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margoria

Emergency help, please... (pics)

Margoria
9 years ago

Hi everyone! I have been reading, dreaming and salivating over your kitchens for sometime, while saving money for what will be our modest renovation in a few years. But then things started breaking. One of our burners is out on the stove and the oven no longer works. Both are ancient (and cheap) appliances that it makes no sense to repair. But I don't want to replace with the wrong item or pull out the wrong section of counter! We want to put in a range instead of the double oven/stove top set up because it looks like that will give us more counter space. Can I tell you a little of what I hope/think our kitchen will look like in the future so you can tell me if A) you think i should stick to the double oven set up or B) you think I can fit a 36inch range or C) you think I should get a 30 inch and be happy I can squeeze that in?

Thank you for your help! Our house is a 1960s center hall colonial. The kitchen (about 11 by 16) is in the center of the house with doors everywhere. On the backside of the ktichen is the sunroom which we never use. It has a nice stone floor but cheap, mildewing walls and we can't decide if we should knock it down or if we can afford to build the kitchen out into it? Our budget will not be large (15,000 - 20,000) and we are not handy so I will have to dream small. My primary goals are more counterspace and getting my mixmaster and microwave a little closer to the rest of the kitchen. We have assumed that all the appliances will have to remain in their current positions (range to go where stove top is now) and the big change would be to turn the double sliding doors to sun room into a single, extend the counter along that space and then have it turn out into the room to create a U. I would love to put barstools on the other side of the U and don't care too much about blocking the walkway to sunroom because we hardly ever use it. I hate almost everything about the current kitchen aesthetically, so I am happy to rip out anything, but will have to replace modestly and judiciously. What do you think about the future layout and my current range dilemma? I cook and bake all the time and being without my oven is making me crazy! Oh, we have two kids (9 and 6) that I would love to have working with me in the kitchen sometimes if that information helps. Thank you! (sorry for messy kitchen and less than perfect pics!)

Comments (7)

  • Kathy Rivera
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    To really get good help, you'll need to put measurements on your floor plan. I feel your pain as I had a similar layout with many doors/openings (though I didn't have a door to the outside to contend with). But if you provide actual dimensions, plenty of GWers will be able to give you some great idea.

    Your budget will really depend on the area of the country you are in as labor prices vary greatly.

  • peony4
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    You're going to get some great suggestions, but I'll start with suggesting that the doubleovens go on the refrigerator wall (ideally flush left so there is a landing spot between them, even this this leaves them to open in the traffic from the DR).

    Then, can you replace the window to the sunroom with a wider one to bring in more light? This way, you can also move your sink over to the center of the window, and increase the counter space between your stovetop and sink.

    These are just my initial impressions--you'll get much more from others soon.

  • Fori
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Do you have access to under the kitchen to allow easier wiring/plumbing changes (basement/crawlspace vs. slab)?

    And am I mistaken or are your cabinets the high end version of that particular look? I'm still not in love with them, but they look so much better than the usual white 'n' oak cabs you usually see!

    On a totally unrelated topic, I am in the process of trying to locate a floor like your foyer for my remodel. And I have a match for your corner shelf thingy in your dining room--I recognize that profile!

    Enough about me. Get us some measurements. And unless I did a lot of baking, I would probably go with a single oven. Stack it with the microwave and ditch the double oven. Put an awesome countertop convection oven in the basement to haul out at holidays if needed.

    I'd get an induction cooktop because it can serve as a work area. 36 or 30", but probably 30" so you could keep the smaller hood (which means 6" more upper cabinets). Did you want a 36" range for the oven or the burners?

    BUT. If you're going to go into the sunroom (which I would do if budget allowed because then I'd have a large sunny kitchen), none of that matters.

    It sort of looks like a good size kitchen with lots of counter...maybe a few modifications like you have planned will be all that's needed.

  • updating
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I am planning to get a range similar to this one (link below), with double ovens, and with a flat top. I know GE makes one, but their website is super difficult to navigate and I can't find it now... it's like you have to check the search options in a certain order.

    I cook and bake all the time too, but these double ovens would be plenty for me. Right now, I work off my single oven range and a convection microwave.

