How to design kitchen with 3 doors + windows?
We are trying to redesign our kitchen to give us more counter and cabinet space, while trying to open it up as well. The challenge is the need for 3 access points and the window placement.
Two of the doors are not moveable. The door on the "D" wall is required and that wall is a supporting exterior wall. The door on "A" is access to the basement and opens to an immediate step down.
We would like to take "B" out to create an open plan into the dining room while also keeping a peninsula or island counter there.
Currently the fridge sits in the alcove between A & D
The stove sits in the middle of B
The sink is below the window on C.
We are looking for ideas! The space seems small to do all that we want to do.
The included image is to scale.
Any help would be appreciated it.
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Hey Tim, one way to open it up would be to cut a opening type window in wall B which would allow an opening and light though, you could then just move appliances around, put a narrow countertop on the bottom of the window to make it functional You could also just expand the opening into the dining room by widening the doorway.
You could also change D to a french door or patio door allowing more light in. You could also change your stove to a countertop style with in wall oven near the fridge, this would allow a long counter space on wall B with the opening cut in it
Consider making your island something that can be moved. Mine is a freestanding cabinet and you could convert a piece of furniture or get it to match cabinets (mine doesn’t). When you want the space open, the piece can be moved or turned.
There are many ways to rearrange this space. Taking out the wall will give you more options, like adding an island. I wonder if the alcove where the refrigerator is would make a good pantry? Have you considered taking your diagram to a kitchen design store? They will often give you ideas free of charge.
I agree that a moveable island would be a great idea. Have you tried playing around on a site like this on? You can try different kitchen designs...
https://www.roomsketcher.com/
Hello Tim,
Can you fill in the gap in he A area to give you more floor space? then you could get rid of the door down to the basement in the kitchen area. Does the door in the Dining room
leading out go to the Basement also? Could you Move over the dividing wall between Kitchen and Dining room by 9" ? If you closed off the door from the Dining room going out, could you then use the back wall of the dining room for cabinet storage?
Have a contractor see if that wall can be removed. If it is load bearing you will need a heavy beam there. Then you would be able to put a nice Island in. It is going to depend on how much you want to spend. Because if you could take that wall down and then move the plumbing on the D side of the wall you will be able to put the island facing "B" I would definitely put a pantry in the alcove. There are so many possibilities. Ikea offers free planning as does Lowes and Home Depot, take pictures and plans they will be able to help.
I think I would get a kitchen designer to help me out they see ways to do things we don't always see
Wall B is not weight bearing, the ceiling is currently torn up and I can see that for sure. the wall is only anchored in 3 places with nails. One contractor called it a floating wall.
What is more important to you, or what suits your household lifestyle more:
-having a kitchen with 'eat in' facilities? for how many persons?
-having a separate dining room with a traditional table and chairs set?
-both are equally as important?
A traditional dining set with table and chairs takes up a great deal of floor space without giving any storage. Conventional tables are not comfortable height for standing and working, as many kitchen tasks require. A more modern kitchen look with higher height chairs or stools allows for lower level storage, and also provides a working countertop surface with a 'back saving' comfortable height.
If you feel you would like to dispense with a formal dining room, then I would suggest that you design your new larger kitchen with at least 2 islands, designated into task zones. For example, one island is a sitting and eating island, and one island is a food preparation island with electricity and a mini sink. If you enjoy baking, then designate one island as a baking island, near to the oven, with baking racks and tools stored below.
These are some great ideas! We do want to keep the dining area for traditional table/chairs as we do a lot of hosting of large groups. Our dining room table comfortably seats 12 people. We want to maximize the kitchen area for food prep/baking/cooking but are ok expanding slightly into the dining room area.
We added a kitchen many years ago and opened it into the old small kitchen area. Configuring it was tough, melding old and new. The best advice I have is to go to Lowe's, Home Depot and two small custom kitchen stores and see everyone's designs and pick the elements of each you like best. Then go with the least expensive. ;)
Could you flip the kitchen with the dining room? Then you can have a huge kitchen with island. A table in the centre of the current kitchen won’t get in the way of the doors and windows.
Suggest you do cutouts of your appliances, sink, etc. drawn to scale and shuffle around. I would change the small area where your fridge is into a pantry.
Move stove to the end of the 11'-5 wall on the right. That will still give you room to open up wall B. Make sure B is not a supporting wall or plan to shore it up still leaving a larger opening. Kitchen island can then run east to west closer to the sink so you can prep foods and closer to the stove. Removing most of wall B while still leaving room for the stove in the bottom right of the kitchen and give you a ton of room to navigate into the dining area.
making your island something that can be moved. Mine is a freestanding cabinet and you could convert a piece of furniture or get it to match cabinets (mine doesn’t). When you want the space open, the piece can be moved or turned.
Make sure wall B is not load bearing before removing it. A structural engineer will answer that. Move the sink to the peninsula and that will free up your ability to redesign.