It would help if you posted a floorplan of the area of the kitchen and the surrounding rooms. There are several KD on the forum so you should get some good input. As far as you kitchen not looking up to par.....Most of the kitchens people are doing are not as fancy as what are posted here. One of the many helpful KD on the forum recently posted that the kitchens she designs are usually less than 40,000.00, so don't be intimidated by ssome of the kitchens you see here. You have to do what makes you comfortable and what is functional for you, not what is out of budget by lives up to keeping up with the Jones.

I asked some questions and offered alternate layouts on your other thread.

Basically, we need to know what your limitations are and what your concerns might be. I'm uncertain why you have that spacious back wall, but are crowding your cleanup zone to the island. Can you put the range on the back wall and make it a nice focal point? Can you consider adding a prep sink?

From a looks perspective, I think it looks very nice. If you can go with painted maple cabinets, I would do that over laminated. I prefer white cabinets over off-white, but that is really a personal preference thing. The other thing I would change is the make the cabinet panels rectangular and not arched. Again, a personal preference.

I don't think the range area is that boring. If you do the subway tiles, could you do a special design over the range? Also, maybe you could put a glass front cabinet somewhere to make things a little more interesting--not sure what that does to the budget. I think this kitchen looks very classic. What are you planning on for countertops?

I originally put the stove on the back wall and it looked off center in the room because of the fridge. It looked like the stove was sagging to the right of the kitchen. I am a very centered person, love everything equal on both sides so this bothered me. Plus I love the 10 foot clear cabinet area for a buffet table for food for parties. Right now I have meat on one counter, veggies on another and it makes for confusion with people walking all over the kitchen (my very small kitchen). I should have put that bump out in the blueprints for the nook but now it's too late all together. I did find an island on another website. Thought I could put the sink/dishwashwer still in the island but make it look more this way.

Is this attractive - imagine in white.

Do you think that the different color island is going to be a trend that dates the house? Would I be safer going with all white?

Here is a link that might be useful:

I wanted quartz countertops - couldn't afford them. Then I thought about Corian but didn't think it looks classy enough. So I found a granite store in Chicago that sells the color I like for $26.00 per sq foot !! Only a 2 hour drive from my house and well worth the money saved. I know quartz is way better but it's over $5500 for my kitchen and the granite is coming in at $2100 !! Plus they let you install them yourself which is fantastic since my husband is a pro at everything.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1977987}}

I love that island...But wouldn't you rather use your island as buffet, rather than have the guests going to the back of the kitchen?

On the side wall, you have traffic going past the cook and hot area.

What if you centered the range on the back wall with a tall cabinet on the end to balance the fridge?

While you don't really follow the work triangle rule, your design is fine if it works for how you want to use your kitchen. The cherry island will be beautiful with either a true or off-white perimeter. Lesser quality laminates may chip over time and will be harder to repair than painted cabinets. That said, I've had contemporary European laminates and high lacquered painted and enjoyed both. I'm fond of white tiles and bring in color with a dramatic granite, art and accessories.

I have a few questions though. Will you really use the desk area or will you need the space for additional storage in the long run? Is your walk-in pantry large enough? Given your layout, would you prefer the sink/dw moved over to the right so that you'll have an island landing area directly in front of the stove? Would you prefer to have a view while cooking or doing the dishes?

If it were my house, I'd rotate the island so the longer end is parallel with the current refrigerator/pantry wall. Then the seating/overhang portion would be in front of the family room. I'd definitely prefer to have my cooktop on the island so I could catch the action in the adjacent family room and the back yard. If the foundation is not yet poured, you still have lots of options to relocate the plumbing if you so choose. (Whenever the foundation is poured, be sure to double check and really measure the plumbing locations as we caught several serious mistakes in our last build even though our builder produces a great product.) If you can change the plumbing still, I'd be inclined to add a single window over the proposed desk area and put the sink/dw there instead of the desk since I like doing paperwork and using my laptop on the raised bar on my island. I really prefer raised bars whether the sink or the cooktop is on the island to minimize splatters and also provide a visual block to the prep clutter. The raised bar also makes a wonderful presentation spot for buffets when you have lots of company.

