Kitchen Addition – The Two Very Different Kitchen Layouts I’m Considering
I have a meeting scheduled with the contractor in seven days to discuss our kitchen addition, and I feel like I’m further away from making a decision now than I was last Friday. I’ve come up with two very different kitchen layouts, and to be quite honest, I love them both. I think I would be quite happy with either one. One is much smaller than the other. One is a big rectangle, while the other is a long galley kitchen. One only extends to the back of the current kitchen, while the other extends to the back of the current kitchen and music room. And both of them have pros and cons. So let me show you these two very different kitchen ideas.
The Smaller Galley Kitchen
This was my original idea that I shared last Friday when I shared our overall plan for the house now that we’ve cancelled the big addition. Basically, this kitchen would be a long galley kitchen added to the back wall of our existing kitchen. The existing kitchen will become a dining room.
This kitchen is approximately 10′ x 20′, so 200 square feet. Here’s the general floor plan of just the kitchen provided by the IKEA kitchen planner. If you turn this image 90 degrees to the right, you’ll have the correct position to overlay onto the house floor plan above.
So on the kitchen floor plan drawing above, the cased opening on the right leads to the dining room (i.e., current kitchen). The doorway on the wall to the right of that leads to the laundry room (i.e., the current pantry). And the door on the left wall leads outside to the deck. That door is also very close to the end of the wheelchair ramp from the carport, so I would a walkway of some sort from the wheelchair ramp to the back door of the kitchen.
So with those explanations, here’s one more look at the overall floor plan and the layout of the kitchen. On this one, I just copied and pasted the IKEA kitchen planner floor plan onto my house floor plan.
Here are some screenshots from IKEA’s kitchen planner of this layout. The sink would be on a wall of windows that looks out to the deck.
The doorway at the end of the kitchen that leads outside would have glass in it so that it would let in some light. I’d probably use a 9-lite door like we have in our bathroom, and like I also have on the side door of the studio.
I don’t have all of the cabinet details worked out (i.e., how many drawers I want in each cabinets, and what sizes of drawers I want where). I can work out those details later. But I do envision having the tall pantry cabinets with pull-out drawers on the exterior door end of the kitchen.
Here’s a view of the range wall, which is the wall on the right side when you walk into the kitchen from the dining room. The door on the right would lead to the laundry room.
And the looking back the other direction, this is the cased opening to the dining room. I definitely want a cased opening instead of having it completely open to keep things consistent with the rest of the house.
I put the fridge just inside the kitchen for easy access.
Here’s a little bit of a higher sight angle of the sink wall with the windows.
And one more higher view looking towards the exterior door, which, again, will have glass to let light in.
And here are the two 2D drawings of each wall provided by the IKEA kitchen planner. First up, here’s the sink wall with the windows.
And here’s the range wall with the laundry room door on the right side.
And now here’s the second possibility…
The Larger Rectangle Kitchen
This kitchen is 21′ by 13′, so 273 square feet. This kitchen extends to the back of the dining room (i.e., current kitchen) AND the music room. On our floor plan, it looks like this…
And here’s the floor plan of just the kitchen from the IKEA kitchen planner.
Obviously, this kitchen is bigger, so it allows for quite a bit more storage. Maybe that’s good, or maybe that would just temp me to accumulate stuff I don’t really need. I don’t know. But it is a much more open plan. Our current sunroom extends back 13 feet, so this kitchen would be the same. That helps me to get a good idea of what this kitchen would feel like.
So here’s a look around. You might have to refer back to the floor plan above to get your bearings. From this view, the cased opening on the left goes to the dining room, and the cased opening to the right of the fridge goes to the music room.
On this wall there are two doorways. The one on the right is the laundry room, and the one on the left is an exterior door that leads to the carport wheelchair ramp. That door would have glass to let light in.
And of course, I put windows on the sink wall. No matter which design I go with, I will have lots of sunlight. This design allows me much more room for the tall pantry cabinets with pullouts, which I put on either end of the sink wall. I would also use upper cabinets to create a shallow storage cabinet unit on the wall between the two doors, just like I did in my studio with the paint swatch cabinet.
And of course, I had to make this wall symmetrical.
And then here’s the other end of the sink wall, with more tall storage and the exterior door that leads out to the deck.
And finally, the range is on the wall to the left when entering the kitchen from the music room.
Here’s the kitchen floor plan from the IKEA kitchen planner.
Here’s the 2D drawing of the refrigerator wall with the cased opening to the dining room on the left, and the cased opening to the music room on the right.
This is the range wall with the exterior door to the deck, which would have glass to let light in.
And finally, this is the drawing of the sink wall with the windows and tall storage on the ends. Again, I haven’t thought through every detail of how many drawers I want, and what size drawers I want where, so pay no attention to those details right now.
Before I even start thinking about those details, I just need to make a decision on which kitchen layout I want. I need to have a decision before meeting with the contractor next Tuesday. So it’s either a smaller 200 square foot galley kitchen, or a larger 273 square foot open rectangular kitchen. There are things that I love about each one, and things that I don’t love about each one. If you were in my shoes, which one would you choose?
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
As someone with a galley kitchen, I dream of the second option! A galley kitchen is great for one but impossible for another person. If you think your mom or friends will be in the kitchen with you when you host, opt for the square.
Have you considered a garden window for over the sink? My mom has one and it’s great for growing herbs for cooking and adds a nice touch of green with houseplants too.
Yes, this is my thought too. Plus, Matt could sit in the kitchen while preparations or clean up happens, if he wanted.
I agree, having had a galley kitchen with a husband in a wheelchair it was impossible for him and I to be in there at the same time, we were always bumping into each other, I say go with the larger version, you won’t regret it
My late Mother in law had a garden window over the sink and it was a huge pain to clean, and leaked too. There wasn’t enough light for plants because the sun tracked the opposing direction, and she had too many tall trees around the yard anyway, even if the sun were there. But the biggest issue was trying to clean the glass and shelves!
As the kitchen is the heart of the home, the larger triangle would be my choice.
#2! You can see the entry from the kitchen and it squares up better!
Definitely I would choose the larger one….especially for someone trying to maneuver a wheelchair from fridge to sink to stove etc…
Without your beautiful functional pantry for all the extra stuff you use only sometime, you’ll be amazed at how fast your kitchen cabinets will fill up…But I’m sure you have other details that will cement your decision one way or another…Either one will be GREAT!..Can hardly wait to see the finished projects on your horizon!…
Agree
I would pick the larger kitchen. I like that it also offers two ways to pass through the house, both of which are large and wheelchair accessible. Plus, though it may not often happen, Matt would have room to pass into the kitchen while you’re in there. Or there would be room for you to have company in the kitchen with you. You will never regret a bigger kitchen. I also love the suggestion someone made of a garden window! You could grow herbs in your own kitchen!
I would also choose the larger kitchen. I have a garden window and while I love it for the sunlight, I also hate it because it is not easy to clean. I have to crawl on my counters and practically sit in the window to clean the glass. I would probably think twice about adding it again.
I live in So. Cal and the garden widow that I had was just an oven….No plants could live in it because it was to hot most of the time.
I also lived in So Texas and I would say the weather is not much different except for the humidity.
I like the larger plan, Kristi. Having a non-jogging access to the deck and the carport would be super convenient.
I like the larger kitchen. It gives Matt the opportunity to be in there with you with plenty of room to maneuver.
