Scoobyruby - you've made it a good deal farther than I have... but did you see my "Do you Think..." thread below? I SO know what you're going through!

Here is a link that might be useful: Do You Think...

Scoobyruby, why don't you post a layout of the kitchen with dims on here including what you want it to look like and you'll get recommendations from a lot of people including the great group of Kd's we have on here. Also, why don't you have one of the big box stores do a layout for you.

"I need a KD!! But I'm running out of time & know I wouldn't be ordering cabs from them."

Yes, you need a KD. How do you know you wouldn't be ordering cabinets from them?

I am planning on barkers for cabinets- seem well built, $$ is right, and can get ready to paint. Yet another decision I'm putting off until the cypress planked walls go in.

I did post the other day. And was given some options, which have confused me even more!!

Focus on the function. Get that sorted out first. Making it pretty will then be much easier.

You know, I redid a bunch of electrical I had just had done after I came up with a way better plan for our space. Bunch of money down the drain, of course, but just because the work is already done doesn't mean it can't change.

The biggest lesson I learned during our remodel was not to do ANY work before I had worked out every. single. detail. of the plan. Cost me money and time to learn that lesson, and perhaps you are in that same situation.

That said, painful as it may be to redo some work, don't get caught by the sunk cost fallacy. Don't throw good money after bad.

Stop all work now, go back to the drawing board with your space, and figure out first the most functional layout in your space and then second how to make it beautiful. Then with a complete, solid plan you feel good about in place, get whatever electrical and plumbing moved that is necessary and figure out how to make up the dollars lost. Either you will just bite the bullet and accept that your kitchen will cost thousands more than you intended, or you get cheaper finishes or appliances, or you leave something out for now than can be added later.

If you and carrieb live close enough to each other, you should get together and finish off a couple bottles of wine, lol. Things are always better after a good giggle session!

Take Jillius's good advice to heart. Form follows function. Or, as Frank Lloyd Wright put it "form and function are one". The prettiest kitchen is worthless without good function. Once you get that right, the rest will be easy. I'd rather have good function and inexpensive finishes and if you need to change some electrical or plumbing lines to get it, it will be worth it. You can always upgrade finishes later.

Scoobyruby - I've got a couple perfectly good bottles of red wine just sitting here waiting to get drunk. Or, maybe it's me sitting here waiting to get drunk. ;-) At any rate, come on over. I'm in Philadelphia, the best city on earth, despite today's freezing rain - it's nice and warm in here. You can join me in looking at the disaster that is my existing kitchen.

I don't drink, but if you invite me I'll bring cooky dough. Oh ... that's another thread. ;)

Mama goose, you and your cookie dough can come hang with me ANY time.

Mama_goose - I like cookie dough even more than I like wine. And I like wine. Jillius - how about and mama_goose and Scoobyruby come here - Mama_goose brings the cookie dough, I'll provide the wine and tea and coffee and seltzer and whatever other beverage y'all want. If you come in spring, we'll sit outside.

I second, or is it third, the 'stop, drop and regroup' idea. You'll get there. Plan in haste, repent at leisure. Been there, done that.

Have you posted a floorplan with dimensions?

Thanks, ladies. Who else would understand our kitchen obsessions better than fellow gardenwebbers? :)

Best thing we ever did was take it slow. Like everyone else I want it done yesterday, but taking it slow gave us time to change our minds without wasting money.
Take a step back if you need be...good lck

Hey, what about me? It was even my idea for the wine....to go with the whine, lol.

I'll bring brie and crackers.

Hey, what about me? It was even my idea for the wine....to go with the whine, lol.

I'll bring brie and crackers.

Funkycamper, I personally invite you and your cheese to carrieb's house. Also your pie, which I'm sure you were just about to mention.

LOL....I'm there! My favorite pies are dutch apple, lemon meringue, and little wild blackberry. Do you approve?

Someone else can bring the ice cream. It's especially good on a heated up slice of the apple. :)

Yes, my house! And brie and wine and cookie dough. You are all my favorites. I think we scared ScoobyRuby away, though. Oh, and pie, too!

Now, here's the question of greatest import: Do I invite you over sooner, rather than later so I can get you to finish designing my kitchen, in situ?

Mmmm. Lemon Meringue...ice cream.... tomorrow is MLK day - your day of service could be combined with a trip to the City of Brotherly Love...

This thread was terrible influence. I thought very seriously about making cookie dough and instead made brownies because that's easier. And then I ate some cheese.

No way am I scared off!!! I'm so game, let's do it and design carrieb's space and I'll learn by osmosis!! I'll bring the ice cream!! And more wine!! And maybe even tequilia-- margaritas!!
Never been to Philadelphia..........

