What do you love about your kitchen and its gadgets?
March 6, 2019 2:21 PM
I'm in the fortunate position to be possibly about to be designing a kitchen, after many years of cooking in awkward kitchens. I cook daily, sometimes for large numbers. I'm just starting to think about what I would like in a kitchen, which is a bit daunting. I'm sure I'll be asking more specific questions about layout etc., but right now I just want to ask: what do you love/hate about your kitchen and/or its gadgets?
E.g.: Are you glad you invested in a double oven? How about two sinks (prep and clean-up)? Were the marble countertop or hardwood floor things best left to unused magazine kitchens? Was open shelving a mistake? And how about smaller things - toaster oven, magnetic knife rack, hanging pot rack, etc.? Layouts, too! What gadgets or design features are you glad you have, and which were a waste?
E.g.: Are you glad you invested in a double oven? How about two sinks (prep and clean-up)? Were the marble countertop or hardwood floor things best left to unused magazine kitchens? Was open shelving a mistake? And how about smaller things - toaster oven, magnetic knife rack, hanging pot rack, etc.? Layouts, too! What gadgets or design features are you glad you have, and which were a waste?
Add a built-in bookshelf for your cookbooks (assuming you use them).
posted by snaw at 2:29 PM on March 6, 2019
posted by snaw at 2:29 PM on March 6, 2019
Double sink is great for washing produce. I keep one side as clean as a dish most of the time, and when I bring home lettuce, green beans, berries, roma tomatoes, etc. from the store, I fill it with cold water and put the produce in; in a few minutes, any dirt is softened and/or gone, and I can get the produce out, do any other prep I want (removing berry tops, cutting ends off beans, cutting the core off lettuce or cabbage), and then put the produce away. Then, it's a _lot_ faster and easier to cook said produce later.
It's good to have a little bench or something for any cats to sit on. They like to keep one company, but they need to not be underfoot. It's easy to train them to stay on the bench with positive reinforcement (treats).
It's also nice to give cats a non-countertop route to the top of the refrigerator. It's warm up there, and they can hang out and survey the action.
I like having a place for the bread machine -- I like to prep dough in there and then bake it separately -- but it would be _great_ if the machine were lower down. It's hard to add ingredients because I can't easily see/reach the top.
I _love_ having plates and bowls on an open rack, not in a cabinet. They get used often enough that they don't get dusty, and the extra time putting them in/out of the cabinets really adds up.
posted by amtho at 2:32 PM on March 6, 2019
It's good to have a little bench or something for any cats to sit on. They like to keep one company, but they need to not be underfoot. It's easy to train them to stay on the bench with positive reinforcement (treats).
It's also nice to give cats a non-countertop route to the top of the refrigerator. It's warm up there, and they can hang out and survey the action.
I like having a place for the bread machine -- I like to prep dough in there and then bake it separately -- but it would be _great_ if the machine were lower down. It's hard to add ingredients because I can't easily see/reach the top.
I _love_ having plates and bowls on an open rack, not in a cabinet. They get used often enough that they don't get dusty, and the extra time putting them in/out of the cabinets really adds up.
posted by amtho at 2:32 PM on March 6, 2019
I love having a hanging pot rack, and a pegboard for things that would otherwise go in an awful drawer that keeps getting stuck because something's in the way of it opening.
In addition to not needing the cabinet / drawer space for these things, it also means you can just put them immediately after washing them and just let them air-dry, so you don't use up drying-rack space with these things.
posted by aubilenon at 2:39 PM on March 6, 2019
In addition to not needing the cabinet / drawer space for these things, it also means you can just put them immediately after washing them and just let them air-dry, so you don't use up drying-rack space with these things.
posted by aubilenon at 2:39 PM on March 6, 2019
We redid our kitchen two years ago and here are some of the things that are especially satisfying:
- Yes to drawers below waist height - but as far as I can tell most cabinets come with pull-out drawers anyway, so you can have lower cabinets but with drawers inside, essentially
- A pull-out utensil cabinet like this one -
So much better than a crock on the counter where things get dusty/oily and you accidentally pull out three spatulas at once when you were reaching for the tongs
- A cabinet divider like this for storing cookie sheets, trays, etc. neatly instead of in a big clangy pile
- We got concrete countertops and they did a nifty thing where they cut a little ramp next to the sink and then have a stainless steel piece with little drainage holes that sits over it, and then the dish drainer sits on top of there and all the water drains into the sink instead of pooling and getting gross
- Considered a double sink but decided that a sufficiently large single sink was preferable (more room for washing larger pots and pans); I'm still not really sure what a double sink is supposed to accomplish?
- I think the number one most life-changing thing for us was getting a stove hood that actually vents OUTSIDE, but maybe your kitchen is already in good shape in that regard
posted by little cow make small moo at 2:40 PM on March 6, 2019
- Yes to drawers below waist height - but as far as I can tell most cabinets come with pull-out drawers anyway, so you can have lower cabinets but with drawers inside, essentially
- A pull-out utensil cabinet like this one -
So much better than a crock on the counter where things get dusty/oily and you accidentally pull out three spatulas at once when you were reaching for the tongs
- A cabinet divider like this for storing cookie sheets, trays, etc. neatly instead of in a big clangy pile
- We got concrete countertops and they did a nifty thing where they cut a little ramp next to the sink and then have a stainless steel piece with little drainage holes that sits over it, and then the dish drainer sits on top of there and all the water drains into the sink instead of pooling and getting gross
- Considered a double sink but decided that a sufficiently large single sink was preferable (more room for washing larger pots and pans); I'm still not really sure what a double sink is supposed to accomplish?
- I think the number one most life-changing thing for us was getting a stove hood that actually vents OUTSIDE, but maybe your kitchen is already in good shape in that regard
posted by little cow make small moo at 2:40 PM on March 6, 2019
Love my double oven.
Love my hanging pan rack (like this) where pans live and drain into my sink. Like pry-from-my-cold-dead-fingers love.
Love no cupboards below waist level, only drawers and pull-outs and one lazy susan (jinx soelo!)
Love my giant undivided sink that fits big roasting racks and other big things so washing them is easy. I hated, hated hated my old divided sink (but I should thank it: I hated it so much it was the reason I re-did my kitchen, and now I love my kitchen.)
Love my countertops that are an inch lower than standard, which makes them easier for me to work at.
Love my LVP flooring which is easy on my feet and back (hated, hated, hated prior, cold, hard stone floor.)
posted by fingersandtoes at 2:42 PM on March 6, 2019
Love my hanging pan rack (like this) where pans live and drain into my sink. Like pry-from-my-cold-dead-fingers love.
Love no cupboards below waist level, only drawers and pull-outs and one lazy susan (jinx soelo!)
Love my giant undivided sink that fits big roasting racks and other big things so washing them is easy. I hated, hated hated my old divided sink (but I should thank it: I hated it so much it was the reason I re-did my kitchen, and now I love my kitchen.)
Love my countertops that are an inch lower than standard, which makes them easier for me to work at.
Love my LVP flooring which is easy on my feet and back (hated, hated, hated prior, cold, hard stone floor.)
posted by fingersandtoes at 2:42 PM on March 6, 2019
Do you know about the kitchen work triangle?
I feel like everything else depends on the sort of cooking you mostly do and your preferences - I hate big sinks and prefer doubles, but clearly that's not everyone. Take notes when you cook and think about previous kitchens and see what irritates you and what you'd miss.
posted by momus_window at 2:43 PM on March 6, 2019
I feel like everything else depends on the sort of cooking you mostly do and your preferences - I hate big sinks and prefer doubles, but clearly that's not everyone. Take notes when you cook and think about previous kitchens and see what irritates you and what you'd miss.
posted by momus_window at 2:43 PM on March 6, 2019
This may be a no duh, but get the biggest and quietest dishwasher you can afford.
posted by hijinx at 2:44 PM on March 6, 2019
posted by hijinx at 2:44 PM on March 6, 2019
- I think the number one most life-changing thing for us was getting a stove hood that actually vents OUTSIDE, but maybe your kitchen is already in good shape in that regard
I was going to say this too.
Magnetic knife thingy is nice -- I thought I'd hate it, that metal scraping against metal, but it is super convenient and not nails-on-chalkboard at all.
Deep, deep sink. It's my favorite place to wash my face because the water doesn't splatter everywhere, and it can wash anything without awkwardness.
I like the hose that comes apart from the faucet for spraying. I thought I'd hate it and it would get crunky and was fussy and silly but my husband talked me into it and he was right about it.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 2:45 PM on March 6, 2019
I was going to say this too.
Magnetic knife thingy is nice -- I thought I'd hate it, that metal scraping against metal, but it is super convenient and not nails-on-chalkboard at all.
Deep, deep sink. It's my favorite place to wash my face because the water doesn't splatter everywhere, and it can wash anything without awkwardness.
I like the hose that comes apart from the faucet for spraying. I thought I'd hate it and it would get crunky and was fussy and silly but my husband talked me into it and he was right about it.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 2:45 PM on March 6, 2019
Double ovens were worth it, even if we only use it for Thanksgiving and 3-4 other times a year. We essentially gave up our microwave for it. We also gave up the microwave to be able to move the range vent higher, which is nice. It works out for us. Added a electric kettle for hot water.
Wine drawers instead of a wine fridge. We wanted to have a place to store wine, but realized that we didn't need another appliance to make it work. Compared to a wine fridge, the drawers take up less space, do not make noise, won't break.
Spice drawer under the range. I believe it is about 1/2 depth, but it still fits a lot of spices and is much easier to access than lined up in a cabinet.
A regret would be (white) painted cabinets. They look really nice initially, but paint is fragile compared to stained wood.
posted by bruinfan at 2:45 PM on March 6, 2019
Wine drawers instead of a wine fridge. We wanted to have a place to store wine, but realized that we didn't need another appliance to make it work. Compared to a wine fridge, the drawers take up less space, do not make noise, won't break.
Spice drawer under the range. I believe it is about 1/2 depth, but it still fits a lot of spices and is much easier to access than lined up in a cabinet.
A regret would be (white) painted cabinets. They look really nice initially, but paint is fragile compared to stained wood.
posted by bruinfan at 2:45 PM on March 6, 2019
I have a double sink with the low divide. It's a hybrid so depending on your preference it's either the best of both worlds or a waste. I've found the divide is low enough to allow washing of large roasting pans while still providing 2 sinks when you want them.
Also a good garbage disposal is a must.
posted by zinon at 2:45 PM on March 6, 2019
Also a good garbage disposal is a must.
posted by zinon at 2:45 PM on March 6, 2019
We replaced a double sink with a larger and deeper single sink. Now we can wash woks, oven pans, etc much easier, since they fit in the sink. Our stove is on the island, which makes cooking a much more social activity.
A double oven is well worthwhile, even though it is only used a few times a year.
When house hunting we saw many stained concrete and marble counter tops. Synthetic stone counters seemed to hold up much better.
posted by monotreme at 2:56 PM on March 6, 2019
A double oven is well worthwhile, even though it is only used a few times a year.
When house hunting we saw many stained concrete and marble counter tops. Synthetic stone counters seemed to hold up much better.
posted by monotreme at 2:56 PM on March 6, 2019
I hate:
I love:
posted by bilabial at 2:58 PM on March 6, 2019
- marble countertops because they stain easily and an overzealous use of cleaning supplies (vinegar, any abrasive) can really quickly damage the stone.
- having mismatched measuring cup sets. Some days I need to measure several incompatible things in the same amounts. In my perfect world I'd have three sets of matching stainless measuring cups. I DO have two sets of matching measuring spoons and that is a huge help, but the cups are a plastic set and a metal set and they make me twitch.
- the high breakfast bar that isn't functional even with tall barstools.
- the real estate taken over by what feels like every size food storage container known to humanity.
- having the window unit ac in the kitchen in summer/fall
I love:
- having exiled infrequently used gadgets and extra plates/bowls/etc to another room.
- the pegboard in the kitchen I use most. I can easily which stirring, grabbing, and flipping utensils are available for use and I don't have to bend allllll the way down to get a skillet or a frying pan.
- having a dishwasher and I love remembering to open it and let the steam humidify the apartment in winter.
- the soap dispenser in the hole where lots of people have a spray hose. I got an extra long piece of plastic tubing and put a giant jug of lemon scented dish soap on the floor of that cabinet
- the way way high cabinets that I use to store jams and pickles and applesauce.
- pile of microfiber cloths and two mopheads. I can wash the all together and not worry about linting up the fabric
- the basket on the counter that keeps my dishtowels, more space in the "junk drawer" and less effort to replace a towel.
