Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Dreaming & Scheming: The Kitchen

We have big plans for the kitchen, and once we move in it will be the first big project that we tackle.  I'm very grateful that the kitchen has been useable while we are there on weekends while we work on projects, but once we live there full time I want my Dream Kitchen. We both cook a lot and I am ready for a kitchen that has exactly what I want. BONUS it'll have a window in it! Actually 3! (Our current kitchen does not have a window.)

We plan on using the old cabinets as storage for the garage workshop.

Big changes:
  • The wall separating the kitchen and dining room will be gone
  • Expose the brick chimney that is under the plaster (I know it's there because I can see it in the basement and attic)
  • Create an island next to the stove that comes out into the current dining room
  • The counters will come out another 6 inches or so into the dining room (and but up again the window frame)
  • There will be counters to the right of the stove and next to the door in the breezeway (currently there is just the one stretch of countertop on the east wall)
  • There will be a window bench under the window in the dining room (my version of having a couch in the kitchen)
  • The laundry nook will also be a pantry
  • The dining room will have built-ins against the wall that links it to the living room
  • And here's the controversial one, but I've thought about it a lot and read about people who have them and I really think it'll work for us: no upper cabinets, instead we'll have open shelving (it'll primarily be just for the daily dishes & glasses and anything else that goes up there will just get a rinse before we use it)
I have once again used my friend Paint to help illustrate The Plans.


I have a feeling once we live in the house plans will change a bit (I want to tape out the island on the carpet and practice walking around it, for example), but that's where they stand for now. I can't wait!

3 comments:

  1. Wish it were as easy as drawing on the wall and having it come true. It looks to be a great space!

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  2. Will you have that open shelving up top for both walls of the kitchen? Or just the wall on which you sketched it.
    The present cabinets go up high, which I thought would suit two tall people.
    Plus storage space is handy in two categories -- the use it all the time items, and the use now and then items.
    Possibly a third category that crosses over the other two: items to keep out of reach of little ones. Needing space up high to do that.
    Just a thought, as you and I are about the same height.
    Big dreams and you are very wise to tape out your ideas in the room before the final decisions.

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    Replies
    1. There will be open shelving on both sides of the sink where our dishes will be. I'm not sure if we'll end up doing open shelving next to the stove. I think it'll depend if the ones by the sink are enough space. I had thought of putting my cookbooks up on a shelf by the stove, but now I'm thinking they might get gross from having the stove so close. So I'm not sure anymore.

      The current cabinets are so high that even Corey can't reach the upper ones. So that makes them pretty useless to us. I think between lower cabinets, shelving for dishes, and the built-ins in the dining room for serving dishes that we'll have plenty of room.

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