New Kitchen, Part 1: Layout and Cabinet Features
Thought of the Day…Is that a light at the end of the tunnel? ~Me
It has been a little over three weeks since the kitchen SNAFU and we’ve spent an unknown hours coming to a decision on the new kitchen layout. We have met with five suppliers and our contractor three times. All of this during my lunch breaks and after work.
Well, it’s taken about two weeks (OMGosh it seems like a year!), but we think we’re at least 95% sure we have our new kitchen layout.
The layout has been about the same for the last two weeks, but we’ve made “internal” cabinet changes along with drawers vs cabinets. We have narrowed it down to two suppliers. Waiting on one last bid. We will have our decision on Wednesday!!!
So, until we get the last bid, I want to share some things with you. I supposed this is subject to change because we’ve not paid yet, but we’re just about ready!!! 😀
Here is the basic layout we have today… this isn’t exact, it’s the best I could using the online design tool.
The cabinets shown below don’t all open like they’re shown here, but you get the idea.
The following is what we’re going to have (we think)…
This is actually fairly close to what the cabinets will look like. They are a Shaker style and will be white. We’re going with a Caesarstone countertop in the color “cement”. We chose the Caesarstone because it has a lifetime warranty.
This is the “main” kitchen area. The corner between the sink and stove will be main prep area. It looks a lot smaller here than it really is. If you recall from my Cast Iron or Fireclay post, I wasn’t sure what kind of sink to get. I have decided on an enameled cast iron. Thanks to those who gave their input! I think we’re getting a Kohler which also has a lifetime warranty.
The cabinets above the sink will have glass in them. The cabinet to the left of the dishwasher contains two trash bins (trash/recycling). To the left of the trash/recycling, are 5 wine cubbies. The cabinet to the right of the sink will have a pull-out unit for getting things out of blind corner.
This is the trash/recycling cabinet…
This picture shows 10 wine cubbies, but we’re only having 5…
Here is the blind corner pull-out…
The cabinet over the fridge is almost as deep as fridge and there are panels on both sides of fridge to “enclose” fridge. Space to the right of stove is bigger than what I have now. Now I have 9”, this one is 15”.
In the above picture, did you notice the kickplate area in the cabinet to the left of the range? That is a kickplate drawer! I will most likely keep cookie sheets and splatter screens in there.
This is the peninsula or I’m calling it “the annex”. The upper cabinets will have glass doors and is where my Le Creuset and stemware will live. I am excited about the two larger drawer sets. Notice the kickplate drawers for them, too. One of these will have my big platter that today “lives” in the oven. 🙁 I also have other things that “live” in the oven and they will have new homes as well.
Once we make our final decision, it will take 3-4 weeks to get the cabinets. In the meantime, our contractor will be working on pulling out the island and the wall of cabinets and drywall on the stove/microwave wall. Remember what started this whole thing? The MOLD behind the old microwave?! If not, catchup here.
Because the island is being removed, we’re also having the wood floor refinished and are considering taking the carpet out of the family room and having hardwood put in. This all sounds super great… but… we will have to live in a hotel while the floors are drying!! UGH!!
I have told our contractor I want all this done by December !!! Ideally, done by Thanksgiving, but I don’t think it will happen. We need to meet with the project manager so we can setup the schedule. Can’t do that until after Wednesday.
WOW! I see the light at the end of the tunnel!!! Right? It’s there, isn’t it???
Have you had a project that seemed to go on forever, but it was only a few weeks?
mmmk so now I see why you’d want to get rid of the island! At first I thought, why? but now I see. I think I’m super jealous of the cabinets. In fact, sent your blog to the hubs to see/read. Of course I told him about the original also so I had to catch him up to speed 🙂 Just remember to breathe, and look at it this way, if you weren’t completely crazy about the initial set-up… that’s fine… this is your reason/chance to change it 🙂
Yeah, the current layout is OK with one person in the kitchen, but add another person and watch out! Actually, if two people are in there and you stay on different sides of the island, you’re OK. Otherwise, you’re bumping into one another!! 🙁
Stef, to answer your “project” question – YES!! We hired a fence crew in March to fence our property – about 5-6 acres so we could get our horses over here. They turned out to be crooks, so between trying to find more help and doing a little ourselves, it took a total of about 5 months to do, what should have been, a 2 week project!
This week the landscapers came and I was bold and said to them “If you are planning on starting and then not showing up for a few weeks, don’t bother coming back.” They assured me that once they got here, they would be finished in one weekend. We’ll see how this goes.
Once your kitchen is done, you’ll be glad you did it all. In the meantime…..hang in there!
Wow Debbie, I can’t believe you had that happen. Some people “today” just don’t have work ethic! Glad to hear you found some landscapers that will follow through. I’m hanging on and looking at the bright side… I will have a brand new kitchen! 😀