CFB51 College Football Fan Community
The Power Four => Big Ten => Topic started by: MaximumSam on July 15, 2026, 02:36:36 PM
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I'm getting a new kitchen. Any tips/scary stories/helpful hints you would have?
My main thing is moving the cooktop away from the oven and onto the counter facing the living room.
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My biggest improvement in our kitchen was installation of an inductive range. My wife and I both are huge fans. She used to like gas until we switched.
I'd also suggest paying "extra" if possible for cabinetry, especially if you will plan to live there 20 years or so.
We have quartz countertops, I prefer that to granite.
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I'm getting a new kitchen. Any tips/scary stories/helpful hints you would have?
My main thing is moving the cooktop away from the oven and onto the counter facing the living room.
Gas stove if at all possible. The triangle design is also a great thing.
(https://i.imgur.com/xLP0xPx.png)
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Large wine fridge and a built-in keggerator. None of the rest of it matters.
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No tips, but congrats! May you get many years of use and thousands of meals from it.
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I designed my kitchen here. Very functional. Love it.
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That's the best thing you can do to increase the value of your home. Maybe get it appraised when it's done?
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I've been through two kitchen redos, and both took quite a bit longer than expected.
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Gas is no bueno because I'd have to run a gas line to the house. Strongly considering induction, especially since the cooktop would be in the eating area and I think they are probably safer than electric (as far as burns go).
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Gas is no bueno because I'd have to run a gas line to the house. Strongly considering induction, especially since the cooktop would be in the eating area and I think they are probably safer than electric (as far as burns go).
I have induction. I like it but I really wish I had gas again. The electric oven, on the other hand, is fantastic. My kitchen:
(https://i.imgur.com/HWGQmtv.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/KnuMA3f.png)
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Electric oven is best. Gas cooktop is best. I don't like indcuction as much as gas but if you don't have gas piped to your house then there's not much choice.
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I have induction. I like it but I really wish I had gas again. The electric oven, on the other hand, is fantastic. My kitchen:
(https://i.imgur.com/HWGQmtv.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/KnuMA3f.png)
Looks great! Mine should look similar except rotate the island 90 degrees and move the fridge/oven to the right wall
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I actually liked my kitchen back up North more than I like this one here. I designed that one too.
(https://i.imgur.com/bpz5jSL.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/NSO8XyB.png)
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Looks like a lot more space in your new one.
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(https://i.imgur.com/4sCOBeH.png)
Also white and black.
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That's the best thing you can do to increase the value of your home. Maybe get it appraised when it's done?
This.
I've been involved in Real Estate since I was little and you rent/sell kitchens and bathrooms in that order. Even people who NEVER cook want a nice kitchen because they think they are going to start.
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Large wine fridge and a built-in keggerator. None of the rest of it matters.
I think @utee94 (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=15) wins POTD.
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Looks like a lot more space in your new one.
For sure. But galley kitchens are the most functional.
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This.
I've been involved in Real Estate since I was little and you rent/sell kitchens and bathrooms in that order. Even people who NEVER cook want a nice kitchen because they think they are going to start.
And they obsess over hosting/entertaining and ignore the other 99.9% of their lives in the home.
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I think @utee94 (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=15) wins POTD.
Maybe he wins the post, but I'm the one with a big wine fridge and a 6-tap kegerator :57:
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got'R done
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Maybe he wins the post, but I'm the one with a big wine fridge and a 6-tap kegerator :57:
Ok you win the internet then.....and you better not be lying about that
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how many of the 6 taps are locked & loaded this evening?
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how many of the 6 taps are locked & loaded this evening?
There was a CO2 leak and I haven't gotten the tank refilled, so right now I've got a fridge full of beer but no gas to push it lol...
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i would never have another kitchen w/o the undercounter (kitchen aid) ice maker making cubes 24/7.
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Maybe he wins the post, but I'm the one with a big wine fridge and a 6-tap kegerator :57:
Facts.
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There was a CO2 leak and I haven't gotten the tank refilled, so right now I've got a fridge full of beer but no gas to push it lol...
So... you really don't have one then?
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i would never have another kitchen w/o the undercounter (kitchen aid) ice maker making cubes 24/7.
I wish we had done that. There is some room in one spot, I think, and I'm going to look into it. Getting water to it might just rule it out though (concrete floor).
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I wish we had done that. There is some room in one spot, I think, and I'm going to look into it. Getting water to it might just rule it out though (concrete floor).
We've got a small commcercial-grade restaurant ice maker in the laundry room. We go through a lot of ice, especially in the summer when everyone's home all day.
It was especally helpful when my kids were both in summer band spending 4-6 hours outside every day in July and August, and filling gallon-sized water jugs full of ice each morning.
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probably just takes the little plastic water line like the fridge
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probably just takes the little plastic water line like the fridge
Still gotta get it there. I'm not ripping up my floor to have a trench cut into the concrete.
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can't run in down the inside of the wall?
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We've got a small commcercial-grade restaurant ice maker in the laundry room. We go through a lot of ice, especially in the summer when everyone's home all day.
It was especally helpful when my kids were both in summer band spending 4-6 hours outside every day in July and August, and filling gallon-sized water jugs full of ice each morning.
Thank you for the solution. Water and a drain are very available in that room.
(https://i.imgur.com/6vy67mm.png)
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can't run in down the inside of the wall?
The outside walls are concrete block with 3/4" firring strips to hold drywall. Not gonna get a drain and supply in that.
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I do just fine with the in-fridge-door icemaker...
One thing that helps is using a big double wall steel vacuum-insulated cup for my drinking water throughout the day. It helps keep water cold enough that even if it takes me a couple hours to drink 40 oz of water, there's still ice sitting in the cup by the end of it.
How much ice are you all using?!
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The outside walls are concrete block with 3/4" firring strips to hold drywall. Not gonna get a drain and supply in that.
3/4" would be enuff for my fridge supply line - no drain required
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I do just fine with the in-fridge-door icemaker...
One thing that helps is using a big double wall steel vacuum-insulated cup for my drinking water throughout the day. It helps keep water cold enough that even if it takes me a couple hours to drink 40 oz of water, there's still ice sitting in the cup by the end of it.
How much ice are you all using?!
I and most of my friends drink cocktails (spirits).
When we have parties, we fill up the Rtic with drink ice.
