Stuff I miss from my GW kitchen

12 years ago

I made a mostly GW kitchen (function--not looks heh heh) and moved after using it a year or two. I currently have a weird 80s redo of a 50s kitchen and have had the opportunity to evaluate what I miss and what I was wrong about.

I miss...

my Tapmaster a lot. Not enough to climb into that disgusting sink cabinet to install one, but I think the spouse will get one as a gift.

Big single sink. Don't like the 70/30 business, but it would be tolerable if the disposal were on the big side. It isn't.

induction over electric. I'd used induction (retro as well as new) for over 5 years. Electric isn't as bad as I remembered for cooking but I keep melting things. Not chocolate.

Ventilation. Even a little is good.

Drawers.

18" over 30" deep cabinets.

Frameless or mostly frameless cabinetry. I've got serious frames and not enough storage.

Lighting over stove and sink. Miss it!

Surprisingly I don't miss some things...soap dispenser? meh.

I don't hate some things I expected to.

Tile counter! If it weren't so dam*ed ugly I'd love it.

Like my previous Corian (pink) counter I said the same thing about, it's a darn nice counter material. Maybe the grout isn't supposed to be brown, but it appears to come clean to me! heat proof, cold proof, cleans up nicely. Drip edge is wonderful. I could see putting in tile...

24" oven. Cute! But I'm using it a lot. I could re-re-retire my wedding present electronics-free toaster oven that I keep putting back into service every time I move. Anyway I think I am a range (big oven) plus tiny wall oven convert.

Open kitchen concept. I guess it's not that bad after all. I do think it should be open to something relevant and not just created thoughtlessly by removing any wall that wasn't a chimney but that's another topic. I miss walls...

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Comments (7)

la_koala
12 years ago
Hi fori, *thanks* for posting this! It reinforces my decision to have one large single sink. :-)

And my inclination for tile counters--love the idea of just putting hot pots on them. However, DH nixed the tile counter idea for me due to the idea of dirty-looking grout. It's still nice to know that I'm not completely "out there'.

--Lee
Linda
12 years ago
Fori, I feel your pain! Same thing happened to me, but sigh, you learn to adjust!
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Thanks luvspring! I first saw the tile at a local tile store called Devon Tile Design (they have amazing stuff) -- but found for less at a larger store (Avalon Tile in Wilmington DE) and able to have the price matched. I also tracked it down by looking on the Walker Zanger website to see who their retailers are. shanghaimom, they also call the marron cohiba "antique brown" i think. I do love the Amerock pulls - - and I think they are better quality than the twice as expensive RH bistro ones I was looking at! breezy, I just checked the invoice and drawings, and all it says is "sigma fan" -- I know it's venting to the outdoors, and that the motor and everything else is in the hood (I'm vaguely recalling that it was called internal)...wish I could be more definitive on that! As for noiselevel, this is hard to describe, and I've got no expertise in decibels. On low, it's like a quiet background hum, definitely quieter than my microwave vent was before the reno --but if I'm cooking under it, I can't hear my kids' normal talking voices in the kitchen (of course that can be a good thing!). On high it is pretty loud, and I wouldn't want to run it for longer than necessary (unless those same kids are bickering!) As for whether the 600 cfms will be enough for you, think about you'd like to be cooking -- if you'll grill steaks inside or do alot of stirfries, it might not be enough. Good luck!!!
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What kind of doors on the fridge? French doors, side-by-side, or if single door, which way will it hinge? French door and side-by-side don't benefit from counterspace beside them anyway, as the doors block access. I think it's more important to have room to work on the counters, and be able to set things off to the side of the stove without fear of people bumping them, or having them fall on the floor, than to have landing space immediately handy to the fridge. To get to 'landing space' from my main fridge, I have to go around it's door and carry things across to the island 5 or 6 ft away. It's rarely a problem. Not only does this latest idea improve your work area and work flow, you won't be walking across the room with a pot of boiling water to drain, and, as I mentioned previously, other family members and guests can access the fridge without walking into the busy kitchen work area. In defense of the plan, part of the reason we created a "Range wall" was for the looks, Looks won't matter much when you're trying to accomplish something and you're aggravated or someone walking through gets burned. And I don't see how you'd be able to enjoy the look of that wall much, since it's not visible from anywhere but the other side of the kitchen...? Not trying to be critical, but just point this out, so you're not giving up function for a look you can't really enjoy from anywhere.
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davidro1
12 years ago
fori, congratulations this thread is great. You confirmed a number of things, a good reminder to all. You opened a whole bunch of new options for everyone, also. When you write that tile is surprisingly good, people will pay attention. Same for a 24"w oven. And for not caring about a soap dispenser built into a hole in the counter. Your strategy about open concept spaces makes a lot of sense: it will give people a reason to think about leaving some wall in some places, or perhaps placing a panel of frosted glass or something similar, to cut down the views and to direct the eye more one way than another. These are new subjects that this forum can treat in the year 2012. Since you have posted so often in so many threads people will pay attention. Bravo you just made history.
annachosaknj6b
12 years ago
I agree! Very telling post. I for one am glad to hear (well, YKWIM) that you miss your Tapmaster AND that it could be installed retroactively. One of those things I didn't do in my kitchen because I just didn't need one more headache. Great to know I can change my mind. Thank you, fori! Your loss is everyone's gain. And now we'll look forward to your next remodel. :-)
beekeeperswife
12 years ago
you are making me sad.....I don't want to leave my kitchen.
carybk
12 years ago
Does the open kitchen issue relate to the ventilation issue? In our pre-reno kitchen, we had poor ventilation and few walls, so we were very limited in what we were willing to cook without stinking up the whole house (even upstairs-- we have an open upstairs that is open to the downstairs and near the kitchen). Now, with good ventilation, we've removed the main problem (from our point of view) with the open plan.
Fori
Original Author
12 years ago
Hehe!

This is my ventilation problem--it's kind of related to the open kitchen (pre-movein shot):

The downdraft isn't ducted so I don't use it. Okay, I used it when I was boiling habaneros for jelly because my baby was getting asthma. That bit of remaining wall is only there because there is a chimney on the other side. SInce the POs didn't pull a permit to remove the walls, I'm thankful for the chimney.

I forgot to add dishwasher drawers!

I had one of the first FP DW drawers way back. Awesome. After I moved I replaced a poorly functioning DW with another which went through my remodel with me. Moved and luckily had no excuse to not replace the existing DW with another DW drawer after using it a month. Hate the big doored dishwashers! Ergonomic features aside, we apparently SLOP when loading the dishwasher so we make a mess loading a regular DW. I don't care if half my dishes come out dirty (they don't), Miele can kiss my rear if they don't have a drawer option.

And did I forget to say I miss my instant hot dispenser a bunch? I have to use one of those electric kettle things to heat water for my coffee press. And I don't even bother with tea anymore.

As far as dish soap dispensers, I've always had them. They're great. But as cluttered as my kitchen always is and always will be, it doesn't make a bit of difference if there's a bottle of dish soap on the counter instead of a little spout.

We knew we'd have to remodel the kitchen in the "new" place, or put it in an addition we sort of intend to do, but it IS good to try out different kitchens first.

Stuff I miss from my GW kitchen

Comments (7)

la_koala

Linda

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Stuff I miss from my GW kitchen

Comments (7)

la_koala

Linda

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annachosaknj6b

beekeeperswife

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ForiOriginal Author

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Fori
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