What do you love or hate about your kitchen?

[Grantmom]

Please hit me with all the things you love or hate about your kitchen!  What would you not want to do without?  What do you wish was different?  Whether it is a tiny detail like the kind of water dispenser on your fridge, or something big like the layout of your kitchen, please tell me what you would do if you were going to renovate your kitchen!  We are finally redoing our kitchen, and I want to do it right.

 

I have very dated everything, so I know nothing about the latest in fridges, ovens, cooktops, dishwashers, etc.  So, if you have any advice about what features on appliances you love or hate, please share!  Do you like the freezers on the bottom?  Do you like the door that opens in the middle on the fridge?  Do you like gas or electric for the cooktop and oven?

 

Many thanks for taking the time to share and offer me advice.  There are so many choices to make and I am starting from scratch, as it is a very, very old kitchen.  

[Pawz4me]

I'll never have dark counter tops again.  They show everything.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I like the color of my counter tops.  Kind of a sage green.  I like the location of the stove vs the sink.  It's stove, counter, then sink.  So the layout is good in that respects.  The fridge is rather far from all of that though.  My kitchen is rather small, but it functions pretty well.  I love having a nice big deep sink.  I've lived in places where the sink was so tiny I could barely fit a pot in it.

 

 

[BrookValley.]

I could really do without the John Deere green Formica countertops.

 

I wish I was making that up. Oh how I wish I was making that up.

[BrookValley.]

More seriously (well, I'm serious about the green counters, but possibly more helpful?), I wish I had not bought a glass top stove. It's a pain, and I can't use cast iron or can on it, etc.

[SparklyUnicorn]

More seriously (well, I'm serious about the green counters, but possibly more helpful?), I wish I had not bought a glass top stove. It's a pain, and I can't use cast iron or can on it, etc.

 

Ah yes.  I once bought one of those.  I lived in a place that only had electric hookup.  I thought the glass top would be nice and easy to clean.  I was so wrong. I hated that stove. 

[barnwife]

I'll disagree with pp. I love my dark countertops. However, they aren't a solid dark color. It's a subtle pattern, so perhaps that helps to hide things. Also, I have learned to love my glass stove top. I don't know why BrookValley can't use cast iron on hers. I use my 12 inch cast iron skillet on ours pretty much every day. Actually, the skillet lives on the stove top. I never ever put it in a cupboard because I use it so often. When I wipe it out, it goes back on a warm burner to help it dry. Then I turn the burner off and leave it there. We also can things on it (jam, salsa, spaghetti sauce, etc...). 

I have lots of cabinets, which I love. Our kitchen is big, which is nice because we don't have a separate dining room. I dislike that they aren't enough outlets and no possibilties for adding more. (The walls where I'd want/need them are solid concrete.)

 

[Ellie]

Please hit me with all the things you love or hate about your kitchen!  What would you not want to do without?  What do you wish was different?  Whether it is a tiny detail like the kind of water dispenser on your fridge, or something big like the layout of your kitchen, please tell me what you would do if you were going to renovate your kitchen!  We are finally redoing our kitchen, and I want to do it right.

 

I have very dated everything, so I know nothing about the latest in fridges, ovens, cooktops, dishwashers, etc.  So, if you have any advice about what features on appliances you love or hate, please share!  Do you like the freezers on the bottom?  Do you like the door that opens in the middle on the fridge?  Do you like gas or electric for the cooktop and oven?

 

Many thanks for taking the time to share and offer me advice.  There are so many choices to make and I am starting from scratch, as it is a very, very old kitchen.  

 

Things I love:

• having a separate cooktop (gas) and oven (electric)
• having an island
• drawers in base cabinets instead of doors and shelves--I never have to get on my knees to look for something
• lazy susan in base cabinet instead of a blind corner
• lazy susan in the upper cabinet...ditto
• a pantry
• microwave with fan built in over cooktop
• hardwood floors which continue throughout the downstairs, including the kitchen

 

Things I don't love:

• white laminate countertops (will replace those as soon as we can...although it's been 11 years so far...)
• location of wall oven and fridge (fridge should be closer to the sink, oven should be *over there*, but the fridge is *over there* and the oven is closer to the sink)
• single oven instead of double ovens
• completely open to family room; any cooking/cleaning noises can overpower the TV, which, let's face it, is *what you do in a family room--watch TV*

 

I've had an Amana refrigerator/freezer with the bottom freezer for 20 years. I will *always* have a bottom freezer. We don't have a water/ice dispenser on the door and never intend to. I don't want to give up any storage space at all. I have no opinion about the french doors; I don't have them and don't wish I did, although I'll consider it when we buy our next fridge because they look kewl. :001_smile:

 

I have a Whirlpool dishwasher, which I love because it has so much room inside--utensils on the door, no sprayer arms sticking up through the bottom rack or down from the top, leaving lots and lots of space.