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3/4" would be enuff for my fridge supply line - no drain required
There has to be a drain for emergency overflow and condensation.
Plus, the room that I would have is in the island. There are no walls on an island, obviously, since it's an island.
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I and most of my friends drink cocktails (spirits).
When we have parties, we fill up the Rtic with drink ice.
Ahh, got it... Mostly beer & wine here...
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I do just fine with the in-fridge-door icemaker...
That's 'cuz you dislike people and never need to serve a bunch of them. I can sympathize. Besides, if you had people over, they'd raid the contents of your wine fridge and the kegerator.
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There has to be a drain for emergency overflow and condensation.
Plus, the room that I would have is in the island. There are no walls on an island, obviously, since it's an island.
Yup, you gotta have a drain. In my laundry, the drain is actually up mid-wall height for the washer, and the drain for the ice maker is down low, so I installed a portable sump pump that jets drain water up the line and into the drain-hole.
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I do just fine with the in-fridge-door icemaker...
One thing that helps is using a big double wall steel vacuum-insulated cup for my drinking water throughout the day. It helps keep water cold enough that even if it takes me a couple hours to drink 40 oz of water, there's still ice sitting in the cup by the end of it.
How much ice are you all using?!
Yeah, cocktails, plus it's really really hot in Texas and Florida.
As we've noted many times, California is just too damn cold. Not sure why you even need ice there to be honest...
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Still gotta get it there. I'm not ripping up my floor to have a trench cut into the concrete.
I assume you are fine since you are in Florida but I tell people to NEVER buy a slab house in NE Ohio. I've known of multiple situations where the freezing and thawing caused the slab to shift and crack and the water lines in the concrete broke. A broken water line in a basement is a pain and it gets things wet but it isn't all that expensive to repair and if you know some rudimentary plumbing skills it is pretty easy to fix yourself. A broken water line in a concrete slab is a nightmare.
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Yup, you gotta have a drain. In my laundry, the drain is actually up mid-wall height for the washer, and the drain for the ice maker is down low, so I installed a portable sump pump that jets drain water up the line and into the drain-hole.
There is a floor drain by the washer, so no pump needed!
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I assume you are fine since you are in Florida but I tell people to NEVER buy a slab house in NE Ohio. I've known of multiple situations where the freezing and thawing caused the slab to shift and crack and the water lines in the concrete broke. A broken water line in a basement is a pain and it gets things wet but it isn't all that expensive to repair and if you know some rudimentary plumbing skills it is pretty easy to fix yourself. A broken water line in a concrete slab is a nightmare.
Not really any choice here, any house built after maybe 1960 is on a slab.
But of course we don't have issues with frost heave and the like.
We do get some shifting foundations due to extreme drought, when the soil dries out and shifts. But that's not much of an issue in Central Texas where the limestone bedrock is just a few inches under the topsoil and concrete foundations are laid right on top of bedrock.
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Foundation problems here are usually caused by the soil being too wet and too soft. Won't stay put like it needs to.
Because we live in a swamp.
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I assume you are fine since you are in Florida but I tell people to NEVER buy a slab house in NE Ohio. I've known of multiple situations where the freezing and thawing caused the slab to shift and crack and the water lines in the concrete broke. A broken water line in a basement is a pain and it gets things wet but it isn't all that expensive to repair and if you know some rudimentary plumbing skills it is pretty easy to fix yourself. A broken water line in a concrete slab is a nightmare.
No choice around here. Water table is too high for any basements.
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I had to install giant screws under my chimney, likely because a drought caused it to shift a few inches.
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Unless you're gonna go high end, I'd advise bundling appliances if you can.
We did the Samsung bundle when we remodeled. It was a very good deal, and we also got a gift card, which we turned into a 72" Samsung TV. This was at Best Buy.
We did this knowing that eventually we will do a Sub-Zero fridge and a Bosch DW. We didn't want to do all of that until we got our water filtration figured out, which we have.
So, when these fail (so far 6 years old) we will replace them. The oven/mic combo and the induction are just fine for as much as we use them (not much).
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I love our Bosch dishwasher. We went through several Samsung and LG units that ranged from meh to total crap. This Bosch is the first one I've had since the 90s that I thought was both effective and reliable.
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I love our Bosch dishwasher. We went through several Samsung and LG units that ranged from meh to total crap. This Bosch is the first one I've had since the 90s that I thought was both effective and reliable.
I installed a Bosch dishwasher for my grandma ~10 years ago, after her old one pooped out (after 40 years!!!). I really liked it, both functionally and design-wise.
I tried to get us a Bosch when our dishwasher croaked a few years ago, and I did.....but it took forever to come in because it was during the covid shutdown and the supply chain was furked. And when it finally came in, it was slightly damaged in transportation. It probably still would've been okay, but I didn't want to risk it, so I returned it, and the option was wait a couple more months for a Bosch, or take another brand that was available on the floor. Mrs. DeT had had enough of not having a dishwasher and didn't want to wait anymore, so we didn't get the Bosch.
The one we got (Kenmore, maybe?) works well, but the interior design somehow doesn't fit any of our dishes. We loaded everything up nicely in the old one, but this one, somehow it's just awkward to get our dishes neatly arranged in it. Bummer.
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I love our Bosch dishwasher. We went through several Samsung and LG units that ranged from meh to total crap. This Bosch is the first one I've had since the 90s that I thought was both effective and reliable.
We've always had them, and would have, but our water here sucks and I had to sort through that and get it right. Took a while and a lot of $$$) to get that done.
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Might have been you that suggested the Bosch to me in the first place, several years back. I think we've had this one since 2021? Still rock solid, while the previous few were all dead or dying at 5 years.
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Our range is Bosch, I didn't swap out the dishwasher (yet). It's some unname brand, American something. I think the fridge is Samsung, it's a 30" fridge which isn't standard. The sink merits some consideration in a new kitchen, some thought.
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my Maytag dishwasher has been humming for a long time - maybe 25 years, at least 20
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(https://i.imgur.com/v0YILbQ.png)
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Ice makers are very high maintenance machines. Two nickel safe bottle cleanings a year to handle scaling. I vacuum any lint and dust buildup and change filter twice a year.
You need a drain period.
Kids cant go anywhere in life for some reason without an Owala or Stanley full of ice water. I just love ice and loathe the ice shapes that comes from the fridge.