- the hardwood floor that is in the entire apartment. It's warm and things are slightly less likely to break than on tile
- an entirely separate sink for handwashing. Hands are filthy
- a good thin machine washable kitchen rug, eh, two so I can swap them out easily
- more electrical outlets (but none near the sink, because I'd electrocute myself somehow)
- an outside venting range hood
- a better system for dealing with trash/compost/recycling, but I don't know what that would be
- chest freezer
posted by bilabial at 2:58 PM on March 6, 2019
I have found in my kitchen adventures, that having a a 220v plug to be pretty dope.
posted by furnace.heart at 3:00 PM on March 6, 2019
posted by furnace.heart at 3:00 PM on March 6, 2019
Yes to a gigantic sink - we have a tiny kitchen, redid it in 2016, and part of the brief to our designer was "give us the largest sink that'll fit in this base cabinet." Yes to the pulls-out-of-the-faucet sprayer. Yes to the powerful, quiet garbage disposal (seriously, it's $75 more, do it).
If you can possibly have real kitchen ventilation (e.g., vents to outside), do it. We can't and didn't, and it's something I wish we had.
For outlets and kitchen circuits: get as many separate circuits as you can afford. I'd love to have one more in there, just because we have a huge espresso machine and a huge toaster, and together they'll trip the breaker.
As much storage as you can beg, borrow or steal. This includes pull-out drawers and the like inside cabinets (all of our base cabinets have them, it's great).
Don't hesitate to customize counter/cabinet height to what you want. Ours are hung at 21", not 18" and that's a huge bonus for us in terms of how useable our very small counters are.
Good quiet dishwasher is a must. I'd advocate also buying the largest fridge you can fit, because you'll find uses for the space. I'm a big fan of freezer on bottom models, but that's more in the way of personal preference.
posted by Making You Bored For Science at 3:01 PM on March 6, 2019
If you can possibly have real kitchen ventilation (e.g., vents to outside), do it. We can't and didn't, and it's something I wish we had.
For outlets and kitchen circuits: get as many separate circuits as you can afford. I'd love to have one more in there, just because we have a huge espresso machine and a huge toaster, and together they'll trip the breaker.
As much storage as you can beg, borrow or steal. This includes pull-out drawers and the like inside cabinets (all of our base cabinets have them, it's great).
Don't hesitate to customize counter/cabinet height to what you want. Ours are hung at 21", not 18" and that's a huge bonus for us in terms of how useable our very small counters are.
Good quiet dishwasher is a must. I'd advocate also buying the largest fridge you can fit, because you'll find uses for the space. I'm a big fan of freezer on bottom models, but that's more in the way of personal preference.
posted by Making You Bored For Science at 3:01 PM on March 6, 2019
Yes to double ovens.
Keep in mind the height between your counter tops and the cabinet doors. Everything fits save for the absurdly tall paper mill that is a centimeter too tall.
Convenient storage for sheet pans and cutting boards is important.
posted by mmascolino at 3:01 PM on March 6, 2019
Keep in mind the height between your counter tops and the cabinet doors. Everything fits save for the absurdly tall paper mill that is a centimeter too tall.
Convenient storage for sheet pans and cutting boards is important.
posted by mmascolino at 3:01 PM on March 6, 2019
Yes to more drawers less cupboards on the bottom. Personally I don't care about a double sink but want a large sink that fully fits my largest cookie sheet. The deeper sink looks nicer because you cant see dishes in it from the other room, but it hurts my back a little to bend over more. I love my secret under the sink drawers. Love that the trash can is hidden and pulls out. I hate that my dishwasher is in a corner and the drawer next to it cant be opened all the way unless the dishwasher is open. I wish we splurged for the touch-to-turn-on faucet. I wish we got around to installing sliding drawers in the large pantry cabinet so we don't have to dig around to get the stuff in the back. Touch all the appliances and cabinets with not super clean hands to see how easily smudges transfer - this helped us finalize out choices. Definitely go for the soft close cabinet doors.
posted by never.was.and.never.will.be. at 3:02 PM on March 6, 2019
posted by never.was.and.never.will.be. at 3:02 PM on March 6, 2019
I remodeled on a budget, but there were a few things we didn't compromise on:
Design
- raised counters: if you are tall, raise your counters by an inch. ITS LIFE CHANGING, and makes booth prep and cleanup less back breaking. Make sure your stove vent is tall enough you can look into a pot on the back without banging your head, but low enough to still function effectively
- LARGE, under-mounted equal sized double sink, with lowish divider (But not the extra deep kind, since that hurts tall people's backs when leaning over to wash things)
- We wanted a sink with lever sink handles- easier to operate one handed, better for folks with mobility challenges, but you could not believe the amount of pushback we got against this.
- Dedicated pull out cabinet to recycling. A++++++
- We got quartz countertops that look like marble, and they wear wonderfully; look super fancy, but actually very durable, and because of marble pattern, splashes don't show
- electric outlets. EVERYWHERE. we got more than required by code and it's excellent.
- I spent what I thought was too much on hardware, but it's been worth every penny. you touch hardware multiple times a day.
- if you don't have gas, only electric, get an induction stove; its a little bit of a learning curve initially, but I've been spoiled by the rapid boil, and the "fire on" effect. energy savings are also pretty remarkable.
- counter space within easy access of the fridge so you can pull stuff out easily and put it back easily
Storage:
+++ drawers wherever possible
- we had the space for either extra tall upper cabinets, or a second run of short cabinets, we chose 2 rows of cabinets; you never use the upper shelves of supper tall ones, and a double run of cabinets let us put in a library ladder to access the upper, upper cabinets.
- some open storage on one wall, for cookbooks and frequently used spices/coffee, oversized bowls and dishes, but most of our storage is behind closed doors. As much as I like open storage, I don't own uniform things, so cabinet doors were necessary.
- we have so many drawers that we store knives in their own drawer, and utensils in another, laid out flat.
- one cabinet over the fridge with vertical dividers for cookie sheets/muffin tins. it's excellent.
Wishlist:
- I wish I could have done woodfloors in my kitchen, but it wasn't practical or remotely affordable.
- I wish I had the budget for higher end cabinets, but again, mine look great, but could be a little bit more solid.
Other:
- I went to high end plumbing supply stores, figured out what I liked and then bought my sink on amazon on prime day. don’t discount setting up google alerts for this stuff.
- You need to touch hardware/plumbing stuff in person to see what you like/what doesn’t work for you. some handles I couldn’t fit my hand into—that’s extremely frustrating in daily use, and we could avoid it
I'm not thrilled with my powder-coated cabinets, but we went for a "tuxedo look" where we have white cabinets up top, black on bottom, and it does lighten the place up much more than the all black (or dark blue I initially angled for), and it looks good/doesn’t show dirt on the lowers, but will probably be dated in 20 years. I really like it, but I recognize it’s trendyish. I wish I had the budget for higher end cabinets and tiles, but in the end I had structural issues that needed to be fixed. (75% of my kitchen's cost isn't visible, and it kind of grates on me, but ugh I know it was the right thing to spend the money on in the long term)
(sorry that got really long. apparently I have a lot of kitchen remodeling opinions)
posted by larthegreat at 3:14 PM on March 6, 2019
Design
- raised counters: if you are tall, raise your counters by an inch. ITS LIFE CHANGING, and makes booth prep and cleanup less back breaking. Make sure your stove vent is tall enough you can look into a pot on the back without banging your head, but low enough to still function effectively
- LARGE, under-mounted equal sized double sink, with lowish divider (But not the extra deep kind, since that hurts tall people's backs when leaning over to wash things)
- We wanted a sink with lever sink handles- easier to operate one handed, better for folks with mobility challenges, but you could not believe the amount of pushback we got against this.
- Dedicated pull out cabinet to recycling. A++++++
- We got quartz countertops that look like marble, and they wear wonderfully; look super fancy, but actually very durable, and because of marble pattern, splashes don't show
- electric outlets. EVERYWHERE. we got more than required by code and it's excellent.
- I spent what I thought was too much on hardware, but it's been worth every penny. you touch hardware multiple times a day.
- if you don't have gas, only electric, get an induction stove; its a little bit of a learning curve initially, but I've been spoiled by the rapid boil, and the "fire on" effect. energy savings are also pretty remarkable.
- counter space within easy access of the fridge so you can pull stuff out easily and put it back easily
Storage:
+++ drawers wherever possible
- we had the space for either extra tall upper cabinets, or a second run of short cabinets, we chose 2 rows of cabinets; you never use the upper shelves of supper tall ones, and a double run of cabinets let us put in a library ladder to access the upper, upper cabinets.
- some open storage on one wall, for cookbooks and frequently used spices/coffee, oversized bowls and dishes, but most of our storage is behind closed doors. As much as I like open storage, I don't own uniform things, so cabinet doors were necessary.
- we have so many drawers that we store knives in their own drawer, and utensils in another, laid out flat.
- one cabinet over the fridge with vertical dividers for cookie sheets/muffin tins. it's excellent.
Wishlist:
- I wish I could have done woodfloors in my kitchen, but it wasn't practical or remotely affordable.
- I wish I had the budget for higher end cabinets, but again, mine look great, but could be a little bit more solid.
Other:
- I went to high end plumbing supply stores, figured out what I liked and then bought my sink on amazon on prime day. don’t discount setting up google alerts for this stuff.
- You need to touch hardware/plumbing stuff in person to see what you like/what doesn’t work for you. some handles I couldn’t fit my hand into—that’s extremely frustrating in daily use, and we could avoid it
I'm not thrilled with my powder-coated cabinets, but we went for a "tuxedo look" where we have white cabinets up top, black on bottom, and it does lighten the place up much more than the all black (or dark blue I initially angled for), and it looks good/doesn’t show dirt on the lowers, but will probably be dated in 20 years. I really like it, but I recognize it’s trendyish. I wish I had the budget for higher end cabinets and tiles, but in the end I had structural issues that needed to be fixed. (75% of my kitchen's cost isn't visible, and it kind of grates on me, but ugh I know it was the right thing to spend the money on in the long term)
(sorry that got really long. apparently I have a lot of kitchen remodeling opinions)
posted by larthegreat at 3:14 PM on March 6, 2019
2nding 220v plug in the kitchen. I put mine in when I upgraded to a 6 slot toaster. A double, full size oven is fantastic ( I have a range in the garage too which makes Thanksgiving way easier).
posted by Dr. Twist at 3:19 PM on March 6, 2019
posted by Dr. Twist at 3:19 PM on March 6, 2019
I've spent 99.9% of my adult life in rental properties, and there are a few things that consistently bug me:
- Poorly thought-out logistics: the layout has everything to do with wedging a kitchen into a cheap house or apartment and nothing to do with pleasant efficient usage. Not just the "triangle" noted above, but things like the dishwasher and sink being at a perpendicular angle, preventing you from being able to reach the sink when the dishwasher door is open, or difficult-to-reach cabinet spaces.
- Single overhead light: While it's handy, I'm tall enough that no matter what I'm doing I'm working in my own shadow. In recent years I've solved this with inexpensive LED-strip under-cabinet task lighting and it's wonderful.
- Lack of stove/oven hood vent to the outside, with a good fan.
- Lack of adequate storage, including for pots and pans, pantry, occasional-use small appliances, etc.
posted by Greg_Ace at 3:42 PM on March 6, 2019
- Poorly thought-out logistics: the layout has everything to do with wedging a kitchen into a cheap house or apartment and nothing to do with pleasant efficient usage. Not just the "triangle" noted above, but things like the dishwasher and sink being at a perpendicular angle, preventing you from being able to reach the sink when the dishwasher door is open, or difficult-to-reach cabinet spaces.
- Single overhead light: While it's handy, I'm tall enough that no matter what I'm doing I'm working in my own shadow. In recent years I've solved this with inexpensive LED-strip under-cabinet task lighting and it's wonderful.
- Lack of stove/oven hood vent to the outside, with a good fan.
- Lack of adequate storage, including for pots and pans, pantry, occasional-use small appliances, etc.
posted by Greg_Ace at 3:42 PM on March 6, 2019
Oh yes: as much built-in lighting as you're willing to shove in. Yes, more than that. Makes a huge difference, and LEDs make it so much easier.
posted by Making You Bored For Science at 3:44 PM on March 6, 2019
posted by Making You Bored For Science at 3:44 PM on March 6, 2019
I recently redid our kitchen; in no particular order:
-We got the biggest single bowl sink we could, and it is wonderful. Plenty of size for whatever you need/want to do, no annoying internal divider. Also a stainless sink, which I much prefer to porcelain. (I'd like the sink to give so my dishes don't break.)
-Got rid of all cabinets above the counters in favor of a few attractive open shelves. It makes the kitchen so much cleaner visually. As long as you have enough cabinet space below the counter for storage, go for it.
-We split the cooktop and oven so we could have a utensil drawer directly under the cooktop, and it is GREAT.
-I was wary of moving to induction (I wanted gas, but it didn't make sense to run the gas line) but now that we have it, I'm a big induction fan.
-We also got the biggest cooktop, and, much like the sink, when the extra size is useful it is a godsend.
-We have a big magnetic knife rack (the kind where the magnets are hidden in wood, so there's no metal-on-metal) and I adore it.
-We got rid of the tile in favor of pulling things down to the original hardwood floors, and I love it. Easy cleanup, softer floors if you drop things, no downside to me.