I love the second one. Yes, it’s bigger, and believe it or not it will be better. As much as I love a galley kitchen, and I had 6 of them of the course of our Army moves, the second plan gives you a lot more flexibility. You and Matt now entertain and entertaining in a galley kitchen is pretty hard to do with someone in a wheelchair. The second option gives you the ability to use the deck, bring stuff directly into the kitchen from the car port and sometimes more is better. You will make either kitchen beautiful, and it will be the envy of the neighborhood that is for sure. I am almost giddy waiting to see what your choice will be. My kitchen redo is at the end of a very long to do list before my husband’s second retirement. Have fun deciding. Whenever I have someone ask me how to lay out a kitchen, I tell them to imagine what they would like to see in their kitchen and in their minds eye, make Thanksgiving for ALL the family and if they can pull that off, you’ve got the right plan.
Cheers!
I would love the bigger kitchen, plus with the layout you have options to make a center island. One thing I would change is to put the fridge along the back wall, this way if you have a water line you keep all the plumbing in one area. Personally, I would go for a center island cooking space, especially since you love entertaining and it really adds to a kitchen. No matter what it will be so exciting watching the process unfold!
My kitchen designer said it is good to have a counter next to the fridge (if you don’t have an island across from it) to place items you are taking out of or putting into the fridge. So moving the fridge would provide this, otherwise replace the tall cabinet next to the fridge with an upper and a lower and a counter.
I agree totally with Anna. A counter top next to the fridge is a must have. I would be lost without that. It makes function have a Capitol “F”. You won’t miss that piece of cabinet, but will totally appreciate the counter top. Best wishes.
Islands are obstacles for people in wheelchairs. I don’t think that’s an option for my kitchen.
On wheels. A kitchen island on wheels?
I feel like you have mentioned before that you are opposed to an island, but hear me out…. I like option 2, but the fridge and tall cabinets between the doorways feel like they are floating in space and not connected to the overall layout. You are accustomed to having Matt around just on the other side of the peninsula. if you put an (moveable?) island in the center you have closer prep space, a place for Matt to hangout while you both have room to maneuver, and additional storage if you move the fridge to one of the walls. we currently have a galley kitchen and whenever we host it feels like everyone gathers in the kitchen and they are in my way.
I agree about the fridge. I need a landing spot for stuff. If the fridge is full, you have to take things out to get to the back, and I know that it doesn’t seem far, but annoying nonetheless.
Yes, my thoughts exactly. A counter next to the unhinged side of the fridge is a must.
I totally agree ….you do need a landing spot for stuff.
I agree! My fridge is several steps away from the sink and any counter or landing spot, and it’s definitely not ideal.
I would also vote for #2, I think having access to multiple rooms from it flows nicely, and the windows are wonderful. I wish I had a window in my kitchen that wasnt just looking at my neighbours wall 😀
I agree totally with Anna. A counter top next to the fridge is a must have. I would be lost without that. It makes function have a Capitol “F”. You won’t miss that piece of cabinet, but will totally appreciate the counter top. Best wishes.
I really really love a galley kitchen. I wholeheartedly vote Option 1.
I would, however, consider all the kitchen and pantry items you currently have and want to keep and make certain they all have places in your galley kitchen.
I would choose the larger kitchen but one thought, would consider moving the door to the deck down to where the door from the music room is. I suggest this because if you ever wanted the third bedroom it would be easier to do.
Good luck, you always make it work!
I see the point in this and I agree. It would also make it easier for guests to get out to the deck without the need to traverse through the kitchen while you’re trying to get things together for them.
Great point!
I agree with Yvonne. Moving the door keeps traffic away from the cooking area. Less chance of “accidents” happening. I love the bigger size.
That was one of my thoughts – I’m on option 2 for the larger kitchen.
You need to think hard about traffic patterns and doorways that cause people to cross diagonally across a room are a huge pain, limiting the placement of furniture or a small moveable island.
I have a galley kitchen and have never liked it. No room for helpers, I f you wanted them. I am too old to move but second option is my choice.
I like the layout of the galley kitchen.
You never mention the option of an ‘eat in’ kitchen which could never work with the galley. Is this not a consideration?
I alway feel that you won’t regret the larger footprint.
Hi Kristi: Hands down, I would go with the larger, open, rectangular kitchen, especially with Matt’s needs for a wheelchair. If you were working at the kitchen sink, and Matt needed to go out on the deck or get something near the end of the kitchen, it looks like it would be a tight squeeze for not only you and Matt but also other family members and friends that also might be in the kitchen, with you, at the same time.
Also, I LOVE the placement of the refrigerator between the two entrance / exit doors with more flexibility to get in and out of the kitchen quickly. How many times do we only go into a kitchen to get something out of the refrigerator / freezer, like ice or water. With that set-up with two doors, it makes it quicker and easier, especially with more than one person in the kitchen. I look forward to seeing what you decide. The kitchen design with two doors has also made me think about the design for my future personal kitchen. Thanks for the inspiration!
100% agree and all the hosting they do with their home group every week – people can just access the fridge without going thru the whole kitchen and getting in the way.
both designs are amazing and you will make them awesome. the larger kitchen does have a lot more doorways – but gives good flow options.
Looks like maybe the second plan gives you less of a maze to get Matt’s wheelchair through the house.
Go for the bigger kitchen!
I am thinking the larger. A galley-style kitchen might be hard for your husband to navigate in his wheelchair. You may think he may not go in there often, but do you really want to create a room that is not open enough for him to navigate easily when needed?
I would go with the larger version. You have started entertaining more and people gather in the kitchen either to talk and/or help. How far is the sink to the stove? Just thinking about spills, etc. Good luck!
I think the bigger kitchen feels more open and bright. It’s also better for multiple people to maneuver around at a time. I realize the galley kitchen is probably wider than it feels in the images, but it makes me claustrophobic imagining several people in it at once. Your pets will also be “helping” you when you’re working in there, and stepping around them in a bigger space is way easier than in a long, narrow one. I also agree with the person who suggested a movable island. Since you have the laundry room right off the kitchen, you could design an island that is incorporated into the laundry room layout and easy to pull out into the kitchen as needed. It could easily house your entertainment necessities, yet still be usable in the laundry room.
Will you be leaving the small freezer in the old pantry then? I’d opt for the roomier kitchen if your guests usually like to help out and chat. It would make things less congested, same for Matt’s wheelchair if he wants to be out there with you. Looks like fun!
I haven’t decided on the freezer yet. Matt’s one wish list item for our new kitchen is a nugget ice maker. So if we have that, we won’t need a fridge/freezer with an ice maker, and that will free up space for things that we keep in our pantry freezer. I’m really hoping that I won’t need a separate freezer once we have the new kitchen.
Absolutely, the larger one w/ a door to the ramp.
Absolutely no question in my mind, the larger one w/ a door to the ramp.
I spent awhile thinking through your layout options and for what it’s worth, I would go with the galley kitchen for the following reasons:
1. MORE EFFICIENT: Galley layout is more efficient as you step through the kitchen process of getting food from fridge, laying it out on counter, and then actually cooking it or preparing it.
2. BETTER HORIZONTAL REAL ESTATE where you need it: Galley layout has counters next to each of your work triangle appliances – kitchen sink, stove, and refrigerator. As you move pots, pans, and cookie sheets from place to place, you’ll need landing zones next to each appliance. The larger rectangle kitchen has nothing next to your fridge, so you’ll be left carrying everything to a different spot to actually use it. Not efficient.
These choices are near and dear as we recently did a gut reno of our kitchen space about two years ago. We put a long storage island in the middle of a long rectangular space, creating a galley kitchen with lots of symmetry and efficiency. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT two years into use. I am only 2-5 steps from everything and have ample counter space and prep space. Look at HOUZZ for a good comparison of a three sided VS galley kitchen layout.
