Overwhelmed researching kitchen cabinets
twin43
7 years ago
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raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
7 years agozellycat2
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoRelated Discussions
Kitchen remodel planning... overwhelmed by first steps!
Comments (11)Back to the question about the "designers" at IKEA, HD, etc.: The folks who work at these places are a mixed bag and unlikely to be trained kitchen designers. There are exceptions, but generally expect to find people who learned what they know on the job at the store. Some kitchen and bath places have "real" designers. IKEA has free software you can download to help you design your space, but you have to know stuff like needing a landing space on both sides of your stove, and what to do with your two inside corners. (Maybe when you get rid of that wall you won't have 2 inside corners.) You could luck out - one of the members here works for a Big Box and is a "real" designer. Our guy at HD was great, but we were working with a plan that didn't have the big kinds of changes you're needing. Not to hurt your feelings or anything, but your current layout is less than wonderful. So, a couple of suggestions. Think about your time and your finances. If you have time, you can do a great design job using the resources on this board; people are so generous about helping you figure out how to use your space to it's best potential, it's fantastic. This is time consuming as you'll do a lot of measuring, re-measuring, drawing it out, thinking it through, but, in the end, it's very satisfying. If you don't have the time, then you probably need a real KD. There are several threads on how to find one. This will cost you money. Even if you end up hiring a KD, you can always come bounce ideas around here. There was a thread just the other day asking about peoples' 3 favorite parts of their remodeled kitchens. That was interesting. And don't forget to read the post that is always at the top of the first page of this blog. There is a link to the Sweeby test, among other things, and that's always a good place to start. P.S. You haven't started to soon on the planning. This will give you a good amount of time to get all your plans in order before summer. I've found that you just can't hurry the planning stages if you want a happy outcome. P.P.S. Painting those bricks to match the walls was a brilliant idea!...See MoreOverwhelmed by kitchen redo
Comments (29)Well so far, the positive comments on my cabinets helps point me in the direction to work with the "groovy" cabinets that I have, rather than replacing everything. ;-) I like the suggestion to look in neighbor's garages. I do think there might be a couple good possibilities there. The extractor fan is not only very COOL, it works great. Its a bit loud on high speed, but you can't hardly run it on high speed without creating a vortex. On low speed, its fairly quiet and effective. I'd like to keep the fan. I appreciate the advice to take things slowly. That is what I needed. I was thinking that I need to do everything right now and get it done. But in reality, the only thing I need right now is a fridge. We can do this in steps. Though I'd like to make sure the fridge that I do get works within a well thought out plan. I've already lived with primed white trim and walls and no baseboard trim under the sink cabinet and behind the fridge for two years now...what is the hurry? And your suggestions have prompted more questions. If I put the dishwasher where the fridge is now, and do nothing with the overhead cabinet, the cabinet bottom won't line up with the cabinets on the other side... is that good, bad, acceptable or a big no no? If I put the fridge where the pantry is, the doors won't be any more of a space problem than I have right now with the pantry door open. And in fact if I get the french doors they will be narrower and I'll have somewhat more clearance there, than I have with the pantry door. Or am I missing something? Does anyone have suggestions for colors for a counter top, that would look okay with the floor and black splash tile. I am not planning to do granite or soapstone. I think laminate will go nice with the sixties cabinets. So how long/large of a laminate counter can I have before I have to put a seam in it... and where should the seams go? I did see on another thread where they put the seam in the narrow parts by the sink. Because of the corner, I have quite a bit of counter space behind the sink. So what are the other places that good locations for seams....See MoreHow do I start researching/selecting cabinets?
Comments (11)Budget helps to restrict your choices, which can be helpful. There are SO many choices available that it can be overwhelming! Your budget covers high entry level to low- to mid- middle grade. Which cabinet level would be right for you? That will depend on your needs and wants. What's a want vs a need for you? Part of that will be nuts and bolts construction driven in the lower priced lines. Upgrading lower lines to the same features as a mid priced line often ends up being more expensive. A more expensive line may actually be the better value. If you don't want to have to think too much about cabinet construction, choosing a mid grade line from the beginning will be a better choice. Any American made true midgrade line will give you decent quality without worrying about it, without having to go through any ''upgrades' to get soft close and decent hardware. But, it's the much better finishes that are the most visual external clue that you are not in a lower spec line. Do they have cherry available in a natural finish? Most lower lines don't, because they use a tinted top coat to even out the color differences between the hartwood and sapwood. Are there more than 3 white colors available? The number of finishes and style options are much more limited in value lines. Look at the cut ends of the crossgrain stiles on the doors. Are they smooth and close in color to the long grain? Does the door feel smooth and have a good match on the solids or veneers? What does the depth of the finish look like? How thick is the spec book provided to the designer? I have lines that have books 1''-5''. The more options, the thicker the book! once you hit 2'', you ought to have enough options to do 100% of what you have determined to be the actual physical needs of your kitchen, and likely a good number of wants as well. If you go mid grade, then the decisions are largely going to be down to aesthetic ones instead of parsing structural differences. You have to develop your own list of needs in the aesthetic realm, ranking things according to your criteria. Is white traditional looking cabinetry a need to you because you live in a historic district in a historic house? Or would quarter sawn oak for a Craftsman with original woodwork be the more correct choice? Or how about slab wood cabinets for a MCM Eschler? Choosing the correct cabinet style for the ''bones'' of the house is always a good way to spend your money. So check to see which lines your local dealer offers that fills that need. Most mid grade lines will be able to do whatever you need and want, so at that point, you really need to be shopping Kitchen Designers, not brands. A good KD can guide you to the best line for maximizing your budget. Find a good match there, and you don't really need to do the nuts and bolts research, unless that just appeals to you!...See MoreKitchen Reno: Overwhelmed By Color Options!
Comments (9)I’m midway into the total kitchen renovation Just how far along are you? If you're midway into the actual demo and construction, you should have the answers to most of your questions already. With the cabinets already ordered, I'd call off the work for now and wait until you have things figured out. Part of should be ensuring that the new kitchen works with the older house : ) . Also, since you have the cabinets ordered, does that mean you have your appliances decided upon/ordered? Including the Hallman range? If you haven't already, I would read through this thread, https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5135982/advice-about-purchasing-a-hallman-industries-range By the way, what are the cabinets? Do you have a layout and/or elevations you can share with us? do I go with the brass Hallman range, the dark Farrow and Ball paint, the colorful CLE zellige tile You're correct about limiting the number of stars (or clowns, as some people say lol). Depending on what kind of cook you are (tidy or messy), and where you're planning to put the Zellige tile, Zellige tile might not be the best choice for a backsplash. That said, the backsplash is something you can leave until the end, and it's often best to wait so that you CAN see everything else in place. Do you have pictures of your selections?...See Moreravencajun Zone 8b TX
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoravencajun Zone 8b TX
7 years agotwin43
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agocpartist
7 years agojackson2348
7 years agoAnglophilia
7 years agoravencajun Zone 8b TX
7 years agolharpie
7 years agoNothing Left to Say
7 years agoYMM
7 years agozellycat2
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agohomechef59
7 years agotwin43
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agotwin43
7 years agoAnglophilia
7 years agoAnna H
7 years agochelle324
7 years ago
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