How can I add, or improve, my kitchen? ( lemmy.world )

There are only two cabinets in the kitchen that open at eye level. We need more. My wife does not want to get on a step stool to reach each cabinet. We don’t NEED more counter space, but it would be nice. We are thinking of building into the breakfast nook, or some how pushing into the pantry/butler pantry area.

ibb.co/nCBkD6z

Link to blueprint

ickis ,

Love the size of your kitchen, that’s a great set up for parties!

If I were in your shoes:

  • I would have a pot rack overhead to clear out as many drawers as possible, there’s even some with auxiliary systems for kitchen utensils (spatulas, etc.).
  • A magnetic knife block either wall mounted (my preferred) or on the counter would clear up more drawer space as well.
  • Under cabinet shelves / cup racks have done wonders to maximize storage in cabinets & on counters.
  • A fancy roller prep table with a storage shelf could work with your set up. I have a mobile island with a foldable butcher block top which stores all our baking ingredients, prep bowls, silverware, & resealable bags.
  • A few tall pantry pull out cabinets to the right of the ovens going towards the breakfast nook would be pretty sweet, you could even have one made to hold a fire extinguisher & broom/dustpan. If you build more overhead storage you could also throw in a stepladder to keep close at hand & out of the way.
  • If you don’t have it, pull out cabinets in your island would be great to maximize storage capacity, that island is huge! If you’re handy with a saw & tools, you can fabricate your own pull-out drawers with specific configurations as well.
  • Replace the wall oven combo as well as your microwave with a combination oven, see example here . That would provide opportunity when remodeling down the road for longer cabinet space where that microwave & larger wall oven footprint once were.

IMO More overhead storage is the way to go when maximizing storage space as well. Consider it when/if you remodel.

I have an overflow closet for my tight galley style kitchen which holds most of the kitchen appliances I use periodically (5-7 times a year - think portable grill, sous vide, pickling jars, etc.), larger pans/pots for parties, & bulk food items, & seasonal/event stuff (folding chairs & picnic baskets, etc.). This pantry is not located near my kitchen, it’s sorta inconvenient in the same way using a stepladder is. On top of that I actually do keep a stepladder in my kitchen, in a confoundingly tall & thin cabinet (2.5 ft H x 6 in W x 24 D). Anything you wouldn’t use on a weekly basis should go in maybe a pantry or further back in your island storage.

My partner and I cook a lot, probably 95% of our meals are made by us and we like to explore different aspects of cooking, some of which require a lot of prep space (bread proofing, large batches of kimchi, etc.). Our kitchen is in essentially in a short hallway. so it’s been a fun challenge setting it up, but it’s paid off.

My apologies if this was too much of a ramble, I’m a big fan of kitchen organization & workflow efficiency. Hopefully this rant has helped in some way.

Please keep us updated on what you do!

essay OP ,

This is awesome. Thank you. Will be a bit before we do a remodel but I’ll repost when done. Might be a year or two.

Nurgle ,

Hard to say without being there. But a breakfast nook could be feasible and also have storage built into it. I would consider working backwards in terms of what you need to store and then figuring out what to add/where it will go. So if you need to store a bunch of dry goods, add a pantry, then figure how that will best fit into the space.

One piece of unsolicited advice: upper cabinets will shrink a room so consider open shelves, if you want your kitchen to feel open.

Also agree with what everyone else, that color combo is really harsh. I’d repaint the cabinets as a first step.

essay OP ,

We need cabinets at eye level for plates, cups, mugs etc. Don’t want to be bend over to reach underneath counters for that stuff

Hazdaz ,

Besides the extra cabinets and such, have you considered a change in color? The black really is harsh against so much white/light colors. I would consider painting the island one color and then the back cabinets another. Then add a pop of color on the backsplash. with some colored glass tiles.

mick ,

Looks nice, but I agree with others about installing cabinets along the wall in the breakfast nook.

Is there a sink in the butler’s pantry? The blueprint doesn’t show it, but the photo shows something in the middle of that counter space. If so, you might want to add some counter space as well for a toaster oven and coffee maker.

I have a similar setup for the cooktop and range hood layout. After living with it for 20 years, I’d say I’m not a fan of that design. The cabinets are too close to the cooktop and will get greasy. Fumes will also rise up and around the range hood and get on the cabinets above hood. Lastly, if you ever have to replace your range hood years down the road, it’s very likely the cabinet surface being covered by the hood will be a different color than the exposed surface.

I would make the cabinets on both sides smaller, at least 6” away from cooktop and not have any cabinetry above hood.

essay OP ,

No sink in the butler’s pantry, so space for the coffee maker etc. I am thinking that incorporating the breakfast nook into the kitchen is the best idea. We’re don’t need a dining table, 4 seat island, AND another breakfast table

Gregorech ,

You could add a china hutch or buffet to either butler pantry wall or in the breakfast nook area.

ciferecaNinjo ,

indeed buffet was my first thought too because it would give the extra countertop space he wants. But otoh, he doesn't want to bend over for the extra storage. There could be cabinets above the buffet though.

Cagi ,

Plants! Imagine bits of green here and there.

derf82 ,

There is a ton of wasted space along that breakfast nook wall. Or just kill the breakfast nook. I don’t know thy you need it, a dining room, and seating at the island unless you have a huge family.

essay OP ,

Thanks for your thoughts. We were thinking something similar, but were unsure if a breakfast nook is mandatory for most people when time to sell

essay OP ,

There is a formal dining room. That’s the dinette in the picture

banana_meccanica ,

This because you make an open space that isn’t functional for a kitchen. A room where you cooking deserve walls where you place cabinets and shit. So build some walls and also make a proper dining room.

essay OP ,

There is a dining room elsewhere. That’s the dinette in the photo

Track_Shovel ,

Canibalize the dinette space, and put 2x floor to ceiling cupboard units

The island can serve for breakfast nook

essay OP ,

I posted a link to the blueprint of the first floor

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