Looking for layout help? Memorize this first.

9 years ago

This is about being able to look at a layout and seeing in one second whether the fridge, sink and prep space are in the right place.

Repeat after me:

Ice. Water. Stone. Fire.

Say it again: Ice. Water. Stone. Fire. In that order.

Got it?

I've been away only about a year or so, and just look at the fine mess you've gotten yourselves into. Stoves stuck between sinks and fridges. Islands sticking out like J-wow's backside. Dishwashers next to ranges. Cats sleeping with dogs. "I'm not suuuuure why I need a prep sink." Enough!

Ice. Water. Stone. Fire.

Remember it.

That's the recipe for every home-cooked meal ever made. Every one. Of course I'm not talking about baloney sandwiches or nuked chicken fingers. I mean, meals you actually cook. I don't care if you're making hamburgers, spag bol, shumai, boiled dinner, mac & cheese, or fish puking up its own tail (Ever see that? It's called en colere, it's completely gross yet strangely cool)--you're following the same four-word recipe.

ICE. This is your fridge or freezer. Your pantry. Your stolen shopping cart full of cat food. The un-insulated back porch where your grandmother stores that stuff she uses to make that stuff you like. Wherever you store your uncooked food--that's Ice. It all starts here.

WATER. You start a cooked meal by taking food out of Ice and bringing it to Water. Water is the sink you use to prep. There, you wash the food. Maybe you mix it with water. At minimum, you rinse your hands and utensils. At least, if you want to stay alive, you do. There was a woman here a couple of years ago who insisted she never used water to prep. She doesn't post anymore, because dysentery.

STONE. Then you bring the food to Stone. As in, you know, granite, soapstone, marble. Or wood. Or formica, or whatever else your prep surface might be. You chop, you julienne, you trim, you pull little wriggling things out of your broccoli and show them to your annoying niece until she screams and leaves you the hell alone in the kitchen finally. Whatever. While you are doing this, you frequently bop back and forth between Stone and Water, as you clean your hands or rinse the wrigglers off your knife. The NKBA says this bit of Stone should be a minimum of 36" wide by 24" deep. But you really want bigger.

FIRE. Next it's on to Fire--your range, oven, cooktop, whatever. Obvious. This is where the magic happens. You sear a steak, bake a pie, or watch a soufflé rise to fluffy heaven until your damn niece comes storming back into the kitchen slamming doors. Anyway.

So, are you doing a layout? Memorize this recipe first. Because this is the primary order you will be working in your new kitchen. Set it up so you don't have to backtrack fifty times a day every time you cook. Also, do not make yourself dodge people getting glasses out of the dishwasher, or rinsing off whatever the hell they got on their hands which, P.S., they already wiped all over your upholstery. Make sure you have clear, unobstructed lines between Ice, Water, Stone and Fire.

What? No, that doesn't mean they all need to line up in a row. They're usually in a triangle of some sort, though not always.

This is why we may recommend a prep sink for you. It's not because we get a commission on them, although we frikking well deserve one at this point. It's because in your particular layout, your main sink is not located where it needs to be. It may cross paths with other kitchen invaders. Or it simply fails to follow the order Ice-Water-Stone-Fire in a really glaring and inefficient way.

Ice. Water. Stone. Fire.

Now you know the recipe. Go make something with it.

Eta: first sentence from a comment.

This post was edited by marcolo on Fri, Nov 21, 14 at 18:01

Featured Answer

emmers_m

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

I Want Some Food

a but simplistic, but vaguely pertinent :)

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Comments (121)

Buehl
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Annette Holbrook - no, it does not assume a new build. It does, however, assume that you are willing to move plumbing, electrical, and venting to come up with a functional design. It's when people refuse to change the location of anything (or add something like a prep sink in many cases) that makes it difficult. There may be reasons, but then why ask for help when you're not willing to take the advice?

DW and dish unloading are part of the workflow and zone design. If you haven't already, read the Kitchen Design FAQs to find out what to consider, etc.

