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Those who put in new kitchens, best/worst decisions?
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amother
Cerulean


 

Post Fri, Apr 15 2016, 3:35 pm
Lots of people arrange to put in their new kitchens this time of year, to avoid doing their kitchen for Pesach.

Those who put in kitchens in the recent past or now:

As people start doing their heavy Pesach cooking, theyll discover what they like and what they dislike, what theyre happy about, what they regret.

Which decisions/choices are you happy about?

Which decisions/choices are you unhappy about?
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amother
Magenta


 

Post Fri, Apr 15 2016, 3:40 pm
amother wrote:
Lots of people arrange to put in their new kitchens this time of year, to avoid doing their kitchen for Pesach.

Those who put in kitchens in the recent past or now:

Which decisions/choices are you happy about?

Which decisions/choices are you unhappy about?

Very happy with
under cabinet led lights (shines above counters)
under cabinet hidden outlets (installed many scattered throughout kitchen hidden under the upper cabinets)
big pantry
drawers for pots on either side (if I wasn't on a budget I would have done drawers for all bottom cabinets)
large wide double door cabinets as opposed to small ones
deep d shaped sinks with high faucets and spray
cabinets reach ceiling

Would have loved
customized interiors of corner cabinets (upper and lower) to maximize space like full lazy susan uppers and something on the bottom. I hope I will be able to maximize the space inside soon. I had enough cabinet space elsewhere and couldn't spend more on those extra cabinets.
a broom closet like my mom's house but we didn't have the room in an area where it would look OK
deeper pantry with pull out drawers which was also a space issue

And of course really enjoying the space, cabinets, counters and new appliances with good features. BH very grateful. It's a large well thought out room BH.
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amother
Violet


 

Post Fri, Apr 15 2016, 3:45 pm
I have one blind corner. I hate it. If I do any even minimal work on my kitchen, that will be the first thing to go. I should have done a lazy susan, but I was nervous about not having enough drawer space (and when I did my kitchen they didn't make a lazy susan with a drawer. However, I could still have done it..)

Best decision: 3 sinks. If you have any possible way to do it, make a separate sink for pareve.

Make sure you get sinks deep enough & faucets high enough for the biggest pot you're likely to use (think Yom Tov with extended family, maybe catering one day? We sometimes borrow an institutional size pot, maybe 20 qt, to make a huge batch of soup & freeze, but it's almost impossible to wash it.)
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amother
Magenta


 

Post Fri, Apr 15 2016, 3:54 pm
amother wrote:
I have one blind corner. I hate it. If I do any even minimal work on my kitchen, that will be the first thing to go. I should have done a lazy susan, but I was nervous about not having enough drawer space (and when I did my kitchen they didn't make a lazy susan with a drawer. However, I could still have done it..)

Best decision: 3 sinks. If you have any possible way to do it, make a separate sink for pareve.

Make sure you get sinks deep enough & faucets high enough for the biggest pot you're likely to use (think Yom Tov with extended family, maybe catering one day? We sometimes borrow an institutional size pot, maybe 20 qt, to make a huge batch of soup & frezer, but it's almost impossible to wash it.)

Can you explain what you mean by a blind corner and how drawers fit in to a corner cabinet whose contents are hard to reach?
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singleagain




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Apr 15 2016, 4:01 pm
I've never put in a kitchen, but one thing I learned from when my mother redid the kitchen, is... think in the long term, if the room the kitchen is now, really is the best room for it.... example, our kitchen where it is now, is long and narrow... my mom says that if she had ability to, she would take our long narrow kitchen and make it our dinning room, and make our large square dinning room, into a kitchen, so she could have an island, more counter space etc

---

also might want to look at HGTV shows with redoing houses, bc the ppl there make lots of comments re what they hate about the kitchen, and then why they love the reno
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cm




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Apr 15 2016, 4:07 pm
We designed our kitchen with our Jewish lifestyle in mind:

Self-cleaning ovens.
Stainless steel sinks and dishwasher.
Double sinks and ovens.
Warming drawer.
Low-tech fridge.
Hand washing sink.

We also chose:
Cabinets to the ceiling (no soffits)
Corner cabinets with pull-out shelves.
Cabinet with a drawer to hold nosh bags (we were going through a bamba-and-booty phase when the kitchen was done)
Pull out shelves in some lower cabinets for heavy appliances.
I do not have built-in lazy Susans, but bought regular large lazy-susans at a home store and put them in the cabinets. Very useful!