It is very tempting to “create plans” on our computers but you have to really picture yourself moving around the space – how do you cook? clean? organize? Will your space help with organizing or will you be fighting your choices because you weren’t realistic when designing it? I also designed our kitchen and had custom RTA cabinets (www.cabinetjoint.com) sized to my choices. It was a lot of work, but so worth it.
I’m with you. I think #2 is really chopped up and inefficient, and #1 would offer the better user experience.
Ditto! I was going to suggest cabinet joint as well. May be a bit more expensive than ikea but better quality and able to have the exact sizes needed to fit the space. More door choices. You can also have them painted in a color. You can always tell an ikea kitchen unfortunately.
I personally like your bigger second option. Since you’ve been entertaining more, it make sense to have the two cased openings for a better traffic flow. It also seems like it would be easier to navigate Matt through the larger kitchen. My one suggestion is to have the majority of the items you plan to put in the dishwasher, in close proximity cabinets. For me, that means cups, plates, silverware without having to move my feet. It makes it so much faster for unloading. Can’t wait to see what you land on!
Gallery definitely. If you ever want to use your deck for guests, they’re tromping through your kitchen to get out there. The music room is so pretty, it’d be a bit of a shame for the sight line from the front door to be a partial wall of kitchen cabinets vs a view of your beautiful backyard.
I personally like your bigger second option. Since you’ve been entertaining more, it make sense to have the two cased openings for a better traffic flow. It also seems like it would be easier to navigate Matt through the larger kitchen. My one suggestion is to have the majority of the items you plan to put in the dishwasher, in close proximity cabinets. For me, that means cups, plates, silverware without having to move my feet. It makes it so much faster for unloading. Can’t wait to see what you land on!
Hello! I would choose #2. We have a triple casement window over our sink and love the light that comes in. Have I missed a post about not having a pantry for your freezer etc? Empty nester here, but I still like plenty of storage. It will be beautiful, no matter what your choice is.
The pantry is going to become the laundry room.
Looking forward to your future in your home, I think the larger kitchen will be easiest to live in in. Having direct access from the ramp outside is going to be a nice benefit when you get older.
You need a landing spot near the refrigerator on the larger layout. And how far from the sink to the range? Maybe an island layout could work with the refrigerator between the outside and laundry entrances(of course with ADA clearances). Then shallow depth pantries on the other walls. You would then have seating at the island
Maybe none of my ideas would work but just throwing it out there. I had a open kitchen once and it is a lot of steps!
I love to cook and have had several kitchens. I think the bigger, rectangular kitchen looks awkward. I love my galley kitchen with everything within a few steps.
The larger kitchen would be my choice. I believe you need a counter for a landing spot next to the fridge, rather than a tall cabinet. Either that or an island.
I’m in agreement with the second kitchen. Feels so much a part of the house.
I think I’d rather work in the galley kitchen since the work triangle is smaller. I imagine taking a pot of boiled pasta over to the sink would be fewer steps. The bigger kitchen is nice and open but I’d bring one of the appliances closer.
I would choose the second one, mainly because I would want a door from the outside near the carport. Bringing in groceries would be so much easier.
Also, you didn’t ask, but Wurth-Louis has some fabulous cabinet fixtures for the kitchen.
I dont think grocery shopping for two people is a very big haul. And since they mostly purchase fresh foods you shop more often. A few extra steps never killed anyone🫤
Having designed my own kitchen and set up for possible wheelchair use, I am squarely in the bigger layout team, particularly with Matt in the picture. Two things that I almost FUBARed before I fixed it is to have a couple 3 drawer base cabinets. One to the right of the dishwasher for eating utensils and one next to the stove for spatulas, etc that are primarily used for cooking purposes. Shallower drawers doesn’t waste depth space and make things easier to find.
I have a huge island but my kitchen is more like 20 x 20 and L shaped. I made the island for several reasons: eating at the bar, being able to set something on it while plundering around in the fridge or unloading a non-kitchen item from my dishwasher. If it fits and water doesn’t hurt it, in it goes! (The 4 cats avoid that area!) The second reason is that it is also my cutting table since I didn’t want to take up room in my studio for one. 55″ x 11′.
For your kitchen, you might think of a table/cabinet/??? on wheels so it can be moved if necessary. IMHO, everything should be on wheels! In fact, a third table like your 2 in the studio would be great. Could make it standard table height and have a table overhang so you could eat at it as well. Lots of options. I am so excited for you! Wish I was there! Then I wouldn’t have to go caulk baseboards today. (Sad face!)
BTW, I would not hang 2 shallow cabinets between the doors. I would try to sneak a couple pantry cabinets there. NOT 24″ x 24″. I’m 5’9 and have 2 of those. Major PITA! My new house has 4 at 30 x 24 and that width makes all the difference in the world.
If you are going to be the only user of the kitchen 95% of the time, I would definitely go with the smaller kitchen. When you consider the pantry and kitchen together, that seems more than enough room for storage and prep space. I think the “bigger is better” mindset is popular, but a big kitchen requires a lot of extra walking around to gather ingredients, etc. and is overall less efficient. If you rarely have other people needing to use the space with you, personally I’d prefer the more compact option. And really, if the “galley” kitchen is as wide as it looks on your drawing, it would be wide enough to accommodate multiple people anyway.
I second this! I’ve had a layout like the second and it was exhausting to cook from all the steps!
Overall they both look great, but what jumps out at me is how narrow your dining room will be. Ten feet of width will make it difficult for people to get in and out of their seats without bumping the living room furniture, and it will be difficult for anyone to maneuvre around the table when people are seated. Can you steal a little space from from somewhere else, or can you swap the dining room and the tv room?
That’s something I’ll have to live with. Unfortunately, there’s nowhere to steal space from.
I prefer the larger kitchen, but they both look great.
I so agree with you, Cathy. As a Realtor, I’ve shown literally hundreds of homes. So many different floor plans and so many opinions! I’ve found that many of the sales I’ve made are because of views! I like the second plan because I know Kristi is going to have her back yard made into an oasis, and those windows will be the shining stars. If she picks the galley kitchen, she will be looking over at the side of her neighbor’s house.
I like option 2. However, I would put large, glass, double doors on the wall where you have the range. This will give much more convenient egress to the deck for Matt and your guests, and it will let in lots of light. This ruins your symmetry, I know! You would have to find a different spot for your range, perhaps where the current door to the deck is, (to the right of the suggested glass doors) which would then create a smaller work triangle. Another thing I noticed is there doesn’t seem to be a counter-top “landing space” next to the refrigerator. That’s something I consider essential. I would put the fridge between the laundry door and the exterior ramp door, and the narrow depth cabinets where you currently have the fridge. Love to follow your blog!
This makes a lot of sense.
273. The space for Matt to easily navigate is appealing. I just love all the space!!
Bigger one !!!!! Love the natural light and the flow of it.
I actually like the layout of the galley kitchen better. There are less doors/case openings and to me it just feels better. But I see one drawback, it is not a good option if you are going to have people in the kitchen and you have folks in every Wednesday night who I suspect hang in the kitchen to help or just talk.
That said, I would go with the bigger kitchen with a few modifications; simply because people tend to gravitate to the kitchen and this floorplan allows for that. The drawbacks for me are the number of case openings and doors, it just feels so chopped up. I also would rethink the placement of the refrigerator, it is in an awkward place in the kitchen between the two case openings. But with all those doors and I’m not sure where to put it….
You know what, I just changed my mind…I can’t get over the number of doors and case openings, it just feels to chaotic to me. I would go with the galley kitchen but would make it wider by a few feet to give room for more than one person in the kitchen. You would have to make a few minor changes to the deck to accommodate the extra few feet but that is an easy adjustment.
