Z-man's new Kitchen (project pics start on pg. 6)

[Z-man]

Yessir - after about 6 years of saying it, we are finally getting a new kitchen! As such, Mrs. Z-man has asked that I post some questions here - apparently she feels the Pelican brain-trust is a group of folks with vast knowledge and wisdom. (Wherever did she get that idea is beyond me....)

So the purpose of this thread is to ask questions of the Pelican collective as we go through this project.

So.... right now the plan is a complete teardown and rebuild. Small kitchen in a bilevel home. Still working on the details, but I think we have the basic floorplan figured out:

Details: Stove, dishwasher, sink on the galley (right side of picture), with a built-in fridge on the top of the picture. There will be cabinets under the island, which will have seating for four. "Remove exsisting wall" opens up into the dining room. Sliding glass doors on the bottom of the picture open up to our deck. Entryway on top goes to living room. Granite countertops, probably panelled dishwasher/fridge. Cabinet colors will be either white or cream with a brown glaze.

Time frame: starting now, and doing the major work either in October, or waiting until next summer (Kim's a teacher, and we missed the boat for this summer...)

While our home isn't our 'dream home,' it is paid for, and as such, we plan to stay here for at least another 5-6 years or longer. So we aren't building this kitchen for the next owners, but want to make sure we don't have something which will adversely effect our ability to sell the house.

While doing the kitchen, we are also doing other home improvements. First up is our floors. We have hardwood floors throughout the house. Kitchen linoleum will be replaced with hardwood floors as well. But the exsisting floors need to be refinished.

So here's my first set of questions:

For the staining/sealing of the floors, should we go with a water based stain/sealant or an oil based one?

How many coats of the sealant should be do? Two or three or ??

Stain color - lighter or darker? Why?

Thoughts?

Thanks,
-Z-man.

[WilsonTC]

Cooktop in relation to fridge/sink is awkward. I would re-configure.

[red-beard]

Keep Sink where it is. Move Frig to place where the stove is, at present. Remove the "whatever it is" in the middle of the room and replace with a free standing island. In the freestanding island, install a cook top with an overhead hood (if there is nothing above the kitchen) or side blower in the cooktop. Make the island large enough that it can double as a breakfast bar.

The nice thing about this, you can keep cooking and you are looking out, either to children or guests.

[Seahawk]

Subscribing. The kitchen is next after replacing the windows and re-installing operational shutters.

[Heel n Toe]

Z-man, check out these links:

http://akitchenfantastic.blogspot.com/2006/01/work-triangle.html

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/kitchen-triangle-counter-2242356-space-design#

http://starcraftcustombuilders.com/kitchen.design.rules.htm

[PorscheGAL]

Z-Man,

As for staining: Do you have pets? If so the pets nails will scratch the floor. Shows up more on darker floors.

[Dantilla]

Originally Posted by PorscheGAL

Do you have pets? If so the pets nails will scratch the floor.

But it's so much fun watching them slide into the cabinets sideways at full speed when trying to make the corner.

[HardDrive]

Originally Posted by WilsonTC

Cooktop in relation to fridge/sink is awkward. I would re-configure.

+1

That cook top in the corner is a non starter. I think red-beard is on the right track. Move the cook top to the bar in the middle, and spring for a $$$ island hood.

[Z-man]

Thanks for the responses so far. Keep them coming!!

red-beard and others: the whole room is rather small - it is only 11 feet x 11 feet. Biggest island we can put in there is a 31inch x 60inch one, which is too small for a rangetop. Unfortunately, the best location for the stove is really in that corner. Our current setup has a rangetop there, and an oven in the wall on the other side of the galley, just beside the entryway into the livingroom. But I'll pass this info to Mrs. Z - see what she says.

As for pets - we do have a pet rabbit who has free range of most of the house. So a dark stain is probably out. (Now if I can get him to stop chewing the trim around the door ways...)

Originally Posted by Heel n Toe

Z-man, check out these links:

http://akitchenfantastic.blogspot.com/2006/01/work-triangle.html

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/kitchen-triangle-counter-2242356-space-design#

http://starcraftcustombuilders.com/kitchen.design.rules.htm

Thanks for the links - good stuff - I'll share it with my wife tonight.
Based on the last article, I suppose the current design we have would equate to a two-triangle kitchen:


-Z-man.

