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My finished kitchen and addition

12 years ago

After the message today about posting pictures of our finished or almost finished kitchens, I finally decided it was time to post my pictures. We still have things to finish, but I know I was hungry to see pictures during the time I was beginning our renovation. As so many before me, I did not find GardenWeb until after cabinets were ordered, however, you all still helped me in so many ways to realize my dream and make it even better. I don't have many really good before pictures but will post a few. The old kitchen lacked function and that was my #1 goal. I knew I achieved that when my husband said to me recently that he now enjoys emptying the dishwasher because everything has a place and is so well functioning. Thank you GardenWeb for helping me create my "zones" that helped me when putting everything back in the kitchen. Again, thanks to everyone and hopefully these pictures will post.

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Comments (28)

polly929
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
How beautiful! What an amazing transformation.

Congrats on a job well done.

I am now jealous of all the clever tray/baking sheet storage I've seen on here several times today. ;)
motherof3sons
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Can't see the pics!
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Thanks Breezy! It means a lot coming from you since I tend to respect and agree with so many of your opinions and design opinions! I love your vent hood - wish I'd thought of or seen something like that when I was looking! I was just thinking earlier that I can't wait to see your finished kitchen! I know I will love it. Unfortunately, I do not remember the stain I used on the floors. I know it was a combination of two darker stains - one might have had a coffeeish name. They painted samples on our floors and I picked based on those, so didn't really pay much attention to the names! The cabinets came painted white. It was the brighter white that Holiday cabinets offered. This is the reason that my kitchen is STILL just almost finished. The paint job on the doors is AWFUL! You can't see it in pics, but where the stiles meet on the doors is splitting on just about every door and drawer front. Not just a line, but splitting apart. This is on top of numerous mars, dents, and nicks on teh doors in various places. We are getting all new drawer fronts and doors that the KD is ordering from a different cabinet company (Downsview), but he has TOTALLY been dragging his feet on it. Besides the doors, he STILL hasn't put in the little fillers around my appliance cabinet. I'm so mad - he has lied to us over and over again about whether or not he ordered it and why it was delayed - blah blah blah. Luckily, I have our builder who uses this KD A LOT and owes him a big check for another job. Essentially, he is not paying the KD until he shows him the proof of order for my new cabinet door/drawer fronts. I also am FINALLY getting all of my drawer inserts and organizers a week from today. I do have my shades, but b/c of the issues above I still have no glass in the top of my cabinets and don't feel fully done! I WILL post pictures when all is done. Thanks again Breezy!
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you did such a great job! i have a big master too, just barely big enough for all the stuff we like that is. first i placed my queen bed in the east corner for the sun and moon rise. the opposite corner holds a big television and tomorrow the carpenters start on the corner fireplace. i'm making it big, to take up the entire corner with raised hearth and large mantel. the tv will be above this. at the foot of the bed we have a small book case in between two recliners for tv watching or reading. dh has a big l shaped desk in the north corner. after the fireplace is done i'm chucking the dressers and haveing a wardrobe wall built. i also have a nice little secretary which will fit on the wall next to the fireplace. add another bookcase on either side of the bed (instead of bedside tables) and even the 13x23 room is filling up, but we love it. we spend almost all of our time in here, so it's pretty comfortable.
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Comments (21)
dang, 10 yrs empty! I hope you got a very good deal on it! My place was empty for 4 yrs in the desert and was filthy. Anyway, I do think I was looking at the architect's 'future to be maybe' drawings... ha! Going on your drawing of 'as it is now' - I can see the 'appl wall' now (wondered where an oven would be). If no bp now behind that wall, I'd see what space is usable once you line up the appl wall (if that's what you want to do). That and island placement. Having it as a place to stash extra drinks and pizza boxes (party time) would be a good thing. I did think of the bp for the birds too (cages, dishes etc). Don't think I posted that - I just left it at 'plants'. My oldest son had a bird for a few yrs and I didn't like him using the kitchen sink (we didn't have that much space and only the 1 sink). I thought I might just be weird about that. It would be a handy space to have - and keep that stuff out of your kitchen sinks. If there'd be enough space, you could have a back wall of shallow cabinets. pantries don't need to be that deep. If bigger things they could store under the cabinet run w/the sink in there. I'm posting that 'cause I have no clue how much space would be usable after you line things up (and I know that's important to you). And you need a wide enough walk area behind it from lower outside door up thru to the casual room. I'd probably want the whole one side as just counter and sink (no full height cabs). Space to work in. If you decide against a bp, it looks like you have some usable space in the laundry for a few cabinets for food supplies. And a sink in there for the dishes and cages. but if you have the space (and budget) I'd probably want to keep those things separate. I can fill up a laundry room so fast with other things myself - laundry baskets, sewing machine, ironing board... Also, if you get those things done that you want to do, I agree with maybe just getting the tile and then taking some time off from remodeling / construction to enjoy yourself and new (beautiful) home, gardens and views!! No reason not to even wait to get tile. The stores will still be out there ready to take you money in the future.
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Comments (25)
Ditto on putting a prep sink into the island. Not only does it bring water closer to your refrigerator. ( every time you want to wash some fruit or clean out the refrigerator or prepare ANYTHING,) but for me it makes it so easy just to sweep crumbs, peels, etc into the sink so a garbage disposal is necessary for me. Form has to follow function in my plans. In addition, I know I am in the very small minority and i see this issue in almost every kitchen photo of an island but why do you want 5 stools in a line in your island. Are you planning a diner? When I planned my first kitchen when my family were all still at home, I wanted to be able to see their faces and converse if we had any kind of meal or snack at the island. Why would I want to sit in a long line and be far away from the person on the other end? It also wastes so much space which could be utilized for storage. In that kitchen I put a high round tabletop at the end of the island with 4 stools around it and we can look at each other. In my current kitchen at my vacation house for which I am planning a reno, I have that whole long bar counter with stools in a long line on the island AND peninsula. I absolutely loathe it. I think, in 13 years, those stools have been used only a handful of times I also hate that the swivel stools always are slightly out of alignment and facing different ways. (it drives my OCD tendencies nuts. ) Plus I could have done with that storage space in this badly designed kitchen. If you do want to have stools in the island why don't you drop the stool area down to space for 3 stools and put cabinets or shelves on either side,
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motherof3sons
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Polly can see them?!?!?! What's up with that???
jstehl
Original Author
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I am sorry if the pictures are not coming out. I was able to see them in the preview and it is my first time posting pictures. I have posted a link to my pictures where they are hosted. Hopefully you will be able to view them.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pictures of Kitchen and Bathroom remodel
dilly_ny
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Really nice. So much storage! Love the color of your cabinets, nice and rich looking. Enjoy!
palimpsest
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
You really optimized your storage, I like all the cabinet extras. Great you were able to repurpose the old cabinets too.
library_girl
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
What beautiful cabinets! I love the way you used the cabinets to enclose the refrigerator. Your sink, faucet and granite looks great!
cj47
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
What beautiful cabinetry!! I love your wood. Nice choices all the way around, beautiful job! I sure hear you about moving the laundry to the main floor--we did that with our addition and I love it!

