I swear to you I have no idea how this happened, this kitchen renovation of mine.
One day I was simply laying a new floor and the next I was all hopped up on new sink and fridge choices, frothing at the mouth over the possibility of a new tap.
Picking out the things I like, I can do. I can pick out things I like while blindfolded with earplugs in and mittens on. What I cannot do is plan a kitchen.
And this kitchen of mine needed a new plan. This is how my current kitchen is laid out ...
The fridge is directly beside the stove, there isn't enough storage and I'm pretty sure Idris Elba, whom I brushed off just a few months ago, wouldn't enjoy cooking for me when he has to go all the way into the basement to get the Kitchen Aid out. I've totally un-shunned Idris by the way. We're back on, so feel free to let him know.
Left in my own hands my kitchen would become a disaster. There would be be a monster walk in refrigerator, a fireplace, but not necessarily any room for a stove. Definitely no sink.
Because I get confused. My brain just can't handle the thought of rearranging the things in the kitchen and making them better than they are.
So as soon as I came to terms with the fact that I was indeed going to do my kitchen over, I did the first thing anyone planning a kitchen renovation should do;
I worked a kitchen designer into my budget. And then I hired a kitchen designer.
Carol Reed is someone who I know only through Twitter and the Internet. I've been following her design career through the miracle of Twitpics, Instagram and her blog.
Plus she designed my Chicken Coop gates for me so I knew she had the grit needed to tackle my kitchen which holds 4 doorways and 2 windows within it's walls.
It all started with a few emails sending Carol some inspiration pictures, my kitchen measurements and what my wish list was. I knew I wanted to keep the kitchen authentically old feeling and I wanted a kitchen table. I did not want an island. To me an island is just a space sucking trend that doesn't have a real purpose. So, no island. But I definitely wanted an antique butcher block in the kitchen. Either the relatively small one I already own, or a great big one.
After several and I mean SEVERAL back and forths between us, we whittled it down to these plans.
What I like about this plan is the fact there there's a kitchen table. I LOVE having a real kitchen table.
What I don't like about this plan is the layout is not much different than my current kitchen and has less storage.
What I like about this plan is there's a fair amount of counter space.
What I don't like about it, is the fridge being so far away from the main work area. Plus there's still less storage than I'm used to.
What's labelled as a kitchen island here is actually a great, big antique butcher block. Which I LOVE.
I really like this plan. There's a HUGE pantry, but I'm not so sure about looking in at the fridge from the dining room. I really don't know if it'll bother me or not. If you're wondering why the sink isn't centred on the kitchen window in these plans, it's because it's because having as much counter space as possible was more important to me than a centred window. Moving the sink off to the side allows me to have a continuous run of counter as opposed to a little bit on either side of the sink.
What I like about this plan, is everything.
It has a lot of storage, a nice view from the dining room (a big pantry), all kinds of counter space
and a place to sit, even if it isn't a real table.
So that's the plan I went with. The final plan. Which, you may have noticed, has no butcher block but DOES have an island in the middle. See? I'm totally screwed up and can't be trusted when it comes to kitchen ideas.
It took me months to decide on this plan partly because I knew I was doing things that were unconventional and quite honestly, wrong, according to most kitchen designers, but right for me. Carol was nice enough ... and wise enough, to indulge me. She convinced me when my ludicrous ideas truly were ludicrous. And reminded me of things I would never have thought of. Like the fact that even though I've always dreamt of having a 6 burner stove, it didn't make sense to have one if it meant I wouldn't be able to have a corner cupboard.
And partly because a kitchen renovation, even when you aren't paying for the cabinets is an expensive thing. There's electrical and plumbing, and installation and lighting and appliances and clown costumes .... uch. There's a lotta stuff. So, you don't want to get it wrong. And the layout of the kitchen is the one thing you can't change your mind on.
If you decide you want a new sink or lamp, those are things you can change down the road, but the layout is here to stay until your next kitchen renovation. Which will hopefully happen exactly once every NEVER.
You wanna know the most interesting part of this story? Carol Reed and I ... have never met.
Along with her regular design business she runs an e-design business. You just send her your measurements and inspiration photos and she does the rest of the work. IT'S AN INTERNET DESIGN MIRACLE.