-Dunno about your layout, but we have the cooktop on the island with the sink directly behind (and enough space between for a person to work and another person to walk) and it is a great layout for us.
-We also did wooden butcher-block counters; I love them for the same reason I like a steel sink, and went with a wood-wax finish that is nice and hardy, but also easy to spot refinish/restore down the road.
posted by lhputtgrass at 3:52 PM on March 6, 2019
-We got the biggest single bowl sink we could, and it is wonderful. Plenty of size for whatever you need/want to do, no annoying internal divider. Also a stainless sink, which I much prefer to porcelain. (I'd like the sink to give so my dishes don't break.)
-Got rid of all cabinets above the counters in favor of a few attractive open shelves. It makes the kitchen so much cleaner visually. As long as you have enough cabinet space below the counter for storage, go for it.
-We split the cooktop and oven so we could have a utensil drawer directly under the cooktop, and it is GREAT.
-I was wary of moving to induction (I wanted gas, but it didn't make sense to run the gas line) but now that we have it, I'm a big induction fan.
-We also got the biggest cooktop, and, much like the sink, when the extra size is useful it is a godsend.
-We have a big magnetic knife rack (the kind where the magnets are hidden in wood, so there's no metal-on-metal) and I adore it.
-We got rid of the tile in favor of pulling things down to the original hardwood floors, and I love it. Easy cleanup, softer floors if you drop things, no downside to me.
-Dunno about your layout, but we have the cooktop on the island with the sink directly behind (and enough space between for a person to work and another person to walk) and it is a great layout for us.
-We also did wooden butcher-block counters; I love them for the same reason I like a steel sink, and went with a wood-wax finish that is nice and hardy, but also easy to spot refinish/restore down the road.
posted by lhputtgrass at 3:52 PM on March 6, 2019
Lots of great ideas above. Seconding/piling on for:
-Hanging pot rack.
-Drawers where possible.
-Outside venting range hood.
-Double ovens, maybe one of them convection.
-As many separate circuits as you can afford. You only need one GFI outlet per circuit. (I did this the dumb way in my first house, multiple GFIs on the same circuit, which was stupid & unnecessary.)
-Vertical dividers over the oven/somewhere for baking sheets, cutting boards, large platters, etc.
But this makes me think of:
-Our last place had a cabinet where we stored pots. Inside the cabinet was a stainless steel rail from IKEA. We used it to store pot lids. I suppose if you have a hanging pot rack, maybe you just have a lid drawer. Or a stand-up lid organizer. Or one of these ideas.
-We had a "low divide" sink that would allow for washing of large pans. I like having a divided sink in case you have two tasks: say you are soaking something or working with food/meat, then someone else needs to wash something, pour out liquid from a can, etc.
-Wish we had a pull-out dual trash & recycling system. My in-laws have this & there is a rightness to it.
Gadgets we use often:
-Immersion blender
-Hot water kettle (we make a lot of tea & pour-over coffee)
-Toaster oven (get a big enough one, and maybe you only need one main oven)
One thing that I hate:
-Previous owner installed a lot of lighting: track lighting from ceiling, fluorescent lights under cabinets (above counters), and fluorescent lights on top of cabinets (almost to ceiling). When I went to change the bulbs on the fixtures above the cabinets, I found them coated with years of grease & funk. Hopefully, I won't have to change them again any time soon. Regardless I would suggest not putting fixtures on top of cabinets.
posted by djwikiben at 3:54 PM on March 6, 2019
-Hanging pot rack.
-Drawers where possible.
-Outside venting range hood.
-Double ovens, maybe one of them convection.
-As many separate circuits as you can afford. You only need one GFI outlet per circuit. (I did this the dumb way in my first house, multiple GFIs on the same circuit, which was stupid & unnecessary.)
-Vertical dividers over the oven/somewhere for baking sheets, cutting boards, large platters, etc.
But this makes me think of:
-Our last place had a cabinet where we stored pots. Inside the cabinet was a stainless steel rail from IKEA. We used it to store pot lids. I suppose if you have a hanging pot rack, maybe you just have a lid drawer. Or a stand-up lid organizer. Or one of these ideas.
-We had a "low divide" sink that would allow for washing of large pans. I like having a divided sink in case you have two tasks: say you are soaking something or working with food/meat, then someone else needs to wash something, pour out liquid from a can, etc.
-Wish we had a pull-out dual trash & recycling system. My in-laws have this & there is a rightness to it.
Gadgets we use often:
-Immersion blender
-Hot water kettle (we make a lot of tea & pour-over coffee)
-Toaster oven (get a big enough one, and maybe you only need one main oven)
One thing that I hate:
-Previous owner installed a lot of lighting: track lighting from ceiling, fluorescent lights under cabinets (above counters), and fluorescent lights on top of cabinets (almost to ceiling). When I went to change the bulbs on the fixtures above the cabinets, I found them coated with years of grease & funk. Hopefully, I won't have to change them again any time soon. Regardless I would suggest not putting fixtures on top of cabinets.
posted by djwikiben at 3:54 PM on March 6, 2019
As long as you're wishing, two dishwashers. If you cook for lots of people and have the room, it will make cleaning up for a crowd a breeze.
posted by MelissaSimon at 3:55 PM on March 6, 2019
posted by MelissaSimon at 3:55 PM on March 6, 2019
I don't have a kitchen at the moment but this is what I would love to have:
- a stainless steel countertop with integrated sink, making it super-easy to scrape stuff off the counter directly into the sink, and no worries if there is splashing or if you put something hot down on it. However single vs double sink would depend on how you use it - I would rather have a single large sink. Counters otherwise would be a combination of steel and butcher's block.
- A drying rack that drips onto the above steel countertop and can be put away.
- Somewhere sensible and out of the way to put damp rags and rubber dishwashing gloves. I hate slinging them over the tap. Maybe I'll get one of those drying lines you can pull out across the shower area in some hotel bathrooms and install just over the sink.
- dishwasher with a cutlery rack instead of those little baskets.
- lever tap that can also be operated by foot pedal
- industrial strength fan venting outside.
- I don't really use a garbage disposal, but I would love a non-disgusting arrangement for composting (if you compost or have an organics collection service in your city). Ideally something with a lid that can go in the dishwasher as part of general cleanup every night when I empty out the organics (see next point).
- Medium sized easy-to-clean bin for rubbish, with main rubbish bin and recycling elsewhere if possible.
- A sensible arrangement for the mixer - ideally an eye-level or lower shelf with space for baskets to put away all the attachments
- A space to put away a sturdy folding step stool (I am short)
- Hobs: I would like a 4 or 6 piece induction stove and 1 gas hob with a decent flame.
- Oven: there are only two of us so I would love to have a double oven, one of which is small but effective, so I don't feel bad about the energy waste for a small amount of food. In any case, not located under the hob.
- Kitchen lighting: strong ambient lighting as well as under-cabinet lighting and/or spot lighting in prep and cooking zones.
- Somewhere sensible to prop up my ipad, my primary source of recipes
- More electricity outlets along the counter and beneath the cupboards than seems necessary
- Fridge: I like the vertical two door types with a fridge and freezer on either side. I would never get a fridge with integrated ice maker or water, personally.
-The only appliance that stays on my counter is a high quality cordless electric kettle (if you are in the US, this is where a 220V outlet would be great; consider if you would find it more useful located near the sink or the hob).
posted by tavegyl at 3:55 PM on March 6, 2019
- a stainless steel countertop with integrated sink, making it super-easy to scrape stuff off the counter directly into the sink, and no worries if there is splashing or if you put something hot down on it. However single vs double sink would depend on how you use it - I would rather have a single large sink. Counters otherwise would be a combination of steel and butcher's block.
- A drying rack that drips onto the above steel countertop and can be put away.
- Somewhere sensible and out of the way to put damp rags and rubber dishwashing gloves. I hate slinging them over the tap. Maybe I'll get one of those drying lines you can pull out across the shower area in some hotel bathrooms and install just over the sink.
- dishwasher with a cutlery rack instead of those little baskets.
- lever tap that can also be operated by foot pedal
- industrial strength fan venting outside.
- I don't really use a garbage disposal, but I would love a non-disgusting arrangement for composting (if you compost or have an organics collection service in your city). Ideally something with a lid that can go in the dishwasher as part of general cleanup every night when I empty out the organics (see next point).
- Medium sized easy-to-clean bin for rubbish, with main rubbish bin and recycling elsewhere if possible.
- A sensible arrangement for the mixer - ideally an eye-level or lower shelf with space for baskets to put away all the attachments
- A space to put away a sturdy folding step stool (I am short)
- Hobs: I would like a 4 or 6 piece induction stove and 1 gas hob with a decent flame.
- Oven: there are only two of us so I would love to have a double oven, one of which is small but effective, so I don't feel bad about the energy waste for a small amount of food. In any case, not located under the hob.
- Kitchen lighting: strong ambient lighting as well as under-cabinet lighting and/or spot lighting in prep and cooking zones.
- Somewhere sensible to prop up my ipad, my primary source of recipes
- More electricity outlets along the counter and beneath the cupboards than seems necessary
- Fridge: I like the vertical two door types with a fridge and freezer on either side. I would never get a fridge with integrated ice maker or water, personally.
-The only appliance that stays on my counter is a high quality cordless electric kettle (if you are in the US, this is where a 220V outlet would be great; consider if you would find it more useful located near the sink or the hob).
posted by tavegyl at 3:55 PM on March 6, 2019
Lessons learned from a medium-upscale kitchen remodel:
- I love the magnetic knife bar.
- Natural stone counters are beautiful but impractical. Granite and marble are porous and you need to be hyper-vigilant about spills.
- Mixed thoughts about the high-end porcelain tile floor. It looks fantastic, it's invincible, and it's easy to clean. The under-the-sink leaky hose incident would have warped a hardwood floor, but the tile still looks brand new after five years. However, I worry constantly that our toddler will slip on a water spill and get a concussion because the floor is so hard.
- The built-in microwave looks pretty with its stainless steel trim frame, but when it breaks, it can only be replaced with an identical model, which is not made any more and sells for $400 on eBay.
- We have a display cabinet with glass doors and glass shelves. This was a bad idea. The glass shelves have been chipped several times in the course of daily use.
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 4:02 PM on March 6, 2019
- I love the magnetic knife bar.
- Natural stone counters are beautiful but impractical. Granite and marble are porous and you need to be hyper-vigilant about spills.
- Mixed thoughts about the high-end porcelain tile floor. It looks fantastic, it's invincible, and it's easy to clean. The under-the-sink leaky hose incident would have warped a hardwood floor, but the tile still looks brand new after five years. However, I worry constantly that our toddler will slip on a water spill and get a concussion because the floor is so hard.
- The built-in microwave looks pretty with its stainless steel trim frame, but when it breaks, it can only be replaced with an identical model, which is not made any more and sells for $400 on eBay.
- We have a display cabinet with glass doors and glass shelves. This was a bad idea. The glass shelves have been chipped several times in the course of daily use.
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 4:02 PM on March 6, 2019
The other thing i wanted to mention is more then one high capacity breaker that serves the kitchen with the microwave on a dedicated circuit. I've blown the breaker just because i was cooking breakfast on numerous occasions. The coffeepot, griddle, and stand mixer running are enough to pop the 20A breaker that serves that wall of my kitchen. also your walls should be absolutely dripping with outlets.
posted by Dr. Twist at 4:03 PM on March 6, 2019
posted by Dr. Twist at 4:03 PM on March 6, 2019
Previous owners of my house did an extensive kitchen remodel. What I love about what they did:
--SPICE DRAWER under the range, with
--HEAVY DUTY POT STORAGE DRAWERS below
--TRAY/BAKING SHEET storage over oven
--TONS OF LIGHTING: overhead, undercabinet spots, pendants
--SO MANY OUTLETS
--DEDICATED CABINET SPACE for: salad spinner, crockpot, Instant Pot; tall cabinet that can accommodate vases
The whizbangy things I wouldn't bother with again:
--bread drawer with plexiglass top (never used it)
--double oven (only use the lower one on Thanksgiving)
--six burners (never have more than three going at once)
--knife drawer (I prefer a block on the counter)
--desk (it just collects clutter; paperwork is better done elsewhere)
posted by apparently at 4:05 PM on March 6, 2019
--SPICE DRAWER under the range, with
--HEAVY DUTY POT STORAGE DRAWERS below
--TRAY/BAKING SHEET storage over oven
--TONS OF LIGHTING: overhead, undercabinet spots, pendants
--SO MANY OUTLETS
--DEDICATED CABINET SPACE for: salad spinner, crockpot, Instant Pot; tall cabinet that can accommodate vases
The whizbangy things I wouldn't bother with again:
--bread drawer with plexiglass top (never used it)
--double oven (only use the lower one on Thanksgiving)
--six burners (never have more than three going at once)
--knife drawer (I prefer a block on the counter)
--desk (it just collects clutter; paperwork is better done elsewhere)
posted by apparently at 4:05 PM on March 6, 2019
When we remodeled our kitchen 30 or more years ago, we put the micro-convection oven in a cabinet above the countertop to give us more space. It was too high, and very awkward to remove something like a roast chicken. Now the micro-convection over is on the counter. BTW, the convection/microwave mix was excellent for roast chicken, but we didn't use it for much else. I used the convection setting for pies but that was mostly because of the timer/shutoff nature of the beast.