Also, be aware that cleaning up - clearing the table, loading the DW, wiping down the table & counters, unloading the DW - is only 20% of the time spent/work performed in the Kitchen. The majority of the time is spent prepping. The stats based on Kitchen work studies:
- 70% or more time is spent prepping [Prep Zone]
- 20% or less is spent cleaning up [Cleanup Zone along with dish storage]
- 10% is spent cooking (actually watching food cook and/or stirring/adding ingredients) [Cooking Zone]
Seriously, read the Kitchen Design FAQs. This thread is in addition to the FAQs; it does not replace them and it does not attempt to!

Kitchen Design FAQs:

Kitchen work zones, what are they?
- http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2767031/kitchen-work-zones-what-are-they
Aisle widths, walkways, seating overhangs, work and landing space, and others
- http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2767035/aisle-widths-walkways-seating-overhangs-work-and-landing-space-an
How do I plan for storage? Types of Storage? What to Store Where?
- http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2767036/how-do-i-plan-for-storage-types-of-storage-what-to-store-where
.
funkycamper
8 years ago
In the 1.5 years or so I've been hanging out here at GW Kitchens, I've never seen a kitchen that couldn't be improved by using ice-water-stone-fire. Annette, your DW placement is one of my biggest pet peeves as it's right in your prep zone between sink and range. It would drive me batty. I suspect your prep sink might not get as much use as it could because it's too close to the end of the counter and it looks pretty small, more like a beverage sink. How does your DH do whatever work he is doing in the kitchen without using a sink? For most people, two preppers requires two sinks for maximum efficiency, and the DW should not be in the prep zone of either prep area so someone else can clean-up while the others are prepping. Just a few random thoughts about your kitchen. Of course, if you are used to it and you like it, that's great. I wouldn't because I know there are more efficient options.
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Thank you buehl. Seeing it on "paper" really helps! I woke up husband to show him : ) Ill have to look into prep sinks. I love the idea of having that sink wall all open with a large expanse of counter. little or no upper cupboards which will give me room for my double sink double drainboard SS sink Im trying to source...(unsuccessfully on this continent.) Moving the fridge may even allow for the over the top ( in my opinion) SS side by side full freezer/full fridge set up that husband seems to covet. (Frigidaire professional series) We seem have lost our pantry somewhere in this new design. A place to store some dry goods/ broom, etc.. any ideas where we can out it to maintain the sleep balanced look? We are hoping for a "cottage-ey" with industrial accent look. Also what is the consensus on upper cabinetry? I think Id like to keep it to a minimum but husband thinks getting glasses and mugs out of a drawer is "just weird".
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Welcome BennyBen75! Unfortunately, I do see some issues. First, the layout does not follow the workflow of a Kitchen. Kitchen workflow is: Refrigerator/Pantry --> Prep Zone with sink & workspace --> Cooking Zone with range --> Serving Zone with table --> Cleanup Zone with sink & DW Or, as Marcolo put it: Ice. Water. Stone. Fire. Ice = refrigerator (& pantry) Water = water source in the Prep Zone Stone = workspace in the Prep Zone Fire = range or oven (heat applied to food) [Marcolo's thread about workflow: http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2699918/looking-for-layout-help-memorize-this-first] If you look at your layout, your workflow is... Ice --> Fire --> Stone --> Water Now, if you add a prep sink to your island, you have the correct workflow! Simple fix! . Next is the traffic. Right now, it looks like traffic is going to coming to/from the Back Hall and Veranda (backyard) by cutting through the Cooking Zone. The Cooking Zone should be the most protected zone of all b/c of the handling of hot food, flame (if gas), etc. The next protected should be the Prep Zone b/c of it's connection to the Cooking Zone as well as b/c you are working with knives, etc. We don't have a full-house layout, so I cannot be sure of the traffic patterns, but that's what it looks like right now. Could you please post a layout of