Can we remove the breakfast counter to open up the kitchen?
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Anonymous
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It's a semi open 10 by 10 kitchen Cabinets are forming a U shape with a breakfast counter that separate the kitchen from the added Sunroom full of light. Left side (fridge) is a pretty small dining area (with one window), right side outside the kitchen area is a powder room.
Kitchen has no window but there is a skylight above the breakfast counter area. Is it a good idea to remove the breakfast counter (in red circle) to open up the kitchen? Loss of storage could be a concern. Thanks for any input. 
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Anonymous
| We just did that. It's the best thing ever. We added storage by having cabinets along the wall extending the current cabinets (where the breakfast counter would be if you unfolded the U). My only regret is that we didn't do it years ago. |
Anonymous
| I value counter space too much to do that, especially as you don’t have overhead cabinets. |
Anonymous
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I think you have enough counter space without it -coming from someone who spent too much time in a tiny nyc kitchen with literally just18" of counter space, and I love to cook. I'm now I'm a nice size kitchen and have found that more counter"more clutter. You're never going to be chopping THAT much stuff at once.
The bigger question is storage space. I have also learned to pare down to the bare essentials for cooking...2 pots, 2 pans, 1 set of pyrex, some cake pans. What my cabinets are over run with now, with kids, a family of 4, lots of other types of containers - school snack contatianrrs, school lunch containers, thermos containers for warm food at school...etc. If I had no kids, I would also get rI'd of my breakfast bar and the plethora of plastic and travel containers involved. |
Anonymous
Here is the pix viewing from stove straight out. You can see the skylight above, and also sun room (which was partially separated by the laundry space). Power room is on the left side of this pix. |
Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Omg yes! Do it!
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Anonymous
| It will help, but I don’t think much - there's still a "choke point" in that hallway between the kitchen and the sunroom. |
Anonymous
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I think you should keep it.
We bought a house with a square ish shape kitchen, that was a good size but had minimal counter space. We added on a peninsula and cant imagine not having it. |
Anonymous
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OP here, I don't like the tile so I want to replace tiles defnitely. My contractor told me the cabinets were resurfaced and repainted, and condition was not optimal. Countertop and sink were not to my taste either.
My dilemma is if I decide to replace the tile, should I consider doing some of the wall removal together (budget restraint as well). I know if I can remove the laundry cabinets (attic access is right above that), it should open up fine even with the breakfast counter. (if it's not load bearing). Or should I keep the counters unaltered just replace the cabinets and countertop? |
Anonymous
OP here, I agree that the "choke point" will always be there, unless we remove the laundry cabinets and wall (piano area). Guess my real question is, if I don't have enough to tear down the wall now, can I do it later even if I replace all the tiles (any problems later on?) |
Anonymous
| (Since I'm spending your money and not mine) can you gut the whole space, taking out the laundry closet and fridge wall to open it up. Spread out and combine the kitchen and dining area and have both open up to the sunroom. |
Anonymous
| The way your rooms are laid out, I think it would just look kind of funny, like your kitchen was at the end of a tunnel. |
Anonymous
This is what i was going to say. not worth spending money to do minor upgrades to this kitchen. Open the whole thing up. |
Anonymous
This. And you'd lose storage. I wouldn't bother. |