Is it possible to move the cabinet from over your sink to the position over the range? I have no clue about logistics and it looks too wide in the pic, but it looks closer to the height you need there.

Nancy

As a quick improvement, I'd replace the fluorescent fixture over your sink for a nice pretty fixture. That alone might make you feel better!

In our last house, we had a 24 x 48 island and I loved it! Even though we had really tiny aisles (like 29-30"!) it gave us a landing zone and prep zone that we needed.

Maybe if you show what's in your cabinets (if that's not too personal to ask), we can figure out a better configuration for you (or the kitchen forum -- they're experts at that!)

I agree with you regarding the "trim" at the top of the cabinets. I would lose it ASAP. Since you like the detail at the top of the windows, wouldn't white wooden blinds look better? On my monitor the items on top of your cabinets look about the same as your wall color. Considering the color of your cabinets I think bright yellow may not have been your best option. You probably need to live with your kitchen a while though before you go much farther. One of our houses did not have a dishwasher when we bought it back in the 70's so we were able to remove cabinets next to the sink to install the DW. Was there not space in your kitchen to do the same?
Wish I could be of real help here and hope you can find a way to get your island. Have you thought about buying one? One more idea, it is often suggested here to group the items on top of your cabinets rather than putting them "all in a row". You may like that better.

A lot of wood, a lot of chotzkies.

Could you buy one of those large rolling butcher-block carts? Might give you some more working space and storage .... probably would not cost much....maybe a band-aid solution until you have an island put in.

I would vote to lose the detail on top of the cabinets in favor of crown-molding; however if you are not into crown you might have someone here photoshop your existing detail out before you do it...I just wonder if it might look a little bare on top with nothing.

You have a lot of hard items and too many doo-dads. I think if you removed everything from the kitchen and gave it a clean look, it would be easier for this tired mind to come up with ideas. I am not as bright as most everyone here, but not really fond of the little raily thingie and so many checks and flowers, etc. It needs some soft tailored materials, less kitchy items.

I hung a very attractive mirror above my second sink which had no window; it reflects a view of my woods and brings in more light. If a mirror will reflect something you don't care to see, find a nice piece of artwork that you will enjoy looking at while working at the sink.

I wouldn't be in a rush to put up a backsplash. As a temporary solution you could add an interesting wallpaper or just live with what you have. I think the backsplash is the last thing to finish when you know exactly what you are going to do in the kitchen - nothing like having to rip up a new backsplash because you decided to move cabinets around or changed the countertops.

Also get a good size trivet near your stove to put hot items down without any worry. I hope you get a new stove since that white/black stove is quite unattractive.

It is actually not a bad kitchen, just needs a little tweaking.
Sky

Oh and I forgot, you can always add more wood where you need it with a wood floor, so don't worry about moving cabinets- just patch in new flooring.
Sky

I'm guessing you picked the yellow and sunflowers to work with the green countertops. I played with your new kitchen to make it look a bit more like your old one in one of the views. I changed the countertops to a neutral formica and painted the walls in your SW Copper Mountain. I also decluttered a bit... hope you don't mind :)

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Nancy

Check out the kitchen below with a free standing island and a large armoire that is used for a pantry.

Here is a link that might be useful: kitchen armoire and island

I am getting so many great ideas on both boards that I don't know where to actually start with this post. I did a major declutter/replacement last night and it is already looking better! I love the look of the OTR Microwave that was photoshopped in. I had gotten the idea of black moulding around the top of the cabinets and black laminate (granite looking) countertops and would love to see that in a photoshopped kitchen! I will be back!

Alicia

Check out the link below to an oak kitchen with very similar cabinets to yours that have been painted. They also added molding to the cabinets. It turned out lovely.

Here is a link that might be useful: Redone Oak kitchen

Hi Alicia, Here's another with the black countertops. Since this pic doesn't show the moulding, I didn't do that part. I didn't change anything else.

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If someone else wants to try a hand, that would be great. I won't have much time until Sunday.

Nancy

Is there a way to move the light over your sink so you aren't seeing the bulb? Mount it under the cabinet, maybe, or make it a smaller bulb. I have T4 lights under my cabinets. They are only about 1/2" wide so they are easy to hide, but produce nice task lighting.

Robbi

If it were me I would put all that money into new countertops because as much as I love green that particular shade would not work for me.

That being said, would it be possible for me to borrow your parents and in-laws for christmas? They sound like the ultimate decorating accessory!

We replaced an old kitchen fan with an OTR microwave/fan. Our contractor was able to cut down the size of the cabinet above the stove to accommodate the OTR unit. I think you might like that better than raising the cabinet itself.
Margaret

I wanted to bring this back up to the top! I have had a family emergency and haven't had the time to come back and let you know my thoughts etc. I did take some more pictures after I decluttered the counters and brought in the rolling island cart off the back deck. I have a picture of an inspiration island that I think my family can make out of the cart that I have. I also went to Lowes and looked at tile for the top of the island a laminate for the counters as advised and a possible backsplash that I had never seen before!