 

The garbage disposal in my double sink is installed on the side next to the dishwasher, because that makes more sense.

 

My dishwasher is on the opposite side of the kitchen, so not near the cooktop, but if I were building/remodeling a kitchen, and there were continuous counters (as in a U-shape or L-shape kitchen, or a galley kitchen), I would be sure to install the dishwasher *not* between the sink and the stove, but on the opposite side of the sink from the stove (and the garbage disposal would go in the sink closer to the dishwasher). The dishwasher/garbage disposal is part of clean-up, which should happen away from the stove. Also, I would try very, very hard to have the fridge close to the sink and not on the far side of the room for crying out loud (my pet peeve with all those beautiful, professionally designed kitchens I see, where people have to walk half a mile and back to and from the fridge when they're cooking).

[albeto.]

We refaced our cupboards, replaced our counter top, and installed a new sink last year. We also replaced some old appliances. I really like my kitchen (with the exception of being the cook - I hate cooking). We had tile counter tops, and while that was low maintenance, we found the grout between the tiles got grungy looking. Against white tiles, they looked dirty. They also looked dated. We opted for a quartz counter top, and chose a style from Cambria. It's super easy to take care of (dish soap and warm water on a washcloth). We opted for a farmers' sink (the really huge one, no separate sides), and I love it. I wouldn't go back. I like my appliances, they're stainless steel, but not all ss is the same. They have developed some that are fingerprint resistant. We don't have that (we have a very limited space for the fridge, so took what fit). I never thought I'd want the fridge with a water dispenser on the outside but my kids use it all the time. I love my stove. Gas, GE Monogram. I hate to cook, but that stove is my favorite appliance. It got good ratings in different review places and I totally agree. Oh, last thing - we have a sink faucet that pulls out for the sprayer. It's nice to have, but I wouldn't have thought of this if the guy at the kitchen remodeling company didn't point it out. The one we have has a magnetic something inside, so we don't have to be sad if the spring looses it's thing and it hangs from the faucet like a sad puppy after a couple years. 

[Liz CA]

I am always thinking about logistics. My kitchen needs to have a flat space next to the fridge where I can put things down without having to cross the room. I like an island type work surface with several outlets. If this is not feasible, then counter space with several outlets on one wall so appliances can be "parked" there.

As far as countertops go, I like silestone but would settle for tile. I heard there is new grout that does not stain if you spill tomato sauce on the counter...

Wall ovens are nice because you don't have to kneel and crawl into it. :)

 

Just realized you are looking for some different input: I would have a fridge top - freezer bottom refrigerator. For the dishwasher, either Bosch or KitchenAid. There is another one where the dishwasher looks like a drawer. You can get separate dishwashing drawers and when you have a light load only use one. Back when I considered them, there were mixed reviews regarding reliability but this could have changed in the intervening years. Made by Fisher & Paykel:

 

http://www.lowes.com/pd_418417-45535-DD24DCTX7_0__?k_clickID=30fa77bf-f0a6-49eb-bdc3-ee3b8f03cdf3&store_code=2838&productId=3806177&selectedLocalStoreBeanArray=[com.lowes.commerce.storelocator.beans.LocatorStoreBean%407ff87ff8]&storeNumber=2838&kpid=3806177&kpid=3806177&cm_mmc=SCE_PLA-_-Appliances-_-ApplianceFloorDisplays-_-3806177%3AFisher_and_Paykel&CAWELAID=&CAWELAID=1524976778

 

Don't get a gas oven even if you have a gas top. I had one unit with gas on top and in the oven. The gas oven discolors all glass baking dishes and you have to buy more SOS pads which dull the glass... :) Electric oven, gas stove!

 

 

ETA: I loved the pull out garbage containers - easy open, easy close even with hands full of stuff, you can use your toe.

 

[BrookValley.]

I'll disagree with pp. I love my dark countertops. However, they aren't a solid dark color. It's a subtle pattern, so perhaps that helps to hide things. Also, I have learned to love my glass stove top. I don't know why BrookValley can't use cast iron on hers. I use my 12 inch cast iron skillet on ours pretty much every day. Actually, the skillet lives on the stove top. I never ever put it in a cupboard because I use it so often. When I wipe it out, it goes back on a warm burner to help it dry. Then I turn the burner off and leave it there. We also can things on it (jam, salsa, spaghetti sauce, etc...).

 

I have lots of cabinets, which I love. Our kitchen is big, which is nice because we don't have a separate dining room. I dislike that they aren't enough outlets and no possibilties for adding more. (The walls where I'd want/need them are solid concrete.)

 

 

I'm jealous. lol. My user manual says I can't use cast iron or can. Never tried it on account of that.

