1st home kitchen update/ design help needed
Here's the kitchen. Bare bulb over sink, wallpaper above the cabinets..
We'd like to get rid of the cabinets over the oven in order to mount a microwave with a fan over top.
I would like a modern farmhouse look. Aka, gray walls (already has a hex pattern tile backsplash- I'd keep), farmhouse sink, dishwasher where you see the current microwave sitting. Any other ideas are
Comments (13)
7 years agoSounds like you are talking face lift not gut job? Painting your cabinets light would help the space seem larger. I would swap out the hardware too something chrome. Your sofets add to the farmhouse vibe but if money were there getting new cupboards that reach to the ceiling would give you storage--that I am guessing you will need. If not, when painting it would be the perfect time to disguise them with crown and molding. All painted like the new cabinet color, it would give you the look of tall old fashioned to the ceiling cabinets.
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Help 1st fl remodel: Who have you used-design firm vs.architect-in LA
Comments (4)My friend in Los Angeles did this and in many areas of Los Angeles are being renovated in this manner because the land is so valuable and the houses built were extremely modest relative to their value now. Obviously this kind of tear down and extensive renovation only makes economic sense in places like the West Side of desirable part of the Valley. Anyone driving down any street can see the hordes of dumpsters :-) Based on what my friends have done, you hire an architect to draw up the plans based on your providing what you want to achieve. To the extent they need a structural engineer, they would then hire the structural engineer as part of the process. I don't know anyone who used a design build firm. The trades in Los Angeles are incredibly busy - you need to hire the architect and have the actual plans drawn up with exact specifications - and have them permitted. This provides the basis for getting actual bids from GC - generally the architect or architectural firm will have recommendations and leads but in the meantime you network among friends and colleagues trying to get your own personal recommendations as well....See Morestudent 1st apt away from home Need help with kitchen colors please.
Comments (64)Sheen? You don't want gloss for your walls. With white appliances and window/door trim, you can take your pick of colors for the wall but do remember ... If your apartment is small, lighter colors of paint are probably a better idea since darker colors can visually shrink a room. That said, an accent wall in your bright bold favorite color could be a good thing. As you decide what color(s) you're going to paint your rooms, think about how well the color(s) in one room will blend with the colors in the adjacent space. (To state the obvious, beach colors and goth will not blend well.) If you and your girlfriend are on a tight budget, you might want to experience the adventure of checking out nearby Habitat for Humanity Restore Stores. One HfHRS near me frequently has cans of paint in different brands-- some actually full and others nearly full -- where someone bought more than they needed and donated what was left of it. Spring and summer are the seasons for building and rennovating so you're likely to find construction items through fall. The larger stores will have more room and more stuff. If you don't find anything of interest on the first visit or two, do a walkthrough occasionally. [ Just before the holidays, it seems you can find a lot more interesting furnishings (perhaps its people wanting to upgrade before their relatives visit?). You might also try the larger GoodWill stores and nearby charity thrift stores. When you walk through, do so with a critical eye -- think of it as visiting an urban museum -- and don't get in the habit of buying things you don't actually need.] A bit of unsolicited advise -- stuff to consider: When furnishing a small space, remember to buy furnishings that are of a smaller scale. A round table with a pedestal and chairs with legs that are mostly vertical -- as oppesed to splayed -- are less likely to be knee knockers, groin jabbers and/or toe stubbers. Small lightweight items and/or items with wheels are much easier to move about, including for cleaning. Taller storage pieces (tall chest of drawers vs. low dresser w/mirror above) will get you more room for the amount of floor space used. Getting the most use out of what items you do choose to furnish your place is another good idea -- his/her lockable wood two drawer filing cabinets as bed side tables and/or living room end tables can help secure items when y'all have nosy visitors: it has been said that every party has that one guest that opens the medicine cabinet and a few unlocked doors. Tables with shelves below can provide storage but take more dusting. A used hutch w/glass doors (top part of a china cabinet) can be used as a china cabinet and/or double as a tv stand and/or a bookcase and/or a curio cabinet w/less dusting than displaying collectibles on open shelves. Less time cleaning means more time for enjoying other things. Let us know how your project turns out; good luck to the both of you....See More1st timer embarking on a kitchen remodel: Best to call in a designer?