I love the great ideas I have received and want to go into more detail just as soon as I can pull it off!

Keep the ideas coming!

Alicia
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I would make the largest island you can. Closed storage helps so much. I would not get a prefab one or a cart b/c I don;t think it will give you enough storage. If you painted it black and added black counters it would look fabulous!

Sorry! I have been so limited on time but I wanted to touch base on several of the postings so here goes!

Nancy, I wish I could switch out the cabinets between stove and sink but it is not a fit.

Hoosiergirl, Thanks so much for your input about a small island. I am looking at about the same size after discussing it with dh. It seems the island couldn't be a permanent fixture because if we moved any furniture in and out of the house it would be a problem. I have been taking pictures of the inside of the cabinets as I have been tackling getting the stuff off the counters.

Dorothy, I hope that in the process of getting new countertops dh will be able to move the drawer base and put the dishwasher beside of the sink.

I am having a little trouble convincing dh to take the trim off immediately in that my "family emergency" is that dfil is in CCU at the local hospital.

I plan to try the grouping of three on the glass items this weekend. As I said so many of them are truly sentimental and I feel that the place for them is up there if I can make it work!

Chris, As you can see I have a small one but I hope to redo it to make it more like the one in the picture!

Patricia, what kind of soft items do you have in mind for a kitchen?

Sky, I measured the area and it is 36" x 36" over the sink. I hope to start looking for a mirror but wondered if I should spend the $ when I am going to need some kind of backsplash down the road.

Nancy,thanks so much for taking the time to do this for me. DH says he wants a lighter color in there rather than the Copper Mountain.

Michelle, thanks so much for the input on the other kitchen. I loved it. I know dh won't let me paint the cabinets. This is the third kitchen I have redone and the first one we painted, the second ended up being wood doors and painted cabinets. He loves the true oak.

The island in that kitchen makes me drool and since I have doors to close in the cart that I have and want a tile top I think I am going to look into putting those mouldings on it like that.

It also makes me think about the post about taking off the cabinet over the sink and replacing it with a valance. Oh my mind just went overboard. I wonder about the height of that particular cabinet.

I do have one more dilemia about the placement of the fridge, with the freezer on that side and the icemaker on the door, there isn't really enough room to open the freezer. If I moved the drawer base down and put the dw beside the sink.

I will be back!

Hi. I am enjoying your thread. I would remove all the glass pieces from over the cabs. Glass is not weighty enough for display up high. Remove the rail going around the top of the cabs. That alone will update your kitchen. Something like baskets of greenery over the corner would look great. In the picture of the counter over your dishwasher I would replace the upper cabs with glass inserts. Cut out the main panel and replace with glass. Then I would store all your glass pieces in those cabs. They would be on display, and have more impact grouped together. Also light from within to highlight your display. That pice reminds me of a hutch. So having a display of glassware and plates and silver pieces would be appropriate. I saw those great tinlook tiles at HD. They came in many different finishes. The only thing would be to make sure that the scale is not too big for a backsplah. It's hard to tell how big they are. I like the countertop selections you have there. Also look at Basalt Slate by formica, I think. That would tie the black dishwasher into the kitchen. I think the dark counters would look nice with the tin. Also look at the finished kitchens blog for more ideas. You have started with some nice pieces already. Have fun with it!

Here is a link that might be useful: Basalt Slate

One more thing that could help your budget, Camarodreamer, is that the 24x48 island we had was just a base cabinet with veneer on the ends and a butcher block top -- very, very inexpensive! If that size will work for you, that would probably be a lot less than buying a ready-made island. Also, we didn't affix it to the floor; it was weighty enough to not need it and gave us or future owners the option to remove it down the road. HTH!

Hi Camaro Yikes....looks like my suggestion of a rolling cart really blows! Glad you only had to roll it in from the back deck and did not buy one. Please roll it right back out there...lol.

Looking forward to the end product.

I like KMCG's ideas. That slate from formica is really awesome. They are getting pretty good with the faux stone.

Chris I know exactly what you mean! My plan is to add another layer that is bigger than the existing cart and trimmed in wood. I will add a tile top and then since I have doors that will work size wise is to add doors on one side and wrap beadboard around the remainder (after removing the handle area of course. Then paint the entire bottom black. It would have to be somewhat portable so I purchased locking wheels at Lowe's to replace the ones that are on it now. The only problem is that as I said in the previous post my DFIL is very ill and it may be a while before anything happens with it. At least with it sitting there I am able to kind of live with something in the middle of the floor for a while before I spend money in updating it.