Hi everyone, we are currently considering a kitchen renovation and would appreciate feedback on two designs. Our kitchen is a 2.67 x 2.54 small u shape, with no pantry, no dishwasher, and no microwave provision. We have 2 corner cupboards that we despise.
Our floor plan is below. With both options we are planning to put in a 900 wide pantry in the laundry, as we have been unable to fit a pantry in the kitchen at all.
The two plans are below, with each design we have tried to ensure that when the dishwasher is open the sink, bin, and draws are still accessible:
My biggest concern with option 1 is is the void in the corner - I feel like we are loosing too much space.
Option 2 will steal around 4cm from the dining room.
Any other advise and suggestions are very welcome.
Is there anything nice outside the window to look at?
I'm probably not going to be much help.
But I would bring the oven close to the fridge.
Keep the dishwasher next to the sink. Move the bin to the end of the island bench.
Is there anything nice outside the window to look at?
Yes, it looks out to the backyard
Is there anything nice outside the window to look at?
Yes, it looks out to the backyard
I think we spend more time preparing meals than washing dishes (especially if you have a dishwasher), so I wonder why we always put the sink under the window. Remove that tradition and you might be able to change it up completely.
I think what is important is to understand the sequence of operations:
1) we take food from the fridge and bring it to the cutting area, ideally without the need to walk around open fridge door. Which side exactly will be your main cutting area? But also all or some food needs to be washed before cutting is done. So sink needs to be relatively close to the main cutting area too. It makes sense to have some plates, trays, etc. around your cutting area too, as you will be needing those. Also, different food processing machines including mixers, kettle, etc. need to be located somewhere close to your main cutting area, too.
2) another scenario, we get our cooking dishes (e.g. pans, pots, etc.) and putting them on hob - so it makes sense to store those dishes as close as possible to the oven;
3) then, we move processed, cut foot from the main cutting area into the oven. If you are right handed, then ideally the oven needs to be located to the right from the cutting area, otherwise, it won't be very convenient (do some tests in your current kitchen to understand).
4) when we take out food from the oven or when we have done main cutting - we put dirty dishes into the sink. So ideally, sink has to be located to the right side from the oven, if you are right handed, or to the left if you are left handed.
3) then (sometime later) we take some or all of those dirty dishes and load them into dishwasher. So dishwasher needs to be close to sink. We also bring dirty plates from dining area and store them either in the sink or place them into dishwasher. We would need then to dry them out and have drying area somewhere close to the dishwasher too.
4) bin needs to be located as close as possible to the cutting area as well as to the sink (but less important if you have garbage disposal under the sink), so we put away packaging and food cuts to the bin without walking through half of the kitchen.
Think about layout in this context, draw your layout on A4 sheets of paper and do some testing. You will be "feeling" what works and what doesn't straight away.
I would suggest losing the U layout, and extending your kitchen out into the meals area. This will give you much bigger living and cooking spaces.
Your dining table can then double as an island bench or extra work space.