We recently got a new range and got one with a two ovens. There are only two of us, and the little oven gets 99% of the use. It's within reach, but not too convenient to reach into, i.e. to fetch a baked potato. The big oven seems to be VERY FAR DOWN, and takes up the space used for a drawer in other ranges.
One of the best features is the very efficient use of closets, especially that you can reach the china and glassware cabinets while standing next to the dishwasher.
If you don't use gas, look into an induction cooktop. They are very responsive, even more than gas, and don't leave the burner hot.
posted by SemiSalt at 4:06 PM on March 6, 2019
We recently got a new range and got one with a two ovens. There are only two of us, and the little oven gets 99% of the use. It's within reach, but not too convenient to reach into, i.e. to fetch a baked potato. The big oven seems to be VERY FAR DOWN, and takes up the space used for a drawer in other ranges.
One of the best features is the very efficient use of closets, especially that you can reach the china and glassware cabinets while standing next to the dishwasher.
If you don't use gas, look into an induction cooktop. They are very responsive, even more than gas, and don't leave the burner hot.
posted by SemiSalt at 4:06 PM on March 6, 2019
Remodeled one kitchen, and at some point this year I will be working on another:
Yeeeess to the kitchen triangle.
Counter space is needed on both sides of the range top. Not as necessary for the sink, but who puts a sink beside a wall?
I'm about to find out if a sink on a breakfast bar is a good thing. My husband and I are still going back and forth on whether the breakfast bar should be all one height or if the sink area should be lower (electric outlets along the mini wall).
Watch out for the dueling doors on the oven and fridge and dishwasher.
I'm short and don't like ovens and microwaves in a wall, but my MIL loves hers.
We didn't make the cabinet above the refrigerator high enough. It was fine for a standard fridge, but then we lucked out on a stove and fridge from a friend and couldn't use the nearly-new one.
Plumb for electric and for natural gas. Again, you may get a sweet deal on an oven.
Yes, to water and ice in the refrigerator door. Yes, to access to a chest freezer (ours is in the garage).
Wire for extra electric outlets. Try to avoid dangling cords. If you think you will have several things on at the same time, plan separate wiring circuits for each wall.
Some building codes require special outlets in areas with water sources (kitchens, bathrooms, shop buildings, outdoors). This may effect inspections (we had to change some outlets outside).
The double sink is what Mom and MIL used to wash dishes on one side and rinse in hot bleach water on the other before drying and putting away. I use mine to pre-soak before putting things in the dishwasher (yep, I basically use the dishwasher for sanitizing), while keeping the other side available for other tasks. I'd love a side big enough to submerge my skillets with handles, but I also like the counter space....
Must. Have. All. Of. The. Counter space. I love the little pull-out shelf that I can use as extra counter space.
Corners are a drag, both for cabinets, shelves and counter space. We stayed with a corner sink (all the plumbing goes in that dead space beneath) and put windows in both corner walls. We never put a spice rack/herb garden in the area between the windows, but I did have some aloe vera on the counter.
The problem with a corner sink is that only one person can use it at a time.
We have a tile floor, which I like. Don't pick a slippery tile floor. Do pick a medium-to-dark grout that looks nicer longer.
We've used the laminate from Lowes or Home Depot for kitchen counter tops. I'd rather have something that is more indestructible, but we are spending the money on the HVAC instead.
I'm not a fan of open shelving or glass doors. The remodel had cabinets all the way to the ceiling -- getting into the corners was hard (my husband did the carpentry) -- so the current project is going to have dead air above the cabinets. Walls and ceiling may not be square/plumb/level, so leave a little space and add a couple of trim boards to make it look like the cabinetry is all the way into the corner or against the ceiling (if you have a drop-down ceiling area above the cabinets).
If you have cats, and want them in the kitchen, make sure you can get to the high spaces for cleaning. Please, please, please think about high spaces above the range.
Range hood above the range, with exhaust fan and light -- check. Ceiling lighting, and task lighting under the cabinets -- check. I do most of my recipe hunting online so the boxes of cookbooks are gone, but I do have a little flashcard box of family recipes in a drawer (must make a copy for each daughter).
A catch-all drawer is handy for appliance books, receipts, warranties, and assorted tools. That allen wrench for the garbage disposal when it gets clogged up? Put it in the catch-all drawer.
Are there municipal codes for smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, other safety devices?
posted by TrishaU at 4:13 PM on March 6, 2019
Yeeeess to the kitchen triangle.
Counter space is needed on both sides of the range top. Not as necessary for the sink, but who puts a sink beside a wall?
I'm about to find out if a sink on a breakfast bar is a good thing. My husband and I are still going back and forth on whether the breakfast bar should be all one height or if the sink area should be lower (electric outlets along the mini wall).
Watch out for the dueling doors on the oven and fridge and dishwasher.
I'm short and don't like ovens and microwaves in a wall, but my MIL loves hers.
We didn't make the cabinet above the refrigerator high enough. It was fine for a standard fridge, but then we lucked out on a stove and fridge from a friend and couldn't use the nearly-new one.
Plumb for electric and for natural gas. Again, you may get a sweet deal on an oven.
Yes, to water and ice in the refrigerator door. Yes, to access to a chest freezer (ours is in the garage).
Wire for extra electric outlets. Try to avoid dangling cords. If you think you will have several things on at the same time, plan separate wiring circuits for each wall.
Some building codes require special outlets in areas with water sources (kitchens, bathrooms, shop buildings, outdoors). This may effect inspections (we had to change some outlets outside).
The double sink is what Mom and MIL used to wash dishes on one side and rinse in hot bleach water on the other before drying and putting away. I use mine to pre-soak before putting things in the dishwasher (yep, I basically use the dishwasher for sanitizing), while keeping the other side available for other tasks. I'd love a side big enough to submerge my skillets with handles, but I also like the counter space....
Must. Have. All. Of. The. Counter space. I love the little pull-out shelf that I can use as extra counter space.
Corners are a drag, both for cabinets, shelves and counter space. We stayed with a corner sink (all the plumbing goes in that dead space beneath) and put windows in both corner walls. We never put a spice rack/herb garden in the area between the windows, but I did have some aloe vera on the counter.
The problem with a corner sink is that only one person can use it at a time.
We have a tile floor, which I like. Don't pick a slippery tile floor. Do pick a medium-to-dark grout that looks nicer longer.
We've used the laminate from Lowes or Home Depot for kitchen counter tops. I'd rather have something that is more indestructible, but we are spending the money on the HVAC instead.
I'm not a fan of open shelving or glass doors. The remodel had cabinets all the way to the ceiling -- getting into the corners was hard (my husband did the carpentry) -- so the current project is going to have dead air above the cabinets. Walls and ceiling may not be square/plumb/level, so leave a little space and add a couple of trim boards to make it look like the cabinetry is all the way into the corner or against the ceiling (if you have a drop-down ceiling area above the cabinets).
If you have cats, and want them in the kitchen, make sure you can get to the high spaces for cleaning. Please, please, please think about high spaces above the range.
Range hood above the range, with exhaust fan and light -- check. Ceiling lighting, and task lighting under the cabinets -- check. I do most of my recipe hunting online so the boxes of cookbooks are gone, but I do have a little flashcard box of family recipes in a drawer (must make a copy for each daughter).
A catch-all drawer is handy for appliance books, receipts, warranties, and assorted tools. That allen wrench for the garbage disposal when it gets clogged up? Put it in the catch-all drawer.
Are there municipal codes for smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, other safety devices?
posted by TrishaU at 4:13 PM on March 6, 2019
We have about 14 linear feet of below-waist cabinets, and only five drawers. It's terrible - the pans and baking tins are perpetually in a jumble and most of the space at the back of the cabinets is inaccessible. Corner cabinets should have a lazy susan or three-quarter corner carousel, not awkwardly shaped cabinets or dead space.
I never would have purchased a wine fridge (came with the kitchen), but sort of love it - we usually only have a few bottles of wine in it; the rest is full of beer, cider, soda, juice, and sparkling water. It's all quickly accessible and organized for when we have guests and keeps our smallish fridge from being overwhelmed and cluttered.
Regarding touch-to-turn-on faucets: the one I've used regularly is more a touch-many-times-to-sometimes-turn-on-and-also-touchlessly-turns-off-unpredictably faucet. If you go with one, be sure that it is utterly reliable. (I have no idea how you do this.)
Induction stovetops are fantastic for a few things (boiling water/extremely rapid heating), but I hate them for others (finicky controls, and all your pans have to be suitably ferromagnetic and flat-bottomed). That said, I like them enough that I want to get myself a countertop induction hot plate to supplement the gas range and electric kettle.
I also love the relatively cheap island we now have. We had a big, empty space in the middle of the room and insufficient shelving/countertop workspace. The island solved those problems, but more importantly it brought a place to sit right into the kitchen, so I can have a face-to-face conversation while I chop veggies, roll out dough, or whatever. More to the point - if you cook often, with company, make sure there's space and a comfortable place to sit while working.
posted by verschollen at 4:26 PM on March 6, 2019
I never would have purchased a wine fridge (came with the kitchen), but sort of love it - we usually only have a few bottles of wine in it; the rest is full of beer, cider, soda, juice, and sparkling water. It's all quickly accessible and organized for when we have guests and keeps our smallish fridge from being overwhelmed and cluttered.
Regarding touch-to-turn-on faucets: the one I've used regularly is more a touch-many-times-to-sometimes-turn-on-and-also-touchlessly-turns-off-unpredictably faucet. If you go with one, be sure that it is utterly reliable. (I have no idea how you do this.)
Induction stovetops are fantastic for a few things (boiling water/extremely rapid heating), but I hate them for others (finicky controls, and all your pans have to be suitably ferromagnetic and flat-bottomed). That said, I like them enough that I want to get myself a countertop induction hot plate to supplement the gas range and electric kettle.
I also love the relatively cheap island we now have. We had a big, empty space in the middle of the room and insufficient shelving/countertop workspace. The island solved those problems, but more importantly it brought a place to sit right into the kitchen, so I can have a face-to-face conversation while I chop veggies, roll out dough, or whatever. More to the point - if you cook often, with company, make sure there's space and a comfortable place to sit while working.
posted by verschollen at 4:26 PM on March 6, 2019
I’ve only had this in labs where I’ve worked: foot pedal activated sinks. They are so excellent and you only turn on the water for exactly what you need. They also have regular faucet controls so you can do steady streams as well
posted by sciencegeek at 4:36 PM on March 6, 2019
posted by sciencegeek at 4:36 PM on March 6, 2019
One more thing -- knobs, handles, etc. in the kitchen.
We put them on the cabinetry during the remodel, since we were selling that house after our youngest daughter graduated from college and moved out of it. We probably will do the same in the lakeside cottage kitchen.
But we've had bare cabinetry since 1985 in our home kitchen, and never missed it. The drawer and door edges are slanted, so we just hook our fingers around them and pull. Same with the bathroom and hallway cabinetry.
I prefer it.
posted by TrishaU at 4:49 PM on March 6, 2019
We put them on the cabinetry during the remodel, since we were selling that house after our youngest daughter graduated from college and moved out of it. We probably will do the same in the lakeside cottage kitchen.
But we've had bare cabinetry since 1985 in our home kitchen, and never missed it. The drawer and door edges are slanted, so we just hook our fingers around them and pull. Same with the bathroom and hallway cabinetry.
I prefer it.
posted by TrishaU at 4:49 PM on March 6, 2019
Yes to most of the things here, especially the cookbook shelf, which I had made in the one kitchen I got to design. Loved it. I also like that my laptop fits on the wide windowsill in my kitchen, above where it might get liquid damage, so I can easily refer to recipes there or put on a tv show while I'm cooking. If that sounds like something you want, think of a shelf for a laptop or tablet where it won't get spilled on.
posted by transient at 4:54 PM on March 6, 2019
posted by transient at 4:54 PM on March 6, 2019
The people who lived in our house before us redid the kitchen relatively recently. Here is what I like and hate about it:
LIKE
Enough room for two people to cook together - e.g. you can walk behind someone standing at the bench without getting in their way, you can open the pantry doors without invading the space of another person who is at the stove, etc.
Drawers everywhere instead of cupboards, yes.
A magnetic/hook holding strip along the splashback where you can keep knives and other implements without them taking up bench space.
An appliance garage for the microwave and toaster (would have liked more of these, or more space so we could keep the food processer and the coffee maker in similar set-up).
A dark, granite benchtop. You can put hot things straight on it, you can cut on it, and it's great for making pastry on. Because it's dark and marbled, it either doesn't stain or stains don't show. I don't know which.