We ordered our fridge wo the icemaker and water line to not forfeit capacity.
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Those countertop ice makers haven't come down in price, that I've seen. That's supposed to happen once a product has been out for a few years, right?
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I've had 2 of the mostly same Kitchen Aid model for 18 years now. I don't think i've ever noticed/seen any discounting.
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Updates on Kitchen Fest 2026.
We had IKEA come out. I was skeptical but they put on a very professional presentation. They took all measurements and loaded it into a program where they (and I) could change the design and fixtures and whatnot. Couple that with no pressure at all, and I was all in. However, they just do the install. Demo, flooring, wiring, and other remodel type stuff is on us. He did say the guys doing the install could contract separately, but to date they haven't responded to us. So...
Onto a more traditional remodel company. I wasn't home but the wife said he was good and talked a lot about places to save money, which I like. He took measurements and said he would get back to us with a quote, so we shall see.
The big things I want are to move the cooktop onto the counter towards the living room, install a wall oven, and install ventilation that runs out of the house. However, if we go with the remodel, we may add onto that. Our house is from the 70's and so basically has the living room, then kitchen, then dining room layout. We could take out the partial wall between the living room and kitchen, since it seems pointless. We could also take out the wall between the kitchen and dining room and extend the kitchen there. That seems like a much bigger project, so we'll see how the pricing comes out.
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And you're going to have that done during CFB Season???
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And you're going to have that done during CFB Season???
Heh probably! Luckily there are other areas of the house I can watch football
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The big things I want are to move the cooktop onto the counter towards the living room, install a wall oven, and install ventilation that runs out of the house. However, if we go with the remodel, we may add onto that. Our house is from the 70's and so basically has the living room, then kitchen, then dining room layout. We could take out the partial wall between the living room and kitchen, since it seems pointless. We could also take out the wall between the kitchen and dining room and extend the kitchen there. That seems like a much bigger project, so we'll see how the pricing comes out.
Yeah, I'm a big fan of the open floorplan. We spend so much time in the kitchen that when entertaining, having a space that flows together is ideal. Plus, then I could see the TV when I'm cooking with my wife but sports are on... :67:
Obviously I don't know your budget, or what it would cost, but I'd think about it from the standpoint that you're ripping your house apart, probably for at least a month or more. That's a massive disruption. If you don't do the more major work now, you'll probably never revisit it and do it later, right? So I'd try to think about whether it's worth skimping now if you're going to regret it forever...
What's the worst that can happen? You retire 11 years from now at age 58 instead of 10 years from now at 57? :57:
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Yeah, I'm a big fan of the open floorplan. We spend so much time in the kitchen that when entertaining, having a space that flows together is ideal. Plus, then I could see the TV when I'm cooking with my wife but sports are on... :67:
Obviously I don't know your budget, or what it would cost, but I'd think about it from the standpoint that you're ripping your house apart, probably for at least a month or more. That's a massive disruption. If you don't do the more major work now, you'll probably never revisit it and do it later, right? So I'd try to think about whether it's worth skimping now if you're going to regret it forever...
What's the worst that can happen? You retire 11 years from now at age 58 instead of 10 years from now at 57? :57:
Yeah, I've definitely thought about that. Getting rid of the living room wall feels like a no brainer. Opening up the other wall would be cool, but may be way more expensive. Plus my wife uses that room for her home office now, so there is some upside in keeping it segregated, especially with my plan to keep her working.
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Don't interrupt your sugar momma.
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Make sure you evaluate any walls you're taking down to make sure they aren't structural. I've seen disasters happen.
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In 30 years, everyone will want closed-off kitchens and living rooms again.
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We redid our kitchen in Cincy about 12 years ago. I was reading at the time that "stainless was on its way out", so we talked about doing something other than stainless, but finally decided it was good enough. It's still pretty extant. Stuff is always "on the way out" when it isn't. There is a reason "open concept" is a thing.
My wife watches these shows where some couple is looking for a place and they nearly always want "OC".
Kinda funny, our current kitchen originally was pretty closed off, a galley design but with two entrances, and whoever lived here had an E shaped hole cut in the wall between the stove and dining area. It works reasonably well, I've seen the other unit like ours which was never updated and the kitchen is pretty closed. This building was built in 1988 so some facets can be dated, much has been upgraded around.
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In 30 years, everyone will want closed-off kitchens and living rooms again.
You're even more correct than you know. There's already a movement in this direction amongst the younger groups of Gen Z. They're also rejecting the modern minimalist aesthetic that has been present in contemporary design for the past couple of decades and trending toward more ornate traditional designs that feature warmth and intense color and detailed moldings and hand-crafted, hand-carved features.
I think it's all cyclical. I grew up in my parents' home that was very closed-off, cluttered, and grandma-ish. Tons of knick-knacks, every surface covered in clutter. For me personally a cluttered space, closed-off space also clutters my mind. It grates on my senses.
I love open concept and open floorplans. I love massive windows and minimalism. I love connecting the outdoors to the indoors. Mid Century Modern is the perfect aesthetic for me, but it's all personal of course.
And it's also dependent on how you live. We have a kitchen that's open to the great room and it's perfect for us. We do a lot of entertaining, and a lot of hosting of watch parties for sports. Since people tend to congregate in the kitchen for events where food is being served or prepared, it works great for us.
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In 30 years, everyone will want closed-off kitchens and living rooms again.
No.
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You're even more correct than you know. There's already a movement in this direction amongst the younger groups of Gen Z. They're also rejecting the modern minimalist aesthetic that has been present in contemporary design for the past couple of decades and trending toward more ornate traditional designs that feature warmth and intense color and detailed moldings and hand-crafted, hand-carved features.
I think it's all cyclical. I grew up in my parents' home that was very closed-off, cluttered, and grandma-ish. Tons of knick-knacks, every surface covered in clutter. For me personally a cluttered space, closed-off space also clutters my mind. It grates on my senses.
I love open concept and open floorplans. I love massive windows and minimalism. I love connecting the outdoors to the indoors. Mid Century Modern is the perfect aesthetic for me, but it's all personal of course.
And it's also dependent on how you live. We have a kitchen that's open to the great room and it's perfect for us. We do a lot of entertaining, and a lot of hosting of watch parties for sports. Since people tend to congregate in the kitchen for events where food is being served or prepared, it works great for us.
How can a "tiny house" be anything but open concept?
