Please tell me about your dream kitchen

[cmdnewton]

We are buying a new house and will be renovating the kitchen. I have always said I wanted to do this, but now that we are, I'm overwhelmed by all of the options. I'm trying to come up with a list of must haves and some "extras" that might not be necessary, but I would be happy that I had. We'll end up having someone help up "design" the kitchen, but I want to go in with some ideas.

For the style of the kitchen, think Hamptons, Cape Cod, the kitchen from the movie Something's Got to Give - white, lots of light, etc. No island, but we will have a breakfast bar.

Ok, so now I need all of your suggestions (and any advice!).

Thank you

[TwinFoxes]

I would want a desk/homework place for the kids. When we renovate our kitchen, that's the one thing I definitely want to put in. I also like deep drawers instead of just cabinets.

I haven't looked into kitchens that much, I'm sure others will have better suggestions. How fun for you! :)

[BeachBum]

If you haven't joined garden web, run over there and join for their kitchen forum. There are tons of amazing kitchens there!

We remodeled ours about 2 yrs ago. And it's pretty dreamy for the space (and budget) I had to work with.

I have custom cabinets with full extension soft close drawers, all lower drawers except under the sink and one in the corner. My counters and back splash are marble. My 8 ft island is dark walnut. Farmhouse sink, floor to ceiling pantry with rollouts. Induction cooktop, speedcook micro oven, french door fridge with water and ice on the door. New wood floors. Extra large windowsill over the sink.

I wish I had....
tap master
pot filler
space for a baking zone
inset cabinets

Have fun!

[Green22]

My mom just nearly finished a remodel. Sounds like a similar look to the one you are going for. She did white cupboards with a brown wash - you see it mostly on the edges and detailing. It is still very bright, but not as stark as white and a little more forgiving re: mess. Lots of the cupboards have glass fronts and lights in them - she likes when you can see the cups and stuff and it is really nice and bright. She is using drawers with pegs - hard to explain - to stack her dishes in. I thought it would be odd but it is amazing and so easy to fill/stack. (I should note that they made the drawers/cupboards custom so it could withstand the weight - I'm not sure if you can do this in any drawer. But it is really neat, and close to the dishwasher. The drawers also don't slam, which is really nice. Like Romina furniture.) Also, they did this really cool thing where there is a drawer that has plugs in the back of it so they can put cell phones and stuff in a drawer. Not sure if you are an electronic-type family but it is really nice to be able to put that stuff away and not see cords and all that.)

She did her floors in a beige tile where they aren't all the same size or pattern if that makes sense. She chose granite with white, grey and browns in it. (I thought it would make it too industrial looking but it is actually really nice and warm. I also thought they grey in the granite wouldn't look good with the browns but I was really wrong.) Her backsplash isn't finished yet, but I know she chose a subway tile in similar whites, cremes, beige colors. I know you aren't doing a island, but she did her island with cherry instead of matching white. It looks fantastic - if you think about doing a desk or anything, maybe think about making it a non-matching color. It looks very furniture-y.

She just bought a bunch of kitchen magazines and did some blog-searching. I wish I had a photo - I just saw it for the first time this week and couldn't believe how fantastic it looked.

Good luck! It was a really big task and she was overwhelmed by all the choices but the end result is really amazing.

[SASM]

I loved that kitchen, too. Can I just add a negative, though? White cabinets get very dirty from food splatters - cooking, spills, kids, sippy spray, etc. Our last house was pure white and our current is kind of a warm white. looks gorgeous but we'll never own white again. I love Magic Eraser for cleaning & touch ups on the tough marks, but I fear that it is doing a number on the finish. Anyway, white looks gorgeous and is kind of essential
for smaller kitchens (brightens it up) but requires a lot of upkeep. Oh...you'll probably want stainless but I just thought that I'd also add that our sink is kind of off-white and seamless with our Corian (I believe) counters. I HATE this sink as it stains easily...Magic Eraser has met it's match with this sink!

As far as features that I like in a kitchen go, we really like our SS dishwasher w SS tub. IMO, it really makes a difference in the drying. A gas 5 or 6 burner cooktop would be a dream!! Our current house has a glass/ceramic cooktop...hate it! It was really abused by the previous owners sonit looks horrible, but that aside, I cannot use my enameled cast iron on it dt heat conduction and scratches. :( Our kitchen is also on the small side but it was designed thoughtfully. A feature that people always comment on us our "floating" cabinets. There are about 6 ft of cabinet that "L" off the wall and are suspended with cables with our sink and breakfast bar underneath. Both sides are seeded glass. This is lit up and gorgeous at night, as the seeded glass reflects on our cathedral ceilings. Conversation piece and beautiful. :) HTH.

[heatherlynn]

One thing I would want is a pantry. A nice big walk-in organized pantry. :D

[maylips]

Lots of organization, counter space and the dishwasher on the right side of the sink (I'm right handed and it's a pain loading/unloading).

