dream kitchen---what does yours look like?

[ProudGrandma]

I have a small kitchen (13.5 ft x 12 ft). And I have 8 ft ceilings. We eat in the diningroom. We hope to redo the cabinets to optimize the space better. I don't plan on changing the applicances...just the cabinets. I would love an island, but in a kitchen this size, I don't think that is the smartest. (oh there are 3 doorways too...on outside, one to the diningroon and one to the laundryroom).

 

So, what types of compartments and shelves do you love? If you could custom make your kitchen what is a must have?? Another question...do you like have your cabinets built into the wall (with no spot on top to put decorative items and such) or stuck out from the wall some to create a ledge?

 

thanks.

[Impish]

First off, a professional chef.

 

The rest, I'm not sure about, other than an industrial size fridge, dishwasher, and an Aga.

[kalanamak]

Does this dream kitchen have someone to clean it up? If not, give me a neat galley kitchen with a walk-in pantry just outside the entrance, and a window looking out on a garden at the other end. All surfaces, counter, taps, floor, are easy to clean. And good speakers.

[SailorMom]

I actually, as of this summer, have my dream kitchen :)

 

I have the Kitchenaid base mixer cabinet: http://www.kraftmaid.com/products/storage-solutions/kitchen/cooking/base-mixer-shelf.html

 

base filler pull-out for cleaning supplies:

http://www.kraftmaid.com/products/storage-solutions/kitchen/cooking/base-filler-pull-out.html#/n:/p:1

 

This lazy susan corner unit:

http://www.kraftmaid.com/products/storage-solutions/kitchen/cooking/lazy-susan-angle.html#/n:/p:3

 

and many of the huge base drawer / pot storage cabinets

 

I have a walk in pantry with a pocket door that has frosted glass in it, side by side fridge and freezer that are both the same size as a fridge, a huge island with maple butcher block and an island sink, brick floors, travertine backsplash, and a professional 36" gas range with a griddle.

I have way more cabinets that I'll ever need (there are still some sitting empty).

 

We did all the work ourselves to save money, and splurged on the cabinets and the floor :)

[gingersmom]

My dream kitchen is anything that is not my current one (at least 20 years old).

[ProudGrandma]

I actually, as of this summer, have my dream kitchen :)

 

I have the Kitchenaid base mixer cabinet: http://www.kraftmaid.com/products/storage-solutions/kitchen/cooking/base-mixer-shelf.html

 

base filler pull-out for cleaning supplies:

http://www.kraftmaid.com/products/storage-solutions/kitchen/cooking/base-filler-pull-out.html#/n:/p:1

 

This lazy susan corner unit:

http://www.kraftmaid.com/products/storage-solutions/kitchen/cooking/lazy-susan-angle.html#/n:/p:3

 

and many of the huge base drawer / pot storage cabinets

 

I have a walk in pantry with a pocket door that has frosted glass in it, side by side fridge and freezer that are both the same size as a fridge, a huge island with maple butcher block and an island sink, brick floors, travertine backsplash, and a professional 36" gas range with a griddle.

I have way more cabinets that I'll ever need (there are still some sitting empty).

 

We did all the work ourselves to save money, and splurged on the cabinets and the floor :)

 

I LOVE those ideas....thanks....I have never seen the kitchen aid shelf thingee....THAT would be amazing!!!!!

[SailorMom]

I LOVE those ideas....thanks....I have never seen the kitchen aid shelf thingee....THAT would be amazing!!!!!

 

Yes - we absolutely love the mixer cabinet!!! I use mine more than enough to justify the extra cost, and I always hated having it on the counter (takes up space and gets all dusty).

[LisaKinVA]

We've got pictures of my "not" dream kitchen, but nearly dream kitchen on FB...

 

If I had my preference, I would have galley-style kitchen with the sink-side being at least 12-14' island with raised eating bar. The stove side would be about 20' long, with stove in the center (across from sink), double wall ovens on one side, Fridge on the other, and walk-in pantry. Big window...