Enjoy the new space,
Cj
hosenemesis
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Beautiful.
Renee
tea4all
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Lovely kitchen! I really like the storage around the 'frig. Can we have some of the details--like what are the cabinets, the sink, the faucet, etc.?

Thanks for the link to your photos. Your bathroom is really nice. I'd like to have a "medicine cabinet/mirror" like yours. Your granite looks so nice with your cabinets!
desertsteph
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
what great spaces you have! counter space, storage space!
Using the cab on the side of the fridge gave you a great deal more storage - a great pantry use. And having access on the seating side is also a great use. So much can be stored there.
Do you think you'll fill 'em all up?

love the great spanse of counter and openness to other room.

adding in the laundry and bath there will most likely make a world of difference in your lives. Good to reuse the old kit cabs and sink in the laundry too (love reusing things).

geeze - and that huge cab in the bathroom - awesome. Love the cab/mirror in there. I'd love something like that but have a window where the left cab is in my bath. It's still be great w/just 1 cab to the side.

boy, you sure added a ton of storage space. lucky, lucky you!

I bet I missed a bunch of neat things too - there was so much to look at!
Linda
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Beautiful kitchen -- and so many wonderful features and great storage! Yes -- what are the details/brands of cabinets, sink, etc. I can see why you are enjoying this -- great job!
marcolo
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
No pics, either in the thread or through the link.
debrak_2008
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
At first I couldn't see the photos. Went to some other sites and then came back. Now I can see the photos. Must be a little glitchy.

Really nice kitchen. Like your cabinets and backsplash. Actually everything.

Hey, is that a black kitty on the counter?
User
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
It looks wonderful! I love your counters and bar, and it looks like everything will be right at your fingertips.

How wide is your spice pull out and where are the glides located? Do you like it?
jstehl
Original Author
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thank you all for your comments. I know I learned so much from seeing what others have done. Again, I apologize that the pictures are not working properly. I see them fine so I'm not sure if it is my hosted website, Smugmug, or something else.

We live in a small ranch house and had a large table in our previous kitchen for Sunday dinners. With three sons, their wives and grandchildren, we were bursting at the seams. Bumping out the back wall of the kitchen had been my dream for 20 years. When the time finally came, the architect drew up plans for a 30x16 ft addition. We decided to extend the bathroom wall (backs up to the stove wall) 3 ft into the kitchen. That took away space from the kitchen but we felt the bathroom really needed it. On the addition side, we gained 20x16 ft of family room and the other 10x16 were divided up with a laundry room and an extension on the bathroom for a shower and separate Jacuzzi tub. I never dreamed all of this was possible.

