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Kitchens Design Dilemma Remodeling

Kitchen suggestions

last year

I’m downsizing from a house with 5,300 sq. ft. to a condo with just under 2,000 sq. ft. so lots of changes! I want to do as much work as possible before I move in and would love your ideas on the kitchen. Currently I have BM White Dove cabinets that I love along with quartz countertops, a double wall oven, gas cooktop and separate microwave. Since I plan to stay in this new home for many years I’d like the kitchen to be as age-friendly as possible. I also don’t like the cutouts above the cabinets and am thinking of Sheetrocking them. Should I just start over with the cabinets to get the dish drawers and other features I like? Can this small a kitchen accommodate a single wall oven? Any thoughts/suggestions would be appreciated. I’m not a wood tone lover so at least the finishes will have to be changed! Thanks.

Featured Answer

herbflavor

last year

last modified: last year

the backsplash of choice would really play up the U shape and the beautiful wood as youd enhance the "surround" configuration. I think I'd leave the open areas at the top as I dont see a need to close it up and why not have that feature? get a new ceiling fixture though. Kinda tough because the cabs look good . personally I dislike the counters more but if a backsplash could be found you might be in good shape....and they may be newer counters to work with.... Maybe if you wait a bit of time.....might be a good idea. i like the corners and cubism with the spaces at the top and there is so much going on with tile these days ..here's something w a geometric vibe..there are others. find a backsplash to play up what you have for a couple years then re evaluate.....

Custom Backsplash Tile - Roland Park · More Info

Custom Backsplash Tile - Roland Park · More Info

Mid-century Modern Budget Friendly Kitchen · More Info

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Comments (11)

Lorraine Leroux
last year
Can we have a floor plan with dimensions. In most condos I have seen that bar top only divides the room for bar dining meanwhile if you take the bar counter out and extend you kitchen along the wall you can sometimes create enough room for a nice dining table instead. OR even a nice island with seating to open it up more. That seems to be a small-ish kitchen for 2000 sq ft.
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Here's another idea for you. I moved the back door towards the master bath wall to reduce the corridor feel your kitchen has. This plan doesn't give you as much counter space as Plan A but it puts all the work areas on one side with an ample aisle through the space. (Now that I know your room's actual width, my Plan A only allowed for 36" aisles, which is tight! Plus the fridge won't fit where I show it without creating a narrow kitchen entry.) I eliminated one window to make room for upper cabs but I added a large window over the sink area and a window at the end of the kitchen with glass-paned door next to it. The pet feeding station will be something like this: [Traditional Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by Bend Kitchen & Bath Designers Kathleen Donohue, Neil Kelly Co. [Transitional Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/transitional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2112) by Kingston Kitchen & Bath Remodelers ACE Cabinet Center [Rustic Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/rustic-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2111) by Los Angeles Interior Designers & Decorators Shannon Ggem ASID There's room for hooks for coats and leashes on the wall by the back door. If you're willing to extend the far left wall, I have another idea. That would, however, close the kitchen off from the DR more and I get the sense you don't want to do that.
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OK. here's what I was thinking when I discussed moving the BP, etc. Unfortunately, I do not have time to document the detailed analysis, but if you read the Kitchen Design FAQ threads linked below, you should be able to see why I did what I did. No through traffic in the Prep Zone, Cooking Zone, and Baking Center! Note: I would have preferred to switch the refrigerator and ovens on the bottom wall, but I wanted to recess the refrigerator to allow you to have a larger refrigerator and there wasn't enough room in the wall below where the ovens are. . Zone Map: . 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 [Included for reference] . 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 . 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 .
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I'm flabbergasted that an architect would actually draw that plan with the pantry so close to the island. If you make it into a corner pantry (not my favorite, but in this case it would work), and then move the ovens to that side, it would open up the kitchen to the DR, and allow more light from the window to enter the kitchen. That would also place the MW closer to the fridge, for easy re-heating of left-overs. Is the pic from a model kitchen in a spec home? If you have the latitude, I'd suggest making the island longer, to provide more prep space to the right of the sink, and making the cabinets on the fridge wall deeper, or at least pulling out standard depth cabinets to the same depth as the fridge box.
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Comments (0)
I am planning to buy this kitchen.. It's solid ash wood.. I am confused if i sould buy this color or I should go for white finish.. Need ur advise about this color..
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emilyam819
last year
The cabinets are very nice. I’d make the peninsula one level and get white counters.
everdebz
last year
last modified: last year
I like what you have, and beautiful wood cabinets.

https://www.build.com/learn
everdebz
last year
Might be unusual, but here's LED lights on underside of shelves, and top shelf has space above it.. is it better that way...

McLean, Virginia - Contemporary - Kitchen Design · More Info

McLean, Virginia - Contemporary - Kitchen Design · More Info
everdebz
last year
last modified: last year
A varied use of cabinets here, and one section isn't raised to the ceiling - maybe your don't have to either.

1st Place NKBA large Contemporary Kitchen 2012 · More Info

1st Place NKBA large Contemporary Kitchen 2012 · More Info

Contemporary Home Bar · More Info
everdebz
last year
last modified: last year
Not traditional 'cove' top trim [is it called?]

Cove Contemporary - Rooms with a View · More Info
everdebz
last year
What do you think about the opening next to the frig? is it an option to close it, and use for storage, etc....
susanfolds
Original Author
last year
Thanks for all the suggestions! I’ve heard one neighbor did lower that raised counter and it made the kitchen seem more open and part of the living space. Unfortunately, I don’t have a floor plan to share but the kitchen is a small u-shape with more cabinets, stove, and a small pantry on the opposite wall. And even though they seem to be good quality I’m just not a brown cabinet girl so I know I’ll either want to paint or replace them. Countertops are Corian and I much prefer quartz. Trying to figure out how to do a wall oven with a gas cooktop. Our real estate market is so competitive I only spent about an hour in the home before I had to make a decision; there were other people waiting to buy it!
rebasheba
last year
trying to figure out how to do a wall oven with a gas cooktop.

If you could rearrange everything so that the cooktop is in the U, and make the current range wall into fridge, wall oven/micro, and pantry cabinets, that could be efficient! But especially given that it's a condo so I assume it's in a building, temper your expectations about what lines/appliances could be moved.

Or maybe where the pantry is now, could be adapted to hold the wall oven?

good luck with your move!
susanfolds
Original Author
last year
I thought about using the pantry for the oven but do hate to lose that space. It’s technically a condo but it’s arranged as a single level duplex. Thanks for the suggestions!

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