I haven’t read the comments but knowing your readership I suspect everyone is saying to go with the larger footprint and that I am in the minority :-). Whatever you decide it will be beautiful and perfect for you and that is what matters. You may be in for a long week weighing the pros and cons … good luck! I’m looking forward to seeing what you decide and especially the finished product.
I, too, consider the second option too chopped and thought about a wide galley one. The goldhive has a large galley with french doors at the end.
Thanks, Leslie! I’m with you and now I have an excuse to repeat my comment from the “kid-in-a-candy-store-post” :-). I really dislike the larger version for these reasons:
– Loss of sight line from the front door to the deck.
– Loss of sight lline from the living room to the glass kitchen door.
– Loss of easy access to the deck from the combined social areas. With the galley kitchen layouts they connect naturally to this big and inviting area to hang out.
– Very unpractical layout with lots of empty space.
– Size not in proportion to the rest of the house.
BUT, I’ll try and be constructive. To make the larger layout work I would suggest some radical changes, including sacrificing the overall symmetry, which I know Kristi will hate… 😉 But maybe spend a few minutes sketching it up anyway? I think it would look better in relation to the other rooms and also be more functional:
– Add more windows to the long wall. Center the sink on the left cased opening (music room) and the range on the right cased opening (dining room). Prep area between them and on both sides. Possibly windows all the way except where the range is. Now there will be pretty sight lines/views again from the front door and the living room (assuming the range hood is pretty).
– Put the refrigerator on the right wall between the two doorways (laundry and carport).
– Add a peninsula between the cased openings. This will balance the room, compensate for the storage lost when there are no upper cabinets on the long wall, serve as an extra prep area and/or serving buffet when you have larger gatherings, and be that useful surface to unpack groceries.
– Put the tall pantry cabinets on the left wall (now range wall). It’s a bit far away but with the peninsula I think it could still work. Maybe have three or four of the shallower model instead of two deep ones? Or maybe two deep ones and then make room for a double door to the deck?
This became a novel, sorry… And English is still not my first language, so please excuse any strange wordings…
I am really stuck on the number of doors and openings as well.
When I look at the overall floor plan, I see the two “vertical” rooms (as it’s oriented on the printout – the music and future dining rooms). My mind wants to flip them horizontally, music room on the bottom and future dining room absorbed into a bigger eat-in kitchen. I realize that’s not super helpful, but it eliminates the choppy feel and so many doorways.
I second this. I have been looking at this and reading comments for an hour. There is something off about the second layout although i can see how it would work for Matt. Is he in the kitchen often at all? I think it’s just too many door openings! Really think about how you use the kitchen now. When it comes to kitchens bigger is not always better but in our world of consumption and pretty Pinterest pictures its easy to forget.
If you move the galley wall out ( behind the music room bookcase) the wall view from the kitchen will be symmetrical and both kitchens will be almost the same size.
I think it would be nicer to see the backyard from the entry rather than a wall of cabinets. And more light to the music room.
The bigger kitchens Matt has plenty of room.
At almost 84 yrs. old, I have had kitchens (14+) of almost every design. A galley kitchen seems to be the most efficient if there is only one person using it. A U shaped kitchen is also efficient. Can a kitchen be too big? Yes, if it’s not arranged efficiently. A few things that stand out to me about your larger design. You have 5 doors coming into it. No suggestion how that can be changed. There is no place close to the refrigerator to set things down as you take them out. Are you going to have a pot filler over the stove? If not, how far is it from the sink if you need to add water to something? Maybe things are closer than they appear on the plans and that would not be a problem. I would suggest you think of a typical meal you would prepare and picture the steps you would make between sink, stove, and refrigerator. For me, I would definitely put an island in the middle but that might not work for you. Just some things to think about.
To add to that, you could spray it out in the backyard lawn. Walk around it, and kick the tires. You have the room to try it out and do the pretend meal. I am only barely 5 feet tall, I had a U-shaped kitchen and my very tall family would invariably enter the space. It was like being trapped in a forest. It all just depends on how you live.
Even more helpful – use cardboard boxes, sawhorses and lumber scraps, chairs etc to set up a 3D mockup of the kitchens in the backyard. This was a huge help to me in designing my own kitchen and wondering if certain distances or placement would be too far, too close, etc. I later saw this method recommended on Houzz across their kitchen forums so lots of people can vouch for it!
Decisions, decisions….
I like both floor plans, but it seems like the larger kitchen, and smaller deck would fit both your needs better. The larger kitchen for both of you, the exterior doors to deck and carport area seems convenient for you both. And since Matt is so affected physically by the temperature and humidity, having a smaller deck and a larger kitchen would be a better fit.
I’m sure it will work and look great any way you choose.
Not sure at all which I would choose. However the one thing that stood out to me immediately is that if you picked the larger kitchen, the view from the front door is directly into the kitchen. If that bothers you, you would have to keep the music room swing-doors closed, while going through them repeatedly.
The 2nd as it is the largest. You can never go wrong with a bigger kitchen and as for drawers, you can never have too many, and the deeper the better. Reading through some of the other comments, I agree with them, the access to the kitchen with groceries or Matt, your Mom, or others may join you in there.
I like the larger kitchen better but my only issue would be there’s no counter space near the fridge (if I’m reading the plan correctly) that would allow you to easily set things down as you remove them. That would be a deal breaker for me.
Definitely the larger kitchen. I have a galley kitchen and hate it. It’s only good if you never have people over. Also I’ve seen small butcher block islands with wheels. That might be helpful and maybe have a little nook you can tuck it into (under some other cupboards?) when you’re not using it.
First I have to ask about the dishwasher I see in the mock ups. Thought you were planning to get rid of yours. Okay for me personally I would get the smaller kitchen. Much less walking for you. I know you are still young but believe me the years fly by and you will appreciate things closer to one another as you age. I have the new ikea cabinets in my kitchen. I have 2 doors that show on my bottom cabinets. Then I have the additional drawer in a drawer for kitchen utensils, plastic wrap, etc. The drawers are wonderful. I got the lazy susan cabinet but bought an insert that has 3 trashcans that spin. I love it. One of my favorite items in the kitchen. I use 1 for trash and 2 for recycling.
Now that we have people over regularly, I definitely want a dishwasher.
I like the larger one for flow through the house with Matt’s wheelchair, and access to the carport and laundry is better BUT the work triangle is too spread apart, it’ll drive you nuts. The layout has loads of potential but is currently inefficient.
Whatever you choose will be awesome but I prefer the rectangle layout. I just like the flow of that one better.
The open rectangular kitchen.
Also I highly recommend a counter depth refrigerator. You do lose space but it is so nice not to have a behemoth fridge sticking out in the space.
Here’s my non popular opinion. I like the galley kitchen. I find them very efficient, although not for someone in a wheelchair-I don’t know how much Matt helps in the kitchen. Personally I’m very Type A and prefer not to have help in my kitchen and prefer my guests to sit and relax, but that’s me. 2 entrances into the kitchen seem like a big waste. Your “music room” is essentially a wide hallway or passthrough and I get your not wanting to change it-I think it’s better used to get out to the deck rather than another entry to the kitchen. I like the larger deck too. I think you also need a counter beside the fridge so you can put items down somewhere rather than floor to ceiling pantry.
I like the larger kitchen better BUT the no-landing-spot near the refrigerator is a problem. The need to take multiple things out of it and then travel to put them down would get old fast. Walking around an island can be a pain. Would a cart be practical or in the way?
