I like to think that what we're doing "references" our home's age and style, but we're definitely not purists. As I type, my butler's pantry oak window frame is being painted white. Gasp! Our house's kitchen was originally about 15x9. It had a free standing farmhouse sink, a large stove, and possibly a hutch-like cabinet on one wall. There was a single light, probably hanging over a work table in the middle of the room. There was a pass-through pantry connecting the kitchen to the dining room, and a second butler's pantry behind the porch, and both pantries had a couple of built-ins. The "laundry room" was a three-basin soapstone sink in the basement and a clothes line in the backyard. I have thought a lot about what it would be like to be the "woman of the house" in 1910 and making due with what was available. I am convinced that Mrs. Original Homeowner would think I was crazy if I tried to recreate anything much like that first set-up with so many great new options available. Still, we tried to pick materials and finishes that were in use in homes at the time - wood (painted and stained), marble, soapstone, slate, subway tile. We had our cabinets built to look similar to the originals, and we are using the blueprints to replicate one of two missing china cabinets in the dining room. We are installing push-button switches and some period-appropriate lighting, and we repurposed a sewing room as our new pantry (which is right behind and very similar to the original pantry). In short, we have a grand old house that had a tiny, dismal, minimally functional kitchen. I like to think that if our house had a choice, it would pick the one it's getting! ;)

Thanks for all your insight. Marcolo, you have a great deal of wisdom which is well conveyed. Yes, we have old age and Yale (perhaps Cornell, my DH's alma mater) tuition covered. We spend plenty on our experiential splurges. Affording something is quite relative. I don't believe in legacy for grandchildren for moral and ethical reasons. The money should be plowed back into the society rather than create a class of aritocracy, as does Warren Buffet's belief. (I am sure my yearly salary is not even his hourly earnings.) I have had too much dealings with America's aristocracy (the legacy class) to see that it is not doing our society any good. My political musings aside.... We have a rental house. That kitchen will probably get done when the current tenants move out. My guess is that for that kitchen, the budget will be about 15K-20K. I think I need to do a midlevel remodel since the house is smack in the median price point for the region. I feel like I can make decisions for my rental in a few days and have a great looking kitchen that increased the function and form by huge leaps and bounds. I may even be able to increase the rent substantially. I will do Ikea cabinets, midlevel appliances such as Kitchenaid and probably extend the hard wood to the kitchen. On the other hand, I would never comtemplate putting in an integrated frig, attic mounted vent fan, quartz countertop, $3000 speed oven.. Forget it! Even with the budget limitations, I know that the kitchen can and will look great and function beautifully. I am actually really looking forward to doing it when the time comes. However, my own kitchen remodel has been difficult in terms of expectations and decision making. So the struggle really is how to say enough is enough and stop.... I think I have made the last splurge on my speed oven. Off to look for a cost effective faucet with great design without spending $1000! Anyone know of great alternative to Dornbracht faucets?

If you don't do the quartz for now maybe you could use the saved money to build up the cabinets to the ceiling. I think that would look really nice. I have seen this done rather easily by simply doing a hefty build up of mouldings to get up to the ceiling. It wasn't that expensive as the mouldings are all stock and they just use several different ones sometimes up to five pieces but it doesn't look like yours would take that many combined. It would eliminate that dark space above the cabinets and give a great new importance to the look of the cabinets making them seem bigger and custom. I know you would love them that way. That would really look nice in your kitchen and make a huge difference that I think you would just love. You have a charming space and it would be fun to see what a major change building up the cabinets to meet the ceiling would make. Can't wait to see what you decide to do. You are doing a great job and with the changes you are making it's going to be great. Also I have seen some mix and match natural stone combined with laminant that looks really impressive. They are purposely done that way by Wilson I think it is. Such as using (just for example) the soapstone real stone in a small area and then the rest of the space with the laminant that looks just like it or some other color. They probably do it in quartz as well. Good luck!

Ok, so obviously not practical to put dishwasher on the left side of the sink. Is the corner cabinet next to your range a lazy susan? Is that where you are storing pots and pans currently? Are you sure you only need one 36-inch drawer cabinet? When looking through your pictures, it seems you need space for pet food, kitchen electrics, trash can, k-kups and whatever else you're storing in the little cabinet with colored drawers and the sideboard where you have the Keurig. Speaking of which, you need counter space for the canisters and coffee maker. I see potential in rearranging some of your existing cabinets and purchasing a couple additional base and upper cabinets. I'm almost positive you can find matching, basic cabinets, off-the-shelf at a big box store such as HD or Lowe's. Just an idea to throw out there for consideration.