Outfitting an entire kitchen and totally overwhelmed
Jani Westcott
8 years ago
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Rebecca LeGendre Cummins
8 years agoRelated Discussions
Trying to update 90s kitchen and SO overwhelmed! PICs and layout
Comments (38)desert, I plan to get out to some showrooms this week to see what's there and I'm really hoping that will help move me forward a lot more. When we built this house, we hooked up a trailer and drove to Dalton GA and came back with all the flooring needed to do the entire house. It was easier to make choices when we were looking at the entire roll and not just small samples. We got terrific deals and then just paid the labor to have everything installed by a friend of DH. For the majority of other items we spent hours at Lowes. lanval, I plan to give the island a new top along with whatever we choose for the countertops and I know that will help spruce it up more. Originally we were told there was no room for an island at all, but our cabinet guy designed the funky shape to fit one in. I wish we had space to redesign it to allow more of a rectangle shape with an overhang to fit a couple of stools, but there is just not enough space around the u-design of my current layout. Anne, DH is assigned the reno to his brother. He doesn't have time to get involved in the work itself. That's probably a good thing since we end up disagreeing on details most of the time. I've learned we just see things from different perspectives because I'm considering details he thinks are not important. And since the kitchen is not really his domain, I don't want to get into a power struggle over the choices I make. I tried to discuss the timing with him yesterday and he sees no problem moving ahead with the April schedule. I pointed out the events coming up that will coincide with the time the kitchen is torn apart, and his basic outlook/comment is "it's no big deal"...he's just a 'get'r done' kinda guy. I tried to remind him this is not one of his empty houses that is unoccupied and the fact there is more involved than just slapping on a countertop and being done. Maybe I'm just thinking too hard, but I can see the entire kitchen torn apart and me being stressed enough over that while trying to juggle our spring busy season and my DD's precious time left living at home knowing the activities associated with that. Plus the responsibilities of finishing up our eoy business details is difficult enough alone, and now I'm sposed to be doing research/legwork to plan a kitchen reno. I'm sorry if I'm rambling, but when I say 'overwhelmed' I'm not exaggerating. If I could just put everything else in my life on hold right now, it might be no problem, but everything else is not going to just stop. I'm glad you see what I'm feeling about the timing of my DD last days at home. Just last year when she wanted to have her after-prom party here, I had some mini meltdowns feeling overwhelmed with my regular daily workload and then adding more to it. This year isn't looking much better... Anyway, to clarify some of the questions you asked: I broke the measurements into 2 sections since the bar seems to separate it into 2 areas. The nook area is 13'x9'8". The kitchen area is 9'5"x13'2" but that is only the actual floor space. The cabinets are 25" deep so you could add that to the width of 9.5 for a size of the actual room. The garage is on the other end of the house. There is door to the backyard patio in the nook area. The original plan called for columns and a more open floorplan. DH chose to change it to large c.o. I posted pics from different angles to try to show this. I measured everything you asked to help clarify; fridge is 35"Dx35"W - cab depth is 25" - MW cab is 29"D - raised bar is 12"D. I checked the face frame of cabs and it appears the only ones sharing is the section to the right of the sink where the raised bar is. The rest are chopped up due to the DW, stove, and corner that leads to the MW cab. I'm trying to visualize the changes you suggested...I guess I need to sketch it out to understand it completely. Since his brother is doing the reno, it actually gives me more comfort b/c I know is fully capable of any little details I bring up. At this point...right now...I'm in panic mode after talking with DH last night and he totally doesn't get my lack of enthusiasm about the schedule. He makes it sound so easy. The ct can be done in one day, the floor can be done in one day... what's the problem??? Arrggh!! happy, Glad to hear of your wp sucess, painted and stripped. I hung every bit of the paper in this house and have 3 baths of wp also facing stripping....See MoreMy first ever post, thanks to total kitchen remodel!