I'd forego the range in favor of a separate island cooktop with pop-up vent and a wall oven. I'd put the oven (double if budget allows) on the refrigerator wall. If these ideas appeal to you, my final change would be to locate both the refrigerator and the oven on the shorter wall across from the new window over sink area since it appears you have sufficient walkway for the appliance doors to open. Even if you stick with your original sink and range layout, you may consider putting the refrigerator on the range wall to streamline your prep steps.

You should be able to save lots by buying close-out appliances. Unless there was a design or engineering flaw, I wouldn't hesitate to buy the '08 model now that the '09 models are coming out. Dealers are having a more difficult time in this economy and can't afford to hold on to the old models so you should be able to negotiate some great deals. I can't stress enough how important it is to always comparison shop as we've really saved several thousand $s. That also goes for granite and cabinets as some smaller or independents can be much cheaper and higher quality than big boxes. Be sure to also check ebay for great appliance and faucet deals.

Best of luck with your new home!

Do not feel you need to apologize for budget constraints; we all have them. If you have found a granite you like at that price, get it. Santa Cecilia is a classic granite that many people love.

If you prefer your island to match your cabinets, go for it. We are doing a painted white kitchen and our cabs and island are all the same color. I think you should decide on personal preference rather than current trends. The advantage of a stained wood island vs. painted is that it will not show the wear as much, especially if you have people sitting at it. Also, it provides some contrast in an overall light colored kitchen. But you can add some contrast by painting your walls as well.

I agree w/Kelleg about making the cabs rectangular vs. arched. I think arched cabs date the kitchen and the rectangular are more timeless. Visually, the back wall w/fridge needs something. If you don't want to move the range to that wall, I would do something to add symmetrical height to the opposite end from the fridge.

Is it important for you to have a desk in the kitchen? You will have a chair at the desk and seating at the island and that could lead to congestion. If you were to get rid of the desk and put in more cabinets, it might balance better and be more practical spacing.

I like it. I would move the microwave which is currently above your cooktop over near the refrigerator, or on the wall opposite the cooktop. That way you can keep kids and guests out of your work zone when getting drinks and warming up snacks.

You have to love these software programs that do not have a lot of options in them. (Notice my french legs are pillars in the photo :)

I greatly considered everyone's suggestions and came up with this plan. I still think it needs to be fixed even a little bit more though. All the cabinets will either be recessed square in white maple or beaded in white. I really love the beaded look so I might go for it.

I have to keep the desk on the left as it is our only spot for a computer/printer in the whole house.

But I made the island smaller now to seat 3 (the girls) and put a bar sink on the right corner. My island will be designed like the beautiful black island on the cover of Thomasville Cabinetry. (http://www.thomasvillecabinetry.com/Item438/Plaza-Maple-Amaretto-Cre-Glaze-with-Plaza-Oak-Chocolate.aspx) That is the outcome goal of this project. Just do not know if I should leave the island white like the rest of the kitchen or make it a country black chocolate /or cherry color instead. Do anyone think that different colored islands will be a fad from 2008?

Notice on the back wall I now have my sink & dishwashwer. Next to the dishwashwer is a tall microwave cabinet. I found this great cabinet in the book that has all this fun stuff in it & it balances out the fridge as well. Looks great!

I changed the range hood to something prettier. Any opinions on the stainless steel glass arched hood. I found this great new hood at Lowes and Home Depot. The slide-out vent hood. No one really even knows that it is there. I wonder if this would look more elegant??

Overall I knocked off 8 cabinets and 20 square feet of granite countertops - saving me a ton!!! The microwave unit is much more expensive as well as the range hood, but it looks so much nicer.