[sbgrace]

We put drawer based cabinets in for all the base cabinets. I also have a wall (free standing/like a huge cabinet/not sure what it's called) pantry with pull out shelves. I love that too. I moved from a kitchen 4 x's the size with nearly 3 x's the number of cabinets. The space is used so much better here that I have cabinet room to spare.  Nothing gets lost in the back anywhere. That pantry helps too. 

 

I have a foot pedal for the kitchen sink so I can touch on and off with my foot. I love it. 

 

It turns out galley kitchens are terribly efficient. I know that's what no one would voluntarily do design wise. But I am loving this one. It's just a turn and step to all my major appliances and sink.

 

 

[Cinder]

Like:

- gas stove/oven

- fridge with a lower freezer. We currently have a side-by-side and have found that it actually has less room inside.

 

Dislike:

- having the microwave over the cooktop. If someone is using the stove it's really inconvenient to use the micro because someone will be in someone's way.

- our pantry which is small and has a standard door opening. The inside of the pantry is wider than the doorway and deeper than standard shelving so there is a lot of wasted space.

- Cabinets that aren't big enough to fit some of my baking pans/sheets. I haven't come up with a good solution to that one in the 8 years we've been here.

- Lack of task lighting in the counter area

- Sink on the diagonal overlooking the living area. In my head sinks should look out the window into the yard. :p

 

Ok with dark marble-y looking laminate countertops. It really hides the crumbs.

 

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I love my flooring.  It is not particularly pretty.  Some sort of vinyl seamless roll thing, but it does not show the dirt.  So choose your flooring wisely.  Go with something that doesn't show dirt so easily.  Not that I never clean my floors, but I don't have to clean them everyday and I love that.

 

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

Oh yeah microwave over a cook top...yuck.  I've have had that in 2 places.  I didn't like it.  Part of the problem is I'm short.  So if it's low enough for me to reach it's too low.  If it's high enough to make sense it's too high. Plus stuff splatters on it and you have yet another thing to clean all the time.  Cabinets are another thing.  Go with a layout/configuration that works with your height.  If you can't reach half the shelves that is annoying.  Right now I can reach all but the top shelf.  So I keep stuff I don't use often up there.  I've been in places where I couldn't reach past the lowest shelf.  Talk about annoying.

 

 

[umsami]

We have rented four different homes in the past five years, so I have lots of opinions. :)  I'm actually enjoying renting for finding out what I like and don't like.

 

Our newest kitchen has a wonderful island with tons of storage underneath.  I love it for that.  

 

Our cabinets are plentiful and tall.  No wasted space up top.

 

The pantry area has pull out shelves which I love.  

 

If I could, I'd put a disposal in each side of a double sink....or just have one sink.

 

Our new home has a new dishwasher and it takes forever to do a cycle...probably because it uses so little water.  That I don't like.  (Think 1-1/2 hours+)

 

I loved having a gas stove in previous homes.  I do not like the flat/smooth cooktops.  They are a pain to clean.  If I had to go with electric, I'd get one with normal burners that I can cover the little burner covers in foil, or cheaply buy new ones if needed.

 

I hate side by side refrigerators.  They are too narrow to fit a lot of the things we buy at Costco.  We're a family of six.  If I could, I'd probably go for a big stand alone fridge, and then have a separate upright freezer as well.

[ThisIsTheDay]

What I love:

 

Self closing drawers!  I got them when my kids were big, and I still think they are fantastic!

Undercabinet lighting.  My husband has installed it in each of our houses.  It's on a dimmer, so it makes nice accent lighting too.

 

When we moved into this house, it had a newly remodeled kitchen.  I love everything about it, actually.  :)

[Grantmom]

Thank you! Yes, this is all the kind of advice I am looking for, everything is helpful!

 

I have always wanted a prep sink, but I am thinking that I would rather not give up the space on the countertop. Any thoughts on that?

[Grantmom]

Also, any thoughts on a copper sink? Would stainless steel appliances look okay with it?

[LucyStoner]

We live in an apartment. The kitchen doesn't inspire strong feelings either way.

 

Hate: not much.

 

Like: not much.

 

Love: it's not going to be my kitchen forever. Or even that much longer.

 

I'm a bit of an anomaly in that I don't care for the stainless/granite/dark wood floor trends. I prefer white cabinets, light floors and large enough for a breakfast table.

[gingersmom]

I adore my kitchen!!!

 

I have miles of countertop and a gigantic island with seating.

 

My cabinets are the height of the Empire State Building (kidding)!!! They are so tall you need a step ladder to reach upper shelves. I have so much storage I actually have empty space.

 

My pantry can hold 3 people comfortably or 2 people, 1 dog, 1 cat.

 

My previous house had 1 inch of counter space and teeny tiny cabinets. I'm in kitchen paradise now!

[momof4babes]

Things I love...

My Samsung french door counter depth fridge.

Deep double sink.

Wall of shallow pantry cupboards, though I would prefer a walk in pantry.

