I really like this layout and the idea to put the sink in the mud room. It won’t be but a few extra steps to bring the meat there and so much more convenient to cleanup when coming in. How many kids do you have and does anyone prep with you? To me that would tip the scales on another sink. If you do two faucets that helps, but when I’m in a major cook mode my island is spread with fresh veggies

and meats in various stages. My DH will sneak in but I really prefer cleanup to wait till I’m past that stage. I usually load the DW as I go and stow empty cans and larger dirties under my boards. Two faucets will help and the shelf is great for meats and keeping counters clean.

Kohler has made many changes to the Karbon since I got mine 5 years ago, I’m sure correcting the leak issue.

@bbtrix, four kids ages 10-15. Usually, I’m a one-woman show when cooking sometimes DH will help especially if it involves lots of moving part like pan searing then to the oven or if frying large batches using multiple skillets.

I’m hoping that by having two dishwashers, it’ll be easy to just put dirty items straight into one of them and avoid the sink altogether except for things that need to be hand washed. That should alleviate part of my issues.

I looked at the Havens Metal ones online and found them interesting. I’m definitely going to research them further.

The quality of my Stages is very good. It's 16 gauge steel and very quiet. I don't have hardly any minor scratches because I use the grid. It cleans up beautifully - shiny and absolutely not hard to clean. This is my first hand experience, not heresay. Nothing like my previous stainless sinks. I really don't know of the concern Ispo has, and I'd love to see proof of this rust on Kohler Stages sinks. Please provide the info to support that claim. Stacy, put a shoutout to Joe Corlett on FB. He knows sinks and has seen plenty of Kohler first hand! I would absolutely hate to clean the crud out of the texture in that Havens sink. My sink is a workhorse and beautiful.

i didn't answer your question about the Karbon very thoroughly as I had company and had to watch GOT! Last year It began to drip at one of the articulating joints that gets lots of use. I called them and they sent a replacement. Kohler has been around a long time. I trust them to stay around and honor their warranty.

I hope others chime in with their actual experiences with the workstations they've chosen to help you make the best choice for you.

Thank you, bbtrix! I, too, was a bit concerned about the crud factor with the Havens sink. Plus, it costs quite a bit more than the Stages 45 sink - money that can be put towards the Karbon faucet (DH will die when he sees the price tag of both of those, especially if I want two faucets...yikes!!)

It’s interesting, I was afraid to show my DH the price tag. He saw me watching the video of it in action and was intrigued. He told me life is too short to not have what you love. He said, “You love to cook and this will make you happy. Order them.” If he had not said that I would have been thrifty me and never would have ordered them. I don’t even flinch at the price any more because it’s been worth it for me everyday. When so much of our time is spent in the kitchen, it should be efficient and enjoyable. I will have a workstation sink in our forever home that we build. Likely the Stages.

I want to share some thoughts about the Karbon. It doesn’t have an extremely powerful spray as compared to pulldowns. That’s one of the reasons I love it. It does not splash all over. I love the fact that I position it and work hands free. You do need to be aware of the differences between It and the pull downs. Some have been dissatisfied with the spray power. I’d rather conserve water and avoid water everywhere. Just like with everything, it’s a personal preference.

Ooooh, I like a less powerful spray. I only need it for rinsing fruits & veggies and the sink, no need for a power washer.

Absolutely, me too!

@Inspo, you read my mind about trying to find a large sink and using a positive reveal to create a “ledge” :) I researched that very thing last night...lol.

Quoted from Inspo Inspo, "I would stay away from Kohler due to reports of people encountering rusting within a few years due to low-quality stainless being used in manufacturing." and "To the poster who asked for specifics on the rumors of rusting with Kohler stainless steel sinks, I did a quick search on Houzz and couldn't find the thread where I first saw this mentioned to the degree that it influenced my decision process, but if you search for "Kohler rust" you'll bring up several threads where rusting of a Kohler stainless steel sink is noted by multiple posters." Please provide proof, links to these threads and complaints.

This is how disinformation campaigns start - misinformation! When asked for primary evidence they respond "Do a Search". Well, I did a search on "Kohler Stages Rust" and did a page find on "rust" and found zero entries searching the first two pages of posts. These statements may or may not be true. Please do not make a statement if you cannot back it with primary sources. We are specifically talking about The Stages sink here, apples to apples comparison.

It's nice that Inspo Inspo is providing you with the results of his/'her research, as interpreted by that poster. Hopefully it helps you with your decision, but it is still just an opinion not first hand experience. Interesting that someone is bashing so many sink brands and pushing another without actual experience or specific primary sources of proof. Not "I read it on the internet". I personally do not find that helpful. Now, if Joe Corlett were to back these claims I would give credence to it! I'm starting to wonder if there is an affiliation with Prestige.Just as it is this posters personal preference to want texture to hide scratching, it's my personal preference to never consider any sort of sink texture.

