Kitchen cheapskate help?

[BlsdMama]

'Kay, so we started demo for a cheap kitchen remodel.  Then all this medical fiasco hit and chances are good, if this is Lyme, most of it will be OOP. So the remodel needs to save as much $$ as possible.  KWIM?
 

My kitchen is yellow.  That is non negotiable.  It is newly painted, I adore yellow, it is the perfect shade (Humble Gold) and it makes me happy.  I chose it to be the most decent with my honey/orange oak cabinets which are never, ever, ever getting painted.  (Stubborn, ain't I?)  

 

So my three options for instock counters are:  Menards, Home Depot, or Lowes.

 

I have a counter that is 10' 6" approximately.  Lowes and Home Depot only do 10' counters.  Menards does 12'.    Their light choice is totally out.  Their dark choice is like this:

 

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/498492252476950998/

We would do an inexpensive almond swirl vinyl tile.

 

 

The other choice of light counters (a light swirly marble like choice from HD or a quartzy copy from L) would be a similar color scheme to this:

 

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/Aew624KBVhaXOponaGW8_VWfNDGHzV1MzfzFBK841ufl48VKku0rkus/

 

 

I am partial to the second because we have a reclaimed walnut vinyl from Costco in our front room that seems to be very sturdy.  The flooring MUST be replaced and I have 11 more boxes of the reclaimed walnut.
 

 

But my problem?  If I go with M (12' counter) then it is only the 1st choice.

If I go with choice #2 I would have to special order the counter top that is over 10'.  It is a $200-$250 difference for the ONE counter and HD tells me that it will *not* be a perfect match to instock.

 

 

 

So, could I do this and would it look stupid?  Please, be honest.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/32088216073978125/

 

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/246149935860257386/

 

It would allow us to do a 8' counter to the left, put in a cutting board, then put another counter on the right of it. No seam, no flaw, no custom counter mismatch or expense.  Problem solved or just super ugly?

 

Seriously, PAINFUL honesty.

 

 

 

 

[Miss Peregrine]

I've never seen that before but I think I like it.

[Dynamite5]

First of all, the second choice is so much better than the first! Love it. 

 

I also love the idea you have and think it would look terrific, especially if it works with the flow of your kitchen, such as it's the perfect place to stand and use a cutting board. I love clever solutions. This one is pretty and clever!

[YaelAldrich]

It's "in" now. May not be "in" in ten years.  I would do it and love the butcher block part very much (I already have butcher block counters though).

Edited April 21, 2017 by YaelAldrich

[almondbutterandjelly]

I love that!  I don't think my dh would allow it, though.  He's very conservative in home remodeling.  But I super love it!

[hellen]

I think you could do it. It looks better in the middle of a run instead of the end.

 

Ikea has really cheap butcher block. They also have a faux marble.

http://m.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/art/40335628/

[HTRMom]

I think it looks great. And I'm kind of picky about design. The question is, is it in the same counter run as the sink or oven? Our sink counter floods occasionally, and everything within 2-3 feet of the stove is greasy.

 

 

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[wintermom]

I think the butcher block at the end of an island counter or peninsular counter would look great. I'm not crazy about the photo with the butcher block right in the middle of a counter. Different tastes, I guess.  Do what makes sense to you. 

[fairfarmhand]

My kitchen is yellow too and I also love my oak cupboards. So you're not alone. I think it'll look fine.

 

 

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[Annie G]

I have a Boos Block built in the last 18 inches of my counter. I love it for rolling noodles, cutting veggies, etc. I wouldn't care for it in the middle of my counters just because it might be in the way.  But that's just how I work. I can see having it in the middle would work better for other folks. 

We worried that it would look weird and when it was delivered we were surprised to see that it had their logo/name on the front of it where it shows. But it turned out to be just thing to make our friends 'understand' it.  They know the brand and think it's cool to have it instead of it looking like we just cobbled together two surfaces. I'd like the name to be gone - I think it would look a lot better without the Boos Block logo showing. 

 

 

[goldberry]

Sorry, I don't like it.  Looks too choppy to me.  Just an opinion though!

[rjand6more]

Another option?

Could you be ok with losing the cabinet?  You could put a sweet rolling cart there?  Obviously, I don't know your configuration.

