Kitchen Remodel

[Duchess]

That's pretty, Duchess (I'm talking about your thumb

Why thank ya, doll face.

I don't think I'd be able to manage anything on an electric range. That's a very nice range top, User.

I probably don't have to remind you of this but I'm going to mention it anyway. Get everything in writing, every little thing. First & foremost you want your ass & dollars covered.

[username]

Thanks, Duchess. Good tip. The contractor I plan on using...well, I really like him but for small jobs he's done for me, he's recently started telling me to pay him "whatever I think". I pay him more than he'd ask for but less than I would have to pay someone else for the same job. Our main sewer line backed up and I needed to have it snaked. It typically costs me $300-$400 to have a plumber do it, I paid the contractor $180 (and that's only because the guy working with him that day let it slip that they typically charge $140). I probably would have paid him around $240 if I hadn't heard that. Anyway, that's not going to work if I hire him to do this job.

Okay bitches and bastards...take ur pick (if you like any of them). The oven stays in the same place in all 4 options--where it currently exists. IF I put the stove near the seating, I have the option of having the bar higher than the stove (indicated in picture 1). Or I could put the stove top to the left of the sink and put a decorative hood/back splash on it and make it a sort of focal point for the kitchen. That's what I'm inclined to do but I want ur opinions.

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#4

[Duchess]

My vote is for the focal point, just because I like that sorta thing.

[username]

My vote is for the focal point, just because I like that sorta thing.

Yeah, I think I'm going to do that. The fridge will get moved to where the stove currently sits. I'm not sure about the bar area. Her favorite arrangement was the one that shows 6 seats. Initially it was mine too and maybe it still is...I just don't know if it looks too boxy. It provides enough seating for the 4 of us though plus guests. *scratches head*

Here's the "staggered" counter concept.



Ugh. I don't like this part!

[Duchess]

That's beautiful. I'm a huge fan of open space and having the kitchen/family room together like that is very appealing to me.

Is that a slider I saw in your pix? Do you like french doors?

[HairOfTheDog]

I'm not good at envisioning the end result from the blueprints user, but a backsplash focal point sounds cool.

Really like the staggered counter pic -- I'm partial to dark wood and lighter floors/walls in common areas.

Would you have space for a dining table too or would the counter be the only eating area?

[sally]

Don't get Thermador. All my appliances are Thermador and they gave me nothing but trouble, just say no.

I have four gas burners, a grill, and a griddle. Don't get a grill, you can grill outside. I'd rather have a larger griddle, that thing comes in handy for everything. Definitely put your interest in a griddle because that's what you're going to use the most.

[sally]

Plus when the warranty is up and something breaks it's almost impossible to find an appliance repair place that deals with Thermador products. I'd go with Wolf or Viking.

[Duchess]

My range & dishwashers are Viking, I like them a lot (aside from cooking) and I've never had an issue with them. My fridge and island units are Sub-Zero and they've been pretty much free from issues as well.

[username]

Don't get Thermador. All my appliances are Thermador and they gave me nothing but trouble, just say no.

I have four gas burners, a grill, and a griddle. Don't get a grill, you can grill outside. I'd rather have a larger griddle, that thing comes in handy for everything. Definitely put your interest in a griddle because that's what you're going to use the most.

Good advice. I have a Thermador double oven now and she thinks it's great but I've heard the damn things can burn down your house when you run the self-clean option so I don't do that unless I'm hear to watch the stupid thing. Plus, now that you mention it, I don't recall why but about a year after I bought it (it's about 6 years old now), I had to have a service call on it. Fuck Thermador.

If I put the stove top to the left of the sink, I'm limited in how big I can make it. If I put it on the right, I've got more room to maybe add a griddle. I have a griddle pan (a couple) that I use all the time--I just lay it across two burners now.

