Kitchen Make Over.
 

Yes that's right I have always wanted to do it I hate my kitchen.:lol:
It was designed for people that want to watch TV and warm up TV dinners.
On some paper somewhere I have it drawn up.
But to do this it had to be in my head first so I'm not looking fo these plans.
How I intend to do this is a little at a time.
Not the crazy BS they do on TV where the housewife takes a sledge hammer to the place and makes a huge mess.:shock:
I still need to cook right?
So where I am sitting right now will be the new place for a gas cook top and extra small sink.
The plumbing is already there to be used and in the right spot.
By doing this first I can then remove the microwave and stove from the other spot and work there when I want to.
There is 240 there so this is where the electric oven/ovens will be.

Then comes the stupid bar I never use for anything but stacking stuff on.
I can never seem to keep the thing cleared off.:lol:

If I move the bar outwards a little into the area I never use which is the living room I can have room for a small rolling prep table.
I haven't made my mind up yet on this one I need to look at it more but there will be more upper cabinets closing off the living area somewhat.
Of the big kettles I use most often are the 16 quart and 12 quart.
There are two big empty spaces that cant be accessed in two corners of the kitchen cabinets.
When I build the new cabinets I can get to them and this is where the most unused will end up.

I need to take some measurements and come up with a plan.
The cabinets wont be anything fancy but more rustic and functional.

Worth

I added a "floating Island" to my design when I was remodeling. I love it. It isn't a work station since it rolls and the casters don't lock, but I move it to where it is needed. I can unload the dishwasher and put the items on top and then roll all of it to the area where it belongs if it isn't in quick reach. I can also butt it up against the dishwasher and make an "L" to work at the sink. Once I get my floors redone and it is all hard surface (the family room is still carpet) It will be rolled to and out of the way area if it isn't needed in the kitchen area.

[QUOTE=clkeiper;564657]I added a "floating Island" to my design when I was remodeling. I love it. It isn't a work station since it rolls and the casters don't lock, but I move it to where it is needed. I can unload the dishwasher and put the items on top and then roll all of it to the area where it belongs if it isn't in quick reach. I can also butt it up against the dishwasher and make an "L" to work at the sink. Once I get my floors redone and it is all hard surface (the family room is still carpet) It will be rolled to and out of the way area if it isn't needed in the kitchen area.[/QUOTE]

How big is it.
I am looking for other peoples recommendations.
I have also decided to incorporate the living room into the kitchen so to speak sort of.
I dont have a dining room and live in a small house.
So I am going to have to think more in the lines of a pioneer type home.
Worth

Since you said your house is small, you might be happier to have a place to go with your food. Combining the living room and kitchen into one room would mean you are always cooking and sitting in the same place, and that makes the house seem small to me. I don't mean having an enclosed wall, just the opposite. But after cooking I think it is nice to take take your food out of the area to dine - and not have to think about the dishes.

You don't want to see my place, its the dark broken before in a makeover. I look forward to seeing new ideas too.

- Lisa

Lisa I have been sitting out in the garage at the work benches eating. :lol:
I have enjoyed it immensely.
This is one of the reasons I want to make the kitchen sort of separate from the living area I dont use much but still incorporate it for cabinet space and eating.

I find the whole concept of the open family room/space and so on laughable from reports back from friends that have families.
Many of them have kids that go off to their rooms to eat.
My mother would have killed me if she caught me in my room with anything other than dried fruit or nuts.:lol:
I want my eating area to be separate from my cooking area as you said.
It is hard if not impossible for me to explain how it looks, I am not Ann Rice.:lol:

Worth

That is pretty much what I meant, eating away from the stove. When I got my first place I used to eat tuna fish over the kitchen sink because I was rushed and it was not enjoyable but it became a habit. My equivalent to your sausage emporium is the potting area. Finally tamed some ants that went exploring my leftovers and do not need that avoidable situation again so wandering with food is limited.

- Lisa

Here is the floor plan and kitchen now the stove had a microwave and uppers over it as does the fridge have uppers.
The table is a little bigger.
The idiot that put the uppers over the fridge put in 12 inch instead of 18 inch.
Saving money on particle board, really.:lol:
Worth
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Worth, my recommendation is, if you got gas, then use gas. Unless you want to go exotic with an induction top (and new pots for it), then lose the electric for everything but the fridge and microwave.

I've been cooking a long time and I've used both. There is no contest.


I'll comment on the layout later.

[never mind]



[SIZE=1]What's there's no 'delete message' function? [/SIZE]

[QUOTE=dmforcier;564727]Worth, my recommendation is, if you got gas, then use gas. Unless you want to go exotic with an induction top (and new pots for it), then lose the electric for everything but the fridge and microwave.

I've been cooking a long time and I've used both. There is no contest.





I'll comment on the layout later.[/QUOTE]
I dont have gas but will if I put in the new cook top
I wouldn't have to buy hardly anything for an induction top.
You dont need new pots and pans they just have to have magnetic bottoms.