Several people suggested imaging/thinking through the process you use to cook. Just how much cooking do you actually do? Are your choices going to be influenced by the Wednesday evening duties? Do you welcome having a lot of people in your kitchen? How do you serve food for guests? Self-serve from counter or?
How often does Matt hang out in your work spaces, especially the kitchen? I get the idea he is usually elsewhere doing his own thing. And, if he needs something, then you retrieve it and make it available to him where he is.
The aesthetics are great to consider (your favorite part?) and so is practicality matched to the unique way YOU work. Inconvenience can make cooking a real chore.
(Rhetorical questions above, of course.)
Hello! At first I did not like Plan #2, it felt to spacious with the large open area and appliances so far apart. However, when I look at Plan #1 it feels like an afterthought or house addition and, for some odd reason (it’s just the way my brain works),with it being a galley it reminds me of when you start a pinball game and pull the lever and the ball shoots out ping ponging down the sides of the shoot. Plan #2 feels like a part of the original house. Also, please consider some sort of island or peninsula so that when you have people over they can sit in the kitchen and chat with you, and eat lunch with you and even to have an easy drop zone when bringing groceries in.
I like the smaller streamlined kitchen. Less to keep up with and easier to get around.
I like the larger plan. Probably mostly because you can get from your carport right into the kitchen, rather than bringing groceries and whatever through the house and studio. I suppose that is what you do now so maybe that isn’t an issue for you. Is the larger plan big enough for an island in the center, or is that not an option due to Matt’s manueverability? I also like the way the larger kitchen footprint fits the house footprint.
In the larger kitchen, I would move the fridge to a long wall and put a small pub set or garden table set between the cased doorways. That gives people who want to join you as you cook a place to be instead of under your feet.
My 2 cents are a preference for the galley but with a swap – moving the fridge to the right wall and the stove to the left – this allows for a nice working triangle (going from fridge, to sink, to stove). A quick and dirty example here: https://kitchen.planner.ikea.com/us/en/planner/?projectId=02945CA3-76E4-42CE-8A1F-7B7ADA4C21C8&ref=share
With the DW to the left of the sink and drawer and upper cabinet to the DW’s left for dish storage (as well as across the aisle in the tall pantry). Second stretch of counter top on the fridge side for other small appliances. Main work area is ~42″ between the sink and the stove with plenty of storage surrounding it for pans, seasonings, etc
The drawbacks of the larger plan, in its current form, have ben largely mentioned by others. The two main ones that stand out to me are:
– No easy spot to place things going into or out of the fridge (~9 feet between the sink & fridge is too far)
– The kitchen becomes the main access point for both the carport AND the deck – and specifically, the stove is in the walk way for folks going from the house (music room) to the deck -> dangerous; while the galley style leaves you the opportunity to have doors to the deck from the music room thus cutting down on traffic in the kitchen.
Obviously you and Matt know yourselves best – how you like to cook, how many people are in the kitchen also cooking, what kind of storage needs, etc etc. And I agree with people saying that folks tend to congregate in the kitchen – is that a consideration for you & your life? If so maybe having an eat in/peninsula aspect could help define different areas? Or maybe it makes sense to have the kitchen more open to the rest of the house for better connectivity? Thinking about functionality is going to get you something better than focusing on size
Going to once again recommend (along with Karen) to post on https://www.houzz.com/discussions/kitchens – there are kitchen designers and clever folks on there who can give you lots of great feedback, for free! (plus they’re not i.e. invested in say upselling cabinets to you!)
I love the larger one-it feels like it has a better flow to it, and it would be nice to incorporate another view of the music room we haven’t seen yet!
Larger is better when entertaining and with someone in a wheelchair…IMHO!
I like the second larger plan better. My only concern about it is to many door openings. Would it be possible to have a door going into the laundry room close to the kitchen wall. And that would also give you more space in the kitchen. I saw a tik tok where there was a small door at ground level from the garage into laundry/mud room to pass groceries in. Now you don’t have a garage but it’s something to think about which again less door ways into the kitchen. As I get older I look for the easiest way to do things or taking the easiest route to your destination.
Whatever you decide it will look beautiful like the rest of your home.😊
Love plan B. Think about double french doors opening to deck. Then you can great the morning with breakfast outdoors and a night cap bidding goodnight to the stars and moon.
I think the second plan has so much wasted floorspace that it’s not nearly as functional as the galley. There are 5 doors/passage ways. The refrigerator is too far away from the other workspaces. Yes, there is more space for Matt, but is that where he spends much time with you now? You’re short, and will have so many steps to place anything you take out of the fridge, or to unload your groceries into the fridge. Can you move the fridge to another appliance wall, and have your pantry on that wall? At first I thought maybe dishes and glassware could go on that wall, but that’s far from the sink/ dishwasher. Give it more thought, Kristi, but for me, I’d go with the galley.
I’d put an island in the second option. I’d also take the wall out between the music room and where the dining room table is to make a larger dining area–the dining area looks very squished on these plans.
The thing I want more than any other in my kitchen is more countertop. I’d advise taking a look at everything that’s currently on your counters in the kitchen, and then envision where it would like in either design. Does one have better flow placement? Do either end up with a lack of work space once the countertop items are placed? It’s tempting to think we’d keep things “put away” but in reality, we live with a lot on the countertop for accessibility. Which design gives you the *right* countertop space?
My vote is for kitchen #2. And my reason is that when I’m at the kitchen sink I love looking out at my yard. I know you don’t have the beautiful yard yet, but it won’t be long and you will.
My personal choice would be the larger kitchen.
#1 A galley kitchen has never seemed to be user friendly bc of the narrow pathway. If more than 1 person is in there it leads congestion and ‘working on top of each other’
#2 Matt needs to use his chair easily to maneuver without having to ‘clear the room’ for him to get through. A galley layout works against that.
#3 If you compare the amount of storage cupboards you have in the pantry + current kitchen vs what you can have in the larger kitchen, how does it play out? Would it all fit in a usable manner? Will the refrigerator in the pantry be gone/assigned
somewhere else?
#4 When you’ve company how do you use the counters you have now? Is their location and size user friendly? Do you wished they were larger or closer to another kitchen area?
#5 The number of doors opening into the kitchen [or not] visually is very cluttered. If you decided to not have one door, which would it be? My choice would be the one to the music room as the tv room would benefit more from direct access to the kitchen.
The laundry room definitely needs to door you can close but do the other interior rooms need a door? Would pocket doors work?
You’ve lots to consider! I always do a mental walk through and play out doing an activity checking for traffic flow etc for any space when I move things around. Sometimes it’s little changes that end up making things work.
I love the entrance from the car port to the larger kitchen…without having to walk all the way around the house loading in groceries from the car (We carry our bags of groceries from the garage or driveway through the living room and dining room to finally deposit in the kitchen cupboards – not good!) And as someone having experienced a galley kitchen…that’s a one-person at-a-time occupancy unless you have an island so guests can interact with the cook from the other side while food is being prepared!
I love the smaller layout … I think it’d be much more efficient/cozy for cooking and you’d have much better visual into the TV/dining room area. I think the larger one you’d just kinda get lost in and your work triangle is really spread out. The other thing I love about the smaller one is that it let’s you go to the deck from your music room … You’d have lots of outdoor light coming in through there and I think you’d love that and it’d be a great access point for your hubby. And, being smaller, I’d expect that the smaller one would be more cost effective as well. Also, as far as storage goes, I’m guessing you’ll have some additional storage available to you in your laundry room if you need it, although those tall pantry cabinets will give you a lot. The smaller one also looks much more proportional to the size of your house. I honestly love everything about that smaller plan. 😊
The bigger one. The smaller one feels tight and crowded. Not just because it’s smaller. The layout is actually tighter.
