kitchen Design
Please help me finalize my kitchen design for our forever home in New Orleans.
Comments (20)
artistsharonva
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoThose are big fridge doors. Make sure there is enough room in front of fridge in between island to stand in front of comfortably when open to at least unload & load groceries. Have enough room to be able to open doors & access fridge &avoid being cornered in between fridge doors & island when open.
check fridge installation manual for more specifics as well
artistsharonva
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoI think you have these in island.
Great to have a taller door cabinet near oven to be able to file taller cookie sheets near oven & near prep area for cutting boards.
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Remodeling Kitchen. GC/ kitchen designer/design build
Comments (33)So it is unrealistic to know what you are paying before you basically agree to buy with someone? I have an estimate right now for my exact layout from one place, but he doesn't seem to want to give me a quote for another line, other than it would be 20% more. Which is fine, I can do the math myself (about $8,600 for Medallion Gold), just as long as it really is close to 20%. The thing is, I know I don't want to keep things exactly as they are. I need mostly drawers rather than regular cabinet bases, which I know is more expensive. The current oven and microwave are also currently smaller than anything on the market, so I would need to make space for regular sized ones, either by extending the cooktop peninsula next to them or moving the refrigerator on the other side of them to the other wall. Either way, this is adding expenses that probably have not been accounted for in this bid. Sometimes he seems super easygoing and other times I feel like I am bothering him when I ask questions (which may be just different communication styles as well). I do understand his time is valuable, and I don't want to waste it, but he never asked for any kind of fee or retainer for work and I can't just sign on the dotted line when I don't know if there are thousands of dollars of changes needing to be made. I did call another place because they have Diamond Cabinetry, which I have also heard is a good midlevel brand, and since I was feeling a bit uncomfortable with how the interaction was going with the guy at the other place. They have been so friendly and patient every time I have had any interaction with them. They also came out and measured and are even going to do a couple different designs and go over them with me. When they gave me a ballpark though, it was 10-15k, which I don't think is unreasonable, just after hearing under 9k, 15k is tough, especially considering this reno was not planned and we have a lot of other expenses right now, so 6k does make a difference. That 9k might be a big illusion though, since I think he was basing it on what is in place currently, but I'm not sure because I have gotten to the point where I am worried I am asking him too many questions. For a big budget, a 2-5k difference might not really matter, but for us right now it does....See MoreKitchen Design - thoughts on our current design? range in island?
Comments (25)I'm probably echoing what others have said, but here are my thoughts: - You have too much cabinetry and not enough walking space in this kitchen. The island is at maximum-maximum size. You want that breathing space. - No to an island on the far end-end of the island. You need work space on both sides of the cooktop. - The wall with the refrigerator seems "heavy" on the side with the fridge and "light" on the side with the shelves. - Do you really need a table and stools only feet apart from one another? Don't put the cooktop on the island. It is a hazard for pot handles that are turned into the walkways. To be argumentative, why are pot handles more dangerous on an island than on a wall-based cabinet? The handles could be positioned carelessly from either location. I don't think your kitchen is big enough for an island. No one like to hear this, but -- yeah. Consider a G-shaped kitchen with a peninsula instead. Your kitchen design breaks so many of these rules (especially the rules on landing zones and work aisles) Agreed, and those rules aren't opinions or open to "but this is how I cook" arguments. We can argue about the value of pot fillers or pantries, but numbers don't lie. 'High End Kitchen Designers', what does that mean? Design has to follow FUNCTION in a kitchen. Yeah, "high end" means the designer's putting in custom cabinets, marble countertops, fancy appliances ... function means the layout works, and good function costs no more than bad....See MoreNeed help with kitchen design and our design style
Comments (7)i don't have anything to say about the island, but your options for backsplash are pretty broad. presumably you want the dramatic counter to be the star, in which case your backsplash should play a supporting role -- white, or some cool gray taken from the stone veining. If you want something more unusual, bring in the interest by way of texture -- a shiny or iridescent white, say -- or tile shape -- like fan-shaped tile....See MoreHiring a kitchen designer--design their exclusive property?