Lots of power outlets. Everywhere. It's awesome.
Built-in pull-out twin rubbish and recycling bins under the sink. The only annoying thing is that it seems to be a non-standard size, and it's a bit broken, and we can't find replacement bits anywhere without replacing the whole set-up.
DISLIKE INTENSELY
They did not leave enough room to the right of the sink for putting a dishrack or piling clean dishes. I guess they always used the dishwasher.
White cabinet faces. They are always grubby. Also they were clearly cheap and are delaminating.
They splurged on the benchtops, but the cabinets underneath them are low quality chipboard, and need replacing already. But it breaks my heart to replace a granite benchtop after what must be only about five years. Those things are meant to last decades. But then they need solid decade-lasting cupboards to go with them.
Not enough counter space in general.
The lighting isn't positioned well for shining onto the work spaces.
The fridge space is weird - too small for a large fridge, but for a standard size one, it leaves space to the side. We put a wine rack in there, though, so that's okay.
SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE
Those Scandinavian style above-sink dishrack cupboards.
Baseboard vacuum.
Somewhere useful to keep a compost bin. Maybe even one of those neat pull-out cutting boards with a hole in it over the bin.
posted by lollusc at 4:55 PM on March 6, 2019
LIKE
Enough room for two people to cook together - e.g. you can walk behind someone standing at the bench without getting in their way, you can open the pantry doors without invading the space of another person who is at the stove, etc.
Drawers everywhere instead of cupboards, yes.
A magnetic/hook holding strip along the splashback where you can keep knives and other implements without them taking up bench space.
An appliance garage for the microwave and toaster (would have liked more of these, or more space so we could keep the food processer and the coffee maker in similar set-up).
A dark, granite benchtop. You can put hot things straight on it, you can cut on it, and it's great for making pastry on. Because it's dark and marbled, it either doesn't stain or stains don't show. I don't know which.
Lots of power outlets. Everywhere. It's awesome.
Built-in pull-out twin rubbish and recycling bins under the sink. The only annoying thing is that it seems to be a non-standard size, and it's a bit broken, and we can't find replacement bits anywhere without replacing the whole set-up.
DISLIKE INTENSELY
They did not leave enough room to the right of the sink for putting a dishrack or piling clean dishes. I guess they always used the dishwasher.
White cabinet faces. They are always grubby. Also they were clearly cheap and are delaminating.
They splurged on the benchtops, but the cabinets underneath them are low quality chipboard, and need replacing already. But it breaks my heart to replace a granite benchtop after what must be only about five years. Those things are meant to last decades. But then they need solid decade-lasting cupboards to go with them.
Not enough counter space in general.
The lighting isn't positioned well for shining onto the work spaces.
The fridge space is weird - too small for a large fridge, but for a standard size one, it leaves space to the side. We put a wine rack in there, though, so that's okay.
SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE
Those Scandinavian style above-sink dishrack cupboards.
Baseboard vacuum.
Somewhere useful to keep a compost bin. Maybe even one of those neat pull-out cutting boards with a hole in it over the bin.
posted by lollusc at 4:55 PM on March 6, 2019
- Vertical storage for cutting boards and cookie sheets
- Outlet strips up under cabinets where it meets the backsplash
- Tall counter depth fridge - we kept losing track of food that was low and further back
- Dishwasher - try to test your plates, dishes, glasses in the models you're looking at to make sure they fit well. Most will be plenty quiet, you probably don't need to minimize decibels, YMMV.
- Knife storage in drawer - something like this with cork dividers
posted by sapere aude at 4:59 PM on March 6, 2019
- Outlet strips up under cabinets where it meets the backsplash
- Tall counter depth fridge - we kept losing track of food that was low and further back
- Dishwasher - try to test your plates, dishes, glasses in the models you're looking at to make sure they fit well. Most will be plenty quiet, you probably don't need to minimize decibels, YMMV.
- Knife storage in drawer - something like this with cork dividers
posted by sapere aude at 4:59 PM on March 6, 2019
I have a rental kitchen with basically zero modern features, so not much to say here EXCEPT that my immersion blender has 100% been the most useful thing I have added to my kitchen in my adult life. Making whipped cream? Blending crepe batter? Blending half of the beans in my soup for texture? Making a smoothie? Grinding peanuts? Done, done, done! It sits on my counter at all times waiting for all my blending and pulverizing needs, and when I'm done with it I rinse it off and move on with my day.
posted by geegollygosh at 5:40 PM on March 6, 2019
posted by geegollygosh at 5:40 PM on March 6, 2019
I used to bake bread all the time, so when I planned my kitchen reno I made my island significantly lower than standard counters. I'm short; even though I rarely bake now, I do ALL my prep work at the island. I love it. I also have a bookcase for cookbooks underneath on one side (though I don't use them often any more) and underneath on the other side is an opening that holds the microwave and toaster oven above a broad drawer. Keeps the counters free and it's easy for the vertically challenged. I'm a big fan of that decision. YHeightMV.
posted by kate4914 at 6:20 PM on March 6, 2019
posted by kate4914 at 6:20 PM on March 6, 2019
A catch-all drawer is handy for appliance books, receipts, warranties, and assorted tools.
I'd suggest having one drawer for books/receipts/warranties and such flat paper-based things, and a separate catch-all "assorted tool" drawer - maybe even two, so you can split out often-used from seldom-used tools. And I wouldn't go for especially shallow ones either, as they're inevitably going to get more filled up than you think so you'll want some headroom to allow for bunching and prevent jammed drawers.
Re: drawers vs. cabinets below the counters... While in general I'm in favor of drawers (and especially a deep drawer or two for food containers), I also have some bulkier items that need to be kept somewhere - a tub or two, baking dishes, larger pots/stockpots, dutch oven, steel bowls, colanders and strainers, extra-large utensiles, and so on; and that's besides the occasional-use small appliances I mentioned before - and drawers don't seem like a good solution for those. But whatever one's preferred storage method would be, it bears keeping in mind.
Knife storage: Jumbling sharp objects in a drawer isn't very safe in terms of avoiding cut fingers, and storing them that way promotes edge damage as well (unless you have the room for a shallow pull-out that allows each one to always lie parallel and separated with the handles easy to grab). On top of that, I'm using one knife or another very frequently so I'd rather not spend time rummaging through a drawerful to find the one I want. Blocks are fine as long as the knives you have and the ones you may want later on all fit in it, but I find a magnetic strip on a bit of bare wall/cabinet side/fridge side to be just as handy, it doesn't take up counter space, and it's more flexible as far as making room for unusual sizes/changing number of tenants.
posted by Greg_Ace at 6:32 PM on March 6, 2019
I'd suggest having one drawer for books/receipts/warranties and such flat paper-based things, and a separate catch-all "assorted tool" drawer - maybe even two, so you can split out often-used from seldom-used tools. And I wouldn't go for especially shallow ones either, as they're inevitably going to get more filled up than you think so you'll want some headroom to allow for bunching and prevent jammed drawers.
Re: drawers vs. cabinets below the counters... While in general I'm in favor of drawers (and especially a deep drawer or two for food containers), I also have some bulkier items that need to be kept somewhere - a tub or two, baking dishes, larger pots/stockpots, dutch oven, steel bowls, colanders and strainers, extra-large utensiles, and so on; and that's besides the occasional-use small appliances I mentioned before - and drawers don't seem like a good solution for those. But whatever one's preferred storage method would be, it bears keeping in mind.
Knife storage: Jumbling sharp objects in a drawer isn't very safe in terms of avoiding cut fingers, and storing them that way promotes edge damage as well (unless you have the room for a shallow pull-out that allows each one to always lie parallel and separated with the handles easy to grab). On top of that, I'm using one knife or another very frequently so I'd rather not spend time rummaging through a drawerful to find the one I want. Blocks are fine as long as the knives you have and the ones you may want later on all fit in it, but I find a magnetic strip on a bit of bare wall/cabinet side/fridge side to be just as handy, it doesn't take up counter space, and it's more flexible as far as making room for unusual sizes/changing number of tenants.
posted by Greg_Ace at 6:32 PM on March 6, 2019
My 65-year-old Hong Kong kitchen is about 25 square feet (yes, twenty-five) and yet it is the best kitchen I have ever worked in because:
- the counter height is right for a two-burner induction hob that doubles as a work surface when not actively cooking
- the kitchen triangle was clearly thought about when designing the space
- there are sufficient cabinets for plates/cups/bowls, as well as pots/pans/appliances
- the sink has a built-in drainboard to the left of the basin so I can just pop a normal dishrack on there and everything drains beautifully
- there’s a window with a very powerful ventilation fan at the top that keeps smells out of the rest of the house
- it’s got a bar with hooks to hang utensils like tongs and strainers above the drainboard so things can be washed and then immediately hung up to dry
- the walls are tiled so it’s super-easy to clean and feels cooler in the summer
- there’s a spot for a tiny trash can, the contents of which I take out daily
I have some lifestyle particularities that make it workable for me specifically:
- I have a low-carb diet so I don’t need space for cereals/rices/pastas/flours
- I live above a supermarket and a block from a wet market so I really only ever have two days’ worth of food in the house, plus staples/condiments, so my fridge can be smallish; all my groceries are transported via backpack
- I batch-cook frequently, so I use the hobs/counter for doing all my mise-en-place before cooking, then wash all the containers while things cook
- I measured every dimension in advance of moving in and got a fridge and electric oven that exactly fit in that space
- I have space in my home office for storage of infrequently used/bulk-bought items like the food processor and extra paper towels
- I entertain and have dinner parties, but I choose recipes that keep me out of the kitchen or that can be assembled family-style at my dining table in the living room
If you’re working with a larger kitchen, lots of the principles of my microkitchen will still be applicable. I’d make sure...
- you have that kitchen triangle at the centre of your plan
- you don’t overdo storage with opaque faces like cabinets, or even doors
- you remember windows, light and ventilation
- you keep only what you truly need visible - I have a wok, a large frying pan, a small frying pan and a stockpot but only the wok is visible and so it’s what I use 90% of the time
- you have spices, knives and condiments out so you use them
- you limit duplicate equipment
- you use wall space as hanging space if needed
Good luck!
posted by mdonley at 6:38 PM on March 6, 2019
- the counter height is right for a two-burner induction hob that doubles as a work surface when not actively cooking
- the kitchen triangle was clearly thought about when designing the space
- there are sufficient cabinets for plates/cups/bowls, as well as pots/pans/appliances
- the sink has a built-in drainboard to the left of the basin so I can just pop a normal dishrack on there and everything drains beautifully
- there’s a window with a very powerful ventilation fan at the top that keeps smells out of the rest of the house
- it’s got a bar with hooks to hang utensils like tongs and strainers above the drainboard so things can be washed and then immediately hung up to dry
- the walls are tiled so it’s super-easy to clean and feels cooler in the summer
- there’s a spot for a tiny trash can, the contents of which I take out daily
I have some lifestyle particularities that make it workable for me specifically:
- I have a low-carb diet so I don’t need space for cereals/rices/pastas/flours
- I live above a supermarket and a block from a wet market so I really only ever have two days’ worth of food in the house, plus staples/condiments, so my fridge can be smallish; all my groceries are transported via backpack
- I batch-cook frequently, so I use the hobs/counter for doing all my mise-en-place before cooking, then wash all the containers while things cook
- I measured every dimension in advance of moving in and got a fridge and electric oven that exactly fit in that space
- I have space in my home office for storage of infrequently used/bulk-bought items like the food processor and extra paper towels
- I entertain and have dinner parties, but I choose recipes that keep me out of the kitchen or that can be assembled family-style at my dining table in the living room
If you’re working with a larger kitchen, lots of the principles of my microkitchen will still be applicable. I’d make sure...
- you have that kitchen triangle at the centre of your plan
- you don’t overdo storage with opaque faces like cabinets, or even doors
- you remember windows, light and ventilation
- you keep only what you truly need visible - I have a wok, a large frying pan, a small frying pan and a stockpot but only the wok is visible and so it’s what I use 90% of the time
- you have spices, knives and condiments out so you use them
- you limit duplicate equipment
- you use wall space as hanging space if needed
Good luck!
posted by mdonley at 6:38 PM on March 6, 2019
This is all based off of my parents' kitchen remodel, many aspects of which I intend to copy when I've replaced the roof in five years. (They remodeled the kitchen themselves: they did the design, Dad built the cabinets, they bought a custom countertop of Jerusalem stone and had it professionally sized and installed, they had an electrician install the lighting and a plumber install the new waterworks.) Their intention was to build a kitchen that worked for them: both what kinds of things they had, how they cooked, and their advancing age and mobility concerns. They had lived in the house for nearly ten years, and used the kitchen quite a bit, so they had a fairly good idea what worked and what didn't.
Their kitchen configuration couldn't be changed a whole lot. It's a long, narrow kitchen that opens to the family room on one end, and the dining room on the other.
They put in:
A pasta faucet over the stove/right next to the stove. It's great for filling large pans with water and then NOT having to try and get the full pans from sink to stove.