I love the larger one. As someone who uses mobility aids I appreciate the room to move around. Also the storage. Even if you are afraid you will accumulate too much, I found that starting off with a good organized system keeps me from doing that. I don’t want to make anything look junky so I periodically do clean outs.
The galley kitchen, your work triangle is very far apart in the large rectangle kitchen. That would drive me nuts! But you know you, would it drive you nuts as well??????
The larger kitchen, always the larger kitchen. The kitchen sink alone looking out where it does will have a better view.
I keep looking at the 2nd option thinking, what if the fridge moves to the range wall and bring a peninsula out from the wall that the fridge is currently placed on. The range could then move into said peninsula.
You may have measured both carefully but the second bigger plan feels like it is much more accessible for Matt’s chair. That may not be an issue but it may be comforting or give peace of mind to either or both of you.
Also, if you made the refrigerator wall symmetrical in the second bigger plan, I think you’d feel it more. 🙂
Kristi, I really studied both of these two kitchen layouts a good long while. I ended up liking the larger kitchen best. I even used my calculator and figured out how far you would be pacing back and forth from the fridge to the stove to the sink and to the counter work spaces. The galley layout looks squeezed in too close and it just don’t provide enough room if you have anyone in the kitchen chatting or helping you prepare meals. I like elbow room and the larger kitchen provides plenty of that. I really like the sink placement in the larger kitchen and those windows being there giving you a view of you back yard. That right there provides you good counter space, good storage space, and easy exits to deck and carport, and a good view while washing veggies, or putting dishes in the dishwasher. I vote for the big one. If you do accumulate more stuff, whether you need it or not, that just means you are a normal woman.
I like the 2nd better, because #1, there is plenty of room if Matt would want to be in there chatting about something! #2, I just like the line it creates across the back of the house, and #3, If you wanted to, you could add in an Island, whether it is cabinets topped with some sort of stone or butcher block, or a moveable one on wheels, so you have workspace for another person if needed. I just don’t like how the 1st plan sticks out into the yard, creating an odd looking line to the house. And be sure you have landing spots next to the range and fridge, so you can set things down if needed!
I would definitely do the larger kitchen, with one change. I’d do 1 large window instead of 3 smaller windows over the sink (unobstructed view). I apologize if someone already mentioned this, no time to read all 80+ comments.
I love the idea of being able to go from the music room into the kitchen. With Matt in a chair, the more for space the better. Even if he doesn’t usually go into the kitchen, it’s would be great that he could if he wanted to.
Personally, I wouldn’t want to do all those steps in the kitchen just to use the fridge. Plus there’s no counter space beside fridge, which would drive me bonkers. We get ice from our fridge a lot during the day, and when getting in the fridge for the pitcher of tea or lemonade, I sometimes have to move other things around just to get stuff out of it. I would not want to walk a mile just to move things. I like the versatility of the galley kitchen the best, but it isn’t my house, so there’s that.😄 There’s only 2 of in our household but with copd, I don’t want to walk further than I have to. I know it’ll be beautiful when you’re done, but do, do some thinking about where you may be in another 15-20 years. Especially being a caregiver. Just my humble thoughts.
I usually love a galley kitchen with a big,windowed sink wall, but in this case I prefer the big kitchen, because of the access to other areas and the big, functional deck. I do think you should encorporate sliders to the deck. Those little regular doors do not seem inviting, and do not let the outside in.
Dear Kristi,
If this were my decision; I’d go with the larger kitchen. I think the larger version makes entertaining very convenient with multiple paths and walkways for good traffic flow for a house full of guests.
I would move the refrigerator over towards the music room doors as far as possible and add a countertop beside it, towards the dining room doorway, to make a coffee/hot beverage counter there. It would be convenient for guests to just pop in the kitchen from the dining room and TV room to get hot drinks without having to walk across the entire kitchen. It could do double duty as a landing spot for loading/unloading the refrigerator as well. Eliminate the pantry cabinet in that location.
I’d probably also add a rolling island. You can never have too much counter top space! That might make things a bit too tight for Matt’s maneuverability in there though? You could always add that later if you consistently needed more counter space when entertaining.
I think the door to the ramp and carport is important for daily functionality.
Fun times! Enjoy the dreaming and planning phase!!!
YHWH Bless You : )
I keep looking at the second option thinking, what if the fridge moved to the range wall and build a peninsula out from the wall where the fridge is currently placed. Then the range could be moved into the peninsula. There could be full floor to ceiling cabinets around the fridge and storage around the entire peninsula.
The galley kitchen seems tight on paper. I prefer the more rectangle shape for many of the reasons already mentioned. I do think there are too many doors which make the space more choppy than symmetrical. My idea is to have the rectangle space laid out more like the galley style. Here’s what I’m thinking:
1- Close off the door to the deck and the carport so you have more of a U shape space to work with.
2- Add sliding doors on the back wall where the sink is.
3- Move the sink to the deck wall and add windows above. Consider the windows that slide open so items can be passed through the window to people on the deck.
4- The deck wall would have the refrigerator, a cooktop with cabinet drawers below for pots and pans, the sink and dishwasher.
5- Install a wall oven with a microwave above (like double ovens) on the short wall between the dining and music room doorways (downside no counterspace) or on the wall next to the laundry/pantry (longer walk). A large pantry cabinet with pullouts could then go in whichever of these spaces remains.
6- The two corners of the room on the back wall with the slider could have lazy susan type cabinets; they hold so much! You could forego wall cabinets above or add a pretty display type of corner cabinet. From the lazy susan corner cabinets to the sliding doors you could run countertop with additional cabinets below, or with a beverage fridge, or with refrigerator drawers. Or make a rolling island that fits under the counters so you can use it as needed and store it out of Matt’s way when you don’t need it. You could even have a wall of windows with a breakfast bar. Potentially many options.
7- On the exterior, extend Matt’s ramp so he can go from the carport to the sliding door in the kitchen or continue around to the deck. While I love French doors, I think a nice sliding door will make this layout easier for Matt to navigate since nothing would be in his way.
I have no idea if the space or budget allows for any of this, but it was a fun distraction. Good luck with whatever you decide; it is bound to be gorgeous!
I would go with the larger one. It would give you more room for what storage you will lose from turning the pantry into the laundry room. It would also give you more space for when you have your large group over. Everyone always congregates in the kitchen at my house.
The only thing I don’t like in the second one is the refrigerator and cabinet by themselves. Maybe make that spot all cabinets and move the fridge to another spot? If you keep it there, adding a cabinet wall to the left side of the fridge to make it look like a built in would help. It feels like it needs an island—like others have said. On a remodeling program they had an island nested in between the countertop and a set of cabinets—the cabinets would have to be shorter to allow for the top of the island. It looked like a decorative element around a section of cabinets but could be pulled out for a buffet or extra spot for people to gather. Whatever you choose will be fabulous.
I think I’d go with the rectangular option [#2], considering you’re giving up your pantry area and will need storage for those items currently in there. And, to be honest, the galley kitchen seems a bit claustrophobic for me. I like the roominess of the larger kitchen. BUT, after all, it’s YOUR kitchen, not mine! LOL
I would go with the larger kitchen. You entertain on a regular basis. Galley kitchens are tricky with more than two people. That said, love all the windows in both kitchens. My one suggestion would be a sliding glass door to the deck. Excited to see how this unfolds.
Re Plan #2: consider the placement of the fridge. There is no counter on which to place any item/s you take from the fridge. You have to walk it over to the closest counter across the room. In the case of retrieving several items, this means several trips. Factor anything heavy and it could be awkward. Counter space next to the fridge is mighty handy. A friend remodeled her kitchen with such an arrangement and later regretted it.