Comments (127)@Jennifer Hogan My condo had a similar experience with a *hidden* gotcha clause in a contract when we hired an engineering firm to do an inspection and report on water intrusion in our building. We paid them a significant amount of money (in excess of $25,000) for the initial report which concluded that our current waterproofing needed to be repaired. There were then two final steps - hire them to do an in depth analysis of their recommendation to solve the issues and make recommendations on methods and companies who could do it and the final level would be their acting as the Project Manager when (and if) we decided to implement it. It turns out that buried in the contract in somewhat confusing language was that we had to hire them for Levels 2 and Three if we did anything regarding water intrusion and we would owe then 15% of what we spent on any waterproofing projects. We could not hire anyone else to draw up specific recommendations; prepare bids or act as Project Manager. I don't think anyone could reasonably assume that hiring an engineering firm to provide an initial report AND paying them for that initial report locked you into a contract with a penalty for not using the. @3onthetree On the contrary it appears that the contractual language was very specific in terms of outining the company's business model. As has been posted again and again, a company is free to do business in the manner they want (barring regulations) but a consumer is also free to choose not to do business with a company that doesn't have a business model that the client is comfortable with. No one is trying to argue that a designer's services are worthless or defending someone getting a designer to spec work for nothing and then using that free design. People are saying that if one pays for a design then one should be able to use it for the purpose it was created - to remodel one's home using that design. The whole issue of retainers is a bit of a red herring. As I posted originally - it seems years ago - my contract with my designer contained two phases. I paid her about $5000 to create a "design" that would be used to obtain permits. Once I had paid that amount I "owned" that design with no further obligations to her unless we mutually agreed to move forward. I also could hire her to create a "design" for a retainer that would be used as an advance against future design fees. This would be equivalent to providing me with a board with finishes, styles, colors etc. If I didn't move forward using her then I had paid her and I guess you her suggestions and board as inspiration. But she had been compensated for the work in presenting me with her ideas and board....See Moreartistsharonva
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoDawanda Johnson
4 years agoartistsharonva
4 years agoDawanda Johnson
4 years agoShannon_WI
4 years agolast modified: 4 years ago
cpartist
4 years agoKate E
4 years agoDawanda Johnson
4 years agoKate E
4 years agoShannon_WI
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoAlex Shepard
4 years agodarbuka
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoThis is what you want under your range top.
I have drawers everywhere, even under my large sink. Holds a ton of stuff...plastic wrap, tin foil, wax paper, extra dish towels, plastic bags of various sizes. That’s just the top drawer. Bottom drawer contains all kinds of cleaning supplies, plus large rolls of plastic garbage bags for pullout double cans, next to sink.Drawers are the bomb. So much more convenient than doors with shelving, or doors with pullout shelves. I’m glad I insisted on drawers under the sink, despite the reluctance of my contractor. He had to make a creative adjustment to the back of the top drawer to accommodate plumbing, but I’m so glad I held firm. Don’t have a pic of that, but I’ll take one later, and post it.
artistsharonva
4 years agoGreat you got a designer.
I'm not a fan of the common spice pullout cabinets either. It's not that much space for all my spices. It's often not adjustable up & down either which is limiting. Plus got to reach down & can not see bottom items as when looking down. The 2nd "shelf" is most annoying. Only short spices fit. I'm a fast, visual cook so I find it slows me down,too.
There are some different 9" wide pullouts with more function to consider instead.
Here are some examples.
I have tried many spice storage items. I still prefer lazy susan turn tables inside wall cabinets near stove. Can take it out & clean easily,too.
I also like a wide drawer for spices as picture below.
This is what I prefer for all my tall cooking oils & wines or the pullout above.
artistsharonva
4 years ago
Lots of drawers are great, but not everything fits in a drawer.
Take inventory of al your tall items & get a space for them, then extra room for wide drawers. Wide drawers can always get divider inserts if needed.
Dawanda Johnson
4 years agoUser
4 years agodarbuka
4 years agoAs promised, here are the drawers under my sink. First is a pull down drawer to hold unused scrubby sponges. You can see the adjustment my contractor made to the drawer underneath the sponges, to accommodate the plumbing. Dishwasher is to the left, pullout double garbage to the right.
Shannon_WI