Comments (38)Well, this is Kim--not a pro, but I get the do it on a budget thing. I think it's imperative that you get a good contractor. I also think that you need to do your research. We did our kitchen for less than 20K. everything new but the flooring, fridge, and oven. We did plan and research for about a year. Find your contractor now--if you get a good one, it'll take 9 months to a year before he/she is available to do the work. If the contractor is available any day now--beware. If you are new to your area, this first step may be a tough one. Ask people you know. You may even be able to get some references from this site, or Angies list, or Home Depot/Lowes. You may even be able to do the remodel in steps, so that you can save up and get higher quality products down the line. It sounds like your cabinets are the main driver. Interview your contractors. Get more than one quote. We have an excellent, well trusted contractor, whom we have worked with on many projects. We like this contractor, because he is a good communicator. He will talk budget with us, and he spells out cost for products and labor in his quotes. There are cabinet lines that are lower end. Sophie doesn't use those lines, because she has a wealthier clientele, and has excellent experience and taste. She also probably makes bank on those better lines, so who can blame her for the position she takes on this subject? It makes sense that she put her opinions out there, and she is right about the quality to a certain degree. Perhaps the lower quality cabinets you purchase won't last quite as long, or get your home onto the most saved photo list on this site. However, if your cabinets are falling apart, have an unpleasant odor, are rotting out, and your budget is 20 K, then you have to get creative and savvy. New cabinets that function and aren't rotting are a priority. Sometimes the driver isn't house beautiful--it's function over form because of the budget! (But don't throw form out entirely--that is still important too! That's where creative and savvy come in!) You can go to Ikea, or to Craigs list for gently used cabinets, or RTA, or a big box store...or any number of other places--but you have to do your homework! Learn about the products, measure your layout--realize you may need someone- contractor and/or KD who can tell you that you need a spacer here or there. You don't HAVE to set your refrigerator back to be in line with your cabinets--it looks nice, flows better, but may be cost prohibitive. I think that $3000 on a 20K budget seems quite high, but $1500 if you know that you don't have a very good handle on how this all works may save you a lot of dough down the line. You know your ability to do this better than I do. We went with Wolf cabinets, which have several lines--less expensive to more expensive. There are fewer choices/finishes in the lower cost lines. The lower end line cost was comparable to the RTA in cost, except these come assembled. Also these are made in America--check out their site. The lower end cabinet boxes are well made, and these have all the high quality, soft close features ( and use the same hardware used in the more expensive lines and custom cabinets). You can get 42 inch high wall units, Lazy Susans, drawer units. You CAN get full overlay in the lower end. You don't need crown molding right now--but you can plan to add it in the future if you want to do so. You can Rev a Shelf for your trash unit-Amazon/Build/all the box stores have Storage solutions that can save you money too. Measure your space--standard depths are less expensive--24 inch depth for lowers 12 inch for uppers. Think about how/when you/your spouse cook/use the kitchen. We kept the footprint of ours essentially the same, but made small changes that had a BIG impact in how smoothly things run in the mornings with 2 cooks in a very small kitchen. Hopefully this will help you. It can be fun, creative, and nerve wracking at the same time. Good luck. There are all sorts of good advice already given on here. You're going to have to tease out what will work for you....See MoreDesigning a Home Office – Help Me Get it Right the 1st Time
Comments (7)it will be more of a full-time office, but he travels a lot & visits clients frequently working out of their office What I like about Beverly's last suggestion with the worktop extended along the wall is that also gives your husband more storage for things like files, etc. Without something like that, will he have enough storage in the room? Otherwise I would strongly consider a credenza for storing files, under the TV, rather than a media console. For curtains, given your color preferences, these would be nice, https://www.potterybarn.com/products/haylie-print-drape/?pkey=ccurtains-drapes&isx=0.0.6515 I would also re-hang the curtain rods above the casing and extend them several inches beyond the casing for "stack back". If you opt to buy a rug from PB, exercise caution because historically they've had problems with rugs that smell (generally a "burned latex" odor). Make sure you get a *woven* rug, rather than a tufted rug, esp tufted rugs from India. There's a long thread here somewhere, and also this, https://rugchick.com/pottery-barn-rugs-to-run-from/...See MoreRelated Professionals
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- PRO7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago
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7 years agoBe cautious of doing a cool toned kitchen in a warm toned home. You can do farmhouse without going cool. Refreshing your kitchen to a "farmhouse" vibe does not mean copying every white / gray kitchen out there - which will just be boring. Your wall color choice should come last. Many of the newer design pics I am seeing actually have mid-tone wood and if walls are gray at all, they are very light gray.
There are 3 farm sinks that I know of that can be fitted on to a standard sink base - but still, take some good measurements because what is standard now might not have been standard when your house was built. The Ikea Domsjo is an overmount fireclay sink. It is very reasonably priced and many of the home bloggers have used it. Also, many kitchens I see from scandinavian countries use it. The down side is that reports of chipping, cracking and crazing are a little on the high side - many report a number of chips after 5 years. The Kohler Whitehaven "short apron" style farm sink is cast iron. I have this sink and love it though it is pricy ($960 for 36" cabinet") but it is very strong and could easily last more than 20 years. It is an undermount only sink. The Kohler Vault also comes in a "short apron" style. It is stainless steel and there is both a over mount and an undermount style.
If you can live with a small countertop microwave, go that route and get a true vent. It will work better and look better - more farmhouse to have a hood.
Here is a warm tone kitchen even with gray cabinets - it is a warmer gray with a blue green undertone. I am seeing a lot of these lighter / cream / white walls:
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoI'm not seeing doing what you want without replacing the upper cabinets. If this is a tight budget you could order some simple RTA's for the top (ready to assemble). I like Conestoga because you can do custom sizes but there are a few brands out there. Usually you can also order finished or non- finished for a savings. If you stick with a same type door you can wait on the lower base cabinets until you have the money for that and a new countertop.
Is that a bulkhead above the upppers?Can it can be taken out? What's behind it? It would be great if you could do taller cabinets.
- 7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago
Wait until everything is cleared out so you can get a sense of what the space looks like decluttered. Not sure about gray--it can get depressing in a kitchen, but hard to know. This one is awfully pretty without a lot of big changes.
You could get very deep trim in same wood to cover the soffit. That's what was done here:
This light has farmhouse/schoolhouse feel from Schoolhouse Electric. Match hardware, though, and over the sink light to whatever finish you pick for faucets and cabinet hardware. I like the black for all.
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