Can I get some feedback on cabinet ideas for 1908 home?
I apologize in advance if this is TMI, but I want to make sure I include all of the needed info. I have a pdf of the floor plan, but I don't know how to load it here. I have lurked here for some time researching my kitchen options, and I think I’m ready for someone to critique my tentative plans before I move on. Thank you for all the help I’ve already received by researching here and thank you in advance for any advice you can give.
My husband and I are remodelling the kitchen in our 1908 house. The house has been stripped of character by former owners, and we would like to get some old house style back, leaning toward a craftsman-like style but not too strictly. I want a timeless design, a look that will last. We like to do the work, including the design, ourselves as much as possible. We are both super detail-oriented and are happier when we do the micro-managing together. We currently have two kids (8 and 15) and plan to stay in this house for the long term. I cook a few times a week with help from my husband and have a holiday party one time a year...might want to to increase entertaining to a couple of times a year once the house is in more of a state to be shared. I bake only occasionally. We have a separate dining room that we eat in.
When we moved in two years ago, the kitchen had torn vinyl flooring, poorly made homemade cabinets and an 8’ popcorn textured ceiling. It’s a large space with a large double window and lots of potential. We discovered that the ceiling had been lowered in order to install large can lights, so my husband tore it out. We now have a 10’ ceiling of the original beadboard, painted off white. My husband reran all of the wiring to have small inset lights and a ceiling fan, plus under cabinet lighting and pendant lights in front of the windows. He is putting sheetrock on the tops of the walls where there was none because of the lowered ceiling. When we bought our scaffolding off of craigslist, the seller offered us a free oak Putnam rolling library ladder (minus the hardware which we will replace), and I’d like to incorporate this into the kitchen design.
Here are our things we already have that won’t be changed:
Montauk black 12x12 slate tile floor to be installed
Samsung french door refrigerator, stainless, 36” wide
Samsung gas/gas slide in range, stainless, 30” wide
Frigidaire DW, stainless, 24” wide
Hahn double bowl stainless undermount sink, 32” wide
We have a smallish (maybe 30” x 60”?) cabinet with an old enamel white/black top we plan to use as a rolling island. It will be painted.
Our current kitchen has a large doorway into a smaller part of the kitchen. I’m not sure what the old owners were using it for, but we plan to divide the area into a walk through wet bar/butler’s pantry (leading to the dining room) with a food pantry behind it where we’ll keep our food and extra freezer. These walls haven’t been built yet, so plans for this area can be changed if needed. The kitchen is a main walk through area from our back door (in the laundry/mud room) to the dining room. This can’t be changed.
My budget is quite low, but we are prepared to do all of the work ourselves. I’d like to stay at around $10k total for cabinets and countertops. I already have my appliances and flooring. I’m willing to have plywood counters for a few months if I need to save up for nicer countertops when needed. The same goes for a nice range hood, I’m willing to go with something less for the time being but want to upgrade to what I want when I have the money.
Cabinets:
I’ve tentatively decided to go with Barker cabinets. I’m waiting on sample doors now. Besides being in my price range, I like that they seem to be well made and are customizable to so many sizes. My husband should have no problem assembling them and installing them. I intend to order them unfinished, and I’d like to paint the uppers and pantry cabinets the same color as the ceiling and trim (off white). I want to order these in either unfinished alder/mdf or unfinished maple/maple. For the lower cabinets, I’m leaning towards splurging on unfinished quartersawn white oak and giving them a Stickley-like finish. I like the idea of different uppers and lowers since it seems more of a pulled together over time look. I also like the idea of a light colored upper cabinet so that the room doesn’t feel so dark since I want the uppers and pantries to go to the 10’ ceiling, including super high uppers over the window. And I also like the idea of the crown moulding in the room trimming out the cabinets seamlessly because they will be the same color...I don’t like the idea of stained crown moulding from cabinets meeting up with painted crown moulding from walls. I also like the warmth of wood without having an overwhelming room of wood, and the idea that the stained lowers will be more forgiving of spills and splatters if needed. I want to stain them myself because none of the finishes at Barker’s seems to be exactly what I’m looking for, although I have ordered a cherry door with clear coat to see it in person. Cherry with a clear coat doesn’t work out to be much more expensive than unfinished quartersawn oak, but I really prefer the look of oak.