I am just giving you my first hand experience with the Stages 45 as I know what an expensive decision it is. I do understand the nature of stainless and I actually like its qualities in a kitchen. Mine is very hard working from bathing babies to large cast iron pots and pans clanging around in it. I expect there will be wear and tear, especially with my DH (who tends to drop things) and a toddler helper. If you have an aversion to the patina stainless takes on then you should look elsewhere. Maybe the Prestige is what it claims to be. I don't know what it costs but I doubt I would pay more than what a Stages costs for a sink since it does the job for me. Aesthetics may weigh more with others. I'm really not familiar with others on the market today, but the shelf is what I find most useful with the Stages. I took these pictures just now, so you can have evidence of what a five year old Stages will look like. My DH does cleanup and though I have asked him over and over not to stack the cast iron pans between the grids when drip drying pans, he does anyway. He does not care whether there is patina and looks at the sink as purely utilitarian. That is where my scratches are as well as the shelf which gets the most use and abuse. The other side of the sink has very few light ones. Just like with marble etching they are only noticeable from certain angles with light.

My DH and I remodeled my daughter's kitchen and did a positive reveal with a stainless apron sink to create a ledge. Yes it works, but may look a bit unintentional. Here's a pic during install.

I don't know if enameled cast iron scratches or would allow accessories to slide easily as I do not have personal experience with one. You would have to be sure that there is enough flat finished material.

Only you can determine the material that is best for you. Hopefully my experience helps with your decision, either way. I did not notice last night the location of your fridge in your current rendering. I would not care for it so far from the sink since you removed the prep sink from the island. I love pulling out all of my veggies and condiments from the fridge and placing them at my prep space without any steps. I would consider the fridge to the left of the sink or put the sink back on the island. I haven't read through your other threads for a while so I'm not sure the details but I would want the fridge in much closer proximity to the prep sink. A separate cleanup sink may still be best for your household; a beautiful farm sink and a utilitarian, workhorse workstation. Big decisions!!

I don't have any experience with a workstation sink. I use my kitchen similarly to the way you do - processing wild game and meat - and I opted just to have two separate sinks. One is smaller than I'd like, but it still allows us to keep a dedicate "clean" (i.e., non-bloody) sink for washing and another for all the dirty work. I would not want to put two faucets in the same sink for the reason you mentioned - fear of splashing (especially when it involves food that I'm preserving and storing for months on end). I assume there are good food-safety reasons why commercial kitchens are required to have separate basins.

Worth noting Inspo inspo disparages Kohler and Rachiele.

shead, we live on a cattle farm too, have three kids (older now, between the ages of 18-22) and all like to cook when they have the time. We raise our own beef, chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, and also have venison and wild goose from hunting, and will buy a whole hog from friends who raise them. I have a garden and do lots of canning.

I have two sinks, one on the island, and one dishwasher (a Bosch which has a 30-minute cycle). For me this set-up is perfect. I've never liked stainless steel sinks because of our hard water which makes them look terrible. My sinks are Ikea's discontinued Domsjo apron-front; the Domsjo double sink is my main clean-up sink on the perimeter, and the Domsjo single is on the island, and gets used for thawing, washing vegetables, etc. The island sink is also handy when we have more than one person cooking.

Wow, guys! Thanks for all the insight. I'm not sure if I'm any closer to a decision or not. There is a definitely appeal to two sinks because of the "bloody" factor that salex refers to.

@bbtrix, yes, I did notice Inspo's unabashed enthusiasm for the Prestige sink. It's a no-go for me. I don't like the texture and would prefer a regular stainless to it, scuffs, dings, and all. I am really drawn to the Stages 45 if I don't get two sinks in the kitchen area. DH would truly prefer to only have one and maybe with a little more organization at meal prep time, my issues wouldn't be issues at all and the 45 would work nicely.

@beckysharp, I'd love to see a pic of your kitchen setup. I keep reminding myself "function over form" and that my kitchen needs to first and foremost be efficient and useful for our way of life, which I'm still getting used to since moving the the "sticks" last summer (with no Costco 10 mins away...lol).

Since keeping your island clear is very important, I would consider moving the ovens to the other wall and placing a large ledge prep sink between the range and refrigerator like the photo. Looks like you could have a 33" sink base with 21" on each side.

My favorite things in my kitchen are having two DWs and our Highpoint double-ledge prep sink across from the range top. It is the center of my cockpit. It is 16 gauge and has held up beautifully. Our other sink is a 36" Whitehaven with secondary trash underneath.

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I'll just add my 2 cents: (oh, and cpartist helped buehl designed our layout, which is perfect for us!). We will have a 30" Kohler whitehaven arpon sink, not SS as our cleanup sink. In the island I will have a 24" Kohler whitehaven apron sink, not SS as my prep and quick wash sink. Either will work for thawing when one is in use. They are relatively close to one another, but with the cooking I do, both are needed. I do not like SS for myself. I think it's lovely, but it's not for me. My DH killed my last one, it was so heavily scratched - but the Kohler will still have to be cared for. Clearly I do not think 2 sinks, in kitchens where they are needed, are overkill.

