RenovationsKitchen Layout – Maximizing Function August 4, 2015Welcome to the second day of Kitchen Week here on the blog! Today, we’re talking function and layout. The biggest goal with our new kitchen layout was function. I always think about the pretty first, so making myself stop and lay this space out well was difficult. The first key with laying out a kitchen is placing the appliances. I can’t even count how many possible layouts we went through. While this is a decent sized space, trying to fit two doors in this kitchen really takes a toll. The exterior door has to be in the right corner of the kitchen for several different reasons. The land outside drops off as you approach the living room and we really wanted you to be able to walk right out and not go down stairs. And once we added the office/playroom, that door had to be off the kitchen as well. We thought this was the final layout plan (not perfectly to scale, but close). But once the space was actually framed out and we actually started looking at cabinet sizes and thinking about storage, we realized it wasn’t going to work. We moved the office/playroom doorway to the other end of the kitchen right by the exterior door. Then, we shortened the dining room slightly to add more cabinet space. Here’s why we made that ultimate decision: We tried every layout we could think of and we realized that every option had some sort of sacrifice involved. We considered moving the refrigerator to the sink wall, but based off of the window that had already been placed (we’ve been planning to put the sink there forever), the fridge would’ve nearly run into the couch in the living room. I really didn’t want that. That meant the refrigerator had to be on the stove wall. In order to have the stove and fridge there and not have 18″ cabinets only, we shortened the dining room meaning that my built-in plans for the room had to go. It was sad because I was so excited about built-ins with a banquette in between. But, the kitchen and living rooms are more important to me. It’s always a trade-off! Plus the dining room will still be an okay size and I’m readjusting my plans for that space. One thing I LOVE about this plan is that the stove is centered on the wall, creating a really pretty view. Not an issue of functionality, I know, but it had to be noted! I wanted to talk a little bit today about cabinet planning because that was such a big part of our process AND it’s key to having a really well-functioning kitchen. We considered so many different options for kitchen cabinets: from IKEA to custom. We ended up finding a custom guy that was reasonable that we really liked. Plus, we have some interesting dimensions in places, so to really maximize storage, custom was the best option to get the kitchen we wanted. My advice for laying out and planning a kitchen is to make a numbered list of all of the things you need to store in the kitchen. Then, write those numbers in on your layout thinking about what would fit where/whether you’d need drawers or shelves, etc. That process really helped me decide how I want the space to work. Think about how you’ll use it. What needs to be near the dishwasher, etc. I really thought through how many we have of everything and made sure we have a place to store every little thing. I numbered the cabinets in this layout so that I could really break down what is going where and how we’ll use the space. 1: 20″ 4-drawer cabinet with silverware in top drawer (near dishwasher), a utility drawer, aluminum foil, etc. 2: 40″ Cabinet with large spice drawer up top and two doors below hiding dividers for cutting boards, baking sheets, etc. 3: 40″ Cabinet with large shallow drawer up top for cooking utensils and two deeper drawers below for pots and pans. 4: 18″ Pull-out for trash 5: 18″ Pull-out for recycling 6: 18″ Cabinet with one door hiding a shelves inside for miscellaneous cups and dishes we won’t display on open shelves 7: 30″ Cabinet with shallow drawer up top and two deeper drawers below for Tupperware, baby bottles and feeding supplies, baking dishes, etc. Keep in mind we also have the walk-in pantry. It’s small, but there will be a cabinet for some storage. We’ll also be putting the microwave in there as well. It’s amazing how living in your current kitchen really shapes what you want. I LOVE our kitchen, but friends gave us the cabinets. It was so gracious and it really is amazing how well they fit in the space! But we didn’t plan out any of the storage. I love to cook these days and spices are my thing, so big and easy spice storage was important to me. We went with more large pull-out drawers than we currently have to make pots and pans, etc., more accessible. And it’s sad how excited I am about the trash and recycling pull-outs! Right now, we just have our trash can stuck under the sink, so I’m always getting it out while I cook and constantly trying