My "new" kitchen is now over five years old. I had a small galley kitchen with an adjacent dining space. We eliminated the informal dining space with table and chairs (that was used only as a landing area) and made the whole space "kitchen" with an island in part of the space occupied by the table. The island is by far one of the best things we did in the new kitchen. It's used every day and is integral to making the kitchen a space where we now hang all the time vs. a space we used only for cooking and cleanup.

Here's a before and after comparison.

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Adding a copper apron sink is the best decision so far. I still smile when I first walk into the kitchen each day and it's been months.

I need to get updated photos, the doors are back on now. The cabinets will be painted or refinished whenever I decide on the color.

Hi, we used the same footprint as old kitchen. To do anything else would have been extremely costly as we only had a few of the no longer to be had floor tiles that go through the house. Also, to change the floor plan would have meant removing or altering several windows and or knocking down some of the interesting architectural elements on the other side. At some point you just have to ask yourself if it would cheaper to move. Of course that decision depends on what part of the country you live in but in my part real estate is in the tank. I went up with the cabinets for extra storage, moved my range 11" out of a corner where the action was, removed a bulky faux pantry with a foot of wasted framing and made the two tired peninsula one level with a much wanted cabinet on end (old peninsula dropped off right after sink). We also carved a little nook into the wall for coffee/tea condiments to free up the counter. I am very happy!

I kept my same footprint as well. The big changes to improve aesthetics and function (besides all new cabinets, counters, appliances, floor LOL):

--removing soffits

--uncovering old chimney

--raising the dropped ceiling that was in one portion of the room so it is now all one height

--removal of OTR microwave and installation of proper vent

--adding insulation

--adding radiant heat under the new floor as previously there was no heat in the kitchen

--moving the refrigerator to the other side of the DR doorway so it is closer to the sink and cooktop

--giving the kids their own "space" with toaster, MW, and fridge/freezer drawers for their snacks/waffles, etc

--switching from a regular electric cooktop to induction

--having a oven with convection that really works

--big farmhouse sink instead of smaller divided sink; we could never fit big pans or cookie sheets in the old one

Before:

After:

Here is a link that might be useful: my blog if you want to see all of our changes

Before and afters...

Warmfrig, I love that little section in your bottom cabinet for trays.

I have my cooling racks in there, right next to the stove. :-) Their previous location was the pantry on the other side of the room.

My drawers don't make the "fingernails on chalkboard" sound when they are opened any more.

The corner lazy susans aren't as lazy as they used to be -- they actually turn now.

There is a wider opening to the dining room: no one notices but me -- every time I carry laundry through to the laundry room from upstairs (and back up again).

We can read the paper while sitting at the penninsula because there are lights there now. (Who doesn't put lights over a penninsula?) And there is undercabinet lighting, and better lighting all around!

Aesthetically it's so much prettier because the OTR microwave is gone and the cabinets and floor aren't the same color etc. etc. etc.

We'd lived with this layout for 3 years and really liked it -- but the builder's grade cabinets were starting to show their age (inside more than outside). We added a second oven, went from range to cooktop + ovens (and hood) but for the most part, the cabinet layout is the same. I know we're in the "quirky" catagory, but even after seeing and reading about all the great kitchens on the Forum, (found after the cabinets, etc. were ordered), I haven't thought of a layout I would like better.

Before:

After:

My cabinets were tattered and some smelled bad. They were a yellowed "natural" stain. The counters and sink were pink Corian (a great, but eyekilling counter material and best sink ever). The vinyl floor with pink sparkle had some gashes. The original 1950s floorplan (most of the cabinets were refaced, redoored originals) had been extended one fridge length into the breakfast nook, making it squishy. There was a trash compactor (we need 2 trash bins for recycling). The layout was great. I pretty much kept it, adding some low cabinetry in the former breakfast nook and cutting off the mini peninsulas that long ago enclosed the kitchen area but didn't any more.

The old layout was approximately this, with compactor next to the fridge. The cooktop was smack against the oven stack but was ok because the oven controls were on the side.

So we stretched it a bit, used all the wall space, dumped the table (the dining room is right there and it's big), ate the peninsulas but fattened up the cabinetry on their former wall, and got a different obnoxious paint color.

We moved in over a year ago but got tired of remodeling and still haven't finished so I'll use that as an excuse to use our pre-moving-in pictures:

So it's the same, just more of it. The vent moved a few inches. The fridge plumbing moved over a few feet. We've since installed the appliances (haven't gotten around to getting the new fridge though), added knobs, paneled the dishwasher, and covered every surface with stuff.