Thank you, beckysharp! It' so nice to find others on these boards that truly live and know what REAL farm living is like - muck, mire, and all - and not just "wannabe" farm wives in modern farmhouses on less than one acre of land.

This project is a remodel of a 1970's rectangular ranch house. We are incorporating the carport (built under the rectangular roof) as our kitchen and opening it up to the now-living room/future dining room as well as adding an L-shape addition to the back of the house. Basically going from 1400 sf on the main level now to about 3100 sf. We also homeschool so we will use every square inch of the house, especially the kitchen. (Edited to add that this house is ON our farm and belonged to DH's aunt. Some have suggested we just tear it down and start over or build somewhere else on the farm but neither of those are options for a myriad of logistical reasons.)

I especially like that you've used Formica. We used granite in our last kitchen (Kashmir White) which turned out to be an absolute disaster. DH would LOVE for me to use laminate because it's fairly indestructible and easy on the wallet.

The triple stainless sink sounds so nice! I just remembered yesterday that I have a 36" SS double bowl apron sink in our barn from our last house remodel (it arrived scratched on the front apron so the company sent me a new sink and told me to keep the old one!!) I wonder if DH could rig me up an outdoor wash station on the back screened porch during the summer months?!?!

I'm interested to know how you love your huge range (such eye candy!!) and if having the lower ovens bother you. I had a split rangetop/double oven in last house, which I really like, but I keep thinking that a range in this plan would solve a couple of issues that I keep seeing with the layout.

It' so nice to find others on these boards that truly live and know what REAL farm living is like - muck, mire, and all - and not just "wannabe" farm wives in modern farmhouses on less than one acre of land.

There are days I wish I didn't know lol.

Our first house, which we lived in for 25 years until we (mostly) finished our new house last summer, was built in the 1950s and added on to. We did a bunch of remodeling over the years -- thank goodness my husband is a builder -- but we still kept a running list of things we'd do differently when we got the chance to build a new house.

What state/climate are you in? We're in Alberta, so winter is long, and as with Vermont, where I went to college, we have the added benefit of mud season : ) .

We also homeschool so we will use every square inch of the house, especially the kitchen.

We home schooled too -- my youngest graduated from high school last year. One of our big projects at the old house was adding on a dining room because we needed more space; we also added base kitchen cabinets along two of the walls underneath windows for more storage space.

Some have suggested we just tear it down and start over or build somewhere else on the farm but neither of those are options for a myriad of logistical reasons.

I can understand that, especially on a farm. Our old house is in a terrible location, far from our corrals and with very alkali soil which made growing everything from trees to vegetables difficult. We still have the house and after remodeling one of the kids can live there or we can rent it out.

I especially like that you've used Formica. We used granite in our last kitchen (Kashmir White) which turned out to be an absolute disaster. DH would LOVE for me to use laminate because it's fairly indestructible and easy on the wallet.

I've never liked granite, and I really like laminate because it's so easy on glasses and dishes with a family : ) . I did want marble on the island because it looks and feels gorgeous, and for how great it is for rolling out dough.

I had to fight my husband who wanted the 4" backsplash on the Formica countertop. I said no, because that would make it look "more Formica-ish". The Formica agreed with me and said "no-one is doing that anymore" lol.

The triple stainless sink sounds so nice! I just remembered yesterday that I have a 36" SS double bowl apron sink in our barn from our last house remodel (it arrived scratched on the front apron so the company sent me a new sink and told me to keep the old one!!) I wonder if DH could rig me up an outdoor wash station on the back screened porch during the summer months?!?!

I would definitely give it a try. All you need is a hose : ) .

I'm interested to know how you love your huge range (such eye candy!!) and if having the lower ovens bother you. I had a split rangetop/double oven in last house, which I really like, but I keep thinking that a range in this plan would solve a couple of issues that I keep seeing with the layout.

I love, love, LOVE the range, which is a cobalt blue 48" BlueStar with two ovens (one large, one small) which matches my Spode transferware dishes.

I don't have a problem with the lower ovens, since I'm not very tall -- 5'6" -- and have only ever used ranges until now. We had a vintage 1920s gas range in the NYC prewar apartment I grew up in, then I had a series of gas/electric ranges in apartments, and our old house had a 1950s O'Keefe & Merritt range for 25 years which we bought for $25 -- it worked beautifully, and still does, but has only four burners and one very, very small oven. I like being able to look down on/over whatever I'm baking or roasting to check for color/doneness etc. I love my wall oven, but I'm still trying to get used to having very hot items around chest level lol.

