brainstorming kitchen finishes and overall look

9 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
9 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
9 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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OK, let's think out of the box. If it's only the 2 of you watching TV, then you only need seating for the 2 of you. Right? As an example of matching the seating to your needs, I'll use us: Ma and Pa Kettle. In the new house we're building we planned a family (the 2 of us plus cats) "den" off the kitchen. Seating only for two, with cats on top. We each get our favorite: DH only watches TV lying down; I prefer a chair with ottoman. But sometimes I want to lie down, so DH gets a double bed size futon, left folded open in the bed position. Then I have a place to lie down on occasion. Two pieces of furniture. Each gets a small table to put stuff on. Mine is on casters to move around/out of the way. The TV. That's it. Blinds and curtains on all the windows to adjust the lighting conditions many different ways. It's all, frankly, ugly. With new furniture it could look better. But the room closes off with doors and I plan to close them, and lock them if I have to, when anyone visits. It's our hangout. We're old and comfort comes first to us. We have our linaments and various medical assistive devices. LOL! Out in the open for our comfort and convenience. Because of this stage of life--and delapidation, and perhaps surrender--I planned the house this way. There will be a separate Living Room that flows into the Dining and Kitchen for visiting with guests. Your situation may be different. I just encourage you to tailor it to how you want to really live--at least in that room. And "Make yourselves at home"!
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brightm
9 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
9 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
9 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
9 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
9 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
9 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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