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Mom's Crazy Kitchen

Carrie B
9 years ago

I picked 78yo mom up from the hospital at noon on Friday following her Wednesday hip replacement surgery. Looks like I'll be here until the end of next week - two weeks total. I'm thinking - if I make it that long - I'll have barely escaped with my sanity. Thankfully, she's doing fine, though very frustrated that she was ill-prepared for the recovery process.

Mom's got no WiFi, but I just managed to escape to the library for the first time. It was suggested here that I pay attention to the function of my mom's kitchen. Bottom line: not only will ANYTHING be more functional than my little Philadelphia rowhome's kitchen, but anything will be more functional (though way less cool) than my mom's kitchen. Here are some photos that will give you a sense of it:

Yup - wooden cabinet right over gas range - no vent, though there is an undercabinet light strip, the only landing space for the range is that tiny cabinet to its right, and the island:
{{gwi:2136938}}

20" of landing space on either side of fridge - toaster is to the left of the fridge. DW around corner from sink:
{{gwi:2136939}}

Low hutch(?) not sure what it's called takes up nearly ENTIRE opening between kitchen & dining room. You have to go sideways & suck in your tummy to go from one to the other - forget it if you're big around. She never uses the DR any more, but she used to entertain, and that piece of furniture was always there:

{{gwi:2136940}}

The island is just about the only counter she's got, and definitely the only prep space. The space to the left of the sink (the only place you'd really prep) is about 34":
{{gwi:2136941}}
It's kind of really cool in an awful sort of way, isn't it?

This post was edited by carrieb on Fri, Jan 30, 15 at 15:28

Comments (60)

  • Mistman
    9 years ago

    Uber Cool!!

  • Mistman
    9 years ago

    Uber Cool!!

  • bpath
    9 years ago

    But...but...I love the sunny yellow, and the windows! And the green cupboard (almost a Hoosier cabinet but not really) and the table and chairs...just enjoy the sunshine!

    Can you use your phone as a mobile hot spot?

    Best wishes for your mom's recovery :)

  • mama goose_gw zn6OH
    9 years ago

    Maybe not functional, but definitely charming. Is the green item in the corner an old wood stove? My father has one sitting in the corner of his dining room.

    The piece in the doorway looks like what we call a buffet. I can honestly say that I've never seen one placed just so.

    Good thoughts to your mom, and to you!

  • rpets
    9 years ago

    I kinda want to hug that kitchen!!! There is just such an immense sweetness about that space :)

  • funkycamper
    9 years ago

    What a charming, friendly room with a stove and sink....I almost hesitate to call it a kitchen, lol. The outside is also wonderful. If it would be OK with your mom, could you share more interior photos? I'd love to see the rest of the house.

    laughable needs to come help her do an unfitted kitchen. She has the knack for that. But don't touch or cover up those windows!!

    Best wishes to you and your mom during this challenging time. I hope she heels well and has a speedy recovery. And that you survive so you can finish your own kitchen! :)

  • deedles
    9 years ago

    What wonderful light in that room! And also what a wonderful antique light, too.

    Now, are the windows that deep or are those inside shutters on the windows?

    Would also love to reimagine that kitchen but it does have it's own charm now, too.

  • judeNY_gw
    9 years ago

    That kitchen is a functional challenge but it is clearly a well loved room.

  • Imhappy&Iknowit IOWA zone 4b
    9 years ago

    I could live there just as it is!

  • Carrie B
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I was hoping that people here would appreciate this uhm... Room with a stove. :) I do have an iPhone, but am not so adept with much typing into it, though I have been enjoying your comments immensely.

    Yeah, I think that maybe the low cupboard between the kitchen & loving room is a buffet. I will try to get more photos of the house tomorrow, and, hopefully, to the library as well. My ex- boyfriend thought this house was certainly haunted. ;)

  • desertsteph
    9 years ago

    "It's kind of really cool in an awful sort of way, isn't it?"

    for sure! and not so awful... really. A lot of kitchens were like that ... back when. We lived in houses with a few of them - and an aunt of mine had one. It was more about making do with what we had and being homey than functional.
    The kitchen IS lovely! It's good you have pics for future generations to look back on.

    Hope your mom heals quickly and isn't in too much pain. Use the time to remember back (and take notes) on times in the past. We often miss times like that in life - I did.

    It would be good to make her stove area safer if possible. Does she cook much anymore?

  • mudhouse_gw
    9 years ago

    Thanks so much for sharing the photos. What a remarkable house! Wonderful crazy kitchens like this make the world a more interesting place. I agree it's so obviously well loved, and a happy place.

    I moved in with my 80yo mom last spring, for weeks, to get her through a knee replacement. She's doing great now, so hang in there. (My sanity returned, in time.) ;-)

    These are kinda tough procedures, but so worth it after the recovery period. It does get better, it just seems so slow at first. Sending good thoughts to both of you!