 

We bought an entire kitchen on Craig's List.  cabinets, granite, appliances.  We had to get a little creative with the plan, but I adore it.  We put a tile counter down on an opposite wall for a coffee/tea bar.  Even people who don't like tile counters love the way ours turned out.

[gardenmom5]

do you have any salvagers around you?  I see ads here on craiglist where they may have complete kitchens for a serious discount.  you might need to paint them, but it can still be a lot cheaper than ordering new cabinets.

 

floor models of appliances - or even ordering them online. though that takes time.

[ThisIsTheDay]

Actually, I really like it. I prefer the first one, and after giving that some consideration, I think I like it better because of the contrasting color to the counter.

 

I woudn't worry if it will be "in" down the road. It's an inexpensive kitchen remodel; you're not making a lifetime commitment.

 

 

[eternalsummer]

problem solved

[BlsdMama]

I think it looks great. And I'm kind of picky about design. The question is, is it in the same counter run as the sink or oven? Our sink counter floods occasionally, and everything within 2-3 feet of the stove is greasy.

 

 

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So the layout is like this:

 

 

Picture a straight counter 12' long.  (Or can be assuming I choose to "turn the corner and have an L shape there - then it would be a straight line of 12' turn and go another 2.5' then hit a floor to ceiling pantry cupboard.

 

That 12' long piece that is forcing me to special order?  It ONLY has the sink on it.  You walk in the kitchen and you have on the bottom half:

 

                                  sink                  walnut

cabinet dishwasher cabinet cabinet cabinet cabinet corner

                                                                                 cabinet

                                                                                 cabinet

                                                                             pantry cabinet

 

 

So the sink is in the first 1/3 of the counter - about 4' into the kitchen.  I could then do another 3', then 15" of walnut (to match the floor) with then another 2'ish of counter before the counter turns for the L. 

 

It would look planned if that makes sense and we thought about taking the 15" cabinet out under it because we could put the garbage there for pull out and scrape the cutting board, kwim?

[BlsdMama]

I like 2 things about the picture of the butcher block on the end. The contrast between the light counter, white cabinets and the dark wood and that it is on the end. I do all of my cutting at the end of my island because I like the elbow room. The small butcher block in the middle seems a little weird to me, but it could work.

 

I have orangey cabinets with an almond quartz sort of like the second picture. The problem is with the orange cabinets and the butcher block, I'm worried it would all blend together like this.

 

I don't know if you could do something like this, but I like it. 

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/f0/0d/52/f00d528c2f69c5fec024f703eefbbd45.jpg

 

or in the corner is nice and that makes it look more custom.

http://www.designbuildpros.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Wood-butcher-block-countertop-Design-Build-Pros-5.jpg

 

 

So the first is out because this is a cost solving solution, lol, and that looks super expensive!  The second though - what do you love about it? That is it the depth of the counter?  Because there is a guy here who makes cutting boards custom and he is crazy inexpensive.  I could do any depth I wanted so counter depth is totally an option.

[BlsdMama]

I have a Boos Block built in the last 18 inches of my counter. I love it for rolling noodles, cutting veggies, etc. I wouldn't care for it in the middle of my counters just because it might be in the way.  But that's just how I work. I can see having it in the middle would work better for other folks. 

We worried that it would look weird and when it was delivered we were surprised to see that it had their logo/name on the front of it where it shows. But it turned out to be just thing to make our friends 'understand' it.  They know the brand and think it's cool to have it instead of it looking like we just cobbled together two surfaces. I'd like the name to be gone - I think it would look a lot better without the Boos Block logo showing. 

 

 

 

Annie, would you like it in the middle if the counter was super long?  I have a LOT of counter space.  This kitchen looked tiny when we moved in but it had this weird early 80s peninsula with thick heavy cabinets on the uppers.  It cut my kitchen in half.  If the other side was useable/functional it would have worked great, but it ended up creating an extra large "hall" to the living room and giving me half my kitchen space.  So essentially, we would have a work space by the sink (first half of the 12') by the cutting board (second half of the 12') , turn the counter - small counter there or at least a place for the coffee maker/mixer so they are out of the way.  But then the stove and fridge are on a separate wall with a 2' counter and then the pass through counter is an L shape again - 2' x 7'.  Lots of work areas.

[BlsdMama]

do you have any salvagers around you?  I see ads here on craiglist where they may have complete kitchens for a serious discount.  you might need to paint them, but it can still be a lot cheaper than ordering new cabinets.