Our kitchen was definitely an exercise in high-low balancing lol. The Ikea cabinetry, Formica, etc. allowed us to splurge on the BlueStar, marble, and brass hardware from the UK. We have a walk-in pantry with more Ikea cabinetry, Ikea wood countertops which were on clearance, and also steel wire shelving from Seville Classics, which we found for a very good price at Walmart Canada online. The flooring throughout the entire house is Karndean vinyl plank which works well for us. I grew up with hardwood flooring (which we had to wax and polish ourselves regularly), and then had hardwood flooring with a poly finish in my NYC co-op apartment, but for here and for our budget, the vinyl is perfect. Beautiful to clean and maintain, comfortable underfoot, and the price was right. I also like the same flooring throughout, and the vinyl is practical in the pantry and main floor bathroom too (we also got a good deal for having the same flooring throughout).

There are days I wish I didn't know lol.

Touché. We are in Kentucky so our winters vary. Some are miserably cold but most are more wet and MUDDY than anything else. We had the wettest fall/winter this past year and it's so nice to see sunshine, green grass, and new babies this time of year :) We were just outside of Nashville (about 2.5 hours away) for the last several years so the slower pace is nice here but my driving distances to/from town aren't pleasant. Costco is 5 hours roundtrip for us, too, and Ikea is 5 hours away one direction. Thankfully, our UPS driver is an old friend of mine from high school and he doesn't mind the 2-3 time/week Amazon Prime deliveries out to me....lol. He got a nice Christmas present, though :)

I need to visit an appliance showroom some more to look at 48" ranges and how the ovens are situated. I'm only 5'4" but the seem a little low to the floor. I have some lower back issues so I can't see trying to lift a large turkey, etc. if it sits too low. However, in 20 years of marriage, I've cooked precisely zero turkeys because my very agile MIL hosts holidays and DH really doesn't care for turkey a lot. He's more of a red meat/ham type of person. My MIL will probably outlive me with her genetics so maybe all my turkey-lifting fears are totally squat, anyway :0)

And upon further look at your kitchen, I'm giggling over the cow pics on your fridge...lol. I feel like I need to give you a fist bump...haha!!

But back to the sink dilemma, I love your setup. I'd have to give up one of my larger drawer stacks in the island if I put a sink there. Lots to think about.

beckysharp, I don't think I have seen these angles of your kitchen yet, swoon. The wall color with those rich hued cabinets, and gorgeous countertops, and the cobalt blue range, all stunning. Plus of course the myriad of thoughtful details you must have planned so carefully, make that kitchen such a success. It holds up well to the Smallbone vision.

PS As I was tooling around IG the other day I came across the guy who started (and sold) Smallbone. Here he is https://www.instagram.com/smallbonecharlie/?hl=en

and here too https://www.instagram.com/ledburystudio/?hl=en

And upon further look at your kitchen, I'm giggling over the cow pics on your fridge...lol. I feel like I need to give you a fist bump...haha!!

: )

Those are the kid's photos with their steers for 4-H last year. It's frightening how much one can see from someone's else's photos online!

But back to the sink dilemma, I love your setup. I'd have to give up one of my larger drawer stacks in the island if I put a sink there. Lots to think about.

If you can make up the storage in your pantry or even in the basement or garage somewhere, for lesser used items, I'd strongly recommend that.

Those are the kid's photos with their steers for 4-H last year. It's frightening how much one can see from someone's else's photos online!

LOL....Well, my eyes are trained a little more than others at spotting cattle. DH has been working out of town for a couple of weeks and my morning/evening job is checking on the cows in the "labor and delivery" fields and the mamas/babies in the "nursery school" fields" :)

beckysharp, I don't think I have seen these angles of your kitchen yet, swoon. The wall color with those rich hued cabinets, and gorgeous countertops, and the cobalt blue range, all stunning. Plus of course the myriad of thoughtful details you must have planned so carefully, make that kitchen such a success.

Thanks, Rita, for the very kind words when all I could think after taking the pictures is how sad and cold the kitchen looks in those pictures lol. I'm supposed to be learning how to take better pictures with my camera but not putting in the necessary time...

Am still trying to get my hands on Tabarka tiles, and am trying to figure out how to convince my husband to add a small row of short cabs so they go up to the ceiling. We just wanted to be done so we could move in, and then my husband had his heart attack. Aack.

It holds up well to the Smallbone vision.

That's probably the nicest thing anyone could ever say to me : ) .

I still have a dream of a cream-colored Smallbone kitchen, but maybe that will have to be in my next life : ) . I loved my dinky little cream-colored painted wood kitchen in the old house; the color was perfect even if the size and layout weren't. But the darker cabinets definitely work better with the kitchen open to the dining area, which is open to the living room. Much less kitchen-y if that makes any sense and better flow.

PS As I was tooling around IG the other day I came across the guy who started (and sold) Smallbone. Here he is

https://www.instagram.com/smallbonecharlie/?hl=en

and here too https://www.instagram.com/ledburystudio/?hl=en

Thanks for these, Rita, beautiful!

@beckysharp, so your kitchen with Ikea cabinets has made me revisit possibly using them. The posts and reviews about them here on Houzz on quite confusing and often contradictory. The fact that several pros on here rave about them and that you've used really gives me some serious pause for consideration. Do you mind sharing if you used Ikea doors (if so, which style) and also if the cabs are holding up nicely?

