[jyl]

Here is another house project I’m trying to get going on. It is time to do the kitchen. I have a friend of a friend, a rocket scientist who retired from JPL (I think) to become a furniture maker. I’m probably going to hire him to make my cabinets - I’ll get countertops done locally and do the install myself.

I have a weird concept for the cabinets. The house was built in 1911, as you know from other threads. I have an imaginary backstory where the kitchen developed organically over a century, instead of being all torn out and remodeled in 2023.

Back in 1911, it was common for kitchens to be “unfitted”. Cabinets were freestanding pieces of furniture that were acquired and moved in and out over the years. Fitted kitchens came more into vogue in the 1930s.

So the plan is:
- 16’ straight run of cabinets on one wall. No inside corner cabinets.
- Layout is roughly, from left to right, 2.5’ (wide) cabinet for cooking supplies, 1.5’ prep sink cabinet, 4’ cabinet for prep, 2’ wash sink cabinet, 6’ cabinet for dishwasher and dish storage. Window is above the 4’ cabinet.
- Cabinets all drawers, except the sink cabs. Sinks “farm” style, oriented to take up the full counter depth from counter edge to wall (turned 90 degree from typical). Either white ceramic or custom made from soapstone. Faucets wall mounted.
- Countertops for the 2.5’ and 6’ cabinets probably black or green soapstone. Countertop for the 4’ cabinet may be butcher block, or something not soapstone. Countertops will overlap the sink sides (splash control). Countertops will have a 6’” tall mini-backsplash. Note countertop will thus not be “continuous” or uniform.
- Cabinets are freestanding furniture pieces (stand on legs, not boxes on a base). 3-4” clearance under cabinets (for my Roomba robot vacuum). Shaker style. Inset drawers/doors, may be panel or slab fronts. Cabinets 24” deep, countertops 25-26” deep (overhang on front and rear) and around 37-38” high.
- Cabinets stabilized to wall with French cleats, but removable. There will be a little shelf (3” deep) attached to the wall, above the countertops’ mini-backsplashes (conceal gap to wall, keep little things from cluttering countertops). Levelers inset into legs.
- 2.5’ and 6’ cabinets, and sink cabinets, probably painted (by me) - maple. 4’ cabinet probably clear finished (by me) - quarter-sawn white oak, at least the front.

I’ll upload a drawing later.

I’m looking for gotchas - what is going to be a problem that I don’t foresee?

Also for ballpark how much would be reasonable to pay for these cabinets to be made? Transport, finishes, countertops, installation not included. I know it won’t be cheap at all.