This forum worked a minor miracle in my kitchen. For free.

13 years ago

It's a tiny thing, it sounds ridiculous, but I want to express my appreciation.

I read here occasionally when I'm dreaming about kitchen renovations... we're about to get a new (restored vintage) stove, and of course that's the domino that begins the chain reactions of absolutely necessary changes in our kitchen. So I'm back, searching for subway tile backsplashes and musing about replacing our kitchen table with an island to create more space.

(Our house was built 1916, our kitchen's a combo of a 1940's farmhouse sink and some 1960's handbuilt cabinets. We're not looking to change those things, just work well with what's already there.)

I see that 36" is minimum walkway space, so I go get a tape measure to see what ours is around the table right now. As I'm scribbling measurements down and deducting 72" to allow for two pathways, I realize with a start that the island would need to be deeper than it is narrow... the exact opposite of how we have the rectangular table set up in the same space.

I take a deep breath and quickly rotate the table 90 degrees.

Friends, it's still not 36" that I have around the table's sides, but it's a heck of a lot better than it was, and it leaves room better for people to sit at the table while kitchen work is going on.

We've lived here for four years, stumbling over each other daily in the kitchen, and never thought to try that. FOUR YEARS. I have a graduate degree; I'm not stupid, and neither is my husband.

But you and your detailed chatter have made a real difference in my life tonight. I'm embarrassed we didn't think to try it ourselves, but still, thank you!

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Comments (3)

suzanne_sl
13 years ago
It's amazing isn't it? You just smack yourself in the forehead and say, "Well, duh!" Just think of all the moments in history when people made these amazing discoveries, and life changed.
dianalo
13 years ago
I think that is awesome! I normally move in somewhere and place and organize things while trying to place/organize a whole house. Those decisions should not be considered final but often are.
I have some thoughts as to what goes where in the new kitchen and will try them, but will also keep in mind that I can rearrange and re-evaluate later on. Sometimes a tweak can make a big difference or a new pair of eyes will see something differently.
I learn something here every single day. Some I will use for our new kitchen, some I can advise others about, some will just be saved just in case and much will be forgotten, but thanks to the search tool, all is not lost.
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If you can't find matching cabinets, then maybe you could go for the unfitted look and get a hutch or hutch-looking cabinets, painted a color. I'd just like to put in a vote for an island--or at least a cart. In our old house the floor, like yours, was sort of too empty without an island, but too small for a permanent one. We had what we called the "baking cart" that was made of butcher block and happened to have a perfect little spot to fit away when not in use. It was really useful and held a lot of stuff. it was not an island for seating/eating or anything--but a much-needed extra work surface. I like the cart examples you posted earlier--Crate and Barrel also has a nice one that comes in a small or larger size. I would definitely say get something that has storage. I wanted to say also that I am a little nervous about cabinets a full 24" deep on the wall you have marked. I think they will really impede traffic flow. If it's panrty storage you need you could get that with something shallower. The tape is a good idea but to really get an idea of how cabinets would make the room feel, make some 3-D mockups with boxes--that way you will really get a sense of the mass. One spot that seems ripe to me for an additional cabinet is where the garbage can in now--that would be an incredibly useful spot both for storage and more counter. Could the trash go somewhere else--under the sink maybe? HTH
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rhome410
13 years ago
Very cool. We become blind to things, and used to 'that's how they have to be,' especially if we're focused on something else. I'm so happy for you! These little (or big) surprise discoveries are sometimes better than the best laid plans we agonize over for weeks and months. A last minute change in plans as we framed...because a toilet couldn't sit centered over a structural beam... gave me a bigger sewing room, a walk-in pantry I wouldn't have had at all, and a better traffic layout in the house we could have thought of before we ran into the beam, but didn't. That was 4 years ago, and I still think that epiphany was one of the most exciting and important parts of our build.
Congratulations!

This forum worked a minor miracle in my kitchen. For free.

Comments (3)

suzanne_sl

dianalo

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