Thanks!

I know you're shouting out to @beckysharp, but I'm chiming in too as it may help. I'm going to guess that becky has the Akurum Ramsjo (old line) or the Sektion Laxarby ( new line but discontinued). My island is the Ramsjo. It's a very nice wood cabinet. My kitchen is also Ikea, as well as two rentals and my daughter's. There's been some negative lately but from what I'm seeing from just a few people that have used their cheaper doors. I'm not on H much lately so may have missed some talk. I have to say though, that when I read posters shocked at all of the dings, scratches, and imperfect finishes on their custom and semi-custom new installs, I say to my self, "I'm sure glad I went with Ikea!" When I did my first 3 Ikea kitchens I lived 12 hours round trip. I did it all through the planner and over the phone with an associate. They were delivered freight. I'm near the Kentucky border in Illinois and now have an Ikea 2 hours away in St Louis. We just picked up more Bodbyn cabinets for my daughters laundry room. I'm redoing my entire lower level and will use Ikea in my laundry, craft room, powder, and master baths. I went with Ikea because our entire remodels have been DIY and I wanted to put my money elsewhere, just like becky, into the finishes - sink, faucet, marble, and floors, etc.

My oldest cabinets are in rentals. and nearly 7 years old. All four kitchens are holding up beautifully. I used Akurum Lindigo, Ramsjo, Adel, and Bodbyn in those kitchens. The only ones still around are Bodbyn (Lindigo) and Grimslov (Adel equivalent).

shead, if you go through the old Gardenweb Kitchen forum archives, you will find a lot of Ikea fans. I'll try to find some posts, including some recent ones. The heyday of Gardenweb, which was likeminded homeowners looking for advice from other homeowners of how to get the kitchen of their dreams, was a magical place : ) .

There have always been those critical of Ikea, but that seems to have increased with the new Houzz ownership and emphasis on Pro members, many of whom are professional kitchen designers, cabinet sellers, etc.

I'm in Canada, so I'm not sure if the selection of cabinet fronts is different from the US selection. Our kitchen is Ikea's Sektion in Edserum; I wanted wood, but the only non-white wood fronts were a very dark brown-black, Lerhyttan, that reads more black. The Edserum isn't wood but it was lighter. Another compromise in our kitchen : ) . My laundry room and pantry are Grimslov in white. They've been installed for about a year and a half, in heavy use since we moved in last June, and doing well. I'll see if I have photos of the pantry and laundry room cabinets.

I was thinking about different fronts, but they're not as easy to come by in Canada as in the US.

I agree with everything bbtrix has to say and if I'm remembering correctly, bbtrix is one of the Kitchen forum oldtimers : ) .

I'll see if I can find links to other Ikea threads too.

@bbtrix, I'm in Kentucky on the Tennessee border so St. Louis and Atlanta are about equidistant from me :) That being said, though, I have never even been to an IKEA store and have never laid eyes on any of their cabinets that I know of. There is a place in Nashville called Modern Nash, which is basically an IKEA distributor. You can go there and see certain Ikea cabinets, furniture, etc. and they make weekly runs to IKEA (used to be Atlanta but it may be Memphis now). They will even do IKEA kitchen design. DH and I plan to go there and see the cabinets in person, since his family is in the area and we just moved from there to here. I've been quoted around $26K for just cabinets from a design center an hour away. I just designed our kitchen in IKEA's planner, making a few concessions like corner drawers, etc. but the cost came in at $7,245 if I use their fronts and doors and only $4,155 if I get my own fronts and doors. I'm sure there's some things that need to be added that I'm not seeing right now but that wouldn't increase the costs by more than $500, still making these a HUGE savings. I do wish there were more door styles and colors available at IKEA but their Bobdyn gray is exactly the color DH likes, while I prefer a lighter warmer gray, which is why I may see what custom doors and fronts would cost.

@beckysharp, yes, I noticed a few of the "Pros" that were adamant against them but I was shocked that so many actually raved about them! That really got my mind to turning about giving them at least some consideration.

Thanks, Becky! Yes, I'm a GardenWeb oldtimer. Miss those days! I didn't realize that Canada had some different doors. It sure looks like the Ramsjo which is a dark brown. Anyway, it looks great as well as your kitchen. I initially planned to get the 24" Domsjo sink but ended up with the Stages 45 instead. Quite a turn around. Sometimes I wish I had put the Domsjo under my window, but I really wanted the 36" drawer stack and long stretch of counter. Do you have a reveal post? I'd love to see your pantry and laundry too. Your advice is invaluable to Stacy since your lifestyle and needs are so similar!

Stacy, I'm about 3 hours from Nashville so you aren't too far from me. Yes, you definitely need to see them in person. I have family in the Chicago burbs, so visited the Schaumburg Ikea many times before ordering. Modern Nash sounds interesting. It's a needed service for those so far from an Ikea. In my daughter's kitchen we did the Bodbyn white on the perimeter and gray for the island peninsula. She loves it.

