Welcome! Have you read the "new to kitchens? Posting pics" thread? Usually it's on page 1. There's a wealth of good info there on basics.

The biggest thing to focus on first is a functional layout. That is the number one priority for most of us. To start with that, read the thread I mentioned which details how to draw up your current layout and post it with necessary info to get help. Without a good layout with proper work flow, you're wasting your $50K on pretty things that don't make your kitchen easier to use.

It sounds like you have a good idea where you want to head with aesthetics, but perusing some good design websites like houzz.com will help with specific materials. There is also a blog called the Finished Kitchen Blog (youll have to google it as i dont have the link handy on thr ipad) where forum members used to post their finished kitchens. It isn't up-to-date with finished kitchens in the past 18 months or more, but there are some gorgeous kitchens there.

Also, hang out here! Read, read, read. This place moves fast, and you'll learn a lot from just reading.

Post your idea of what you would like your floorplan to look like. Post it complete with measurements and whether or not doors/windows can be moved or not. There are people here who will give you great ideas about how functional and practical your ideas are wrt to the layout. Are you hiring a general contractor or doing it yourself? Is this a long term home or not.

There are magazines that show kitchens with the floorplans, google floorplans with the overall measurements of your space. Read, read, read and research, research, research.

I spent two years researching and probably drew up somewhere between 40-50 floorplans. I did use the services of a kitchen designer but she came with the general contracting firm that we hired and I do count myself fortunate for having found her. Other people do their own research and download planning programs, others rely on the great talent found here. It's a process that cannot be rushed.

I will echo above and read, read, read and research. I am just starting the planning for my kitchen and i admit i am TKO (totally kitchen obsessed) so i spend at least 2 hours a day just researching options.

But i think the biggest thing is to find your own style and design your kitchen based on what you love. There will be lots of trends and ideas from others but this is your kitchen and you are spending a lot of money so follow your on voice in the end.

Good luck....i'm on the journey with you lol..

I did almost two years of planning, that was mostly because I knew that was how long it was going to take to put away the moneys need for the project. However, in that time reading almost every post in this forum gave me SOOO much information some of which were the use of drawers, lighting, dimmer switches, use of painters tape to layout new floor plan while living with old kitchen. I believe you will get so much help here if you give photo's of the area surounding the kitchen, give us your taste, what you like as well as what you dislike, (as in - I never wanted tile flooring and I HATE corner cabinets lol) There are some mighty talented people on this site so let them have a stab at it before you spend more money on a KD. Such an exciting time! Welcome!! Again the more info and pictures up front the clearer the ideas can be.

Your budget is going to be a challenge. New cabinets and appliances can easily put you over budget...not to mention countertops, backsplash, changes in the layout (moving water lines) etc.

The first thing I'd do is start playing with your space, on paper. How big is it? Where are the windows? Are you changing/updating any doors or windows? Are you replacing all the appliances? Do you need a new sink/faucet? Do you want to add gas or move water lines? If you move the fridge, are you still going to have an icemaker...which takes water? If you move the fridge to your back (inside) wall, are you going to add a prep sink? Are you leaving the soffits or taking them out and putting cabinets to the ceiling? These items can be expensive and add very quickly, to your budget.

To save some money...do you DIY at all? Can you reuse any of your cabinets? Maybe replace upper doors with glass or add a plate rack or open shelves? Do you want the island built in (more cabinetry) or a free standing table type? Do you really need a 'gut job' or just a few smart changes?

First thing you should think about is how will the kitchen function? Why do I want to gut it? Is it awful, or is the fridge just in the wrong spot? What if you moved the fridge to the wall, opposite the windows, and added a prep sink and the microwave? Maybe some pantry storage? Do you need another oven? If you took off the peninsula, would an island fit in your space? What is the distance between the sink cabinet and the opposite cabinet? An island may not fit...just some things to think about, as you get started. Hope that helps, at least a bit :)

lavender has been very helpful to me, so I mean no offense to her when I say that IMO your budget is 110% fine.

My metro area and associated costs might be significantly different than yours, but I see no reason you can't have a *marvelous* kitchen, a full gut, for $50k.

I just don't want one comment to scare you off.