I love my pots and pan drawers.

My Bosch dishwasher. We are on our 3rd dishwasher in 5 years. It's the first we have had no issues with.

 

Things I dislike...

My above the range microwave, because it makes a crappy exaust fan.

Lack of a lazy Susan in our corner cupboard.

[merry gardens]

Some things I like in my kitchen:

Convection oven!!!

Double oven

Gas cook top - I prefer cooking with gas as it gives instant heat control

Pull out cabinet door for trash & recycling

Ice maker with crushed ice dispensed from refrigerator door

Adequate counter space for serving banquet style

Nice counters that look good with our woodwork (I liked our woodwork much better after we found a counter specifically selected to look good with it.)

"Work triangle" (stove/sink/refrigerator layout)

Lazy Susan spiner in bottom corner cabinet

Deep sink with no center divider

[OnTheBrink]

Hate: Mauve countertops. The stove and fridge are flush next to each other. There is no counter space by the stove at all. Mauve countertops. 

 

Love: Still thinking....

[Bambam]

Love - two slide out spice cabinets on either side of my stove top. Love! Love! Love!

Pull out pantry shelves. I wasn't sure about this at first, but I like them now. I can pull out a shelf and see everything on it.

Granite counter tops. Easy to keep clean and I can't cut them or burn them.

Island - I cannot imagine a kitchen again with an island. 

 

Both love and hate -- trash can in slide out cabinet. Love it because it isn't in the way. Love it because it is hidden. Hate it when I'm working with raw meat and need to throw something away. So we installed a small stick like thing out the bottom so you can pull it open with your foot - but still. 

 

Hate - dark soft wood cabinets. Seriously beautiful. But ... easily dented if you hit them with whatever you are putting away. 

 

ETA. Forgot this hate - glass countertop stove top (or whatever they are called). It looks beautiful, but so hard to keep clean - don't ever spill anything or overboil, such a mess to clean up. Electric stovetops are so much slower to heat up than gas. I want a gas stovetop, but the original owner did not have gas piped to that location. 

[Annie G]

I love my kitchen. The hardwood floors are original to the house, but newly refinished. 135 years old but beautiful! 

I love that my trash can is hidden in a pull out cabinet. I love that I have a 2 foot Boos Block butcher block built in on one side of my stove- I can chop veggies, roll noodles, whatever. 

I love that it looks old in there- my grandmother's 1945 china cabinet holds my beloved FIestaware, I have an appliqué quilt on the wall, and a quilted topper on the table in the kitchen.  My aprons and tea towels all have embroidery or appliqué done by my late mother, one of my sisters, or my daughter. 

It's not a model kitchen that people would ooh and aaah over but it's perfect for me. 

[Annie G]

 

 

Both love and hate -- trash can in slide out cabinet. Love it because it isn't in the way. Love it because it is hidden. Hate it when I'm working with raw meat and need to throw something away. So we installed a small stick like thing out the bottom so you can pull it open with your foot - but still. 

 

 

 

What a great idea- I have the same problem so I applaud your great idea!  I'm telling dh to do that to ours!

[Guest]

Please hit me with all the things you love or hate about your kitchen! What would you not want to do without? What do you wish was different? Whether it is a tiny detail like the kind of water dispenser on your fridge, or something big like the layout of your kitchen, please tell me what you would do if you were going to renovate your kitchen! We are finally redoing our kitchen, and I want to do it right.

 

I have very dated everything, so I know nothing about the latest in fridges, ovens, cooktops, dishwashers, etc. So, if you have any advice about what features on appliances you love or hate, please share! Do you like the freezers on the bottom? Do you like the door that opens in the middle on the fridge? Do you like gas or electric for the cooktop and oven?

 

Many thanks for taking the time to share and offer me advice. There are so many choices to make and I am starting from scratch, as it is a very, very old kitchen.

Oooh, this is one of my favorite topics! My husband is a builder and my kitchen (though now 11 years old) was custom built. In no particular order, here are my thoughts:

 

Dark granite countertops: No! I would not choose this color again! It is beautiful when it is totally clean, but it has to be completely cleaned after cooking. It can't be wiped with a sponge; it would be smeary. The beige/reddish/grey flecked granite on our basement bar counter is a much better choice, though I would particularly rathwr have Quartz or Silestone.

 

I do not like the big Wolfe Ranges that are so hip now. I like double wall ovens much more, with a separate drop-in cooktop. I don't want to bend and stoop all of the time for food in the oven.

 

French-door Fridge. No.We have a bottom freezer and no ice dispenser on the outside. This is a mistake!!! To access ice, we have to pull out the freezer tray and the ice constantly falls down in the bottom of the freezer. I loathe this design! I do like the double-wide inner tray in the fridge portion, for party trays or pizzas, but really, all our fridge space issues were solved by having an extra, smaller fridge in the basement. I do realize this is a luxury, though, but I really love having the spare.