Can they even afford one?
(https://i.imgur.com/Qyky1zI.png)
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guessing they have an outhouse
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In 30 years, everyone will want closed-off kitchens and living rooms again.
(https://i.makeagif.com/media/8-19-2022/DU3ltu.gif)
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How can a "tiny house" be anything but open concept?
Can they even afford one?
(https://i.imgur.com/Qyky1zI.png)
They're buying cheap tract houses way out in the suburbs and turning the interiors into Victorian replicas. Stuff like this:
(https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th/id/OIP.9YqjU51aOmrbhPoFWFbwUQHaHa?r=0&rs=1&pid=ImgDetMain&o=7&rm=3)
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guessing they have an outhouse
with some closet space
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I suspect at some point houses were often sold by number of rooms they had, so they would close off rooms rather than keep the space open.
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They're buying cheap tract houses way out in the suburbs and turning the interiors into Victorian replicas. Stuff like this:
(https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th/id/OIP.9YqjU51aOmrbhPoFWFbwUQHaHa?r=0&rs=1&pid=ImgDetMain&o=7&rm=3)
Ew
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Our kitchen of course is small, and the cabinets were 12" deep as I recall. We replaced them with 15" cabinets, and it made a nice increase in volume without obstructing countertop space. In a house of course that won't be any issue.
We have a small space just off the kitchen we call the nook which houses a small table and two chairs, a small fridge, and some more cabinets, floor to ceiling. That 3" increase really helped there as well as having pull out trays.
My wife wanted a slightly larger fridge so I just bought a 4.4 CU to replace the 3.2 CU. Our main fridge is only 30" across, so it's a bit space limited.
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We have a very large fridge. The problem is always filling it, and food going bad. I designed the kitchen such that it would accommodate a full-depth fridge and look like a counter-depth.
The fridge is WAY too big for two people. That won't happen again. The next one will be a Subzero counter-depth model.
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an empty fridge is not efficient, but throwing food away is much more expensive
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This is a fairly large condo as condos go, 2300 sf, but the kitchen of course is smaller than you'd see in a typical house. So, we needed a design that would maximize space. The 30" refrigerator was part of that, though that also was how it was when we moved in.
Our HOA "unfortunately" is based on square footage, even though many of our expenses are fixed, not space related.
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My Ranch is about half that - with the basement that I had the bar in about 2100 sq ft
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I recall our first house in Atlanta, bought in 1964 (my parents did), four bedroom and about 2,000 sf. It's still there, I liked it because it had a half basement, which is unusual around here at that time, and a lot of woods behind it. I think it was $26,000.
Houses back then, even new ones, were small relative to the McMansions they build today. We marvel at the new subdivisions going in near where I play baseball, huge looking "estates" ... I'd guess they all have SubZero and Wolf gear in them.
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killin a lot of trees for these oversized McMansions - foolishness and vanity
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killin a lot of trees for these oversized McMansions - foolishness and vanity
Some would say you're unnecessarily using a lot of crude oil products and producing a lot of unnecessary emissions with your oversized Corvette engine-- foolishness and vanity.
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Some foolishness is needed in a man's life ...
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One of the things I fought for in our remodel (ten years old now) was a distinct dining room. It is connected to an open concept kitchen, but you know when you are in the dining room. I'm happy that I won that "fight." (It wasn't really a fight, just something that I cared about that needed to get some air time before everyone agreed.)
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Some would say you're unnecessarily using a lot of crude oil products and producing a lot of unnecessary emissions with your oversized Corvette engine-- foolishness and vanity.
and I would agree wholeheartedly
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One of the things I fought for in our remodel (ten years old now) was a distinct dining room. It is connected to an open concept kitchen, but you know when you are in the dining room. I'm happy that I won that "fight." (It wasn't really a fight, just something that I cared about that needed to get some air time before everyone agreed.)
Our kitchen/dining/living is all one room. The kitchen used to be closed off and had a closet where the washer and dryer were/are.
My design, overlayed on the original floor plan:
(https://i.imgur.com/BcALmnA.png)
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Our kitchen is open to the great room and has an eat-in area which is also open to all of that.
We also have a formal living room and formal dining room that are separate, but somewhat open to each other. We don't use the formal dining all that often as a family, but I'm delighted we have it because we use it all the time when we're entertaining. And the formal living is what I converted into my "Vinyl Parlor" and houses my turntable stereo HiFi system as well as a library wall I custom built for it.
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My wife's house in Cincy was quite nice, not huge, but nice, great backyard, we usually ate in the kitchen, but it had a separate dining room which we almost never used. I suspect this is common. The living room was sunken, which my wife didn't like at all. I tried to explain why it was "a thing" when the house was built (1987).
We had to replace the deck and used Timbertek, which got really hot in the sun. I found an outfit that put a ceiling under the deck, so the downstairs are below was then concreted and provided nice outdoor living space great for parties. That ceiling was really nice, I had a couple ceiling fans put in. So, when we sold the house had some major upgrades we only enjoyed a few years, whatever.
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Our kitchen/dining/living is all one room. The kitchen used to be closed off and had a closet where the washer and dryer were/are.
My design, overlayed on the original floor plan:
(https://i.imgur.com/BcALmnA.png)
Came out like this. We now have four bar stools at the island too.
(https://i.imgur.com/ploeM9h.jpeg)
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Nice.
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Life is different when it's not 3bdr/2ba in 1150 square feet, huh? :57:
(With no basement, either.)
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I have the same
but, I have a basement
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Life is different when it's not 3bdr/2ba in 1150 square feet, huh? :57:
(With no basement, either.)
We have that in 1,750 SF. No basement.
One of the bedrooms is my office, which has my desk, a couple of cabinets and a Murphy bed.
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I have a whole 640sf in my beach condo, but plenty big enough with the balcony.
Went from 4000sf to 1800sf when we retired and downsized in Arizona.
Other than need for storage I find going smaller and smaller to be ok. It has forced getting rid of things, we don't need. And after clearing out my mom's house, I realize that my kids wont want most of the things that I have collected through the year and will just find it a hassle to go through.
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I have a whole 640sf in my beach condo, but plenty big enough with the balcony.
Went from 4000sf to 1800sf when we retired and downsized in Arizona.
