Kitchen Gutted ~ Time to Make Final Decisions... Advice, please!

8 years ago

Hello! My kitchen is gutted and I am *about* to make final decisions and I'd love as much input as possible. For reference, my husband and I are 30 and recently moved into a 1950's cape cod on his family's orchard where he works. We are here for the long haul and LOVE to cook (I used to own a gourmet food truck) so we want a super functional and large kitchen. I'm better at cooking than design... the cabinet company I'm using is super helpful but I'd also love some other design and layout input. Note we're going for a modern farmhouse look as we're in the middle of the orchard.

Here are kitchen renderings and I've made notes on them. Kitchen Renderings

Thoughts on layout?

Now in terms of design, where I really struggle... here's what I'm considering but I'd love input.

CABINETS ~ Omega Cabinetry rain, see here

ISLAND CABINETS ~ Omega Cabinetry sage stain on cherry see here

BACKSPLASH ~ Planning a white tile subway brick background with some texture and hints of grey, like this

COUNTERTOPS ~ White quartz with grey squiggles, exact one not chosen // planning bar to have spalted maple wood slab countertop made by a local artisan and a matching shelf above

FLOORS ~ wood floor, light stain

APPLIANCES ~ fridge & dishwasher left Stainless

HARDWARE ~ TBD

SINK ~ white apron

HOOD ~ We will enclose in plaster and trim with wood, similar to this

RANGE ~ Our focal point. Planning BlueStar RNB series 48" but really stuck on color because the cabinetry color is hard to match. I want something timeless but I want a fun pop of color that gives the kitchen character and depth Here are some contenders, or of course... Stainless

Pigeon Blue

Mustard

Grey

Thanks so much!!!

Molly

Featured Answer

miss lindsey (She/Her)

8 years ago

I just have a couple of observations about your layout.

I know single bowl sinks are all the rage and most pros on here recommend them, but since I would imagine you'll be washing a lot of produce and you don't have a prep sink I would go with a sink with a low divide or a 30/70 sink with one tiny side and one larger one. That way you can effectively wash any huge pots and also fill a smaller area for rinsing produce, plus you have the ability to have one side for clean and one side for dirty.

Next, I would avoid storing oil, herbs/spices, and wine next to the range where they will be exposed to heat.

Many, many of your storage spaces are labelled "to be determined." Determine what you need to store and where you want to store it before you decide on how the storage spaces will be layed out and arranged.

I can't say enough for drawers. Drawers drawers drawers. All your bins of flours, rice, beans, and other and dry goods: drawers. Dishes: drawers (but if you will have preschoolers in your life, there will probably be a couple of years at least when you want those breakables up out of reach!) Cloth napkins, table cloths: drawers!

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Comments (8)

PRO
Anglophilia
8 years ago
First of all, a LOT of links - I don't have time to click on them all. But the kitchen plan needs a LOT more bottom drawers than it has. LOTS more! They are the best thing since sliced bread and penicillin! You will not regret the additional cost!

Second, if you're going for that color with your cabinets, I don't think any of these stoves really works - maybe the mustard one, but I'd tire of that and it could be very limiting in the future. If your heart is set on that color for your cabinets, choose a stainless stove - it will blend nicely.
Kim
8 years ago
That blue stove is fabulous but I don't think it goes well with your cabinets.
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Janie Gibbs-BRING SOPHIE BACK
8 years ago
Molly, can you post a floor plan along with some current pictures?
anniebird
8 years ago
Noticed your magnetic knife storage and wonder whether you plan to have a chopping block? To me, the most logical place is the countertop to the right of the stove....which means your magnetic knife storage should go there, rather than above your dishwasher.

I think the gray in your tile doesn’t look quite right with your cabinet color. I’d pick a soft white, maybe even a bone tile...you could certainly do subway, but it might be visually pleasing to choose something with different dimensions: square, long rectangles, etc.

Roll out shelves behind doors are a waste of space. Convert most of your lower cabinets to drawers - you’ll be glad you did:)

I don’t think it’s valuable to comment on where you choose to put things. Everyone has their own way of organized a kitchen. Your work “triangle” is probably okay, but I wonder if it wouldn’t be preferable to put the sink in the island.

Also - being an enthusiastic cook, you probably have loads of cookbooks. Might find a place for them in the island - a bookshelf on the end, perhaps?
mama goose_gw zn6OH
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
The most valuable prep space is between the sink and range, and you should have a minimum of 36", but--42-48" would be better. I agree with anniebird, about the sink on the island, and if you have only one sink, then put the DW to the right (as you face the island), so that it is not between the fridge and range. In that layout a helper can load or unload the DW, or gather dishes to set the table, without interfering in prep and cooking tasks.

If you really don't want a sink on the island, you might consider making the island 8' (which will still accommodate 4 seats), and putting the clean-up sink on the left wall. You might need to move the door down, but when you build the DR addition, you could make the window a pass-through, and dishes would be convenient to the new DR, in drawers on the end of the island, and in the corner susan or in drawers next to it.

The clean-up sink as drawn could then be a prep sink, centered on the right window section, to give you more prep space between it and the range. A trash pull-out under the prep space would be convenient, and the clean-up sink could have a smaller trash pull-out below. Click to enlarge:

Good kitchen planning info: New to Kitchens? Read me first.

Also: NKBA guidelines
Janie Gibbs-BRING SOPHIE BACK
8 years ago
Can we see your electrical plan too?
Kathryn P
8 years ago
Do you have a separate pantry? If so, where? If not, where are those items being stored?