Both the bathroom and kitchen will be gutted but the footprint will still be the same (ie; no expansion, maybe just a few walls coming down to open up the space).

HI --Lucy Go around to some kitchen shops to look at cabinets to compare quality between brands and to get some ideas . If you have an IKEA store near you they are one to check . They have lots of great things for the insides and lots of door styles etc.I think you need a new layout for both rooms . If you can provide more info ,like what appliances and sizes you are getting and so on . More info and pictures on both rooms. I think the corner sink should go if possible. And what about that wall oven and what is behind that wall oven wall ??

Thanks. The corner sink is going and so are the wall ovens. The plan is to knock down the wall where the wall oven is top open the space up as well as a side wall in the kitchen.

Definately check out local kitchen & bath design centers & cabinet shops. The prices more than likely won't be too different from Lowes/Home Depot, but the quality will be much better. Many shops usually have specials, too, especially as it gets closer to the Holidays. When it comes time for countertops, look into slab galleries & other granite/marble shops. They always have remnant pieces that you can get for a discounted price.

We just redid our kitchen and used IKEA cabinets. We blended them with some customs doors for the island, stone, quartz counters, etc... They look very high end! I love them!

There is no question IKEA is the way to go for quality and DIY'ers. I have used IKEA for almost everything, except fine furniture...but their furniture is OK too. I am in the midst of assembling a desk (cost $25.00) for my sewing room. I put mine together using carpenters wood glue as well. I bought my daughter a wardrobe in 1980 and it has been carted from one end of the country to another. She is now using it in her son's room. I checked the internet and there are 3 stores within 50 miles of Washington, DC. They have on line catalogues as well. www.IKEA.com. They also have an online program which will allow you to do space planning for your kitchen and bathroom. In Canada, they have kitchen specialist in their stores (free of charge) to help you plan and pick out materials. Check it out first. Lowes and Home Depot are OK if you want standard cabinets but they are not (in my opinion) the quality of IKEA. Also their kitchen specialist charge $200 for the design, if you do not buy from them. You may also consider, garage sale furniture. An old dresser or table can be converted into a bath sink vanity. A farm table (or a hallway consul table) can have locking wheels put on and used as a movable island for the kitchen. Use the top as is, or place another material on it, i.e.. butcher block, barn boards (sealed against bacteria), etc.

Consider refacing your cabinet boxes if they are sound versus total replacement. If you like the layout of the kitchen and won't be making major changes that is an economical way freshen the look of the kitchen. As a contractor, he can measure the boxes and get the correct door widths to fit.

Home Depot is well known for providing supplies to reface the cabinets to DIYers.

It's me again. I have a small kitchen. Get the best appliances you can afford. They come in 'european sizes' and last forever. I like your small size dishwasher. I chose a Fisher & Paykal dish drawer. Takes up even less space but has a full load capacity for dinner guests with water and heat temperature controlled by the setting. I got a Dacor microwave, because it bakes as well. So no oven needed. Your fridge seems oversized. Look at one that is counter depth and perhaps taller than wider. I have had Subzero for years, and they have never failed me. But they are expensive.. but my experience is food lasts twice as long. I bought two burner induction but a gas 'counter drop in' works too. Electric would be my last choice for cooking. And don't forget a good vent fan for the stove. Make sure your outside vent is 8" - 10" so you can easily eliminate any cooking odors from a small house. I use mine in the summer as well to vent out hot air, because I don't want to put on the air conditioner. And consider one of those "touch" kitchen faucets. Just touch it and it turns off and on. Perfect when your hands are covered in gardening dirt or pastry dough.

Wow, these comments are fantastic. I have a lot of shopping to do. Thanks for the input. I will definitely post photos after all is said and done.

I went to Home Depot yesterday and the associate there did not charge me. Maybe because I went there with the kitchen layout I wanted. He provided me with a 3D version of the kitchen with cabinets and counter tops in place. I got an estimate of $14 for KraftMade cabinets and Silestone counters for a 13x7 kitchen (discounts would bring it down to about $9K). SO at least I have a starting point to compare.

Lucy, are you planning on staying in your new place for a long while or just a couple of years and fixing up in the meantime? If you are planning on reselling in the next five years, then look at things that will bring back the greatest resale value. Kitchens and bathrooms of course, but then consider the scale of the remodel as well. Go for the upgraded countertops in granite or quartz.

If you could post a floor plan of your kitchen, with measurements, then we could see if changing out your peninsula to an island would be feasible or not. Keeping your plumbing in almost the same location is one way to keep costs way down. Counterspace is definitely at a premium for you, finding a way to convert to a larger, undermount, single bay sink, maybe extra deep, could give you more of that.

Your refrigerator looks to be cabinet depth, which is a great space saver. Do you have a pantry next to it or is it counterspace and cabinets? Upgrading your oven and cooktop to a nice convection range (Kitchenaid is great quality at a reasonable price) would allow you to add storage space in the oven cabinet area. Otherwise replace your oven and cooktop to match the other appliances.

All appliances will be replaced, with a refrigerator that would be more to scale as well as a stove/oven combo so some of the walls can come down to open space and bring in more counter space.

Lucy, can you share your proposed kitchen floor plan with us?