I cannot think of a better way to work. It was genius. AND less expensive than having her work here with me in person. Plus there was the added bonus of me not being able to see Carol roll her eyes when I suggested things like a trapeze so I could swing from one end of the kitchen to the next with a stylish flourish.
And she couldn't see me scowl when she suggested something ridiculous like paying attention to where my toaster, coffee maker, etc. would go so I could have electrical outlets installed at those spots.
So that's it. The kitchen is planned. Somebody tell Idris.
Elen Grey | Deep in B-ville Writing Over the Garage
I love the design you chose, Karen. Maximum working counter and still maintaining a nice flow to the room. Love, love, love the off-centered sink. It makes it a point of interest and reflects your personality. Verra nice!
Becky
When I saw you had used Carol Reed as your designer I was instantly jealous. She is very, very talented! Having read through the entire history of her blog she pays as much attention to how a room should function as how the client wants it to look and I don't think I have ever seen anything she has designed and thought it was anything less than stunning.
My kitchen has 3 doors, 1 window and an open end wall (opens to another room), an island in the middle that means you can't open the fridge and the dishwasher at the same time and when there is more than one person in the kitchen you want to rip out your hair. I dream about taking a sledge hammer to the kitchen almost every time I am trying to make any meal in the room. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel because Carol Reed does reasonably priced e-design! And I shamelessly used your blog as a means to help me get closer to my dream. Because you thought it was valuable to hire someone to help you plan your kitchen (and anyone who taps the maple tree in their back yard and then makes their own maple syrup must be a smart person according to my husband) he is thinking it might be worth the money to get a kitchen plan and then I could have Carol Reed design my kitchen and then I wouldn't have to walk through the dining room to get from one end of the kitchen to the other when it has 3 people in it. Oh the gloriousness of it all...thank you!
rktrixy
Isn't it amazing - you are getting so much more kitchen in the same amount of space? So cool. Make sure the island is at a height that really works for you. Also - think about your lower cabinets: drawers or sliding trays are so much more useful than cabinets. Yeah, everyone likes fishing something out from the bottom cabinet waaaaay in the back. NOT.
Will everything be white? To go with the black and white floor? My favorite look is black lowers and white uppers. Just very grounded, yet bright and lively. Another way to go would be a bold color to be a foil to the black and white floor. Something in aqua. or red. Yum - red!
Raymonde
The final plan is clearly the best! You can never have too much counter space and too much storage!
Oh, and you'll love having a big sink. Who said size doesn't matter?
Try to pick the deepest sink possible, believe me you won't regret it! It makes it a lot easier to clean those tall pots and to hide dirty dishes! ;-)
Sharman
Maybe I missed it but where are the cabinets coming from. Oh and where is Norma's seat?
Karen
Here you go Sharman ... https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/my-big-fall-project-plus-a-lesson-in-the-business-of-blogging/ ~ karen!
Shawna
I like your choice and am envious of that antique island! I am assuming that this design service was for a plan only and that you must locate and install your own antique kitchen island as well as other items that are both decorative and functional like light fixtures.
Karen
Shawna - Carol laid out the plans, gave me counter, lighting, sink, faucet options etc. ~ karen!
Grammy
Now I'm jealous. I love your final floor plan. The amount of useable countertop and storage you've gained will make you swoon when you get your kitchen done! And, while I might have made one or two minor changes for myself, I am very happy that you've chosen exactly what you want and not what someone else thinks you should want.
Like Idris. There are some who might say you're too much woman for him. But I think he can handle it. I know he's going to love hanging around your kitchen island while you smile sweetly and pour some wine...
Edith
Hi Karen,
Just this: I love your plan and I'm so very happy for you. Your kitchen will be beautiful!
Karen
LOL. THANK you Edith. ~ karen
Jeanine
I love the last plan, and I hope you show plenty of before, in process, and after pics! I don't know if this is possible, but have you thought about taking down that wall between the kitchen and dining room, so that it would be more open? Also, if possible, I think it would be nice to have the island seating backing up to the blackboard wall (or wall I would remove). Then, your guests would be out of the way, and they would be able to look out the windows too.
Karen
Hi Jeanine - It's a supporting wall (used to be the exterior wall). Even if it wasn't, that would be getting into more money than I'm willing to spend. ~ karen!