 

Bosche dishwasher with third row tray for utensils. Yea!I really like the design of this DW.

 

Other thoughts: no chandeliers, pendant lights, pot racks or other stuff hanging down. All get dirty, dusty and greasy; many are fashionable now, but I think the rows of recessed (can) lights are perfect and will only ever have these as lighting in any kitchen I can help.

 

NO open shelves in place of cabinets! Another horrid idea! Not a big fan of glass-front cabinets because then the dishes need to look "perfect" all the time (or, they would for me). Perhaps if you have a ton of room, one set of glass fronts are okay for displaying china or something.

 

Under-cabinet lighting is a great feature that looks pretty and helps when preparing food. Plenty of light is a big help.

 

hTH

[Guest]

Thank you! Yes, this is all the kind of advice I am looking for, everything is helpful!

 

I have always wanted a prep sink, but I am thinking that I would rather not give up the space on the countertop. Any thoughts on that?

I don't want them, but DH thinks they are great, as long as the kitchen is roomy in the first place.

[fairfarmhand]

More seriously (well, I'm serious about the green counters, but possibly more helpful?), I wish I had not bought a glass top stove. It's a pain, and I can't use cast iron or can on it, etc.

 

I guess I am doing things wrong, but I use both cast iron and my canner on my glass topped stove.

 

But I liked to live dangerously.

 

It is rather grungy looking. I am as careful as possible, and I've had it for 13 years with very little problem.

[Amira]

I like that I have a gas stove, a big kitchen window, counter space, running water, a dishwasher, a big pantry, a large oven, some cabinets, and good food to put in the fridge and pantry. Also, I love that it is not big. This is probably the best kitchen I have ever had except possibly in the house we built. I haven't had this combination of happiness in a long time.

[fairfarmhand]

I have simple tastes. All the fancy appliances are just not for me.

 

Here's my kitchen.

 

\

 

What I like:

 

The layout. I was standing in the dining area when I took the picture. I can visit with a kitchen full of company and have everyone out of my hair while I am cooking. The kids can help on their side of the counter and not be under my elbows. The long bar counter is a favorite of everyone who comes here.

 

I do like my golden oak wood work, even though, the people who know these things say it's "dated".  Whatever.

 

I have Whirlpool appliances and they have lasted more than 10 years. The dishwasher was replaced last year.

 

I like my window with the half round.
 

I didn't want to stare at a wall while I washed dished.

 

What I don't like.

 

White ceramic tile floors. My dh chose it. It is clean for about 20 minutes a week. The rest of the time it just looks  dirty.

[Guest]

drawers in base cabinets instead of doors and shelves--I never have to get on my knees to look for something

Yes to this!

 

Also, I can't believe I forgot to bemoan the black, ceramic cooktop. Terrible! Needs constant attention! Plus I cracked the corner when I dropped a vase on it.

[HRAAB]

Love - nothing. No, that's not quite true. My kitchen is large. At thanksgiving there's room for all the women to gather in there To visit and cook plus there's room for my large table that seats 10 to 12.

 

Hate - everything. The whole kitchen needs to be remodeled. Cabinets, counters, sink. Windows aren't big enough so it's too dark. I need to win the lottery.

[elegantlion]

I live in an older bungalow, we did a starter type kitchen redo when we moved in. 

 

I love: 

• the original floor to ceiling pantry. It's narrow, just enough for us
• the floor. I redid it all by myself over Christmas break. I love it. 
• the cabinet color.It's a really,really light blue, almost white blue.
• water and ice  in the fridge door
• the  size
• the windows
• the original trim

I don't like  

• the huge fridge -  it  was free and we had to remove trim to get it in the kitchen - it's there until  it dies
• the countertops - they were also free and it shows. I'm replacing them this summer.
• the old plumbing - it needs some work

 

I  have a glass top stove and don't mind it. It's my second one, so I'm used to it. I wish we had room for two dishwashers or money for drawer dishwashers. I think those should be in every home. 

 

My kitchen fits my house. For someone who doesn't cook much it works

[Stacia]

Love:

 

Window over the sink. I think I would feel seriously claustrophobic at sink without a window

Big window in the eating/dine-in area.

(Guess I'd rather be dreaming about being outside than cooking & cleaning! Lol.)

 

Also, love having a sink with 2 sides. (My sis has one of the big sinks w/ no divider & I just don't like using it when at her house. Also, hers is white which, imo, is a pain to keep looking nice.)

 

We have a 1970s kitchen & we changed out the knobs for pull handles long ago & I really love handles more than knobs.

 

My 20+ yo Amana, side-by-side fridge

 

White appliances (look crisp & clean, imo, & are easy to keep clean. My sis has stainless steel & it shows lots of smudges.)

 

Electric glass-top stove (very easy to clean).

