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numbersjunkie

Did I watch too many episodes of Fixer Upper?

numbersjunkie
8 years ago

So I've been planning a kitchen remodel for our vacation rental/lake house. Its a brick rancher - no real style to speak of but I think it needs a traditional/farmhouse vibe. Planning to use Ikea Bodbyn - gray & maybe mix some white in too.

I'm planning a peninsula with seating and thinking about what to put on the back side which will face into the living area. If I use gray lowers, I really don't want that color to carry into the living area so I don't think I want to use the gray IKEA panels. And knowing it will probably get kicked a lot, I hesitate about using white panels. So I got to thinking that the cheapest alternative might be shiplap. Joanna Gaines loves the stuff, it should be easy to work with - and it does add interest. And Wow, now that I think about it, it might be really cool to also use shiplap as a backsplash on the wall where the range is - along with mostly open shelving (even cheaper than Ikea cabinets!). With the open shelving I could also put a bunch of the IKEA rail system stuff on that wall and not worry about it seeming too busy or making holes that can't be patched! It would also be easily repainted if its gets splattered to the point of not being washable.

I'm mostly a contemporary girl, so this has me questioning my sanity. Is this a good idea or a bad idea? I never thought I'd be heading down this road...

Comments (19)

  • just_janni
    8 years ago

    I too have been bitten by the shiplap bug. I like the idea of a different material under the island - it gives you some more options.

    I am thinking of incorporating into my VERY modern house...

    numbersjunkie thanked just_janni
  • H202
    8 years ago

    Visually I think it's a great idea. I'd think about its practicality as a backsplash, for purposes of cleaning and all those cracks. I don't think it would work for us. If you're okay with white but worried about dirt, consider the Ikea abstrakt (or whatever the white gloss is now called) because it wipes ridiculously easy and is basically impervious to dirt. And it would probably be easy because it's already all sized for the ikea cabinets in the island.

    numbersjunkie thanked H202
  • numbersjunkie
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    OK, here is my excel mockup of what it would look like. Areas with diagonal lines have cabinets running perpendicular. The doorway leads to the dining room - it maybe too wide - 36" as drawn. The thing above the open shelves is a light - a wall mounted thing that would stick out beyond the edge of the shelves shed light on the counter since I don't know if if there is a good way to have under shelf lighting. The glass cabinet on the left is over the peninsula counter -maybe place to keep wine glasses, etc? Or I could wrap the back wall around the corner there and have the shelves go all the way. Would love to hear thoughts/suggestions.

    As far as the shelves go, I don't really have much of anything I would want to store there, but who knows. I think it would be a good place for groceries that the cook plans to use. It is a short-term vacation rental so usually there is not that much in the way of pantry items to be stored.

    H202 - I do have concerns about keeping the shiplap clean. We have a regular range with the raised back control panel and that seems do help block splatter now so I'm hopeful.

  • AvatarWalt
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I love the look, but the inspector nixed it behind our range--have to have something like 30" of non-combustible material above it. HardiBoard would fit the bill, but our GC didn't think the texture or rounded edges would look good. Nothing is ever simple.

    As for UCL, I think putting that under open shelves is done a lot, so long as there's a bit of an edge to conceal the strip or the puck.

    numbersjunkie thanked AvatarWalt
  • User
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    You cannot have a combustible surface behind a range. As far as the look, there is too many horizontal lines happening. If you want open shelving, skip the ship lap. If you want ship lap, skip the open shelving.

    numbersjunkie thanked User
  • numbersjunkie
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    Good point about the combustible part. And I agree GreenDesigns may be right about it being too much - especially if I have to do something else behind the range. I have seen pics here on Houzz with shiplap and shelves that I thought looked good, but not with cabinets and a range hood all in the same confined area. Bummer. If I put cabinets all the way across, there would not be enough of the shiplap to have the effect I wanted, so I'm thinking I should just keep the open shelves.

    For the back wall I guess the best option would be white subway tile to get the look I'm after? Not sure about counters yet - something not too expensive but bullet proof (or as close as possible). And I will have seam issues in that area somewhere - probably in both directions since its at least 60" wide including the cabinet to the left of the stove and 102" long.

  • ktj459
    8 years ago

    I LOVE shiplap and open shelving. That said, I'd never use either by a range. Maybe I'm just abnormally messy, but it just would not be a functional surface where so much grease is present. What about vertical or herringbone glass subway tiles? Modern, inexpensive, easy to clean, not a fire hazard. Those open shelves are probably far enough away to not collect too much grease. A more industrial style might work well with a modern aesthetic. Maybe a combo of wood and metal? I wouldn't do that next to a glass cabinet, though. It would look better to either have that all open shelving or to put a solid cabinet there instead, in my opinion.

    numbersjunkie thanked ktj459
  • numbersjunkie
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    ktj459 - Thanks for the backsplash suggestions. I'm not sure I know what qualifies as industrial? I'm not really looking for a modern vibe - at least not in this house. Its a pretty rural area and peoples tastes seem to lean more to the cottage/farmhouse style.

    Since there is an 18" wide (15" deep) cabinet between the range and the shelving I'm hoping it will be fine. As I mentioned, I don't plan to store dishes or anything there. Also the hood should be decent - its 400 cfm and extending out 21" over a smoothtop electric range. Given that this is a vacation home we don't really cook much indoors anyway - but there's always the possibility that there would be fish to fry!

