I was just wondering about the poor placement of the refrigerator with respect to the island cooktop in Jay and Gloria's kitchen... and the lack of venting for Claire and Phil's cooktop... and... (Modern Family)

Yes!! I find myself observing kitchens much more.

I was watching House of Cards and thinking to myself, why on earth is their dishwasher so far from the sink? That's not even remotely practical.

I was watching The Americans (early '80's cold war spies) and they were in a kitchen that was making a one time appearance. It was a glazed version of OTK (circa 2010), and so totally anachronistic! I remember the '80's, and they get a lot of things so right I can get lost in the story, but that was a big jolt. :)

Once you've "had" GW you are ruined for life. You will never be able to look at another kitchen, whether in the movies, on TV, online, or in person without analysing it.

Kinda of like drinking really good wine or having really great...... you can never go back to ordinary ; )

Think of it as a gift.

Haha, relatively speaking, I'm a newbie and I notice the lack of proper venting all the time now. And inset cabinets, etc. I could NEVER had noticed those things before.

Or I notice some college kids party house or poor newly weds with the 36" bluestar and inset beautiful cabinets and think, yeah right!

Oh yes. I have been thinking about this too. I think DH gets tired of me pointing out why things are so very wrong whenever we go to one of our family or friends with a gigantic house. At least he now knows you shouldn't have a kitchen you need skates to get through with a 6 foot aisle you have to cross between stove and sink.

Plllog, all I could think of was, the Underwoods use their kitchen only for smoking at the window! That is a gloomy kitchen!

Well you can tell who's post-reno and who's still under construction. Any kitchen that's finished looks good to me...

I am still a newb, and I definitely scrutinize every kitchen I enter now. I also pause the TV to look at TV kitchens! I dont watch movies very often, but I imagine I will miss some dialogue studying kitchens when I do.

Funny thread.

GW definitely makes me look at things differently. All the years I've been in my grandmothers house I never noticed she doesn't have a vent over her range. I've read on here about design that you may know something's off but can't put your finger on it. My SO is always pointing out the bad medicine on the medical dramas. It's only appropriate I do the same with kitchens and houses.

"Once you've "had" GW you are ruined for life. You will never be able to look at another kitchen, whether in the movies, on TV, online, or in person without analysing it."

Actually, it's much more insidious. Although we're not supposed to mention it, we're a cult. Soon your dishwasher won't be high enough and your microwave isn't venting your kitchen as well as it shouldâ¦.

DebraK said
"Kinda of like drinking really good wine or having really great...... you can never go back to ordinary ; )"
That's why I stick with the Three-Buck-Chuck. We're talking about the wine, right?

This post was edited by bpathome on Sat, May 10, 14 at 14:01

Congrats...I believe you are now officially TKO :)

Totally Kitchen Obsessed is not a bad thing...it's just what happens after spending time on the forum! LOL

Don't spend any money to go on a so-called Kitchen Tour. (you know the ones that the Junior Leagues run, or whomever....) Because BGW you love it all. AGW, you just judge judge judge and roll your eyes....

Beekeeperswife- this is why I save my money and just view the photos after the tour is done. :)
Though in all fairness, I judged and rolled my eyes BEFORE GW...what does that say about me?

Another 'oh yes' to this thread. I was watching some cooking show on Create and wondered why on earth this woman didn't have any drawer cabinets. And, her DW needed to be moved as well. I think it's a good thing to be able to see this now, though. It would be fun to be able to help someone else plan a kitchen now that mine is (almost, almost) done.

Greatness doesn't have to be expensive, no matter what it is.

My favorite wines are $10 bottles from our local wineries.

Do you ever wonder why our friends, families, and neighbors don't see the "talent" we all have? Why is our phone not ringing with those wanting advice on where to put the MW? If anyone actually called me I would rush right over with graph paper and a sharpie. JK... sort of ....don't you ever feel that way just a little?

I love this post. You are all so funny.
I still love to go on house tours, but now that my kitchen planning is becoming reality, I am sure I will be alot more judgemental towards their kitchens.
I have friends who want me to give them advice, but I am afraid to voice my opinion to my friends and family. I don't want to appear critical when I give them my opinions, so I mostly keep my ideas to myself.

"I have friends who want me to give them advice, but I am afraid to voice my opinion to my friends and family. I don't want to appear critical when I give them my opinions, so I mostly keep my ideas to myself."

renov8r:

Don't be so shy. They asked, let 'em have it. You may learn from each other. You'll both definitely learn nothing from silence.

DebraK2008, they do ask! And I do help. It'll happen to you too. There's a difference between real people and GWers to keep in mind. Like the one who regularly uses a 16" wok, but wasn't interested in a powerful stove. :) Don't argue. Present the info so they're educated and walk away.

Renov8r, you know best what the manners and mores are amongst the people you know, and whether "appearing critical" will cause strife and upset. OTOH, when people ask, they usually want an answer. Most people IRL, when they ask, don't want a full on critique, so choose the thing that is most out of whack and be gentle about it. "Don't you think it would make things a lot easier if you didn't have to walk around the island to get between the fridge and the sink? Have you thought of moving the sink here, or putting in a prep sink there?" Questions often go down better than statements, and explanations are easier to swallow than the shorthand we use, like "barrier island".

So I just saw (don't know what show it was) the most inconvenient kitchen ever. It was a very wide, very long corridor kitchen, with a very high ceiling (20 ft.? more?), probably real rather than a set, with a tall window wall down one side, slate floors, and what looked like zinc or pewter and marble counters. It looked very much like what's currently in at the high end, but it would have been far better as a garden room or something like that. The windows were great for light and aesthetics, but zip on storage, and the main part of the kitchen only had tables and workbenches, like a very prettied up version of a commercial kitchen. The pantry and refrigeration were way far away, and I don't even know where the utensils were stored. The pots were on the single shelves underneath and some pans were hanging. Great place for dressing whole hogs, but each cook would have to carry his own knives and whatnot around with him. Massive range though. :) By eye, I'd guess eight feet long. It was like the kitchen was made for the jolly green giant!

LOL
Love this post - We are all guilty as charges. I just roll my eyes when I see most kitchens in movies and to add insult to injury - my medical background makes me gag when I see medical scenes that are awful as well.
Maybe we need a support group!
A2gemini