Browse Forums Kitchen Corner 1 Jan 22, 2013 1:49 pm I have attached a layout of my kitchen and butler's pantry, I am after suggestions, improvements, opinions ... any ideas at all. We are trying to out out the best layout for the kitchen - where to have pot drawers vs cupboards, where to place the dishwasher, sinks - whether to have one or two in the pantry and the island bench. I need major help with the pantry, what are people's opinions on leaving it as open shelving vs cupboards and drawers? We were thinking of having stone benches in a white, with light gold / beige 2 pac doors/drawers. A clear glass splash back with white paint behind it, and spotted gum flooring. http://www.cartergrangetiledesign.com.a ... oom_type=2. However it did look much nicer in person (and not with the spotted splash back tiles. We are also thinking of no handles in the kitchen. My plans are attached below, we are planning on having overhead cupboards along the wall ... the more storage the better! Thoughts, opinions, experiences ... anyone? Re: Please help with my Kitchen Layout 2Jan 22, 2013 2:54 pm Try this thread for ideas. viewtopic.php?f=16&t=62379&p=970543&e=970543 I would say only open shelves in the pantry. Crazy opening a door to open more doors to get a can of tomatoes. Re: Please help with my Kitchen Layout 3Jan 22, 2013 3:02 pm I can't see plans on my mobile. But I agree def open shelves in the pantry! Re: Please help with my Kitchen Layout 4Jan 22, 2013 3:06 pm Finally worked out where the plans are The back of your kitchen looks really long, I would have the stove and sink on that side so the island is clear for socialising and food prep. It also means your dirty dishes aren't on the island on display. My sink is on the island only because my back bench isn't long enough to have good space between it and the stove. Though the more I think about it you could put the dishwasher and double sink in the pantry and just have a single sink in the island, then you can use it to wash food while you are doing food prep but can hide the dirty dishes away... Some of it will depend on your lifestyle.... Do you entertain, do you mainly just cook for your family etc. Re: Please help with my Kitchen Layout 5Jan 22, 2013 3:09 pm LeanneR the photo is here http://www.flickr.com/photos/92421688@N07/8403391811 If your phone can see it. I would have the breakfast bar With no sink. I use mine as a buffet/ eat on/ lean on Wouldn't want a sink and dirty dishes there. Re: Please help with my Kitchen Layout 7Jan 22, 2013 3:19 pm It's in his signature. If your phone doesn't show his signature, you won't see the link. Re: Please help with my Kitchen Layout 8Jan 22, 2013 3:39 pm Thanks for the great ideas, we have spoken about putting the double sink and dishwasher in the pantry, however my husband said there may not be enough room. Will have to suggest to him about putting the sinks on the back wall though. We have decided to put a small bar fridge at the end of the bench, facing out onto the alfresco area. Hubby is Greek, so lots of entertaining - big family get togethers. So love the idea of having a totally clear and usable island bench. We don't have a door feomt he kitchen to pantry, but the idea is to do as much food prep in there as possible. We just have to consider room as it is the garage entry point - was thinking this would be handy in putting away groceries. Re: Please help with my Kitchen Layout 9Jan 22, 2013 3:45 pm Another idea is watch other people. When you visit watch how they use the space, what is good what possibly isn't as practical. I based our kitchen to an extent on a family member. They do most of their food prep on the island while we sit with a glass of wine and chat, the single sink to one end of the island means they can do everything in the one spot, clean food, wash hands and get it all ready to cook and still be part of the action. They then have a double sink to one side of the kitchen, which you hardly notice. They use that sink for doing the dishes and that's where their dishwasher is. Their kitchen is similar to yours but they don't have the walk in pantry but beaches down that side of the kitchen which is where the sink and dishwasher is. Re: Please help with my Kitchen Layout 10Jan 22, 2013 3:48 pm We don't have a door to our pantry , love it! So easy to go in and out. And natural light is in there from the kitchen so you don't need to turn lights on