 

Miele dishwashers (because I love the top, pull-out cutlery tray vs. having a cutlery basket). We had one Miele for years that eventually required more repair than getting a new one, so we bought a new one. However, the new one is not nearly as well-made as the old one. So, I recommend them with a little hesitation, even though I still absolutely love the cutlery tray.

 

Pantry that is narrow front-to-back, meaning nothing gets lost in a hidden corner or behind rows/piles of other stuff. (My parents have a very deep pantry & it is a pain to find stuff in there, plus it's too dark to see in it easily.)

 

I also love fact that there is no open space over my cabinets. Even though my cabinets do not go all the way to the ceiling, the area above them is enclosed. Open areas that high up are just dust-catchers, imo.

 

Under-cabinet radio.

 

Hate:

 

The cabinets are old, so the opening is narrow (piece of wood diving the front center of the cabinet), meaning I have to tilt the dinner plates in order to put them in the cabinet. It's second-nature now, but it would be nice to have cabinets where I didn't need to do that.

 

Shelves in the cabinets are fixed, not adjustable. Unfortunately, our stainless steel water bottles are too tall to fit in the cabinets, so I store them on their side. I wish I could just store them upright.

 

That there is a teeny cabinet above my fridge. The fridge is deep enough that there is no way for me to reach the cabinets even using my kitchen stool. I would need a step-ladder to reach them. Obviously, I don't use them & wish they just weren't there at all.

 

Things I wish I had in a kitchen:

 

A large (very wide) drawer that is wide/deep enough to store our placemats & cloth napkins. A second one for storing tablecloths & other kitchen linens, possibly our small votive holders & votive candles too.

 

 

[momacacia]

If I had a bigger kitchen, I would have an appliance garage and/or outlets in the pantry for the toaster oven and some other appliances maybe. I hate all the small appliances on my counter we use regularly, yet would like even more counter (encloseable) for them.

[justasque]

Love - I am short, so we got tall upper cabinets that go up to the ceiling and also come down lower than usual, so I can reach more of the shelves inside.  

Love- The cabinets are white, the floor is light wood-like laminate, the counters are light blue speckle laminate, the table is light wood, the chairs are white.  Think Scandinavian.  This makes a bright and cheery kitchen.  I gravitate to it, especially in the winter.

Love- Sink in the corner, so no loss of space in awkward corner cabinets, plus having the sometimes-yukky under-sink cabinet in the corner means more usable cabinet space.

Love - Simple fridge - no fancy insides, except door shelves big enough for a gallon of milk, and two fruit/veg bins and a cheese drawer.  I can reconfigure the shelves to hold a thanksgiving turkey or whatever else we need to put in there.  It's not huge but it stores a lot inside.

Love - under-cabinet radio.  No counter clutter.

Love - big table, but I can remove the leaf to make it smaller, depending on how many people we are likely to be serving.

Love - two cabinets with glass doors, where I store my dishes and glassware.

Love - NOT wall-to-wall cabinets.

Love - a magnetic knife rack, and a hanging pot rack, plus two utensil crocks.  Easy to grab what I need when I cook.

 

[Happy]

I enjoy my kitchen. It's got a very decent layout...we can cook for a crowd or for just the two of us.

 

Things I love:

My Kenmore Elite French door fridge with bottom freezer. I LOVE this fridge. it's as big as a jeep...I can open both door for large platters...I can see everything. It has ice and water on the door with very little loss of space inside--very clever design.

 

We replaced our dishwasher a couple of years ago with one that is almost silent when working, plus is has a delay function. Load that baby up at 8pm and set the timer to begin washing at midnight. love it.

 

We've put several drawers in our bottom cabinets--very handy. Extra shelves in upper cabinets for custom storage.

 

Under counter lighting--I crave bright light when I'm prepping and cooking. Love these lights.

 

I enjoy my glass top stove--I use my cast iron daily without any problems what so ever. I also do some canning without problems.

 

I have a sagey green laminate countertop and would love a hard surface. Saving my pennies for that.

 

Things I'd love--

double ovens.

a bigger, more convenient pantry

a butler's pantry for serving pieces.

More open to the living area--I'd have to practice being neater.

 

If I were able to start from scratch, I'd opt for gas. We've had a gas cooktop before and loved it.

[ErinE]

Like

 

* pull out drawers in all the cabinetry.

* Bosche dishwasher third row for utensils - get this feature. I love it. Utensils in the door never got clean and utensils in the bottom took up space for larger items.

* Electric convection oven - great for baking

* Lazy Susan's in the bottom corner cabinets

* vertical filing for baking sheets, racks, platters, and cutting boards

 

DISLIKES

* Dark countertops - don't get them for all the reasons mentioned above

* Glass top stove - I prefer gas for consistent heat. The electric element cycles on and off which makes the pans take forever to heat up if you keep the element on low. Plus, you can't use cast iron on it. Ours was very scratched up when we bought the home, and I'm hoping we can replace it when we renovate in the future.

