Kitchen + laundry layout dilemma

last year

last modified: last year

Hello everyone, 👋

I'm planning a small renovation for our family home and I am looking for some design on the kitchen and laundry layout. I've spent so much time looking at this space, but alas I just can not find a layout that works to my eye.

Project brief:

We want to increase the connection to the backyard.
We are happy to move to a European-style laundry.
We cannot move or knock through the wall that separates the kitchen / laundry from the living area.
The budget is around $50k – $60k.
I'm able to do quite a bit of it myself – e.g. demo, kitchen installation and paint / plastering.

I've attached two layout images, the existing layout (in blue) and a proposed layout (in red) – better images here and here. Three images of the existing space also attached, including one of the backyard to help understand our motivations.

The proposed layout removes some of the wall between the kitchen and laundry to improve connectivity but it has an awkward unused space near the new back door and the fridge and the pantry are still providing a visual block to the backyard.

I would love to get your feedback on the proposed changes or an alternative layout that may work for our brief. Any insights, suggestions, or ideas you could share would be incredibly helpful.

Thank you so much for your time and help!

Alex ✌️

Featured Answer

Kate

last year

Along dreamer’s line

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Comments (19)

dreamer
last year
Where is the main back yard and patio, to the bottom of the plans or to the side?
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PRO
Compass Kitchens
last year
Hello Alex

Yes the proposal in red is not going to increase the connection of living space to your back yard. The red proposal also does not add anything to the functionality of your Kitchen, Laundry & WC. With your situation, to do this properly it is going to require structural work along with good cabinetry design. Having said this though; I suspect your initial hurdle in being able to achieve this desire will be to first overcome your budget restraint.

Hope this helps, Malcolm.
Alex Kelly thanked Compass Kitchens
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dreamer
last year
I’m thinking the same as compass kitchens photo. Make the entire area a kitchen with euro laundry tucked in somewhere under bench. With an island only 600mm wide in the middle of space. You could have part of that with no storage underneath so stools can be used. Structure pillar support may be needed, as shown in purple, or not…..?
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dreamer
last year
,,
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Alex Kelly
Original Author
last year
Hi dreamer - the backyard is to the left of the picture. The bottom is the boundary with our neighbours. Alex
bigreader
last year
Why can’t you remove part or all of the wall between kitchen and living? Where do the stairs do?
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siriuskey
last year
something like this could be more open, a lovely large art hanging on the wall between the kitchen and living
Alex Kelly
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
bigreader – the stairs go up to a second story and the wall between the kitchen and living supports the upstairs rooms. It 'can' be moved, but not within our budget. We have explored these options previously and it was cost prohibitive. Alex
Alex Kelly
Original Author
last year
hi siriuskey–i really like some elements of that design. especially as we don't need to retain the toilet in the powder / laundry area. that little fridge cutout is clever though! thx for the suggestions!
siriuskey
last year
Hi Alex, Many ways to do things, I thought it would be important to maintain the PDR shower for access for outdoor living instead of trekking through the house to the other downstairs WC, and if you are planning a pool? What flooring is the house built on, ie how difficult is it to move plumbing. As it is the kitchen could have Bi fold windows but unless you screen the porch it's a nightmare in Australia. I can certainly do a plan without the PWR.
dreamer
last year
If plumbing can be moved without a huge expense, can you move the dining to where the laundry currently is, and the kitchen nearer the stairs. You have said the backyard is on the left of the plan, so have the dining room out onto your backyard deck, then the kitchen and euro laundry at the stair end. keep the double doors on the neighbours side for easy access to hanging washing etc. or reduce to a single door to give more room for the kitchen.
dreamer
last year
,
bigreader
last year
Looks like the house is on a slab or with little access underneath. It would be cheaper to out a beam between kitchen and living than to move powder to near the staircase.
Alex Kelly thanked bigreader
siriuskey
last year
last modified: last year
This with a Euro Laundry using the existing Plumbing as is kitchen sink. Perhaps you could make a second opening between the kitchen and living using a bulkhead to support the upstairs.

A Powder room under the stairs. The pantry next to the stairs can be full height or bench height
Alex Kelly thanked siriuskey
siriuskey
last year
Looks like I had the staircase wrong, so this could work, The Euro laundry could be replumbed to the other side of the room which would allow for a bigger table and seeing that you would need to do the same for the kitchen that would be OK
siriuskey
last year
Alex Kelly
Original Author
last year
Thanks so much siriuskey! These ideas are truly inspired. Some i've not thought of for sure! Alex
PRO
Kitchen and Home Sketch Designs
last year
Hello Alex, Lots to consider here but the first thing that comes to my mind is that a four bedroom home needs larger than a Euro laundry: too many people too many dead socks and best to not mix them with the soup: unhygienic for a start! So to that end IMO the laundry parallel by the stairs two straight runs of benching one with the machine and trough the other side for folding, drying and storage. A loo in there if you need it but if you have access to the main bathroom one you would not really need another to clean here too. Then the pantry can be a continuation of two straight runs of benching on the kitchen One dropping to banquet seating for dining table at the end closest to the garden. You can fit a lot of little bottoms along bench seating and makes the area neater with storage under as well. If possible without breaking the bank you could, as someone else suggested have cut outs through to the living room from the kitchen and dining for connection. It is the dining that you want connected to the garden not so much the kitchen, tho the view would not be compromised, and the laundry would have doors from its place by the stairs. (What is upstairs: more bedrooms!?) I hope this makes sense for you. I have written a few blogs on lots of topics and on laundries: I suggest you have a read of them on my website and look at my past jobs: stories and pictures, if I can be of further assistance please contact me thru there. Cheers Margot
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