the entire floor? . My next concern is the location of the DW. Ideally, dish storage should be next to the DW and close to the primary Serving Zone (i.e., table space, in your case the DR). Currently, you have your dishes split b/w the two sides of the sink & DW. I would rearrange it so the DW is on the other side of the sink along with meal dishes (plates, glasses, silverware, etc.) Then, I'd put mugs, coffee, sugar, etc., on the other side next to/above the Coffee Center. Another issue with the DW location is that it's in the path of your current workflow, which means dodging an open DW door to go t/from the sink and the Prep & Cooking Zones. Finally, the DW opens into the island and blocks the access to the DR. Your aisle is probably closer to 45" (more on that next), and while there is probably enough room to squeeze b/s an open DW door and the island, I'd want a few more inches. Add to that the fact that this is probably going to a busy area b/c of the Veranda door, and I think you would be better off with a 51-inch aisle (measured correctly). . Aisles are measured to/from the items that stick out into the aisle the farthest - counters, appliance handles, walls, etc. They are not measured cabinet box-to-cabinet box as the cabinet boxes are not the items that stick out the farthest - even without counters, doors stick out approx 1" beyond the face of the cabinet boxes. Counters extend approx 1.5" to cover the doors/drawer fronts & knobs/pulls. Don't feel bad, many KDs and most GCs/architects/cabinet salespeople make the same mistake. This means your aisles are narrower than you think. . Refrigerator. It appears you are recessing the refrigerator into an alcove. Be careful. The doors must stick out past the surrounding counters, walls, etc., to allow the refrigerator doors to open fully and provide full access to the bins and shelves as well as to allow you to easily remove the bins and shelves for cleaning without having to pull out the refrigerator. It looks like you have the refrigerator flush to the counters on its left and right - you need to pull out the refrigerator far enough for the doors to stick out farther. Are you building it in to make it look like a built-in refrigerator? It looks like you are, at least on the left, but on the right. To make it look built-in (a higher-end look), (1) Flank the refrigerator with 3/4" finished end panels that are only as deep as the refrigerator's carcass/box plus whatever air clearance is needed behind the refrigerator Be sure the end panels are installed so you have the required side air clearances (2) Install a full-depth (24") cabinet above the refrigerator and b/w the two end panels. The cabinet should be pulled out flush to the ends of the end panels and the refrigerator carcass/box. . . Some links that may help you understand our comments: Kitchen Design Best Practices/Guidelines threads -- These threads explain best practices/good design guidelines for items such as work zones, aisles, island/peninsula seating, etc. These threads will help you understand questions/comments you will receive. Layout Help -- FAQ for asking for layout help. It has a sample measured layout as well as a description of the other information we need Read Me thread -- Other, helpful information for using and navigating the Kitchens Forum. . Layout Help: How do I ask for Layout Help and what information should I include? http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2767033/how-do-i-ask-for-layout-help-and-what-information-should-i-include . Kitchen Design Best Practices/Guidelines threads: Kitchen work zones, what are they? http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3638270/faq-kitchen-work-zones-what-are-they Aisle widths, walkways, seating overhangs, work and landing space, and others http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3638304/faq-aisle-widths-walkways-seating-overhangs-work-landing-space-etc How do I plan for storage? Types of Storage? What to Store Where? http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3638376/faq-how-do-i-plan-for-storage Ice. Water. Stone. Fire (Looking for layout help? Memorize this first) http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2699918/looking-for-layout-help-memorize-this-first . New to Kitchens? Read Me First! http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/4306041/new-to-kitchens-read-me-first .
