brainstorming kitchen finishes and overall look

8 years ago

Hi there,
I am new to this forum, and basically just wanted to shoot the breeze with someone about kitchen decor, and get your advice on where to spend money. I thought this would be a good place, since you're actually interested in this topic!

I just bought a 1950's house that needs updating. Nothing has ever been done to it cosmetically, (it was well-maintained tho.)

The kitchen is a 12 X 8 galley. I'm going to knock down a load-bearing wall between it and the 27 X 12 living room, and turn half the living room into the dining room. The resulting space will be sort of an L-shaped, open-concept, kitch/dining/living room. The existing dining room will be turned back into a bedroom, creating a 3rd bedroom.

There's one bathroom.

So I guess my questions are:
1. While I'm doing this big reno, should I spend extra money and put in a powder room? This house is one-storey, 1300 sf, and it seems slightly weird to have two bathrooms on the same floor in a house this size. I believe other houses in the neighbourhood have two bathrooms, but they also have living area on two floors (whereas I only have one floor's worth of living area).

2. It's possible that I will move in 6 - 8 years, so I think I should be concerned about resale, correct? I want to do the kitchen 'right' so that I don't lose too much money on the reno. That said, do you think something like this, which I quite like, and is kind of 'me' would be ok for resale:

I like the beige grout in between the penny rounds.
I thought I could do a combo of these laminates for perimeter/island:

and this:

For the cabs, I could use these Ikea rubrik in turquoise, like in this pic (which can be easily switched out for white applad, for resale):

floor will be honey-coloured oak, and match the existing oak in the living room.

what do you think?

4. The kitchen is 12 X 8. Is 12 enough for an island with a sink in it? I'm not sure how much clearance you need. I'd like to have a nice big sink, so that washed pots can go on one side and not stick up too much. I don't mind having a penisula instead, but I guess the flow wouldn't be as good.

Ok, that's it!
Hopefully I haven't inundated you with too much info. Once I get on a roll, it's hard to stop!

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Comments (8)

jesshs
8 years ago
Well I can't speak to resale in your area, but I really like both the inspiration pictures that you've posted.

One thing to think about- IKEA is changing their cabinetry this fall I believe so your idea about changing doors may not work if you are buying now and don't buy the extra white doors at the same time.
lam702
8 years ago
The blue kitchen is very pretty. You know, I am not a fan of putting islands in smaller kitchens. I just think it makes the space too tight. That's just me, and I am sure there will be many postings saying an island in a smaller kitchen works just fine. Maybe so, but I think of when you get a few people in the kitchen, it would seem too confined to me. Islands are very popular today and I ike them myself. I just think they work better in a kitchen with more space.
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Hi memo, thanks you too for your thoughts. The tub is a giant thorn in our side. When we were working on the kitchen, we had to open the ceiling and discovered that the tub was literally being held in place with sticks pretty much. Someone had done some plumbing repairs at some point, and had not thought to stabilize the tub properly underneath. The tub was in danger of coming through the ceiling to the kitchen, a la "The Money Pit". My contractor did sister everything up, but we wouldn't get into that tub at this point if you paid us. We're terrified the weight of the water might still cause it to crash through the ceiling. So, it needs to be removed, along with the floor in it's entirely so we can have a good look at the whole floor underneath to correct whatever is happening under there. I have already had 2 contractors that I trust completely (one, a good friend who was the one that worked on my kitchen) tell me that all the concrete in that room has most likely taken it's toll over the years and removing all of it would help enormously. Did I mention my home is built of terracotta block? We even found historic encaustic cement tile under the old vinyl tile in the kitchen, set in a cement bed! We tried to hard to get that rehabbed to no avail, it was too badly ruined and it was going to cost me something like $5000 to remove it and set a new subfloor so, it's still under the new tile that got laid. Anyway - off track. The tub, has already been painted over several times. I have no idea what color it was originally even. I have had my architect (again, a friend, someone I used to work for) also tell me if at all possible try and keep it. That, and the wall tile, but the problem with the wall tile, but the problem with the wall tile is we will have to take down the walls to reuse it anyway to be able to set them correctly. In any event, I have not been able to find anyone anywhere near me that does this kind of work. It does not seem most contractors in my general area know much about being able to reuse existing vintage materials. And then there is the electrical problems that really need to be addressed as the lighting is so awful and becoming more useless as time passes. What kills me about all of this, is when I bought the home it didn't quite look so bad. I swear, as soon as I moved in tiles started falling off the falls immediately! It may have had something to do with the construction going on right underneath, the kitchen is there, perhaps all the banging just loosened everything enough to be that "last straw". I don't know. But I really thought I was going to be able to just come in, fix a few things and get away with spending maybe $5-$8K at most, not to be faced with having to gut the room :( There is a part of me which realizes switching the room around will add cost, which you point out. I could live with the layout as is, if need be. I think the worst part of it for me is the radiator issue - we really do need more leg space there; and getting another sink into the room if possible or at the very least, a vanity with more counter space and better storage (BF is not exactly the easiest to share a sink with). Even if we get a new tub - and keep it in the same place, I do like your idea of the vintage looking stand alone faucet sets, and will look them up from that website as you suggest. Tucking the cat box in that area would work also, at least it would be out of the way and perhaps we could have something custom built, with a slide out tray or something, to hide it further. Thanks again - you gave me more to think about. I did get the names of 3 contractors this past weekend from the bathroom supplier I used to purchase my two new toilets from and some accessories, one of which did say they have worked on historic properties, so maybe I'll luck out?
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All this input is so helpful--as you've all realized this project is a series of trade offs... One of the reasons we're using the architect is to make sure that we can mitigate some of the trade offs with thoughtfulness and details that might have gotten by us otherwise. We are thrilled with his team so far. It's not a design build firm, but rather an architect/builder --a highly regarded architect who has partnered with his preferred builder. The benefit so far, is that the preliminary cost estimates are run by the builder from the get-go. We're early in this, but I'm optimistic that this will work in our favor and we can feel much improved for our budget. So the numbers are this--we've got 200K to spend--which seems like a lot but considering we are not only doing what you all have been working on here, but also a master suite on the other end of the house...well...let's just say we're already getting very creative with our choices. And we're in the DC metro area so that doesn't help in terms of expense. The good news is that we don't have extravagent desires (other than soapstone of course!) but really want a thoughtful renovation...especially of the kitchen/dining area because life centers around that for us. Some more info-- you all are very right about the tight squeeze in the living room. I'm used to it to the extend that our current "couch" is actually a love seat that is only 5' long and I have two living room chairs opposite with a coffee table in the middle. This is the only configuration that works in the current living room and will likely be the only configuration that works in the new one. But I rarely wish for more and bigger living room furn. --I mainly wish for better flow in and around the furn. When I get a chance to scan the whole house plan in for you I will do so--in addition to the front door and door to the dining area, in the current living room there is also the opening to the stairway leading upstairs and another door to the first floor bedrooms--specifically, I have a doorway in each of the four corners of the room. My neighbor has the mirror image house and for 10 years she and I have noshed over our various attempts at living room arrangements--in the end we've both squeezed all our furniture in the middle so everyone can get around without zig zagging and tripping! My guidance to the architect is that I don't want the kitchen to be a throughway but I do want "some" connection to the living and dining areas. I'm mainly tired of bumping around everyone in the kitchen while I work and we socialize--or alternatively being alone in there while everyone has fun out in the dining/living rooms. Most of our guests end up around the dining table, even after dinner--probably because we have such dinky living room furniture, LOL! My husband and I are both wondering though whether to swap out living and dining room and your continued thoughts on this issue are much appreciated. We've gone so far as...
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brightm
8 years ago
I grew up in a 1950's 3 bedroom, (one story) ranch that was 1250-1300 sq ft. We had a full hall bath and a half bath attached to the master. Of course both were tiny by today's standards. I currently live in a 1947 ranch that's just under 1900 sq ft and has the same bath arrangement. Everything is just larger in this house and there's a den/fourth closetless bedroom.

