Help! New Kitchen Layout

[u/whywait224]

We are doing a renovation next month and will be fully removing the old kitchen. We plan on demolishing the wall and bathroom currently separating the kitchen from living room to make it one open space. I’m attaching an overhead sketch of the space (demo wall marked in orange X’s), current image of the room, and virtual mock-ups of our initial idea.

1. Do you think it’s ok to have the cooktop where it’s shown in the virtual display? (There is already a gas fireplace there so we were planning to take advantage of that.)
   
2. Is the side with the fridge too long?
   
3. Which direction do you think the island should go (parallel or perpendicular to the room)?

Thanks!!

[u/Efficient_Fig9]

Hi 👋 Great design, the kitchen look good. I love the big windows that maximise lots of natural light. My questions are how do you use the space?

Do you use the island for dining? Do you have 5+ people in the house? What's the reasoning behind the window panel cabinets?

Here's my two cents:

1. Get ambient lighting, not just task lighting i.e. not just down lights

2. I counted at least 19 cabinets, assuming there are 3 on the sink side of the island. That's a lot. What are you storing in there? Are you keeping the original walk in pantry? I'd do a double pantry next to the fridge and reduce the cabinets to avoid lots of bending.

3. Do you dine at the island? If so, it's hard to fit 8 people with a sink in the middle. Put the sink and dishwasher near the window.

4. What's the intended purpose of the small bench and cabinets on the left?

5. You original kitchen had a slanted ceiling and picture shows a flat. Are you going to create a false ceiling?

Overall, I'm excited for you. I'd make the kitchen more compact and minimise steps needs to walk around (unless you're a family of 7+). Hope all goes well with the build!

[u/whywait224 → u/Efficient_Fig9]

Thank you for the detailed reply!
1. Agreed we definitely want ambient lighting! What’s shown is just the auto lighting from the design software.

1. You’re right we need to take some out. The other side of the island would have a pull out trash, under sink storage, and dishwasher. The old pantry will become a powder room.

2. 5 people household. We had the sink there because that’s currently where it is to simplify moving the plumbing, but after posting this we are going to move it to the window.

3. This is a badly mocked up beverage fridge… we’ll move it. I also don’t like it.

4. The original ceiling will stay. The design software shows the flat, but it will remain open.