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Welcome April! Right now, we're answering layout questions in almost a vacuum. We really need to know more about you, your family, how you plan to use the Kitchen, the layout of the rest of the house, etc. We have a Layout Help FAQ that describes the information we need from you to help you get the best layout possible! See below for the link to the FAQ. One of the things we ask for is a fully measured layout so we can see what we're working with. If there is something that cannot move -- in your case, the window -- we need to know exactly where it is. I made a quick layout of what you've "verbally" told us, but a picture is worth a thousand words! Please let me know if this is correct and let me know where it isn't. Note that I centered the window on the wall, I don't know if that's correct. Scale: 1 square = 6" x 6" Select/click to see a larger version. . Please check the following resources: Kitchen Design Best Practices/Guidelines threads -- These threads explain best practices/good design guidelines for items such as work zones, aisles, island/peninsula seating, etc. These threads will help you understand questions/comments you will receive. Layout Help -- FAQ for asking for layout help. It has a sample measured layout as well as a description of the other information we need Read Me thread -- Other, helpful information for using and navigating the Kitchens Forum. Especially useful if you are new to the Kitchens Forum! . New to Kitchens? Read Me First! http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/4306041/new-to-kitchens-read-me-first . Layout Help: How do I ask for Layout Help and what information should I include? http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2767033/how-do-i-ask-for-layout-help-and-what-information-should-i-include . Kitchen Design Best Practices/Guidelines threads: Kitchen work zones, what are they? http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3638270/faq-kitchen-work-zones-what-are-they Aisle widths, walkways, seating overhangs, work and landing space, and others http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3638304/faq-aisle-widths-walkways-seating-overhangs-work-landing-space-etc How do I plan for storage? Types of Storage? What to Store Where? http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3638376/faq-how-do-i-plan-for-storage Ice. Water. Stone. Fire (Looking for layout help? Memorize this first) http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2699918/looking-for-layout-help-memorize-this-first
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Annette Holbrook(z7a)
8 years ago
buehl, assuming one would be willing to move plumbing, venting and electrical is like assuming one would be willing to have a chauffeur driven limousine for the rest of my life. I'm totally willing but I'm not able to afford that. Being willing and being able are not the same. For my kitchen above, even though we built the house and I could have moved services, there really wasn't much option. We bought land we could afford in a school district that we needed to be in (due to work, which pays the bills). The lot dictated many things. The builder told us what was doable and we started searching plans. We looked at hundreds, narrowed it down to 3 and asked the builder which would be the most logical for our site. This dictated the placement of the kitchen, and where any outside or inside walls would fall within the plan. The only window is where it could be. Now maybe I could have put the sink elsewhere but in the world of re-sale down the road, I'm betting buyers would have a fit if I'd put the range there,or worse had no window. Maybe it seems like I'm not willing to take advice but as I've found on these boards (after over 10 years on here and now 4 kitchens) sometimes people don't read all of the posts, No prob, I get that, people are busy. People asked dimensions of kitchen even though it is stated clearly in the first post. I just repeated in another post, no biggie. My current plan in the other thread is limited by what I can move as I stated. I can't move the window or door because it is a log cabin I would never be able to fill in the hole with anything that didn't look like a horrible patch. Maybe if I could afford the country's foremost expert on log cabin restoration, but not likely. I can't add a sink in the island I hope to build because the trusses below are restricted to being compromised(no drilling through allowed) so I would have exposed pipes hanging below the ceiling in the bedroom beneath.