  • practigal
    9 years ago

    Character: cool in an awful sort of way...
    Interesting new definition.
    One thing we don't see often in any of the modern kitchens is character.
    I like character. My greatest reluctance in redoing my kitchen has been that it will look like it came out of the same set of flat pack boxes as everyone else's kitchen. It is really wonderful to see something that is just different. Given the distances between the fridge, the sink and the stove I am surprised that she doesn't have a little rolling cart...

  • annkh_nd
    9 years ago

    Carrieb, I was the one who suggested you think about what works (and doesn't) in your Mom's kitchen. Never would I have imagined your Mom's crazy kitchen!

    So now you have complete list of what doesn't work...

    Thanks for sharing!

  • Carrie B
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks so much, everyone! I'm back at the library, with more photos of the first floor interior. Mom was never much of a good cook (though she was a wonderful baker) and she would probably be quite surprised (& more than a little annoyed) if I ever told her that her kitchen was not functional. She does manage to do light cooking, heat stuff up, make tea, etc.

    The distances between the appliance are not huge (4 feet?) but there's no countertop between them, and, no, no pantry outside of cabinets.

    Here's a very rough, NOT to scale sketch of the first floor layout - each room can be accessed from both the central hallway, and the adjoining room (kitchen/dining room, living room/sitting room):

    {{gwi:2136942}}
    The bathroom & laundry room are (almost surely) later additions.

    I know that mom is intending to essentially be carried out of this house in a box, which is troubling considering that this place is about as far as an "aging in place" kind of house as there can be.

    This post was edited by carrieb on Fri, Jan 30, 15 at 15:30

  • Carrie B
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    When you enter the front door, this is what you see - the steps going up. Immediately to your left, is the dining room, with the kitchen just beyond it. Immediately to your right is the sitting room, and then the living room:

    {{gwi:2136943}}

    And here's the dining room:

    {{gwi:2136944}}

    Looking into the kitchen, with the buffet (mostly) blocking your path:

    {{gwi:2136945}}

    Dining room, with the hallway door, and the front door just beyond:

    {{gwi:2136946}}

    This post was edited by carrieb on Fri, Jan 30, 15 at 15:34

  • Carrie B
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    If, instead of making a left from the front door, into the living room, you made a right toward the sitting room (actually, I don't know what you'd call this room) this is what you'd see (the door at the very end is the bathroom)

    {{gwi:2136947}}

    And here's standing near the bathroom door, looking out toward the hallway, with the dining room beyond:

    {{gwi:2136948}}

    From the LR, looking into the sitting room - bathroom on far left, hallway on the right:

    {{gwi:2136949}}

    This post was edited by carrieb on Fri, Jan 30, 15 at 15:37

  • Carrie B
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Looking into the LR from the sitting room:

    {{gwi:2136950}}

    Looking into LR from hallway (edited to add: this is the couch mom's been sleeping on since she came home from the hospital on Friday, since she can't yet safely & easily make it up & down the stairs to her bedroom, and she uses the downstairs bathroom & has to get up several times a night to use it):

    {{gwi:2136951}}

    {{gwi:2136952}}

    {{gwi:2136953}}

    This post was edited by carrieb on Fri, Jan 30, 15 at 15:41

  • Carrie B
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    And, finally, the view from the back door & hallway - the entrance we use. The LR is directly to the left, the kitchen to the right:

    {{gwi:2136954}}

    The bathroom (with a completely inaccessible claw foot tub) {{gwi:2136955}}

    And, lastly, two insane, large dogs (she also has a cat.)

    {{gwi:2136956}}

  • sweet_betsy No AL Z7
    9 years ago

    It may not be the most functional kitchen in the world but it is certainly one of the most cheerful, sunny and bright kitchens that it has been my pleasure to see. It makes me happy just to look at it.

  • funkycamper
    9 years ago

    I'm bummed that most of the pictures aren't showing up for me. Just the first post and last post. From what I can see, that home is amazing. Love the poodles, too!

  • lavender_lass
    9 years ago

    Is that lovely green and white piece in the corner an old range? It's a wonderful kitchen and the whole house is a treasure :)

    Hope your mom is feeling better very soon!

  • Carrie B
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Back at mom's. A whole bunch of photos not showing up for me, either, though they did when I was still at the library. Tomorrow I make another library trip, & will try to re-upload them.

  • Imhappy&Iknowit IOWA zone 4b
    9 years ago

    Your mom has all the furniture and accessories I'm shopping for! I wish I lived next door. It would be a lot easier to see how things looked together instead of bringing them home and finding I missed! Can't wait for the pictures! Dogs, a cat, and an old house. Your mom and I have the same plan. Someone will carry me out of here in a box, too.

