Show me your remodeled kitchens--what would you do differently?

[joebryant]

OMG, we've been going through remodeling/updating interior/exterior (even the driveway) EVERY day this year since spring and just finished Saturday. I don't want to talk about it. I want to FORGET it.

 

[6chickens in St. Charles]

Sometimes I find it fun to have jealousy. So now I'm jealous.

I realize now that I'm 45 years old and mighty worn out, I may never have a decent kitchen. I have been living with bad housing my whole adult life. I work very hard and still cannot afford a real kitchen. I cook special "gluten-free-diet" fresh food for my family of 5 with a stupid plastic sink, a halfway working range and a dirty little fridge, and instead of counter tops, I have 4 barstools revolving around the stupid plastic sink upon which I balance the food prep. There has never been a completed floor in this, my current home. The dishwasher sits on several colors of broken vinyl tile, not even stuck down. I threw a rug in front. The kids ripped the rug, its still there.

I watch Jacques Peppin, Julia Childs and Gordon Ramsay shows and make the best of it. In my mind, I'm pretty happy, because our food is usually good, and its healthy. Except right now the range doesn't really work well, our roasted chickens last week had to finish in the stupid, tiny little microwave 1/2 chicken at a time.

I love looking at other people's remodels, and drool over their good fortune. A little jealousy can be fun. I hope its healthy to enjoy my jealousy, because I'm really enjoying it. Somebody out there, please brag a little about what kind of wood you're doing your cabinets in, or picking real marble slabs or something. Maybe fancy hoods, over a great cooktop. Fancy flooring. Don't forget the lighting and maybe air quality, real costly stuff.

 

[MeatKing]

6chickens in St. Charles :

Sometimes I find it fun to have jealousy. So now I'm jealous.
Don't forget the lighting and maybe air quality, real costly stuff.

Had to quote you, you probley have the best air quality!! The new houses are so air tight, fumes and off gases stay in. (I can smell it in some of the houses I clean) Brand new house, new paint, new everything. It's like a new car smell, but worse!

There are a few houses that I clean and the young kids have breathing problems. And need puffers (sorry I think that's what there called) I've noticed the similatires, toons of new stuff, new house, no plants, never a window open... Ever, been cleaning these familes for at least 6 years... No fresh air, and I can smell the new smell!

So 6chickens in St. Charles, you are probley doing them more good by living in your old house, with fresh air!

 

[6chickens in St. Charles]

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Had to quote you, you probley have the best air quality!! The new houses are so air tight, fumes and off gases stay in. (I can smell it in some of the houses I clean) Brand new house, new paint, new everything. It's like a new car smell, but worse!

There are a few houses that I clean and the young kids have breathing problems. And need puffers (sorry I think that's what there called) I've noticed the similatires, toons of new stuff, new house, no plants, never a window open... Ever, been cleaning these familes for at least 6 years... No fresh air, and I can smell the new smell!

So 6chickens in St. Charles, you are probley doing them more good by living in your old house, with fresh air!

Oh thanks for the hugs. That was nice!

 

[beerguzzler]

Where did you get your cabinets?

- We found a local guy who made cabinets and worked a good deal on maple cabinets. We got custom made cabinets stained to our color spec for a price less then buying from the big cabinet makers. We spent a lot of time finding someone so hopefully you can do the same.

What kind of counter tops do you have?

- It was a tough choice between granite or quartz. I chose granite due to color.

Tile or wood floors?

- Tile due to the fear of water leak while on vacation or gone during weekend from dishwasher, sink, fridge, etc ruining wood floor.

What would you change about it?

- We forgot to plan for where to put our trashcan. Luckily we had a good place for it after the fact

Glad we did it!!

- Ordered a custom butcher block table for the middle of our kitchen (www.blocktop.net). It is our dining table and cutting board all in one. We had it made in Cherry and Maple then had the table legs unstained so the cabinet guys could stain our table legs the same color as the cabinets
- Put in a pot filler faucet
- Put in the deepest largest sink I could find that was reasonable in price
- Found a mosaic for above our stove for dirt cheap on ebay (we decided on a travertine backsplash and found an awesome large mosaic in travertine on ebay)
- Ordered from restaurant kitchen supply stores as often as possible because they are cheaper and usually have better quality products (got our sink and faucets)
- Ordered the cabinet knobs/handles online because we found it for dirt cheap but still good quality
- Bottom Line - Order as much online as possible due to it will save you a pant load.

If you have additional questions or want pics, let me know.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

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I love your sink, though!

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

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THANKS

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

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I love your kitchen! I like the contrast of the white cabinets with the dark counter tops...

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

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I have a nice rooster cutting board that my DH made me...I'll have to post pics of it. I have decided it's a Dorking, LOL

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

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Huge! I love the island...we're planning on having one with a cook top and I'm holding out for a double oven!