Kitchen Design Dilemma – TN Kitchen BEFORE
I’ve never had such a hard time deciding what to do with a space as I am with this kitchen. My kitchen is separated from the living room by a big wall so it feels like I’m in “Time Out” when I’m preparing meals or cleaning up.
I don’t really get how this house is set up. There are 2 dining rooms right next to each other! One kitty-corner to the kitchen.
And the other one, right next to the first one, just off the main entrance hallway.
This dining room is small and will NEVER get used if the house remains set up as it is. I hate wasted space. If this dining room was usable, I could use the other one as a craft room or a reading room and then both rooms would ACTUALLY GET USED.
This is what I’m thinking for my Kitchen Reconfiguration Project as of now:
Close up both doors in the dining room so this door (on the right) will be all wall.
Tear out the wall between the kitchen and living room.
Make the window in that little hallway — a door going outside. Then we can take the trash out without dragging it through the whole house and bring in groceries in the same manner! The part of that little hallway that used to be a door to the dining room will be a “locker type” coat/bag/backpack hanging area.
Then open up a doorway to the dining room on this far wall, after the dividing wall is removed.
Then put in either one HUGE island or two narrow, long islands or one wide island in the center and another one kind of where the peninsula is right now only back farther or one huge island and a dining table…
I do know I want the oven on the opposite wall. That part I am sure of! I know I want a gas cooktop and double ovens and two separate sink stations.
I’m just having a hard time deciding exactly how I want to set it up. I’m not excited about losing all these upper cabinets but I HATE having a kitchen that is all closed up to the rest of the house. THAT MUST CHANGE!
I love your blog and your amazing building skills! Your master closet is just perfect.
I wish you could draw out a floor plan with arrows showing what you propose doing. It doesn’t even have to be to scale but I find that it is easier to figure out how a house could flow better and more logically when looking at a floor plan.
No pressure though since I know you are about to wow us with your workroom. Love it so far!
Hae
Note to self:
*Draw out a current floor plan.
*Then make arrows showing what walls I plan on removing and where I want to open things up…
Noted! 😉
truly the only way you will get exactly what you want is to consult a professional; you will get your money’s worth and have some definite options to consider based on your family’s lifesty; you for sure don’t want to make decisions you might regret later; get a professional consultation; my husband is an architect to consults for remodels; make some phonecalls; this project is very major and not a coat of paint change so you must get a professional
Debbi, it sounds like you are one lucky lady. I bet you have a beautiful home!
I have designed several options for my kitchen remodel that will work best for me and my family and how I want us to be able to live in our home (as well as considering resale). I haven’t decided on ONE plan yet because, like you said, a kitchen remodel isn’t like slapping on a coat of paint and I want to make sure I choose the option that will make me the happiest.
I know what I want — and I want what I want. That is generally the biggest problem. I have a certain budget for this remodel and I have to plan and scheme in order to afford what I want.
If I had a million dollars… That would be fun!
Is the dining room right next to window/door? If so; could you move the door all together into the dining room and turn the dining room into a huge mudroom/pantry? We have one right off our kitchen, and it is soooo handy! hummm…. especially if you’re going to loose some of your cabinets…. just a thought.
Since we always move every few years, we have to create a home that will appeal to the general population in the area. Here (as with most of the Southern states), Formal Dining rooms are a must have. If I were designing a house that I was going to live in for 20 years, I’d do lots of things completely differently.
yeah, those pesky formal dining rooms and resale can be such a downer. I know you’re going to make it beautiful no matter what the limitations and compromises you have to deal with! Luv the ideas you found. I get crazy myself with reno’s just cause I always itch to knock out a wall or repurpose rooms. One time we repurposed a dining room into our master, then switched a family room into the dining… Loved the house after that… Can’t wait to see your new layout! 🙂
I love being able to live vicariously through your big thinking vision! If I’m lucky, I’ll maybe get to open up one small wall when we redo our current kitchen, and that probably won’t be a few years!
Honestly, I’d be thrilled if all I needed to do was take out a small wall. But, I just don’t think I’ll get the “function” I want without going all the way! Oh well. I’m happy to bring you vicarious happiness! LOL
I’ve always wanted to turn a dining room into a library complete with ladders and everything. I think formal dining rooms are so unusable in most of the floor plans nowadays.
I’m sure that whatever you do it will be fantastic!
I agree but apparently, here in the South, you simply MUST have one. (For resale.)