* Tiny oven - I like to bake.

* Side-by-Side Fridge - Strongly dislike these fridges, if you purchase anything bulk, it can be difficult to fit into the freezer. Plus, I like to bake cakes, and the lack of horizontal space drives me bonkers.

* No pantry - the food is spread all around the kitchen, wherever it fits.

* Kitchen faucet - don't get the fancy kitchen faucet with the knob on the side. You will drip water all over the counter and the side knob makes it hard to clean underneath.

* disposal - do not get a "safety" disposal requiring a special stopper to turn on the disposal. It means you will be sticking your hand in a sink full of gloop to drain the sink.

* More electrical outlets - you will need more electrical outlets than you think.

* broken up counter space - I would prefer one long counter to three tiny spaces

* Higher bar counter - I would prefer it to be the same level as the kitchen. The "step up" just means the space is treated as a dumping ground.

* backsplash - make sure it's ceramic or something else easy to wipe.

[lewber]

I love drawers in base cabinets. I have pullouts in most every other base cabinet but I wish they were drawers instead.

I do love my gas cooktop and electric oven.

A separate pantry is so helpful for storage- food and large pots and Pans.

Another love- reverse osmosis water filter for drinking water and ice. It tastes great and the ice is so clear and pretty:)

A waste- the pullout cutting board.

[Susan in TN]

I, too, wish all my lower cabinets were pull-out drawers. I have a galley kitchen, but it is quite wide, so good space for more people in the kitchen. I also wish the shelves in my upper cabinets were adjustable.

[3 ladybugs]

Love-

Closed off from the rest of the house. Smells and heat stays there.

I have 2 windows and a door with a big window so I love the light in the day.

Gas oven.

Bosch dishwasher.

No built in microwave that we wouldn't use (kitchen is orginal to house and is 60 years old).

Light over sink

 

Hate-

Poor layout.

Stove right against a wall with no counter. Makes it so using 4 burners gets tricky.

No counter space as kitchen was intended to be eat in... When people didn't use coffee makers, mixers or crockpots.

Not enough cabinets

Wood grain linoleum tile floor. Looks dirty even when clean.

Almond colored cabinets (refaced Formica) and fridge. It always looks dirty.

Fan in kitchen. Sounds like a great idea but impossible to clean.

Lack of task lighting

 

My kitchen has serious potential but it would cost at least 10K and so it just sits. One day.

[Ellie]

Thank you! Yes, this is all the kind of advice I am looking for, everything is helpful!

 

I have always wanted a prep sink, but I am thinking that I would rather not give up the space on the countertop. Any thoughts on that?

 

A prep sink works if you have a large island.

[KungFuPanda]

Think about how you use it when you make these decisions. My kitchen is very efficient for a single cook and I like how streamlined that is. It's a real quality of life issue for me. I'm never more than a step or two away from what I need. If team cooking was the norm for us, this layout would be VERY frustrating because we'd be on top of one another.

 

I also like that my kitchen is it's own room. I thought I wanted the great room thing until I had it once. I never knew how much noise I made in the kitchen until I had a kitchen in the living room.

[RKWAcademy]

We just remodeled our kitchen and it is a dream.  We bought our cabinets and corian counters used on craigslist.  We lucked into the deal, it was cheap, and the layout fit our space with only a bit of extra work.  Now, I love my kitchen.  It should be noted that we worked hard on this remodel and did it ourselves, with my dad's electrical help.

 

I love my modern oven/stove.  I love my deep sink with disposal.  I love that I have an island with a butcher block surface.  Under the island is a cabinet with two pull out shelves for my pots and pans - this is the best invention for the kitchen!  I love my thin cabinet for sheet pans and cutting boards.  I love lots of drawers in my kitchen.  I love having a "baking center" where my mixer is stored and I have an outlet and counter space.  In the cabinets below, I keep sugar, flour, etc and my measuring devices.  I love having a large bar/peninsula for eating breakfast or doing art or science.  I love having hardwood floors because in the past tile floor has hurt my feet.  I like finally having a microwave mounted above the stove and off the counter.  I like the wood of the cabinets and the fact that I now have a lot of cabinets.  I like how open and airy the space feels now (we removed the wall between the kitchen and dining room/front of house).  I like my fish tank in the breakfast area and our computer desk, instead of another table - we just use the dining room, it's attached and not very formal at all. 

 

I like the color on my walls (Sherwin Williams Grey Screen).  I like the crown molding.  I like that the 1970's trim is now painted white (worst job). 