  • bpath
    9 years ago

    Handsome dogs. At least something in the house is "standard". (I had a big poodle growing up, and I covet the one black, one white that live down the street from me now.)

    Hope the pics show up tomorrow. The final hallway shot is a teaser!

  • oasisowner
    9 years ago

    This so reminds me of my great-grandmother's kitchen! She kept the buffet IN the kitchen, along with a huge dining room table, and a full 6 ft. of counter space - white metal cabinets, bright red formica edged in chrome, and the huge white sink with runnels. She also had the first super susan I had ever seen. She cooked in this kitchen until she was 90.

  • peegee
    9 years ago

    I guess I'm too late to the party, and SOOO bummed that nearly all the photo's are unavailable to me, and say: "Sorry, This person moved or deleted this image"
    Only the three at 1/29 at 11:35, and the third one in the initial post are visible. I really wish I could see the rest - am I the only one blocked out??!

  • Carrie B
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    So sorry about the photos! Tomorrow afternoon, another trip to the library & I'll upload again! Library trips are proving to be a pleasant distraction - even without cracking a book!

  • Carrie B
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi everyone. I'm back and the photos are back - was my fault completely. I'm only 49, but am almost as bad as 78yo mom when it comes to technology.

    Thanks so much for all your comments - it's such a pleasant distraction, and nice to share some of what I'm living through - both good & challenging - in this place, with you all!

    This post was edited by carrieb on Fri, Jan 30, 15 at 16:11

  • llucy
    9 years ago

    So glad the pictures showed up! Such a charming and comfortable home. Makes me want to snuggle into one of the sofa's with a historical novel.

    Wishing your mom a speedy recovery and many, many years to continue enjoying her lovely home.

  • funkycamper
    9 years ago

    Oh, I'm so glad the photos are showing now. What an absolutely charming and homey space. Although I would really have to move that buffet, as lovely as it is, out of the path to the kitchen, lol.

    Thanks so much for sharing these.

  • cluelessincolorado
    9 years ago

    You two share a love of yellow kitchens and fabulous light.
    ;)
    How long has she been there? Love it!

  • Carrie B
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thank you, llucy.

    Funkycamper - the buffet placement is pretty ridiculous. She never uses the DR anymore, so now it's not generally an actual function problem, but... it was there back when she used to have a whole table full of guests!

    Clueless - she moved there sometime after her separation & divorce. I'm thinking maybe 25 years ago or thereabouts. She's lived alone the entire time, but rents out rooms - the roomers DO NOT have access to the kitchen & other living spaces.

  • bpath
    9 years ago

    I'm sure she doesn't want to (otherwise she would have) but my inlaws turned that back living room into a bedroom for MIL's parents just by putting up a wall in the wide doorway. When the oldsters moved to a retirement home, the doorway was easily restored. Your mom could have privacy on the whole first floor, no loss of charm, hwith the roomers upstairs.

    Beautiful house!

  • Carrie B
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    bpathome - that's actually a really good idea, and it may come to that. It is good to know that's an option. Right now, the couch is working OK (I made her ask the Dr. before surgery if sleeping on the couch after full hip replacement was OK.... or if we should rent a hospital bed...) Hopefully, in a few weeks, the stairs will be more navigable for her.

  • peegee
    9 years ago

    Thanks so much for the photos - what a fascinating home, and it has a familiar feel to me, from similar homes I visited during my childhood. (Not the gorgeous thick stone walls and incredible interior shutters, though - oh my!) I didn't realize it until viewing your photos how nostalgic I feel for something about this look. Can't exactly put my finger on it, and will have to spend more time later studying your pics. BTW my grandmother had the same early telephone!!! Wish there was a good shot of that beautiful antique lamp showing the full effect of how it hangs over the kitchen table! Anyway, hope your mom recuperates well, and I like the idea of setting up the sittng room as a master bedroom - it makes soooo much sense!!

  • voila
    9 years ago

    What a fabulous house! Did you grow up here? So much history in this home. Do you appreciate the beauty that your Mom has lived in? I hope your mother has an uneventful recovery from her surgery and is able to enjoy her home again. Who cares if it offers little prep space? What a fabulous home! I hope you can enable your mother to live her life out in her wonderful surroundings. It is hard to be a caretaker. But it is her beautiful home, and you should honor that.

  • Carrie B
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Peegee- there are actually no interior shutters, just very deep walls & windowsills. My mom has quite a few old phones, and not a single one that's touch tone. The lamp over the kitchen table is lovely, but, like so much in this house, up close, it has broken & cracked glass and is showing it's age.

  • Carrie B
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Voila - no, I didn't grow up here. Mom moved here after my parents split up, I was probably in my early 20's, 25-30 years ago.

