We are remodeling our kitchen and I need your opinion.Should we get rid of our back door?

Question

We are in need of more cabinet space in our some what small kitchen. We are gonna knock out one wall and open the kitchen to what will be a family room. We will also turn a 5.5 foot wide window, in the family room, into a patio door that will lead out to a soon to be deck.

We have a kitchen door that is now 3.5 feet adjacent to where said patio door will be in 6 months. We have been getting different opinions on our kitchen back door. some people say yeah remove it for more cabinets. Some say no keep if for emergency exit.

My question is if we should keep the door even though we will have another set of doors 3.5 feet away in the family room on the same wall. what do you think.

Please try to explain your answer. your opinion will help me decide.

Thanks.

Answer 1

Can you leave the door for now, purchase the cabinets necessary to go in that space, and install them when you add the family room? This would allow you to keep the door for safety's sake now but close it off for additional space later. I don't know how your countertops and such will be laid out, so I don't know if this is truly a possibility.

In any case, I'd go for the long term solution and close the door off if building codes allow it.

Answer 2

I guess the question would ask is: Is there anything in the 3.5 feet that would inhibit someones exit. If not I would say don't worry about it.

Once that is settled; what will the wall look like? Have you give any thought to the aesthetics of just putting in cabinets?

I'm wondering if you could have the best of both worlds if you put a penensula in the area where the wall was removed. This might give you a nice serving area to the dining room and the extra cabinet space. Even the door might look better in such an arragement.

Answer 3

If you are going to have another door 3 feet away, by all means, take it out and make wall/cabinet space.
We moved an interior door over 4 feet in our kitchen- and it made such a huge difference in the room- gave us more cabinet space and we were able to build an island in the center.
As long as you have the safety egress covered, you can be creative with the space.
Have you talked to an architect? It might help you a lot in terms of load-bearing and logistics. Sure it's an expense but well-worth it in the long run.
Good luck with the renovation- kitchen renovations are the toughest! Buy lots of paper plates, get a hot-plate and prepare to have dishes in the tub!:)

Answer 4

Get rid of it! Like you say you have another door 3.5 feet away. I wouldn't worry about the emergency exit with the other door so close. Plus, I know the small kitchen syndrome all to well. You can never have enough cabinets.
If you are really concerned about it as an emergency exit call you local fire department. They will usually offer advice for free on scuh matters.

Answer 5

You always need the back door but you are putting in the patio door so two may be overkill! If you can gain cabinet room then do it...you can never have enough cabinets!

Answer 6

Instead of getting rid of the door why don't you add french doors. It normally adds style and grace to any home. Cabinets are great in a house, but adding french doors brings in alot of light and who wants a dark kitchen, also if you ever decide to sell it just adds that certain something.

Answer 7

If your going to have a patio door that close you should patch in the door, It is just not necessary. Your kitchen will look a little strange with two doors so close to each other.

Answer 8

if both doors are in same room then i say get rid of the back door,however if you have to go into another room to get to the patio doors you may find its against fire regulations because by law you need an escape route from the kitchen

Answer 9

Don't keep it. There are doors right next to it. They will just take up room. Put something nice in its place like a painting. Or a family picture so you can always remember your family and think about how they loved you and you loved them all the time.

Answer 10

I have seen many places that their patio doors was their back door. So If you need that space for more cabinets then do it. I bet it will look nice when you are all finish. good luck.