There are many of us on Houzz that are Ikea fans, when it is appropriate and cost saving which it has been in every kitchen I've done. Hillside House is another longtime member that has done several Ikea kitchens and in her most recent she used Barker fronts. She used Ikea fronts in other areas of her home. She did this very informative post comparing three companies that do Ikea fronts. https://www.houzz.com/discussions/barker-doors-vs-semihandmade-vs-scherrs-in-ikea-kitchen-results-dsvw-vd~5182903

If you need any assistance with your plan in the planner, I'd be happy to help. I'm quite familiar with it and the clearance and side panel requirements. I also like to think creatively with hacks, like undersink trash. They have those, but I like the system I use with individual doors rather than joining the doors like they do.

Thank you, bbtrix! I'm still trying to muddle through with the planner. There is definitely a learning curve. One question I have is that I can't seem to get one of my island cabinets to turn the right direction in the planner. It's the drawer stack I have at the end of my island. Ikea keeps turning it where it's back to back instead of side to back. Not a big problem but would like to see it visually.

Also, I'm thinking I may want to do panels on my dishwashers so I don't necessarily have to buy the same model for each one. Would a 24" IKEA door work since they are actually a little narrower than that or is that something I'd have to get custom? And what about the drawer stacks - I don't see the typical ones you get from a custom/semi-custom one with the narrow top drawer and equal 2nd and 3rd drawers. It looks like the height is graduated top to bottom. I'd really like the second drawer to be deeper so I'm wondering if the two drawer stack with the shallow drawer inside the top deeper drawer is the way to go?

Ok, here's a recent thread with pros and cons, and the particular query about mixing Ikea with higher end appliances,

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5649017/ikea-kitchen-with-high-end-appliances#n=43

From that thread, here are some of my comments and links --

As years of Ikea threads have shown, it all depends how you put everything together. If you use all Ikea items, then yes, it can end up looking like an Ikea showroom (though admittedly, some people like/want the look).

This is one of my favorite GardenWeb Ikea kitchens, which looks high-end and not particulary Ikea-ish,

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/2678448/finished-kitchen-circa-1840-working-farmhouse-ikea-budget-reno#n=107

I found my way to the GardenWeb Kitchen forum back in 2009, long before it was sold to Houzz and when the Kitchen forum had very few professionals and a great number of interested amateurs assisted by other, quite talented, amateurs. One of the greatest GW legacies from that time is the Finished Kitchens blog, which is as highly searchable as it is lacking in an updates.

The Ikea section has more than a dozen kitchens, which are all different and each is a very good example of what can be done with Ikea cabinetry. One of my favorites over the years is redrange's 2007 kitchen, with a red BlueStar range, ModernAire hood, tiles handpainted and -glazed by redrange herself, and refrigerator and dishwasher with custom copper panels.

I've appreciated the assistance from GW oldtimers over the years to help members achieve the kitchens they want, working within their various constraints. For us, building a new house in rural western Canada, the constraints were geographical as well as financial.

A poster in the thread in the first link wrote, about combining Ikea cabinets with higher end appliances, "I have no experience with Ikea cabinets and I could be totally off, but Louis Vuitton handbag with Payless shoes comes to mind."

My reply was that I've always appreciated the fashion sense of those, like Michelle Obama and Kate Middleton, who are able to come up with a good high-low mix that suits their needs.

Also, some some oldie-but-goodie threads,

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/2668566/how-to-use-ikea-to-get-a-custom-kitchen-high-quality#n=77

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/2417805/ikea-kitchens-am-i-missing-something

And Canadian interior designer Carol Reed's nifty older blog post which is still around,

http://carolreeddesign.blogspot.com/2009/10/why-i-love-ikea-kitchens.html

I also remember a thread from several years ago where one homeowner said he left a "test" Ikea cabinet door outside behind the house or barn in all sorts of weather for a year or two and it came through with flying colors. I'll have to see if I can find that. I remember reading that one to my husband, the carpenter!

shead, I like the idea that if in 10 or 15 years we want to switch out the door and door fronts, either Ikea or another maker, we can do so easily.

Yes, I'm a GardenWeb oldtimer. Miss those days!

Me too : ) . I learned a ton and "met" such wonderful people.

Do you have a reveal post? I'd love to see your pantry and laundry too. Your advice is invaluable to Stacy since your lifestyle and needs are so similar!

No reveal post, my husband had a heart attack in January 2018 just as we were finishing things up (at the time our daughter was at college in the big city, our son had started his first year of carpentry studies, and our youngest was feeding several hundred cattle on his own), and then we had a scramble to move in, and then I had my hands full with the move etc lol. I'm still doing things like hanging pictures.

Things are kind of zoo-y here because we're trying to get cattle moved to the pasture and I'm leaving for a meeting in a few hours so I have to get dinner made for the remainers, so if I don't get the pantry and laundry room pics done today, I will tomorrow.

