Keep the pantry or increase countertop space
Corina2003
10 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (6)
User
10 years agoCorina2003
10 years agoRelated Discussions
6 inches extra to pantry or DR serving counter?
Comments (43)Lavender--thanks for your thoughts. I do need a place for beverages off the larger buffet space at the end. Appetizers would go on the buffet first to be replaced by the main meal later. I always have a problem finding a place for drinks. They could go on the buffet with the appetizers, but then they'd need a place to go after that when the meal was set out. I'm not sure where I'd put them after that. I'd like a space for them to live permanently. Depending on what kind of entertaining we're doing (kids party vs. holiday vs. adult b-day), usually we have a couple bottles of wine or a pitcher of cocktails I've mixed up in bulk ahead of time, water, and a non-alcoholic beverage like an herbal lemonade (whatever looks good in the garden--basil, mint, lavender, or my fav rosemary!) or a fruity iced tea. Usually people help themselves. Rhome--Looks great! I can see the mirror! ;) I think that's probably best functionally, even though I love the hutch idea visually. Those uppers are 12" deep, right? Even though they would stick out a bit farther than the wall, I think that's fine. That wall with the art would be a great place for something cool or creative. Did you create that modern art yourself? ;) Thanks again!...See MoreAnother where to line up cabinets tile and counter top question ...
Comments (7)Trying to remind myself that no matter what I do with that inch of tile or where the cabinets line up ... it'll be much better than this with the fridge, stove and dishwasher all opening into the same space, not enough space to stand by sink and dw, the edge of the range on a walkway (I have kids!), etc. Not having room for more than one person in the kitchen is a huge issue too. The dw doesn't empty into the disposal leading to food debris back up ... as well as tons of other tiny issues I hope we can get taken care of. This was the kitchen prior to our move-in as well ... now it is in worse shape from me taking my frustrations out on it, sometimes with hammers or sharp objects. If this look ever goes 'retro' I'll laugh my behind off....See MoreI'm so frustrated! Quartz counter-top installation problems again
Comments (51)Here are a some pics and my dilemma. Keep in mind this is my old fridge...new one comes today! Here is how we ended up with this: I have never had an enclosed fridge so didn't think about the peninsula dying into panels or how deep panels were going to be. I "semi" designed the new footprint and took it to Lowe's where the KD took over. (yes---I know......) Bought Schuler plywood with maple fronts cabinets. Although the kitchen designer had the model number of the fridge we were buying, which is a full-size, she designed the kitchen with 24" deep panels. She knew I was trying to have the look of an enclosed fridge. Being that I've never had an enclosed fridge, it was something I just didn't think of until the install started. Evidently she put a counter-depth in the design program because the elevation sketches she gave me showed an enclosed fridge. "Luckily" the panels actually came in wrong and were cut at only 23" for some strange reason and the installer caught it right away when looking over everything. Otherwise he probably would have installed them and I would be stuck. So called Lowe's to reorder the panels and somehow in all this it suddenly dawned on me that a full size fridge was going to be deeper and require deeper panels. I thought "no problem! Yay I can order them at 30!" By this time the KD had quit her job due to the pandemic. The other KD didn't know what was going on so we called in the Schuler rep. She was the one who immediately told me that those 30" panels would be sticking out in front of the peninsula. She asked if we could move the peninsula forward since the other side is an overhang for seating, but we couldn't since it would bottleneck the entrance into the kitchen down to under 36" and getting rid of an existing bottleneck was one of the reasons for the re-design to start with. So we had a dilemma. We cannot go down to a counter depth fridge which was the other option. What I decided was to split the difference and order 27" refrigerator panels. The fridge without doors is 29.5" so I will have about 3" of the side of the fridge sticking out which I don't like, but while I want my kitchen to look beautiful, I value the functionality too. The old fridge that you see in the pic sticks out a total of 32" The new fridge will stick out 34 with doors but without handles (4.5" of that is doors that would stick out anyway) Here's the really complicated part....we will be installing decorative panels on the end of the fridge as we have them on all the cabinets. This is how you enter the kitchen and I don't want that big blank space there next to the peninsula. The panels should be installed with just 1/4" reveal. I posted a photo below of how the panels look that are already installed on the side of the pantry that adjoins to a 17" high window seat. Luckily those face the opposite way from the fridge panels so you will never see both at the same time. I also posted photos of us holding up panels on the side of the fridge (they are NOT the right size panels...we have to order those still---we just used these to look at the right edge as to how wide to make the panels.) Also keep in mind we can remove the quartz backsplash piece if that would look better. That was not originally planned...the panels were going to sit directly on top of the countertop. So do we order the panels with just the 1/4" reveal to match the panels in the rest of the kitchen? Or, as the Schuler rep recommended, order the panels so they are the same width with the countertop, leaving about 1 3/4" reveal on the right side, but then your eye follows the countertop all the way up. I asked the countertop templater guy if I should just lengthen the overhang on the kitchen side of the peninsula to 2.5" to bring it out to within 1/4" of the fridge panel but he said no....I'm now thinking I should have insisted on it. Especially since we have full overlay cabinets that already make the overlay look very small since the 1.5" planned overhang is measured from the box, not the front of the drawers. Note how small the overhang looks to the drawers. And then of course, they had templated for a 1.5" overhang and I only got 1.25" UGH! Every quarter inch there would have made the reveal on the side of the fridge less. Suggestions appreciated! I'm hoping that I will eventually make peace in my mind with this issue and won't notice it but it is driving me crazy right now. I think of all the things that screwed up just because of this one error by the KD that I didn't catch and I am beating myself up for it!...See MoreI have 6' of space-how much space for sink cabinet, nail counter?