 

There is not a lot I don't love about my kitchen.  I wish it was in a house somewhere else because I still hate the house as a whole.  I do wish I had a fancy refrigerator but mine works just fine and a new one wasn't in the budget.  I do wish I had a bigger pantry, although mine is still bigger than many I've seen.  I wish my island had an electrical outlet.  I wish the kitchen was against an outside wall so I could have a window at my kitchen sink, thus the ability to have an herb in a pot (the view through the "window" above my sink is to the living room, so I do get to see my kids playing).  I wish there was a door I could close between the kitchen and the laundry room.  Although I like that the laundry room is very big and has my upright freezer.  I picked bead board for my backsplash against the long wall that has the stove and sink plus counters.  I don't hate it but I don't love it.  It was easy, cheap, and looked fine.  Nice tile would have looked better and been more durable.  But it was not fun to paint! 

 

I had a really bad kitchen before, so I'm particularly enamored with my kitchen now.  Kitchen remodels are hard work.  Lots of luck!

[Catherine]

Op, I am so happy for you.  We just redid our very dated kitchen (early 70's orange formica, anyone?) and I LOOOOOVE it so much.  I cook a lot, spend a lot of time in the kitchen so it means so much to me.  What I love it that I have seating now in the kitchen, and things are quick and convenient where I can easily reach them. 

 

Ellie's list is very similar to mine: 

 

Loves:

 

-sink faces large indoor window (just a space, no glass) looking over part of fmaily room to big windows of sun room

-new window over stove-sounds crazy but he light makes a huge difference.

-gas cooktop, electric oven

-linoleum floor-absolutely love it

-larger fridge-when there were 7 of us (2 bonus children for awhile) old small fridge was a huge pain and I had to go to the store every day

-I have a pantry now and I love it so much!!

-lights under cabinets

-corner has enough space for small table and chairs.  Kitchen before had  no place to sit

-counter with room for stools over sink gives more seating, place for quick meals or home-while-mom-cooks

-section of bucher block counter between range and fridge where I cook, make sandwiches and small meals, chop stuff. It has a knife slot.  Love it.

-large bar on front of sink for hanging hand towel.

 

Dislikes:none really. If I could change one thing, I would put a light right over the sink where it is a little dim in the winter after dark

 

 

[gardenmom5]

I love

lots of counter space

lots of storage (could easily use more - and I have more than most)

granite counters with tile to the bottom of the upper cabinets

a fridge that doesn't stick out into the room (btdt)

pull out trays for pots and pans

full extension drawers/trays

full lazy susan tray in the corner.  pull out trays that go end to end (you access from the side of the tray as you pull it in front of the door opening) in the corner that doesn't have room to turn the corner for a lazy susan.

gas range (with a bigger than average oven.  I measured ovens myself to determine the interior height.)

lots of plugs on multiple circuits (should have had each plug on an individual circuit.)

cupboards that go to the ceiling so I don't have wasted space that just collects icky greasy dirt.  (or an ugly soffit)

organizers.

 

 

wish I had-

a snack bar/island but don't have room

double extra-large wall oven (which is what it would have to be to equal my oven size.)  - or just a standard wall oven in addition to my dual-fuel range.  there are times we wish we had two ovens, and could have used a six burner stove.

more pantry storage

cupboards with no "dead-space" between.  next time . . . . that adds up to a lot of storage space.

[Maplinmum]

Love :

Granite counter top

oversize sink

Asko gas hob, it has the best low simmer ring

75cm electric oven, I wanted a bigger than normal size but not huge, 

Large bin hidden in cupboard

Custom built pantry so all the shelves are the size and depth I like

Island bench with space to sit

 

Hate: nothing, this is our 4th kitchen and it is just what I wanted

[Ripley]

LOVE -

cabinets to the ceiling, no dust-collectors along the top

double oven at standing height, in a built in (with a microwave)

island workspace, shorter than standard countertop (b/c I'm short!)

outlets on island workspace

small veggie-rinsing sink on island workspace

trash compacter* in the cabinet (we don't usually compact the trash, just use it as a trash can)

* to do it again, I'd have added a small trash hole in the counter top (think fast-food or doctor office)

flood lights (instead of fluorescent tube lights)

dine-in (table and 8 chairs fit inside kitchen, not in a separate room)

separate pantry with graduated shelves - appliances on lower shelves, food on taller (shallower) shelves

undermount water filter/dispenser instead of separate spray nozzle

faucet with pull-out spray nozzle ((instead of separate nozzle)

 

HATE -

The stove used to be on the island. Moving it freed up workspace for meal prep and baking, which is especially nice when cooking with the kids - and also when hosting a "bar" (baked potato bar, chocolate fountain, etc.) When the stove was on the island, the range hood hung atop the stove. It was always in the way for anyone over 5'4" (which isn't me!), they'd hit their head on the glass whenever walking around the stove/range.

 

granite countertops - I hate the color and the material. I'll be replacing with formica on the perimeter and marble for the island.

 

intercom - I disconnected it. It has a radio but I want to replace it with something capable of playing an iPad or iPod.