Stacy, a 24" door should work for the DW, as well as drawer fronts if you want to match the cabinets next to them. I've not done a paneled DW, but I would compare the installation instructions for Ikea's Vaskad builtin DW with that of the model you are choosing. Here's Ikea's https://www.ikea.com/us/en/assembly_instructions/vaskad-built-in-dishwasher__AA-2126185-1.pdf. These join doors https://www.ikea.com/us/en/assembly_instructions/vaglig-connecting-rail-for-fronts__AA-2100064-1_pub.pdf.

Ikeas drawer fronts come in 5", 10", and 15". So, as you surmised the only way to get equal would be two 15". I like the 5/10/15 personally, but the inner drawer could be a solution for you. I prefer the 5" for quick access items like silverware and spices. Here is my daughter's (no countertop yet).

Becky, I'm so sorry your family is going through so much! I look forward to your pics!

Thanks, bbtrix, my husband has had a tough slog in the past five years, first prostate cancer (with successful surgery) and then a heart attack. I'm glad he's tough : ) .

@bbtrix, is the photo you show in the last pic (your daughter's kitchen) Bobdyn in white or gray?

DH and I have discussed this some more and we may make a weekend trip in a few weeks to a large IKEA store (I think Indianapolis is the closest to us and would be a lot better than Atlanta traffic). St. Louis about an hour farther from our locale. At this point, IKEA definitely seems to be a no-brainer for us. I definitely wouldn't put it in a Franklin, TN house (our last house) because of resale value, but here in the boonies, it wouldn't make one "hill of beans" difference if I spent $26K on cabinets or $8K except all that extra $$$$$ in my bank account for vacations, kids' college, etc. :)

@beckysharp, I, too, am so sorry for all you've been through. I can't imagine if my DH were to have medical issues on top of having a large farm to manage. Blessings to you guys for healthier days ahead <3

Stacy, that last one is Bodbyn Gray. Here are a few more of her kitchen. White Bodbyn:

Undersink trash pullouts:

My kitchen:

Yes, I think it’s a no brainer for you. Put your $$$ to use elsewhere! Be sure to take lots of pics for ideas and pick up all their planning materials when you visit. How far are you from Cinci? They have one north of the city.

Becky, we’ve been through similar. In fact we started our kitchen remodel one month after my DH’s last chemo treatment. It was therapy for him to get his life back. He’s a retired contractor and union carpenter. He’s passed his five year remission mark! We were fortunate in that we both retired the summer he was diagnosed. I can’t imagine working and going through that. You are both tough and hard working and I admire your lifestyle. I hope life settles into a peaceful and happy rhythm for you. BTW, it was Brickmanhouse’s kitchen that guided my decisions!

Thank you so much bbtrix and becky for all your help!!

bbtrix, on your daughter's kitchen, did she use 30" tall uppers for what looks like 8' ceilings? We have 8' ceilings and while using 40" would give us technically more storage it would leave us with about 3" of crown space on top and 17" between cabinets. Or I can do 30" uppers with 12" of crown space and 18" between cabinets. I only have about 30" uppers now but with a 12" soffit. I'm thinking that maybe the 40" would be better in the end but your daughter's looks very nice, too. I only have three uppers so it's not that huge of a deal. I might even forego one of those uppers for open shelves. Do you love the 12" pullout to the right of the stove? I have one of those in my plan :)

About the Bobdyn gray or Bobdyn white, how does the gray look in real life? Which do you prefer? I've had white cabinets in my last house and I said never again, but your daughter's look so lovely!

Yes, she used 30" tall uppers. She has a pantry and lots of drawers so did not want lots of uppers. It is an 8' ceiling with soffit and crown on one wall. She kept the MW cabinet with just shelves. I wanted to put door above it but she nixed it. Her window wall is tiled to the ceiling with no uppers. I have 39" uppers and only have transformers and rarely used items on the top shelf. You don't want to scrimp between the cabinets. Make sure your stand mixer or any appliance you plan to use on the counter fits. Go with the 30" if you want a nice crown detail, 40" if you need storage for infrequently used items that need a step stool. I do love the pullouts. The one to the right of the stove is a 15" and has most of my cooking/baking ingredients and condiments. I have two 12" on the other side of the kitchen. One holds our liquor and the other has snacks and bread. Each of my pullouts has two inner drawers that pull out separately. I was able to control the height by where I installed the rails. If my needs change I could reinstall the rails at a different height, but I don't see that happening. The current Sektion system has a fixed pullout for the 12".

This pic was before trim was finished with no pulls-I only have construction pics. She's saving up for a white stone peninsula top. Hers is a very small kitchen in which we had to deal with the mudroom door and main HVAC chase running between the kitchen and DR. We are currently working on her mud/laundry room adding more white Bodbyn cabinets just beyond that door. The Bodbyn gray color is lighter or darker according to the room light and paint colors. Your Ikea visit will likely have a large gray Bodbyn kitchen as my St. Louis store has so you can get a good look.