It's the same!

Here's mine.

OLD KITCHEN

http://s1004.photobucket.com/albums/af170/jterrilynn/kitchen%20progress%20pictures/?action=view&current=P1010004-1.jpg"; target="_blank">

NEW KITCHEN

http://s1004.photobucket.com/albums/af170/jterrilynn/kitchen%20progress%20pictures/?action=viewät=finished022.jpg"; target="_blank">

OLD KITCHEN

http://s1004.photobucket.com/albums/af170/jterrilynn/kitchen%20progress%20pictures/?action=viewät=graniteanddogandfamily071.jpg"; target="_blank">

NEW KITCHEN

http://s1004.photobucket.com/albums/af170/jterrilynn/kitchen%20progress%20pictures/?action=viewät=morekitchen003.jpg"; target="_blank">

OLD KITCHEN

http://s1004.photobucket.com/albums/af170/jterrilynn/house%20pictures/?action=viewät=P1010003.jpg"; target="_blank">

NEW KITCHEN

http://s1004.photobucket.com/albums/af170/jterrilynn/kitchen%20progress%20pictures/?action=viewät=partoffinishedkitchen049.jpg"; target="_blank">

http://s1004.photobucket.com/albums/af170/jterrilynn/kitchen%20progress%20pictures/?action=viewät=morekitchen001.jpg"; target="_blank">

Wow I love all the changes!!!

What vision you all have to be able to see your former space as something completely different. I hope it happened in stages because so far no "vision" has come to me. Sometimes I think that is what has been the hardest, leaving the old to rest. I am still in the "lego" stage of trying to come up with the best layout possible. I feel like I move one step forward and then move three steps back when I run off with another idea I want to check out.

Every space you've pictured amazes me with the details that takes a good kitchen to a great kitchen right down to the kitchen sink! Warmfridge, the inner workings of your space is what I hope mine grows into.

If any of you are bored or have time on your hands, feel free to suggest any details that hit you in regards to my kitchen as I drive myself, and the other innocent posters here crazy as I try to make progress with my plan! =D

We just finished our kitchen. We didn't change the basic footprint. We did open up the kitchen to the dining room, and added a breakfast bar. Opening up the kitchen to let more light in and having access to the dining room was my major pitter-patter. I also, lovvvvvvveeeeeee my farmhouse sink and my appliance garages. Also my drawer microwave. I also love the glass doors that I will be filling up next week when I'm back in FL. Oh shucks. I love it all!

I just recently posted these in a thread, but here are a few before/after's again:

Before the entry into the kitchen:

After:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

View from the dining room before:

After:

I thought I'd mention how I came about my changes since you seem to be at loose ends a bit. When I first walked into the kitchen, before we bought the place, what struck me immediately was how closed in the kitchen was and how nice it would be to have it opened up so the view out the windows would be more visible. I had no thoughts of colors, kinds of appliances, etc. Only that it NEEDED to be opened up. After we determined how much of the wall we could take down, then I was able to work on a layout. Because it was a condo, we basically couldn't move appliances, plumbing etc so I worked from there.

I determined I preferred a french door fridge, wanted my appliances to be touch with no knobs so it's easier to keep clean (we only have electric in the condo) and I've always wanted a farm sink. I have also wanted cherry shaker style cabinets full frame for close to 20 years. All my other kitchens were white painted wood, so I went with what I had always wanted.

My next stop was to the granite yard. I decided that I'd pick out my granite first and then work on a backsplash based on what granite I chose. If I had chosen a more quiet granite, I would have done a backsplash throughout that was busier and more exciting, but because I picked a busy granite, I decided to use a quiet subway tile and only do something busy behind the cooktop for visual interest when you first walk in.

I went with drawers since I'm not getting younger and I realized drawers would be easier to get stuff out of. I decided on the appliance garages, because I'm tired of seeing the morning coffee mess after DH is done. :) And I decided on the glass cabinets because I wanted to break up the run of wood. I figured out on paper what I would put in each and every drawer and cabinet in my new kitchen. I wrote it down. Where my cereal went, my spices, my pots and pans, (even which pots went where) my dishes, etc. That helped me layout my kitchen.

My granite colors determined the colors in my whole condo! Start with one or two things you love. Find a color you love, or a cabinet style, or a tile or a granite, then work from there. Determine if your layout works or if it really needs to be changed. Think how YOU use your space. What is it YOU need in your space.

