kitchen remodel- opinions

[D.P. Roberts]

We're in the middle of redoing our kitchen now. Due to our budget, we were sure we were going to have to go with laminate. However, we found some of the lower-end solid surfaces were almost as cheap as laminate. Even better, Home Depot just introduced a new line of granite from a company called Stonemasters, which is even cheaper than solid surface. Stonemasters only has 5-6 different colors, but one of them matched our kitchen exactly. Stonemasters is cheaper because it only comes in a few colors and sizes, so it might not work for your specific application, but you might want to look into it. This was about two months ago, but every time I'm in the kitchen I still get happy thoughts when I look at our REAL GRANITE counters.

We're going to reface our cabinets. If you like the general layout of your kitchen, and the cabinets are in good shape, you might want to give refacing a look. It's a good way to get a new "look" for your cabinets, at a fraction of the price.

As to the sink- we wanted a double bowl for hand washing, but also wanted a single bowl look (and for washing large items). We found one that's about 18" deep, and the bottom 6" or so is a double bowl, and it's single after that. We think it gives us the best of both worlds.

And, just to make this hot tub related: we had some money set aside for a special project, and were debating between getting a hot tub and redoing the kitchen. We decided on the kitchen, since our budget wasn't enough to get us a GOOD hot tub. We got halfway through, and our dealer called us with a terrific deal on a used hot tub. Now we're debating between fininshing the kitchen, and getting that tub...

[Ruby]

This may help, it's a countertop comparison chart thru Home Depot:

http://www3.homedepot.com/wcsstore/hdcom/en_US/HDCOM/InstallationServices/Countertops/Documents/countertop_comparison_chart.pdf

[svspa]

Anne,

I've gutted and rebuilt 3 kitchens.

On the house we are in now we used Kraftmaid cabinets. I am quite happy with them.

We went with tile countertops since my wife had found some specific accent tiles she really liked. Now it's ten years later and we have considered replacing them with granite. With granite being so popular if you may want to sell the house within the life of the countertops they may add to the resale value.

Ruby, makes a good point. Countertops can be re-done relatively easily. So if the budget is a concern I would spend more money on quality cabinets. You can change up the look later with new countertops, but won't have to go through the expense of gutting and installing new cabinets.

Steve

[anne]

Thank you all for your enthusiastic imput!

Ruby- beautiful kitchen. Thanks for the pics and the countertop table. And I think I'll copy you and put a cutting board above the pullout trash/recycling! I think I'm going with Engineered stone, but tomorrow I'll say something else.

Campsalot- I keep hearing that about Ikea, so I guess I'll have to go look. I dont like most of their furnature- too modular and funky, but Ikea is literally 5 minutes away, so I have to check.

WHYNOT- I share that concern about durability of the floors. I will probably do vinyl or linoleum tiles. Likely linoleum, as it is a "greener" choice.

Chas- do you remember the line of Lowes cabinets? It seems that most of them offer particle board standard, and plywood sides as an upgrade. I'll keep that in mind.  

Boni- corian is another top runner for me. So practical. And I read the NKBA guidelines.....and then decided to ignore them and go with common sense. Right now I have a kitchen with a fridge door that cannot open all the way, so I cannot open one of the crisper drawers.

D.P. - I'll have to look for a sink like that. Sounds interesting. And I hope you get the kitchen AND tub!

Svspa- good to hear that about Kraftmaid. I like what they offer as far as variety and features, so it is looking more likely that I'll go that way

Vinny- I'll go over my cabinet plans with a fine tooth comb before ordering. I'm not doing a soffit. Instead, tall cabinets up to the ceiling. Probably molding to finish it and hide imperfections, as you said. And as for cabinet style, You are talking about this, right?:

[size=9]A face-frame cabinet has a 1 by 2 frame that rims the cabinet's front edges, masking the construction and strengthening the box. Doors or drawer fronts normally overlay the frame but they may be flush or offset. Standard offset hinges are partially visible from the front.

