I’ve loved reading kitchen reveals for years and hope that mine can bring some inspiration or enjoyment to other readers!

Though I only posted once about this kitchen, I have learned so much from helpful folks here. Thank you, @Buehl, @cpartist, @mrspete, @sheloveslayouts, @mamagoose, @Jan Moyer, @Debbi Washburn, @palimpsest, @rebunky, @Diana Bier Interiors, @anj_p, @The Kitchen Place, @sushipup, @John Liu, @Mark Bischak, Architect, @thinkdesignlive, @Joseph Corlett, and a number of folks whose handles I can’t find anymore. And for inspiration, in particular @cherylhewitt's chef drawer @breezygirl's tower and windows.

Before

The cabinets were the original 80’s cabinets, with a coat of white paint on them. After we moved in, we covered the granite with marble contact paper (because you could never tell if the granite was clean!), switched out the handles, put after-market roll-out drawers in the pantry cabinets, made a lower cabinet into a slide-out trash, changed the lighting, and otherwise lived with it. Over 7 years, we had replaced the range, fridge, and dishwasher.

The biggest pain points were a main walkway between the range and sink/prep space, hard to access storage, and pinch point between end of peninsula and fridge.

Design

We spent years thinking about various configurations. We ended up with a broken L with island. My biggest stress with this was two-fold. (1) I did not want the main sink on the island, but it didn’t fit anywhere else. I wanted a prep sink to have two sources of water. And (2) I was very nervous about putting the cooking zone in a major walkway. I also (3) didn’t want 4 in a row seating, but as the dining table is so nearby, I deprioritized that wish.

All have turned out to be non-issues!

(1) There is more than enough prep space on the 9’ island even with the sink. We put in a drinking faucet specifically to be able to have two sources of water so one person can grab water even if the other is washing dishes. (There are actually three sources with the fridge dispenser!).

(2) As for the walkway, a few things have mitigated what I do think is a design flaw. First, the range is not directly in the crossroads, but further down. Second, the alternative traffic route has a larger aisle and goes towards the more attractive destination (playroom vs dining) so the kids naturally go that way and not through the cooking zone. Finally, there is a full 48” counter to counter between the range and island so even when people walk through it doesn’t feel too crowded.

Construction

We opened the playroom wall up about 13 inches.

We had three soffits; we removed two as there was nothing in there. We pulled the third back a little but opted to keep the rest due to cost. Instead, we extended it across the dining room; then used the soffit dimensions to frame an opening to the living room. We are pleased!

After Sources

Design - We did the overall design but Inspired Kitchen Designs (IKD) plotted it all together. They made one major mistake in for some reason not taking into account a window that would have led to a complete redo, but when we caught it on final check they redid the design for free.

Floor Tile -

Style Selections Carrara Fresca 13-in x 13-in Matte Porcelain Marble Look Floor and Wall Tile

Satori Regent Argento 13-in x 13-in Matte Porcelain Stone Look Floor and Wall Tile

Wall Tile - Mineral Tiles Reflections Forest 6x6

Cabinets - IKEA Sektion with four tweaks. The above fridge cabinet is pulled off the wall (the default cabinet would not have been flush with the fridge). The left tower is custom made by Scherr’s. The under siink cabinet holds an 18 inch trash that required a minor hack. The right tower has a very minor hack to include a Docking Drawer charger.

Doors - Scherr’s 400 series in Extra White. As noted, they did the left tower totally custom after I realized that the IKEA option for an appliance garage would lead to not fitting the KitchenAid. They used Blum hinges on the mechanism.

Counters - Glacier White Corian with double 3/16” radius edge

Appliances and Such

Zephyr Tempest II hood

Sharp 24” microwave drawer

Fisher Paykel DishDrawer

Bosch diswasher

LG fridge

LG induction range

Kohler strive Sink 36” farmhouse workstation

Rev a Shelf trash drawer with IKEA Utrusta auto opener

Delta Theodora faucet

Moen soap dispenser with Never MT

Aquasana drinking faucet

Cuisinart Toaster Oven

Amerock Kane handles and knobs

Recessed 4” cans

Favorites

Appliance garage

Auto trash open

Aisle space

Ease of unloading the dishwasher right into drawers.

Oversize cabinet knobs

Faucet

Counters

Island dimensions

Trade-offs

It’s hard to call these regrets as they were more trade-offs.

The under sink trash was cut down by a centimeter to fit.

Traded a slightly larger exterior window for two slightly smaller ones, specifically to be able to see a full row of backsplash at the top and bottom

A few darker spots at night. Will probably add another two cans on the soffit around the range and undercabinet lights at the toaster oven.

Storage Map

The dotted lines are hidden drawers.