Starting from scratch- help!

9 years ago

I attached a scaled screenshot of the house we are most likely buying. Right now the kitchen is in a tiny enclosed space- we want to open it up to something like this.

Starting from scratch on kitchen appliances, cabinetry, and almost all furniture. Couch pictured here might stay if we can make it work.

Mainly I want this house to be comfortable, family friendly & easy-to-clean. Our last house I decorated to be pretty and ended up selling almost everything- the stylish metal chairs and hardwood stools were very uncomfortable!

I'm thinking

-banquette or built in benches on top left for dining area? Big window added and sliding glass door to deck.

-Bottom left awkward corner- built in window seat with roll out toy storage underneath? Was also considering a big built in desk but it would be 7' long- that might be excessive. Would love to get a bookshelf in there somehow.

-Maybe removing entryway door where it comes into living room and having an archway instead- then that wall can be used for a storage shelf or faux fireplace with hidden tv above.

-Maybe placing French doors to the first bedroom on the bottom right- so it can be a playroom for our daughter and we can keep an eye on her well. Thinking that will also need to be pantry storage.

-Not sure how the living room set up will work out.

-Ideas VERY welcome! This is overwhelming!

-My style is rustic/Alaskan (as we live in Alaska) :) but also want things bright and airy.

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Comments (4)

sarahfvosz
Original Author
9 years ago
I'm confused about why I'm not getting any answers to my posts. Could someone advise me? Is my question just too broad or am I posting in the wrong place?
millworkman
9 years ago
Post it in the kitchen forum here on GardenWeb. You will need a floor plan (even graph paper handsketched is fine) with dimensions and preferably how the balance of the floor plan is laid out. The generic screenshot with no dimensions and floor plan is not much help alone.
sarahfvosz thanked millworkman
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roarah
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I know how exciting buying a new house is and you have so many dreams and plans for it before hand but the best advice a contractor gave us when we met with him upon purchase of our home was with the big ticket items, bath , kitchen and structural changes was to wait for at least six months to a year before making changes. He was so right. The things I thought I most wanted done turned out to work well with my home's natural balance.

If you wait a while you can really figure out what works and does not work for that specific house. The changes you are thinking of making could easily be in the hundreds of thousands price range depending on house structure and finishes so you want to make sure they will work for you and it will be a one and done project.
sarahfvosz thanked roarah
sarahfvosz
Original Author
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hundreds of thousands? I was thinking perhaps $10,000 for material. My husband can do it all himself and the kitchen wall we want to remove is not load bearing. We just need new cabinets, an island and the windows and we're set.

I see what you're saying roarah but we've also lived in 7 different houses in the last year and have figured out what we have liked/disliked about the places we've lived. We live in a rural area so if we want materials here by next summer, we need to plan now and order by Christmas. And we are sure a small enclosed kitchen won't work for us. We are always bumping into each other and we want our toddler to be able to play in the living room while we work in the kitchen (and be able to see her).

Thanks millworkman. Although I'm not looking for advice on the kitchen- the stores here will help me design it for free as long as I buy from them. :-) More for ideas on placing furniture. Maybe that's where I should post this.