The frameless cabinet utilizes European-style connectors and hinges to create a contemporary look with flush doors and hidden hinges. This method of construction is often used with laminate cabinets. Frameless cabinets usually have a solid top and back and base units sit on a separate plinth.[/size]

I'll go with face frames, as you said. and I like that look just fine anyway. My house is old, so would look better with traditional cabinets.
  
I appreciate all the ideas an advice. You guys may call me crazy, but I'm not getting a designer or a contractor. I'm designing it myself- been slowly thinking about it for months. I'm making only minor changes in the positions of things in the kitchen, but enough that just resurfacing cabinets is not going to work. Not moving the sink, and no room to add an island. I'll pull the permits myself, hire a few people to do the things that are best done by a pro (moving a gas line in, electrical, countertops). My wonderful father is going to help me install the cabinets, appliances and floors.

I want to get started in a month or 2, so that I can cook on the grill, and not order too much take out!

Anyone have a range hood they recommend?

  

[Vinny]

Vinny- I'll go over my cabinet plans with a fine tooth comb before ordering. I'm not doing a soffit. Instead, tall cabinets up to the ceiling. Probably molding to finish it and hide imperfections, as you said. And as for cabinet style, You are talking about this, right?:

[size=9]A face-frame cabinet has a 1 by 2 frame that rims the cabinet's front edges, masking the construction and strengthening the box. Doors or drawer fronts normally overlay the frame but they may be flush or offset. Standard offset hinges are partially visible from the front.

The frameless cabinet utilizes European-style connectors and hinges to create a contemporary look with flush doors and hidden hinges. This method of construction is often used with laminate cabinets. Frameless cabinets usually have a solid top and back and base units sit on a separate plinth.[/size]

I'll go with face frames, as you said. and I like that look just fine anyway. My house is old, so would look better with traditional cabinets.
  

Anyone have a range hood they recommend?

  

That's what I am recommending. As you find imperfections, it's easy to sand down the areas and get a tight fit. Molding will also achieve a nice fit.

I vented my range hood to outside. I bought a 200 CFM that HD sells ... I don't think it does much of anything, yes it works somewhat as the louvers do open outside when I turn it on.

I don't think your crazy designing at all. I did that myself although I pretty much copied what I had here. We did put in a double and single pantry where the wall oven was but other than that my kitchen is the same. You might have to sit with a designer before they order the cabinets ... put your plans on graph paper (I think the standard is 1/4" = 1') and have everything ready. Most countertop people want to take their own measurements - keep some of the old countertop to lay on top of the new cabinets until your new countertop is installed.

Are you gutting it totally including the walls? If yes, Install 1x6 boards between the studs at the cabinet tops and bottoms to be able to screw them in anywhere. I can go into more detail if you're interested.

[drewstar]

Hi Anne,

I love home improvement projects.   I think it would be neat to see a couple of photo's  maybe a "before" "during" and after shot?  

My mother, as well as my sister just went through 2 fairly high end kitchen renovations,  they both went with a dark/black polished stone for the counters. While this looks stunning, I'm hearing that they really can show the smudges. Just a data point - if you were considering a dark stone for the counters.  You'll be polishing them, not just wipping them down.

As far as tile on the floor, I'm torn. I went with a lamainate and am very happy. Granted, it doen'st have the charm of stone or real wood, but it is nice.  My folks had tile and when they did thier make over, they took it out and actually went with a very high end vinly.  The stone was cold, cracked and ANYTHING that dropped on the floor, wine glasses, jars, eye glasses,  would smash.      I think if I had the budget and re-doing my kitchen, I'd go hardwood and put a very durable/mutliple coats of protector on it.   My friend did this ussing reclaimed, antique wood for his floors and it looks fantastic.    My sister went with tile and it looks beautiful, but was $$$$$$$$.

[redwright]

 We just had the hardwood floors refinished in our whole house. There's a newer product called Bona® Traffic™ -- that is super for kitchens and high traffic areas of your home. Its typically used on restaurant floors and theatre stages. Water beads up, its hard to "scratch" and the finish is beautiful!