I think for resale, you can almost never go wrong with a bath. Even if it was purchased for one person, having a 'public' bath and a private bath is preferred to having guests invade your personal bathroom. (However in both homes, my bathroom was and is the hall bath.)

Where it would make sense in your home and what other room/function would have to give up space is a tougher question. Do you have any ideas?

A floorplan of what's existing and what's proposed would help. I think you're saying that you'll end up with a 12x35 space for kitchen/dining/living, but I'm not sure. I'll stay out of finishes. (I got distracted looking at google maps/zillow for the house I grew up in.)
Hydragea
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks so much. I now see that post on the new Metod system. That's definitely a curve-ball for the 'replace the cab doors with something neutral for resale' idea.

Yes, I think an island might be too small. I'd be losing a 36" bottom cab if I did it, and I'm not sure the improved flow would compensate for it.

Ok, I'll post a layout of the current/proposed floorplan. I see now that there's a 'remodeling' forum, so I'll probably post it there instead. There are a few other things i needed to say too, about where I'd put the bathroom and all that, but I realize it's off-topic here in the kitchens forum.
jesshs
8 years ago
Oh no- post your floorplan and layouts here. You will get great help for the kitchen, and people are more then willing to comment about whole house layout and bathroom stuff too.
sjhockeyfan325
8 years ago
You'll get much more of a response on this forum (you can X-post in Remodeling, but for kitchen layout, and kitchen layout as it relates to the rest of the house, this is the place to be!)

I love BOTH of your inspiration pix! If you do go with Akurum, you could buy the replacement doors now (they aren't very expensive) and just keep them in the garage or basement until you're ready to move. I don't think anyone would NOT buy a house because the back of the island is a color they don't like, because that's easily covered.

BTW, I also grew up in a single-story ranch with about 1200 sf and 3 bedrooms, 1 bath. We survived, although I agree that a powder room will be a good addition, if you have the room without impinging on the new Kitchen/Dining room/living room, and being certain that the door to the powder room opens into a non-public area. The closer you can get to existing plumbing, the less expensive it will be.
Hydragea
Original Author
8 years ago
Ok.
This is a rough layout that I created myself. I do not take possession until end of August, so not 100% sure of closet dimensions. Are closets normally 3' deep? Is that enough for a powder room?

Another factor to consider is that there is an unfinished, full-height basement. Perhaps the next owners could put a bathroom down there?

CURRENT LAYOUT:

FUTURE LAYOUT:
rgillman
8 years ago
I have the Cherry Adelphi cabinets in my NJ kitchen, but am putting AKRUM glossy white in my part-time Florida kitchen. Love both looks: they are both clean and simple but with totally different moods.

YES, put your $$ into a powder room - you will never regret it. God forbid two people in the household need to use the facilities at the same time (yep, it happens) you are in trouble. Also, for guests -- do you really want them traipsing into your private bathroom? As a guest, I always hate doing that -- it just feels strange. Believe me, you will get your money back for that extra half-bathroom. Worth its weight in gold.

brainstorming kitchen finishes and overall look

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brainstorming kitchen finishes and overall look

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