to shove it back under when Gracie decides something smells appetizing. Now, it’ll be an easy pull out, push back situation. One thing you may notice that’ll give you a clue about our design is that there are zero upper cabinets listed on this layout! Nor did I list where our dishes will go! I’ll be sticking with the open shelving concept we currently have in our kitchen. We’ve absolutely loved it! It’s so pretty, but I love having all of our cups and every-day dishes so handy. I know some will say that’s compromising function because it isn’t maximizing storage. But for me, I love open kitchens with shelving, art, etc. on the walls. As you can see above, I went through in-depth planning making sure that we weren’t sacrificing much-needed storage space just for my desired aesthetic. But it also really helped us in the budget department! We never could’ve afforded custom cabinets if we added uppers. So, we would’ve added storage, but would’ve been sacrificing the quality and layout of the whole kitchen. I can’t wait to cook in this space! Up tomorrow, I’m sharing the kitchen elevation. It’s tied to layout, but I think seeing sketches of how it’ll look (before you put colors and finishes to it) is helpful to see. *** To follow our renovation journey every step of the way, make sure you subscribe to posts! They come straight to your inbox when posted. And you can catch up on any renovation updates you missed here:
amandaH says August 4, 2015 at 5:36 pm I loved this post! I actually LOVE floor plans, even more than design. It’s so fun hearing about the layout. I have to say that the back door seemed like it was in an awkward place until you moved the playroom door. Now it seems to all make sense! Looking great and fun to watch! Reply
Lindsay says August 5, 2015 at 9:21 am Yes, the doors have screwed us up big time! Big we’ve realized in doing this design that there are going to be trade-offs. Everything we change screws something else up, hahaha! The back door placement will make MAJOR sense with the layout of the backyard, though! Reply
Holly Sharp says August 6, 2015 at 12:56 pm Hey cute girl! The new house is gonna be gorgeous! I love all your ideas and how practical yall are at implementing them. I don’t want to be a total Debbie downer, but i do have one suggestion for yall to think through. In my parents’ house, the trash can is on the opposite side of the island from their sink, like yall have planned. I get that it’s closer to the eating, but it always drives me nuts when I’m at their house that the trash is so far away from the sink! it’s probably totally a personal preference thing, but I thought I’d throw it out there in case you hadn’t thought of it. hope you’re doing well! Reply
Lindsay says August 6, 2015 at 10:01 pm I appreciate that Holly! I’ll definitely give it some thought. It’s funny…here it’s under our sink and away from the stove and I HATE that, ahhaha….maybe I’ll hate it the other way too. Too funny! Reply
Corinna - A Designer At Home says August 8, 2015 at 5:46 pm This helps a lot! the big remodel we are tackling this year is the bathroom but I want to do the kitchen next year and I’m already brainstorming. Thanks! Reply
Traci says February 23, 2017 at 11:24 pm Hi there! Just found your blog on the kitchen renovation. I love it!! I am planning mine and had a question about the distance between the stove area and the island. How many feet/inches is it and does it feel comfortable? Also how many feet is it from the wall where the stove is to the end of the island and what kind of clearance space is needed behind the chairs? thank you! Reply
Lindsay says February 27, 2017 at 9:24 am Hi Traci! So we did 3.5′ between the stove wall and start of island and I wouldn’t suggest doing less than that if you can help it. We have plenty of room, but any less would’ve been cramped with cabinets opening, etc. I don’t feel like I need more at all…I like being able to turn from the stove and pretty easily put something right on the island and vice versa. As for your other question, are you asking the distance from the stove wall to the far side of the island? For us, that’s 9′. The stove/cabinets take 2′, the walkway is 3.5′, and the island depth is 3.5′. For chairs, that’s up to personal preference. We have like 4.5′ or so before the chairs in the living room start. I wanted plenty of clearance as this is a walkway and where people hang out and I also wanted the rooms to feel separate. I wanted people to be able to sit in chairs and still have plenty of clearance behind it. Reply
aussiebushgirl says April 4, 2018 at 4:37 am Hi Lindsay. Could you please tell me what floor plan app you’ve used? This is an area I struggle with, and since we’ve just bought another house interstate, I’ll soon have to think about how I’m going to tweak the current ‘awkwardness in layout’ of one of the rooms. Many thanks! – heather Reply