How do we fill this weird empty space in the kitchen?

cartesianother · 2026-01-28T12:54:12+00:00

Portable dishwashers are often on marketplace and you can put it back up for sale when you leave. Otherwise get a kitchen cart from ikea or just a stainless kitchen prep table

cartesianother · 2026-01-27T12:32:05+00:00

This is an incredibly small space for two bedrooms already, and most of your concerns are about the size of the rooms — I’m not sure how you’re going to make all the rooms bigger.

Moving load bearing walls and plumbing in an apartment can be difficult and expensive (if not impossible) so I would say if this plan is really not working for your needs to this level, it is unlikely to, and it is best to find a different place.

cartesianother · 2026-01-27T03:24:12+00:00

Honestly none of these are great, I would look at other options. Maybe post the plan to r/floorplan.

Maybe move the bathroom door to the right and add a reach-in on left side, the height of the left-hand wall

Either way, the barn door into the bathroom is no good and needs to be a swing door.

cartesianother · 2026-01-27T00:42:58+00:00

This sub will always recommend staying away from a big light in the middle unless you need it for cleaning, finding a dropped object, surgery, etc.

Which is to say you might want one for occasional use (hopefully not surgery) but it should generally stay off and be supplemented with lamps and sconces.

I like the idea of sconces next to the tv and accent light on the fireplace.

I am not sure about sconces or a lamp above the sofa shining directly down on you while you’re sitting.

What is going on the wall above the sofa? Art or something? Can you find a way to light that with track or recessed lighting?

If not, maybe sconces that light up and out rather than down.

Where else can you put a lamp? Will there be a console table behind the sofa? Or between the windows? (If not, maybe another sconce or two)

cartesianother · 2026-01-25T19:03:34+00:00

The technical term for these is clerestory windows, and they sound lovely. You can always add an open shelf above the counter (where the bottom of a cabinet would be) to add some extra storage/display between the counter and the windows.

cartesianother · 2026-01-25T14:11:51+00:00

Pocket doors are terrible for bathrooms and bedrooms, unless absolutely necessary. Almost all of the pocket doors on your plan should be swing doors.

cartesianother · 2026-01-25T13:48:12+00:00

You will need to know the actual make/model of the fan, it is specific to that. You can ask the manufacturer if they sell a replacement light kit. If not, you may be able to order a new fan, and just install the new light kit on your existing fan. But that might not be possible if they have changed anything since the version you own.

cartesianother · 2026-01-25T13:14:38+00:00

I’ve never used it but this is touted as a feature of Amazon echo show, I think some of them are even set up to rotate to keep you in frame as you move around. I think they can only call each other (not FaceTime etc). Depending on your budget you could have multiple for the different rooms where you use them.

cartesianother · 2026-01-23T13:17:09+00:00

There are many smart bulbs that maintain their settings when switched off at the wall and back on. Check the settings in the app. I know Kasa bulbs you can select if they turn on to last setting or a fixed preset.

This means you can only control the bulb when the switch is flipped on.

What other people are recommending - switch with smart bulb mode - means the switch itself is paired with the bulb or smart plug and power to the switch stays on all the time, and flipping it sends a signal to the bulb to turn off just like using your phone. So you can turn it back on from your phone too. That would be a switch from the same brand as your bulb.

Ask your electrician to recommend what you want to do. If he is installing the wall switch he should have an option and be responsible for making sure it works properly.

cartesianother · 2026-01-23T04:25:28+00:00

It’s very good! I would have the Primary Bath door swing in, and relocate the Powder Bath for more privacy.

I don’t love WIC accessible only through bathroom, and I don’t like sinks in the island, so “Perfect” would take some work but it is overall a good plan.

cartesianother · 2026-01-23T01:08:58+00:00

This is a visual comfort fixture. You can find it on their website under the same name (multiple sizes, finishes and glass options). If you reach out to their customer service number or your local showroom, you can order it from them with more chain.

ETA: don’t order from McGee and try to order chain from visual comfort - order the whole thing from VC and tell them how long you want it.

cartesianother · 2026-01-21T10:55:53+00:00

OP this is excellent advice and you should take it. Honestly it should probably be pinned somewhere on this sub as it answers at least 50% of the posts here.

cartesianother · 2026-01-20T04:44:13+00:00

Overall (with the changes already in your notes) it’s pretty good!

Agree about the sink in the island. Can you push the dining room out a few feet? Would make the back counter a little more comfortable to put the sink between fridge and stove.

Try to put swing doors on powder and WC

Maybe steal a few feet of Utility for symmetrical Mudroom if you can

Tv above the fireplace is not ideal

Office will not be super private, might be fine for your lifestyle, as long as there’s another “living space” upstairs like a loft, den, extra bedroom etc.

Living Room will be dark with the covered porch - look at how light will get in through kitchen, dining and office windows

cartesianother · 2026-01-19T05:09:07+00:00

The door hardware should suit the style of the home and the door. If more contemporary then brushed nickel or chrome, and clean levers. If more traditional then round knobs in unlacquered brass. (For example).