 

But, my new kitchen has a 10'x3' Island with mixing shelf, prep sink, bookcase, 3' drawers... a 12' raised bar, 15' main counter (sink/dishwasher) and an 8' stove counter. It's a TON of counter space. I don't have many upper cabinets, I don't have my big walk-in pantry, but I do have a double-oven, a pantry no smaller than what I use currently, and it is probably twice as large as the standard kitchen in most houses this size.

 

Also, I would go with drawers over cabinets on the bottom vs. cabinets with pull-out shelves (nothing more than a drawer behind a cabinet). I'd think about where I was going to work, and what was going where as well.

[livingnlearning]

I've actually been planning mine-we hope to build a house next summer.

 

Mine is plain and professional. No cabinets, I hate cabinets. They never fit right and I hate digging around in each door and little area. I'm very short so overhead cabinets are virtually useless for me! I have a very plain kitchen but get a lot done in there-I have a food processor, kitchenaid, cutting boards and good knives and not much else. I like keeping my kitchenaid/processor on the counter ready to go, kitchenaid over a flour/sugar drawers (via Pioneer Woman's design) and the processor near the sink for clean vegies.

 

My kitchen will have pantry/storage/fridge against a wall and a long huge island facing out into the room. Galley style only with a long island, not a wall. The island will have the range and huge sinks with spray faucets, plug-ins, knife holders, ect-be my work space for all the cooking/chopping/stirring/ect. Stainless steel wide countertops with a raised bar on the outer edge where people can sit with their wine/beer and talk to me while I cook. And to hide the counter mess from easy vision from the rest of the room! Under the counter will be wide open rack shelves, no doors. Easy to grab pots/pans/bowls and to put them away. One of my favorite things in the world is to drink wine and talk with friends/family while I cook. I love to get entrenched back there and just cook away-or have food network going on my little kitchen tv, drink wine, and cook. Herb garden in the window and my wood cookstove between the kitchen and great room. Our new house is planned around that cookstove-it's where we do nearly all our cooking for much of the year. And it heats the house.

[Tranquility7]

First off, a professional chef.

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

 

Beyond that, I don't care - I'll let the chef design it! :lol:

[edelweiss]

I'm fortunate to have a kitchen very close to my ultimate dream kitchen. :001_smile:

 

Things I love about it:

 

--Tons of cabinet space, including some unique cabinets that address some of the issues I had in my old house

--A large center island

--6 burner gas stove

--2 ovens

--2 dishwashers

--A very large refrigerator and a separate very large freezer

--Cabinet fronts on the dishwashers, refrigerator, and freezer so that the appliances blend in with the cabinets

 

Things I would change about my kitchen:

 

--I would prefer my center island to be flat

--I would prefer that the cooktop not be in the center island

--I would like an extra sink in the kitchen (probably in the large flat, cooktop-less center island of my dreams ;))

 

Overall, I love my kitchen though, and it has inspired me to cook a lot more than I used to. :thumbup:

[Truscifi]

We redid our kitchen a few years ago and still love it. We have smooth face cabinets that are easy to wipe down, lazy susans in all the corner cabinets, roll out drawers in the base cabinets, and beautiful red granite counters. The only thing we weren't able to do (the cost would have been too much) that I really wanted was a floor drain. I would love to be able to hose and squeegee the kitchen every night.

[Kim in Appalachia]

that is all. :001_smile:

[AngelBee]

In my perfect kitchen I would have a jr sized counter and sink for the kids to use.

 

Probably commercial type cooking top. My dh cooks for 12+ people almost every meal and that would help him a ton.

 

A girl can dream, right? ;)

[Bambam]

There are a couple of features in our new kitchen that are very nice.

- The pull out spice drawers on either side of the stove top. They are tied in with the woodwork and about head high. If the previous owner hadn't shown them to me, I never would have found them. They are about the width of a large spice jar, so you can line up all your spices (alphabetically, of course) and find them easily.

- A section in one corner between the counter top and the top cabinets that has a roller door. I can hide the can opener, toaster, crock pot, whatever back there and pull the door down, and wow! my countertop is clear!

