Need some feedback on kitchen design
J J
6 years ago
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Julie B
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoRappArchitecture
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoRelated Discussions
Need some designer feedback
Comments (9)My kitchen is very clean and contemporary. I wanted glass tile, but was afraid the molded glass would be too severe. I needed something softer to take the edge off, literally. So, I went with hand cut glass tiles instead of molded. It gives the backsplash a more handcrafted feel. I also threw in a small wrought iron shelf and some hand made pottery to soften things up a bit more. Sounds like you'll do the same with the wood pieces. Those rustic grape tiles seem to be grasping at making the room less contemporary. I am afraid they will not serve your purpose, but rather just look out of place. I don't love the Botticino tiles either, but that's just me. I agree that a ceramic tile with a soft undulating texture would work as a good transitional look. The kitchen that comes to mind is Rococogurl's. She did a very straightforward backsplash, using simple tiles but mixed a nice selection of colors. For your kitchen, I probably would suggest three or four colors, even more closely related/less contrasty. I like your idea of 4x4s set on a diagonal. A mix of colors would create a softer look than all one color (think of heathered yarns in a sweater) and you could still throw in some 4x4 accents, either glass or an accent color in the same tile as the field tile. (The latter would be my choice.) Keep looking and I'm sure you'll find some middle ground....See MoreKitchen plans. We would love some feedback
Comments (11)Seattle, Thanks very much for the drawings- they look great! Sochi: Thanks for the notes about the island. We are considering between 42-50 inches, leaning more towards 42 now though. We love your idea of no uppers, would bring so much more light into the kitchen. buehl: Great questions that brought up some good discussion. Here is more info. 1. The sink does not have to be under the window and does not have to be centered. We strongly considered putting it and the dishwasher in the island, but were worried it would mean we would want a wider island and it would be less walking space between the island and kitchen table. At this point we are still up for other considerations though! 2. We are very flexible, although my husband only wants to move the plumbing to one location (not split the sink and dishwasher between the island and window for example). 3. Sink in island: We were a little concerned that the sink may seem too close to the open front door under the window, however there is quite a bit of clearance. 4. Unfortunately our budget does not permit us to put in headers and make more window's. We are doing this all ourselves. We just replaced window 2 so a counter will fit underneath it. 5. Yes to considering sink in island! 6. Basement underneath the kitchen is unfinished. We would have to run plumbing through a small finished bathroom in the basement though. My husband thinks it is feasible for both the under window 2 location and also in the island. 7. Cooking, cleaning, parenting... everything happens at the same time in our kitchen!! We discussed having two sinks, however have decided that we want a little more counter space and also less plumbing work. 8. That is a great idea to put a layout. I will sketch one and attach it. Thanks! 9. Our family: Two preschoolers, I am a stay at home mom (for a couple more years at least), we are very active, cook most of our meals from scratch. The kids are always in the kitchen with us. They love to stand on chairs and "help". We expect to use the island seating for homework when they get older. So I would say all of the above for kitchen use! eating, entertaining, baking/cooking projects with the children, homework 11., 12. Yes, we are almost always in the kitchen together. Dinner prep we are often two (myself and DH) We are re-doing the kitchen for ourselves! We plan to be here 5+ years. Thanks to all for the feedback so far. Excellent things to consider....See MoreWould love some feedback on the schematic design of our home
Comments (15)I am a great fan of modern design. And we just finished building a modern house on a sloping lot, but our slope is uphill. Though we are almost empty-nesters, so we didn't have to plan for young kids in our house full-time. I understand how you will have to plan around your garage; we had the same issue - I felt at first like our entire house was planned around the driveway pitch and the garage! Obviously you will have railings on that stairway. Also consider one single flight with young kids, especially if the stairs are cement (or older people) - not a pretty sight if someone falls. In the stairway in our house, it's an L shape, so if someone falls, it's only half as far. Also, not to be too risk-adverse, those open stairs are gorgeous, but just waiting for someone to catch a heel or toes, or an entire foot for a kid. Our architect really wanted open stairs, but we just couldn't agree. We ended up with a zig-zag pattern. Our stairs are enclosed by glass on the lower side (to keep lower-level noise on the lower level), and I really like the way the zig-zag looks. I love the fireplace, but yes, with kids, also a problem when the fireplace is on. I also wanted cement floors, but husband didn't. So we have mahogany throughout, except for the entryway and bathrooms. I do notice that the 100% wood is harder on my feet than if we had some spaces carpeted; cement would be even harder on the feet. I like the lap pool - I assume that's what it is. Though again, you'll need to be creative re gating it off from the kids. The terrace area, I can also envision kids tipping off the end of that; adding a railing will detract from the view, but you may need to consider. We have a juliet balcony on the front of our house, and were originally going to have glass sides. Then I thought about how quickly that glass would get dirty, etc., so we have cable. I love it - barely noticeable from on the balcony or inside the house, but no need to clean. So that might be a thought if you decide to put in railings. The "hallway" between the living area and the island looks narrow. You know that the chairs will rarely be nicely pushed in, so consider that width. Also, consider little arms and hands reaching out to a hot stove, depending on how wide that island is. We have a very similar configuration, but our island is deeper, so don't have that issue. I love the view out our front when standing at the sink, and the view out back when standing at the stove - I'll bet that you will love it too!...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 MoreJ J
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