Assuming my reno is ever completed... I hope I'm as happy with my kitchen ten years down the road as you are with yours!

So glad to hear an over-time update!

re: the second oven: when they moved in, my neighbor installed a single oven in their lower level. 360 days of the year the range suffices, but there are those days where the turkey needs his own space. So, it doesn't take up space in the kitchen when it's not needed, nor when it IS needed!

we have a double oven, though we use only one most of the time.

Decade for me too. We just sold the house last fall and I think the kitchen was a big selling point. In part because it was very high quality and in part because none of my choices were trendy. It also blended in well with the rest of the 70's soft contemporary house.

I loved everything about it for the entire time I had it except the Miele dishwasher - underwhelming for the premium price plus it etched my glassware.

I did get Dacor double ovens though I wasn't sure I needed them. Very glad I did as I often used both. Other than the DW all my appliances performed well - Wolf gas cooktop and KA built in fridge. No special purpose appliances like warming drawer, wine fridge, etc. Just the basics.

I used an excellent CKD and it was money well spent as I had a very difficult space that turned out fantastic beyond anything I could imagine.

Here's a link to my kitchen on Houzz.

http://www.houzz.com/projects/108564/north-oaks-kitchen-remodel

How generous of you to share your perspective! Did you post a reveal that you can link to?

I've never even heard of a toe kick heater!

Thanks for sharing. The proof really is in the pudding.

colo_lady - pix please, if you're willing! For us, we lucked out with the right architect (and I'd already spent enough time on GW to take care of the rest - and to know not to entrust the kitchen to the architect). Ours listened when I said I loved the sunlight on the east side of the house and flipped the kitchen to that side, vs. bumping out the house in the back. The rest ... was all thanks to GW and DH:)

I'm glad we ate the cost of the first kitchen design firm's design and went with our gut on the designer we wound up with.

I can relate to your feelings re: griddle. I don't use mine. I find myself pulling out an old trusty griddle pan that is easier to clean.

No builtin griddle next time.

great perspective!

great of you all to share time tested kitchens! the 2nd oven is usually more necessary for those with large families or frequent dinner gatherings. For a 1 or 2 time a yr need, maybe you could get a small counter oven to put out in a laundry room (or spare counter space for the occasion). I saw a pressure oven on tv by Wolfgang. it looked amazing. He just recently made a smaller version - about mw size for counter use. He prepared some amazing things in it.

For yrs I used a nesco cooker in addition to my oven at holiday times.

OMG - everyone is over the griddle. How I envisioned tortillas and pancakes and whatever - but it's simply too small, too restrictive on the sides to use a spatula, hard to keep clean, etc. Might be decent for a warming area, but that's it. so yeah - I would have gone with 8 burners instead of 6 and a griddle.

My layout though overall, isn't that good. Or - I am not using the well - I don't use my prep sink and that means there's not enough room between the cooktop and the sink - WAY too little.

All the 45 degree angles in my kitchen. I have 2 islands placed tip to tip, a corner sink and a corner pantry. Never. Freaking. Again.

But - here's what worked (and the list is longer - go me!)

• simple maple shaker cabinets - still look decent and NOT outdated almost 20 years later
• granite still works and it's been a joy to not worry about
• remote blower for the big hood. It'll suck up the cat (if necessary)
• Thermador appliances - great function - still look good
• Asko dishwasher - love the heated fan drying - no wet plastic ware
• desk in the kitchen - I love mine - I work from home here all day and still feel connected vs in an office

I'm glad we didn't get a warming drawer under our double ovens. We wired the drawer for it, as a fall back. We put the money towards our under counter, built-in microwave and that's been wonderful.

I love the look and the fact that it's not sitting on a counter or shelf.

Funny, I love using my griddle. I use it nearly every day and prefer it over a pan...

another vote for drawers!

and I love the big single sink.

I have corian and so far I like everything but its looks a lot. It looks just fine, but not spectacular like granite can. I would have loved a really white granite however the one I chose would have been problematic. I figured that out by accident on the day I went to buy the granite. I am sure there are some white granites that are very user-friendly but it was not possible to get a straight answer at the stoneyards.

desertsteph - I also purchased a Nesco oven for a large Thanksgiving party on year - but it doesn't brown a turkey - you have to add browning liquid that essentially paints the turkey. Falling-off-the-bone tender, but U-G-L-Y!

benjesbride and oldbat20be - I had reveal pics when it was Garden Web. I just have no idea how to locate them on Houzz. Doe anyone know??

benjesbride - Where do I find that??

Thank you for posting this!! I have done tons of research here and it's always nice to hear what people think after they install!!

What I love -

The layout - paying for a KD and GC who would work with me and recognized that my DH was not the user of the kitchen.

Drawers - Five years later I still smile every time I open a drawer. My DH already knows that if/when we move a kitchen reno will need to be factored into buying the new place if there are no drawers in the kitchen. I will never go back to cabinets

Extra window - we put in an extra window as we had wall space for it and the natural light is worth it.

