New Kitchens / Remodels

[Too Tall]

By g-d this is VSalon and we can't have anything less than excessive overdoing it yah? Kidding.

This might be a thread to show your amazing kitchen or before / after OR to talk about a project so here we go.

After 22 yrs. living with a barely functional kitchen from which I've served the masses and endured...oh why bother? My kitchen is just awful.

We are beginning to trot contractors thru the house and talk about "what it". All I know so far is that I'll finally get a gas oven, adequate counter space to work/prep. the rest is up in the air. I'll post some diagrams of the space in time as well as some ideas.

Would love to hear about stoves, built in appliances etc. that rock your world. I'm keen to have some sort of a fast top broiler or even a small salamander installed since i do alot of top browning last min. Big / Deep kitchen sinks YES!!! Talk to me about amazing kitchen sinks.

Here we go...

[Matthew Strongin]

Oh man, that's a big project. We redid the kitchen in our last house, superficial only, and it was a pain. But the end product was great and so much nicer than the hideous finishes that came before. Helped us sell the house quickly, too.

In this house we ended up with a crazy oven/stove. We're not all that into cooking, but I swear everything we make is better and easier. We had natural gas at the last house and a propane tank here. It's pricier, but still worth it. Here's the first stove that's ever rocked my world.

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Ours has a matching hood. I'm not looking forward to replacing it should it ever break beyond repair.

[rwsaunders]

The Kitchen Work Triangle is where it all begins and if you are having a designer to help layout your kitchen, they will be familiar with the process. Good exhaust and good lighting, not necessarily in that order, are two other key pieces of information and plenty of prep space to dice, slice, chop, rinse and roll, especially since you are a cookaholic.

I am also a fan of stainless steel appliance surfaces and stainless sinks...deep double sinks and faucets which allow large pots and pans to be filled in the sink. A quiet and efficient dishwasher, double oven (one convection) and a 5-6 burner gas cooktop are always busy at our house. Refrigerators...all a matter of preference. Some like the side by side and others like the over or under freezer. We didn't select an in-door water/ice dispenser but some folks love them.

Don't forget power outlets for blenders, food processors, coffee grinders/makers, iPads, etc. Wire your kitchen for sound and speakers too as we entertain a lot at the island. Material selections for tops and backsplashes can be overwhelming. We used granite for the tops and tumbled limestone for the backsplash, but with the many surface material choices available today, I might have passed on the granite at what, $50/SF? Porcelain tile completed our floor but I might have chosen wood looking back on it. Easier on the feet but I was worried that it would clash with the maple cabinets.

Cabinets are tough to beat from a manufacturer like Kraft Maid, etc. Beyond a specialty kitchen shop, places like The Home Depot carry some decent brands and the soft touch drawers are a must anymore. Wood finishes or laminate...what does the Queen like and what will the next buyer like? Things to think about.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitchen_work_triangle

[Too Tall]

Queen likes off white or grey stained wood cabinets and a mix of glass doors with solid. Dark Granite...not so much, we are leaning twords something manmade.
GREAT idea to have power outlets for charging etc.
We just got back from a tour of a neighbors house that one of the contractors we are reviewing did and it is fabulous.
Matt, do you use that grill? Our situation calls for a 6 burner stove/oven combo. I had hoped to use a lightly used Wolf cooktop/grill that a pal gave me...we shall see if it passes muster. Maybe throwing good money at old tech. The cooptop is 15 years old but when it was removed it was brand new.
LIGHTING YES! lots of it, I'm a freak for good light.

[rwsaunders]

TT...I'm a fan of Sarah Susanka and you might find inspiration in some of her ideas relating to your kitchen and its relationship to the balance of your living space.

Sarah Susanka

[nahtnoj]

You're a 90 minute drive from having some Amish or Mennonite guys build you an amazing set of custom cabinets...

[ericpmoss]

Are you thinking of pastry or hand-kneaded bread? A nice marble slab (maybe even a chilled one if you're into ice cream) is really nice for French kneading.