Other than need for storage I find going smaller and smaller to be ok. It has forced getting rid of things, we don't need. And after clearing out my mom's house, I realize that my kids wont want most of the things that I have collected through the year and will just find it a hassle to go through.
Man ain't that the truth. Going through that with my parents and good Lord mom
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We have a plethora of storage units here (Extraspace, etc.) because people move here from the Midwest, bring all of their shit (including the stuff in the basement they haven't opened in years) and realize there is no room for all of it.
There are at least four more under construction in PG right now, with 2 more proposed.
People need to get rid of their shit.
Plus, it costs like $3.50/LB to move things long distance.
Dumb.
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Our kids don't want any of our stuff. We do have their stuff here in boxes and closets. There is a small storage unit on site that comes with our unit, ours is fairly full with stuff, golf clubs for one thing.
Old cans of paint. My wife wants me to go through it all.
We have now take three car loads of "stuff" up to a consignment shop which is a pretty neat place, but it's in Monroe, GA. Every time we drop stuff off, we look around and buy more stuff.......
Sanders Consign & Design | Monroe Georgia (https://www.monroedowntown.com/business-directory-listing/sanders-consign-design)
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Monroe appears to be not far from Conyers, where I spent a fair bit of time for a couple years as a teenager. My uncle lived there, one of his sons was my age and we were pretty close. Dad and that uncle were also very close, so when we lived in Macon for a few years we drove there many weekends to visit, and I stayed there quite a bit in the summer.
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We go by Conyers on the way to Monroe, on I-20. Suffice it to say it's a LOT different now. When I was in college in Athens, I drove by Monroe on the way, there was and is a bypass. I never ventured into that town until a year or so back, they've done a very nice job. But "Atlanta" is creeping up on them...
This suburban sprawl is something I don't see in a typical day, so I kinda forget about it. That is a thing the French do better than us, I think. The SMSA here is 15 counties, granted they are small counties because the state has 159 of them, more than any other "state" (Texas is not a state). Chain restaurants go on forever.
At some point I'd guess "they" add Gainesville and Athens to the SMSA and call it whatever.
I should say something about kitchens though ... These places with open kitchens, restaurants, can be interesting.
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I haven't been since 2005. It was already different than when I lived there in '92 - '94
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We got the bid and it wasn't too scary, so we may go with the whole shebang. The only thing is they hadn't talked about ventilation. Our current one doesn't have an outside vent and I feel like a proper kitchen needs to have that. So we're asking them to price that too.
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We got the bid and it wasn't too scary, so we may go with the whole shebang. The only thing is they hadn't talked about ventilation. Our current one doesn't have an outside vent and I feel like a proper kitchen needs to have that. So we're asking them to price that too.
That is a must - not an option.
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I don't get the allure of the kitchen open to the dining room at restaurants.
I don't notice patrons watching their food being cooked. seems to simply add noise and heat to the room
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I like an open kitchen. Nowhere to hide.
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I like it when I'm in your open kitchen
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I don't get the allure of the kitchen open to the dining room at restaurants.
I think it's mostly a fad at some places, I've seen it more often in Europe than here.
Some places have glass between the kitchen and dining area.
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back in the 60s & 70s there was a local pizza place that had a large glass windows that kids would look through to watch the guys making pizzas
they were finally shut down for finding strongheart dog food cans in their garbage dumpster - twice!
used to feed my German Shepard strongheart outta the can
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That is a must - not an option.
There's a lot of things I would like to do to our kitchen, most of them not feasible. That is at or near the top of the list, though. Not sure why our place was built without an outside vent. The stove is on an exterior wall, no good reason it wasn't done.
Apparently the contractor who built our house was the daughter of a local developer and he gave her some money to play with to learn to do it herself. Overall it's a good house, but there are a few puzzling things about it that I've blamed on her inexperience. Rightly or wrongly.
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I like having my electrical panel in the garage.
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As much as my wife uses (and likes to be in) the kitchen, it really needs to be bigger. MUCH bigger. Our house is not that big, but the kitchen size is not even commensurate with the total square footage. It's like something from a small one-bedroom apartment.
But even if we had the money, I don't know what we'd do about it. There is no way to renovate the space as is. It would require moving the outside wall, which presents all kinds of hassle and probably quadruples the cost, at a minimum. And the outside A/C unit and generator would have to be moved.
It ain't happening. We're just stuck with this starter-kitchen.
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I like having my electrical panel in the garage.
mine's in the basement - might add a small one in the garage
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Our panel is sorta in the basement, really just the lower floor in the unit. It's not a Federal thank goodness.
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I know we have some engineering types here. I want to move the cooktop so that it would be in the middle of the kitchen facing the living room. But I also want it to vent outside. I do not want a range hood down in the middle of the kitchen. How important is the hood compared to the fan?
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I know we have some engineering types here. I want to move the cooktop so that it would be in the middle of the kitchen facing the living room. But I also want it to vent outside. I do not want a range hood down in the middle of the kitchen. How important is the hood compared to the fan?
I put in two high-powered bathroom fans above my stove. Works just fine, without the huge obstruction of a hood.
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My wife wanted a vent above our stove. There is no outlet for one, so she bought some pretty weak fairly procey gizmo that now vents into the dining room. Supposedly it has carbon filters. I almost never use it except for its light. The panel slides out, so the light is OK. There was a cold air return in the dining room up high they plugged it into, supposedly. Getting high powered bathroom fans sounds like a good idea to me. I don't know where the air goes ...
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My wife wanted a vent above our stove. There is no outlet for one, so she bought some pretty weak fairly procey gizmo that now vents into the dining room. Supposedly it has carbon filters. I almost never use it except for its light. The panel slides out, so the light is OK. There was a cold air return in the dining room up high they plugged it into, supposedly. Getting high powered bathroom fans sounds like a good idea to me. I don't know where the air goes ...
Outside.
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If you want your cooktop in the middle of the kitchen and not against an exterior wall, and you want something that vents outside, then you're going to have to cut holes through the ceiling or floor to do it. You can install a hood that drops over the cooktop, and runs to the ceiling, where you have cut holes for the ductwork. You could just install fans like badge, and cut holes for the ductwork. Or you could get a downdraft range, which pulls the air across and down, and you'd have to cut holes in the floor and then run ductwork to the outside for proper venting. Obviously if you're on a slab that becomes problematic.