Regrets:
We later had lots more lighting installed.
Some of the overhead lights are not lined up right where I want them.
Probably other things I am not remembering right now...ask me in a few days when I am up to my neck in cooking.
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OOTBubby




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Apr 15 2016, 4:45 pm
We are almost finished building our new home. I had a large, nice kitchen in my old one, so I had a pretty good idea what I wanted. The kitchen is large with a huge island (4' x 10'). Obviously, I haven't used the new kitchen yet (iy"H in a month or so), but I have included the following:
3 extra deep stainless steel sinks with high faucets with incorporated spray heads
--fleishig one is a double bowl with one larger and one smaller bowl
--milchig & pareve ones are single smaller bowl ones
48" built in refrigerator
3 dishwashers
3 ovens (one double built in and one single built in)
2 cooktops
all drawers instead of bottom cabinets
lots of counter space
pull-out/pop-up cabinet for mixer
several pantry cabinets
all shabbos-mode compliant appliances
layout avoided any corner cabinets so no need to deal with blind corners/lazy susans, etc.
no outlets or switches on backsplash -- they are all under the top cabinets
under cabinet LED lighting
quartzite counters
utility area just off of the kitchen containing:
--pantry closet
--extra freezer
--linen closet
--broom closet
refrigerator & dishwashers have panel fronts to match the cabinetry

The garage entrance to the house (which we'll mainly use) opens into just off of the kitchen where there is a mud room with lots of shelves and hanging space.

I did a lot of research for everything, so if you have questions, just ask.
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anotherima




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Apr 15 2016, 4:54 pm
I would have liked a broom closet but don't have room for it in the new kitchen.
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amother
Violet


 

Post Fri, Apr 15 2016, 5:11 pm
A blind corner is a L shape where you have to reach way in to get things. It's very inconvenient. Much better to have a corner that swings out.
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amother
Magenta


 

Post Fri, Apr 15 2016, 5:13 pm
amother wrote:
A blind corner is a L shape where you have to reach way in to get things. It's very inconvenient. Much better to have a corner that swings out.

Cool, so the cabinet interior swings out when you open the door?
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amother
Cerulean


 

Post Fri, Apr 15 2016, 6:17 pm
OOTBubby wrote:
We are almost finished building our new home. I had a large, nice kitchen in my old one, so I had a pretty good idea what I wanted. The kitchen is large with a huge island (4' x 10'). Obviously, I haven't used the new kitchen yet (iy"H in a month or so), but I have included the following:

....
I did a lot of research for everything, so if you have questions, just ask.


OP here. It sounds extremely well thought out. Is there a way you could post a photo while protecting your identity? What color wood? What type of backsplash? What kind of floor?

Ain Domeh Description L'Picture.
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OOTBubby




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Apr 15 2016, 6:20 pm
amother wrote:
OP here. It sounds extremely well thought out. Is there a way you could post a photo while protecting your identity? What color wood? What type of backsplash? What kind of floor?

Ain Domeh Description L'Picture.

Right now I only have pictures of different parts. By Monday afternoon it will be much more in order and I'll try to get some pictures then.

The perimeter cabinets are an antiqued look cream with a gold glaze and the island cabinets are a dark brown. The counters on the perimeter are Perla Venata (similar to Taj Mahal -- light with gray, beige and gold streaks) and the counters on the island are Foresta -- lots of brown in the design.

The backsplash is the same as the counters -- going up the wall.

Flooring is porcelain tile in a color similar to the lighter counters, but somewhat darker.
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amother
Cerulean


 

Post Fri, Apr 15 2016, 6:46 pm
OOTBubby wrote:
Right now I only have pictures of different parts. By Monday afternoon it will be much more in order and I'll try to get some pictures then.

The perimeter cabinets are an antiqued look cream with a gold glaze and the island cabinets are a dark brown. The counters on the perimeter are Perla Venata (similar to Taj Mahal -- light with gray, beige and gold streaks) and the counters on the island are Foresta -- lots of brown in the design.

The backsplash is the same as the counters -- going up the wall.

Flooring is porcelain tile in a color similar to the lighter counters, but somewhat darker.


Thanks! Sounds beautiful. Ill definitely enjoy the photos.
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amother
Gold


 

Post Sat, Apr 16 2016, 10:35 pm
New amother here- would also love to see pics as we are in the process of building/ designing our new kitchen.

