I've been lurking these forums for some time. The kitchen by julieboulangerie is almost identical to my own. My layout is adequate for my smaller space and the cabinets function fine. I hate my countertop, sink and stove so plan on an upgrade there. I have a hard time ripping out perfectly good cabinets simply because I don't like the style, even though they are 15 years old. I had decided on granite (a black pearl) until I read these last few posts about laminate. Now I wonder if I should just settle for a nice laminate, new stainless sink (apron?) and range since the cabinets are dated?? Or should I choose granite now and paint the cabinets if we want a new look later? Can a wood/butcher block counter (would have to paint cabinets now) be re-used on new cabinets later? My quandary is about "settling", resale value (no immediate plans to sell), and knowing a total redo is long in coming, especially if we partially upgrade now. We have a lot of home improvement dreams so would like to stretch every dollar! I hope this is not simply repeating others' questions, but I guess I'm just looking for some clarity of thought from those with a lot of experience. I've never done this before and feel it's an enormous decision!

Hi Catkin.......Yes some one has suggested that too and I am thinking of painting . The kitchen and house is only 7 yrs. old in May so don't think the light fixtures are that dated and I like them. They were some expensive brand I got at Southern Lights & Fan in Hattiesburg. They go with my wood bar stools well and the chairs in the breakfast room nicely. I know lanterns are big right now but I will wait till they are older, ha! Knobs were the last thing we did and our builder said most people just went with knobs nowadays (we are in Mississippi so that may explain it, ha!) I would love to do better pulls and knobs one day but my husband was laid off from an extremely profitable position on Wednesday last week so don't see that happening right at the moment. We are in survival mode right now. Paint and change of bamboo blinds and drapes are kinda the only things I can do at the moment for change but wish me luck!! Thank you for the suggestions & sweet compliments on my home. I will tuck your thoughts in my memory. :) Bonnie

The most inspirational magazines for me were all from across the pond: Period Living & Traditional Homes, Period House, and one simply called 25 Beautiful KITCHENS. They're a little spendy - all the money I invested in magazines probably would've bought me an extra cabinet (or three) - but it was worth it, and fun! I even sent an email to that last publication asking for info about a homeowner's kitchen stools, and wouldn't you know I got a very detailed and helpful response from the editor herself. Nice!

I’m lucky enough that I get to build a custom house. Yes, lucky! 2 islands or 1 island that opens into the great room? I've never seen a two-island kitchen that I liked /thought flowed well /had a good traffic pattern. Waste of space. Btw I hate kitchen tables, I dont know why- I guess I have always loved being in the middle of the chaos. We will have a kitchen table- but it will probably only be used on holidays. If you hate kitchen tables, don't include a kitchen table. It'll be something around which you'll have to clean, and it'll always irritate you ... even if it is useful on holidays. For my money, though -- in general terms, without seeing the space -- I'd rather have one island for working and a kitchen table for sitting. Hon, aging parents don't want to dine nightly at an island:) No one of any age wants to dine at an island. You can't see /interact with the rest of the family from a typical island position. Mealtime is important. It's not a time to line up like birds on a wire. If you do stick with the island-as-dining-area, be sure to choose stools that work well for elderly people. I have SWIVEL bar stools that are exactly "butt high", and my mother loved them just after her hip replacement. She could "slide onto" the stool, then swivel to face the peninsula. On the other hand, I hated my daughter's college apartment barstools, which were about a foot higher than my rear end (and that was her only dining spot ... she said they never used it because the whole thing was just too high). but a 35 foot long kitchen is likely going to be a huge regret. Consider that you're talking about a kitchen the length of a THREE CAR GARAGE. Let that visual sink in. You're going to lose "human proportion" in something that size. Bigger rarely means better, though it usually does mean more expensive. Often very large kitchens are less functional, and less welcoming, because they are just too big, and require too much walking, and family members aren’t connecting because everyone is spaced too far apart. Yes. This. Actually 10ft ceilings because I don’t want to cool 12ft ceilings. And we are using ikea cabinets. The counters will be expensive, the flooring will be same same thorough out the entire house at $2.99/ sq Foot. Appliance package is $10k. I just dont see where $300k comes from. People around here are prone to making up huge numbers without any justification to formula such bottom lines (aside from a grasp at huge size = huge price). However, I see a couple things that will run up your prices: - You're talking about a huge, bloated kitchen. Everything will end up being expensive just because of the size. - The cabinets (even using Ikea) will add up to more than you expect -- 10' is very high, and you'll probably go with stacked cabinets; that's a whole extra "row" of cabinets for which you'll have to pay. - You've already said you want expensive countertops ... inch for inch, they'll cost even more than the cabinets. - You'll need lots of lighting for an oversized kitchen. - You say appliances are 10K ... do you know the brands /models for that price, or is that an allowance? - Consider, too, that once you build this giant space, things are going to need replacing. Those Ikea cabinets won't last forever. You'll grow tired of that lovely countertop one day. And then you're tied into big costs for renovations too. And I don’t like cozy. I love large, open and airy. What I hear you describing is natural light ... not more square footage. I’m not skimping on floors. I just like the wood look tile floors and happenEd to find a tile I like for $2.99. Talk to your parents about whether they're okay with tile. I stand up on tile all day while I'm teaching -- it's hard on my knees, and I'm not really old yet (early 50s). Added storage cabinets are always a plus. A more reasonable (and affordable choice) is a walk-in pantry. A pantry stores food, small appliances, and more more efficiently than expensive cabinetry.