The toe kick heaters - We put in two of them and I really like them. Part of our kitchen is over our open carport and it can get cold at that spot and it was well worth it. They are at the two sinks.

Prep sink - Love the extra sink. It works in our kitchen and is used all the time.

What I would do differently -

Microwave drawer - We have a regular microwave installed under the counter and I wish I had paid the extra bucks for a drawer. We never use our MW as it's such a pain to use.

Different granite - I felt rushed when picking the granite and although I would have still chosen granite I chose the very boring Giallo Ornamental (JMO) and wish I had picked something with more drama or colour to it. Our kitchen could have absorbed it with our white Shaker cabinets which I still love 5 years later.

Per requests, here is a link to my reveal, way back when (looks the same now!)

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/marcias/slideshow/Finished%20Kitchen

blfenton - Yes, if you can get a team that knows YOU are the power user of the kitchen, that's great! Excellent advice!

Same experience, designed my kitchen with the help of my Gardenweb friends 9 years ago. In the 8 years I used my kitchen it was fabulous, the appliances, countertops and cabinet choices made after consulting Gardenweb served me well and my kitchen still looked almost new 8 years later. My realtor was so happy when he walked in and saw the kitchen, he knew the house would sell fairly easily. It did sell quickly, sold my house last year, miss my kitchen terribly.

My designer was my fellow Gardenweb friends, no changes needed there. The kitchen was a large u shaped with peninsula at the end. Kitchen was 90% drawers on the lower cabinets, loved loved that. Probably my favorite thing about the design.

The only two things that I can think of that I would have done differently the was the trash cabinet location (too far from sink) and would have loved strip electrical sockets under my upper cabinets. Otherwise, I was in-love with my kitchen.

My new home I love the location, outside patio and decks, tons of windows and view. Somehow convinced myself the kitchen was not that bad. The kitchen is too small, not functional and is totally
90's with a wine theme and horrible pickled cabinets. We will be doing a minor
update before too long but will probably not the remodel that is
needed. Not sure that we are going to be living in this home long enough to warrant the
time and expense of the major home remodel it would take to get a kitchen with the type of counter space. Anyway, thanks to everyone for the help with the last kitchen and I look forward to the suggestions I will need for my upcoming changes.

I knew going in that our kitchen was too small. It's a one person kitchen. I say this to hubs all the time. Wherever I'm going to cook, he seems to be there! YIKES! "Don't you have something to do?" OMG! The kitchen is U shaped with that peninsula. We designed it to have all the nice drawers for dishes and cookware and glassware and whatever above. But there are the views, the upper and lower driveway, great neighbors, orchards to die for, so no complaints. Sometimes you have to give a little to get a little.

DesertDance - My DH is always wanting to be right where I need to be, even though we have a good sized kitchen. It is a chromosomal deficit they have. :-)

What a great thread. I love reading about all your renovations and will be studying your photos on a larger screen I’m back here after using this forum extensively when I remodeled my kitchen in 2000 to 2002. I really still love my kitchen both functionally and aesthetically. It was awarded second place in the NKBA large kitchen category in ( I think ) 2002 or 2003. I’m back here as I need to remodel a kitchen in a second/vacation home and a lot has changed.

This is what I love from my now 16 (!!!) year old kitchen. It still has great looks with beautiful maple and bubinga Lots of display space and artist designed inlaid wood refrigerator panels and blown glass lighting. Love all the functional art touches and beautiful stained glass doors on one cabinet which is inlaid with quartz, amber, crystal and semi precious stones. I love the granite which has a lot of movement in the Pattern The kitchen is very functional with lots of counter space, a huge island ( it’s more of a continent than an island ), storage space, pullout trays in the cabinets and tons of drawers. Everything is in the right place with 2 clean up centers; one for everyday and one for entertaining and baking. Great pantry space with pullout pantry cabinets in deep cabinetry and shelves in the shallower pantries. 2 dishwashers ( I need to replace the fisher paykel dw drawers but my Bosch dw still works great. I love the Thermador convection ovens and the GE advantium mw/ halogen oven. Use my warming drawer all the time. Love the different zones: everyday prep / e terrain I gotta storage and clean up and baking zone. Love the shallower storage on one side of my island for small appliances. Love the great room concept with it open to the dining room and family room areas. Love the huge deep clean up sink and the large everyday prep sink (( 22 inches ) I loved be the extraction and have a down draft. Love that I put in electrical outlets all over the island , in the cabinets and power strip outlets and lighting under upper cabinets I have great lighting which works off one central panel. Also love that I pulled out one undercounter area by 6 inches so I have a deeper beverage service area with an undercounter refrigerator. Love the built in subzero refrigerator/freezer which is now 27 years old. .
What I I would do differently: As much as I still like the ease of cleaning the glass top cooktop , the one I picked has only one large burner and 3 smaller ones. I need at least another big burner. Now I see there is a steam/ convection oven so that would be something I’d go for. That’s about it. But I’m here to see what new developments there have been in the last 16 to 18 years !