Comments (23)Wow! For the record, I wasn’t posting a ‘rate my floor plan’. I am not so hard headed that I can’t receive advice, consider alternatives, or answer questions. From reading the responses, it seems our bathroom is so terrible that no one can even give input on how to address the questions I listed in my first post. I find it hard to believe it is so bad as that! Meanwhile only one person has said they have a counter such as I am asking about. I also never said I was unwilling to change things around, just that I didn’t think a simple swap of vanities would work. I even included a bigger view of the adjoining areas to show it would not be as simple as that. What even would you have me tell my architect? That some random people on the internet think her design could be better? I could spend my time trying to justify why we didn’t put the long vanity on the opposite side of the room, or under a window, or why I will be including a toilet room. And then you would either understand why we have come to this design, or you would tear my entire home apart. If you have ever built a home, especially a design from scratch custom home, you know that it is like putting puzzle pieces together. We all have our lists of must haves, wish items, and constraints of design and budget, and time. At some point you just have to decide to be finished. I actually never said I was in the design phase. Walls are not up yet, but none of you ever asked where we were in the build process. I’m an introvert and sensitive person who has had a pretty traumatic last year and a half. It’s taken me a while to feel like I can venture out of my shell and reach out to others-even in a basically anonymous way online. If I had read such negative and generally unhelpful comments a year ago, I would have probably spiraled into a deep depression and doubted myself, what I wanted in my home, as well as the talented professionals I have partnered with to design our home. It’s unfortunate that people can take the time to comment online without taking the time to read the post, think about whether they are giving any constructive advice, or if their tone is derogatory. Not to mention, ignoring the topic at hand. I have been a member since it was just gardenweb some 10+ years ago. From discussions about kitchens, baths, home building, and pools, I used to always find these forums helpful, informative, and a generally positive experience. I will try to remain optimistic that I will still experience that. Juls...See MoreCorina2003
10 years agoannkh_nd
10 years agosjhockeyfan325
10 years ago
Related Stories
KITCHEN DESIGNThrowback Kitchen Gains Countertop Space, Color and Smart Storage
Pullout pantries, sustainable hardwood cabinets and all-new appliances turned this kitchen into a showpiece for a Portland couple
Full StoryDECORATING GUIDESDecorate With Intention: Keeping Tidy in Smaller Spaces
13 clutter-clearing tips that will stretch your square feet — while still letting your style shine
Full StoryKITCHEN CABINETSKeeping Cabinet Color on the Down Low
Give just base cabinets a colorful coat for a kitchen sporting character and a spacious look
Full StorySMALL KITCHENSThe 100-Square-Foot Kitchen: Fully Loaded, No Clutter
This compact condo kitchen fits in modern appliances, a walk-in pantry, and plenty of storage and countertop space
Full StoryKITCHEN DESIGNKitchen Storage Solutions Hide and Keep
Rollout drawers, pullout cabinets and slide-in doors are just a few of the options for keeping kitchen items out of sight but close at hand
Full StoryKITCHEN DESIGN10 Ways to Design a Kitchen for Aging in Place
Design choices that prevent stooping, reaching and falling help keep the space safe and accessible as you get older
Full StoryREMODELING GUIDESOriginal Home Details: What to Keep, What to Cast Off
Renovate an older home without regrets with this insight on the details worth preserving
Full StoryHOUSEKEEPINGHow to Clean Stainless Steel
Protect this popular kitchen material with a consistent but gentle cleaning routine
Full StoryKITCHEN DESIGNTrick Out Your Kitchen Backsplash for Storage and More
Free up countertop space and keep often-used items handy by making your backsplash more resourceful
Full StoryTHE HARDWORKING HOMEA New Drop Zone Keeps the Clutter at Bay
The Hardworking Home: A clever wall-mounted station for keys, phones and more helps a family stay organized
Full Story
debrak2008