When you are ready for cabinets, I highly recommend my cabinet maker. He'll be about a 2 1/2 hr. drive from you but your money will go very far. Dutch Wood Kitchens in Myerstown PA. We did a very large kitchen w/ him w/ all the upgrades for $34K in cabinets. We're getting granite from a place in Baltimore which I can recommend if all goes well (not installed yet but things are looking promising for a great job).

Anyway, that aside, I'd start w/ a design. Post your floor plan here w/ dimensions and people will help. Then, from there'd, I'd get your cabinet quotes next. Then granite.

What cabinets you select and what bells and whistles you decide will make all the difference in price. My small bit of advise would be to get the best grade cabinets you can afford. You might not need all the fancy pullouts etc that greatly increase the price of the kitchen. Or,the top of the line appliances. Go to aplliance stores and get ideas and make a wish list. For me, I wanted my dishawasher and fridge paneled (Sub Zero). But this can greatly add to the expense and they are not needed for a functioning kitchen.
Go to as many showrooms as possible. Go to Lowes and Home Depot, (although I do not recommend them) to see finished and quality of the cabinetry. How the doors opens and close etc.
As the above mentioned, post your bluprint here and you will get tons of advise. That way when it is time to talk to a KD or sales rep you will have clear vsion of what is possible.
When we started to look at kitchens, the first place told us our small L-shaped kitchen would be $50,000. This is for an entire gut job. We were shocked. As it turned out, everything included this is what our kitchen cost. But, there are many kitchen on GW for a lot less.

Editionk- No offense taken, and someone could easily remodel a kitchen for that price, if they're careful with their budget. My point is that it's so easy to spend a lot of money on new cabinetry and appliances. Plus, the backsplash, countertops, flooring, hardware, etc. and any costs for changing the floor plan. And as Bob Vila used to say...the unexpected costs or the 'you might as well' costs. While the kitchen wall is torn up, you might as well replace this old pipe, or window, or subfloor, etc. So, it might be a good idea to save a little budget for those costs, too...so aiming for the $30,000 to $40,000 budget, might be a good idea :)

WOW Beagles! I wish I lived closer to your wonderful cabinet maker! What a find!!

You are getting some great advice -

I will share some of my numbers so that you can see that your money can go pretty far if you are careful. We are totally DIY handy and did ALL our demo ourselves, (what fun!) right down to taking out all flooring in the entire house, moved a door, put up a small wall, removed entire kitchen and laundry room. I did all the painting and staining. I looked hard for online deals.
Our cabinetry (Cabico) was $18,000 ish (just for materials) $3,500 labor, counter quartzite $3,400. (1.5 years ago) The electrical & plumbing costs WHEW $$$ But - It's sooo much fun and rewarding to see it all come together!

As someone who lives and remodeled in the DC-metro area, I will second Lavender_Lass and say that for a full-gut remodel like you're describing your budget might be tight. We naively thought 50K for ours for similar (full-gut of kitchen, removed wall b/w DR & kitchen) and were surprised at how little 50K could be stretched. In the end, our kitchen remodel cost a lot more than $50K.

A couple of caveats:

(1) We did very little DIY (only painting & pantry interior), so if you plan a lot of DIY, your money will go farther

(2) We remodeled in 2008. The market is very different today - you may be able to find "deals" today, but be careful, cost should not be the overriding factor when selecting contractors and cabinet makers - quality & skill should be the #1 factors, followed by business sense & cost. (Keep in mind, though, that our area has not fared as badly as other areas of the country, so there may not be as many "deals" around here as there may be in less-fortunate areas.)

Whatever your budget, it's always a good idea to put 10%-15% aside for the "surprises" that seem to inevitably occur!

First, take the "Sweeby Test" to get an idea of what you envision for your kitchen.

The next steps can go together...determine a budget (which you've already done) and start thinking about your layout. Check out the "Read Me" thread (linked below) to find out how to ask for layout help and what information we need to help you.

You want to come up with a functional layout.

You can also begin looking around for a Kitchen Designer and/or a cabinetmaker (local custom shop or other).

You might consider looking into IKEA. You will pay a fraction of the cost for cabinets (the most costly item in most remodels after labor) than you will pay for most other cabinet lines, including "builder-grade" cabinets and no matter where you go. We're blessed with three IKEAs in the area (College Park & Baltimore in MD and Woodbridge in VA). Their kitchen cabinet line is a good basic line. Consumer Reports rated them highly for basic cabinets plus many people have used them here and speak very highly of them. Even though they are "basic cabinets", they come with quite a few high-end features as standard: full-extension drawers, soft-close drawers, high quality hardware (Blum). Additionally, they are readily modified to make them more flexible for someone with intermediate-level DIY skills...check out IKEAFans for the many creative things done by others with IKEA products.

Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: New To Kitchens? Posting Pics? Read Me!

I think you should start with reading GW as other have advised. It looks like the width of your kitchen would be able to handle an island with an L shape span of cabinets (meaning you probably can't have cabinetry on the interior wall next to where the person is standing in your pic) . By adding an island, you need two aisle walkways instead of one. Just something to think about.

Did you see Bellsmom's kitchen reveal today? She has an L shape plus island layout. Good luck!

Wow, thanks for all the advice!!! I will definitely be working on putting together a layout with tons of measurements so I can get opinions from people here.

The budget is definitely causing some tension between my wife and myself. I have my head in the clouds seeing all the amazing high end kitchens posted on this site, while my wife has her feet firmly planted on the ground and it reluctant to drop such a large amount of cash. I understand that on my budget I won't be getting a subzero fridge or a wolf range, but I do hope I can get some pretty nice mid level appliances.

The reason I want to do a gutjob is because most of the stuff in the kitchen is crappy builder grade stuff and is definitely showing its 25 year old age. I hate the soffit and the floors are completely uneven (its impossible to roll a ball straight). I don't like how the peninsula breaks the space up and would rather just have one big open space. The island would have stools and would be where we eat informal meals. For more formal sit down meals we have a separate dining room.

This is a start: find a good home for the range. Get an induction range. Check your electric circuits first.

You could do the same for the faucet.

You could do the same for the fridge, and remove the cabinets above the fridge, and get the itch to renovate completely after that.

Then, the hood, and make do without a microwave. Or get a second oven. Plan your electricity.

I think most of your budget will go into structure and new thingies, but not cabinets. Structure = floor, ceiling, electricity, plumbing, etc.

I see about
3 to 4 thousand for cabinets and drawers (Blum, Tandembox)
3 to 4 thousand for quartz or stone countertops

Hth

So I went around my kitchen tonight and did a bunch of measurements. I tried to input them in the Ikea kitchen planner, but couldn't figure out how to do anything other than a basic square room, so I hand drew it. Below is a picture of the drawing. It is just a basic layout of the room measurements without any cabinets or appliances. The left hand side of the drawing is not a wall, but opens up to a sunken family room. We have a pretty open layout.

I'm slowly realizing that an island is going to be a bit of a challenge in the space because it is only about 12 feet wide. I guess I can have an island as long as there are no cabinets on the wall opposite the kitchen sink. The only problem is I have trouble visualizing what it will look like having a wall with no cabinets on it. I don't want it to be some blank featureless wall.

I'm starting to get a little worried about the budget. The 50k I quoted above would be an absolute maximum and in all likelihood my wife won't let me spend that much. I'm really hoping that once we get into the nitty gritty of the planning she will realize that 30k is not a feasible budget if we want to change the layout of the room in such a drastic manner. We aren't really the DIY types, though her father is pretty handy and could probably help us out with the demo. But other than that we would definitely need professional help.

We need a bit more information...

First, it appears the overall dimensions of the room are: 221" x 122" (or 18'5 x 10'2"). Unfortunately, the window seat depth cannot be counted in the depth of the kitchen b/c it only includes a portion of the room, not the entire length.

• Where do the doorways lead?

Is the upper left corner an angled wall w/a "dead space" (as far as the kitchen is concerned)?
Do you plan seating at the island? Seating requires a wider aisle "behind" the island than no seating.
For an island, the minimum kitchen width needed for various configurations is...

No seating at island and cabinets on both walls:
25.5" perimeter cabinets + 42" aisle + 27" deep island + 42" aisle + 25.5" perimeter cabinets = 156"

No seating at island and no cabinets on the back wall:
25.5" perimeter cabinets + 42" aisle + 27" deep island + 36" aisle = 130.5"

Seating at island and no cabinets on the back wall
25.5" perimeter cabinets + 42" aisle + 41.5" deep island + 44" aisle + = 153"

Unfortunately, in all cases your kitchen is too narrow as you only have 122" to work with (the "extra" 24 inches of the window seat do not count since it isn't the entire length of your kitchen.

