0404kel

Butlers Pantry & Kitchen Triangle Blunder?

0404kel
3 years ago

Hi all design idea people,


I would love to hear your thoughts on our current design and if we are making mistakes we will regret.


We have a narrow space, facing water views, and as you can see, with the fridge in the bulters pantry we break the Kitchen Triangle Rule. Is that a BIG mistake? I don't want to get annoyed in my favourite part of the house!


Ideally I don't want to make the island any smaller OR have the sink or cooktop in it - but there I am stuck.


Please help :)


Comments (41)

  • siriuskey
    3 years ago

    so your pantry has a water view position?

    0404kel thanked siriuskey
  • siriuskey
    3 years ago

    More of your floorplan is needed please, I have water views as well

    0404kel thanked siriuskey
  • 0404kel
    Original Author
    3 years ago

    the water views are out past the dining room balcony

    - see bigger section of floor plan as requested

  • 0404kel
    Original Author
    3 years ago

    I would be happy to re-think of this as a walk in pantry instead - but where would I put the fridge?

  • siriuskey
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    Thank you for the floorplan, it gives a totally different aspect/view,

    0404kel thanked siriuskey
  • Florian P
    3 years ago

    one compromise could be to add an undercounter/ drawer fridge into your island.

  • siriuskey
    3 years ago

    can you add kitchen and other dimensions, The powder room is an immediate problem, imagine looking from the balcony and living room straight at the WC, you could make it slightly wider and turn the WC, I am happy do a drawing tomorrow if you would like with this and kitchen if you can provide more dimensions

  • 0404kel
    Original Author
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    Yes siriuskey, the kitchen has water views - that is why the island is facing the view and why I have placed two chairs on the side looking out to the view - I might have to reduce that to 1 chair for functionality and aesthetics of the island.


    I welcome any ideas / thoughts / concerns

  • siriuskey
    3 years ago

    sorry I asked the kitchen water view question before seeing the floorplan posted, your first post didn't show this,

  • 0404kel
    Original Author
    3 years ago

    Dimensions are on the second drawing -metric. Interesting re powder room. Any ideas where to put one?

  • siriuskey
    3 years ago

    Keep it where it is just reshape it. Is this a multi development, how many bedrooms do you have, is the study a bedroom

  • 0404kel
    Original Author
    3 years ago

    No it’s not. There are 4 bedrooms downstairs

  • C P
    3 years ago

    I'd swap handbasin and toilet positions if possible (may need to widen powder).

    0404kel thanked C P
  • C P
    3 years ago

    I don't have a problem with the fridge in that position as I think it's good to have it away from working space. I'd be worried about how tight the u shape is and maybe consider an L shape?

    0404kel thanked C P
  • siriuskey
    3 years ago

    Thanks for that, easy to fix, will show you a drawing tomorrow with my suggestion for you to approve or not, Plus will look at the fridge in the process. cheers

    0404kel thanked siriuskey
  • siriuskey
    3 years ago

    dimensions are missing for kitchen dining and powder room

  • 0404kel
    Original Author
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    here we go; It's 1 to 100 printed to scale on an A3 sheet in case you want to work out any other dimensions :)


  • siriuskey
    3 years ago

    The study measurement is 3726 to the robe? if so how deep is the robe, ie: measurement wall to wall

  • siriuskey
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    I'am thinking that you would have a better kitchen space by swinging the Island sideways to the view, this would also mean that when you sit at the island you don't have your back to the view. same as when you are cooking or using the sink

    The fridge, sink and cook top along the back wall with a WIP running off that, will draw that up

  • 0404kel
    Original Author
    3 years ago

    Thanks so much - it is great to see this plan you have done - the sacrifice for me in this layout is the orientation of the island - I wanted it facing the view. I have to think long and hard if that is a better trade off or if I want to keep it the other way on

  • Kate
    3 years ago

    I like your plan Kel. Where is laundry?

    0404kel thanked Kate
  • 0404kel
    Original Author
    3 years ago

    Thanks Kate do you think it will sacrifice ease of use - this is the main concern I have. Laundry is downstairs with access to outside clothesline

  • robandlyn
    3 years ago

    I think Siriuskey's suggestion is great. I know you wanted the island facing the views, but then you have your back to the views when sitting at island on barstools...best to be able to glance to views to the side both while cooking and while sitting at island :)....it also solves the practicality issue of fridge placement.

    0404kel thanked robandlyn
  • siriuskey
    3 years ago

    The following old CAD 3D of your kitchen. I do like the concept,except I feel it is just a bit too narrow, hence the fridge needing to be stepped back. The Range would need to be smaller to allow for a DW, unless you plan for a small sink and DW in the 3 x 1100 Island my drawing has a basic Island shape and not as detailed as yours.

    Going with this, I can see those sitting at the island and when cooking cleaning dishes you would all be facing away from the all important view. Plus the WIP indicates that you could spend time in there and again lose of view. I couldn't see actual pantry measurements but have the 800 space between the Wall to Island and pantry opening, which is quite tight for a 4 bedroom house plus guests accessing the fridge, The 1200 space between cooker and Island is perfect. Do you need a WIP? If you would like I can have another look at your kitchen. By the way you are building in a lovely part of SA?


