow in a kitchen:

    Refrigerator => (Prep) Sink => Workspace => Cooktop/Range => Table OR (Cleanup) Sink => (Cleanup) Sink => Cabinets (dishes, pots/pans, etc.)

    Which translates to:

    Refrigerator => Prep Zone => Cooking Zone => Serving Zone => Cleanup Zone

    You don't necessarily have to have this exact flow, but something very close.



  • Buehl
    14 days ago
    last modified: 14 days ago

    I know this is a lot, but we really need the following (taken from the "New to Kitchens? Read Me First!"):

    Please post a fully-measured layout of the space under consideration and a sketch of the entire floor. Both can be either hand-drawn, computer generated, or drawn up with computer/app tools.

    By "fully-measured", we mean a layout with the widths of each wall/window/door/doorway and the distances between each wall/window/door/doorway labeled. See a sample below. If something cannot be moved or changed, label it precisely on your layout (see post in sample) and tell us why it cannot be moved/changed -- we may have some ideas for you.

    The sketch of the entire floor lets us see how the Kitchen relates to the rest of the home. It doesn't have to be to-scale, but it should accurately show how the rooms relate to each other and should include all interior & exterior doors. In addition, it will help us see how traffic flows in, around, and through the Kitchen. Label the front entry and family entry. The family entry is usually a garage or side entry, but it might not be. It's helpful to know which door you use to bring in groceries.

    Regardless of how you draw it up (by hand, computer, etc.), please be sure all measurements are labeled. (Note: Computer generated layouts often lack key measurements and, sometimes, measure to/from things like the middle of a wall or the middle of a window. Neither are useful. Measure each item and the distances between each item.)

    Other questions...

    • Tell us about you and your family and how you plan to use your Kitchen. All-adults? Empty Nesters? Children (now or in the future)?
    • What appliances (& their sizes) do you plan to have?
    • Where are you flexible? Can walls/windows/doors/doorways change (move, change size, add, delete)?
    • Do you have a basement under the Kitchen or are you on a slab?


    The above and more are discussed in the Layout Help FAQ.



  • herbflavor
    14 days ago
    last modified: 14 days ago

    i think I might push the island idea over and attach it to the end of peninsula for a "cockpit" or G shape. Push your main sink over so at least 18-24 inches for this arm or G shape to be configured. then with the island out of the middle make the 3rd wall deeper for the oven stack and then continue 15 inch depth for coffee bar cabinetry. then the fridge can skooch into the vertical oven spot .....or to the right and that upper corner can possibly get the 2nd small sink......

    close to the coffee bar and fridge.... always good ....if no 2nd sink then that corner is better for use , regardless. This adustment of things seems the best with ability to better use your third wall...still having the island in theory but just hook it to the peninsula.......can 2 stools be placed there w backs to living room??? not sure how much overhang you would desire.....


    this is a nice sized arm added to their peninsula...figure out how many inches of your island you could attach and extend from peninsula........2nd photo they got a "mini" cockpit even in a smaller kitchen...I guess they wanted a stool. You are not limited in space.

    The Rectory Kitchen · More Info


    Small G Shaped Kitchen · More Info


  • artistsharonva
    10 days ago
    last modified: 10 days ago

    - 48" in front of appliances have to open & stand in front of to use.

    -avoid putting tall cabinets/appliances too close to a corner or it will cause a hard to reach corner

    - the diagonal corner door will not open fully

    - probably need a spcaaer filler between fridge & double oven for door clearances

    (check appliance installation manuals for door clearances)

    sketch of areas of concern mentioned above


    Here's a quick sketch that may work.

    No peninsula , longer island instead, maybe put sink & dw in island, but ideally on wall

    if space allows

    Put the taller cabinets/ appliances on the ends of the cabinet lines.






    Hope this info helps.