    I found it interesting that I went to look at specs for smooth top electric ranges, there does not appear to be any clearance issues at all beyond 6" from the cooktop - and the back panel of the range would be more than that. I also went back to search on Houzz for inspiration pictures and I see quite a few pics of shiplap behind the stove - some of them gas stoves with no back panel at all! And posted by professional designers to boot. Wow. I guess its all about form over function!

  • ktj459
    8 years ago

    Industrial usually contains metal mixed with wood, and sometimes factory type materials, like pipe.

    I love the second photo and think it goes with many different styles.


    numbersjunkie thanked ktj459
  • beachem
    8 years ago

    Keep in mind that on Houzz, a lot of kitchens I've seen would never pass inspection and show major safety issues. Houzz is about looking pretty and nothing else.

    You also don't know if those kitchens ever got permitted. Out of the 5 remodels within the last year on my street, I'm the only one who got permitted. My next door neighbor remodeled his kitchen with major safety issues for the workers and inappropriate materials.

    The shiplap just looks wrong for the back splash wall. Too many horizontal lines. The cabinets also look too narrow and tall.

    numbersjunkie thanked beachem
  • numbersjunkie
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    beacham, I totally understand that the Houzz pics don't make it right. Just surprised that so called pros would post pics that clearly don't meet code.


    Not sure about your conclusion that the shiplap and shelving is too many horizontal lines. In the pics I saw I realky liked the look. Perhaps it's just personal taste or the poor quality of my mock up. I was thinking white shiplap and white shelves so the lines would not be so obvious. But I would realky like to hear what you suggest instead if the cabinets I proposed which you think look too talk and thin. If I can't make the space any wider, what can I do? I really do not want a bulkhead and 30 inch tall walk cabinets. Does anyone else have an opinion on that? Being able to visualize things is not my strong suit so I do need you all to help me pull this together.

  • beachem
    8 years ago

    I'm not very good at programs so sorry about the amateur attempt.

    How about this? A larger vent hood with negative space on both sides so that the entrance is not blocked or someone walk in with a wall at their head until they are completely inside the kitchen.

    Make the cabinet to the left larger and stacked looking so that you can be as close as possible to the golden mean. It won't look tall and narrow.

    numbersjunkie thanked beachem
  • CEFreeman_GW DC/MD Burbs 7b/8a
    8 years ago

    John Travolta has the unique record for influencing two, world-wide eras of fashion and music. Saturday Night Fever and Urban Cowboy.

    Joanna Gaines has influence the world of DIYers in 2(?) short seasons of their show. Now the decorating world, even if they're not sure what shiplap is, is looking for it under everything. Kinda like every carpet in the world must have hard wood under it. NOT!

    Nonetheless, it fits the reclaimed fad (which I dearly love) and really looks nice. Thank GOD she's not reclaiming 60s Peter Max wall paper or something.

    I am always sorry when she paints shiplap that's in absolutely beautiful condition.

    It could be very cool in what you're doing. I couldn't do the horizontal back splash stuff, because laying it out evenly would have me still trying to lay it out while they locked the doors on the padded room....

    numbersjunkie thanked CEFreeman_GW DC/MD Burbs 7b/8a
  • mama goose_gw zn6OH
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago
    numbersjunkie thanked mama goose_gw zn6OH
  • zmith
    8 years ago

    Could you can use a non-combustible material such as hardiplank behind the range to get the shiplap look?

  • numbersjunkie
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    Perhaps the layout Beachem posted might look nicer, but
    unfortunately it's not going to happen. I already bought an undercabinet hood - the only thing purchased so far.
    This is a budget remodel and so I don't think I want to eat that cost and
    then spring for a much more expensive chimney hood - especially if it is for
    aesthetic reasons only. I also really wanted at least two upper cabinets
    that I will be able to access easily - one for oils and larger spice
    containers, the other for measuring cups and small mixing bowls, etc. This
    upper storage space is critical, especially if I also lose the shelving.
    The perpendicular peninsula counter will be my primary prep space with no
    other wall cabinets.

    Mama Goose - your comments make me feel better about the original layout I posted, and the pics make me think shiplap really could work on that wall . I was already wondering if my original layout would look less awkward if the shelves to the left were
    actually filled with something of some substance - to balance it out and keep
    the cabinets on the right from seeming alone on that wall. And the horizontal lines of the shiplap and shelving don't seem so overwheming in the pics - where it is all the same white color. Perhaps my mockup with the empty shelves and the prominent shiplap joints just makes everything appear worse than it really will?

    One thing I did think about that could possibly help ease the vertical lines of the wall cabinets would be to replace the one tall door front with stacked doors - no change in the underlying cabinet but a 30 inch door on the bottom and a 10 inch door on top. That would work with standard Ikea sizes. Only problem is that the cabinets over the range are 15 tall and not 10 but there may be a way to address that. For instance, I could use a single panel (10") drawer front over the hood and filler below. It's not a useful cabinet space anyway because the duct work is hidden there. The panel could be fixed or hinged at the top to open up and allow access.

    Thank you CEFreeman for the humor! Loved the Peter Max comment!

  • Carol Fontana
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Big Fan of Fixer Upper. I also remember an episode of Property Brothers where they ripped out a wooden backsplash and found rot behind it.

  • beachem
    8 years ago

    @Christine, Peter would argue that he's timeless like his pal David Bowie. His son is a friend of mine and I know Peter would be so hurt to think that he's not on trend. LoL.