BTW, the more 220V appliances you can get, the more efficient and lightweight your kitchen will be. I'm thinking blenders, espresso machines and grinders, fridges, induction/electric water boilers, etc. For example, Cadco 220V convection ovens go from cold to finished scones in 13 minutes flat, and are cool again 5 minutes after that. It's a godsend for summertime baking, and they make the best brioche and cheesecake and biscotti I have ever had. They even provide computer-controlled steam. Awesome.

[GrantM]

TT...I'm a fan of Sarah Susanka and you might find inspiration in some of her ideas relating to your kitchen and its relationship to the balance of your living space.

Sarah Susanka

I'm a big fan too.

She gives a house tour in this episode of This Old House,
there are a lot of great concepts in this design.

[spopepro]

TT, while I'm still in the planning stages myself, we have come to many of the same conclusions.
Bosch dishwashers are silly good. Having no heating element for drying takes some habit changes, like leaving the door open a crack if your washing plastic or wood items.
Messing around at an appliance shop here that invites you to do a little cooking the ranges I liked were thermador and bluestar. The burner shape seemed to contribute to more even heat and both had a good simmer. The thermador simmers by pulsing the flame, which makes a sound some find annoying. Just turn on your big ass hood and all will be fine.

Considerations: I'll be putting in a built-in instant hot water tap. It's awesome for coffee and tea. Also, installing a momentary switch by the sink for the disposal seems nice.

One place I'll be different from everyone is that I'll probably have stainless steel counters made. My wife isn't convinced, but I beat the hell out of my kitchen (bad habits formed in busy kitchens) and am used to the feel.

[Todd Amunrud]

From an aesthetic standpoint, matched refrigerator and dishwasher fronts to the cabinets always caught my eye and is possible by most cabinet makers/contractors. Also as mentioned above, stainless counter prep areas are great for abuse and cleaning.

[ericpmoss]

Have you settled on the sink and faucet? Check out the foot-actuated faucet add-ons. They let you use the regular faucet or turn it on/off with your foot. Some even connect to the dispose-all to run the water when it runs. It takes a bit of getting used to, but it's great to rinse things that require both hands to hold.

[thomas]

I can't believe this thread is here. So timely. The next 6 weeks or so are going to be total chaos in our house - new fridge, stove, (both GE) dishwasher (yeah, Bosch), island with soapstone countertop, and cabinets. Need to totally clear out all the stuff in the cabinets now, and figure out how to live without a kitchen for a few weeks.

I'm already starting to miss the rides I'm going to miss! But somebody else living here is going to be one happy lady!

[Too Tall]

I can't believe this thread is here. So timely. The next 6 weeks or so are going to be total chaos in our house - new fridge, stove, (both GE) dishwasher (yeah, Bosch), island with soapstone countertop, and cabinets. Need to totally clear out all the stuff in the cabinets now, and figure out how to live without a kitchen for a few weeks.

I'm already starting to miss the rides I'm going to miss! But somebody else living here is going to be one happy lady!

Will you have soapstone counters AND Island or Granite Island? Wondering if I really need to worry about having quite different surface appearances.

*Instant Hot Water* <<< YES good one.

[TMB]

Too late to turn back now .....

[Too Tall]

GAHHH I wanted that pantry cabinet tooooo late nowwww. Kidding.

[TMB]

GAHHH I wanted that pantry cabinet tooooo late nowwww. Kidding.

You pay shipping!

[winmonster]

TMB, it's not too late!

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That's too late.

[Too Tall]

Omg. Be there in two weeks. Send me an invite.

Just back from the cabinet / design meeting. Total man crush for the concept guy. He nailed the design and level of quality we need. This thing is a go.

Good / bad news is that my GC has a deal in place for Wolf so I need to relook at Wolf ranges or suck it up and pay full boat for Thermador. Anybody with some experience with their ranges of late chime in now!

[TMB]

Starting to see what it will look like ...

Floors get re-done in December when we are away.

[Too Tall]

Just a comment. These guys who lay floors are freaking animals.