Kitchen Remodel/ Update input need on dishwasher placement

red00xj

Well our house is a 1950's rambler with a decent size kitchen except if you put a table in it then it becomes tiny.

Our goals on the project:
Gain working counter top space as the existing wall cabinets are low
Gain cabinet space
Add knobs/handles to existing doors.
Add seating in the kitchen
Add a dishwasher
Add a built in microwave/or microwave shelf
Add more outlets in various locations
Upgrade vinyl peel and stick tile to ceramic or stone tile (over time due to budget)
Upgrade appliances (as part of the project 1/2 will be newer the rest will come in time)
Keep unique 50's slanted cabinets, (original cabinets given a face lift by replacing sliders with doors and adding a fresh counter top last fall by previous owner)


As you can see below I taped out where the island/peninsula will go with blue tape. The big debate the wife and I are having is if we should go with an 18" dishwasher and remove the cabinet to the left of the sink and the fridge or if we add a 24" dishwasher to the peninsula and leave the original alone, neither one of us can decide.



The peninsula will be 36" from the face of the fridge to the face of peninsula. it is going to be 24" deep 48" from the wall (maybe 42 if we don't like the size). with a 10" over hang on the front and two stools. For reference the tiles are 12X12. It will sit slightly (1/2") above the window ledge, but I will be making a board to fill/or transition the gap. It will be standard counter top height (37" or whatever it is). I have found the matching laminate for the counter top, and will be buying the bases at big box hardware store and staining them myself.

Any thoughts of where to put dishwasher and size. Any thoughts of how to install without ruining the original cabinets. As apart of the project we will be reworking the open space above the stove for a built in microwave or lower part of the existing shelf to fit one there with either a spot for cook books or a built in wine rack. I am also considering sliding the oven over (to the left) to put in a 9" cabinet to fill the gap and hide the slanted cabinets from a new cabinet.

Any input would be helpful.

Just Bill

DW always fit into a 24" cabinet space. I am not aware of any other size. The best location is close to the sink(usually right side), since the feed is from the sink to the DW.

red00xj

There are 18" dishwashers too. The right side is not quite 24, and if it were to go there it blocks access to the cabinets just to the right of them...so that wont work.

epson

Well my thoughts on this would be add the 18’’ dishwasher on the left side of sink as indicated reason 1) is less plumbing work is involved. 2) If you put it in the new island you would have to run new plumbing lines. 3) You will lose valuable cabinet space which I am assuming you are installing the island to gain not lose. Just my .2cents…

DexterII

Our kitchen, which was originally designed without a dishwasher in mind, is somewhat different, yet very similar to yours. After a lot of measuring, and trying to figure what made the most sense, etc., I removed the drawers and shelves from the cabinet which in your case is to the left of your range, primarily as a place to ut it until we came up with a better plan, and it worked out great. Routing the power, water, and drain to it was a little more work, as I had additional cabinets to work through, but we did not use any of the valuable drawers and cabinets next to the sink, and with the dishwasher door open, and the trays pulled out, it is within arms length of the sink.

red00xj

I thought about this spot, but it doesn't measure right for a DW... I think were going to go with the 18" to the left of the sink. Anyone regret buying an 18"

drtbk4ever

There is an 18 inch DW they installed in our recreational property. Not my first choice, but I didn't have any choice.

It did handle full size and the smaller plates just fine but my complaint was with bowls. I could only get 3 or 4 cereal bowls in there and that cut the number of glasses I could fit in by over half. So that was my major complaint. The only other issue is due to its small size, you end up running it more often.

__________________
Bill

A DIY Noob that knows just enough to be dangerous.

jlc791

The only other alternative you might consider is a portable dishwasher.

The house I grew up in had a very small true kitchen that opened into a larger area for an eating space. My folks got a full sized (24") portable unit - I believe it was a Kenmore - which lived just outside the real kitchen when not in use and was rolled up to the sink to run. The unit had a special hose that used a quick connect fitting to attach to the kitchen faucet and handled both the supply line and discharge.

Great machine and a good solution to a poor situation. Many years later when the kitchen was completely renovated, my dad got the build-in kit for the dishwasher and actually plumbed it in place so it is now functioning as a true built in unit (and still running strong after probably 20 years).

Not sure if Sears/Kenmore still offer this model but it might be worth checking into. You also get the benefit of some additional counter top space.

theselenaverse

I agree with jlc791. My cousin has one of those and her's has a Butcher Block top so it adds a little counter space when and where needed so it's multi functional.

Blondesense

Been there. Done that. Would not do it again for several reasons.

1) Ours was very noisy. (May or may not be a problem with newer ones.)

2) It took over the kitchen when in use.

3) Could not use the faucet when in use.

4) Check out how you attach it. Unless things have changed, you need a very standard faucet to connect. A fancy new one may not work.

I strongly recommend you keep the dishwasher next to the sink. Not only for plumbing issues, but don't you rinse dishes first? Installed in the island, you will be bouncing back and forth from sink to dishwasher, dripping on the floor.... Much, much easier if the sink and dishwasher are next to each other.