This is the way it is now not as it will be.

[QUOTE=dmforcier;564728]Ummm. Where's the sink?[/QUOTE]

The key to the right shows where the sink is.
Blue.
Worth

Okay I am lazy go to the first pictuer for the key.
On the wall on the right will be the new cook top and wee sink.
The bar now has upper cabinets and gadget hanging wall and or shelves.
The reason the cook top doesn't have upper is because a vent hood will be there.
Not just any vent hood but one with a down stream fan.
I have researched cook tops and sizes till I am blue in the face up to 48 inch.
I am undecided between 48 and 36.
Leaning towards 36.
Electric oven will stay where the stove was.

Worth
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Moving the cook top to the bar area is an option I have considered and very well might do.
This will give me the wall space for a prep area.
I might have lost enough weight to get in the attic again to run gas and vent duct.:lol:

Worth

You might want to look into the possibility of converting to a commercial kitchen for a home based business down the road. Codes vary from county to county. I was in a neat kitchen of a home based caterer in a very strict area; private entrance, special ceiling and lighting, all commercial appliances (can be had for cheap at auction), vent, fire hood (!), etc..

Smokey would have to find a new domicile (garage?) before certification though she sure must keep the stray mouse population in check.

- Lisa

[QUOTE=greenthumbomaha;564762]You might want to look into the possibility of converting to a commercial kitchen for a home based business down the road. Codes vary from county to county. I was in a neat kitchen of a home based caterer in a very strict area; private entrance, special ceiling and lighting, all commercial appliances (can be had for cheap at auction), vent, fire hood (!), etc..

Smokey would have to find a new domicile (garage?) before certification though she sure must keep the stray mouse population in check.

- Lisa[/QUOTE]

I would never go commercial in my house I dont think.
Texas has some good laws on home cooking and selling very forgiving.

I also looked into commercial stuff.'
It isn't insulated as far as ovens and so on.
Called the makers to find out.
I think it was Vulcan.
Worth

My island is 24x36 I think. It is the same size as a regular cabinet. just on casters. The top is narrower than the stationary island but that was necessary for balance. Sorry for the messes you get to see. Some were just after we started cleaning out cupboards and cabinets.. and everything was in transit...to crates. a few of the changes were huge. we removed a patio door and replaced it with a single 36" door. I needed wall space more than glass. I don't even miss that door. We swapped the fridge from one side of the kitchen to the other. removed the wall where the fridge was at and put the new island with a flat top stove there. and I needed counter space so that was where the floating island came into the picture. I needed it in different places for different tasks.

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How about a small woodburning oven in one of those corners? I'm sure you can build one. Easy venting. Best piece of cooking equipment I own. Nothing compares.

Old chef

[QUOTE=Old chef;564774]How about a small woodburning oven in one of those corners? I'm sure you can build one. Easy venting. Best piece of cooking equipment I own. Nothing compares.

Old chef[/QUOTE]

I am cooking and checking that is a great idea thanks this is the kind of input I am looking for.:yes:

Did you mean brick oven?

Worth

I had a Cadco in my old coffee shop. It was amazing. Smaller than a home oven and cooked to perfection in half the time. It resided on its own stand so I can't speak to insulation but you are probably right. You didn't dare brush up against it. Not a bad price either.

[QUOTE=Worth1;564764]I would never go commercial in my house I dont think.
Texas has some good laws on home cooking and selling very forgiving.

I also looked into commercial stuff.'
It isn't insulated as far as ovens and so on.
Called the makers to find out.
I think it was Vulcan.
Worth[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=greenthumbomaha;564776]I had a Cadco in my old coffee shop. It was amazing. Smaller than a home oven and cooked to perfection in half the time. It resided on its own stand so I can't speak to insulation but you are probably right. You didn't dare brush up against it. Not a bad price either.[/QUOTE]

The Chef I knew at work told me he got a deal on the commercial stuff including the big vent system.

I told him he better think twice before he installed the big vent fan in hos house.
You can suck all of the air out of a house with one put it on vacuum.:lol:

Worth

[QUOTE=Worth1;564775]I am cooking and checking that is a great idea thanks this is the kind of input I am looking for.:yes:

Did you mean brick oven?

Worth[/QUOTE]

Absolutely. Why not. Easy as heck to build. Fire brick. 3000 degree glue and mortar.

I've built a few. One has two openings. Fast as a Ferrari. 175 pizzas an hour

Old chef

[QUOTE=Old chef;564796]Absolutely. Why not. Easy as neck to build. Fire brick. 3000 degree glue and mortar.

I've built a few. One has two openings. Fast as a Ferrari. 175 pizzas an hour

Old chef[/QUOTE]

What I wouldn't give to be able to cook a pizza at 650 degrees.
Worth

[QUOTE=Worth1;564798]What I wouldn't give to be able to cook a pizza at 650 degrees.
Worth[/QUOTE]

Worth
Just do it! I get you some get dough recipes. Talk about cheap eatin. Dough won't cost a dime.

