Realistically, can a home kitchen be TOO big?

[vash]

i am thinking of a kitchen remodel.

mine is okay, acceptable, but it's too dark for my liking..and my dream is to have that perfect kitchen triangle between sink/stove/fridge.

my kitchen is attached to my area that i have my TV. i am thinking of taking it all over for the kitchen. move the TV to some spare bedroom.

i need to pull a tape measure. tonight. i'll maybe make a few sketches.

big island in the middle..floor-ceiling bookshelf on one side, wine storage..etc. a man can dream right?

this morning i was looking, it would be huge!! my home isnt that big, but the kitchen is the most used place.

[stomachmonkey]

No.

Do the pasta spout.

[ckelly78z]

Outdoor kitchen !

[kach22i]

Once you get the work triangle figured out, the rest is social interaction space and or circulation, and the sky is the limit as some have pointed out.

Think of it like a bar open to the public, the space behind the bar is an efficient drink pouring factory, the bar part where people sit can be pretty big.

[Zeke]

Design the kitchen for the way you cook. Commercial kitchens aren't all that big but the cleaning of dishes, etc. is done in a separate area. So the question is, do you follow convention? Do you really need the main sink in the triangle?

But do put in a large single compartment sink. 2 dishwashers are not a stretch. Separate refrigerator and freezer will give you all the room you need. And I wish mine weren't so full that I have to move something to get at something. That should be avoided.

[ckelly78z]

We could all use more counter space in our kitchens. For some, it is an excersise in discipline to keep large items like coffee makers/toaster ovens/microwaves/mixers/wine racks in a separate, easily accesible location so more of the existing countertops are clear. I also like the idea of an island on castors/wheels that can moved out of the way, or closer to the action if needed.

I would start by looking at google images of kitchen designs to get new ideas, and possibly talk to a designer for the space you have with more options.

[LWJ]

When I did this same thing I made a point to have a kitchen where two could cook comfortably.

That means no narrow constrictions and separate task areas. My kitchen is not perfect but it is much better than most. A particular peeve for me was the inability to walk past when the refrigerator door / dishwasher door was open. I solved that with larger widths between work spaces. A large island did wonders for my kitchen. From an L - shape with the refrigerator blocking access out to a C shape with an island in the back. We moved the kitchen from one end of the room to the other. Sort of over the top. But it was needed. Good thing the house was cheap!

And yes. Kitchens can be too large. Mine is 15 x 28 if I recall. The room also has the eating area and a little place to sit at the opposite end of the kitchen. It would be huge if we just cooked and ate there. We have a family of 5.

[drkshdw]

A human body only takes up 2-3 sqft of floor space. Any space bigger than this is a bonus. But keep in mind that the larger your kitchen, the more travelling you have to do to get from point A to point B. Sure it's nice to have a huge kitchen, but do you really want to carry that 5 gallon pot full of boiling water and cooked spaghetti 20 feet from the stove to the sink to drain it? What about when you have a gravy going on the stove and the roux is burning and you forgot the milk in the fridge 15 feet away?

From my years working in restaurant kitchens, it's not the size of the kitchen but the layout of said kitchen. I've worked in huge cafeteria's and tiny diners. I much, MUCH prefer smaller kitchens as they have everything you need right there. It just makes it easier to cook. When you can turn around from stove to fridge to sink without walking, it just goes so much smoother and makes the process of cooking more enjoyable.

With that said though, I need a large work space (counter). An island that I can roll out doughs and crusts without feeling cramped. But any more than that, is just wasted space. For me. So even though I cook all the time and make everything I eat from scratch, my personal kitchen is only 10' x 12' with an island. I wouldn't want anything bigger but I know I'm in the minority here.

ps: put a faucet above your stove. Makes cooking soups and pastas a breeze. If it's a good enough idea for Chinese and Italian restaurants then it's a good enough idea for me. :-)

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by kach22i

Once you get the work triangle figured out, the rest is social interaction space and or circulation, and the sky is the limit as some have pointed out.