[niccig]

Go hang out on the kitchen forum at Gardens Web http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/kitchbath/

The people there will give ideas on your layout if you post your floor plan, and they can give advice on cabinets/counter tops/sinks/faucets/flooring etc. You name it dealing with a kitchen and they know it/can give advice

My dream kitchen is all drawers on the lower cabinets - SIL has this and I loved it. Only cabinet will be kitchen sink. Pull-out trash bins. Lots of counter space. Separate area for baking. Island. Walk-in Pantry

Alas, I don't have the space for all of that, but I can dream

[HIU8]

double ovens, cooktop, microwave, spice drawers, large pantry, triple bowl sink, island in the center with storage underneath and an outlet, pull out trash bins and/or trash compactor, counter depth fridge and one of the new dishwashers with drawers where you can wash smaller loads.

Right now I have most of this, but one oven is a wall oven/microwave combo and one is a gas cooktop and oven combo. I really need the island and my fridge is just a monster and looks weird in the space. FWIW, I use the double ovens every single day (not just for holidays). I can't imagine not having two.

[crl]

I LOVED the kitchen we did in our last house. I third the garden web kitchen and appliances forums.

We used white ikea cabinets (STAT) and felt like they were fabulous and a great price. I used as many drawers as possible and would do that again. I didn't mind white cabinets at all for keeping clean

We had cork flooring, the second time we put that in a kitchen, and it would be my first choice for kitchen flooring

Good lighting makes a huge difference.

I loved the Ikea farmhouse sink and the copper pot rack.

My big splurge was an advantium oven. I did really like it, but mostly used it as a regular microwave or a regular convection oven so I'm not sure if I'd do that again. I think what I liked best about it was that I had it installed in a ikea wall oven cabinet to the same height as the counter top. That height was very convenient.

I also had a ge range that had a regular oven and the drawer on the bottom was a warming drawer/baking oven. So I managed to fit three ovens into a not very big kitchen. That was sweet.

Best of luck!
Catherine

[brittone2]

Double ovens, gas range. White cabs and butcherblock or soapstone counters. Under cab lighting, some interior lights in glass front cabs. Big pantries. My old house had a smallish kitchen but two wonderful walk in pantries that I will *always* miss. Small desk w/ cabinetry above for stamps, notecards, etc. Definitely some drawers on lower level vs. regular cabinets. Appliance "garage" for storing standmixer and toaster (which we use often and tend to leave out, although I tend to like pretty bare countertops).

Farmhouse sink for sure. I prefer one huge sink to double sinks.

We painted cabs at our previous house white and they weren't that bad to keep clean IMO. Maybe we got lucky? I'm a kinda messy cook too LOL.

Still not sure what I want for flooring in a dream kitchen. Pros and cons to everything it seems in terms of flooring.

[catroddick]

Go hang out on the kitchen forum at Gardens Web http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/kitchbath/

Damn you! I had things to do today! That site is like crack!

[sste]

Since I will never have my dream kitchen at present rate let me live vicariously through your move!

1. Love the desk idea
2. I love white cabinets too but my suggestions would be to have them at the perimeter and have your central workspace - - presumably a large central island that would double as prep space and a seating area - - be cherry or colored cabinets. White cabinets are lovely but they are too much of a pain to have right underneath your primary work space. If your primary workspace is at the perimeter, I would consider reversing this with a white island and wood perimeter cabinets.
3. Love the idea of some glass cabs - - dislike the cave o' cabinets look. Also consider a limited amount of open shelving to break things up. How much depends on how neat you are and how nice your dishes are!
4. Get a convection microwave. And a gas stove. I would probably go convection oven though I notice my friends with them are 50/50 on whether they use theirs.
5. I love maple or oak flooring - - esp with white cabinets. Wood is very comfortable to stand on for long periods and I love the way its not cold feeling like tile.
6. I would work with a kitchen designer on layout. I can't tell you how many poorly laid-out kitchens I have seen with granite and stainless steel slapped everywhere.
7. Also, I would not neglect venting. Another pet peeve of mine is lack of a good hood/venting system.


Have fun!

[Mom to Brandon and 2 cats]

We renovated about a year and a half ago. Two things that I will never regret: tearing down a wall to open up our kitchen to the family room and purchasing our Bluestar range. Seriously. The kitchen is designed around that range.

--Jennifer

[groundhog74]

I love our current kitchen. It has quartz countertops (granite would be nice too) with a full quartz backsplash. Our island counters are a different color quartz than the other counters. We also have a quartz composite sink, with uneven bowls so that a cookie sheet can fit in the larger one, with the disposal in the bigger side. We have a walk in pantry too.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v401/groundhog74/tn_IMG_2217.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v401/groundhog74/tn_IMG_2238.jpg

[cmdnewton]

Thanks for all of the great suggestions! I've been busy looking at the finished kitchens blog all afternoon.

[QUOTE=BeachBum;2738355]

I wish I had....
tap master
pot filler
space for a baking zone
inset cabinets

QUOTE]

So funny. I had to google this because my first thought was that a tap master was like a keggerator (think college). Now that I know what it is, it's going on my must have list.