Old chef

[QUOTE=Worth1;564638]Yes that's right I have always wanted to do it I hate my kitchen.:lol:
It was designed for people that want to watch TV and warm up TV dinners.
On some paper somewhere I have it drawn up.
But to do this it had to be in my head first so I'm not looking fo these plans.
How I intend to do this is a little at a time.
Not the crazy BS they do on TV where the housewife takes a sledge hammer to the place and makes a huge mess.:shock:
I still need to cook right?
So where I am sitting right now will be the new place for a gas cook top and extra small sink.
The plumbing is already there to be used and in the right spot.
By doing this first I can then remove the microwave and stove from the other spot and work there when I want to.
There is 240 there so this is where the electric oven/ovens will be.

Then comes the stupid bar I never use for anything but stacking stuff on.
I can never seem to keep the thing cleared off.:lol:

If I move the bar outwards a little into the area I never use which is the living room I can have room for a small rolling prep table.
I haven't made my mind up yet on this one I need to look at it more but there will be more upper cabinets closing off the living area somewhat.
Of the big kettles I use most often are the 16 quart and 12 quart.
There are two big empty spaces that cant be accessed in two corners of the kitchen cabinets.
When I build the new cabinets I can get to them and this is where the most unused will end up.

I need to take some measurements and come up with a plan.
The cabinets wont be anything fancy but more rustic and functional.

Worth[/QUOTE]

I did a whole lot today including mowing our swamp/yard. I want to reply to a few things without reading the rest of the thread tonight. I'll read it all tomorrow. This is just friendly advice that comes from years of experience.

"There is 240 there so this is where the electric oven/ovens will be." Plural - ovens. You need two. One small one for baking a loaf of bread, and a normal or larger one to use for larger things. I have two - one gas and one electric - both have their purposes.

"Then comes the stupid bar I never use for anything but stacking stuff on.
I can never seem to keep the thing cleared off.:lol:" Bars are often times used as a store-all. It's a habit. But think of it as a work station. Only certain stuff goes there. If you use it to cut up veges/meat, make bread dough and stuff like that - only allow yourself to put things like that on the bar. It isn't there for books and mail. It has a purpose - it's a work station.

Incorporating your kitchen and living room is a very good idea. The open feeling - it gives the whole area a better feeling. I would never go back to having a kitchen as a separate room. A bar is in-between our kitchen and living room. 1/4 of the bar is used for this computer, and the other 3/4 is used for preparing food. Cabinets are under the bar to hold pots and pans, and storage bowls, etc.

Like I wrote above - it has been a long day. Time to dig out the other useful thing this bar holds - triple distilled 80 proof relaxation.

Salt now that I can work in the garage the bar is pretty much cleaned off.:lol:
Not having two ovens is horrible.
I might and I wanted to is to get rid of the fire place and put the brick oven there.

Gonna take some fire brick and stone work but I am up to it.

My last bottle of drinking liquor was last Christmas.


Worth

I'm the opposite of Salt when it comes to an "open floor plan" -- I want nothing to do with it.

We have a third bedroom that is being used as a dining room since the original owner didn't need another bedroom and had the builder add a doorway to connect it to the kitchen. When we get around to renovating the kitchen, the wall between them is coming down.

My husband kept talking about taking the wall between the kitchen and living room down as well. I flat out refused to even consider it. I'm perfectly fine with eating in a dining area that is part of my kitchen, but feeling like I'm cooking in my living room is where I draw the line!

Our house is small enough, and taking it from five rooms down to four is the lowest I'm willing to go.

Worth, I agree, a brick oven would be much more useful.

The other thing I would recommend is an external vent hood, though I rather think you've already got that idea. My last place I had a Viking with a [I]outside[/I] fan. The motor sat on the roof and as a result was very quiet. So long as you duct directly from the hood to the motor box there is no need for an in-line fire trap. IIRC the max flow was 900 cfm w/ 8" duct, though I rarely used it that high.




[SIZE=1]I could burn stuff all day long and never know it from the next room.[/SIZE]

I don't want an open floor plan either. I want my kitchen all to myself. :D I made hubby put in pocket doors between the living room and the kitchen/dining room. Then, I won't have to listen to the incessant TV and they won't have to listen to my music. And I can keep the dogs out of the kitchen too.

[QUOTE]I have researched cook tops and sizes till I am blue in the face up to 48 inch.
I am undecided between 48 and 36. Leaning towards 36.[/QUOTE]I really wanted to go 36" but had to stay with 30" or lose a whole cabinet section. I found that 4 burners were enough, but really had a use for a hot plate/griddle. (The 30" had a surface griddle but you lost two burners to power it.) If you can fit a full heat griddle section between the burners, then go for it. OTOH, 48" can give you two ovens as well as the extra surface...

What brands/models are you looking at?

BTW, did you know that there's a wolf in your house?