- a bookshelf on one side of the island (yay!)

- a ~4" deep drawer immediately under the cooktop (beautiful to put cooking utensils and hot pad holders)

- under cabinet lighting. I know others have had this for years, but I hadn't. I should have. Everyone should have it!

 

There are a couple of features that I am still unsure about:

-Pull out shelves in the bottom 4' of the pantry. Previous owner designed it that way, but I'm still getting used to it. It does make it harder to lose things in the pantry, but the entire pantry is full of shelves. She used a dark wood (which is lovely), but it makes the pantry dark.

- Pull out shelves and drawers in most of the bottom cabinets. I know some people love them, but they do take some getting used to.

 

Things I miss about my old kitchens:

- a window to the driveway above the sink (so handy to watch the kids ride bikes/scooter in the driveway while you clean up)

- a gas range top. I really don't like this smooth electric cooktop. It looks nice, but give me gas for stove top cooking every time.

 

Some things I wish I could fix:

- We have light colored ceramic tile. Beautiful, but it shows spots very well. Give me my old variegated mid-browns ceramic tile. It didn't show anything except spilt milk!

- Dark wood cabinets. Again they are beautiful (and so nice with that light tile floor), but the cabinets are dark inside.

- Good lighting placement above. Good lighting placement is essential in a kitchen. Figure out where you will stand, where the shadows may be, and make sure to light that area!

- a couple of glass cabinet fronts. Please, my dishes are not beautiful. My internal cabinet placement of items is not beautiful. Why would anyone want to see any of this?

[gardenmom5]

I have a small kitchen (13.5 ft x 12 ft). And I have 8 ft ceilings. We eat in the diningroom. We hope to redo the cabinets to optimize the space better. I don't plan on changing the applicances...just the cabinets. I would love an island, but in a kitchen this size, I don't think that is the smartest. (oh there are 3 doorways too...on outside, one to the diningroon and one to the laundryroom).

 

So, what types of compartments and shelves do you love? If you could custom make your kitchen what is a must have?? Another question...do you like have your cabinets built into the wall (with no spot on top to put decorative items and such) or stuck out from the wall some to create a ledge?

 

thanks.

 

I also have a small kitchen. LOVE my granite counters (okay, I'd pick a different granite next time).

 

you can do more optimization of space with custom cabinets rather than off-the-shelf. you can use toe-kicks for drawers for flat items. (no longer wasted space.)

My cupboards go clear to the ceiling - that's a lot of storage.

my corner cupboard are angled, and I put 21" turntables on a few shelves - WONDERFUL access.

I wish I had more bookshelves. I made the mistake of getting a tall cubby/office organizer (instead of a short one). when I already had to make the bottom higher than standard. so I lost the usefullness of the second shelf for books.

 

for pots/pans storage I have full-extension pull-outs instead of shelves. This past summer, I had a blast putting in more drawer organizers in a few drawers that made a huge difference. base corners need to be either turntables for access or I had pull-out shelves installed inside a bliind-corner so I could at least more easily access what was in it. (they don't come out - the cabinet access point is big enough you can access the pull-out shelves from the side when they are pulled forward.)

 

I have a 24" deep cupboard over my fridge - I store mixing bowls and on another shelf, I can store all my cookie sheets, trays, cake pans, cutting boards, etc. on their sides between dividers. I have wood panels coming down both sides so it is "encased", and nothing fall down there anymore either.

Edited October 27, 2011 by gardenmom5

[LazyDazy]

I would definitely go with cabinets to the ceiling as it is not fun to clean that "decorative space" if left open. Another detail that I would be sure to include is pantry space for food storage. I have always had better luck with a wider pantry that isn't too deep, say 27-42" wide and no more than 20" deep. I favor deep drawers over base cabinets with roll out trays. And finally interior units: spice rack for the inside of a cabinet door near the stove and a utensil organizer in a drawer near the sink.

 

Good luck!

[SweetMissMagnolia]

huge open layout---huge prep island--stainless appliances--gas stove--upgraded cabinets.....lol