I’d go with the second option, redesigned for functionality. Close the door to the carport. It isn’t that long of a walk to come through the laundry room into the kitchen. It will also give you a mudroom of sorts.
On the kitchen side, move the door to the deck closer to the music room – opposite the door to the laundry room. Moving those two doorways will give you a lot more functional space to create a much tighter working triangle.
On the wall between the music room, entrance, and dining room, I would put a pantry. Personally, I have a 13 inch deep pantry and I love it. Nothing gets lost in there.
Kirsti,
I think this layout at (the very top) is the best you have come up with. It flows so much better with the rest of the house. I also like that the front entry is a straight walk through as well. Your lounge room is lovely as it is don’t change it. Your dining room is a good size and it does not have to be a walk way either as you can direct your guests straight through from the front door.
The only point I would make to think about is
1. Do you really need such a big kitchen as you have said there is only the 2 of you most of the time, and you do have a butlers pantry with heaps of storage. 2. The kitchen is a walk through to the outside then when you are entertaining your guests will tend to go in and out of the door and that could be a problem. 3. Have you thought of narrowing the width and instead of windows you have a large countertop and sliding doors or French doors onto the deck. Mat can still have enough room to wheel around the countertop and go out his doors to the ramp. Then you could scale back the wall that is in the kitchen with the door and put cupboards or your large fridge there.
4. It would make moving around the kitchen so much easier and you would not have to walk a marathon while you are cooking.
5. I just think you have a lot of entry points to your house. Do you need so many? Just throwing that in to think about.
You go girl you can do anything you set your mind to do.
Love from Reta in NSW Australia.
There is too much walking distance within the kitchen triangle for the rectangle addition. It will be inefficient to work in. I vote for the galley kitchen. I notice that you are missing a garbage/recycling pullout next to your kitchen sink. And I firmly believe that the range needs to be directly across from the sink to create balance. Since this addition would be less expensive…I recommend exploring a splurge on luxury appliances. You have room for a 48” integrated refrigerator and Sub-Zero/Wolf and Thermador have appliance packages. It will be an investment, but they are built to last 20 years compared to the typical disposable appliance that lasts perhaps 6 years.
Also, is this an opportunity to put new rafters above the “breakfast room/pantry” section, since the crane will be on sight, etc. If the roof was raised, what will be the benefits? Will you be able to have full height in the pantry=laundry room? Could the breakfast=TV room front wall be bumped out a few feet with a large window? Happy dreaming!
What about reworking the bigger kitchen by moving the deck door closer to the music room doors and somehow using the two walls of the galley kitchen design in an L shape configuration? I like the flow and design of the galley kitchen with the cabinets and lots of counter space around both the stove and refrigerator. By moving the deck door, you could go from the music room or the dining room directly outside without having to go through the main kitchen area. You could also have an island with the L-shape design and it needn’t obstruct the path from the carport/ramp door to any of the other doors. Just some thoughts!
I know you don’t want to hear this idea, but I’m studying your floorplan and the one thing I keep finding myself trying to do, is to put your laundry room on the private side of your home. Most laundry will be created by you and Matt and having the facilities near your bedroom and bathroom just makes sense to me. I also kerp trying to reconfigure your guest bathroom access to allow for you to utilize the hallway area more efficiently and to keep guest away from your private area of the home. What are your thoughts with switching the guest bathroom location with the newly proposed laundry room location?
I think the larger kitchen will be wonderful for hosting gatherings and daily navigation for you and Matt. I agree with some other commenters about it feeling a little disjointed, but I think you will be able to design a perfect layout for how you envision using your space. I’m so happy to see the entrance from the carport incorporated into your plan.
The idea of switching the guest bathroom and laundry room is very intriguing, but unfortunately, it would cost a fortune that I don’t think we’re willing to pay. That current pantry/future laundry room is on a solid concrete foundation, so putting a bathroom there would either require jackhammering up the concrete foundation to run plumbing, OR getting having a second Saniflo toilet in the house (I already have one in the studio bathroom), which I really wouldn’t be thrilled about. The only reason I think that room would work easily as a laundry room, specifically with my washer and dryer on that wall where I show them on the floor plan, is because that wall is shared with the studio bathroom. There’s already hot and cold water running into that bathroom, and it already has a Saniflo inside the wall. Each Saniflo can have three things hooked up to it, and right now the Saniflo in that wall only has two things (studio bathroom sink and toilet) hooked up to it. So there’s room for one more — the washer. So we could turn it into a laundry room fairly easily, but turning it into a bathroom gets into some major construction if I don’t want both guest bathroom toilets to be Saniflo toilets. And I really, really, really don’t want that.
And who wants a bathroom that connects to the kitchen😖 it’s seems we do laundry as we’re doing other things in the day, so going to and from the laundry works out the same no matter its location anyway.
I say 2 all the way. It looks like it will have a better flow as well as the openness is more inviting.
You always end up with a beautiful look.
I always think of how many steps it would take to get the groceries from the car to the kitchen.
If I’m reading the plans correctly, you’d have to go through several rooms with the first plan, whereas with the second plan it would be a straight shot from carport to kitchen. Plus the more open layout would better accommodate a walker or wheelchair. For about six months this year I was first in a wheelchair then advanced to a walker. Our kitchen layout was fairly difficult to maneuver.
So No. 2 gets my vote.
I don’t know anyone who was unhappy with a larger kitchen. Go with the bigger option and a movable island/workstation in the middle.
Do you spend a lot of time in the kitchen? Do you have people over often for meals? Why do you need/ or why do you not need more cabinet space—some people really need it and others fill up the space with items they never use. Do you really need tall cabinets or will items that are never used get put in the top shelves?
Maybe these questions can help with your decision.
I vote for the rectangle, a larger one. Easier to use the ramp right into the house. (also for bringing in groceries to the kitchen). When you eliminate your pantry to make the laundry room, won’t you need the larger kitchen, that has more cabinets for all the stuff from the pantry? Where will the freezer go? You can also access the deck much easier with this flow pattern. You could have windows that open to pass things from the kitchen to the deck, with a little ledge to put items, food, etc. on. The frig being alone on the short wall, it kind of reminds me of your original kitchen when you first bought the house. Next to my fridge, I am glad to have a countertop to put things in the fridge instead of having to carry it all or bring it over piecemeal. Whatever you pick, I am sure it will work out the best. Can’t wait to see it.
addendum: We have had a galley kitchen in a few houses and even in this one. We are always having to take turns walking (it isn’t terribly narrow either) and “dancing” around one another to get to where we need to go. With three dogs and the two of us, it gets crazy, and if we have company, forget about it. Bigger is always better if you are going to do it, do it big, just like your workshop, go bigger if at all possible, especially since you plan on adding bigger tools at some point. You won’t regret it.
The Galley for sure…..! Unless you plan an Island down the middle of the rectangle or Matt needing the room to maneuver that’s a lot of walking from place to place…
I prefer the open rectangular kitchen because it has the back door directly onto the wheelchair ramp. However, the work triangle seems very spread out on this floorplan. Could you move the exit door going outside to the deck closer to the music room and have the range closer to the sink in an “L” configuration?
As a wheelchair user myself, I vote for the bigger kitchen. I have a galley kitchen in my home now and it is honestly the most frustrating room for me to navigate. I am constantly bumping into stuff when trying to back up or turn around. And don’t even get me started on when someone else is in the kitchen with me, it just tends to be a very stressful time for me. Good luck with your renovations and your designs are beautiful either way!
