Updates CamBridge

Reply to: I designed it in sketch-up, then ordered panels, drawers, drawer fronts from Conestoga to spec, then DH built it.

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Reply to: I don’t love any of the options. I don’t have an alternate to propose other than wondering if removing the pantry and back staircase to gain space to do a U-shaped kitchen utilizing the opened-up back wall will give you better layout. Obviously more expensive so that means holding off on the kitchen redo until you complete the 3rd floor addition and can increase your kitchen budget.

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Reply to: I think you are trying to fit too much kitchen and dining space into a two-bedroom apartment. Some 4-bedroom houses have smaller kitchens than this I would look at NYC apartments for inspiration.

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Reply to: Start with the fact that this is NOT a space for an island, and all the clearances with that are far too tight. Move heaven , move earth, but get the cook to an exterior wall. Hard for us to fully inform as we . need every dimension.....,every solid wall., window, opening .......of the current condition

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Reply to: This seems like a unique kind of home to design! The only one I like at all is B - I would absolutely avoid a kitchen with a trafficway through the main work circuit. It's probably one of the things that works about the current overly cramped 3-lane kitchen. I would open up the pantry, yes, and move the fridge to the exterior wall just inside that space (so it would be to the right of the sink) then put some 12-15" deep reach-in pantry cabinets on the former fridge wall. Keep the wall between the back stairs and the hall 2/bedrooms area clear for flow. Not a fan of angled segments as they immediately make the kitchen feel like it was installed 30 years ago. You need at least one 3-stack drawer cabinet for pots and pans, and a couple 4 or 5 stacks for all the shallow things that work best in thin layers like wraps and foils, spices, cooking implements, potholders and spare towels and rags, etc. You'll be able to buy fewer cabinets overall because of the great efficiency of drawer storage. That 3'2" walkway from the back spiral stair is unnecessarily tight. 3'8" would be much more comfortable and you appear to have the room to borrow from in the U (I would keep it at least 4"6" counter to counter at that end). I bet some of the very talented folks here will come in and erase the space, giving you their own from-scratch ideas. I'm looking forward to it!

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Reply to: We have a raised peninsula that looks to the dining table. We also have a stove in the peninsula. I call the area above the stove my baking zone, so I like having a raised bar to hide the crumbs etc. The peninsula is 52" wide and I think it looks fine because of the raised bar-it might look too wide if all one level. My kids eat at the bar and it is rounded. So it goes from about 16" to 20" for leg room. 16" is fine. I believe 12 would be too little. Here are two pics one from the stove side and one from eating side. You will see a bit of a speed oven at the end of the peninsula. Hope this helps!

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Reply to: Thank you Bonnie for sharing that helpful information. FINALLY someone who can give us an answer to our seemingly easy question!

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