Hello dear house and kitchen experts,
we are currently planning our little house and after 3 months, we almost have the floor plan finished.
Due to the low knee walls (eaves height according to the development plan), we are planning a third gable with four floor-to-ceiling windows (all symmetrical). A room will be added upstairs, and the adjoining rooms will get extra windows and floor space. So far, so good.
Downstairs, the kitchen is planned with an exit to the terrace (which faces southwest). The terrace will wrap around the house up to the living room area.
Now the problem we are struggling with:
We want to be able to look outside while working and not always have our backs to the windows.
Because of the floor-to-ceiling windows, the available space for kitchen units is limited.
We have an L-shaped kitchen layout, but it’s “inward” facing.
We were also thinking about a kitchen island
that can be approached from different sides.
However, proper clearances must be maintained and access to the windows (for cleaning) must be possible.
We just can’t seem to move forward, and frustration is growing… although we should actually be excited.
We have also considered slightly widening the kitchen at the expense of the hallway. The house shouldn’t get much wider due to neighbor distance requirements, which is currently about 6m (20 feet), since the terrace will be added as well.
I would be genuinely grateful for your help and suggestions to optimize this.
Trapped in our own planning. The squared circle?
I have attached the floor plan with the kitchen island variants. It’s a bit rough with pencil marks but the result of extended considerations.
Best regards, Helene
P.S. Note: Transom windows might be difficult due to the very low height and for aesthetic reasons, since a door should be able to open.
we are currently planning our little house and after 3 months, we almost have the floor plan finished.
Due to the low knee walls (eaves height according to the development plan), we are planning a third gable with four floor-to-ceiling windows (all symmetrical). A room will be added upstairs, and the adjoining rooms will get extra windows and floor space. So far, so good.
Downstairs, the kitchen is planned with an exit to the terrace (which faces southwest). The terrace will wrap around the house up to the living room area.
Now the problem we are struggling with:
We want to be able to look outside while working and not always have our backs to the windows.
Because of the floor-to-ceiling windows, the available space for kitchen units is limited.
We have an L-shaped kitchen layout, but it’s “inward” facing.
We were also thinking about a kitchen island
that can be approached from different sides.
However, proper clearances must be maintained and access to the windows (for cleaning) must be possible.
We just can’t seem to move forward, and frustration is growing… although we should actually be excited.
We have also considered slightly widening the kitchen at the expense of the hallway. The house shouldn’t get much wider due to neighbor distance requirements, which is currently about 6m (20 feet), since the terrace will be added as well.
I would be genuinely grateful for your help and suggestions to optimize this.
Trapped in our own planning. The squared circle?
I have attached the floor plan with the kitchen island variants. It’s a bit rough with pencil marks but the result of extended considerations.
Best regards, Helene
P.S. Note: Transom windows might be difficult due to the very low height and for aesthetic reasons, since a door should be able to open.
Box in the tall cabinets by relocating the door; the area where a partition wall can be installed is marked with dashed lines. The countertop can be either straight or angled, which would allow it to be longer. The window on side three has been shortened so that a separation is possible at all. Looking at the house as a whole, it could probably be improved. What bothers me is that, due to the width of the gable, the dining area is basically forced into a corner of the gable, so one corner of the gable overlaps the dining area. I am actually quite open to unconventional solutions.
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