Even cutting down the aisle to 36" b/w the island an counter will only gain you 6"...not enough in any of the above configurations.

My kitchen was 11'1" and many people here worked with me to try to fit an island and we just couldn't do it if I wanted a functional kitchen. Your kitchen's width is even less than mine.
Is the window seat staying?
Do you plan to have a table in this space as well? Or, are you going to use a Dining Room or other space for meals?
What are your goals? E.g., more counter space, more storage, etc.
What is your family composition? Adults? Children? Age ranges of children? Current? Future?
How many kitchen workers are there? Cook(s)? Cleanup? Helpers? Now? Future? (E.g., if you have young children, plan for them as teens for both "sizing" of seating as well as helping in the kitchen in general)
Do you or anyone in your home cook? (No, this is not a facetious question. Some people do not cook and their kitchen is a show place only. If that's what works for you & your family, that's fine! We just need to know that.)
How do you see your kitchen used? Just for cooking/cleaning up? Children doing homework while you cook? Party place?
Do you entertain a lot? If so, formal? Informal?
Do you want your kitchen to be a "hang out" place? Parties only? Everyday?
Do you have a separate DR? Do you use it frequently? Infrequently? If infrequently, do you want to begin using it more frequently (e.g., for daily/nightly family meals)?
Would you like to open up the kitchen to adjacent areas? Close it up?
Do you plan to merge two rooms/areas (e.g., Nook and Kitchen into a Kitchen only)
Where are you flexible?

• Can windows or doorways change size?

• Can they be moved or...

I think it would really help if you took and posted a few photo's showing all rooms, halls, windows, doorways adjacent to kitchen area.

(I was able to steal room from a double coat closet in the entry hall, to recess a great cabinet) If we can see it all more ideas will flow.

Wow lots of questions. My responses are in all caps. I have thought about most of the issues you have brought up, but it definitely helps to put all my answers in writing! However, I really have no idea how my answers affect the design of the kitchen, so I am really hoping you can help with that.

I will work on taking photos, just gotta clean the house up a little so you guys don't think I am a complete slob!

First, it appears the overall dimensions of the room are: 221" x 122" (or 18'5 x 10'2"). Unfortunately, the window seat depth cannot be counted in the depth of the kitchen b/c it only includes a portion of the room, not the entire length.

THE OVERALL DIMENSIONS NOT INCLUDING THE WINDOW SEAT ARE 226'' X 144'' (18'10 X 12'). THESE MEASUREMENTS ARE VERY ROUGH AND COULD BE OFF BY A FEW INCHES BECAUSE I HAD NO HELP IN TAKING THE MEASUREMENTS.

* Where do the doorways lead?

THE LEFT DOORWAY LEADS TO A SHORT HALLWAY (MAYBE 6 FEET LONG) WITH A DOOR TO THE BASEMENT ON THE LEFT AND A BATHROOM ON THE RIGHT. THE DOWNSTAIRS HALF BATH IS IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE WALL AT THE TOP OF THE DRAWING.

THE RIGHT DOORWAY LEADS TO ANOTHER SHORT HALLWAY THAT GOES TO THE DINING ROOM. IN THE HALL THERE IS A DOOR TO THE GARAGE ON THE RIGHT. MY WIFE HAS CONVERTED THE HALL INTO A SMALL MUDROOM.

* Is the upper left corner an angled wall w/a "dead space" (as far as the kitchen is concerned)?

THE UPPER LEFT CORNER IS A PANTRY AT THE MOMENT. I'VE SPOKEN ABOUT OPENING IT UP AND MOVING THE PANTRY ELSEWHERE, BUT MY WIFE DOESN'T THINK IT WILL DO MUCH FOR THE SPACE.

* Do you plan seating at the island? Seating requires a wider aisle "behind" the island than no seating.
For an island, the minimum kitchen width needed for various configurations is...

No seating at island and cabinets on both walls:
25.5" perimeter cabinets + 42" aisle + 27" deep island + 42" aisle + 25.5" perimeter cabinets = 156"

No seating at island and no cabinets on the back wall:
25.5" perimeter cabinets + 42" aisle + 27" deep island + 36" aisle = 130.5"

Seating at island and no cabinets on the back wall
25.5" perimeter cabinets + 42" aisle + 41.5" deep island + 44" aisle + = 153"

Unfortunately, in all cases your kitchen is too narrow as you only have 122" to work with (the "extra" 24 inches of the window seat do not count since it isn't the entire length of your kitchen.

