In yesterday’s post, I asked for your general advice about remodeling our kitchen. Today, I’d like to present you with some before pictures to show you how small it really is and to gather additional feedback.
To answer the question that always comes up: no, we can’t remove the wall behind the stove for several reasons. If you’d like, you can take a look at the room’s basic layout here as a PDF.
On to the tour. (Click any image to go to a bigger version where you can mouseover and see some notes about the room)
The view from the back door
The above is what you see when you come in the back door (where most people come in). Cluttered! And tiny! The back wall with the sink is about ten feet long.
As you can see, the bottom cabinet along the wall by the range is unusable. This has been an issue since the day we moved in. Jeff built a small cabinet to fill in the gap by the stove and to gain some storage space.
We want to get rid of the range. It’s old, the temperature in the stove is 75 degrees off, and it can’t possibly be insulated with the amount of heat it radiates. We’re looking at something mid-range (HA!) to replace it.
The big black thing near the top left? That’s a countertop dishwasher made for RVs. That’s probably the single thing that’s let us put off remodeling for so long. It’s sitting on a cabinet that Jeff had to build for it since our original built-in cabinets are too low for it to sit on the counter.
The view from a corner by the sink looking towards the pantry.
OK, now you’re standing with your back to the dishwasher looking toward the pantry (that we want to keep) and the doorway to the living room. The back door is off to your right. That’s the basement door you’re seeing in the picture. On the very left edge is the doorway to the dining room.
Oh, and to make things extra fun, there’s a step down there to the back and basement doors. That strip of wood to the right of the fridge is one of the edges of the step.
We’re keeping that fridge unless we hear a VERY compelling reason not to.
The view from the doorway into the dining room.
Now you’re standing in the dining room doorway and have a better look at that back corner. The wall with the dishwasher is about eight feet long.
The sink is lovely white porcelain, but it’s impossible to keep clean. I want a new stainless steel one.
The white vintage kitchen cabinet you see under the (non-countertop height window)? We’ll keep it, but we don’t know where it’ll end up yet. Probably in my sewing room, though I’m not sure where…
So. Thoughts? Suggestions? How would you lay it out?
I’m having trouble really picturing things with the drawing, which is more my spatial lack of awareness than your drawing.
Some general ideas:
I would not let existing features like windows, gas, and water limit your choices too much. Gas, especially, is pretty easy to move. The cost of replacing a window and adding wall might be worth it to increase functionality.
I’m thinking it might work to move the stove to the right of the low window, extending countertop to the sink wall and on left to doorway. Install vent to outside.
At sink, do lshaped counter around to where stove used to be. Put regular sized dishwasher in lower cab to right of sink to take advantage of plumbing there.
Again, I’m not sure I have the complete scale with the drawing, but I really love designing kitchens. If it wouldn’t be too weird to invite an internet friend over, I would be happy to come look in person when I can measure and brainstorm better.
Your current kitchen is pretty cool, but I can see why you want to make some changes. I have a few ideas stored up from years of wanting to renovate.
We just got some pretty nice affordable appliances at the Sears Appliance Outlet. But, I could see you really loving a rebuilt vintage stove. That could add some sizzle and color… May be worth a little extra.
As for cabinetry, Ikea has at least one cabinet that is vintage looking. If you have a little more $, I hear having a cabinet maker build your cabinets is probably the best way to go. I know you want to keep the pantry, but wondered if you could use the drawers and doors in your new counter matrix.
The low window could be raised to create more counter space. Can you lose a door? Steal some dining room? Or open up to the dining room? You wouldn’t necessarily lose the vintage character by opening it up a bit to a nice big farm table…
Can’t wait to see what you come up with!
Just commenting to say, your kitchen is SO CUTE! I love it. You have made it so charming, I actually thought they were “After” shots!
After reading the post, I see where your problems are and can understand why you want to make changes, though! But mega kudos for the cutest vintage kitchen I’ve ever seen.