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Retractable downdraft vent system:
(https://i.imgur.com/5dNBoDm.png)
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(https://i.imgur.com/jlxglKB.png)
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We had some similar in Cincy. The kitchen originally had a Jenn Aire range with downdraft, this style retracts and disappears.
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Yeah you don't see many downdrafts here in Central Texico, because pretty much any house built after 1960 is on a concrete slab.
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My wife's house and my old one were built by the same builder, both had JennAire ranges, which were all the rage back when. They had that downdraft vent in the middle. My wife's had been replaced before she bought the house, then we redid the kitchen and put in the inductive cooktop. The hole in the floor was still there, patched over.
It was a pretty slick gizmo, impressed visitors a lot. And it sucked.
Funny story, when we sold the house the buyer had some "inspector" check stuff out and that someone said the cooktop didn't work. He turned it on and of course in a few seconds it turned itself off with no pot on the unit.
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He doesn't want the big hood obstruction, so he either goes downdraft (they don't work well) or bathroom fans (they work well).
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The retractable style isn't an obstruction at all, especially when recessed. The one we had pulled strongly.
You just need the hole in the floor and exit tubing.
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In my experience, they don't work well, and when in use, they are an obstruction.
Bathroom fans are also cheap to install, and also cheap to replace (if needed).
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I didn't view ours as an obstruction, and it worked quite well. It rose about four inches or so. The house had ten foor ceilings and nowhere in that ceiling to vent anything easily. I'm not sure super bathroom fans could have worked very well, but maybe.
So, the solution was the retractable. It's an option, certainly not for every situation.
The thing we have in the current kitchen is nearly useless.
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I didn't view ours as an obstruction, and it worked quite well. It rose about four inches or so. The house had ten foor ceilings and nowhere in that ceiling to vent anything easily. I'm not sure super bathroom fans could have worked very well, but maybe.
So, the solution was the retractable. It's an option, certainly not for every situation.
The thing we have in the current kitchen is nearly useless.
My in-laws when they were still in Oregon had the downdraft, and it was similar--only about a 4" rise.
I didn't cook on it enough to know how effective it was. But they cook quite a bit, and never complained about it that I heard of.
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If you want your cooktop in the middle of the kitchen and not against an exterior wall, and you want something that vents outside, then you're going to have to cut holes through the ceiling or floor to do it. You can install a hood that drops over the cooktop, and runs to the ceiling, where you have cut holes for the ductwork. You could just install fans like badge, and cut holes for the ductwork. Or you could get a downdraft range, which pulls the air across and down, and you'd have to cut holes in the floor and then run ductwork to the outside for proper venting. Obviously if you're on a slab that becomes problematic.
I hadn't thought of downdraft - we do have a basement. But we do have soffits though, so ideally all the ductwork could run through that. I just mainly didn't want a giant hood and didn't know if they were really necessary. Doesn't seem like they are.
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If you are using a gas stove, I've been led to believe that you really should have something to clear out the fumes. Since learning that, and paying attention to it in my own kitchen, I agree. Like anything else, before you pay attention to something you often miss it; once you are aware of something, you notice it everywhere. (This happened to me after I tiled two bathrooms; I started noticing tiling mistakes--or at least field expedient modifications--everywhere.)
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Our ceiling in the kitchen is 8 feet - the lowest in the house.
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The retractable style isn't an obstruction at all, especially when recessed. The one we had pulled strongly.
You just need the hole in the floor and exit tubing.
I thought you were talking about this.
(https://i.imgur.com/WCb4VFV.png)
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That is one version, the one we had was much lower. I just googled to find something that would show up clearly. Here is another example:
(https://i.imgur.com/3F0Y9gc.png)
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Discovered one of my neighbors, whose house is very similar to mine, redid their kitchen, so I paid them a visit. They have a big island, then the counters and appliances go around the outside. Not exactly what I had in mind, but it looked very nice. I had a hard time envisioning an island in the space, so that was helpful.
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I had one of those retractable vents in my old house island. They are OK. No match for a traditional overhead hood imo.
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I had one of those retractable vents in my old house island. They are OK. No match for a traditional overhead hood imo.
We got the big for one that goes outside, so think we are moving forward to the big job.
Things everyone seems to agree as being very important
- Ventilation
- Lighting
- Outlets
I'll have to pay attention to that. Also, if we go with the island I'll have to refigure what the layout would be. Would be more like a galley kitchen, think I would keep the island clear of anything and move the cooktop and oven back towards the wall.
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One issue I have is using our electric grill means turning off our small fridge. They are on the same circuit. The same is true for the microwave and the air fryer. Our electrician told us there is no realistic way to fix that.
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Can't run a new circuit?
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Can't run a new circuit?
He said he CAN, but it would be impractical, and expensive. The building is concrete in between floors, so, no realistic way to run new wiring. The outlets are GFIs.
We wanted to put an hose spigot out on one of the decks, the HOA said no. That was practicable. I thought about doing it anyway.
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Just do it.
Begging for forgiveness rather than asking for permission is better.
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maybe fined????Better read the fine print
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maybe fined????Better read the fine print
Yeah, we could be fined if "they" found out about it. My wife didn't want to try it. So, we tote watering cans instead.
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I have a Traeger grill I've used once, trying again tonight with flatiron. Not really sure how to best do it.
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high heat - quick on each side
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high heat - quick on each side
Hard to do high heat with a Traeger...
I have a Traeger grill I've used once, trying again tonight with flatiron. Not really sure how to best do it.
I agree with FF... But Traeger isn't the best for a searing. When I had mine, I found the very front (where the heat is deflecting around the spreader) was the best place for getting color. Turn the Traeger up as high as you can, and try to find the hot spot...
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The above is correct, I didn't get any sear turned up as high as it would go. The flatiron just aboved covered the grill top.
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Donate it to Goodwill.
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It's main function is barbecue, so I'll use it for that in the future.
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Hard to do high heat with a Traeger...
I agree with FF... But Traeger isn't the best for a searing. When I had mine, I found the very front (where the heat is deflecting around the spreader) was the best place for getting color. Turn the Traeger up as high as you can, and try to find the hot spot...
I cook on the Traeger and then sear on the Blackstone.
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I simply grill on my tabletop Weber
it can reach over 500 degrees if the thermometer in the lid is to be trusted
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I simply grill on my tabletop Weber
it can reach over 500 degrees if the thermometer in the lid is to be trusted
It's not a bad way to get a sear...