My plans were pretty much designed by the time I found GW so the help provided here allowed me to fine tune many features. The utility cabinet has a receptacle inside for my cordless vac. Thanks to a GWer who displayed a beautiful cabinet she had in her kitchen. The potfiller came about because I didn't have a second prep sink and since the wall backed up to the bathroom, it was easy to put in a water line here. I love, love, love the potfiller. I have found it so useful. When someone is using the sink, I have no trouble getting water for cooking. A major need for my kitchen was functionality but also to reduce traffic. In my old kitchen there was an extra door to hallway. The refrig was there along with a small TV. That was close to my stove so needless to say my work triangle consisted of people always standing over by the refrig/TV and always in my way. With the U-shaped kitchen, I have kept most people out of my work/prep zones and they have found a nice spot over on the other side of the counter. Even the coffeepot was in the way so we put that in the laundry room to decrease traffic.

The zones were huge for me. I created a Utility zone, Breakfast and Baking zone, cooking zone, prep zone and cleanup zone. These were all helpful in determining placement of everything afterwards. The other storage solution was to create our peninsula with the bar stools and put 40 inch cabinets underneath. This provided tons of additional storage. As far as the materials we used, I will try to list them out. Since this was almost a full main level renovation, we needed to keep costs down and able to find many of our items at Home Depot or Lowes.

Cabinets: Kraftmaid from Just Cabinets. The color is cinammon. They gave us the best layout which included pullouts and lazy susans for storage needs.
Granite: St. Cecilia granite
Stove: GE cafe range - love it!!
Refrig: We already had this.
Microwave: I think a Samsung
Potfiller: Just got this at Lowe's, Giagni Stainless Steel
Sink: Kraus 30" stainless steel
Faucet: Leland Single handle pull-down sprayer with MagnaTite Docking - Love it!!
Dishwasher: We kept our fairly new KitchenAid and bought a stainless steel front that my husband installed. It worked out for us.
Pendant lights: Home Depot
Backsplash: Travertine, but my inspiration for my design came from the attached link below.

I think that is it. Again thank you to everyone for looking at my almost finished product. I'm sorry the pictures did not work out as I know we like to see them in the message. I will see if I can get them on Photobucket or something.

Here is a link that might be useful: [Inspiration for backsplash design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/back-splash-design-eclectic-kitchen-phvw-vp~39422)
shelayne
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Really beautiful and warm! The transformation is amazing! Don't you just love all the things you find in a reno--like the different wallpaper and flooring?

Congratulations on your wonderful new addition!
Debbi Branka
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
What an awesome transformation! Your kitchen is beautiful! Thanks for sharing with us.
jjdcl
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
It looks wonderful! I can't believe the difference.
sanjuangirl
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
So Beautiful and functional! What a great "before" and "after". You must be thrilled! Enjoy your fabulous new space. Congratulations.
gsciencechick
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I agree, amazing transformation before and after! The cabinets and counters are just gorgeous. Great storage, too!
Bunny
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Wow, what a transformation! How's the fan noise with the GE Cafe? It's on my short list and excessive noise bothers me.

I see the little Blum soft-close thingies up top near your hinges. I just retrofitted my cabinet doors with them and LOVE LOVE LOVE. I always thought that new cabs had them built into the hinge itself. Did your cabinets come this way? Is that how it looks?
shappy
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Beautiful! Enjoy!
jstehl
Original Author
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
linelle, thank you for the comments. As far as the fan noise, I guess I don't notice it. I had the GE Profile which is exactly the same convection oven but the bottom drawer is a warming drawer and not a separate oven. The amount of noise doesn't bother me at all but I do think the fan in the exhaust does bother me more. Maybe its because it is in the microwave.

As far as the soft close, they were only factory installed on the drawers. It was extra on doors. My contractor installed them all. No problem for him. All I see is that little grey piece that keeps the door from slamming. I never even notice them.

Thanks to everyone for responding. I hope it can help someone else with their planning.
blfenton
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
What a transformation. I like how all the colours flow from the floor right up through the counters, cabinets and backsplash.

I have the GE cafe flattop range and I don't hear the fan noise at all. When this comment first came up I had to go and turn the oven on - sure enough it's there but it's really quiet.
i_luv_my_dog
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Love the kitchen! We have the same faucet. Your tile looks terrific with the granite. Nice job. Wishing you many happy cooking days in your kitchen!
a2gemini
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Sweet! Looks great and a nice warm and cozy and functional kitchen!!!
Soon!!!
motherof3sons
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Yeah! I can the pictures and certainly am not disappointed!!! A wonderful job. Gorgeous cabinets! The organization features are perfect. I will certainly use some of your design in my new kitchen.

As the mother of three sons with wives and grandbabies, I know the need for more room! Enjoy the new addition.

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