My husband looked at the picture with the 6 seats (which I'm still having a hard time picturing that weird T-shaped counter/seating arrangement) and said "why don't we just put a table there instead"? We could do that--it's basically the same U shaped arrangement we have now just bigger. What we were trying to address though is people tend to just lean on the counter and talk to me while I'm cooking (which is annoying as fuck but that's what they do) so she was trying to provide seating for the bastards. Nobody sits at our current kitchen table and talks to me; they have to be at the counter, in my face.

HotD, we have a dining room and right now (except for the flooring in there) it wouldn't change. I can seat 8-10 in there pretty easily but it's not used very often. I like the table/chairs/buffet I have in there (it's recycled barn wood--lots of character) but the whole set up isn't very comfy. With a change of furniture in there, I think the dining room could be made much more inviting than it is now.

Duchess...French doors! I'm not sure if I'll do it in this remodel but yeah, we could definitely replace that slider with French doors. We also have a big window in our dining room--I've thought about getting rid of that and putting in French doors there to allow additional access to the back yard. The designer thinks we're fortunate--our back yard is pretty big (by California standards) and private. She doesn't think we need drapes or anything on our slider/back windows.

[sally]

What we were trying to address though is people tend to just lean on the counter and talk to me while I'm cooking (which is annoying as fuck but that's what they do) so she was trying to provide seating for the bastards. Nobody sits at our current kitchen table and talks to me; they have to be at the counter, in my face.

I provided seating for the bastards too. It's especially annoying when they're talking to you while your trying to concentrate on following a recipe. Then you get it in the oven and think, god damn it I forgot to add the eggs.

[Duchess]

It's especially annoying when they're talking to you while your trying to concentrate on following a recipe.

I can't be talked to at all, really, if I'm doing something like that. If I become distracted it's all over. Once my concentration is lost I will walk right out of the room. I walked outside once and had an OH MY GOD!! moment and was on a dead run to get back to the kitchen. *sigh* I do that with food on the grill too. Fuckin' hell.

[username]

Hmmmm...I found a picture that shows the built in, 6 person seating arrangement.

Ugly? I dislike the legs underneath what essentially looks like a counter top. Phuck.

[Duchess]

It's not unattractive.

Has she shown you her portfolio? Just curious.

[sally]

Her favorite arrangement was the one that shows 6 seats. Initially it was mine too and maybe it still is...I just don't know if it looks too boxy.

I really like this one. Mine is the same with the staggered counter, but I don't have the sides. It just goes straight across. You could always do that too if you think it would be too boxy. Obviously you'd lose counter space though.

[username]

That is just an example of the staggered counter. Mine wouldn't be an island like that but I could do something like that in some of the other designs she suggested. I'm leaning away from that T shape though. The table part looks like counter hanging in space.

Duchess...portfolio? No. I'm bad. I liked her by phone and pretty much immediately hired her. She's offered to show me some of her work (she always brings her laptop) but I haven't taken her up on it. Oops.
I could always have the cabinet people give me some designs. As Maggot said earlier in the thread they'll do it for free.

[username]

If there's room to have cabinets under it, that would look better than the dumb post/leg idea.

[ramseycat]

Hmmmm...I found a picture that shows the built in, 6 person seating arrangement.

Ugly? I dislike the legs underneath what essentially looks like a counter top. Phuck.

I like a white kitchen but I don't like that table thing. I wound rather have the bar with bar stools.

[HairOfTheDog]

If there's room to have cabinets under it, that would look better than the dumb post/leg idea.

I think you might be frustrated with a boxed seating area in the kitchen though.

I can see people sitting around your counter-like table while you're slaving away over a hot stove and chugging down the bottled water (Vodka). Then, you realize you left the key ingredient in the fridge. You'd have to make somebody get up out his chair just to open the door and grab the chilled Spam. I could see you saying, "fuck it, I'm palling Cizza Hut!".

I think I'd only go for a table right in the middle of the kitchen if I hadn't a dining room area.

[HairOfTheDog]

This is similar to my friend's kitchen in Prescott. It's really functional and comfortable. I like the look a lot, too



Wish I had the floor space that you and she have, user. You've got a lot of great options.