To throw a kink in this plan, I purchased a set of used painted cabinets, thinking that I could piece a kitchen together out of them. Nope. However, I intend to use them in the wet bar/butler’s pantry, and I’d also like to reuse the corner cabinet with lazy susan in the corner of my kitchen. I’m thinking I can order new quarter sawn oak doors from Barker door and then apply an oak veneer edging on the tiny area of the frame that might show. These cabinets show ¼” around the frame when the doors are closed, but I’m thinking that the doors could be ordered to be sized as a full overlay to match the Barker cabinets. My husband thinks he can reuse the hardware for the new doors, even with the change in sizing/overlay. This set of cabinets seems to be sturdy, but the shell is made of mdf. Will this be an issue trying to use it between Barker cabinets? I’m sure my husband can reinforce it if needed. Reusing this cabinet will save me at least $800, which is a significant amount on my super small budget. I’ve drawn out my tentative plans reusing this cabinet. If I can’t reuse it for some reason, all of my other cabinets need to change because the Barker corner cabinet is larger...36” maybe? I’ve priced out my cabinets on Barker, and it looks like I’m hovering around $7k-8k, depending on options.
To accommodate the ladder rail, I’m thinking of ordering 41-42” uppers and 15” uppers. I’m thinking that if we install a sturdy frame screwed into the studs between the two layers of cabinets and attach a 1x6 to the front to hold the ladder brackets and rail. It will be a lift off ladder system, so the ladder can be stored in the corner of the kitchen when not in use. I’m thinking the same idea on the pantry cabinets, with a combination of stacked cabinets to about 92”, then the frame and ladder rail, then 15” uppers on top. As far as the pantries, I’m thinking of ordering 24” deep cabinets and framing behind them to make them even to hide the fridge case they will surround. Then I will cover the exposed bumped out
So my cabinets questions:
Any thoughts on mixing finishes on uppers (painted), pantries (painted) and lowers (stained)? Any advice on using Barker unfinished?
Am I foolish to attempt to paint them and stain them myself? I have painting and staining experience, and I have more time than money at this point.
Is it a bad idea reusing the corner cabinet from another set?
Any foreseeable problems with this idea for ladder rail? Or for bumping out pantry cabinets to fridge depth?
I’m considering ordering the lower cabinets on their own (about $3000...enough to qualify for free shipping). That way, we can get them assembled and installed without being overwhelmed with a huge cabinet order. Once installed, I can begin staining the doors and can order the uppers and pantries. From what I see, the only thing I’ll lose is the 5% discount you get from Barker when orders are above $7500. And of course, it will take longer to finish the remodel, but since we’re working on our own timeline this can be worked around.
I will include my drawings of what I envision. I have the floor plan in a pdf, but I don't know how to include it? I'll add a photo or two to show you what I'm dealing with now. I think I want granite countertops (river white?) and a copper or copper-look range hood, but I’m not to that point of decision making yet. I’m open to any and all advice. Thank you!
Some recent photos (don't be horrified):
looking from the doorway to the laundry room toward the area that will be butler's pantry and food pantry, with door into dining room. Door to the sewing room is on the left here. I'm thinking the ladder will store nicely in that corner where we demolished a small built in cabinet. Instead of one large opening as seen here, there will be a door and doorway on the left to the food pantry and a doorway with no door on the right, going into the butler's pantry and then to dining room.
Another view:
Looking from future pantry area to window wall, before the dropped ceiling was removed. The doorway goes to the laundry room/mud room, where the back door to the house is. I'm envisioning the fridge surrounded by pantries on the wall on the left in this photo, with the range and lower cabinets on the wall opposite that you can't see in this photo.
Here is the wall where I'm thinking the range should go. That doorway you see goes to the sewing room. The little cabinet to the right of that doorway has been demolished already. You can see part of the large opening on the left where I envision pantry and butler's pantry area:
Comments (30)
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would love some feedback on house plans
Comments (25)It can take a lot of time to learn about the choices available, and then make the choice. Then order, wait for delivery, sometimes wait for the installation. Right there is one reason for knowing what you want before the build begins -- if you want an item x in mocha, it's better to know in advance that it might take 3 months before it can be delivered. Unfortunately, even in the best of plans, there can be totally unforeseen delays from late delivery, unexpected weather, unavailable work crews, or even theft [which can take time to replace the stolen material]. But with pre-planning, at least the crew won't be sitting around waiting for you say which faucet you want. You will have last minute decisions in approving the color/size/cut of stone or brick should you be using those items, for the reason that samples are always approximations and you won't know what you get until you get it. However, stone/brick is just about the only category that has a last-minute decision built into it. The next reason for getting specific in advance is that it can be difficult at best and overwhelming at worst to make a lot of important decisions in a very short period of time. Unless one is already a professional designer /builder /carpenter /tiler /plumber /electrician / decorator /et cetera, one is going to have make choices and decisions about things we just have never even thought about! It's an exhausting process, and that's a major reason for stress for the builder. Another