The window wall in her DR is a very dark dray. You can see how it effects the cabinet color. Her pantry is behind the doors to the left. The space is compact but perfect for her and her toddler. The peninsula seats three.

Regarding the Bodbyn colors, although the gray looks nice I personally would tire of being tied to gray for the color scheme. I like how light bounces off the white and I find it creates a cheerful space. But then, I'm a white kitchen fan! My kitchen is also an open plan and must mesh with different wood colors. Could be a generational thing - she likes low light and moody, I like light and bright! The Bodbyn finish cleans up beautifully with a microfiber cloth. It's a breeze to keep clean. I have no problem keeping the cabinets around the range clean. What's the reason you said never again to white? Cleaning?

Yes, the cleaning with four kids. Maybe it was the door style I chose in my last kitchen (beaded) but the entire kitchen was a booger to clean and took hours to make the cabinets shine. I had to use qtips or toothpicks to get the nastiness from between the beads. I'm definitely going to have to see the colors in person because I'm not sold on the Bobdyn gray. It does look pretty "heavy" in the pics online. Maybe the off-white Bobdyn is what I need for the perimeter and do the gray or custom for my island? I do like how these spaces feel:

Farmhouse Inspiration · More Info

Dan Vis builders · More Info

bbtrix, I meant to also ask you how you managed to do split top drawers with the Ikea Sextion? I noticed your kitchen had them as well as some others I've seen on the web but I don't see that option on the Ikea site. Thanks!

Maybe the off-white Bobdyn is what I need for the perimeter and do the gray or custom for my island? I do like how these spaces feel:

Not sure if it's the lighting in those kitchens, or the finishes, or my monitor, but those whites look quite cool, and Ikea's white is more of a warmer off-white.

Still working on getting the pantry and laundry pics. I was away from home for most of yesterday and today my husband has my phone...

Well, bummer. I definitely don't want anything too yellowish. I've seen different pics of both the white and gray and they all look different depending on light and probably a large amount of photo editing :/ I may just have to buy a couple of small doors when we go on our trip to an Ikea to see for sure. I also need to check on what custom fronts would be for the entire thing but I'm assuming that if I can use one already made by Ikea, it would be less hassle and less $$$$.

I do all my prep in the 42" Rachiele sink. Works great and the counter seldom gets dirty. No reason at all for a separate prep sink in my opinion.

Stacy, I have the Akurum line which had the split top drawer standard. It can be done by mounting a divider to attach the rails to. That is how I do the individual trash pullouts under the sink (see the under sink photo I posted earlier) .

I dont necessarily think split drawers are an advantage because you lose about 3 1/2” storage.

I like the off-white Bodbyn. It’s not yellow in my kitchen which does have warm lighting @ 3000K and lots of wood which causes it to photograph with a yellowish cast. Look back at my daughter’s kitchen to see how the Bodbyn looks next to bright white subway tile. She has warm lighting too.

Also, Ikea has a new door, Akstad that is bright white. Hope you find something you like.

@bbtrix, thanks! After seeing this kitchen, I'm kinda leaning towards doing a two-tone Bodbyn with gray lowers and island with the off white uppers.

https://www.paintedbykaylapayne.com/our-third-home/

Sorry to be late with these. Here are our Ikea pantry and laundry room cabinets, both Grimslov in (off-)white. I was trying to remember why I chose Grimslov vs. Bodbyn, and I think it's because Grimslov is more "Shaker" style and so cleaner-looking than the Bodbyn which is raised panel.

I just remembered, the kitchen in the granny suite over the garage (occupied this summer by our eldest) is Grimslov (off-)white. I'll see if I can get in to take a picture later today.

Thanks for mentioning Akstad, bbtrix. I remember there was some rejoicing in the Kitchen forum earlier this year when it was released : ) .

That's an awesome pantry and laundry room! I do really like the Grimslov style better than the Bodbyn. DH and I are headed to Ikea this weekend to take a look at the selection. It gives us a good excuse for a weekend getaway which we desperately need before hay season starts in a couple of weeks. If I remember correctly, Grimslov is foil vs Bodbyn being painted wood?

I also do love that green! I once had a bathroom painted similar and loved it.....before I got on the Gray Train a few years ago :)

Bodbyn is "Fiberboard, Acrylic paint, Polyester paint"

Grimslov is "Fiberboard, Foil, Melamine foil"

Have a fun weekend getaway : )

Just left IKEA and wow, we were definitely impressed with the quality and options! Now we just have decide between the Bodbyn gray and the Grimslov brown, which apparently is a “new” brown that is less red than their previous one.

This shows their previous one on the bottom which they are discontinuing. They said a green Bodbyn is supposed to come out in September and that plans are for a light gray Grimslov at some point.

bbtrix That's an awesome work station sink!! And beautiful butcherblock counter!! If you don't mind my asking....are the cabinets in the background of the work station sink Bobdyn? It looks like there is damage to the cabinets. Am I seeing correctly? I'm considering getting Bobdyn and am concerned about water / steam damage and/or chipping / peeling paint.