Cabinets with pull-out trays. Easier to see everything that's in them, especially things that are often stored toward the back.
If you have a counter that's perpendicular to a wall surface, think of putting cabinet doors on both sides. Again: ease of access to stuff.
Any narrow spaces that seem difficult to use? Tall narrow cabinets for things like cookie sheets or drying racks. Either that, or (if you have one) a drawer dedicated to your KitchenAid mixer, or some other appliance that you want to have handy, but don't necessarily want to store on the counter.
For your sink, add a reverse-osmosis water faucet for ultra-filtered drinking water.
For the floors: long memory-foam-filled floor mats. They REALLY help with foot or knee or back pain when you do a lot of standing. Make sure that they're not fabric-covered / easy to clean up food spills.
They originally had darker hardwood floors, but Mom quickly found that they showed Every Single Speck of Dust. A few years ago when they had water damage (from their professionally-installed Bosch dishwasher) they switched to "bleached-wood grey" flooring. It brightened the room significantly.
The electrician thought Mom was crazy for asking for as many outlets as she did. She has an electrical outlet every three feet, just above the counters. It doesn't look "pretty" when everything's put away, but in terms of usefulness, it's excellent. There are a lot fewer "but I have to have that space to use the toaster because its cord is so short"-type arguments.
They have cabinets with opaque doors because they're vastly unfond of the visuals of open shelves and drawers that have lots of things in them. The cabinets and doors are painted a light cameo-cream shade, and Mom stencilled on the doors with iridescent/interference paints, so the designs are both visually light and they refract light. The kitchen lighting is all pot lights, and they also have under-cabinet lights for the cabinets above the counters, for when you're just getting a sandwich or a drink.
The house already had a storage-cubby (long, narrow, barely tall enough for 5'9" me to stand upright) and a "work room" that they use for storage of some foodstuffs, some kitchen goods like paper towels, bulk purchases, and their wine bottles. They don't have a pantry in the kitchen, and there wasn't room to add one without closing the kitchen off more.
posted by Tailkinker to-Ennien at 8:05 PM on March 6, 2019
Their kitchen configuration couldn't be changed a whole lot. It's a long, narrow kitchen that opens to the family room on one end, and the dining room on the other.
They put in:
A pasta faucet over the stove/right next to the stove. It's great for filling large pans with water and then NOT having to try and get the full pans from sink to stove.
Cabinets with pull-out trays. Easier to see everything that's in them, especially things that are often stored toward the back.
If you have a counter that's perpendicular to a wall surface, think of putting cabinet doors on both sides. Again: ease of access to stuff.
Any narrow spaces that seem difficult to use? Tall narrow cabinets for things like cookie sheets or drying racks. Either that, or (if you have one) a drawer dedicated to your KitchenAid mixer, or some other appliance that you want to have handy, but don't necessarily want to store on the counter.
For your sink, add a reverse-osmosis water faucet for ultra-filtered drinking water.
For the floors: long memory-foam-filled floor mats. They REALLY help with foot or knee or back pain when you do a lot of standing. Make sure that they're not fabric-covered / easy to clean up food spills.
They originally had darker hardwood floors, but Mom quickly found that they showed Every Single Speck of Dust. A few years ago when they had water damage (from their professionally-installed Bosch dishwasher) they switched to "bleached-wood grey" flooring. It brightened the room significantly.
The electrician thought Mom was crazy for asking for as many outlets as she did. She has an electrical outlet every three feet, just above the counters. It doesn't look "pretty" when everything's put away, but in terms of usefulness, it's excellent. There are a lot fewer "but I have to have that space to use the toaster because its cord is so short"-type arguments.
They have cabinets with opaque doors because they're vastly unfond of the visuals of open shelves and drawers that have lots of things in them. The cabinets and doors are painted a light cameo-cream shade, and Mom stencilled on the doors with iridescent/interference paints, so the designs are both visually light and they refract light. The kitchen lighting is all pot lights, and they also have under-cabinet lights for the cabinets above the counters, for when you're just getting a sandwich or a drink.
The house already had a storage-cubby (long, narrow, barely tall enough for 5'9" me to stand upright) and a "work room" that they use for storage of some foodstuffs, some kitchen goods like paper towels, bulk purchases, and their wine bottles. They don't have a pantry in the kitchen, and there wasn't room to add one without closing the kitchen off more.
posted by Tailkinker to-Ennien at 8:05 PM on March 6, 2019
Another thing I like is, I have a little prep sink by the counter where I do the most work, and I have a fancy water filter hooked up to its faucet. So I have filtered water to drink from that faucet, but I don't waste the filter (which isn't cheap) on dishwashing, which happens in the main sink and uses much more water. Pretty much just use the prep sink faucet for rinsing fruits and veg while cooking, and drinking water.
I can't remember anymore why I don't have the pedal faucet, which I definitely wanted. Pedal sinks are so awesome.
posted by fingersandtoes at 8:14 PM on March 6, 2019
I can't remember anymore why I don't have the pedal faucet, which I definitely wanted. Pedal sinks are so awesome.
posted by fingersandtoes at 8:14 PM on March 6, 2019
I maintain it isn't possible for a kitchen to have too many electrical outlets. However, I can attest from personal experience that 28 is sufficient. I have never needed to unplug something to plug in something else with 28 outlets in the kitchen. Visitors cooking here are always sort of blown away when they realize just how many places there are to plug things in.
posted by potrzebie at 9:19 PM on March 6, 2019
posted by potrzebie at 9:19 PM on March 6, 2019
I wish I had a triple sink:
1. Pre-rinse.
2. Wash.
3. Post-rinse.
But also, the sink should be big enough to soak whatever might need soaking.
posted by maurreen at 11:27 PM on March 6, 2019
1. Pre-rinse.
2. Wash.
3. Post-rinse.
But also, the sink should be big enough to soak whatever might need soaking.
posted by maurreen at 11:27 PM on March 6, 2019
Every kitchen remodel we've done has had the fridge where its side is visible -- that is, it slides easily into place at the end of a counter, but not into a corner. Less worry about whether a side-by-side is going to be too wide for the area. We had a video cabinet (made by my husband) covering the side of our first fridge in our home, but the new bottom-freezer model covers the entire space. We just ignore the black side facing the dining area.
Drawer slides that allow the use of the entire drawer are nice. We have wire drawers in some of our lower cabinets which help use the extreme back of the area, but they in turn are space hogs.
Canned goods will leak after a decade or so... just saying that those hard-to-reach areas need excavating periodically.
I have no idea where my MIL got them, but we have two step stools that double as seats (they might be a bit narrow these days).
posted by TrishaU at 12:35 AM on March 7, 2019
Drawer slides that allow the use of the entire drawer are nice. We have wire drawers in some of our lower cabinets which help use the extreme back of the area, but they in turn are space hogs.
Canned goods will leak after a decade or so... just saying that those hard-to-reach areas need excavating periodically.
I have no idea where my MIL got them, but we have two step stools that double as seats (they might be a bit narrow these days).
posted by TrishaU at 12:35 AM on March 7, 2019
As much work surface / countertop as you can get. Then more. Space, space, space.
And more plug sockets than you think you'll need.
posted by ZipRibbons at 1:38 AM on March 7, 2019
And more plug sockets than you think you'll need.
posted by ZipRibbons at 1:38 AM on March 7, 2019
When I remodeled my kitchen, I was able to raise the ceiling by a few inches. It wasn't that much, but it contributes to the brightness of the room. I put bright blue linoleum on the floor, and used the same material for the backsplash behind the stove (actually I covered the whole wall where the stove is up to 1 m 30 cm). Before I got a dog, I had a pretty Iranian carpet in the kitchen which made it feel more like a living room -- I loved that feel but the dog loved chewing bones on it.
The layout is based on the kitchen triangle, but not rigidly. It's a vast improvement to the former layout and I don't think it needs to go further -- also because, even though I've always wanted an island, in the end I wanted floorspace more, so we can pull out our kitchen table and sit 8 at it. We have our everyday meals there, kids sit and draw, I often work there, sometimes I will sit down and do prepwork, if its fussy, like dumplings, and when there's a party, people love to hang out there, even dancing. I also use the kitchen table as a side table or buffet if we have a lot of different food, which is something I like.
+++ to good lighting and lots of outlets. We have a special shelf and outlets for loading phones and computers.
I have a floor to ceiling bookshelf for my cookbooks, and two floor to ceiling cabinets. The fridge and freezer are built into one of them, and there is a broom closet, but there is still a lot of space high up for the things I only use rarely, like the stockpot, some of the attachments for the stand mixer and big pans and dishes for when we are more than 8 for dinner. Most other storage is under the counters, mostly in drawers. I do have some metal racks on one wall, very high up, that I use for nice cooking stuff like le creuset pots, pretty casserole dishes etc. And there are steel rods from IKEA on most walls for hanging all of the other pots and pans on, and also for things like big ladles, pots of onions and garlic, pots for the everyday cutlery, little shelves for spices and of course towels.
I have a huge gas stove with five burners, and I love it, but: two ovens would be better than the big one I have now. If it were the best of all worlds, I'd have the burners built into the countertop for easy cleaning, and there would be two ordinary gas burners, a wok burner, and two induction burners. I don't care where the ovens are, under the burners or on the wall, both are fine.
I love that the counter is butchers block (oiled), that there's enough of it and that I have a huge sink. Some places the counter is extra deep, I love that, for stuff that I use every day to be easy to get.
I love that the whole kitchen is very easy to clean.
Right now, there is a lot of stuff on the counter. Not at all so much there isn't enough workspace, but I still may change it because I have gas and things I don't actually use and clean every day get greasy and collect dust. These may be special vinegars or spices or rye flour but also a pretty water jug that should be in the china cabinet in the dining room but is used just a little too often in the kitchen for that. So even though I hate cupboards over counters because I'm not tall and I can't reach everything, I may put up one for the things that are now on the counter but are not used enough. I have a stepladder already.
My kitchen is all white, except for the blue floor and backsplash. If economy wasn't an issue I'd prefer solid wood for a more homey feel. But I don't like laminated wood fronts, so white was good in the situation. Everything that helps it look bright and clean is important to me.
Some time ago, I cut down on electrical appliances, so now I have a stand mixer, and an immersion blender. Both are professional quality and both have extra attachments. I'm not sure this is the best solution. Maybe I'll go back to also having a food processor. I miss it for pie doughs, for making hummus, and for blending soups and some purees. I don't miss it for chopping stuff, my knife skills have improved so much that I don't really think of it anymore.
(I also have a flat toaster, a juicer for citrus, and an electric kettle all of which I've tried to get out but the protests were overwhelming)
Although I live in a rental, I paid for most of the kitchen myself, in order to get what I need and want. But that meant I compromised on quality in some instances, since I have no idea how long I'll stay here. I don't regret my decision, but I must say: if you enjoy cooking, and have a large family or just like entertaining, a kitchen is a place that gets a lot of use. Materials and hinges and hardware need to be durable and very sound. I had to change the cheap IKEA water faucet I'd bought after just a year. I've had to repair the stove I'd bought on sale because it was going out of production, and I'm not sure how long it will last. There is something wrong with the cheap fridge and I will probably have to replace it soon. You haven't really saved anything if you have to replace it in less than ten years. The kitchen my grandparents built of solid wood in our family's farmhouse is 50 years old and the fridge has been replaced once, and the stove twice. The cabinetry is faultless and the drawers run as if they were new. Everyone who sees it loves it.
posted by mumimor at 3:56 AM on March 7, 2019
The layout is based on the kitchen triangle, but not rigidly. It's a vast improvement to the former layout and I don't think it needs to go further -- also because, even though I've always wanted an island, in the end I wanted floorspace more, so we can pull out our kitchen table and sit 8 at it. We have our everyday meals there, kids sit and draw, I often work there, sometimes I will sit down and do prepwork, if its fussy, like dumplings, and when there's a party, people love to hang out there, even dancing. I also use the kitchen table as a side table or buffet if we have a lot of different food, which is something I like.
+++ to good lighting and lots of outlets. We have a special shelf and outlets for loading phones and computers.
I have a floor to ceiling bookshelf for my cookbooks, and two floor to ceiling cabinets. The fridge and freezer are built into one of them, and there is a broom closet, but there is still a lot of space high up for the things I only use rarely, like the stockpot, some of the attachments for the stand mixer and big pans and dishes for when we are more than 8 for dinner. Most other storage is under the counters, mostly in drawers. I do have some metal racks on one wall, very high up, that I use for nice cooking stuff like le creuset pots, pretty casserole dishes etc. And there are steel rods from IKEA on most walls for hanging all of the other pots and pans on, and also for things like big ladles, pots of onions and garlic, pots for the everyday cutlery, little shelves for spices and of course towels.
I have a huge gas stove with five burners, and I love it, but: two ovens would be better than the big one I have now. If it were the best of all worlds, I'd have the burners built into the countertop for easy cleaning, and there would be two ordinary gas burners, a wok burner, and two induction burners. I don't care where the ovens are, under the burners or on the wall, both are fine.
