Its been a long 18 months without a real kitchen. With cabinet doors that like to open on their own, limited counter space, an oven that doesn’t stay closed, somehow I’ve managed to prepare an estimated 1620 meals for my family and become America’s Favorite Pillsbury Crescent Cook in our current kitchen.
Now that the downstairs bath is complete, along with several upstairs projects – we’re tackling the big one- the project that requires the loudest voice/compromising/and material selection nightmares of all—- the kitchen! Its actually not been that bad. But in my married life, we have had many kitchen experiences in 4 homes: going from OLD to NASTY to brand new to brand new to OLD (with plans to remodel) again, I’ve learned a thing or two about kitchen niceties.
For a woman who likes to cook, a kitchen remodel…
A Kitchen Remodel Project is the manifestation of a woman’s desire to BE in that space. I myself, have found myself, sometimes, LOATHING cooking or baking because of all the frustrations our current kitchen gives. I KNOW I used to like to cook 18 months ago… but the space, the SPACE means everything!
What a girl wants in a new kitchen:
- The central hub of the entire downstairs
- Lots of counter space for rolling out pie dough, prep, and school projects
- My Dishwasher in the same room as the sink (its not funny! You should see what I have now!)
- Space to entertain IN the kitchen
- A large deep sink, none of these 6″ deep aluminum jobbies.
- A comfortable place to hang with the kids while preparing food
- A big big bar area
- A place for art supplies and homework materials
- A view into the house from the sink
- A way to be involved in the life of the house, while IN the kitchen
- A great view into the kitchen for doing recipe videos for the blog
- Maintain the large room’s view of the back yard
Kitchen Constraints
- Utilize all water from the wall shared with the mud room
- Keep the window wall at the back of the house, which is the path to the door, clear.
- Make sure there is ample seat movement room in the dining room.
The water thing is the biggest deal, really. The house is on a slab foundation- which is great for those of us living in the woods- but bad for when you are moving the location of your kitchen! We’ve decided to forgo the route of breaking up the concrete and making a bigger project out of an already large one.
The windows– and the view! We bought the house with the grand view across 22 feet of 6 foot high windows of the wooded backyard and the neighboring parkland. Why would we compromise it! Can’t!
The room size – I am not going to build on for this project! So we have to fit it within the dimensions shown below. I know we can do it!
The sprawling labyrinth of kitchen ideas
When we moved into the house in 2010, we moved in as is. Everything was in working order, for the most part. We had elaborate plans that first week- what walls we were going to move, where the new kitchen would go, the front door, the guest bath, etc… Our ideas today are nothing like that first week. To know a house, it seems you have to LIVE in it to get a sense of the feel. We’re at that point.
Even as recent as, oh, 22 hours ago, we had different ideas- concepts that were great- but limiting and problematic of some general concepts- like easy movement from the sink to the dishwasher, and ability to you know, get INTO the kitchen.
Last year we had the opportunity to start playing with our home plans with a pretty easy to use tool called the Home Designer Suite from Home Architect. With both the 2D mode and the 3D mode we’re able to see and understand our house plan. I’d say we’re not yet utilizing the whole program with its full potential- but, it has been great to get the general ideas down! This tool has seen about 17 revisions of the kitchen plan. My poor husband…
The #1 Kitchen Concept
OK ON WITH IT ALREADY! I know I know, I’m writing too much today. But this remodel thing has been a big part of our lives. We want to get everything right!
The 2D Kitchen Design with views into the park and backyard
The Home Architect software also has a great 3D mode to show you what you are looking for. Below is what we got.
What we’re not yet done defining
This rendering shows the basic layout , but is missing a few things like exact materials, colors, cabinet types, exact cooktop location, wall cabinet variety, and, well, probably a lot more. But you get the idea.
What we’re done defining!
We’ve already had a few sponsors decide they wanted to be featured on Akron Ohio Moms-
- Kohler will showcase a beautiful cast iron sink
- Amana will be promoting their new Top-Freezer Refrigerator and Tall Tub Dishwasher
- Justice and Company in Medina will complete the project with the granite counter tops
- We’ve already laid most of the Tarkett Laminate Flooring
- Everpure for a under the kitchen sink reverse osmosis system
- And a few small extras
- CabiShield to protect the sink cabinet
- A KB Sound Select for the kitchen radio
- A TO DIE FOR Foot Switch for the kitchen faucet from Tapmaster
- Permaflow Pea Trap – for Easy to see Clean Outs
Moving forward and how you can help
This project is primed, and ready to go! I’m hoping to see this complete for Thanksgiving, but, Christmas would be nice too! We’re still in the process of cabinet and appliance selection, and all the little decisions!
We would VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT!
- What do you think of our plan?
- Want to see some other revisions?
- Do you have particular amenities or structural things in your kitchen that you can’t live without?
Do tell, do tell!