[HardDrive]

A subject after my own heart, around 70% of the way done on a massive remodel including the kitchen. The large ceiling beam is where a wall used to be. Granite bartop will be topping off the half wall.

Mostly Miele with a Bosch dishwasher, Wolf Island hood that is not up yet. Medallion cabinets, tavertine floors with infloor heating.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Z, in regards to the floors are you going to DIY? If so, the polycrylic (water based) finish is much more user-friendly with a nearly identical finish to polyurethane. It's easy to do with a wool floor varnish "mop". I'm pretty sure I went with 2 coats of polycrylic in my previous home when I refinished the oak floors.

For refinishing the existing floors, consider lighter stains. Any darker stains tend to show off existing deep scratches far more than lighter ones. Depending on floor condition this may not be an issue.

Be careful refinishing existing floors then adding a new wood floor in the kitchen. The two woods will never match, no matter how hard you try. Consider either going with a totally different wood and varnish, or going with ceramic tile or similar hard floor. Think about the sort of spills that happen in a kitchen, tile is far more tolerant than wood. Not to mention sliding bar-stools, etc.

Personally I also agree with the island based cooktop, it's what I plan to do when I remodel. Can't you fit a 30" cooktop in your island?

[RWebb]

you are on track with the island triangles design focus -- next, add arrows showing work flow

i.e. heavy grocery bags come in the door & land ... where?

then some contents go to fridge; some to pantry, etc.

cold food comes out of fridge and goes via Blue Arrow to chopping board (near sink) (width of arrow for wt. of food or frequency with which that move is done)

cold food comes out of fridge and goes via Blue Arrow to oven

hot food comes off burners and goes via red arrows to [1] get plated, [2] more modification to it maybe?

hot food comes out of oven and goes via red arrows to cooling rack... etc.

---------------------------

I can't stand wood floors in a kitchen - spills are a constant danger as they get into the the gaps between the strips

I used real old timey Marmoleum - defines the kitchen as a different area and easy to work with & on - put cork under it for a nice soft floor

- tile is too hard a surface for me

[pwd72s]

Want to save a marriage? Go on a long road trip once the descruction and chaos begins...

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Want to save a marriage? Go on a long road trip once the descruction and chaos begins...

That won't work for me, I'm creating the destruction and chaos.

Want to define fun? I'm currently finishing my basement. In the future, my wife wants to totally remodel our kitchen, combining the current kitchen with a dining nook to make a big eat-in kitchen. This will require the movement of the sink, stove, cooktop, fridge, dishwasher, range hood, etc. Basically everything. To prepare for this, I had to run everything before I hung sheetrock in the basement to prepare for the eventual remodel. I now currently have plumbing and wiring waiting underneath the floor for that eventual remodel. I hope I measured well!

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

That won't work for me, I'm creating the destruction and chaos.

Want to define fun? I'm currently finishing my basement. In the future, my wife wants to totally remodel our kitchen, combining the current kitchen with a dining nook to make a big eat-in kitchen. This will require the movement of the sink, stove, cooktop, fridge, dishwasher, range hood, etc. Basically everything. To prepare for this, I had to run everything before I hung sheetrock in the basement to prepare for the eventual remodel. I now currently have plumbing and wiring waiting underneath the floor for that eventual remodel. I hope I measured well!

You have my total sympathy...Cindy wants remodeling around here? SHE handles it...I go on a nice long road trip with my cue case. When she discovers things later that she doesn't like? Hey...I didn't order it...she did. No arguements.

[vash]

lucky basterd! my kitchen blows. construction cost are down, and i dont have the coin (or equity) to fix it. i want a super efficient space...good luck to the "Z's"!

[NICKG]

Z...all granite and marble is a good place to get a top....marble.com is their website.

[nostatic]

The only big pet peeve I have is that the sink MUST be recessed - not the stainless drop-in with a lip. You need to be able to wipe the counter into the sink without it getting caught up on anything.

Beyond that as long as the stove is gas I'm happy. I've lived in places with really small/crappy kitchens so it doesn't take much to please me.

[vash]

i would install a nice sturdy trapdoor in the floor to access the small "root cellar". that would be awesome!

[dhrcr911s]

Nice cabinets..