Re: Convection ovens - I had one in my previous oven and I never used it. The convection part seemed to take up more space in the oven. Does anyone here use theirs?

[erosenst]

Scanned the PP's pretty quickly, but a few things:

* We have white wood cabinets. Pretty sure I wouldn't do that again. They show everything, and nick easily.

* LOVE having a double trash pullout. One full size trash can for trash, one for recycling.

* Measure what you have, and what you need/want to have together. A good kitchen designer might (or might not) help you with this. I knew I wanted xxx linear feet of storage for dishes, and yyyy for glasses. It will help you lay the kitchen out in the space avail.

* Measure any odd size things to make sure you have a place for them. My pantry has a spot at my 'easiest reach' level for my KitchenAid mixer. I don't have to bend down to get it, or lift over my head. Also made sure there was a narrow spot for the kind of stepstool I use, (We have 9' ceilings) and a split, narrow shelf for placemats and napkins.

* Consider a very narrow cabinet for cutting boards and trays.

Above all, look at the Finished Kitchen Blog suggested above. FABULOUS ideas there!

[dcmom2b3]

with uneven bowls so that a cookie sheet can fit in the larger one, with the disposal in the bigger side.

This. I have a similar sink, but with the disposal in the small side and it's a huge PITA. The other things that I regret is not insisting that the builder figure out a way to give me a *real* vent hood. Our open plan home falls victim to any cooking smells. Ugh. Love my double ovens, though wish that one was gas (both are electric). A six burner gas cooktop (with optional grill) would be wonderful, but is impossible without great venting, which we just don't have.

I'm afraid to think about my dream kitchen (which would probably include self-cleaning floors and a sous chef) but if I had to do it over again, I would have a planning/homework area, a pot-filler fixture next to the cooktop, a built-in banquette with under-seat storage in the eating area, a playhouse for DD built under the stairs, radient heat under the tile floors, a lighted pot rack over the island, a utility sink, and storage suitable for Costco/Sam's club quantities. I also likely wouldn't choose a stainless finish for my fridge -- the fingerprints are murder to keep up with. Love my deep drawers for pots and pans, though. Wish I had one more.

[newg]

I would love to have a desk area..............
We put in corian countertops in our last house and I loved it!! It was so nice to just push crumbs and water into the sink and not have the lip around the edge for things to get caught in. Don't to white though........like pp said.....it stains and takes an army to get the stains out.

We really though about what would go where when we were deciding on drawers vs. cabinets.........we even did some pull-out shelves in some of our lower cabinets so we didn't have to bend over to see what was in it.

Go to lowe's kitchen design center......they have a ton of booklets with great ideas and gadgets that are every person's dream for a kitchen!! Plus you can try stuff out IRL to see if it's worth it.

[boolady]

Well, thanks to this thread, I just spent 45 minutes on the finished kitchens blog that I'm never getting back and have serious kitchen envy. :)

[BeachBum]

Re: Convection ovens - I had one in my previous oven and I never used it. The convection part seemed to take up more space in the oven. Does anyone here use theirs?

I have convection and never bake "regular" anymore. IMO convection cooks food faster and more evenly b/c the heat is moving around.

[niccig]

Damn you! I had things to do today! That site is like crack!

:ROTFLMAO:Yes, it is. We're still some way away from doing our kitchen, but I'm already reading up on that site..

[hellokitty]

I haven't really read anyone else's posts, but my wish list for my dream kitchen would be:

-Lots of counter space and an island

-Deep double sink

-Six burner gas stove with industrial hood, including stainless walls around from stove to the hood (for clean up purposes)

-Water tap over the stove (for filling pots)

-Two dishwashers, one on each side of the sink

-Usable cabinets, I sometimes think I would prefer the more modern cabinets that remind me of the work cubicle cabinets, where you up it and slide it up and in, instead of traditional cabinets. These just seem like they would be so much more practical to me, esp as a shorter person. Plus I would like all lower cabinets to have pull out shelves.

-I'd also like big deep drawers instead of regular lower cabinets, I think that these just seem so much more ergonomic and practical and you don't have to dig around to find stuff.

-A separate, large sized pantry right off of the kitchen full of shelves and good lighting.

-A desk area with shelves for cookbooks and a small computer station.

-SEALED HW floors (there is a reason why I specify sealed)

-Quartz or granite countertops, I don't like the look of corian.

-It also needs to have lots of light, including natural light coming into it. Currently, we have dark cherry cabinets, doors, molding and HW floors. It looks gorgeous, BUT the house looks dark and we don't get a ton of natural light, b/c the windows are not big enough.

-If you have small kids, I would also make sure that you can see the kids playing from your kitchen. We knocked out a wall in ours in order for this to happen.

[katydid1971]

Ina Garten has my dream kitchen. Its huge with a huge pantry and frig. I love her white cabinets and the mix of black (quartz or granite I'm not sure) counters with some butcher block counters. I lust after her stove (hey, lust after her whole Hamptons house;p). I tried to find pictures of it heres the best I could come up with;
http://www.foodnetwork.com/chefs/all-about-ina-garten/pictures/page-4.html