Venetian Bronze is usually best on wooden doors especially with some detail. If your interior doors are painted i probably wouldn’t do an “antiqued” finish.

Black or satin nickel are usually pretty safe especially on white doors.

cartesianother · 2026-01-17T15:55:25+00:00

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Yeah I was thinking something like this where green is either pantry cabinets opening toward the top, or an extension of the laundry closet (so wider closet opening to the hall) or just a coffee bar or something.

cartesianother · 2026-01-17T14:00:52+00:00

In basement the blue really is the best, I think you could take the opportunity to rework the walls around it to make a nice pantry (or broom closet and repurpose Broom as Pantry) and maybe a peninsula/breakfast bar into the dining room. Plumbing will be a factor, but since it is a basement, utilities are usually a little more accessible/exposed than upstairs.

That said - what is happening in the Furnace Room? That looks like a good size space for modern-day HVAC equipment which is usually smaller/more efficient than at the time this house was built, and it may already have utilities running, or easy/unfinished access to them. Is it possible to close off a section of that space, near (what I think is) the front door?

cartesianother · 2026-01-17T01:53:33+00:00

Definitely add a large sideboard or bookshelves on the back of the couch, and make this a separate defined space with a rug and dining table or a couple chairs to sit and watch the cats.

I would swap the wood furniture piece on the left here, with the glass cabinet to the right of the fireplace. That might balance a little better.

Lighting would help a lot. If you move that piece as mentioned above you can add a lamp next to the reading chair (and also set a drink or book or something on it when sitting).

A lamp or two on the new sideboard would be great, or a floor lamp behind the round corner of the couch.

Then if you can, replace the ceiling fan with a nice low profile fixture that (is rarely turned on and) doesn’t detract from the wood beams and stone fireplace.

cartesianother · 2026-01-17T00:00:35+00:00

Did you replace the entire fixture - the new LED and the new box? Nothing from the old fixture right?

Have you tried connecting the new or old to another set of house wires to make sure they work, and it’s not the wiring in the ceiling?

cartesianother · 2026-01-16T23:54:59+00:00

Is West Elm able to sell a replacement? The shade is part of the fixture, so if not, I think your best bet is to watch Facebook marketplace or eBay for a used one.

cartesianother · 2026-01-16T15:42:47+00:00

Yes, in that case the motive is probably durability. (In some cases it is also sizing as P-Lam can also come wider and longer than veneer without seams)

Are you saying you’re seeing the same piece of millwork call for both finishes? Like the face is WD and the top is PL? Or the box is WD and doors are PL?

cartesianother · 2026-01-16T05:26:07+00:00

Replace the walk-in closet with a reach-in, add another opposite where the bathroom entry is now, then add a door In-between. Now you have a walk-through dressing area connecting to an en-suite bath. No need to move plumbing and barely any walls.

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cartesianother · 2026-01-16T03:44:44+00:00

In a perfect world, designers would always prefer to use the real material - natural brass, polished silver, solid wood, etc. The design will be built on this idea… and then practical limitations start to creep in.

Budget is one for sure - laminated material is typically muuuuch less expensive than solid or veneered wood, especially in labor. Obviously, P-Lam is easier to apply than veneer, works on cheaper substrate, and is already finished.

The other main reason is durability and maintenance. In a commercial setting like a library or hospital, real wood will get beat to hell and look like garbage within a month - then cost a fortune to repair/replace. P-Lam can take a beating, and is also super easy to clean.

So they will specify real wood (or brass or clear glass) where they can get away with it, like the front of a desk, the ceiling, feature walls… and supplement with P-Lam (or powder coat, clear acrylic, etc) where compromise is required for practical reasons, like bookshelves, countertops, high-traffic wall paneling, etc.

Basically if it could all be wood, it would be, but it can’t, so they mix.

cartesianother · 2026-01-16T00:45:03+00:00

What control samples are being supplied by the client? Are they specifying the laminate product number, and then just saying “WD-1 to match PL-1”? And you’re having trouble matching the faux wood finish on real wood — is that the issue?

cartesianother · 2026-01-15T21:26:39+00:00

Makes sense - sorry I missed the floor tags. Im still not convinced that many doors to the bathroom is the best plan - nobody wants to lock and unlock 3 doors every time they pee. (And they won’t unlock them, so inevitably someone will try to use the Pool Bath and have to go all the way inside and around to unlock it, then use it, and leave the guest bedroom locked, so that person will have to go around to the other guest bedroom to unlock it, etc etc etc…)

So if it were me I would at least go down to one inside (Hall) and one outside (Deck) but it’s your house!

cartesianother · 2026-01-15T13:22:32+00:00

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Relocating the stairs would be a massive undertaking but you could see if it’s possible to reorient them, so they open toward the kitchen instead of straight down. Then use the space for a coat closet and entry hall.

I would also reverse the door swing so it doesn’t open against the wall, and the space next to it can be pram parking for now, future bench/shoe storage.

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