Cape Open Layout

This is a quick layout of the first floor of our cape. I know there are different styles, So I wanted to show this one.



DH and are starting the discussion on removing the wall between the kitchen and the living room. we already removed the wall where the dining room (original master bdrm) meets the stairs, So that's open.

We had someone here who has the same house and he was saying they made the living room into the dining room when they opened it up because it flowed better - easier access with kitchen and serving, etc. But we host 1 holiday a year and aren't dining room sitting people. The room just looks pretty year round lol

I was wondering if anyone has this same type of cape and has already removed the wall and kept it the living room. If you have, can you post a picture? The person who was here kept saying it will be like there's an Island in our living room once we redo everything and he's freaking me out. I've had this idea since we bought the house.

TIA

Message edited 1/23/2018 9:23:30 AM.

Cape Open Layout

i personally don't love kitchen/living room combos - I like open concept but when the house is big enough to still feel like 2 separate rooms. I have a cape and my layout is - my living room same as yours - my dining room is where your kitchen is and my kitchen is where your office is. but different sizes. I like that flow but we use our dining room a lot.

My friend has a layout close to yours with no wall and where her island is - it does feel like its in the living room. Almost has a studio apartment kinda feel. I guess my opinion would be based on how big the rooms are and where the island would be placed?

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Message edited 1/23/2018 3:46:15 PM.

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I am so sorry this is so damn huge! I don;t know why it came up that way and I cant fix it!

Cape Open Layout

Personally this isn’t my taste and I feel that every home improvement show you watch has an open concept. I personally don’t need an audience when I cook, someone does come in and chat with me when we do entertain. I like having the wall space to either put photos up or put a piece of furniture.

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I also have a cape (with a different layout) that I want to open up. My idea would be to have an eat in kitchen and it would flow into the living room.

I like your idea. The only thing I would change is the layout of the furniture in the living room. I would put the TV on the wall where the door is, loveseat where the couch is and the couch across to create a L shape seating (if that makes sense).

Edit to add: I looked at your floor plan again and I think its fine. I'm assuming there are windows where the loveseat is, so you wouldn't want to block those with a tv.

Message edited 1/23/2018 8:27:19 PM.

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Message edited 1/23/2018 9:48:04 PM.

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I think since you're rearranging the layout of your kitchen and putting the island more into the kitchen and not the living room I think it will work.

Re: Cape Open Layout

Something to think about if the kitchen is open to the living room and only family area in the house.
What if someone is mixing and making noise in the kitchen (blender, mixer, electic knife, etc.) and other person is trying to watch tv. I would think that would be an annoyance.

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My sister has a dormered cape but open concept... instead of Kitchen/LR she has a Kitchen/DR and where the dining room was she turned into a living room/den area

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This is what the future plan is for the house. To add a den. It will be mostly open to dining room. May have small walls on side for some separation

DH said if we decide to make the kitchen open to the dining room, and make the now dining room into the living room, we can make a smaller addition and just make it bigger. BUT I like the idea of having a living room and separate den.

I'm going to start searching through pictures on zillow tonight lol

Message edited 1/24/2018 5:21:05 PM.

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Had another idea.

What if island is done this way? It is even closer in the kitchen




Also, I want the island to be moveable. My sister always regretted not doing that and told me it's worth the extra cost. So technically, it can be positioned however I need it to be

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I do not have a cape, but I have a similar set up with the living room and kitchen. I will try to post a picture when I get home. We have a few support beams and I feel like that breaks up the space nicely. Our house was originally a ranch.

I like the layout because my son can watch TV and play with toys and I can keep an eye on him. I also like it when I entertain because everyone is always in the kitchen and this makes it so they are not on top of me!

Cape Open Layout

We had the same layout growing up. The dining room seemed so far away from the kitchen and such a wasted space. In the end we built an extension off the back of the house after the kitchen which became the living room and the old LV became the DR. However I have seen neighbors homes with a kitchen/DR combo and then open the office and old DR to become one large living room space

Cape Open Layout

I say do it how you want. But 1 problem I see is that to get from the kitchen to the DR you need to walk halfway through the house. For me, that would be a deal breaker. I am not a fan of completely open concept. I like defined rooms.

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Cape Open Layout

I think your dining room needs to be off your kitchen. Otherwise you'd have to walk all the way around just to bring the food in and out. I would switch the dining room and living room.

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I also agree with the kithen/dr layout.

If your heart and mind is set on the kithen/lr layout, have you considered a peninsula as opposed to an island? Would still provide an open floor plan but added benefit of a visible separation of spaces.

Another option is a sectional instead of couch and love seat.

Message edited 1/29/2018 11:00:45 AM.

Cape Open Layout

I am going through the exact same thing right now Phyllis... and i think it all comes down to preference. I have small kids and really want the open kitchen living room. We host 1-2 dinners a year so I dont mind walking across the hall with the plates etc that one time a year. I also think that you can easily flip it back and forth from dining room to living room if you dont wind up loving the feel. I am going to start with it Living room/Kitchen combo and if it is awful ill just swap the furniture. Where you have an office I have an extra guest bedroom that i use as a den.