For example, I know lots of folks here love a counter height breakfast bar. If I had young kids, I probably would also, but I am basically an empty nester and will be entertaining in this apartment. I wanted a space where I could put dishes in the sink and everyone wouldn't immediately see them. I wanted a space that could be used either for seating or for standing and serving from.

So first think how you use the space. Then figure out if you need to remove any walls, etc or can work within your space. Then can you keep your appliances basically where they are or do they need to be moved. What colors do you like? Etc.

The great thing about not doing a full gut renovation is that you can work in phases and make decisions one at a time if you need to. If I don't see what I want for a light over the table, the old on can stay until I find the right thing.

To get my vision I looked at kitchen photos from all types of sources such as internet, magazines, and even ads for local kitchen and bath shops. My city has a very distinct and unique character and I wanted to reflect that in my kitchen.

As soon as I saw the copper apron sink I knew that was it and everything else will work with it.

I thought I had inserted one photo and not the whole album. The photobucket "improvements" are definitely confusing.

Steff I love your sink.

We kept the same basic footprint. We didn't move gas or plumbing. We kept the original brick paver floors. Changes we made that allowed the same space to become much more functional and attractive:

1) Took out the upper cabinets on the range wall. This allowed for a BS feature and a more modern look.

2) Built out a wall to put the fridge in an alcove. This allowed us to: have a regular fridge look more built-in; pull the cabinets forward to make a deeper countertop; have a definite range wall BS area -- no issues in how high or wide to go. Just fill the whole space.

3) Almost all deep drawers in the cabinets. The plates, glasses and spices that were in the now-removed uppers are now in drawers. And I still have empty drawers.

4) Took out pony walls that shielded the front and sides of the island side of the galley. This allowed for a deeper flat countertop and a much cleaner, more modern look.

5) Kept what worked with the rest of the house. This is a very open plan MCM home so consistency was important. We kept the original pavers and kept the brick on the front of the island.

6) Didn't rip out perfectly good framed pantries to replace them with expensive cabinetry pantries. Just a coat of paint and they look great. Also moved the MW into one of the pantries.

Befores and Afters:

We kept the same footprint, but enlarged the built-in pantry (on left side of pix) and took down the soffit.

Old:

New:

Hi never_ending! Hang in there, you'll figure out the right layout that will be both functional and beautiful. It takes forever with many hours of research and planning, but in the end it's sooo worth it. My family got so sick of me, obsessing over the smallest things, but they all agree now that the kitchen is so much more functional. And you'll get so much help and support here.

We moved appliances and the sink a bit, but no more than 8 inches for any of them, and kept the peninsula, so the layout is very similar to the old one. We raised the ceiling 8 inches, but it was dropped from the adjacent areas, so it is now level (and still a bit under 8 feet, so not tall at all). It's amazing how that small change really helped.

As far as the best functional improvements: all of the drawers. So much better. Digging around in those old base cabinets was so hard (I didn't even have any pullouts!). My old blind corner cabinet is now a super susan. Huge improvement. I went from 18 inches of pantry to this huge 42 inch wide pantry cabinet. We had to store a lot of food in the basement before. Trash pullout: not having the trash under the sink is nice, and adding a recycle bin, which was in the garage before, is so much easier. Full extension drawers so we can actually see everything. Soft close drawers and upper cabinet doors: my DH used to complain that I was waking him up in the morning slamming doors. Undercabinet lighting - awesome! I could go on and on. There's small things like the drawers being taller now so the box of sandwich bags don't get smashed. Being able to find the melon baller when I want it.

And it's so pretty. The jet mist granite, the natural cherry cabs, the fire and ice backsplash. The glass doors.

And then there's the function and form improvement of the new appliances. We had a mix of almond (!) and white appliances, so the new SS ones obviously look great. And functionally - don't get me started. I think our favorite, though, is the induction range (but we had an electric coil range, so anything was going to be a big improvement). We love it.

Good luck - it will all be worth it in the end, and for me, at least, all of the obsessing was worth it.

Turning the desk area into a pantry was also a good decision and the first thing we did. It's great because there was no pantry originally.

Some great transformations here. CPartist, I love your cabinets. And everyone's sinks.

Thanks all for your wise words of encouragement! I am still chuckling at myself for EVER wondering how anyone could not know what they wanted in their kitchen! Those, of course were in my lurking days, back when I wasn't going through it myself!!! :D

I feel better that I can say I want a light warm efficient kitchen that reflects a classic sense of style that could have naturally evolved (but didn't) in my 1850's house. I constantly have to remind myself that I can't have every thing I see, in every kitchen.