all the time. I have my stove and sink on the back bench. Easy to drain stuff into the sink etc I like it. I did see you have to go via pantry every time you use your car. It might drive you nuts, but not much you can do. Keep the pantry as slim line and as easy storage as poss so groceries can be dumped on the bench in there and put away straight away. A bench in there is a must, too small for a sink I feel. If you entertain a lot maybe dishwasher on back bench and one dish drawer in pantry ? Have good storage in your island. I would do at least 6 drawers ...at least. Some deep for pots and Tupperware, some smaller for cutlery. Make the island really work hard. Re: Please help with my Kitchen Layout 11Jan 22, 2013 3:54 pm Though off the topic slightly, is your garage going to be for two cars? It may be a little narrow. Ours is 6x6 external and 5.9x5.7 internal and we had to sign at an early stage that we were happy with the size because it isn't particularly large... I'm no expert as I've never had a garage before but might be worth looking at the measurements. Re: Please help with my Kitchen Layout 12Jan 22, 2013 4:25 pm Would it be workable to have the dishwasher and a single sink on the back bench (to rinse dishes before going in the washer, to strain off food when cooking), towards the pantry end (as close to the pantry as we could get; and then just the single sink at the end of the island bench - we are quite often making salads and things whilst guest are visiting. Re: Please help with my Kitchen Layout 13Jan 22, 2013 4:28 pm You can do it whichever way suits you. I do think that if you plan on doing prep and things while you have guests in the island a small sink will be useful, you don't want to be walking backwards and forwards just to do simple things like wash your hands. Re: Please help with my Kitchen Layout 14Jan 22, 2013 4:29 pm sure, why not, your kitchen!! like fmac said, if thats how you live, DO IT esp a small sink. perfect Re: Please help with my Kitchen Layout 15Jan 22, 2013 4:33 pm fmac Though off the topic slightly, is your garage going to be for two cars? It may be a little narrow. Ours is 6x6 external and 5.9x5.7 internal and we had to sign at an early stage that we were happy with the size because it isn't particularly large... I'm no expert as I've never had a garage before but might be worth looking at the measurements. I didn't even think to look at the size of the garage ... Just checked out the plans to the house we are currently living in, the garage is the exact width as our current house and 50cm longer. We currently store both cars in our garage, so it should be an issue. Thanks for the tip Re: Please help with my Kitchen Layout 16Jan 22, 2013 4:35 pm That makes me feel better as I was worried ours might end up too narrow, we don't have big cars Re: Please help with my Kitchen Layout 17Jan 22, 2013 4:50 pm That bench along the wall looks rather long. Do you mind having a join in you stone? Re: Please help with my Kitchen Layout 18Jan 22, 2013 5:00 pm fmac That makes me feel better as I was worried ours might end up too narrow, we don't have big cars We have a Holden Ute and a VW Golf in there at the moment and there is plenty of room. Before the Golf we did have a Toyota Kluger in there with the Ute - so decent sized cars will fit. SmithiesWife That bench along the wall looks rather long. Do you mind having a join in you stone? My hubby is very upset about the join in the stone, but I am hoping that we can get away with it not being too noticeable, we do have a join in the stone bench we have now (as it is L-shaped) and most of the time you can't notice it. I think hubby has his mind set in a stand alone oven, so maybe that will combat the need for a join???? Re: Please help with my Kitchen Layout 19Jan 22, 2013 5:03 pm Should do. Over 3 mets is it, where a join has to go? Or is it 2.5? Come on smithieswife, what's the right answer. Re: Please help with my Kitchen Layout 20Jan 22, 2013 5:09 pm Depends on the stone. Essastone is over 3.05m and granite can vary but I was told by a rep over here that it is 2.5m. Apparently whether you can see the join mostly comes down to the quality of the trades person who fits it. We are putting a wall oven in with cupboards above and drawers below to reduce the size of our bench. You never have a fridge against wall as you’ve drawn. 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