    0404kel thanked siriuskey
  • 0404kel
    Original Author
    3 years ago

    Yes I am reluctantly starting to agree 😔. I will read the detail tomorrow and answer questions. Nothing is locked in. It’s really about making best use of the space- creating somewhere we love to be. Thanks so far everyone.

  • 0404kel
    Original Author
    3 years ago

    Thanks again one and all for your ideas, feedback and questions. Here are some thoughts and responses to your questions.

    • narrow spaces and incorrectly placed appliances are not worth facing the view for, so I am happy to start again with this design
    • I did not mind if others had their back to the view - just wanted to be able to soak up the view without needing massage for the crook in my neck of glancing sideways all day :)
    • this redesign still does not reflect the revered Kitchen Triangle - do you think it is the most workable use of space?
    • the WIP would not be a working space, just a storage space - no sink, dishwasher or cooking
    • if you think we can do even better without a WIP I would be very interested to see your ideas - start with a blank sheet
    • I am not in SA - Bayside Melbourne



  • oklouise
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    if you don't plan to work in the pantry my suggestion is similar to siriuskeys' with sink and stove against the outside wall and 'fridge within a triangle (although stove and sink could be reversed and/or include a backsplash window to suit the view) there's more circulation space to walk behind stools on all sides of the island, there's a more private powder room and the external stairs would be much more comfortable arriving on the balcony instead of through the dining area and the fireplace should be offsett to be enjoyed from the seating area...and there seems to be too many windows on all sides.. unless you're lucky enough to have views in every directions too many east and west windows can be a problem .


    0404kel thanked oklouise
  • siriuskey
    3 years ago

    I hear your plea for the view and suggest possibly trying the following with a separate WIP/Store, this will give you the extra width within the kitchen.

    Your view while cooking and those sitting at the island can be covered by a clear mirrored splash back, not tinted. An extra large 2m x 1800 entertainers Island to suit a crowd, I think would be enhanced with a small sink. Your large fridge built into a wall of pantry cabinets.

    1200 between the Island on both sides for ease of working between it and wall units

    The powder room made larger and more private by stealing space from the Study


    0404kel thanked siriuskey
  • C P
    3 years ago

    realistically in the kitchen you're usually looking down at the bench. We don't tend to spend lots of time standing doing tasks and also gazing wistfully out to see. you do that when you sit down.

    0404kel thanked C P
  • siriuskey
    3 years ago

    I should add that I have my cooktop and oven in my 2700 x 1200 island and love it, if your'e a shy cook that may not work

    0404kel thanked siriuskey
  • Megan K
    3 years ago

    Triangle designs generally are not space optimized. The corner of the triangles almost always gets wasted.

    0404kel thanked Megan K
  • 0404kel
    Original Author
    3 years ago

    thank you all - can't wait to take a closer look at these later & consider all suggestions :)

  • siriuskey
    3 years ago

    @Megan K, I agree I don't follow the Triangle Theory, ie: with galley kitchens this doesn't apply.. Fridge and wall ovens need reachable put down spaces for food stuffs and hot pans. Cooktops need access to a sink for hot liquids.. Many of today's kitchens have more then one sink so that is usually easy to arrange. Fridges need to have easy access for preparing meals, family and even guest access. For me I do what I feel works for me, having said that I'am lucky to be able to work that out where as others need help like what happens on Houzz

    OKLouise is outstanding for this and has contributed to help many Houzzers over a few years, (who's counting) it takes a lot of time producing floorplans with such consideration and detail..

  • Black Bamboo
    3 years ago

    It's your kitchen but personally it would drive me bonkers if I had to leave the kitchen every time to get something out of the fridge. Use a clicker to count how many times a day you open and close the fridge. Then imagine walking into a little room to do that instead. I would go insane.

    0404kel thanked Black Bamboo
  • siriuskey
    3 years ago

    Looking at how you arrive at the top of stairs into your open plan kitchen living dining, I thought that the following might flow better and give you that kitchen you would love to be in. The living dining shares a long space with water views. The kitchen being next to the terrace, allows for an out door kitchen and living that could have a Vergola opening Pergola. The external stairs would need to be configured to work with the fireplace chimney.


    0404kel thanked siriuskey
  • 0404kel
    Original Author
    3 years ago

    very interesting Siriuskey! Now I need time to review all these lovely ideas.... thank goodness it's Friday :)

  • siriuskey
    3 years ago

    Enjoy your weekend and add to the list of considerations a gas fireplace as against having to carry all that wood up the stairs, they are so much easier and it seems that gas is going to get cheaper,

  • 0404kel
    Original Author
    3 years ago

    Actually we just decided to go gas free in the whole House and found a gorgeous ethanol fire.

  • siriuskey
    3 years ago

    Are you willing to post the ground floor?

  • siriuskey
    3 years ago

    And do you have ocean views the full width of the house