You have all done a beautiful job that I have had to actually go back to compare your before's and after's because the transformations are stunning-I love them all. Thanks for sharing. GW is an incredible source for info, encouragement, and feedback and I know in the end I will have a much better kitchen than I ever thought possible because of this forum.

I think ours counts in this category, since we kept the same basic footprint---though we did take down a partition wall (the non-load-bearing type you can knock down on a Saturday afternoon, if you're so inclined). We also took down an old furnace flue, and those two changes, though not especially costly, completely transformed our space. I still like just walking into the room and looking at it! Otherwise, we kept the footprint very much the same---but because there's more continuity (e.g., before the counters stopped at the chimney, etc.) I think it will be far more functional. Removing the wall also connected our breakfast area to the kitchen proper, which I like a lot (though I know some people prefer the separation).

It's also funny---we chose not to go with an island layout in order to keep a built-in cabinet that was in the way. Our neighbor has an identical kitchen and renovated five years ago or so and took out that cabinet to do the island, and when he came to check out our space in progress, kept talking about how much bigger ours feels without the island. Pros and cons to that, of course---he has more prep space!---but still interesting that such a small difference can affect what a space feels like.

We bought our house in 88. After a short while, we realized we'd need to replace the builder cabinets--they had plastic doors and plastic drawers (an early 70's experiment gone bad--read that the bottom of the silverware drawer broke from its weight.) We didn't want to redo the popcorn ceiling...went from kitchen to den and down the main hall. Since we'd put in new vinyl when we moved in, we decided to keep the same basic footprint.

We also took out the wood paneling that was in the den, kitchen and on the soffits. We gained an extra foot for cabinets that go all the way up to the ceiling. Replacing the paneling with sheetrock made the space much lighter.

There was a 5 foot wide dead space where we'd placed the microwave cart. In its place we put in lower cabinets and uppers for all my cookbooks. Next to it we added 3 18" pantries & use one for a broom closet.

Our other bonuses included an overhang over the peninsula, upper doors over it that open both ways for setting the table, a vent that actually goes outdoors instead of back into the kitchen, a tray cabinet, an easy-reach in both upper corners of the U shape, a built-in cutting board and a stainless steel sink.

Since then we have replaced all the floors with hardwood and are getting ready to replace the tired laminate with granite. Windows were replaced to get last year's energy rebate.

The kitchen has functioned quite well when I was raising the kids, but a U-shape doesn't work as well for kitchen helpers. We maybe should have made it an L with an island, but redoing the ceilings really wasn't in budget. We have since put French doors out from the den, so a different footprint would have hindered that.

Other than having real wood on my doors & drawers, I think my all-time favorite thing is the hood that vents outside. It allows the extra heat to escape in the summer and other hot afternoons.

We didn't change our footprint at all but did add some inches to the width and length of our peninsula and an extra cabinet to the end of a cab run which made a big difference in how the kitchen looks and functions.

Jodi-

We kept the same footprint including the same cabinets. I wanted to update the look and get out of the 1990's; I needed new appliances and more organization. I was also desperate to get the cooktop off the island, mainly because things kept landing on top of it when they came out of the fridge.

With ideas learned here on this forum (thanks again everyone!) and elsewhere my ideas on what needed to be done evolved. If I were to give just one suggestion to people it would be to be patient; take your time and you will eventually find what works best for you and your family.

Here's what we did:

Cosmetics: Added crown & dentil to tops of cabinets, went from blue laminate to dark granite & painted. It doesn't even look like the same kitchen with just these few additions! Backsplash & new hardware are coming after the holidays are over.

Function: I realized that simply by going from a side x side fridge to a single door fridge (hinged to opened to the countertop and not the cooktop) things stopped landing on the cooktop. Problem solved! I also desperately needed to get organized. It is amazing what proper placement of items and a little help from RevAShelf can do. We also built in the fridge to be able to access the storage above. New appliances & a new sink round out this category.

My kitchen now looks & functions like a brand new kitchen at a fraction of the cost of gutting and starting over.

Any pic's guys???

One thing that is for certain that even though the footprints haven't really changed none of the kitchens are at all the same. They are FABULOUS! Thanks all, really! I was having a hard time envisioning the changes in my own basic remodel because they didn't seem earth shaking or completely different. Your posts helped me realize that it will be a new kitchen and it will take on it's own completely new look!

Since I have to do some Christmas cleaning tomorrow, I will try to get some updated pics.