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I simply grill on my tabletop Weber
it can reach over 500 degrees if the thermometer in the lid is to be trusted
I have one of those, and usually use it, but it's the one that now trips the GFI on that outdoor circuit. It didn't used to unless I left the fridge running.
I'm going to move it to a different outlet. The Traeger supposedly is good for chicken.
Vis a vis kitchen redos, I'd ask the electrician about the outlets and how "sturdy" they are.
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mine is propane
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Putting down a deposit, so we'll see how it goes.
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Met with a designer, who came up with a couple different layouts. Putting it to the crowd.
Layout 1 (https://www.prokitchensoftware.com/3dgo/?l=b07b88fd7906f0d5b4d3dd9313d14fbd&q=2)
Layout 2 (https://www.prokitchensoftware.com/3dgo/?l=3a8a227c0b66ecf1f8757b3ff1e9f3a7&q=2)
Hopefully the links work. The first one incorporates my original plan to move the cooktop facing the living room. However, I think the fridge is too far from the cooktop. Feels a little wonky. I'm leaning towards #2, which moves the cooktop to the back of the house. However, it feels more functional. The sink feels a little far, though. I like that there is a clear area for cooking and so multiple people can be in the kitchen without being in my way.
Anyways, open to all thoughts - it is just a preliminary plan so we are supposed to pick one as a starting point.
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My $0.02
I like the second one because it keeps the fridge centrally located, and I think I'd prefer that. I also like to keep the various cooking stations together, so I like the cooktop back with the oven.
I see what you're saying about the sink feeling far. Is it an option to move the sink to the other window, to the right of the fridge? That'd be ideal for me. Of course, that'd mean moving the dishwasher over a little to be nearer the sink.
The only thing I'm not sure about is it appears the microwave is embedded in the island, and I don't think I'd like that. I'd rather keep it back near the stove and oven. But I don't know if that's an option. Or you might have an overriding reason why you'd like the microwave there. We use ours a fair bit reheating food, and I wouldn't like it that low.
But this looks like some pretty sleek options. I like.
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Where's the refrigerator in v.2? Also, where is the sink? Functionality should be the #1, #2, and #3 concern in the kitchen. #4 is how people will fit around it while the cooks are cooking, because inevitably, you're going to have guests hanging around where the cooking takes place. Where to put them without getting in the way is key.
Workspace close to the range is a big part of functionality. Even better if it is also close to the (or a, if you have more than one) sink. If you have a prep sink, space it away from the cleaning sink, and closer to the cooktop so that both can be in use, easily, at the same time. We have our microwave in an island, below counter height. Works fine.
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Of the two, I prefer the cooktop on that back wall. BTW if you are doing it and running water, set yourself up with a pot filler. It's a little thing, but worth it IMHO.
I think the cooktop facing the living room is TOO front and center. I feel like that little mini-island will serve so many other useful purposes--such as a place to set up prepared food or bar/mixers, and you'd rather want it there and accessible. The cooktop gets in the way. In that location the exhaust hood now becomes an eyesore. It'll kill visibility between the kitchen and the living room--and if you're trying to cook and watch the game, it might get in the way of that too.
A middle ground might be the cooktop in the main larger kitchen island. It helps a cook be integrated with the party (b/c their back doesn't need to be to the crowd) and there's more counter space on that island so it's less likely to overwhelm it visually and make the island otherwise useless. My MIL had that setup (with a drawdown vent) in their last house on a BIG kitchen island and it was quite convenient to be cooking while also being part of the festivities...
And I'll second SFBadge... I think I see where the fridge is intended to go in the one, but where's the sink in either??
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Where's the refrigerator in v.2? Also, where is the sink?
In both versions the sink is under the middle window. That's where it is now and I understand can be annoying to move. In version 2 the fridge is to the right of dishwasher.
I agree about functionality. That's what I'm thinking about the most as I try to fend off my wife's ten million ideas. The more I think about it the cooktop should be where the fridge would be. It makes the fridge get put in a more awkward spot, but that's probably easier to navigate.
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Of the two, I prefer the cooktop on that back wall. BTW if you are doing it and running water, set yourself up with a pot filler. It's a little thing, but worth it IMHO.
I think the cooktop facing the living room is TOO front and center. I feel like that little mini-island will serve so many other useful purposes--such as a place to set up prepared food or bar/mixers, and you'd rather want it there and accessible. The cooktop gets in the way. In that location the exhaust hood now becomes an eyesore. It'll kill visibility between the kitchen and the living room--and if you're trying to cook and watch the game, it might get in the way of that too.
A middle ground might be the cooktop in the main larger kitchen island. It helps a cook be integrated with the party (b/c their back doesn't need to be to the crowd) and there's more counter space on that island so it's less likely to overwhelm it visually and make the island otherwise useless. My MIL had that setup (with a drawdown vent) in their last house on a BIG kitchen island and it was quite convenient to be cooking while also being part of the festivities...
And I'll second SFBadge... I think I see where the fridge is intended to go in the one, but where's the sink in either??
I agree about the cooktop. That was my original idea when before we went full demolition mode. But the demolition creates a very long but relatively narrow space. I think it makes more sense to put the cooktop along the wall.
A current sticking point between me and my wife is the island. I think we should have the island but get rid of the cabinet space on the back wall. I don't think there is enough space for both. She kind of likes the plan as it is. I feel like a bigger island looks cool, can seat people, but you need space around it. She likes the extra counter space - we have something like that now and the coffee maker, Vitamix, and air fryer all sit there as they all get heavy use.
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Like SF, I'm not seeing the fridge in #2.
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Like SF, I'm not seeing the fridge in #2.
Weird - it's between the dishwasher and window. Maybe a software glitch?
We let them know we like #1, but with moving the cooktop to be next to the dishwasher. Further, I think we should go with a larger island but get rid of the counters and cabinets behind them. We'll see how that shakes out.
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Keep all the cabinet space you can. For the lowers, have drawers put in. So much easier and better for organizing.
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Our kitchen, which obviously is compact, had 12" deep cabinets. We replaced them with 15"ers and freed up quite a bit of useful volume without sacrificing countertop space. The lower cabinet dimensions were left as they were, maybe two feet or so deep.
They measured for the backsplash and then the electrician put in some electrical outlet strips under the cabinet, so the backsplash had to be recut. This sort of thing happens a lot in kitchen redos I think.