 

floor models of appliances - or even ordering them online. though that takes time.

 

 

Instock cabinets are REALLY inexpensive. I don't know if you have ever priced them but:

 

6' section - $39

8' straight section - $48

10' miter section - $60

 

So I would need about $220ish in counters and DH gets a vet discount at Lowes and at HD.  That's the grand total.  Whereas special ordering that ONE counter (and only going with the 10' section and NOT turning the counter like I really, really WANT to do for a 12' length instead) would right at about $300 and it is still cheap laminate.

 

If we get past this medical stuff we will eventually redo the kitchen I am sure in 5-10, but for now?  There is a story that goes like this:  One day the DH said, "Hey, you wanna take out that peninsula?  It drives me nuts."  And me, who LOVES demo, said, "Heck yeah!"

 

And we did.  

 

But then we reconfigured the cabinets.  And to do that, one must remove the counters.  Then to make them "fit" our configuration until we ordered cabinets we used a sawsall. Yes, yes, we did.

 

And now graduation is on June 10th at our house and I really just need some counters that are all in one piece, LOL!

 

Thus, the saga of our family kitchen. :P :D  The kids will have stories of their childhood and more than their fair share will involve Mom's "good" idea, Dad's tools, and a lot of, um, lapses in judgement on time frames.

[BlsdMama]

My kitchen is yellow too and I also love my oak cupboards. So you're not alone. I think it'll look fine.

 

 

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I really need to multi-quote.  Sorry guys.

 

 

I know.  <3 <3 <3 Yellow.  I love yellow. 

 

Everyone looks at dandelions and shudders.  I sigh happily.  <3

[BlsdMama]

Another option?

Could you be ok with losing the cabinet?  You could put a sweet rolling cart there?  Obviously, I don't know your configuration.

 

We bought an entire kitchen on Craig's List.  cabinets, granite, appliances.  We had to get a little creative with the plan, but I adore it.  We put a tile counter down on an opposite wall for a coffee/tea bar.  Even people who don't like tile counters love the way ours turned out.

 

 

If I break up the counter then I can turn a counter and have a cabinet and counter for coffee, er, um, I mean extra "work space."  True story. It is more than a little motivating.

[wintermom]

So the layout is like this:

 

 

Picture a straight counter 12' long.  (Or can be assuming I choose to "turn the corner and have an L shape there - then it would be a straight line of 12' turn and go another 2.5' then hit a floor to ceiling pantry cupboard.

 

That 12' long piece that is forcing me to special order?  It ONLY has the sink on it.  You walk in the kitchen and you have on the bottom half:

 

 

 

What I did with a long stretch of countertop I didn't have in our renos (reclaimed, like yours), was to buy a sink that came right out past the counter. Then I saved over 2' of counter. 

 

This was my sink choice, but there are other options.

 

http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/S69158173/

 

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/78883430953456850/

Edited April 22, 2017 by wintermom

[gardenmom5]

did you check whether you can order longer pre-made counters from HD or lowes?  sometimes they have "stock available" in larger sizes in a warehouse as opposed to individual stores.  there isn't an extra charge for custom - it's just not stocked in the stores.

[Annie G]

Annie, would you like it in the middle if the counter was super long?  I have a LOT of counter space.  This kitchen looked tiny when we moved in but it had this weird early 80s peninsula with thick heavy cabinets on the uppers.  It cut my kitchen in half.  If the other side was useable/functional it would have worked great, but it ended up creating an extra large "hall" to the living room and giving me half my kitchen space.  So essentially, we would have a work space by the sink (first half of the 12') by the cutting board (second half of the 12') , turn the counter - small counter there or at least a place for the coffee maker/mixer so they are out of the way.  But then the stove and fridge are on a separate wall with a 2' counter and then the pass through counter is an L shape again - 2' x 7'.  Lots of work areas.

 

 

I would if it was larger than it is now- it's barely big enough for what I do and I think a larger one would look even better. 

 

I spent years working at a bakery- it was old school and had butcher block for all the work surfaces so I have an affinity for it.  But boy do I love a built in cutting board/work surface. 

 

Your plan is affordable and if you hate it you can eventually replace it. I think it's worth a shot since you want it done soon and want to keep it inexpensive.