Everyone's level of "willing" is dictated by different things, budget probably being the first. Having other people in the equation being second. Since my husband was equal partner it the house we had to compromise. This new venture is a log cabin, probably close to the bottom of house styles I'd go with but all other things considered I'm willing to go there, after all that doesn't really cost me anything :D.
Annette Holbrook(z7a)
8 years ago
funkycamper,

DH stands at the center of the island with fridge and cooktop behind him. I stand at the big sink and do chopping and cleanup. He is mostly doing seasoning and that type of prep. I can easily turn around and put stuff on the island for him. I'm basically a sous chef as I hate to cook and just do what he says. I'm the cleanup crew more than anything, so that is my concern.

I can't imagine where else you could put the dishwasher. The sink had to be there due to the window and since I'm right handed I want the dishwasher where I can rinse and then load with my right hand. When I'm prepping stuff the dishwasher isn't in the equation, it's closed and not an issue. It gets opened after dinner when I load it. When I unload I stand on the other side in the corner (there is room) and unload straight up into the cabinet above and the silverware drawer is right at my waist. I never take a single step when unloading the dishwasher. I've been in kitchens where people have to take 4-5 steps to a cabinet on another wall with 2 plates or glasses at a time and I wonder how they don't just switch to paper :D!

If I put the dishwasher on the opposite side of the sink it may work, but then I would have spent the last 20 years doing everything left handed and that would be very inefficient. Plus then the glasses would be further from the fridge which is a big part of the day, get a glass, go to the fridge, straight shot, over and over and over. The new house that won't be as big a deal.

I get what you're saying about 2 preppers needing 2 sinks but I guess the way we cook there is only one prepper (me) and one chef!
just_janni
8 years ago
Love this post and I just wanted through a "meal" from ice, water, stone, fire and it all made sense without any doubling back or zig zagging! WHOO HOO!
Pink Poppy
8 years ago
I came across this as I was reading through the sticky Kitchen FAQs. Such great advice delivered with an awesome sense of humour! I learned a lot and giggled a lot all at the same time! Thanks marcolo!
javiwa
6 years ago
Bump
salex
6 years ago
I just want to say that this thread provided the most entertaining and useful advice I've ever gotten on kitchen design. It's so simple, but so easy for kitchen designers to ignore...
leela4
6 years ago
I wonder whatever happened to marcolo and if he ever finished his kitchen . . . he always had good albeit (sometimes) acerbic advice.
mayflowers
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
He dumped us. We never even knew if it was him or if it was us.
ginny20
6 years ago
And now we'll never get to see the parrot in the finished kitchen.
cluelessincolorado
6 years ago
I like to say that I've thrown him over for another, but it's just not true. Sniff :-(
rebunky
6 years ago
I’d love a thread about Marcolo and your favorite one liners!
skmom
6 years ago
Wow, my kitchen follows that formula pretty much to a tee. It wasn't originally set up like that, but we knew we were going to have to gut the kitchen when we bought the house. I didn't know about that formula, but I had about 5 years of working in the original and VERY inefficient kitchen and I thought long and hard about what worked in other kitchens I'd had, and how to improve this one with the way I cook and clean. When it came time to actually start ripping everything out, we knew which appliances had to be moved to where, and it included moving a gas line, and some plumbing.
I have to say, it works SO WELL! Even my teenaged kids have made comments like "wow, it's just easier to do things in here now." Or "wow, the trash can (well, ours is a compactor) just works better here doesn't it!?" We just aren't bumping into each other anymore. Things make sense and flow well. I know it's not just because of how I like to do things... it makes sense to my kids who would never think about stuff like that otherwise except they knew the difference between the original kitchen and our remodeled one and they can appreciate the logistics of it.
Sib1116
6 years ago
Hi everyone, the advice on here is so helpful! I am embarking on a kitchen remodel and would love your input on my layout. Specifically, I am on the fence about adding a prep sink to my peninsula but it sounds like I may need it in order to adhere to the ice, water stone fire guidelines. I’ve attached a diagram. Please share your thoughts and recommendations! Thank you!!!
cpartist
6 years ago
Sharon, start a new thread showing your layout. Make sure to include measurements. Right off the bat, i can tell you you don't have enough room between the island and your fridge.
Sib1116
6 years ago
Cpartist, thank you I will start a new thread with dimensions! Uh oh not enough room??
cpartist
6 years ago
Ideal minimum should be 42" and that's from counter to whatever is sticking out the furthest, so counter to fridge door handle. What you have will be a lot less than 36" when you add in the counters and the fridge handle.
riverrat1
5 years ago
I just read this whole thread and picked up valuable information. I have a new build in the beginning stage now and will soon vet my space through the kitchen forum before we even go into the planning/purchasing stage. Beware! I have a challenging space to work with. I feel no worries that I can't have the kitchen of my dreams with the forums help. Thank you to all that take the time to help us that don't have the planning gene! :-)
dchall_san_antonio
5 years ago
Someone linked me here from another topic. Wish I'd seen this when it posted several years ago, but it's never too late to learn. Our kitchen goes clockwise with ice at 12 o'clock, ice-stone-fire-stone-water-stone/dishwasher-fire-nuclear reactor. I think this explains a lot about the jam ups my wife and I have trying to get stuff done. Having a cook top opposite from the oven(s) is not my favorite. Our previous kitchen was ice-stone-water-stone-stone(again)-stone(again)-fire-nuclear reactor-stone. In that one with all the stones around, it was much easier to not bump into someone even with 4 people in the kitchen.
Buehl
5 years ago
And that's why this thread is included in the "[New to Kitchens? Read Me First![(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/new-to-kitchens-read-me-first-dsvw-vd~5500754)" thread! If only people would read that thread -- it would be incredibly helpful when asking for help!
lizbeth-gardener
5 years ago
Bumping so new people will realize WHY they should read "New to Kitchens? Read Me First!"
PRO
Debbi Washburn
5 years ago
Not sure how I missed this gem when it first posted! Love it!
Aglitter
5 years ago
Tiny kitchen here and considering a five-foot workstation sink which will be a mere foot away from my stove since with a post-tensioned slab, there is no affordable way for me to move plumbing to achieve a traditional ice, water, stone, fire sequence. Thanks Buehl for the links to the overview articles. I wish Houzz had a better way of categorizing the base tutorials.
Terry Harper
4 years ago
Please tell me what bump means!
salex
4 years ago
Terry - Any time someone comments on a thread, it "bumps" that thread to the top of the forum list. Old threads without any new comments tend to fall onto page 2, 3, or 50. So simply typing "BUMP" (or anything else) bumps the thread back up to the top, where people are more likely to see it.