Scoobyruby! Welcome back! Philadelphia is the best city on earth. You must come. Let's do summer - margaritas in the garden. Oh, and instead of ice cream, since we are in Philadelphia, maybe we should do traditional water ice.

By summer your kitchen will be finished, right? So the only things we'll be obligated to do are admire it, and party!

"By summer your kitchen will be finished, right? "

HaHaHaHaHa! I wish!

(actually, I'm hoping it will happen sometime in the summer - I don't think I can handle it in spring, when my work is in crazy season time - thinking July/August)

OK, here's the plan: We create a great name/logo incorporating GardenWeb into it so the website owners and advertisers pay for our tour bus with sleeping space and drivers. Then we travel to carrieb's and Scoobyruby's to design and build their kitchens. Then it should be late summer/early fall when the weather here in the PNW is fantastic, so we go to my place to finish my kitchen and take rest breaks playing on the beach. We do clever videos showing our kitchen design, building, and cooking skills, for the gas money and food. Then the DIY Network falls in love with our designs and amazing personalities so they give us a show with hefty salaries and we become the new Sarah Richardsons. We work out a deal where we only travel 1 week out of each month to fix people's kitchens so we still get good family time and time to play in our own new, wonderful kitchens. Book deals ensue. And we retire rich. Sound good?

Do we get to choose our own talented hunks carpentry crew?

We put it in the contract that we get to hire the crew, and that during that well of travel - our all expense paid - budget includes unlimited wine & cookie dough.

I just came to the terrible realization that I have zero qualifications to actually *be* in this group. You're all coming to design my kitchen, or, rather, to finalize the kitchen you *already* designed for me.

Come to me, I'll supply the wine. Too bad I don't actually know any hunks. I mean, carpenters.

Major thread drift here. Whew.

@carrieb: By the time we're done with you, you'll be fine. We all bring different skills, right?

@mamagoose: We all get to pick our own hunk. And we're so amazing that they line up to volunteer. (Hey, if we're gonna dream, dream big!)

@trebuchet: If dreaming, defuses the stress some are having with kitchen planning, why not? Don't kill the dream.

Yes!!! Keep the dream!!
I'm just fine with looking cute & dumb as I eat cookie dough & drink wine!!!

It's a wonderful idea-- real people with real life experience spreading the gardenweb way!! Beautiful women w brains & hunky men & wine!! So many ideas here.

Funny cuz DH teases me abt this site-- but whenever he searches for something related to house--real solid advice comes from these forums!

You know, I would totally watch a gardenweb kitchen show, and the brand and reputation are already in place. The episodes could feature things like:

1) A gardenwebber whose kitchen needs help and teaching kitchen concepts in the context of improvements to that kitchen. And 3-D models to show the differences the improvements make.

2) Visiting the kitchen of a gardenwebber who finished. Show before and afters. Discuss the difference improvements made. Most helpful advice.

3) Quick lessons from professional installers/repairers.

4) Product reviews or just a feature on new products that are catching fire, like the stages 45 sink.

5) Interesting solutions to common problems like the various ways to make corner storage work.

6) Attractive men doing manual labor.

This post was edited by Jillius on Mon, Jan 19, 15 at 17:21

I would especially watch it if you hosted it, Jillius. You have the knack for combining form and function. I'd even watch you if you didn't have hunks (although that does appeal).

After what I've learned from you and the other experts here, I now look at Houzz and often spot beautiful kitchens with terrible layouts for efficiency. I may not always be able to figure out how to best fix the problem but at least I'm starting to learn how to spot them. I so appreciate learning that.

Most of the shows on TV are guilty of putting form over function. You have shown me how they can both be attained.

A non-functional yet beautiful kitchen is such a waste. Hey, that could be the name: "GardenWeb: Don't Waste Your Kitchen".

How about Marcolo hosts it, and it's called "Ice, Water, Stone, Fire, Or Else."

Seriously, that and an appliance professional that wasn't just trying to push a product because they carry it and have a high return of investment on it.
But someone that has really experienced the various appliances. And that it is ok to mix/match brands depending on performance & reliability.

I have lurked on GW kitchens before, mainly just to drool over the new gorgeous kitchens. But now that I'm doing my own - I want knowledge!!! HGTV doesn't provide that for me because it is sponsored by corporations trying to sale a product -- conflict of interest, I suppose. And it's sooooo scripted!! Haven't watched in ages, but that's why I stopped watching it.

Yes! Maybe an appliance repairman? Someone who deals with the problems down the road would know what to look for at the beginning.

As long as he's hunky!!
;)
Absolutely NO cracks!! Ha