Please give me your thoughts on the color of the island and on which range hood to purchase.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1977988}}

Hope you don't mind, but I'm posting both of your plans, so I can see the difference. I really like your latest plan the best. I normally like the different colored island, but for some reason it wasn't working here. I think it was the reddish color wood. Maybe a dark espresso color would work better. I really like the change you mad in the cabinet on the right of the back wall and of course, the vent makes a big difference.

Laurie

{{gwi:1977991}}

{{gwi:1977992}}

Duh, I should have read your post more carefully. I see that you are considering a darker island.

Laurie

I like the last one with the exception of the cabinet above the sink. I wouldn't like the crowded feeling of it that low. Might be my height too (not really that tall), but I'd be looking at the bottom of the cabinet there and thus feel crowded. Could you raise it some or make it a shorter one. Also put some good lighting above the sink.

Might want to look around what others have done with a sink on an interior wall. I've seen some very different options and all looking great.

I agree, looks much better. Different colored islands are not a fad of 2008, but they are a current trend and trends change. You should decide on your island color based on what you personally like, so that when the trend changes you still enjoy your island.

Here's a link to a beautiful kitchen that has all painted white cabs w/island:
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0709104824486.html

Here's a link to a kitchen w/painted white cabs and island and Santa Cecilia granite w/walnut topped island:
http://finishedkitchens.blogspot.com/2005/07/renofans-kitchen.html

All of you are an amazing inspiration to me. I don't know how you get the photos in the middle of the message but I need to learn how to do that. I am very happy with the change in the kitchen, now I wish I would have put the kitchen sink on the wall with a window but I have to have the desk and for the kids sake I need the patio door. Thanks to everyone who helped me out!!

It's much better now that your main clean-up sink is off the island. I think a mirrored backsplash would be great on the sink wall. You can be at the sink and "see" what is going on behind you. I would try to have a shorter cabinet above the sink, too- maybe with glass doors!
Your island will be great for buffets!
I would move the prep sink to the other end of the island- away from the main sink. Kids can come in and wash their hands and stay out of your work area.

You have a very big overhang on the island. I have a cabinet under my 12" overhang that holds all my big serving platters and seasonal things. Yes, I have to bend under the overhang to get in there, but I LOVE the extra storage space!

By far the second one is the best! You now have separate zones for the various kitchen tasks and when 2 or more are working, they won't be bumping into each other!

I skimmed through the posts, so hopefully I didn't miss anything...

First, I have a suggestion that I think will make a big difference in the look...box the refrigerator in so it looks somewhat built-in. Install 3/4" finished end panels on each side and a full-depth cabinet over the refrigerator (b/w the finished end panels). This technique makes the refrigerator look more "finished" and would look great w/your style. [The finished end panels should be the depth of the refrigerator box, not the depth of the counters or the depth of the box + doors. The doors need to be outside the panels to open properly/fully. In my case, my end panels are 26" deep. Yes, put an end panel b/w the wall & the refrigerator.]

Love the MW cabinet!

Cabinets over the sink...I would either shorten them (perhaps to match the ones over the desk) or eliminate them altogether.

If you're looking for a more traditional look and have the $$$, Artteacher_nj's hood is a great look (unfortunately it was out of our budget!). Otherwise, I might look for a more traditional shaped hood, although the one you have in the second pic looks nice...

The overhang is 12" in the first pic, but what is it in the second? I would go with a minimum of 15" and a max of 18". If you have more than 18" then consider shallow cabinets underneath the overhang for seldom used items...but keep at least 15". Most people go with 12" or less b/c they do not have room for more...you appear to have plenty of room, so go with the NKBA recommendation (15"). Be sure though, that you have plenty of room to walk b/w the desk & the island (54" - 60").

As for the island...I think a darker color would look very nice...I do like the mixed colors in a kitchen...especially white & black (or white/cream & dark cherry or mahogany).

Is there a reason your cabinets do not go to the ceiling? With the current design you will have major dust bowls... If you stay w/them, consider putting newspaper up there to make it a little easier to clean. Taller cabinets also offer more storage...seldom-used or seasonal items on the top shelves, naturally!

HTH!