Welcome! If you are new to the Kitchens Forum, you may find the following information and links helpful.

The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)/Articles pages contain helpful information about how to navigate this site as well as the world of kitchen renovations.

The Kitchen Forum Acronyms will help you understand some of the acronyms used frequently in posts.

The Finished Kitchens Blog has pictures and information about many GW members' finished kitchens. Not only can you see them alphabetically, but there is also a category list if you're looking for specific things like a kitchen w/a Beverage Center or a kitchen w/a mix of dark and light cabinets. Access the FKB Categories Page via a link in the navigation panel on the right of any FKB page. Additionally, there is also a link to "In-Progress Kitchens" for those members' kitchens that are not quite ready for the FKB. There is also a link to "Coming Soon Kitchens" for those kitchens that are ready for the FKB but have not yet been added. To access the "In-Progress Kitchens", the "Coming Soon Kitchens", and the "FKB Categories", see the links in the navigation panel that is on the right side of each main FKB page.

The Appliances Forum is very useful when you have questions specific to appliances.

To start off the kitchen remodel process...take the Sweeby Test. Then, move on to Beginning a Kitchen Plan.

Other topics such as layouts, planning for storage, and stone materials are discussed in later topics in this thread. Even more information can be found by doing a search on the forum.

Tips:

• Before posting a question, please search the forum. There's a very good chance someone has already asked the question.


• When using the "search" function, be sure to use the search box on the bottom of the page, not the top!


• Note, however, that you will probably have better luck searching if you use Google (or similar search engine) than if you use the Forum search function. When using Google, to limit your results to Garden Web, include the following in your search criteria: ***site:ths.gardenweb.com


• In the Subject, the site changes the double quote used as the inches indicator (") to a single quote ('). We don't know why. To compensate, use two single quotes and it will appear as a double quote in the Subject. Luckily, the double quote works in the message box.


• When composing a new thread, you have a couple of options:


• Have replies emailed to you: check the box offering this option. However, you must have "Allow other users to send you email via forms at our site." box checked in your profile for this to work (see the "Your Profile" link at the very top of the page) [See the post later in this thread with the Subject: Getting Emails Sent To You...3-step Process]


• Insert a link: When you "preview" your message, you will be provided with two boxes for a link...one is for the link itself and the second is for the name or description of the link.


• When using the "Clip this post" option (far upper right corner of each post, small print), remember that only the current post is clipped, not the entire thread. Also, you are allowed a maximum of 50 clippings. Once you reach this max, you will no longer be able to clip or email posts.

How are the home page and the Forum organized? (based on the Kitchen Forum's FAQs entries)

• The Kitchens Forum home page lists 30 thread titles, starting with those that don't yet have a response. After the unanswered threads, threads are listed in order of most recent response. That first page displays the last 2 hours or so of activity. (If there is no response to a thread in an hour or two, the unanswered thread usually starts to drop.)
• Below the thread list are page numbers 1-67 for the total 67 pages of threads available -- capturing maybe 2 months or so of threads, less when the Forum is busy.
• Below that (and at the top of the thread list as well) is a space for you to switch to the Conversations or Gallery "sides" - these are set up similarly but are not nearly as active.
• Next down is a Search box -- very important! This is also the Search box you should use (not the one at the top of the page.)
• Always refresh the page two or three times b/f assuming a thread has disappeared right after starting it.
• As to searching...a thread will not be found doing a GW search for up to 24 hours after it has been started. This may seem too technical, but...searches are done against what are known as "indexes". Indexes use key fields/words to find things. iVillage only indexes threads once a day. So, that means that until your thread is "indexed", it won't show up in a search. If you start a thread just before the index is taken, you will be able to retrieve your thread by searching soon after creation. If, however, you start your thread right after the daily index, then you will have to wait almost 24 hours for the next index.
• Next is a place for you to start a new thread. And finally there are some instructions and links at the bottom.

Kitchen Forum "Sides"

Discussions: This is the "side" you are on. It is for on-topic discussions concerning kitchens...renovations, use of, etc.

Conversations: This is the "side" where you can post off topic threads such as regional get-togethers and non-kitchen subjects.

Gallery: This is the "side" where members often post pictures...especially if you're posting a lot or a finished kitchen. (Note: This is where StarPooh, our FKB person, wants you to post your finished kitchen prior to having it added to the FKB.)

Again, welcome and good luck! The journey is wild, sometimes bumpy, but fun and very rewarding in the end!

We will continue to bump this thread, but not the other threads I created. Please, do not bump the "subject" threads I will be linking to from here. We do not want to flood the first page with all those threads. To do so would knock threads from members asking for help, etc. off the first page and would be counter-productive!

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg010521247761.html

What are zones and how do you design with them in mind?

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0508230128712.html

A piece of advice:

When you post a layout for comments, please do not take the comments you receive personally. Everyone here is trying to help, not criticize maliciously. We want you to have a kitchen that, in the end, functions wonderfully well and looks nice overall. This may mean that some of us may tear apart your layout and rebuild it to what we think will work better, but it's done with good intentions. We're not the best at just "validating" someones layout, we're best at critiquing!