Think of it like a bar open to the public, the space behind the bar is an efficient drink pouring factory, the bar part where people sit can be pretty big.

Originally Posted by LWJ

When I did this same thing I made a point to have a kitchen where two could cook comfortably.

That means no narrow constrictions and separate task areas. My kitchen is not perfect but it is much better than most. A particular peeve for me was the inability to walk past when the refrigerator door / dishwasher door was open. I solved that with larger widths between work spaces. A large island did wonders for my kitchen. From an L - shape with the refrigerator blocking access out to a C shape with an island in the back. We moved the kitchen from one end of the room to the other. Sort of over the top. But it was needed. Good thing the house was cheap!

And yes. Kitchens can be too large. Mine is 15 x 28 if I recall. The room also has the eating area and a little place to sit at the opposite end of the kitchen. It would be huge if we just cooked and ate there. We have a family of 5.

Both of these reflect my recent kitchen remodel. We made a point of keeping the triangle reasonably small so you aren't walking a long distance each time you go from one point to another when cooking. But we also incorporated a huge island that comfortably seats 7, wide walkways where two people could easily pass, a walk-in pantry, and a bar area (with built-in kegerator) at the far end. Ultimately we moved everything and combined our old kitchen and a dining area into one big kitchen, but it was totally worth it.

[GH85Carrera]

My former boss would say yes.

He and his wife had a HUGE house 5,500+ square feet. The kitchen was really cool, but his wife got tired of cooking. He always said they should rip it all out and convert to a catering kitchen, and convert it to have room for a lot of vending machines and a microwave.

Yea, they ate out a LOT.

[vash]

Originally Posted by drkshdw

ps: put a faucet above your stove. Makes cooking soups and pastas a breeze. If it's a good enough idea for Chinese and Italian restaurants then it's a good enough idea for me. :-)

of course!!

i want a salamander too!!

[ckelly78z]

So many times in our small kitchen, I can't help my wife cut vegatables, or stir pots because of her already there, in my way. It would be nice to be able to work at a separate location to help with preparedness. Thanksgiving meal is an especially trying time for work space, with multiple hot pots, and cutting/slicing/dicing going on.

We have thought about taking out a load bearing wall to get better flow, which would connect it to the dining room more efficiently, but $$$, and time are our limiting factors, at least until we are empty nesters.

[911 Rod]

What's wrong with a big screen tv in the kitchen?

People want to hang.

[Eric Coffey]

Originally Posted by vash

of course!!

i want a salamander too!!

Don't forget the water-cooled wok station.

[wdfifteen]

I LOVED my old kitchen. It looked out on the great room and I could watch tv and cook. Friends would sit at the counter and I would cook for them. Wash sink was big enough to scrub a hog in. The only thing I would change is to put a sprayer on the prep sink. Loved lots of space around the cooktop and the multi-level counter space. I really miss that kitchen. Most of the time you looked out over the great room or out the window. Our current kitchen is like a hallway. Great triangle, very efficient, but not as fun or as comfortable to work in.




LOVED my old kitchen




New kitchen is a hallway. Since this was taken I replaced the range with a cooktop and the microwave with a decent vent. Also replaced the sink. The counter thing in the middle is on wheels so I can move it to the middle of the room if I need it, but it takes up a LOT of space there.

[vash]

Originally Posted by Eric Coffey

Don't forget the water-cooled wok station.

hahha..that i might pass on. the hood vent needed would be a problem.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by vash

hahha..that i might pass on. the hood vent needed would be a problem.

Vent-a-Hood with dual blower will take care of that

[vash]

for sure, a vent a hood.

they clean up the easiest, from what i've seen.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

No.

Do the pasta spout.

With water in Texas? No way!

[look 171]

Originally Posted by vash

for sure, a vent a hood.

they clean up the easiest, from what i've seen.

Remove blower, degrease and hose off with garden hose. The rest is elbow grease if you need to get inside. If you really feeling like spending your retirement early, get exterior mounted blowers to eliminate more noise. 1200 cfm dual blower is pretty strong. My Mama has one and it takes care of lots of food smell.