J and I recently spent an afternoon redesigning the kitchen.
Our goal is to make it more workable, and able to be an "eat in" kitchen. Victorian gatherings were centered around the dining room and parlor, the only people in the kitchen were the cook and the maid.
We are kitchen people, I typically don't have our events catered, and so gatherings involve a lot of time in the kitchen (with family/friends offering their help).
"Victorian style Kitchen" is extremely hard to do. I've seen TONS of awful "victorian inspired" kitchens-and I don't want to go that road.
The kitchen was last remodeled in the 1950's; white metal cabinets, blue "marble" patterned counter, and blue linoleum tiled floor.
The stove and dishwasher MUST be replaced, and the side-by-side refrigerator is quite frankly, taking up too much valuable space. The floor must also be replaced. One small "splurge" we hope to do is radiant heat flooring.
The plan is to keep the same 1950's modern feel.
This door goes into the pantry, where there are large shelves and a pass through into the dining room, and to the cellar basement. (stone walls/brick floor)
Counter depth 3 door fridge (but in black, not stainless steel. Black seems more timeless to me. Plus, we have a black Jenn-Aire cooktop/oven waiting to be put in)
We get on with the design portion, despite not taking kitchen measurements beforehand.
We decide to change some things around. The countertop depth fridge where the stove was. Stove against the wall. lazy susan corner cabinet to utilize all that valuable real estate standing empty in the corner. TWO 24" dishwashers (awwww Yeah....)
We are just having a grand time. I'm all ready to order the fabulous for entertaining new kitchen!
Our goal is to make it more workable, and able to be an "eat in" kitchen. Victorian gatherings were centered around the dining room and parlor, the only people in the kitchen were the cook and the maid.
We are kitchen people, I typically don't have our events catered, and so gatherings involve a lot of time in the kitchen (with family/friends offering their help).
"Victorian style Kitchen" is extremely hard to do. I've seen TONS of awful "victorian inspired" kitchens-and I don't want to go that road.
The kitchen was last remodeled in the 1950's; white metal cabinets, blue "marble" patterned counter, and blue linoleum tiled floor.
The stove and dishwasher MUST be replaced, and the side-by-side refrigerator is quite frankly, taking up too much valuable space. The floor must also be replaced. One small "splurge" we hope to do is radiant heat flooring.
The plan is to keep the same 1950's modern feel.
First, Here's what we are working with.
Stove goes to the left of the empty hole.
HUGE SIGH. Yes there's a lot to do.
Jon and I found cabinets that we liked right away.
Love the sink that is a lot like the one I have in my farmhouse
(not in love with these door handles)
Counter depth 3 door fridge (but in black, not stainless steel. Black seems more timeless to me. Plus, we have a black Jenn-Aire cooktop/oven waiting to be put in)
We get on with the design portion, despite not taking kitchen measurements beforehand.
We decide to change some things around. The countertop depth fridge where the stove was. Stove against the wall. lazy susan corner cabinet to utilize all that valuable real estate standing empty in the corner. TWO 24" dishwashers (awwww Yeah....)
We are just having a grand time. I'm all ready to order the fabulous for entertaining new kitchen!
And then my dear husband calls with the actual kitchen measurements.
Our joy is Deflated.
Here's what fits in the actual kitchen footprint.
Suddenly, this isn't fun at all.
Over the next week we ponder what to do.
CLEARLY, we need more kitchen space.
plan a. bump out the wall, using the footprint of the abandoned north porch.
We scrap that idea before even getting a bid.
Plan B. expand the kitchen into the maid's room. Keep the bathroom.
Put french doors in overlooking the pool. Maybe a deck, or stone patio.
Viola!
(Except our oldest daughter was kinda hoping for the maid's room...)
A relative agrees with the plan; suggesting we take out the bathroom. Unfortunately there really is no other place to put another bathroom-and one bathroom for 7 soon to be 8 people in our family + frequent entertaining just won't work. Bathroom-awkward as it is-must stay.
Trouble is-the ceiling in the maid's room is 5 ft TALLER than in the kitchen.
Do we really want to put a bunch of money into a CEILING?
A patio won't work. (would need to put in steep steps).
A deck certainly is not appropriate for a victorian house. It would have to be a porch. ($$$$)
Compromise.
Keep the maid's room as a separate room. Treat it as an entry room. Stick the otherwise awkward refrigerator in it.
(*also contemplating a refrigerated drawer or compact dorm fridge in the pantry with space for milk, butter, lunch meat and eggs. Everything else can be in the commercial sized refrigerator or freezer in the carriage house?!?!?)
As we are saving money that otherwise would have been spent on doing the ceiling work, put the money instead into doing a nice porch, curving around to the north and south (existing) porches.
I suspect we will get more enjoyment out of a wrap around porch overlooking the gardens, pool and golf course than a ceiling, or a slightly deeper kitchen...
You really had to think outside of the box on that one huh? Sounds like a good plan though!
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