This thread is always worth bumping, IMO! It's a good one.
Buehl
4 years ago
This thread is part of the FAQ links in the Read Me thread.
cyc2001
3 years ago
Classic! I wish Marcolo would return, that would cheer me up so much.
darbuka
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
My favorite post of all time, and the mantra for renovating my kitchen, now almost 5 years old. Without this, I probably wouldn’t have the perfect cooking space I have now.

Thank you, marcolo!
leela4
3 years ago
Yeah, I wish marcolo were still around too. This is another of marcolo's epic posts. It's nice to enjoy some harmless humor about now.
Terry Harper
3 years ago
Thank you salex!
darbuka
3 years ago
Bump!
darbuka
3 years ago
Bump
Marc Colo
3 years ago
Bump
Circus Peanut
2 years ago
I haven't been back much at all in the seven or so years since Houzz bought GardenWeb -- returned because I'm now planning a bathroom remodel in new old house -- but really do miss Marcolo and all the others' collected humor and wisdom on kitchen design. Would kill to hear how his 20's parrot-themed kitchen finally turned out, breakfast nook and all.
GreenDesigns
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Houze killed Gardenweb. They’ve run off most of the knowledgeable people by very heavy handed and arbitrarily poofing accounts left and right. Including Sophie. I’ve been here since 1998, with Spike as king. Spike was a mild mannered and benevolent milquetoast compared to house. I keep trying, and they keep poofing.

With FB groups taking over, leaving seems to be the right thing to do. It still gets go me that they bought GW just to ruin it.

But, posters have changed too. They are so entitled to the Easy button that they don’t even ask good questions.
ginny20
2 years ago
I'll always be grateful for everything I learned on Gardenweb. My new kitchen - now my 10-year-old kitchen - would not be the same. Thought about Marcolo the other day when I went to meet a new client for my part-time gardening business, and I didn't go to the front door lol.
Circus Peanut
2 years ago
lol @ginny20 -- I always think of that layout mockup someone (JohnLiu I think) did for Marcolo with the shielded Roman warrior defending his spot in the kitchen -- I also hate it when people want to talk at me while I'm cooking, and recall with fondness our mutual dread of the "open plan kitchen". Ha.