  • decordummy_gw
    9 years ago

    What a wonderful home! I agree with lov_mkitchen, the case furnishings and accessories are exactly what I would shop for (if I could afford to). The first pic entering the front door (stairs on left) seems to have a games table on the right. I think I have this same table.
    I would love to see the lady on Rehab Addict empty out these rooms and put everything back in a different way. I know she's a restoration expert (your Mom's home doesn't seem to need that), but I also like Rehab Addict's sense of style. Anyway thank you for sharing these wonderful pics (would love to see even more), and best wishes to both you and your Mom.

  • bbstx
    9 years ago

    carrieb, here's how to turn your iPhone into a hotspot as mentioned by someone above:
    Go to Settings. At the very top you should see "Airplane Mode;" below that "Wi-Fi" then below that "Bluetooth;" below that "Cellular," below that "Personal Hotspot."

    Tap/touch "Personal Hotspot." It will go to the next page. At the top will be "Personal Hotspot" with a place to swipe to the right of it. Swipe the buttony looking thing on. It now ought to be green.

    Below that you will see "Wi-Fi Password" and a string of letters and numbers.

    Below "Wi-Fi Password," you'll see directions on how to connect using Wi-Fi. Basically, they say, go to the Wi-Fi Connections on your computer and choose "iPhone" (it will be in the same place where you see the name of wi-fi routers that you use at home, the library, etc). When you choose "iPhone," you'll be prompted to enter the password.

    Hope this helps.

  • Patti
    9 years ago

    Lovely home! Thanks for sharing all of the pictures.

    Is that a pot de chambre (chamber pot) in front of your mother's claw foot bathtub?!

  • Carrie B
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Bbstx - thanks for that hotspot information. I never heard of that! Any idea if that would incur any extra charges ?

  • bbstx
    9 years ago

    carrieb, I believe it uses data from your cellular data plan. I hope someone who is more tech savvy than I will chime in with better advice.

    On your iPhone, if you will go to Settings, click on Cellular and scroll to the bottom of the page, you will see Cellular Data Usage. It will tell you how much you've used for the current period.

    Below is a link to a data usage calculator that might help you. Just for giggles, I set the sliders to 1000 emails, 30 hours of streaming music, 40 hours of surfing the web, 200 social media posts, 8 hours of video streaming in standard format (data hog, but way less than high def!), and no app downloads and it came to 2.62 gigs of data usage. If you take out the music and the video streaming, it falls to a mere 0.76 gigs!

    My plan allows me 3 gigs of data per month shared with DH. So far this month, I've used 360 MB - that equals 0.36 gigs. I don't watch movies or stream music, but I do read and send emails, check Facebook, and surf the web.

    Hope this helps.

    Here is a link that might be useful: data usage calculator

  • zorroslw1
    9 years ago

    Had to post again after seeing all the pictures. That is a beautiful old home. I would enjoy visiting and having tea with your mother. I hope you appreciate all the beautiful antiques. It's like stepping back in time.

  • funkycamper
    9 years ago

    Yes, it uses your cellular data plan so check what your plan includes. My carrier allows me to see online how many gigs I've used. Charges for going over your data plan can get expensive quickly. My carrier allows me to temporarily raise my data plan and then lower it again without any penalties. I often do that when traveling because we use it much more when on the road then when at home and can use wifi. So if you think you might go over your plan, check into a temporary increase.

  • Carrie B
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thank you, again bbstx & funkycamper for the hotspot info.

    I usually go through about 1/4 of my 2GB data plan. For the month that just ended, after having spent less than a week at my mom's, checking stuff on my phone, I made it just under the wire. I might be smart to try to save as much of my Internet surfing for my library visits - which have been daily for the last few days.

    Mom's healing is progressing, though we're both frustrated with the rate - and that she was in no way prepared for it. Doctor said "oh, you'll be up & walking a day or two after surgery." They did NOT tell her that she would not be able to drive or bend all the way over for weeks, maybe months.

    She was expecting to be back at work by now, full time, and to be driving and going about her normal routine. And we're getting cranky with one another...

  • desertsteph
    9 years ago

    "Your mom and I have the same plan. Someone will carry me out of here in a box, too."

    I'm with that too!

    haven't finished reading yet but wanted to say - such lovely things! furniture, lamps, rugs and a few very old frames. reminds of things I have from my MILs house. She still had things from her mom and MIL! I kept most of it. It's not a whole house full tho like your mom has. I just love it! I love old furniture - that has irritated my kids and sister for yrs. They kept telling me to get new stuff. I love my old stuff.

  • Carrie B
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Desertsteph - some of mom's stuff is from her mother, but she's also been collecting for years. It is lovely, and fits with the old house, though so much of it is unwieldy & difficult to use, especially for an older person.

    I also have a landline, which works for me since I live in a three story row home (plus basement.) if it weren't for landlines, I'd constantly be losing my phone.

    The old photo has my mom's great grandmother as the matriarch in the middle, as well as her grandmother.