What are the measurements of your kitchen?
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OOTBubby




 
 
    
 

Post Sat, Apr 16 2016, 11:09 pm
amother wrote:
New amother here- would also love to see pics as we are in the process of building/ designing our new kitchen.

What are the measurements of your kitchen?


I will try to put some pictures up in a couple of days.

It is hard to give the measurements as it is almost triangular shaped. The longest leg is around 23.5',another leg is around 22' and the third leg is around 35' (but that leg isn't totally straight). It is very hard to explain. Maybe I'll try to make a drawing with the measurements if I can.
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OOTBubby




 
 
    
 

Post Sat, Apr 16 2016, 11:20 pm
Here is a drawing of the shape of the kitchen with dimensions marked.


Last edited by OOTBubby on Sat, Apr 16 2016, 11:24 pm; edited 2 times in total
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amother
Olive


 

Post Sat, Apr 16 2016, 11:22 pm
Built My house:

Worst in kitchen:
Lazy Susan- I hate them should have never put in
Built in garbage - not worth it at all.
My dishwasher broke after a year. Worst one ever. It's a fridgidaire

Best:
3 sinks (one in island)
All REALLY deep and big
Built in huge fridge and freezer
2 dishwashers
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12rivkyk34




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Apr 17 2016, 1:02 am
Recently moved into new house with custom kitchen & loving so many features Smile
Pro:
*All bottom cabinets are either drawers or pull-outs. This keeps things so organized and very accessible.
*For a microwave oven over regular counters I bought a trim kit from my appliance store to keep the microwave looking built in. Wasn't costly and looks great. I didn't want a drawer microwave so did that for fleishigs as I had a stainless hood over oven.
*I concur with having parve sink in island- I am making good use of it when baking even though I'm not such a huge baker. Great for challah pans, food processor, mixing bowl etc.
*Ask for extra large cans in garbage pull-outs. It makes a big difference in the amount of garbage you'll be able to keep in at a time.
*3 pendants over my island- so sparkly and adds so much light.
*Everyone has different needs. Draw your current kitchen and what goes into every cabinet and drawer. What are you lacking? What would you like? Then try to work with the kitchen designer to fit it all in. When I unpacked I knew EXACTLY where everything was going as I had went through it so many times in my head when designing the layout.

Regrets (BH nothing too bad):
*I put the spray for my island sink at the side closest to the end of my island- some kids who visit can't resist trying it. I should have put closer to inside of counter.
* My Whirlpool fridge has a pull-out drawer and the cover keeps popping off. The appliance store already sent us a new cover but it's happening again. Frustrating.
*My Bosch dishwasher comes with a 3rd rack. This significantly lessens the amount of space for storage on 2nd rack. When I have guests for shabbos I did not have enough room for all the dishes. I am now told that Miele makes one without impacting the 2nd rack (doesn't dip as low).

Good luck!
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ValleyMom




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Apr 17 2016, 1:33 am
I put in a new kitchen after we lost our home in a house fire. The BEST thing I did was hire a decorator/designer who helped design the entire kitchen for me and help me pick everything out because I was too overwhelmed with working full time and managing a household from a hotel room (and eventually a rental home)
She chose
HUGE DEEP stainless steel sinks from Italy- no dents in the heavy gauge sinks.
I got all GE appliance and am very happy with the quality. Once they were installed the company sent me spare grates and racks and knobs so I have extras for Pesach.
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sprayonlove




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Apr 17 2016, 8:45 am
amother wrote:
Lots of people arrange to put in their new kitchens this time of year, to avoid doing their kitchen for Pesach.

Those who put in kitchens in the recent past or now:

As people start doing their heavy Pesach cooking, theyll discover what they like and what they dislike, what theyre happy about, what they regret.

Which decisions/choices are you happy about?

Which decisions/choices are you unhappy about?


This was my first kitchen so I made some learning mistakes.

Best decisions:
2 sinks
2 ovens
Big island
Pendant lights over the island
Bottom freezer, top fridge
All lower drawers
Cabinet pullout in the corner
Upper cabinets with clear glass

Worst decisions:
The chalavi sink is way to small, should have made it bigger.
The meat sink isn't big enough either. I should have put in a stainless steel deep farmhouse sink - it's totally worth it.
Still not enough lighting. Should have installed more lighting.
Should have put in an appliance garage in a wasted upper corner. This corner of my kitchen just collects dust!

That's all I can think of right now.
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