J
JuliaAlex5 Jul 2021 17:46Dear forum members,
since we got stuck on the kitchen planning in another thread (https://www.hausbau-forum.de/threads/beleuchtung-von-langem-schmalen-wohn-essbereich-im-rmh.39728/), I’m starting a new topic here so that the helpful answers and suggestions can be found more easily later on 🙂
Here are the basic details: Our kitchen is 265cm (104 inches) wide. The wall facing the hallway is 3.60m (12 feet) long according to the standard builder’s design, but we would like to shorten it to 2.40m (7 feet 10 inches) because the house is already quite narrow at 5.88m (19 feet 3 inches) wide and 12.23m (40 feet) long (external dimensions), and this way the open-plan living and dining area will feel more spacious. On the opposite side, there are no limits to the length of the kitchen.
Regarding the use of the ground floor: We plan to keep it simple. The living and dining area will primarily contain a large dining table, a sofa, an armchair, a shelf for children’s toys and possibly glasses, and a sideboard—no TV, electric piano, or other furniture. It is mainly meant as a daily family gathering space where we eat, cook, play, and do homework. The children’s bedrooms and another living area in the studio will serve as genuine retreats.
This was our (already much criticized from various sides 😉) first draft:
Our reasoning: Since the ground floor space is quite narrow and narrows further towards the kitchen, we wanted to design the kitchen to be as airy and open as possible (it shouldn’t feel crammed in the far corner). We tried to avoid tall cabinets that present their rather bulky broad side to the dining area, which also visually narrows the space, but we still wanted an oven at chest height. The kitchen shouldn’t become too cramped either, so we don’t get in each other’s way. It is also important to us to make the best use of the light from the fairly large kitchen window so that as much as possible reaches into the dining area without being blocked by (tall) cabinets.
What we realized, however, is that placing the sink with waste sorting and the refrigerator—i.e., the most frequently used items—at the very back of the kitchen is probably not the best idea, and we also probably overestimated the kitchen dimensions...
This is our new draft:
We look forward to your opinions and feedback. Does anyone have a similar kitchen and experience with it? Are there still supporters of the L-shaped kitchen with bar counter? I am still a bit hesitant about leaving the space in front of the window unused. Especially since we don’t have a floor-to-ceiling window, it looks a bit odd—but corners in a kitchen aren’t particularly practical either. Are there any suggestions for using the wall end? I thought maybe a small breakfast nook, but it’s probably too tight...
By the way, here’s the link to our main thread with more details about the house: https://www.hausbau-forum.de/threads/grundrissoptimierung-1-og-falls-moeglich.39724/page-5#post-508854
since we got stuck on the kitchen planning in another thread (https://www.hausbau-forum.de/threads/beleuchtung-von-langem-schmalen-wohn-essbereich-im-rmh.39728/), I’m starting a new topic here so that the helpful answers and suggestions can be found more easily later on 🙂
Here are the basic details: Our kitchen is 265cm (104 inches) wide. The wall facing the hallway is 3.60m (12 feet) long according to the standard builder’s design, but we would like to shorten it to 2.40m (7 feet 10 inches) because the house is already quite narrow at 5.88m (19 feet 3 inches) wide and 12.23m (40 feet) long (external dimensions), and this way the open-plan living and dining area will feel more spacious. On the opposite side, there are no limits to the length of the kitchen.
Regarding the use of the ground floor: We plan to keep it simple. The living and dining area will primarily contain a large dining table, a sofa, an armchair, a shelf for children’s toys and possibly glasses, and a sideboard—no TV, electric piano, or other furniture. It is mainly meant as a daily family gathering space where we eat, cook, play, and do homework. The children’s bedrooms and another living area in the studio will serve as genuine retreats.
This was our (already much criticized from various sides 😉) first draft:
Our reasoning: Since the ground floor space is quite narrow and narrows further towards the kitchen, we wanted to design the kitchen to be as airy and open as possible (it shouldn’t feel crammed in the far corner). We tried to avoid tall cabinets that present their rather bulky broad side to the dining area, which also visually narrows the space, but we still wanted an oven at chest height. The kitchen shouldn’t become too cramped either, so we don’t get in each other’s way. It is also important to us to make the best use of the light from the fairly large kitchen window so that as much as possible reaches into the dining area without being blocked by (tall) cabinets.
What we realized, however, is that placing the sink with waste sorting and the refrigerator—i.e., the most frequently used items—at the very back of the kitchen is probably not the best idea, and we also probably overestimated the kitchen dimensions...
This is our new draft:
We look forward to your opinions and feedback. Does anyone have a similar kitchen and experience with it? Are there still supporters of the L-shaped kitchen with bar counter? I am still a bit hesitant about leaving the space in front of the window unused. Especially since we don’t have a floor-to-ceiling window, it looks a bit odd—but corners in a kitchen aren’t particularly practical either. Are there any suggestions for using the wall end? I thought maybe a small breakfast nook, but it’s probably too tight...
By the way, here’s the link to our main thread with more details about the house: https://www.hausbau-forum.de/threads/grundrissoptimierung-1-og-falls-moeglich.39724/page-5#post-508854
This is already an improvement compared to the first version above.
There is a forum on another website: just search for Kitchens and Forum on Google.
You should familiarize yourself with the workflows. Although the workspace is now closer to the stove and sink, the distance to the refrigerator is still quite long. Well, it's tolerable. You have to make do with what you have.
I would probably move the tall cabinets forward by the depth of a cabinet and place a row of cabinets under the window. You probably aren’t allowed to alter the facade to install a floor-to-ceiling window, right?
This would create a lot of countertop and storage space for a coffee machine and other items.
There is a forum on another website: just search for Kitchens and Forum on Google.
You should familiarize yourself with the workflows. Although the workspace is now closer to the stove and sink, the distance to the refrigerator is still quite long. Well, it's tolerable. You have to make do with what you have.
I would probably move the tall cabinets forward by the depth of a cabinet and place a row of cabinets under the window. You probably aren’t allowed to alter the facade to install a floor-to-ceiling window, right?
This would create a lot of countertop and storage space for a coffee machine and other items.
We also had a terraced house with a similar layout downstairs—an open staircase and 50cm (20 inches) wider—but a separate kitchen where we created an opening. This resulted in a counter between the kitchen and dining area. It looked something like this. Because the kitchen was about 1.40m (4 ft 7 inches) wide inside, everything worked well and smoothly—despite the inconvenient dishwasher.
The refrigerator was located on the left side of the plan.
The refrigerator was located on the left side of the plan.
I can’t reconcile the visualization with the floor plan at all.
Is the kitchen open or closed?
If it’s closed like in the visualization, the peninsula doesn’t make any sense.
No one would place themselves or sit in the niche between the wall and the island.
So I’m assuming it’s open. In that case, it’s not too bad in principle.
In my experience, the dishwasher and trash should be close to each other, ideally side by side.
Frequently used dishes and cutlery should also be located very near the dishwasher.
I wouldn’t stop the tall cabinets right above the sink; there’s room for one more next to it.
Is the kitchen open or closed?
If it’s closed like in the visualization, the peninsula doesn’t make any sense.
No one would place themselves or sit in the niche between the wall and the island.
So I’m assuming it’s open. In that case, it’s not too bad in principle.
In my experience, the dishwasher and trash should be close to each other, ideally side by side.
Frequently used dishes and cutlery should also be located very near the dishwasher.
I wouldn’t stop the tall cabinets right above the sink; there’s room for one more next to it.
Similar topics