@GreenDesigns I remember once being sent to the teacups by Spike for saying something snarky. As I recall my issue with Houzz was that they wouldn't/couldn't? link my GW account so I wound up without access to any of my earlier posts. A decade later I hardly care, although I do still see some of my old kitchen photos floating disconcertingly around google image search. I have no real feel for what the community's like now, and every topical discussion search seems to land me in older threads that are helpful as far as that goes but not quite the same.
mama goose_gw zn6OH
2 years ago
Circus Peanut, I've waited for years for a reveal of your new kitchen in your old house; did you post it? Good to hear from you, and I have posted many pics of your prep sink with the integrated cutting board.

I was hoping Marc Colo (above) was the irascible marcolo, ready to join us again.
Circus Peanut
2 years ago
Hi mama goose! I posted a small reveal when we sold the old old house -- here it is:

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2688731/copper-countertops-a-resale-success-retroactive-reveal

We put in an impulse bid on our "new" old house across town, and wound up really pushing to make the move in time. Sorry it's not as detailed as I'd like; I know I still have a large folder of closeup photos of that kitchen in progress on my old computer, I must really remember to archive it all. We really just adored that kitchen -- my beloved yellow tile! -- and we solidified some useful DIY skills in creating it. I love that you still remember it and the little round hospital sink I found at Restore with my dad's custom cutting board on it.

I also wish Marcolo were still around -- both of my cats have died in the past year at the ripe old age of 20, so I'd stand a better chance of inviting him up from Boston now, lol. (He hated the "pets in kitchen" photo genre.) That man had such a great eye for vintage design and never lost the focus on REAL COOKING which is the point of all this fuss.
mama goose_gw zn6OH
2 years ago
I loved that kitchen--I even ended up with a yellow breadbox after seeing yours. I meant the kitchen in your newer house--did you remodel that one?
Circus Peanut
2 years ago
Ha, nope, 6 years later we are still using a series of stainless restaurant kitchen counters and trying to figure out what we really want in there -- first we had to focus on the house systems like roof, gutters, windows and heating, and then covid layoffs affected us financially, but we're now re-grouping.

In the meantime the priority has turned into the main bath of the house, since it was a terrible 80's remodel that is almost literally falling apart and will require a down-to-studs redo. This main bathroom is situated directly above the butler's pantry, so we may be forced to open up the ceiling in any case, forcing our hand on the kitchen a bit. With 5 different doors it will be quite the design challenge. Will keep you posted! :)
lenorae11
2 years ago
This post is very helpful for my kitchen remodel planning! I sure wish that the links to the gardenweb articles worked!
M Miller
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
@lenorae11 - all the links are within this post: ”New to Kitchens? Read Me First” https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2843508/new-to-kitchens-read-me-first

here are the individual links mentioned in earlier comments above:

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5500787/faq-how-do-i-plan-for-storage

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/3638270/faq-kitchen-work-zones-what-are-they

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5500771/faq-aisle-widths-walkways-seating-overhangs-work-landing-space-etc
lenorae11
2 years ago
@mmiller Thank you very much for the links!
Barb Chamberlain
2 years ago
This post explains beautifully what's wrong with the layout in the kitchen we bought knowing we'd need to remodel! (If you want to go help me figure out how to make best use of the space that post is here https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6178150/kitchen-remodel-what-to-move-where-in-odd-angled-space).

Coming in from the garage where we'd bring in groceries it's Ice (then wood, meaning pantry), tiny bit of Stone, Fire, Stone, Water, Stone. One of my ideas for moving things around would give me the Ice Water Stone Fire sequence and I'm keeping this in mind as I figure out what to move where.
Buehl
2 years ago
This thread is one of the Kitchens Forum's FAQs and is linked to in the "NEW TO KITCHENS? READ ME FIRST!" thread. Please see that thread for more information.
Marc Colo
last year
bump
yeonassky
5 months ago
Bump
Jenny
5 months ago
Bump!

Looking for layout help? Memorize this first.

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