Even cutting down the aisle to 36" b/w the island an counter will only gain you 6"...not enough in any of the above configurations.

My kitchen was 11'1" and many people here worked with me to try to fit an island and we just couldn't do it if I wanted a functional kitchen. Your kitchen's width is even less than mine.

WE WOULD LIKE AN ISLAND WITH SEATING. AS I SAID ABOVE, THE KITCHEN IS ABOUT 144' NOT INCLUDING THE WINDOW SEAT, SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE MAY BE ABLE TO DO A NARROW ISLAND IF THERE ARE NO PERIMETER...

I should have clarified the 122"...b/c of the pantry, it makes the total distance that can be used the 122" that's "clear" b/c of the need to navigate around the pantry. (At the time, I did not know if that space could be opened up.)

If the pantry is eliminated, you get the full 144" to work with. If your budget allows, I think eliminating that pantry will help a lot. That does not mean no pantry at all, it means it can be moved & changed.

Do you only have the two doorways shown on your layout? How do you get to the rest of the house? Bedrooms? Family/Living Room? Where is the front door?

As to the window seat, unless you can raise the window to approx 36" off the floor, it probably will not gain you much to eliminate it. If you could raise the window, it would give you more options. However, that means replacing an 8' window and "patching" the exterior where the lower part of the window was. That will drive costs up. As part of our remodel we replaced a bay window (approx 7'10" total width) similarly and it cost around $2,100 (in 2008). OTOH, your window is a "straight" window, not a combination of 2 angled & 1 straight, so maybe it won't be as much? It's definitely worth looking into b/c it would give you many more options. Are there any tax incentives going on right now for replacing older windows with energy-efficient ones?

This is what I think you have for a floor plan to work with:

THanks for all the advice Buehl!!

I should clarify regarding the doorways for the kitchen. Neither of them actually have doors, they are just openings. The opening on the left side leads to a short hall. On the left side of the hall is a door leading down the basement and on the right side is the door to a half bath. The hallway opens up to the entrance area of the house.

The opening on the right leads to a walkthrough mudroom. There is a door to the garage on the right and at the other end of the mudroom is the entrance to the dining room. I have attached a 2 very rough drawing at the end that should clarify this.

I really don't think eliminating the pantry will cost all that much. I think my wife is just concerned with the lost storage space and how we will replace it. I think if it will open up a bunch of new possibilities for layouts we should do it.

By the way, what software did you use to make that drawing. I tried using the online Ikea planner, but found it difficult to do anything other than use one of their preset room shapes.

More expensive items do seem out of reach, when you're on a limited budget...but don't forget, there are some amazing finds on Craig's List and Ebay, not to mention your local paper.

If your heart is set on a Viking range or other big ticket island, start looking now to see if anything is available in your area. Thinking 'outside the box' is one way to get a beautiful kitchen, without breaking the budget. I think your wife would be on board with that idea, too :)

Okay, that should say big ticket ITEM, not big ticket island...time for some caffeine :)

Normally I don't contribute at this point because there are so many more people who are better at it but here are my ideas.

> get rid of the window seat and raise the windows to counter height

> make an L shaped kitchen

> Using Buehl's math - In the island use 18" deep cabinets with seating on long side; the 2 cabinets on the end would face the right and left side but could be normal 24" deep cabs but 18" wide (and one could be a prep sink). Between these 2 cabs would be 18" deep cabs - maybe with doors for some appliances or bookcases, etc. Not as efficient as 24" deep cabs but you get the island with seating. Also the work aisle would have to be cut down by 3". Personally I like the tighter aisle when working between the range and island. To keep the 41" aisle the cabs would need to be 15".

Is the kitchen open to the FR on the left? If not, it seems to be a long way from the kitchen to the FR! If you're planning for children, I would make opening up the kitchen to the FR a top priority in this remodel, even if it means making do with existing appliances for now...just create space for new appliances (e.g., a 36" wide x 72" high alcove for the refrigerator).