I love that the counter is butchers block (oiled), that there's enough of it and that I have a huge sink. Some places the counter is extra deep, I love that, for stuff that I use every day to be easy to get.
I love that the whole kitchen is very easy to clean.
Right now, there is a lot of stuff on the counter. Not at all so much there isn't enough workspace, but I still may change it because I have gas and things I don't actually use and clean every day get greasy and collect dust. These may be special vinegars or spices or rye flour but also a pretty water jug that should be in the china cabinet in the dining room but is used just a little too often in the kitchen for that. So even though I hate cupboards over counters because I'm not tall and I can't reach everything, I may put up one for the things that are now on the counter but are not used enough. I have a stepladder already.
My kitchen is all white, except for the blue floor and backsplash. If economy wasn't an issue I'd prefer solid wood for a more homey feel. But I don't like laminated wood fronts, so white was good in the situation. Everything that helps it look bright and clean is important to me.
Some time ago, I cut down on electrical appliances, so now I have a stand mixer, and an immersion blender. Both are professional quality and both have extra attachments. I'm not sure this is the best solution. Maybe I'll go back to also having a food processor. I miss it for pie doughs, for making hummus, and for blending soups and some purees. I don't miss it for chopping stuff, my knife skills have improved so much that I don't really think of it anymore.
(I also have a flat toaster, a juicer for citrus, and an electric kettle all of which I've tried to get out but the protests were overwhelming)
Although I live in a rental, I paid for most of the kitchen myself, in order to get what I need and want. But that meant I compromised on quality in some instances, since I have no idea how long I'll stay here. I don't regret my decision, but I must say: if you enjoy cooking, and have a large family or just like entertaining, a kitchen is a place that gets a lot of use. Materials and hinges and hardware need to be durable and very sound. I had to change the cheap IKEA water faucet I'd bought after just a year. I've had to repair the stove I'd bought on sale because it was going out of production, and I'm not sure how long it will last. There is something wrong with the cheap fridge and I will probably have to replace it soon. You haven't really saved anything if you have to replace it in less than ten years. The kitchen my grandparents built of solid wood in our family's farmhouse is 50 years old and the fridge has been replaced once, and the stove twice. The cabinetry is faultless and the drawers run as if they were new. Everyone who sees it loves it.
posted by mumimor at 3:56 AM on March 7, 2019
I love my huge sink - it takes up the same amount of space as a double sink, but it's just one big one. I can soak my big roasting pan in it, stack dishes in one side of it and still have the other side free to use, and just generally have space to properly rinse my dishes as I do them.
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 4:41 AM on March 7, 2019
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 4:41 AM on March 7, 2019
I recently renovated my small-ish condo kitchen that used to be basically a walk-in closet. Now every time I walk into it is pleasant, and about once a day I pause and reflect specifically on how happy I am with my kitchen. I thought very carefully about how I use a kitchen while designing my new kitchen, and ended up making a couple choices that are not what other people would have done, but that work really well for me (and that said other people have admired after the fact, in most cases, though that's not super relevant).
For background context: I don't cook huge feasts (if I have a bunch of people over, it's more likely to be a potluck), though I do like cooking/trying new recipes. Relatedly, I usually hand-wash my dishes, but have a dishwasher for the occasional larger jobs (once every few months). So I'm not terribly formal - being able to chat with people while doing kitchen stuff is important to me, adequate and decent quality light is important to me (difficult level: condo kitchen is in a back corner where it can't have any windows directly to the outside), and I keep my kitchen clean enough/am informal enough that "hiding mess from company" is not a thing I worry about.
So here's what I love about my kitchen:
* My sink is in a counter that is open to the dining/living room, so I have something besides a wall to look at while washing dishes. It also lets significantly more light into my windowless kitchen. I have two led pick lights in the ceiling currently, plus the light in the hood above the stove. I have under-cabinet lights that I just haven't had a chance to put up yet, but am looking forward to that. I also have plans for better over-the-phone lighting. Fortunately, my dining room light can illuminate my sink. But if only the kitchen lights are on, then my head kind of blocks the direct light from the ceiling lights to the sink. In summary: lighting design is important, and task lighting is handy.
* A double sink is best for hand-wash dishes, soaking dirty pots while still having space to rinse veggies, and other ways that I use my sink. Having the sink faucet on a hose is super handy and one of the best suggestions that I hadn't initially thought about but that a friend recommended. My sink is also adequately deep - shallow sinks can be inconvenient.
* The counter that my sink is in, that separates the kitchen and dining area, is also extra wide, so I can set up stools on the other side as a breakfast bar, keep my water filter jug simultaneously near the sink for easy refilling and near the table for meals, pass dishes back and forth with between kitchen and dining, and not feel cut off from guests while cooking.
* Although not large, two people can work simultaneously in my kitchen. The not-large-ness means I don't have to go far to get access to the fridge or any cupboards, though, so I didn't have to worry quite as much about layout in that respect. The stove is on a corner from some lower cabinets, so you can't simultaneously have oven door and those specific cabinets open. But there is enough room to open the oven while someone else is at the sink or is chopping stuff on the counter. And neither the fridge nor dishwasher interfere with use of the rest of the kitchen when open.
* For small kitchen appliances, I have a toaster, rice cooker, food processer, and blender (and an ice cream maker, but I rarely use that) that live in a nice, deep drawer when not in use. I have a spice grinder which I use less frequently, that lives on a top shelf above my spices. I have a nice microwave/convection oven with incorporated vent hood above the stove. So far I've used the convection feature once, and the trade off is that the microwave is slightly lower power than done you can find. But I'm happy with it, and I at least like the idea of not having to fire up the full oven to cook something smaller. The stove came with the condo and is I've of those glass top jobs. Shrug. It's fine for what I cook. I have a smaller dishwasher, again, fine for my purposes. Due to my new kitchen configuration, I have a counter-depth fridge. It has enough space for me, but one can definitely get larger fridges, and the freezer drawer doesn't open as fully as I'd like. I do really like that my freezer is at bottom, with the two-door fridge portion on top.
* I have a section of the upper cabinets that is open shelving for my cookbooks. It is far from the stove, and is the only open shelving in my kitchen. Stuff gets dusty and greasy and then grimy (from past experience), and I want to be able to just use my plates without having to rinse them off first. My eventual plan is to add a little bit of glass-front shelving to display some particularly nice dishes that I have, without the bother of having to dust them regularly.
* Smaller kitchen = I have as much cupboard space as I could fit. The cuoboard above my fridge is as deep as the fridge (so, like a lower cupboard rather than a regular upper cupboard). I store camping cookware and extra dishes for larger parties in the back and top shelf, and at the front of the bottom shelf, that I can easily reach, some stuff I use more often. I lazy susans in one lower corner cupboard - modern ones don't have the vertical rod through the centre, so it's easier to grab stuff. The other lower corner cupboard is what's called a blind corner cupboard, and dye to the layout of the stairs I couldn't do much about that. Reaching to the back of it is a pain, and had there been room I would have made another lazy susan-style corner cupboard. My top cupboards go all the way up to the ceiling, with four shelves inside. (The old kitchen had these tiny upper cupboards, that started too low to the counter and then had tons of wasted space above them.) Visually, this helps my kitchen feel larger. I keep stuff I use infrequently on the top shelves, since I need a step stool to reach them. I kept space beside my fridge to store a step stool for exactly this purpose. In general, I thought about what I wanted to store and where while designing the cupboard layout, so it's pretty convenient for how I use my kitchen.
* In terms of color and materials, my kitchen is really attractive! My large appliances are stainless steel (with a "smudge-resistant" surface treatment, which seems to be standard nowadays). My cupboard doors are flat, with knobs that go well with the appliances. The lower cupboards are a real and the upper cupboards are a reasonable shade of white (not too bright), both with a semi-gloss (neither matte nor high gloss) finish that helps my kitchen (with no windows) feel brighter but doesn't produce glare. My countertop is a good quality Formica in a walnut/wood grain finish that actually looks pretty good, and will wear well. I splurged on some fancy cement tiles for a backsplash element. Those need an installation person who knows how to seal them properly, or is happy to read and follow the manufacturer-supplied instructions. The cabinets were delivered pre-assembled, so just needed to be hung and have the doors put on. There were a couple things about that installation process that I wasn't the most happy with - I'd definitely recommend paying a little extra for quality work from contractors. (Which can be hard when you have what, for them, is a relatively small and inconsequential job.) The kickboards below my lower cabinets are wood, painted a dark color (a very dark purple shade, in my case, though you'd have to look closely to notice them and determine the exact color - they really fade into the background. My floor is an engineered hardwood (on a cement slab), in a light greige color (keeps the space bright without looking dirty with every spec of dust). The floor is just what I had throughout the entire first floor space, rather than making the space feel broken up by too many flooring transitions. For being on a slab, it's warmer than tile would have been. I have a small rug under my sink area where I'm more likely to drop water. So far the floor seems to be holding up well, but it hasn't been that long, so I can't say definitively. It does look nice.
posted by eviemath at 6:14 AM on March 7, 2019
For background context: I don't cook huge feasts (if I have a bunch of people over, it's more likely to be a potluck), though I do like cooking/trying new recipes. Relatedly, I usually hand-wash my dishes, but have a dishwasher for the occasional larger jobs (once every few months). So I'm not terribly formal - being able to chat with people while doing kitchen stuff is important to me, adequate and decent quality light is important to me (difficult level: condo kitchen is in a back corner where it can't have any windows directly to the outside), and I keep my kitchen clean enough/am informal enough that "hiding mess from company" is not a thing I worry about.
So here's what I love about my kitchen:
* My sink is in a counter that is open to the dining/living room, so I have something besides a wall to look at while washing dishes. It also lets significantly more light into my windowless kitchen. I have two led pick lights in the ceiling currently, plus the light in the hood above the stove. I have under-cabinet lights that I just haven't had a chance to put up yet, but am looking forward to that. I also have plans for better over-the-phone lighting. Fortunately, my dining room light can illuminate my sink. But if only the kitchen lights are on, then my head kind of blocks the direct light from the ceiling lights to the sink. In summary: lighting design is important, and task lighting is handy.
* A double sink is best for hand-wash dishes, soaking dirty pots while still having space to rinse veggies, and other ways that I use my sink. Having the sink faucet on a hose is super handy and one of the best suggestions that I hadn't initially thought about but that a friend recommended. My sink is also adequately deep - shallow sinks can be inconvenient.
* The counter that my sink is in, that separates the kitchen and dining area, is also extra wide, so I can set up stools on the other side as a breakfast bar, keep my water filter jug simultaneously near the sink for easy refilling and near the table for meals, pass dishes back and forth with between kitchen and dining, and not feel cut off from guests while cooking.
* Although not large, two people can work simultaneously in my kitchen. The not-large-ness means I don't have to go far to get access to the fridge or any cupboards, though, so I didn't have to worry quite as much about layout in that respect. The stove is on a corner from some lower cabinets, so you can't simultaneously have oven door and those specific cabinets open. But there is enough room to open the oven while someone else is at the sink or is chopping stuff on the counter. And neither the fridge nor dishwasher interfere with use of the rest of the kitchen when open.
* For small kitchen appliances, I have a toaster, rice cooker, food processer, and blender (and an ice cream maker, but I rarely use that) that live in a nice, deep drawer when not in use. I have a spice grinder which I use less frequently, that lives on a top shelf above my spices. I have a nice microwave/convection oven with incorporated vent hood above the stove. So far I've used the convection feature once, and the trade off is that the microwave is slightly lower power than done you can find. But I'm happy with it, and I at least like the idea of not having to fire up the full oven to cook something smaller. The stove came with the condo and is I've of those glass top jobs. Shrug. It's fine for what I cook. I have a smaller dishwasher, again, fine for my purposes. Due to my new kitchen configuration, I have a counter-depth fridge. It has enough space for me, but one can definitely get larger fridges, and the freezer drawer doesn't open as fully as I'd like. I do really like that my freezer is at bottom, with the two-door fridge portion on top.
* I have a section of the upper cabinets that is open shelving for my cookbooks. It is far from the stove, and is the only open shelving in my kitchen. Stuff gets dusty and greasy and then grimy (from past experience), and I want to be able to just use my plates without having to rinse them off first. My eventual plan is to add a little bit of glass-front shelving to display some particularly nice dishes that I have, without the bother of having to dust them regularly.