I will warn you that most of us here are "function over form" (or "function first")...meaning we strive first for a functional layout and then fit the form or look around it. It is far easier to make a functional kitchen look nice than it is to make a nice looking but dysfunctional kitchen functional. So, if you are a form/looks over function person, be sure to state that when you post.

Some people here think "function over form" means that we want all kitchens to look the same....not true! What we do want is all kitchens to function well...which means that in 99% of the cases, the workflow is the same...so that will mean some similarities due to workflow. However, as each kitchen is unique, each will have its own unique quirks, etc.

In the end, remember this is your kitchen. You don't have to make any of the recommended changes if you don't want to!

[Note: If you're just posting for validation of your layout (i.e., you don't want comments that suggest changes), state that as well. If you don't, people will comment on it!

Warning: People may comment anyway, it's tough to let a kitchen go that you think is dysfunctional and will cause angst later...especially if it's not yet installed and we think we can help. Bear with us, we're just trying to help!]

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg010523449014.html

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0105292031876.html

Note: As of Summer 2012, iVillage changed the thread lists & history functionality so that old threads can be resurrected. However, once a thread falls off of page 67, you will still need the URL of that thread to bring it back up. What has changed is that now if you bump the thread, it will re-appear in the list of threads.

While this may be useful for some, it does have the potential for pushing newer threads with more recent information and those asking for help off the first few pages faster. I would like to ask everyone to use discretion in resurrecting old threads. Yes, some have a lot of useful information, but I would like to suggest we create a "Library" of such threads as part of the FAQ rather than bringing them back to the thread list.

Thoughts?

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0105254810134.html

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0105280230861.html

Angie's posting of the great song 'Hang Me' on a couple of other threads (thanks Angie!) reminded me of the several Flatt and Scruggs (Foggy Mountain Boys) songs my Dad had on his mp3 when he died. I've been devouring any of their songs I can get my ears on lately. Turns out I truly enjoy old bluegrass.

One of my many current favorites is....

Here's one of my favorite pieces of music on the web, 'Free at Last' by the Blind Boys of Alabama.

It's a sunny day here so I'm enjoying the heck out of it before the dreary rainy months start.

"School Day (Ring! Ring! Goes the Bell)" by the king of rock 'n roll - Chuck Berry.

Ellabee--I just got done bopping along to that one. Very nice! And for a second I thought Tyler Perry was on the drums back there.

Love the music links! :)

Bump!

What a voice:

The kids and I were grooving to this tonight at dinner. All I could find on Youtube were covers so this is from another site.

The first few bars of that song reminded me of this song.

Dump

Sump pump.

Thanks for the music Breezy and Angie and Ellabee. I haven't listened to all but am working on the play list!

Angie, great song you linked.

Enduring, embarrassingly, I never knew the title of that was Norwegian Wood!

I love this one:

OMG Angie that is the cutest song!!! I loved it!

I love this one, too:

Chump

You cannot be frumpy when you listen to this song.

Great rendition of a blues classic by another musician/sing lost way too young. Btw, if you don't know Jeff Healey, he's blind not stoned. :)

BUMP

to get this up to page ONE.

Angie that's a great song! Love it.

Last night was the first night I've gotten off from the kids since mid-June. I wanted an escape so headed to the theater. The only movie worth considering within my timeframe was 'Timeless'. The title made me laugh as I now associate that word with the "timeless" kitchen style. Lol! Anyway, the flick wasn't too bad if you could get around the excessive gore. The soundtrack was enjoyable. Here's my favorite tune.

One for the Waaay-back machine:

Another Lisa Hannigan

What were you doing on pg. 3, you naughty thread!?

Bump.

Beachpea, the problem is that the sticky does not cover everything this one does, so we are keeping this one going, at Buehl's request, for the time being.

I've been missing my camera a lot lately. The expensive camera DH had to have and bought without talking to me or doing any research won't focus for the life of me. He has never even used the d@mn thing which makes me more frustrated. I hate to buy another one given that DH's "had to have" is only 1.5 years old, but I may have to since I can't take pictures anymore!!!!!

All summer then kids and I had lots of fun at dozens of parks, the beach, and various zoos. I only have a couple of pics to from all that fun. I don't have a fancy phone so pics are lousy on it. Enough whining.

Thanks for the update and the tune.

Let's go back a little farther!

Another of my all-time favorite Paul Simon songs, with a duet twist...

When I have time, I work on the FAQ and it's close to being done. When it is, I'm going to ask Tamara to put up a different sticky or add to the current one that has a "directory" or "index" of the FAQ (similar to the FAQ list page). When that's done, we'll retire the last Read Me thread. We've been doing this since at least 2008, maybe 2007...I may miss it! :-)

I like your music link Angie.

Wow, what were you doing on pg. 3?