We're planning to update our kitchen (circa 1983, picture attached) with new cabinets, floors and countertops. The kitchen cabinets occupy two sides of a corner with the sink in the corner. Above the left side we have a 1 ft deep soffit. Looked in this soffit and only found an electrical line. Above the right side we have a 2 ft deep soffit which contains some kind of HVAC conduit (returns, I think).

Ideally we would remove all soffits and install ceiling high cabinets, but this simply isn't possible on the right side for our budget. On the left side it would seem possible to remove soffits, if electrical line can be easily dealt with, but then you have the problem of two different height ceilings with a soffit that sticks out two feet on one side! The real problem is what to do with the corner cabinet, which as you can see in the picture was never finished originally (maybe they never knew what to do!) We considered extending the left side soffit out the same two feet, but wonder if that "boxes in" an already small kitchen.

Ideas?? Please help!

 

My 2c (disclaimer I'm not an interior designer nor do I play either on tv)

Move the fridge to the side with the sofit you can't remove, get deeper cabinets on that side to gain storage space and reduce the prominence of the soffit. Extend the cabinets all the way to the wall.

On the left remove soffit and cabinets and add shelfs instead of cabinets. If you cant fit fridge and dishwasher on the right, dishwashwer->stove->fridge

 

Just a question to get you started.
The base cabinet to the right of the dishwasher looks like a B18, or at least a B15. Could that end of the base cabinet run be extended by about 36" or 39"?
My thought is to move the sink from the corner to about where dishwasher is now. The dishwasher would be to the right of the sink.
Where the sink is now, you have the option of diagonal corner cabinets, blind corner cabinets, or lazy susan cabinets. Basically many options for the corner other than having the sink there.

 

Thanks so much for the ideas so far. To answer Handyone's question, it is not possible unfortunately to extend the counter 36" to the right because that would block an entry way to the kitchen. I wish we had more options to move the sink, etc, but I think we are going to keep the basic structure. Would diagonal, lazy suzan and so forth work in a corner with different depth soffits?

 

I would leave it... add handle hardware to the cabinets and simply paint the kitch in a different color...

Youll be amazed...

 

I'd go with new countertops and possibly new floor, paint and call it a day. There's nothing wrong with your kitchen that can't be brightened up with a few new items. Total reno will be expen$ive !!

 

I put the knives forks and spoons on my cabinets and what a difference...

Amerock Utensils 3 in. Satin Nickel Fork Pull-BP9332G10 - The Home Depot


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Yeah our Dairy Queen has 2' tall spoons for door handles

 

Adding handles would advance it a decade not make it current. I'd seriously think about whether you could live without some of the cabinet space and ditch them for hanging storage and/or shelves.

Cabinets are busy, and make the space look smaller than it is. For the ones that remain, glass doors are modern, affordable and practical

 

A corner cabinet above the sink will be an obstruction. I would instead suggest shallow shelving. New counter tops and new hardware and call it good.

 

I have a corner cabinet over my corner sink.. I have no issues...

 

Thanks so much to everyone who posted. These ideas are great and gave us a lot to think about. Much appreciated!