    I haven't looked at many ranges yet (and have focused on GE because I like the slate color) but I really like that this range has a lip that goes over the edge of your counter so that if you have drips or spills, things don't fall between the counter and range. I don't know if other manufacturers do this, but I think it's a great feature and something to look for, especially if you're used to a cooktop, which doesn't have this problem.

    I think for your size of kitchen, you should be happy with the 30". I've considered going with the big 6 burner stove, but reconsidered since I would almost never use all 6 burners. I have no problem making big dinners on my 4 burner stove. Your kitchen doesn't look huge, so I would save on the space.

    As far as layout, could you move the dishwasher closer to the sink, put the frig where your double ovens are, and put the range on the frig wall with some counter on either side? You're frig would also be closer to piped water (if it doesn't have that in its current location).

    I would remove that soffit trim over the window right away. Should not cost much and would really open up the window and bring in more light.

    Here is a link that might be useful: GE Profile Double Oven

  • a2gemini
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Grr
    Lost my long post.
    Marg- your kitchen was similar to our pre-reno kitchen including the same cabinets.
    I had less doors but a pantry.
    I moved my cooktop to the sink cab wall. I put the fridge and wall ovens (convection and a speed oven)on the left wall. I went induction
    I also have a sunroom. I put a small banquette and a his and her cave in it - I love it but another idea would be to put an island and seating on the island.
    Since I didn't do the island, I added a mobile boos cart- not in the reveal.
    Here us a link to my finished kitchen. http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg121427088941.html
    I am adding a few pictures that I lost last night
    Updated kitchen -with fridge and ovens on the same wall - difference is we have a walk in pantry after the fridge (and a pull out one also)

    Sunroom on east end of kitchen

    Original kitchen with range in your cooktop location

    Have fun!

    This post was edited by a2gemini on Wed, Jun 11, 14 at 10:11

  • Margoria
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thank you all for your responses! Kathy, I will post dimensions when i get home from work this evening. We live in Central Jersey sandwiched between a very high end upper class town and a pretty down and out city.

    Peony4: it is a good idea to move the double ovens over to the fridge wall. i am some what concerned about opening them into oncoming traffic but i guess that isn't the end of the world. I definitely dream of getting a larger window and having the sink centered. it looks so strange with its current set up! And i would love to have more light in the room (particularly if i will hack of half the sliding doors to the sunroom.)

    Fori: Wish I had extra tiles for you! I love that corner shelf though it is becoming wobbly with old age. we have a full basement so access should be easy. I doubt we will be able to build out into the sunroom, though it would be glorious. I am assuming that puts us into the $50,000 plus range for the reno and then I would have to tell the kids that I just spent all their college fund and then some on myself :) So about 6 times a year i make big, extended family meals and want many burners and lots of oven space. But most of the rest of the time I can live with 30 inches for both. I do often have two or three pots on the stove (my current one is so small and poorly designed it can only fit two on the diagonal!). I love the induction cooktop idea. The cabinets themselves seem pretty solid. But they have a fake wood veneer on the outside and up close and personal are imho, pretty darn ugly. lucky for me the fronts are starting to come off so i think i convince the DH that they must go! :)

    updating, i think you are right on the size. Although when i am baking for big class parties and things it would be nice to fit many large pans into the oven. And you are SO right on the horrible soffit thing! and the ugly blue curtain behind it, shudder. I don't know why I haven't just gone up there and knocked it out myself. I'm off to take a look at the stove you posted.

    a2gemini: love what you did with your sunroom! and your layout in general seems great! Similar to a Peony4's suggestion. So do you think extending the counter out into a U is bad idea? I would look something like this:

  • robo (z6a)
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I would guess with your budget that tearing out the sunroom would be somewhat possible and expanding into it would be impossible unless you guys are major DIYers.

    With a smaller kitchen and a limited budget, I'd likely go for the 30" range (that's what we did personally with a similar budget and kitchen size, although we are not big bakers). But also the oven/micro combo and 36" cooktop seem like a good solution! I like how a2gemini moved the cooktop over to the longer sink run.

    This post was edited by robotropolis on Wed, Jun 11, 14 at 11:39

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