Kitchen design & engineering idea - would you do it like this?
My townhouse has a small kitchen which looks out over the backyard and river. The dining room is separated from the kitchen with a wall which makes the dining room dark. There's a study next to the kitchen which also looks out over the backyard and river - and this study is not really used.
Here's the floor plan :
I had some 3D photo scans done of the house to give a good visual representation of how it looks now :
This is how the kitchen and dining looks from the rear patio :
And from the dining room :
I would like to open up the kitchen to the dining room by removing the walls that separate them and create an island bench that people can sit at, looking out over the backyard.
In order to relocate the fridge and oven, I would remove the wall between kitchen and study, creating a galley kitchen with a breakfast nook.
I've created a proposed floorplan in roomstyler :
Here's the new view from the dining room into the kitchen and out to the backyard :
From the rear patio looking in :
From the laundry looking down the galley kitchen :
From the corener of the previous study, looking at the breakfast nook :
From the lounge room looking into the previous study area :
The slab above the kitchen/dining is thick concrete for the second floor so I need an engineer and builder to look at what is possible and if it requires additional strengthening if the walls are to be removed.
The central walls that make up the current pantry remain.
Would like some advice on if this seems the smartest way to go and find some professionals to evaluate it and give an overall look to the project as well.
Comments (14)
dreamer
4 years agoRelated Discussions
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Comments (41)Besides the fact that it isn't my style (and thus I agree with oklouise to sell on ebay...), the first thing which strikes me, is the crammed working area: stove/ sink/ prep. How can you operate in that space? Other side appears to be too far away to be practical? Then the fridge! If you have an expensive and very ornate kitchen, you can't have a free standing fridge! One way or another your fridge has to be integrated, which brings you back to the style question. Either you like the style and just want to i.e.white wash it (liked that option, if you are into beachy, country), then you need a matching door made up (I'd calculate 2K) and buy an integrated fridge (A$ 2-4K) or you don't like the deco, lay-out, impractical space and want to replace it all, then you can possibly get away with a free-standing fridge in a much less ornate kitchen. If you basically don't mind the kitchen and can work well in the crammed working area, or your budget doesn't stretch to a new one (think about $ 25k+), I agree with the white wash solution and taking off all the excessive ornaments and trims, putting in a flat SS or glass range hood. Also install rails with hooks next to cook top and hang your utensils, you need every square inch on the counter! Microwave to be incorporated perhaps under oven and off benchtop. Maybe spend the money and buy a matching Miele microwave, will look nice with the oven. Look into brightening the gloomy kitchen (on top of white wash) by changing the black bench top and splash backs with light ones. It might save $$ if you just get the ex one covered ( I guess about A$ 6-7k). If it was my kitchen I would definitely sell it, before spending all that money on bench tops, fridge door, integrated fridge, m/w integration, removal of trims, painting, splash back etc. and still end up with a mediocre and impractical kitchen. Would be very interested to see more of your actual style. Can only make out an Ikea shelving unit on one photo... Your decision has a lot to do with the longevity (and cost) of a kitchen, your actual style and the practicability of the ex kitchen! If you can afford it, think long term and maybe save up for THE kitchen you want. If you want some tips on how to keep costs in check and still get a great result for a new kitchen, just contact me. Good luck....See MoreWhat would you like to learn from an Interior Designer?
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Comments (6)I am thinking from a different way. Build a new extension with lots of windows to let the northern sun into your home. The external wall of original home would be structural, I have noted in red, where structural posts can be installed and at the same time adding some interest to your island. Keep the front lounge as a separate space. The kitchen I have shown wraps around with cupboards in the former dining room. If you do not require a bigger kitchen, then Maybe the dining room can be a study area still accessed through the kitchen. In both instances, your new island can be where your current sink area is. You have not mentioned a budget, so anything is possible....See MoreTodd Triebler
4 years ago
Kate
4 years agoTodd Triebler
4 years agodreamer
4 years agoA suggestion. Since you have windows in the study with views, I would utilise those views. I would block up the small arch that is from lounge to study. Open up the large arch, and make a walkway. Put fridge in blocked up arch. Continue kitchen benchtop and cupboards around the entire study area on solid walls. On the window parts continue an open counter. You could have stools here to look at your views, and this could be used for working on a laptop with a wifi connection to a printer camouflaged in cupboards. Or just use it as a wonderful place to sit and directly take in your views. I would also reconfigure your lounge so you are facing the study area when seated. Photos attached for visual explanation.
Todd Triebler
4 years agooklouise
4 years ago...subject to professional confirmation about plumbing and removing walls my suggestion has the kitchen in the old dining room..
Todd Triebler
4 years ago
Alison Noble
4 years agoTodd Triebler
3 years agoWell this project is now complete. I engaged Refresh renovations here in Perth who took care of the engineering, planning and building of this project. We opened all the walls right up, put supporting beams in and removed the popcorn ceiling. Kitchen was finished off with new cabinets from Delta cabinets and special mention to Total Stone WA who supplied fantastic bookmatched 40mm stone tops and waterfall ends. Some photos to show the finished product :
dreamer