Shauna
I love the plan you went with - I totally concur. I also have an old house and a very oddly shaped kitchen with some 'issues'. One of which is that my refrigerator is in the laundry room - weird, but really the only place it can fit currently. I'd love to see what someone could do while still fitting within the parameters of our old home and not removing our super cool built-in table nook area. I may have to email Carol someday.
theresa
mmmm I love floor plans and kitchen remodels (even my own). I am expecting you to dig up some great flea market find for the legs (curve and tall enough to work standing up) perhaps vintage casters (so it can go against the wall when needed) and some cool stools to slide under it (so extra seating is not under foot). Or is this going to squeeze some more storage space with drawers or a cupboard underneath??
Beth
I'm living with a fridge tucked into a corner just like in your plan and it has one big drawback: the door doesn't swing open wide enough for the crisper drawer on the right to be removed for cleaning. But maybe that's just me and you are never so untidy as to let anything drip or spill down underneath those drawers! I like the layout and agree with you about having some open space. What are you using in that blind corner situation? There are great hardware options out there but they're pricy. I can't wait to see pictures, I'm sure it will be gorgeous!
Karen
Beth - My current fridge door is against a wall so it doesn't open all the way, so I'm used to it. See? This is one of those things I'm technically doing "wrong", but works and is fine for me. :) ~ karen!
Patti
I will come to your house and do some fancy chalkboard art if you like, Karen.
LOVE the new design! I'm glad you feel right about it - a lot of decisions to make! You're going to love it!
Tigersmom
Oh dear.
You may have well as posted that you are pregnant with the amount of unsolicited advice being given in the comments. Myself included sort of. (Hangs head in shame.)
Although, I was applauding decisions already made into reality as I am assuming your renovation is completed and was before you hosted Thanksgiving. I would be immeasurably impressed if anyone, even the determined and capable Karen, could/would host a Thanksgiving dinner in the middle of a kitchen reno.
And having gone through both, I can honestly say that a renovation is totally relatable to growing a child, if not necessarily in the scale, but in the processes.
Karen
Ah ... nope. The kitchen renovation definitely isn't done. I don't even have my cabinets yet! I'm in the process of ripping out old ones and repair my floor, etc. ~ karen!
Tigersmom
Well then, color me measurably impressed.
You're either more determined and capable than I thought, or much crazier! ; )
I will wait with everyone else, then, to find out if that marble slab is a sample of your new countertops. You already know how much I suck at waiting.
Good luck with the renovation and I hope it goes smoothly for you. You're going to love it when you're done, especially having a place to set things on either side of the stove.
Stacy.P
This is SO exciting! I can't wait to this project in action!
Claire
I went kind of the same way Karen. In the UK you can take your measurements to kitchen retailers, or invite them round and get free plans drawn up - the idea being that you then purchase the whole kit and kaboodle from the one retailer. However, I had spent the preceding twelve months buying things I liked; smeg sink, specialist tap, gorgeous glass tiles, kitchenaid stuff, karndean flooring, giant American style fridge, self cleaning oven (which had a spit roast facility and does genuinely and actually clean itself!), all waiting, still wrapped to be pulled together. So, I took all the elements I liked from the twenty or so plans I had accumulated and used an on-line system to put it all together. The result is the kitchen of my dreams; sleek, modern, well laid out, beautiful colours (I went for all white with a row of jewel coloured glass tiles which give a real flash of colour). So you are right, take your time and do it right, it's too too expensive to make mistakes. Happy new kitchen when it happens!
Carrie
As soon as I saw the first layout the first thing I thought of was...she needs an island. Your old layout reminds me a lot of my "old" layout. I haven't done full renovation work (yet) but had to add an island because I have no counter space. But I love what you two did to the final layout. Looks awesome!!! (inspirational too!)
Casey
When my mom reno'd her kitchen way back when, she closed up a window (the only window in the kitchen!). I would have NEVER thought of doing that, but the kitchen makes way more sense now that the window is gone. it didnt have a great view anyway.
also, make sure you have a drawer for cutlery. I dont have any drawers in my kitchen. that isnt something you notice when buying a home, but it becomes very noticeable when you go to unpack your cutlery :)
Claudia
Congratulations! Kitchen reno is exciting! And your layout choice is perfect, I'm sure.
But... I'm sorry... Idris is mine...!!!
Sonja
When are you inviting us all, including your new BFF Idris, for dinner?!!?
Karen
You don't think I see where you're going with this? Back off. HE'S MINE! ~ KAREN oops. karen.