As with most of the commenters, I think creating a larger space for the kitchen is wise. I agree we should not renovate for some future owner, but we are renovating for our future selves and it is impossible to predict what our own needs will be in ten or fifteen years. You might have mobility issues yourself someday. I have nothing against galley kitchens, and have enjoyed several, but if you have a choice, go a little bigger.
The larger plan can work, it just needs some tweaking for more efficient use of space. A “U” shape is very efficient in a kitchen. If you moved the carport entrance to enter into the pantry/laundry, you would still be steps away from the kitchen. Then if you moved the kitchen door to the deck farther down the wall, so that door is opposite the pantry/laundry door, you would have symmetry. Now you would have a “U” and could create a more efficient work triangle. If the refrigerator was near the door to the pantry/laundry, with counter space next to it, unloading groceries and putting them away would be easier.
I know the plan is to convert the pantry into the laundry room, but I keep trying to think how you could have both. A pantry is a wonderful thing to have. If you enter from the carport into that room, you will lose space on that wall by creating a door. I’m looking at the plan and keep wondering if slightly enlarging the pantry would make it possible to add the washer and dryer while still preserving room for a freezer and maybe a couple of cabinets. I don’t know if that will be cost effective or not. And as another commenter suggested, treating it a little as a mudroom entrance, it would be nice to have a surface to put down keys, etc. and perhaps kick off muddy shoes. I’m with you enjoying the process!
The larger kitchen would be my choice with an island added to the middle of the kitchen. Otherwise there is too much open space between walls. Plus it allows visitors to your kitchen without getting into the cooks way. Although I would move the arraignment of the appliances. Storage and possibly a second sink would be nice to have in the island. Also trash drawers would fit there well too. And, I could see a BBQ grill on the patio.
There are pros and cons to both kitchen floor plans. In the larger floor plan – This one seems to have a lot of wasted space in the center. What if you moved the entry door from the ramp to the left of the laundry room sink (yes, lose a cabinet and countertop) and moved the door to the deck close to the music room? Adjusting where the sink, stove and refrigerator are located, this would create a functional U shape kitchen with less steps between appliances. You could possibly move the back sink wall in a few feet saving on building costs. In the galley kitchen floor plan – People say it would be tight but it appears that you have 5 feet between the cabinets along the long walls which would be enough for me but you could possible move the wall on the left side out a couple feet. Like I suggested for the larger kitchen, you could put an entry door from the ramp into the laundry room and eliminate the cabinet and countertop to the left of the sink.
Go with the larger one. Your husband can be in there with you if he wants
Would the larger option be easier vis-a-vis adjustments to your roof design?
Is widening out the galley kitchen to 13′ an option? Because then you might get the great deck access through the music room doors, but still have a wider space to maneuver a wheelchair, and also solve the countertop near the refrigerator issue so many people have pointed out.
I prefer the larger kitchen for a number of reasons.
1. Easier for you husband to maneuver
2. Better access from kitchen to deck – direct instead of having the door around the corner form the main part of the deck.
3. Kitchen overlooking backyard itself.
4. More open to the rest of the house
I do strongly suggest considering removing the upper cabinet next to the fridge and having a counter there with regular upper above, or some open shelving, since most find it necessary to have a place near the fridge to put things coming from or going into the fridge…
I have to say that I think the larger kitchen is the way to go. Just looking at the floorplan #1 made me claustrophobic, so that would be a no-go for me. I also think the larger floorplan allows more for Matt to have easier access to things in the kitchen if he so desires and is able to do some things for himself. At the very least, it gives much more room for a wheelchair.
Hi! Both are lovely. I lean toward the larger option, because you do entertain folks, and it will be easier to move around in there. Also, somehow having the sink wall and window to look out of presents another opportunity to create a pretty view when seen from the dining room.
The larger because of “wheelchair” flow! Not that I think he plans to cook, just that it’s easy moving for him!
A suggestion would be to tape it out in your studio (using the front wall of cabinets) and mock working in the kitchen as you do daily. Comments say the galley is tight but a six foot center isn’t small (48” max is suggested for island and counter) and if you moved the wall out it would be eight! It’s my understanding your church group brings a dish, not that you all are cooking together. So sitting space not cooking space is more important. We are a family of two as well but i think most people come from a perspective of a “family” space.
You changed your mind from needing that big addition because “you didn’t really need it”. So do the same here, what do you really need to function and be comfortable.
Great point about the family mindset vs two people most of the time. We have just remodeled a flip home with a galley kitchen and 5 feet between the cabinet runs – it is very comfortable for two people to use and I wouldn’t go much further apart for ease of use. My current kitchen space (which we are changing – hallelujah!!) is galley-like with the stove run on one wall and the sink run on the other, and nine feet between them!! It’s a pain, as is the fact that people are passing through the middle all the time because of the house floor plan. I have to banish the kids from the room while I’m cooking dinner.
I like option 2! Have you considered (for either option) including a fridge with a matching standup freezer right next to it or a freezer/fridge combo unit? It would eliminate needing one in the laundry room and would be very convenient being right in the kitchen. I’m so excited for you!
I would prefer the smaller kitchen with the music room door opening up to the backyard. Big kitchens lead to bigger messes – lol.
“If I were in your shoes, which one would I choose?” Great question! These things can be very subjective, but for me I know it would be the galley kitchen. I’ve had a kitchen extremely similar in layout to your larger rectangular kitchen and it generally felt badly laid out with the large empty middle and the extra steps for every normal kitchen task. (we did not have anyone in a wheelchair trying to hang out with us there, so ymmv.) There was an annoying amount of walking to and from the fridge, as well as no place to set down food you got out so you had to go back and forth to the counter. Putting away dishes or getting a tool in the middle of cooking also just felt more wearisome than other kitchens I have lived with. I like wide walkways and breathing room in my cook space, but not this much.
The galley kitchen design you share, on the other hand, looks like a joy to work in to my eye.
You have your own preferences and considerations, but that’s my 2 cents 🙂
I have a huge kitchen and I walk myself to death. I will try to send you a picture. I personally pick the galley kitchen because everything is handy. I am assuming Matt can get his wheelchair down through the galley kitchen? Why spend more money than necessary? Less room to clean? Makes you stay organized? Leaves more for your workshop!
You will make it beautiful regardless of which plan you pick. 73 x 230 or 280 whatever it was is a bunch of money. I vote for the galley kitchen.
Check your email for the pictures.
Speaking as one who cared for a mother in a wheelchair for 19 years, you’ve GOT to go with the more open space! It’s more adaptable for unimagined future needs, and maneuvering Matt around that galley kitchen may eventually drive you insane. The galley looks nice, but I think the exterior egress is awkward and not practical. You could make it work for you, but not with any help you might need. The squarer, more open space in plan 2 is far more adaptable for future needs, the egress is much more practical, and you can accommodate more help in there. Spend some more time reconfiguring and working out the cabinetry details and a landing area near the fridge, maybe an island or a little table.
My thoughts….the larger option appears to provide more space for Matt to be in the kitchen at the same time you are without the concern of tripping over each other. This may/may not be a consideration. Also it appears that an island/prep station/serving station (thinking about your church small group gatherings you have) could be added at a later date. It could be permanently set or be on wheels. Options are good and you always make the best f whatever you decide!
I am finally catching up on your blog after having covid again and loving the new ideas. Between a galley kitchen or rectangular, hands down, rectangular. I have had both of those kitchens in my lifetime and rectangular is so much better. A galley kitchen is only good for one person. Seriously one person. You might even have room for a island that Matt could eat at with you. Or your guests could be in the kitchen while you prepare foods. To me it’s a no brainer.