Too bad the cabs are not as nice as they appear in pix. I'd say this was an "after" kitchen if you hadn't said that, lol.

Going with cabs to the ceiling makes the room feel taller because you are elongating the lines.

Open shelves would look wonderful since you have such a long run. If you put them where the micro currently is shown between the windows, that would be ideal.

Is it the whole cabs that are the problem or could you get away with new doors? This seems so cute that it is sad you have to do much to it.

Thanks! my new house was to finally have inset cabinets, which I have longed for many years! The floors need to be sanded and refinished, and the cabinets are just not made great, and although I could live with them, this house requires a lot of work before we move in, so it's an ideal time to do the kitchen. (new roof, electric, floors, ceilings, etc.. all need repairs.

So I like the idea of making the room taller, but will it make it feel narrower.. more closed in?

I dont think taller cabinets make the room seem more closed in. Oddly, I think shorter cabinets do that, by creating a horizontal line for your eye a few feet lower than the ceiling. It's like wearing a dress --- if it has horizontal stripes you tend to look shorter then if it were all one color.

The key will be to keep the colors light and use a lot of glass. I have posted on this several times before, but in my old kitchen I had all glass fronts, but I had lightweight muslin curtains hung inside. Very light, but no one could see the "world's best dad" mugs among the wedgewood.

mtnrdredux, yes.. guess that does make sense (about the dress too!) I know I'm going with white inset cabinets, but I want to avoid the glass fronts! I have a glass front cabinet/hutch now and the glass is always so dirty (and we hardly cook, and don't smoke).

quote "I really would like to have the cabinets to the ceiling, but..."

Can you give a few reasons for your would like statement?

--

quote "I like most of the layout"

david, not sure what you are asking? The "I would like" is just what my heart desires.. I like the look of the tall/stacked inset cabinets.

I think I mentioned I liked most of the current layout (photo's) but wanted to move the mircowave to a base cabinet (see drawing).

Could you put the door to the pantry on the other side(facing down in the pic) and add a bit more cabinetry to the range wall without it crowding the table?

laxsupermom, you are so awesome. That is a brilliant idea.

laxsupermom, really a GREAT idea! I'll need to actually measure more accurate to see if having the cabinet run longer would still give plenty of walking room, but I never thought of this! Thanks!

Just curious you have a door that looks like it enters a bedroom right off of the kitchen, could that door be removed and have the entry into that bedroom be from the other room, then you could build in that area where the door was into a bigger pantry and utilize your wall next to the range for more cabinetry and counter. I never liked having a bedroom or bath open to my kitchens.
I can not tell what that other room is to the left of the kitchen but it appears to have a connecting wall with that bedroom.

ravencajun,
yes, the door ways are not normal in todays homes, but this house is 80-90 years old, and that bedroom was once the servants quarters. If I was to move a door, it would be a door from the dining room, between 2 built in hutches, so it wouldn't work.

That is a nice kitchen as is.

You might panel the dishwasher, if that part of the cabinet run is visible from the living room and it bothers you.

It would be nice to not have to carry big pots of boiling water across the aisle. (See my thread a few days ago, on safety.) So if you did extend the range cabinets, a small dump sink might be a possibility.

Why does the sink counter end where it does? Can you extend it, put the range on the exterior wall, have that whole run as prep-cook-plate space, with the washing up sink on the interior wall, definitely out of view of the living room?