Here's a first quick layout:

I think you'll find that you have a lot more storage space in cabinets plus the pantry pullout next to the refrigerator (that also acts as "filler" b/w the wall and refrigerator to allow the refrigerator to open fully).

Note: The 6" cabinet next to the sink is a 6" filler pullout. You get more storage with a "filler pullout" than with a cabinet b/c filler pullouts have no walls, they are attached to the walls of the cabinets in each side...that means you don't lose the 1.5" or more to walls and cabinet frame (if framed cabinets). It could hold spices and similar small items. The 9" cabinet to the right of the range could hold cutting boards or trays.

I will say, though, that you don't have much prep space b/w the sink and range...that's b/c you want the sink centered on the window. If you're willing to give up the "sink centered under window" paradigm, you could have more prep space. Something like this:

It puts your primary prep space under the window. Since 70% of your time spent & work done in the kitchen is spent prepping, it only makes sense to put it in the most desirable place. (Prep Zones need ready access to water, be near the Cooking Zone, and have no obstacles (like a DW) in the way.)

Or, even better, this (my favorite, btw)

Yes, that's the range in front of the window. While it's not ideal, it's a viable alternative when space is at a premium, especially wall space. The only caveat to it is that Code in your particular municipality may not allow it or require the window to be "non operating" (i.e., cannot be opened). It's worth checking with your town/county, IMHO. The range hood can be a low profile hood that does not obstruct the view out the window very much.

Here are #1 & #3 with the primary work zones marked:

BTW...I just use Microsoft PowerPoint for layouts. I made a "template" and work from there. I can send you the file if you'd like...it is in PowerPoint 2010, but I think I have a 2007 version on my work laptop if 2010 is a problem for you. Email me via My Page...

Wow Buehl, you are amazing. Thank you so much for giving me so many ideas to think about!!!! The family room is indeed open to the kitchen area. It is about a 6 inch step down which helps to delineate the two spaces.

I'm gonna present these ideas to my wife and see how we can play around with them. Thank you so so much!

There are some pictures of at the bottom of the thread linked below with ranges in front of windows.

Here is a link that might be useful: Thread: Does sink has to face window?

I didn't think I would like it. but after looking at some of those photos, I really think a window above the stove might work! Thanks for making me think outside the box!

Buehl, considering we live in the same area, do you have any suggestions regarding craftsmen?

DCJersey - Design and Layout aside, I just wanted to weigh in on the budget element. My husband is a lot like your wife and wants to do it for as cheaply as possible but we have a total number and as long as everything gets done for that total number (or less - yeah, right), he doesn't care where I splurge or skimp. For this project and our bathroom remodel two years ago, I made an excel spreadsheet that had EVERYTHING in it. I started with two columns next to every item we would be spending money on , one being the low end of my estimates and the other being the high side, this obviously created a range for each category. Then I did a third column which was titled something like "Decided" and I would start inserting numbers from whatever vendors' quotes I was going to use. So early in the process I could give my husband the range of what I anticipated the project costing... i.e. some where between $xx and $xxx. And now that we've began and several things have been decided, we have a firmer number but place holders for things like pendant lights and bar stools that won't be purchased until much later. Basically I know I can only spend $400 total on bar stools or I am over budget.

Having a written (albeit constantly changing) budget spreadsheet has really helped my husband to understand why we have to spend as much as we do. Like when he wants to cut things, it's like "okay, where do you want to cut from? That will only save us $300 - is that worth it?" B/c by and large, the big items can't really be cut. The labor just costs what it costs.

The last line of the budget is an "Overage" percentage that ranges from 5% in the low column, to 12% in the high column and 7% in the actual (wishful thinking right). Perhaps this advice is obvious but being pratical, I wanted to share it.

When we did the bathroom, ever expenses/charge was written down in the excel sheet and 2 years ago, I could tell you to the penny what we spent. I don't think I will be quite as good with the kitchen remodel b/c there is so much more to keep track of but I'm trying.

I probably have more people to tell you to avoid than to use! Email me via "My Page" and I'll share with you who I would recommend and who I emphatically do not recommend!

I just wanted to share that if code requires that the window above the stove has to be fixed, this can be a good thing budget wise. I took out a window above my sink that opened into a 4 season sunroom and put in a double pain of glass cut to the "exact" size that would be pleasing to the form and layout of the area. It was about $100.00 TOTAL! including trim and windowsill that I can put things on.