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Keep all the cabinet space you can. For the lowers, have drawers put in. So much easier and better for organizing.
Agreed. But I think having both would be cluttered, and of the two the island would make a great prep space. No island would mean a lot of empty space.
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I've redone 4 kitchens now and that never happened.
Even here, where workers are generally lazy and not good.
A workday here for most is 10-2.
We apparently got lucky with the company we hired, based on stories I hear from friends who had bad experiences.
Those guys/gals were here from 7-5, every day.
SandStar Remodeling | Southwest Florida | Remodeling, Renovation, Interior Design (https://sandstarremodeling.com/)
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Any chance I can get my hands on your CAD file?
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Any chance I can get my hands on your CAD file?
Lol not sure, I didn't make it so not sure how it is stored
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I've designed four kitchens now, for me, and 6-7 for others.
Bathrooms too.
I loved our last master bath and miss it very much.
(https://i.imgur.com/oIGAw1O.jpeg)
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@SFBadger96 (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=51) @847badgerfan (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=5) , you have to flip the demo around. When it loads, you're looking into the house (at least it did for me). You need to fully rotate it so you're looking at the outer wall, then you will see the fridge in option 2, and the sink as well.
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Got it.
(https://i.imgur.com/ne5Hun0.png)
I'd put the stove in the island and move the oven to where the stove is now. I'd lose the microwave in the island and put in an oven/mic combo instead. Use the island for drawers to store pots and pans and use the cabinet under the stove to store a fryer and other small appliances, like a stand mixer and food processors.
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Our current kitchen setup is pretty efficient.
(https://i.imgur.com/G7rJkCO.png)
Our last one was better, from an efficiency standpoint.
(https://i.imgur.com/5xEi0Eg.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/aSyn2HV.jpeg)
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(https://i.imgur.com/ne5Hun0.png)
After thinking about this some more, if I had my druthers, I'd go option #2 with the following modifications: move the microwave back near the oven and keep the island for cabinet space. Additionally, I'd strongly consider Badger's suggestion to move the stove to the island. Or, blending the ideas, I wouldn't be against moving the stove to the island, putting the oven underneath it, and moving the microwave where the oven currently is.
I almost mentioned SF's idea yesterday, but since he brought it up, yeah, it'd also be really nice to keep the sink as shown, but put a second sink at the other window. So there'd be a prep sink near the cooking stations if you kept the stove and oven back against the wall as shown, and a cleaning sink a little further away, but who cares, you've still got a sink near your work stations. I've never had two sinks, but I've often wished I did.
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I'm also a strong proponent of what I think they call a "farmhouse sink", i.e. a sink with no divider and only one single [larger] basin.
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Last thing I would say: refrigerator needs to be close to a work space/counter. Taking things from the fridge to the countertop is a critical and common kitchen task.
Also--both designs look fantastic.
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Last thing I would say: refrigerator needs to be close to a work space/counter. Taking things from the fridge to the countertop is a critical and common kitchen task.
Also--both designs look fantastic.
Thank you.
:)
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Got it.
[img width=301.111 height=249]https://i.imgur.com/ne5Hun0.png[/img]
I'd put the stove in the island and move the oven to where the stove is now. I'd lose the microwave in the island and put in an oven/mic combo instead. Use the island for drawers to store pots and pans and use the cabinet under the stove to store a fryer and other small appliances, like a stand mixer and food processors.
I really want a wall oven. I think they look cool and they are much easier to access. The microwave I was surprised to see like that. Though I don't hate it - makes it so the kids can use it without being in the way.
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The design modified a bit.
Version 3 (https://www.prokitchensoftware.com/3dgo/?l=9915aa8949469fb0e36d0cbb853c1cb6&q=2)
Looking like a winner
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I still think the fridge is too far away from the sink and stove. Most efficient is to have triangle setup. Is there room to push the island out further from the sink/stove?
Lots of butt bumping potential, perhaps, without knowing the dimensions.
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I still think the fridge is too far away from the sink and stove. Most efficient is to have triangle setup. Is there room to push the island out further from the sink/stove?
Lots of butt bumping potential, perhaps, without knowing the dimensions.
It is farther away than I'd like. However, it would be accessible without going by me if I'm cooking. It being next to the pantry is also nice - easier to unload groceries.
The most important part is the prep space being central. That would be the island.
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Looks great. And two steps from the fridge to the island? No problem.
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Yeah, our pantry is also close to the fridge, so groceries go on the island and are quickly loaded to each location.
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Layout mostly done. Now picking a color scheme. Want to go with a light oak floor and black cabinets with white or light walls. Counter and backsplash still in questions, originally liked a wood counter with a green backsplash, but the designer recommended a taj royale counter with a wood tile backsplash. That looks really good according (https://chatgpt.com/s/m_6aa5723087488191bc8bee640cec25f6)to ChatGPT.
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Looks great. And two steps from the fridge to the island? No problem.
Thanks. I am on the fence a bit about that empty space in the island. At first I thought it was strange, though I suppose the idea is you store bar stools underneath it. Which makes sense. Some islands have chairs or stools and they are constantly in the way. Also, it makes for space for people to sit across from each other as opposed to everyone in a row. So I think I like it, though I don't think I've seen one in person.
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Layout mostly done. Now picking a color scheme. Want to go with a light oak floor and black cabinets with white or light walls. Counter and backsplash still in questions, originally liked a wood counter with a green backsplash, but the designer recommended a taj royale counter with a wood tile backsplash. That looks really good according (https://chatgpt.com/s/m_6aa5723087488191bc8bee640cec25f6)to ChatGPT.
Are you going deep black or more of an espresso on the cabinets?
If espresso, just FYI the Dunn-Edwards espresso macchiato is NOT even remotely close to a black. When our landlord painted our cabinets, we wanted espresso and that's what the contractor used for the first coat. It looked terrible and we had to make them switch to a real espresso color for the second and third coat.
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Are you going deep black or more of an espresso on the cabinets?
If espresso, just FYI the Dunn-Edwards espresso macchiato is NOT even remotely close to a black. When our landlord painted our cabinets, we wanted espresso and that's what the contractor used for the first coat. It looked terrible and we had to make them switch to a real espresso color for the second and third coat.
Haven't totally decided yet but thanks for the tip!