reason for making as many decisions as possible in advance is actually the simplest: budget. And there is no way to have a budget without knowing what numbers are in it, and what those numbers represent. Unless you have an endless supply of money, there will be a limit as to how much can be spent. A pre-computed budget lets you know that if you spent $30,000 on kitchen counters then you won't have $20,000 for lighting. It gives you a chance to determine which is most important to you -- waiting to the last minute decision might find the counters installed but leave only $1000 for lights when in real life you don't cook much and it is the lighting that's important. Keep in mind that every time the owner changes his/her mind *during* the build, it is money wasted. Cosmetic changes [such as finding the "blue" paint is really brown when on the wall] can usually be fixed at once and during the build. However, changing the placement of a window or door is in the same category as changing a ceiling height or where the staircase is located -- the structural integrity of the whole house can be affected, and changes from blueprint shouldn't be done without approval of a structural engineer (ahem: $ and time), and the change may require re-inspection to be sure codes are still being met (ahem: lost time -- and $ while the crews wait). And another page of the budget is simply that there is difference between what the average GC thinks you'll be satisfied with and what you actually are satisfied with, in terms of quality, uniqueness, and customizing. Sometimes the difference is even more -- I've seen kitchens put together from the local discount-mass produced store and I've seen kitchens where every detail from crown molding to toe-step was handmade by a craftsman. Not going to say that one is better than the other, but IMO the wallet-holder should know -in advance- that there really can be tens of thousands of dollars difference in the final bill. The same is true of almost every detail on a home: you can get mass-produced in all levels of quality as well as getting custom-made or handcrafted. But if you didn't get specific on the contract, the odds are pretty good that you will be getting the least expensive whatever. On this same page is simply that item A can be the same or very little difference from item B, except in the price tag. Many builders are going to use the less expensive because they have figured a set price which includes their [or the subs] labor -- and the cheaper item will give them a bit more profit. And the last thing is, if it isn't written in detail in the contact, you shouldn't expect to automatically get what *you* want. The builder must make a profit -- and that's fair. But there is flat-out no way to reasonably expect the builder to know what you want if you don't already know, and finding out during the build is the most expensive way to go -in terms of time and money and stress-building....See Morenew member, wanted to introduce myself and get some feedback.
Comments (13)I would like to see more importance given to the front door with the side entry and garage I don't think it will be visable. I would change the living room to exterior entry doors or consider just one unless you have already considered furniture placement. I would change the kitchen/dining room to be more accessible but I'd keep in mind the sight lines with the island sink. It's not too far but I picture lugging dishes around that wall. Do your kids enter through the front door? (ie. bus riders/walkers) or will it be little used. I'd be tempted to swap the study and porch entry to open up the front door space. [Traditional Entry design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-entryway-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_741~s_2107) by Boston Architect SAVOIE Architecture [Traditional Exterior design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-exterior-home-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_736~s_2107) by Minneapolis General Contractor Stonewood, LLC [Eclectic Entry design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/eclectic-entryway-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_741~s_2104) by New York Architect Richard Bubnowski Design LLC [Traditional Entry design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-entryway-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_741~s_2107) by Portland Maine Architect Whitten Architects If both upstairs bedrooms are occupied (not a guest room) I'd move the door to the common wall so it's not as far for bedroom #3. If it's a guest room I'd keep as is:) Love the size of the kids play room!! Love the connection to the outside and patio. Upper level looks ready for fun! I would as gaonmymind mentioned seriously consider not having an open balcony unless your kids are older....See MoreCan you please give me some feedback on this story? : )
Comments (11)Hi Lavender, I love your characters and the promise of this story. You've got a nice start with writing it. If you were writing in my category (young adult) you'd have a REALLY good start. Every genre has its own set of expectations. When writing for teens and young adults you'll almost always find short, snappy sentences. You'll also find a lot of new sentences that start with transition words like so, and , or but. That's what you've done at the beginning of your story. However, this isn't a novel for teens; it's a Victorian romance. Romance readers, and (I think) historical romance readers in particular, seem to like a more formal, wordier style. The words you choose and the way you structure your sentences can help establish tone and set the the story in the proper era. I played around with the first few paragraphs to give you an idea of what I'm talking about, but I'm no victorian romance writer so -- if I were you, I'd consider researching a few popular novels in the genre to get a better idea of what readers might expect: She would be coming to his classroom that afternoon. Henry Lastname set to putting things right, shelving a book here, straightening a pile of papers there as he tried to think about something, anything