Comments (13)Hi florantha, I know exactly what you mean by lots of space but no space! That exactly describes my home. In fact, I don't really have a space for a desk right now because of that. I wish I had my computer so I could upload some pictures (I'm using my iPad right now), but I will just have to use words to describe my space for now: When you walk into my house, you walk right into my kitchen, which is 13ft x 12ft. So if you think of a square, the front door is on the bottom side at the far right. The right side is a wall, along which is the recessed pantry, and this wall stops at the end of the 12ft. There is a walkway in front of you, and the rest of the bottom side (to the left of the door) has the fridge and a short counter. The left-hand wall has that counter continuing from the corner, then a sink under a window, then a counter over the dishwasher, and then a wall oven with microwave and short cabinets over it. There is no fourth wall ahead of you - the tile just transitions to wood floor and there is a wood beam overhead to divide the rooms. So if you walk to the end of the tile, you are in the left half of a rectangular room, and our dining set is in the same room at your right. So, the dining room is a 15ft 7" by 24ft rectangle, and my current kitchen is like a square under the long left side of that rectangle. The dining set fits into the right-hand 12ft stretch of dining room, and the left-hand side (that my current kitchen opens onto) is useless empty space right now. So I'm pushing my kitchen straight backwards into that space, and my current kitchen will be the mudroom/entry. That was probably clear as mud, but it's the best I can do for now, sorry! The place where my wall oven and microwave are, will house a tall cabinet which will contain the stacked washer/dryer. The sink und the window will be replaced with a utility sink and keep the short counters at either side - I'm hoping to make that all soapstone. So the will be both top and bottom cabinets at either side of the sink (and under it), and I was thinking of having those cabinets and the tall one housing the W/D similar to the kitchen cabinets. The fridge and short counter, to the left of the front door, will be replaced by the coat stand. So that's where I'm agonizing over having the different stains. They would be right up again each other in that corner... Would it look terrible if they were different, as I described in my post above? I'll be putting in a long countertop between the two rooms to separate the mudroom from the kitchen, leaving a 4th walkway from the door straight to the kitchen, and adding an open shelf right under the ceiling beam as well, to separate the spaces. I figure that can be a handy folding area as necessary, or we can use the dining room table. I don't sort, really, and my pantry is big (7th x 2.5th) so if need be, I can shove the hamper in there out of sight when company comes. Hampers stay in rooms/closets until I do laundry, so I don't think it will be a big deal? And the ironing board can go in the pantry too, with one if those wall retainers which holds the iron up above. I never hang clothes and I suppose I could always use the coat hooks and a hnagerrs for rare occasions, too? Does this all make sense or have I created mass confusion by now?...See MoreKitchen/Entire Level Renovation - Layout Help
Comments (33)jimandanne_mi & all, They say pictures are worth 1,000 words so I have posted a whole bunch of pics to help answer questions, like what is outside the windows, what are the current views, etc. Also, all of the furniture will be replaced so no need to work that into any plan. Most of this stuff came from my apt 10 years ago. Its mostly modern & we have gone more the other direction. The DR pics also show the other pieces of furniture that will be eliminated but house stuff. If you need any other pics let me know but I tried to capture all of the other rooms. DISCLAIMER: The house is a mess :). Link to Album - Containing House Pics To answer some of your other questions: FIREPLACE: If we were talking woodburning, then I can possibly see an inside wall to keep the flue warm, etc. This will be a direct vent gas fireplace and thus is highly efficient regardless. If I put it in the location you proposed, I would have to vent straight up through the attic and roof. More costs and if I ever decide to tear the roof off and build up (hopefully one day), then the chimney will be difficult to work around. I have also posted a pic of what the view would be if I flanked the fireplace on the outside wall with windows, incorporating maybe window seats on either side. I was thinking of windows because you will see the wall is entirely mirrored now and they create the illusion of a bigger room. Putting windows there would help keep this illusion. It did wonders in my master bedroom (i.e. pic of the rear house and the large triple DH windows on the outside wall - upper left). TABLE: The architect came up with that on his own. probably to fit what he created. My existing DR table is 42" wide but will not be used in the new kitchen. DORR TO DECK/WINDOWS: I will be willing to put windows/doors wherever they will work best. BMOREPANIC: With what you said, regarding space, I am then back to either one of your original suggestions OR reversing of the kitchen (U layout), which then closes you off from the LR. Would have been better if the opening to the LR could be farther down on that plan more towards the FP so then you are more in the middle on the LR and not so secluded. But that can't work because of the fridge/DO & Table. The only other things I have seen other do in my type of house/kitchen was like Plan D, with a peninsula which gives you that extra space and place to place serving dishes, etc but is a bottleneck with fridge or ovens, etc. On your original plans you elaborated on the second one more of the first. What goodness am I giving up on your plan A vs B? What are the benefits of A vs B? Does it make sense to sort of combine Plan A & B and put the counter run along the outside wall, giving more counter & cabinet space and having the island w/ nothing on the wall between the kitchen/ LR? Then any traffic that enters the room, from the hall goes down that side of the island and stays away entirely from the cooking area to get to the table. In plan A you had to walk through and then around the island to get to the table. Maybe put the fridge on the end of the run closest to the table. Well I am supposed to be working today but again getting nothing done ;)....See MoreTotal Renovation: L-shaped Kitchen with Island
Comments (9)As demolition and remediation continue, I have time to think, tinker and research. Due to budgetary concerns, I’ve gotten comfortable with abandoning the island with seating, opting instead for a work table or island that can be moved. Not necessarily on wheels, but maybe a piece of furniture. I'm open on that issue. It really is the work area I want and need, not the seating nor the storage. Between the size of the kitchen and the fact that it's on a slab, I've decided it's not worth it to me to go for the traditional island. I’m embracing what I consider the idea of a true eat-in kitchen with table. One that is big enough (or can be expanded) to accommodate visits from family. To that end I’m thinking of totally eliminating the entire wall between the current two rooms. Part of my original thinking was to combine the rooms, but still have a working area and a separate eating area, so I was leaving a bit of the wall. I’m not adverse to someday (when we sell a house) extending the cabinetry fully down the back wall. I saw an idea for a window seat with drawers underneath that I would love. I also would consider adding cabinets on the living rooms wall at some point. But for now, I truly do have to keep it to a minimum. The key word here is “livable” as we can’t sell anything else until we can move in to this. And considering this is what it looks like right now, we’ve got our work cut out for us. What I’m trying to do is have a solid idea of what I’m going to be asking of a contractor so that I can get accurate estimates. I don’t need to nail it down to each specific cabinet, but I need to have an idea of layout and scope. My biggest concern with this layout is its lack of symmetry because of the 2 differing windows. But window replacement and total siding of the house is also part of a future phase of this project, so the dining room window can be changed at that time. Note: This entire house is gutted, so the kitchen is but one part of this project. To me, it's the most important and obviously always the most expensive, so it's what I'm focusing on. Thanks to anyone who has something to offer....See MoreJani Westcott
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