[bed332004]

hello,thanks to Susan's help I was able to attach the images below. I'm trying to use the ikea software and developa plan. I live in mass, about 2 hours from the closest store and would loveto get some feedback from you fans.

I'm about to break ground on an additon that will inlcude a new kitchen. My space is 18x14.The top right corner will be the kitchen table and thelower right door will go out to a new deck. The six foot section ofcabinets on the bottom seperates an opening towards the dining room on the left and the family room on the right. I was thinking of having a half wall behind this 6' section butopen, to see thru, with glass doors on both sides of the top cabinets.Regards, Bill

[GardenOfDarwin]

Welcome Bill!

Hmmm....glass doors on both sides of the top cabinets? This is the section on the bottom of the layout on the wall opposite the sink wall? Are you thinking of mounting the cabinets to the ceiling? Are they the same horizontal cabinets as those you have flanking your hood?

Is the pantry to the left of your fridge going to be a pull-out or a swinging door? Either way, you might want to consider the traffic flow coming in and going out of that room. If it's a formal dining room that doesn't see alot of use, it might not be an issue, but I would avoid it if I had the choice.

Looks like you have a good deal of working space and nice wide aisles. Is the island counter going to be all one level (is it 39"?) or split level? Hard to tell exactly from the elevation.


Again, hard to tell from the rendering...what is your countertop material going to be? Or have you gotten to that point? So much fun lies ahead! Counters, tile, paint...you could be here for a while!

Susan

[nyc_home]

I like your basic layout, but I'd consider maybe scrapping the corner table and doing more with your island--stagger the height, add stools, etc.Also, I wouldn't do glass cabinet doors right next to the stove unless you've got a really really good exhaust fan.

[bed332004]

Susan,

yes I was thinking of mounting the 2 glass cabinets to the ceiling however in talking to an Ikea installer (Traemand Installation Services, ever hear of them?), they said you can't mount glass doors to the back of a 24" cabinet and it may be hard to install them to the ceiling. They suggested back to back 12" deep glass cabinets, like the ones near the exhaust. you won't be able to see thru them so that ruins that idea.

the pantry was going to be a pull out and the dining room is formal.I'll give that more thought.

the island was going to be 2 level, using basecabinets for a second oven and then several 39" wall cabinets.

my wife wants ubatuba granite on the main counters. I was thinking ofhaving butcher block on the lower island counter and the same granite on the higher section.

flooring is still up in the air. I've been looking into cork, maybe tile.

the old porch came down Monday and the hole was dug yesterday. I better startmaking decisions or the ikea kitchen will hold things up.

thanks for your feedback

[GardenOfDarwin]

Ahhh...actually, now that I look more carefully at your floorplan layout, I can see that the cabinets at the end are 39" wall cabinets and the others are the base cabinets. Looks like a nice layout.

So, a 12" wide raised counter--eating/chatting bar? Have you considered extending it out a bit more for island seating? nyc_home's suggestion reflects the current trend towards big islands with seating and so forth. I love them, but don't have the space, so I have a rinky dink little 32 x 45 cabinet with a wood top for working.

I like the idea of butcherblock with granite, and I like very much the 2 different surfaces on the 2 different levels. IKEA has great BB counters, at very affordable prices. Both Pronomen and Numerar are nice choices. In some areas of the country, IKEA also acts as the middle man for Granite--nice for one stop shopping, but be sure to check the prices against other locally available pricing. HD/Lowes traditionally have really high prices and poor customer service, so check with your stone yards directly.

One thing to consider if you really want the glass doors on both sides of the dining room is to put mirrors on the inside backs of the cabinets. Wouldn't be the same, obviously, and would add to the load carried by the cabinetry (so less weight could be stored), but if they're glass front, they're likely for display anyway, no?

I haven't heard of Traemond--what area of the country are you in? Which IKEA are you shopping? Some THS members have recommended specific IKEA Kitchen associates at some of the different stores, so we may have a suggestions if we know where you are.