And I'm currently having new coutertops made for our kitchen. We're doing butcher block. Found a local artist that does gorgeous furniture and countertops. I know wood isn't for everyone -- but I am excited about them I'll try & post pictures when they're done.

[anne]

I'll definitely post before, during and after photos. I do like the look of dark counters, but the smudging issue may alter that.

I hope today to have "draft 1" of the cabinetry, down to the item numbers of what I want to buy. Yes, there will be multiple drafts, but i have a pretty good idea of how I want things.

I do expect the countertop people to do their own measuring and that is fine- they'll be installing, so they can make their own errors.

No walls are being removed. Torn up to the extend needed to do some electrica and install a gas line, but that is it.

[kervis]

I too, was in charge of my remodel!

I was going to go through Home Depot--worked with a designer, picked everything out, had computer drawings done....

Then someone mentioned custom cabinets!  As a lark, I had someone come and give me an estimate based on my Home Depot plan.  The price was nowhere near as high as I would have thought--we ripped out the 1970's soffits and have wonderful space that goes up to the ceiling.  We "built-in" our fridge.  Yes, we did end up spending a bit more, but the extra space and the cool details made it so worthwhile.  I have deep drawers for my pots and pans rather than shelves, I paid extra for some pull-out shelves, etc.

We went with laminate countertops that look like granite figuring that we could update/replace those at a later time if we wanted.

We have a busy household.  The floor guy asked me, "Do you see yourself getting out of the kitchen anytime soon?"  hahaha  Tile is very hard on your legs and back.  We would have totally wrecked a wood floor within a week, so we went with Armstrong Congoleum linoleum that looks like tile.  I find it funny, but everyone who comes over thinks that indeed, it is tile.  I just LOVE it.

We also put in undercabinet lighting on dimmers, we have a desk/work station where the cabinets do NOT go to the ceiling--we have an outlet up there along with dimmable lighting.  I put greens and twinkle lights up for winter, red twinkles for Feb--I make it festive!  When I am not adding anything, it just has nice uplighting!

We moved our fridge and microwave outside under our roof-covered patio. ( Make sure to use the right amperage cord to plug your appliances in!!)  That along with the grill, completed our outdoor kitchen for a 6 week period.

Wish I had pictures to send!  Have fun!  

[Chad]

  Tile is very hard on your legs and back.    

:-/ :-?


You're suppose to walk on it, not roll around.

[kervis]

 

[Chad]

 Likely linoleum, as it is a "greener" choice.

Maybe you could put some sod down. Nothing is greener than that.

[drewstar]

"Likely linoleum, as it is a "greener" choice."

I was curious about this, (isn't linoleum a vinly product? how could it be greener than wood or stone??)

Huh....the more you know:

From Wiki:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linoleum

Linoleum is a floor covering made from solidified linseed oil (linoxyn) in combination with wood flour or cork dust over a burlap or canvas backing. Pigments may be added to the materials used. In modern lay parlance, linoleum is often incorrectly used to describe vinyl flooring


HOWEVER.....

Linoleum as a floor covering has been largely replaced with polyvinyl chloride, which has similar properties of flexibility and durability, but which has greater brightness and translucency and which is relatively less flammable. Like all vinyl products, the combustion products are highly toxic and the normal outgassing products of vinyl are considered by some to be the cause of various health problems[citation needed] and may also be either causes or irritants in cases of multiple chemical sensitivity


BUT you can still find the "real stuff":

Because it is made of organic materials and is purportedly non-allergenic in nature, high quality linoleum is still in use in many places (especially in non-allergenic homes, hospitals and health care facilities). The design and inlaying of various colors to form patterns reflecting the shape and use of a room is a highly respected craft.


And here I thought I wouldn't learn a darn thing today.  

[anne]

I am always glad to contribute to anyone's "green" education!!!!

http://www.themarmoleumstore.com/framework/DesktopDefault.aspx?menu_id=29&old_menu_id=29&ssm=1

http://www.greensacramento.com/flooring_rugs.html