else. His opportunity to teach had come at the grace of a wealthy neighbor. Despite being born deaf, she’d thought him a bright child and had paid for his education. The chance to find books, to learn to communicate with others like himself, to establish a career as a teacher, it was all more than his family could have dreamed for him from their small tenant farm. Henry inspected his classroom with pride. He’d done well for himself, had gained the respect of the headmaster and the entire community. He knew he should be satisfied, but memories of the farm often crept in as he graded papers and settled petty disputes between the students in his charge. The lovely way the sun rose over the hills in the morning, the brilliant colors as it sank in the evening, and his horses -- how he longed to have his own horse again. Some days it was all he could think of … when he wasn’t thinking about the girl. The way she braided her lovely blonde hair around that pretty head of hers seemed to fill his own skull with all manner of indelicate thoughts. The yearning to run his fingers through those braids was chief among them. He reminded himself, yet again, how inappropriate this would be. Not only was Clara Lastname a student, she was also the daughter of an influential mayor of a nearby city. He was so involved in pushing away his thoughts that he jumped when he felt a soft touch on his shoulder. I hope you can get the idea from my pretty pitiful effort, lol. I don't read a lot of this genre, but I do read a lot of aspiring writers' works. You have a big head start on a lot of them. You have a nice way with dialogue and, even in this first chapter, you've already established the most important thing in romance writing -- chemistry. These two are full of it! Figuring out the voice of your story is all that's holding you back. I hope you'll accept my advice in the spirit it was intended. If I didn't think you had the ability to take this story to another level I wouldn't have bothered chiming in. Lavender Lass, you've got a good story to tell and the talent to tell it. P.S. A word about marketing if you don't mind. Just like there are genre expectations in the writing of the book, readers have expectations about the way a Victorian romance novel should look. Pretty women in beautiful dresses (and a bare chested man if you can find one) seem to be the norm. You might want to take a look at canva.com In just a few minutes I was able to put together this: To Share A Dream With You...See MoreBuilding a new house, could use some feedback on the kitchen design
Comments (42)Has anyone posted the links to the Kitchen Design Best Practices/Recommended Guidelines? If not, perhaps if you read them you will understand what people are telling you. 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! . 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 . Other resources: 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 ....See More
Tracey E
6 years agoHere's a photo of the kitchen and pantry floor plan. I've written where the doorways lead to. The main entrance at the back comes into the laundry room and then into the kitchen, on through to the dining room. On the trim areas I've circled, I'm not sure if these are going to be flush with that wall or if they will protrude...depends on if we can easily move a post or not. Either way, it shouldn't affect the placement of cabinets, etc. Ignore the squares on the plan...they were holes in the headboard ceiling that we didn't know if we would be able to patch, but they're gone now. Thanks!
rantontoo
6 years ago
cpartist
6 years agoTracey E
6 years agoTracey E
6 years agoTracey E
6 years agoTracey E
6 years agoTracey E
6 years agoTracey E
6 years ago
House Vixen
6 years agoNothing Left to Say
6 years agoWe remodeled a kitchen in a 1925 French Revival house using Barker cabinets. (We did keep one wall of original Hoosier style built-ins--everything else was a hodgepodge of cabinets added at different times and not in great condition)
I feel neutral about Barker. In the end my GC did not feel like they were a great bargain--but we had his crew do assembly. I went with Barker over IKEA because I needed custom depth for my sink run. We used IKEA in a previous kitchen and based on that and on my GC's opinion (he's done IKEA kitchens), I would most likely use IKEA anytime I could make the sizes work and needed to stay on a tight budget. Barker and many others will make doors and drawer fronts to fit IKEA cabinets if you don't like any of their door styles
I think a factory finish is going to hold up better than even a good home paint or finish job. So I would try to stretch the budget to include having Barker do that part as well of possible.
I think cabinet installers usually install uppers first so they aren't reaching over the lowers and potentially damaging them (and countertops). So I'd consider whether it is worth the extra upfront cost to do the work in the easiest way
After pictures of my former kitchen (sadly not mine any more as we have since moved)
(If you are upgrading electrical service, I would suggest making sure you have what you would need to switch to an induction range in the future as induction is really awesome.)Tracey E thanked Nothing Left to SayTracey E
6 years agoTracey E
6 years agoTracey E
6 years agocpartist
6 years agoNothing Left to Say
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoTracey E
6 years ago
PRODebbi Washburn
6 years agoDon't caulk the center panels - I believe they really need to be able to expand and contract... if caulking resolved any sort of issue then the cabinet companies would just do it themselves....
For the ref... the only units that would be the same depth as standard pantries would be units from Sub Zero or any other built-in type of units. I would suggest finding a ref you like and then add the panels. Many of my clients are going back to the full depth models - the counterdepth and built-ins don't give them the storage they are looking for....
Use the deeper panels and leave the pantries 24" deep. It makes a nice return on the crown moldings as well...
Tracey E thanked Debbi Washburn
friedajune