Kitchen (Re)Design Advice Needed
M James
6 years ago
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aprilneverends
6 years agoacm
6 years agoRelated Discussions
Need advice on Living room re-design with antique furniture
Comments (21)Thanks for the help! The hall mirror is 9 feet tall. It came from my great grandparents house (who died before WW I) and was stashed gathering layers of coal dust in my grandparents attic for 80 years, until that house was sold 20 years ago. I got it because I was the only family member who had a ceiling tall enough for it and knew how to restore it (plus my Dad talked other family members into it!). The delicate looking settee and chairs are from the same great grandparents. I never met them nor my grandparents from my DadÂs family, so having their pieces makes me feel connected to my heritage. It was a large family so I feel very lucky to have what I do. 2 other chairs and a table are from my MomÂs family. I just learned how to post pictures this week so my stair runner has not been "featured" before. But thanks for your kind words! We replaced the wall to wall on the stairs a few years ago. We hoped the wood underneath would be decent enough to varnish but it was not. So we opted to paint with oil based and chose a wool runner that would go with all the current Persian carpets, all the rest of which are handmade wool or silk. This was just ordered from a regular carpet store and installed by them. I still want to glaze (or something) the banisters and spindles, as the builder used 1 coat of cheesy minwax on them in a dead color I donÂt like. But thatÂs a lot of surface area to cover and I donÂt know that IÂll ever get to it. I got halfway through moving furniture today before I got sidetracked. I went to the basement to get this beautiful large antique looking mirror I bought a few years ago and saved for this room when it was "ready". I wanted to see which wall it would look best on before I got too far ahead. When I unpacked it to show my husband I found the brass had corroded in spots like it was diseased. I wanted to clean it up right away so I could have his help to hang it: itÂs too heavy for one person to handle. I have this strong copper and brass cleaner that up to this point has always worked. But 6 hours later I was still cleaning it! So much for getting this room put to rights today. My feet are killing me from standing up cleaning that thing all day. Why is it that every project snowballs into something unforeseen??? Why canÂt I get anything DONE???...See MoreNeed help (re)designing kitchen in 1920s house
Comments (101)It would be nice to have accurate measurements, especially for that stairway entry/landing area and just outside it. Until we know more accurately, I just offer a small riff on Lisa's great plan. A 33" fridge allows the Hoosier cabinet to be enjoyed from the dining room. I really like the idea of a door from the office. One can work in the office and keep an eye on items cooking If kids are in the future, the office can become a playroom and one can cook and keep an eye on the kids. A 12" deep pantry cab next to the DW with the one Lisa put across the aisle will be more than enough storage for everyday dishes and glasses. I would install a drawer in the middle of each for utensils. I think I'd do glass doors on top with solid on the bottom. About the two tall dish pantries, something like this for the drawer placement. And the pink represents where I would consider putting windows on the sides instead of a solid panel. You could do it just on the one side facing the kitchen. Or on both sides. If done on both sides, the light from the window on the stair landing would filter through contributing to keeping the kitchen light and airy. Not knowing what they intend to use the basement for, I've wondered about the wisdom of closing off that exterior door. It seems like there would be times when it would be so convenient to have it like if something big needs to be hauled to or from the basement. It gives a nice straight shot instead of having to somehow squeeze it around tight corners. And safety issues. Also, what if you're cooking and burn something? Even with a good hood, the more windows and doors you can open to eliminate the smoke, the better. I simply wouldn't want to lose the close exterior access point just so I could have a table and chairs right outside that door to enjoy my coffee on a summer morning, eat lunch or dinner, or sit outside with a book while waiting for dinner to be ready, whatever. Or what about when you want to BBQ? Nice to have outside access right next to the kitchen for that. I just like outside! And I don't see any reason to lose that access point. Also, if there is an emergency, like a fire or an intruder, the more you have outside access locations, the better. That's another reason why I would also like to see the pocket door for the office on that landing. No, I don't live in Paranoia Land but, rather, by the Scout motto. I think when you're remodeling it's good to consider these kinds of issues and plan for escape routes for worst case scenario situations if it can be done at reasonable cost and effort....See MoreKitchen (Re)Design Advice Please!
Comments (8)You had the other thread going on this plan - I think you will have a much larger kitchen the other way - more counter and more storage...also how are you getting to the kitchen from your garage?? You will need to walk through your game room or through the pantry...One other small thing to keep in mind - you now have a completely open floor plan from the front door - do you want everything that open?? There's nothing wrong with it, just make sure that is how you want to live - there will be no intimacy to the dining room and any dishes piled in the sink are completely out in the open. This plan also limits the "countertop" items you will have out - coffee, toaster oven, mixer etc.... Just think it all the way through....I liked your other plan in the other thread better - just my thoughts!...See MoreNeed Advice on Kitchen Cabinets - Paint or Re-stain?
Comments (13)forget staining them. as mentioned above, it's actually more work than painting. you have to get them down to raw wood again before applying a new stain. (if you want it to look good) If you were thinking about doing a darker stain, you could do what they've done here to resemble a dark stain. General Finishes Dark Chocolate paint, and 2 coats of their clear coat. (you still have to sand and prime prior to painting) this is from a poster here on Houzz who shared this. right now, your backsplash, tile flooring and countertop are at odds. It's very busy with those 3, and all the other stuff you have going on in there. you have a lot of knick-knacks, plaids, stripes, tile pattern on the floor, granite movement, mosaic tile movement, etc. they really compete with one another. I'd remove the backsplash and that 4" granite piece up the back. Remove everything on top of the cabinets. Pare down half of what you have everywhere else. Paint your cabinets and get new hardware. I'd paint out the trim and baseboards to white, but that's me. on these first few pics, notice how these owners dealt w/the small space above the cabinets by have boxes built to fill in above it. If you're painting, this is easily done. Before/After. paint color is Shoji White with glaze, and Annonymous on the island the one above, and this one, show how removing old tile and the 4" granite piece up the back, make a big difference in look. you could always do a nicer crown molding on the tops of your cabs. look how nice it looks w/the white cabinets, darker wall color, and no stuff collecting dust on top! Maria Kilim before/after. she painted all the oak trim/baseboards, windows, etc. If you want to paint, hire a pro Cabinet Painter, not house painter. ask them how they prep the cabs and how they plan on painting. It's a ton of work to do and cost is going to reflect that. If someone gives you an estimate of 2-3k to do yours, don't fall for it. Read this if you want to know just how much work it takes to get professional looking painted cabinets. https://www.evolutionofstyleblog.com/how-to-paint-your-kitchen-cabinets-like...See MoreM James
6 years agoaprilneverends
6 years agochiflipper
6 years ago
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