Some of the kitchens featured in new home designs don't look very functional. Either they are too large or too small; the appliances would be difficult to keep clean; and the cabinets are placed where you would need a step-stool to get to them. We bought this house with a large kitchen (good) but with 12" tiles for the counter tops (bad!). I managed to get the kitchen functional after removing the trash compactor and putting in cookbook shelving, taking out some of the removable shelving that allowed you to store one teacup, and making the area for the refrigerator closer to a countertop. I think the previous owner was overly impressed by some design magazine. Is your kitchen functional or do you have a kitchen with some things you love, and others you would change?
When we bought this house there was nothing worth saving but the walls, even the floor (not just tile or linoleum. the entire floor!) needed replacing. I couldn't 'see' anyway to put the optimum amount of cabinets in the space I had and still have room for the table Mike had built many years before. We finally went to a cabinet store with the measurements and where the doors and windows were placed. They actually designed my kitchen for me and all I had to do is pick the cabinets and counter top. It is a small kitchen but there is plenty of storage and counter tops, and best of all, no deep un-reachable corner cabinets! I'm happy with it.
When we bought this old farmhouse, the kitchen was horrible! There was no counter space near the stove ... there was a random counter on the far wall that had 4 cupboards below and a 12" wide counter about 8 feet long. There was an island that was flimsy and served no purpose other than a 4X4 countertop in the middle of the kitchen. There were very few electrical outlets and it was impossible to make a Thanksgiving dinner in that kitchen!! It wasn't long before we renovated that kitchen, taking away the long skinny counter and added a pantry and some extra storage space. We rebuilt the island to include space for stools on one side, and a cupboard and dishwasher on the other side and an electrical outlet. We added cupboards and a small counter to the area by the stove. The kitchen is much better now
My kitchen is just too small. Trouble is there's no way to fit a bigger one without building an extension. We simply have to work with what we've got but it usually means taking turns to cook as there's really only space for one to work at a time. I would like to upgrade the one we have though to one that's much easier to clean.
Kitchens featured in home design are usually are just pleasing to look at and not functional and to maintain it is a nightmare. One of my neighbour's kitchen looks like a photo out of a magazine, they don't cook or bake. When we downsized our home the new house came with a tiny kitchen and can only fit one person. Even with one person cooking it is very difficult to move around because it was not functional at all - things like you have to do your preparation in one corner, get your uncooked food from another, and so on and so on. It was just impossible to organized it anyway it was just too small. Now the kitchen is big, bright, functional and comfortable. We had it totally demolished, build an extension, have more windows, lots of power points and an island put in. Now the chef is happy and we get lots of yummie food coming out of it!
the kitchen that was designed and put in here when we first built was designed by someone who never set foot in a kitchen. it was terrible. nice cabinets but not functional at all. now? we have remodeled and I used all the "things" i use to build it around. but that took me years to get to the point of knowing what I really needed. I was too young and not enough experience to say what was good or not about the first kitchen nor did I have the confidence to say I thought something else would be better suited to our needs. I just need someone to keep it clean now. sigh. I really want the counters always cleaned off but with 5 people living here it just doesn't happen very well.
For us the kitchen is the spot we spend lots of time so it has to be spacious and also functional. It can look fancy and magazine like if it's big enough. If not then you just have to adjust it to your own needs.
My kitchen is only small we downgraded from a large house to a little two up two down a few years ago when our kids moved on, Just before Christmas i designed and installed a new one Christmas day we had 10 family members for dinner we managed ok but not much room 99% of the time theirs only me and the wife so its fine.
Nitram, thanks for reviving this discussion--I hadn't looked at it for a while. My one unbreakable rule is when I am cooking, no one else is in the kitchen and underfoot. Our kitchen is large, and my husband is allowed to sit on a bar stool at the island and talk with me, but no moving around, no getting into the fridge, and no rummaging in the pantry! Guests are told to stay in the living room and enjoy a beverage and appetizers, but stay out of the kitchen!
Lovely smart kitchen and on this pic...I've noticed how you idol your days away Jane that's a bit much your poor hubby and I do feel for him ….ours is square but wide and omg i'm not allowed in the kitchen while cooking is going on but I make the destination when the washing up occurs
I like having company in the kitchen. I've got my cooktop in a peninsula so I can socialize while stirring. Designed this kitchen myself.
Very pretty Lori! We re-did our kitchen many years ago & we still love it. It is not particularly big, but well laid out. Three of us can cook in it at once.
Yes, my kitchen is over 20 years old and I still love it. The pic is from about a year ago. It's a workinf kitchen so lots of dints and boo boos over the years.
your kitchen is cool and dosnt look like its 20 years old. but your stove top... aaaaahhhh at least it looks good.
my kitchen is small, pretty sure the small kitchen in my condo had more counter space! and its slowly being overrun by small appliances that my GF is accumulating! totally dysfunctional, I might do some reno at some point and open it up.