* Smaller kitchen = I have as much cupboard space as I could fit. The cuoboard above my fridge is as deep as the fridge (so, like a lower cupboard rather than a regular upper cupboard). I store camping cookware and extra dishes for larger parties in the back and top shelf, and at the front of the bottom shelf, that I can easily reach, some stuff I use more often. I lazy susans in one lower corner cupboard - modern ones don't have the vertical rod through the centre, so it's easier to grab stuff. The other lower corner cupboard is what's called a blind corner cupboard, and dye to the layout of the stairs I couldn't do much about that. Reaching to the back of it is a pain, and had there been room I would have made another lazy susan-style corner cupboard. My top cupboards go all the way up to the ceiling, with four shelves inside. (The old kitchen had these tiny upper cupboards, that started too low to the counter and then had tons of wasted space above them.) Visually, this helps my kitchen feel larger. I keep stuff I use infrequently on the top shelves, since I need a step stool to reach them. I kept space beside my fridge to store a step stool for exactly this purpose. In general, I thought about what I wanted to store and where while designing the cupboard layout, so it's pretty convenient for how I use my kitchen.
* In terms of color and materials, my kitchen is really attractive! My large appliances are stainless steel (with a "smudge-resistant" surface treatment, which seems to be standard nowadays). My cupboard doors are flat, with knobs that go well with the appliances. The lower cupboards are a real and the upper cupboards are a reasonable shade of white (not too bright), both with a semi-gloss (neither matte nor high gloss) finish that helps my kitchen (with no windows) feel brighter but doesn't produce glare. My countertop is a good quality Formica in a walnut/wood grain finish that actually looks pretty good, and will wear well. I splurged on some fancy cement tiles for a backsplash element. Those need an installation person who knows how to seal them properly, or is happy to read and follow the manufacturer-supplied instructions. The cabinets were delivered pre-assembled, so just needed to be hung and have the doors put on. There were a couple things about that installation process that I wasn't the most happy with - I'd definitely recommend paying a little extra for quality work from contractors. (Which can be hard when you have what, for them, is a relatively small and inconsequential job.) The kickboards below my lower cabinets are wood, painted a dark color (a very dark purple shade, in my case, though you'd have to look closely to notice them and determine the exact color - they really fade into the background. My floor is an engineered hardwood (on a cement slab), in a light greige color (keeps the space bright without looking dirty with every spec of dust). The floor is just what I had throughout the entire first floor space, rather than making the space feel broken up by too many flooring transitions. For being on a slab, it's warmer than tile would have been. I have a small rug under my sink area where I'm more likely to drop water. So far the floor seems to be holding up well, but it hasn't been that long, so I can't say definitively. It does look nice.
posted by eviemath at 6:14 AM on March 7, 2019
In other reno tips: I ordered the cabinets through my local hardware store that's a step above Home Hardware. They're slightly better quality than Ikea cabinets, but the workmanship in the installation step seems to make a bigger difference than my choice of cabinet supplier, given my budget range. Having nice cabinet hardware, sink faucet, etc. seems to have a larger impact on my day-to-day experience of using the kitchen.
So my hardware store has a kitchen design person for their kitchen department. I think I was her favorite customer: I came in with a clear plan (a friend helped me draw it in Sketch-Up) and some of my own design ideas that were modern but not just what everyone else was doing, but there were details that I still needed some advice about and where she got to feel creative too. So I was able to give clear guidelines but also work collaboratively on some details and respect her expertise. There was one cabinet door that needed a slightly unusual setup due to the stove location. We ended up with the door design that I originally proposed, but it took two or three failed attempts and a fair amount of wastage to get there. Fortunately my contractor and the hardware store were decent about not charging me extra for the mistakes, but it took a month or two to finish that one door correctly, and I wish I had been more firm upfront about that door design. But I also have a little bit of drafting and basic carpentry experience. There are other details where I deferred to the professionals because they did have a lot more experience than me. Eg. the upper cabinets don't technically go all the way to the ceiling - there's a small lintel above them. Because apparently no building is perfectly square, and it's semi important that cabinet shelves be level, so the cabinets might not exactly line up flush with the ceiling. My particular ceiling is pretty level, but the small lintel/moulding at the top just looks nicer, too, as it turns out.
If you don't go in with a specific layout as I did, do make as careful and complete a list as you can of how you, specifically, use a kitchen. Think about what features you actually use, not what seem cool or interesting or trendy. Think carefully about the ergonomics of different options (bending down, reaching up, walking around an island or longer distances back and forth between two points in a larger kitchen), specifically as it relates to you and whoever else will be using the kitchen. And think about what you have that you will need storage space for, and how and where you want to store it. For larger kitchens, the idea of task zones can be helpful (chopping/prep, cooking hot foods, kids lunch prep, preparing foods for storage (especially eg. if you frequently shop at farmer's markets), clean-up, eating informal meals, maybe even mail sorting and bill paying if your kitchen is your main entrance and those tasks tend to happen in the kitchen, etc.).
posted by eviemath at 6:39 AM on March 7, 2019
So my hardware store has a kitchen design person for their kitchen department. I think I was her favorite customer: I came in with a clear plan (a friend helped me draw it in Sketch-Up) and some of my own design ideas that were modern but not just what everyone else was doing, but there were details that I still needed some advice about and where she got to feel creative too. So I was able to give clear guidelines but also work collaboratively on some details and respect her expertise. There was one cabinet door that needed a slightly unusual setup due to the stove location. We ended up with the door design that I originally proposed, but it took two or three failed attempts and a fair amount of wastage to get there. Fortunately my contractor and the hardware store were decent about not charging me extra for the mistakes, but it took a month or two to finish that one door correctly, and I wish I had been more firm upfront about that door design. But I also have a little bit of drafting and basic carpentry experience. There are other details where I deferred to the professionals because they did have a lot more experience than me. Eg. the upper cabinets don't technically go all the way to the ceiling - there's a small lintel above them. Because apparently no building is perfectly square, and it's semi important that cabinet shelves be level, so the cabinets might not exactly line up flush with the ceiling. My particular ceiling is pretty level, but the small lintel/moulding at the top just looks nicer, too, as it turns out.
If you don't go in with a specific layout as I did, do make as careful and complete a list as you can of how you, specifically, use a kitchen. Think about what features you actually use, not what seem cool or interesting or trendy. Think carefully about the ergonomics of different options (bending down, reaching up, walking around an island or longer distances back and forth between two points in a larger kitchen), specifically as it relates to you and whoever else will be using the kitchen. And think about what you have that you will need storage space for, and how and where you want to store it. For larger kitchens, the idea of task zones can be helpful (chopping/prep, cooking hot foods, kids lunch prep, preparing foods for storage (especially eg. if you frequently shop at farmer's markets), clean-up, eating informal meals, maybe even mail sorting and bill paying if your kitchen is your main entrance and those tasks tend to happen in the kitchen, etc.).
posted by eviemath at 6:39 AM on March 7, 2019
Missed the typo edit window on my first comment. My lower cupboards are a teal.
posted by eviemath at 6:44 AM on March 7, 2019
posted by eviemath at 6:44 AM on March 7, 2019
Re: lighting in my kitchen: puck lights and over-the-sink lighting. Oy. I think the rest of my typos are at least semi-understandable.
posted by eviemath at 6:51 AM on March 7, 2019
posted by eviemath at 6:51 AM on March 7, 2019
I've remodeled one kitchen and built one from scratch. I like to cook a lot and I cook for crowds. My comments will echo much of the excellent advice you've gotten upthread.
My likes:
- Double ovens
- As large of an island as you can get. I am not in favor of sinks or cooktops in the island, so it can be cleared off and used for big projects: group pasta making, group cookie baking, cutting out fabric for sewing, gift wrapping, etc.
- Lower drawers. We have a very long island and I have banks of deep drawers on either end and a cabinet with pullout drawers in the middle. Wish the cabinet was just drawers.
- Separate pantry, if at all possible.
- Dish storage in close proximity to the dishwasher makes unloading the dishwasher easier.
- Separate drink fridge (mine's a half size in the pantry), keeps guests out of your hair while you are cooking (sort of).
- Taller countertops, if you are tall.
Be aware of:
- Space between island and countertop. Our space is only 3 feet from island to countertop, which we did thinking the narrower space would be less steps between workspaces. If the dishwasher is open, you can't pass it and it's a tight squeeze for people to pass each other.
- An upright freezer is less energy efficient than a chest freezer, but if you are less organized, your energy savings may be cancelled out by the waste of things buried in the bottom of the freezer that you can't get to/forget about. Also beware of the top of the chest freezer being used for storage space (or folding laundry, in my case) that makes getting into the chest freezer a PITA.
- The size of your plates in relation to the depth of your upper cabinets. I didn't think we had very wide plates, but they do not fit in my upper cabinets and are stored under the island.
posted by sarajane at 8:58 AM on March 7, 2019
My likes:
- Double ovens
- As large of an island as you can get. I am not in favor of sinks or cooktops in the island, so it can be cleared off and used for big projects: group pasta making, group cookie baking, cutting out fabric for sewing, gift wrapping, etc.
- Lower drawers. We have a very long island and I have banks of deep drawers on either end and a cabinet with pullout drawers in the middle. Wish the cabinet was just drawers.
- Separate pantry, if at all possible.
- Dish storage in close proximity to the dishwasher makes unloading the dishwasher easier.
- Separate drink fridge (mine's a half size in the pantry), keeps guests out of your hair while you are cooking (sort of).
- Taller countertops, if you are tall.
Be aware of:
- Space between island and countertop. Our space is only 3 feet from island to countertop, which we did thinking the narrower space would be less steps between workspaces. If the dishwasher is open, you can't pass it and it's a tight squeeze for people to pass each other.
- An upright freezer is less energy efficient than a chest freezer, but if you are less organized, your energy savings may be cancelled out by the waste of things buried in the bottom of the freezer that you can't get to/forget about. Also beware of the top of the chest freezer being used for storage space (or folding laundry, in my case) that makes getting into the chest freezer a PITA.
- The size of your plates in relation to the depth of your upper cabinets. I didn't think we had very wide plates, but they do not fit in my upper cabinets and are stored under the island.
posted by sarajane at 8:58 AM on March 7, 2019
If I ever remodel my kitchen, I want a pull out cutting board. It's great for slicing bread, but more importantly, it's free extra counterspace if needed. It take up minimal vertical room.
posted by hydra77 at 9:29 AM on March 7, 2019
posted by hydra77 at 9:29 AM on March 7, 2019
My current kitchen has a magnetic knife holder, which I love. I have a small pair of scissors that I also keep on there, no more hunting around and no one is allowed to remove them from the kitchen!
We once rented a house that was owned by a kitchen designer. Things I loved were the pullout drawers on the lower cupboards, a huge island with stools on one side, L-shaped counter so there was an extra work surface, and one wall was even more cupboards, with an extra deep countertop. That's where I put my KitchenAid, food processor, etc. I used one pullout drawer on the island for spices.
They make kitchen islands that have one end with a lower work surface for rolling out things and baking projects.
One thing I hated about that kitchen, and another one, was a microwave over the stove. Ugh! Reaching up to pull hot liquids down, no! It also meant the fan was a puny little thing with no power, and the undersurface was a greasy mess that was difficult to clean.
Big pantry is a must. Also, I love those sliding door pantries with the narrow shelves, for things like condiments, etc. I've always wanted one of those.
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 10:32 AM on March 7, 2019
We once rented a house that was owned by a kitchen designer. Things I loved were the pullout drawers on the lower cupboards, a huge island with stools on one side, L-shaped counter so there was an extra work surface, and one wall was even more cupboards, with an extra deep countertop. That's where I put my KitchenAid, food processor, etc. I used one pullout drawer on the island for spices.
They make kitchen islands that have one end with a lower work surface for rolling out things and baking projects.
One thing I hated about that kitchen, and another one, was a microwave over the stove. Ugh! Reaching up to pull hot liquids down, no! It also meant the fan was a puny little thing with no power, and the undersurface was a greasy mess that was difficult to clean.
Big pantry is a must. Also, I love those sliding door pantries with the narrow shelves, for things like condiments, etc. I've always wanted one of those.
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 10:32 AM on March 7, 2019
I LOVE our silestone countertops. They're nigh indestructable and require no maintenance, unlike granite or marble. You can set a hot pot on them, spill stuff, it doesn't matter. Why get something that requires you to immediately wipe up spilled tomato sauce or requires you to coat it with some substance every six months? Don't, get silestone instead!
I also love our undercabinet lighting. It makes such a huge difference. Bonus: it's on a dimmer so we can turn it down a bit at night if we want.
I also love our marmoleum flooring. It feels nice underfoot, cleans up easily and if you ding it, you can't tell too badly because the color goes all the way through the layers of material.
The only things I would change about my kitchen (given more space):
-a dedicated light above the sink on its own switch
-a bigger pantry
-built-in space for the microwave
posted by purple_bird at 2:43 PM on March 7, 2019
I also love our undercabinet lighting. It makes such a huge difference. Bonus: it's on a dimmer so we can turn it down a bit at night if we want.
I also love our marmoleum flooring. It feels nice underfoot, cleans up easily and if you ding it, you can't tell too badly because the color goes all the way through the layers of material.
The only things I would change about my kitchen (given more space):
-a dedicated light above the sink on its own switch
-a bigger pantry
-built-in space for the microwave
posted by purple_bird at 2:43 PM on March 7, 2019
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by soelo at 2:23 PM on March 6, 2019