Susan

[bed332004]

Susan, I'm in MA., taking mylunch right now. The store I was going to deal with is New Haven. Traemond is a certified Ikea installer out of texas that does service the Conn, NJ, NY area.I haven't found out if they could alsohandelmy project in MA..

you were right about the glass cabinets,they are just fordisplay, so great idea about the mirrors.This whole six foot section is still in flux.

Not to confuse you, but i should try to explain the layout a little more.

the new 18X14 kitchen is an addition, 18x12 actually, directly behind the old kitchen space, 18x11. So this new room doesn't feed the dining room and family rooms directly, itfeeds the old, empty kitchen space, that then feeds those 2 rooms. I'm taking 18x2 feet for the new kitchen, now making it 18x14.Part of the renovation includesrelocation of thedownstairs bath into part of this old kitchenspace. The six foot section of cabinets we're talking about is my attempt to deal with this remaining space and have a transition from this space,to the new kitchen. I need tosandwich this6 foot section of cabinets, at the ends,between"floor to ceiling" wall sections so the contractor has thesupport columns he needs.

I had to go back and look at my island picture agian. the tall section will be 24" deep, not 12" and be about 42"wide. Iwasn't planning on putting stools here so not sure why I even have it in my plan. I need to think about that. I was thinking the island would be primarily for baking activities with the second oven below.

so you know what I'm dealing with, my wife is leaving pretty much the whole thing to me. she has a few "must have's" but other than that i'm on my own. I'm enjoying the planning process so far.

Regards,

Bill

[bed332004]

nyc, Ireplied to you but don't see it listed. not sure why. Anyway I had thought of whatyou suggested when doing the ikea plan. my wife and I are not abig fan of islands. she thinksthey just end up collecting stuff. I've convinced her that based on the kitchen layout, an island would work if set up for a certain activity, such as baking. The plan with the corner table was to build in bench seats so as not to encroach on the kitchen that much. she really wantsa to have the table near plenty of windows for the sun/breeze,etc.



thanks for the feedback.

[nyc_home]

ooh, I like built in benches for the table. (assuming you have a separate dining room). I've seen displays at my local ikea using wall cabinets for the benches.

[GardenOfDarwin]

Sorry, Bill--I'm really not that observant, am I? You said you were in Mass.--duh!Also, I was thinking the 39" wall cabinets are 12" deep, therefore 12" deep raised counter, but the way you've got them arranged, that sectionwould be 24" deep. My mistake.

Something to think about....with an oven underneath and baking activities going on on top, you're probably going to want to rethink putting BB on that end of the island. Maybe at the other end, with the granite over the oven. ??

Also, while I'm at it, since you and your wife don't even like islands, how about a peninsula with a hutch type cabinet at the wall end? I'll see if I can work something up real quick.



Ok, this is a real hack job...I couldnt get the IKEA software to do what I wanted it to do, so if you like the idea, I'll leave you to wrestle the beast into compliance. This is just a rough guesstimate based on what you've said you were going to use the area for...the oven under counter, 2 36" drawer bases for storing baking supplies and/or pots and panson one side, table linens and such on the other, 2 12" bases--one for trays on the oven side adn the other side with drawers for storage of outdoor stuff like tongs/skewers for the grill, candles, etc., a 24" base opposite the oven for whatever and on the wall end, 2 24" x 39" glass fronted wall units set on the counter surface like a hutch. eh?

Susan

[bed332004]

Susan, I'm trying to respond to you because I had a similar concept from one of my earlier designs, I just can't remember how to get the ikea pictures into the fansite.

It was a T-shape, using 2 corner cabinets,and maybe too big. I like your idea and am giving it serious consideration.



nyc, i like your idea about using the cabinets for the benches. it would be cheaper than custom and match the rest of the ktchen. do you know what type/size cabinets were used? 12" deep seems to shallow and 24" deep too big.

Thanks,

Bill