If you were redoing your kitchen

amother

Wheat

Mon, May 01 2023, 1:00 pm

amother Narcissus wrote:

Tell me about the couch. Why and how does it not end up being a crumby sticky seating spot? Or is it in a big dinette area where the couch is off the kitchen?

Why should it? It's not for eating on. Ours isn't finished yet but it's so big it can be a lounge as well almost. We'll also have a 2 metre table, and 4 bar stools by the island so why would it get any dirtier than a kid eating a cracker in the living room?

Rubber Ducky

Mon, May 01 2023, 1:05 pm

honeymoon wrote:

A corner sink has to be farther in, making it more uncomfortable when washing dishes. During pregnancy, it's like washing dishes from a foot away...

Not always, but usually I do see corner sinks set too far back. It depends on the size of sink, size of cabinet, the type of cabinet (framed or frameless), whether the sink has rounded front corners, and the skill of the granite company. I specifically ask my preferred granite company to not set corner sinks more than 4" from the front counter edge.

amother

Azalea

Mon, May 01 2023, 1:21 pm

amother Narcissus wrote:

Tell me about the couch. Why and how does it not end up being a crumby sticky seating spot? Or is it in a big dinette area where the couch is off the kitchen?

The couch is not in the food prep area, it's near the table and chairs. The fabric is very durable (looks great 8 years in) and also my kids are big. So they may snack on the couch, but they don't wipe sticky fingers on it. The grandchildren do, but they aren't here every day.

To me, the couch is an acknowledgement that the kitchen is the heart of our house. Everyone hangs out here, so why not make it comfortable?

boymom

Mon, May 01 2023, 1:31 pm

Small sink for the kiddies. Otherwise they always mix up the sinks and wash their chicken coated fingers in the dairy sink! And they’re shlepping the step stool all the time to be able to reach the sink.

If you have a really big house, rather leave more dinette space than make a huge kitchen. A kitchen needs to be comfortable. There is only so much you can cook and bake at a time. When it’s too big, its hard to keep clean and uncluttered. Big dinette is great for shabbos afternoon shalosh seudos when the marrieds come or even for making simchos.

Pot filler unnecessary as someone mentioned above. If you can’t lift the pot anymore, then you shouldn’t be cooking so much.

I don’t like cabinets that have a glass door. If you do, make sure you have something nice to display.

cookier

Mon, May 01 2023, 1:44 pm

I’d design based on the idea of the work triangle, one for each flavor. At each station I’d want:
-Double basin sink with sprayers
-under cabinet refrigerator drawers
-pull out trash can
-dishwasher
-ample work space

I think I’d put an island in the middle with a range top accessible from both sides. Maybe wall ovens on either side of the island.

And a pesach kitchen.

Chayalle

Mon, May 01 2023, 1:53 pm

I have one corner sink (the other is in the middle of the counter, under the window) and I love it. It's not very far back for me. True, I haven't been pg with it (and I'm sorta past that age). But I had same in my old house, and I don't remember it being a particular hardship during pg of DD. I guess both were well-spaced.

True that the corner space behind the sink is hard to get to. I just keep it empty, and I wipe it down here and there. I like empty counter space anyway.

ETA: No couch in my kitchen, but I have a dining area and VERY comfortable kitchen chairs (that I got on an Amazon deal some time ago, and right after I got them they just about quadrupled in price. It must have been a mistake or something....)

Chayalle

Mon, May 01 2023, 1:56 pm

Ema of 5 wrote:

Lots of counter space, cabinets, and drawers
A large counter space next to or opposite the oven and the fridge
Double oven
Side by side full fridge and full freezer
3 sinks
At least 2 full size dishwashers
Island counter space for eating
Sink disposals
Filters on or next to all sinks
A sprayer (not sure what the technical name is) next to all sinks
BIG sinks, big enough to fit a big pot and a large pan next to each other, but not crazy deep

That's pretty much what the island is. I love that I can get things from the pantry and fridge, dump on island, start baking, and move it right to the oven from the other side.....

I don't use my island for eating. I have a table/chair area for that.

And I love my big "D" sinks. Deep enough, wide enough, big enough.....

Ema of 5

Mon, May 01 2023, 2:02 pm

Chayalle wrote:

I have both, but not everyone has space for an island. If you don’t, large counter space next to the oven is the next best thing.

honeymoon

Mon, May 01 2023, 2:41 pm

Chayalle wrote:

Apparently, it has to do with the shape and size of the sink. My mom also has corner sinks and they are very far back.

honeymoon

Mon, May 01 2023, 2:45 pm

If you are doing pull-out garbage cans make sure they are big. Most pull-outs are so small that, with a large family, you need to take out the garbage several times a day. Customize it so that it can fit a can that holds a 30-gallon bag.

If space allows for it, do a walk-in pantry. If not, make sure the pantry shelves aren't too deep. Deep shelves are almost impossible to keep organized and don't allow you to see everything in there without shuffling things around.

amother

Narcissus

Mon, May 01 2023, 2:55 pm

amother Azalea wrote:

I'm intrigued and I might just move my couch there to try it.
How far is your living room? How is that furnished? I'm trying to understand if this is a great addition or it's almost a replacement for what I use the living room for.

amother

Wheat

Mon, May 01 2023, 2:59 pm

cookier wrote:

You'll often get it designed for you, from the company who you're getting the kitchen from. So I trusted them, and they talked it over with me in 3D on a big screen to see if we were happy. We had umpteen appointments for ours, more so for the layout and practicality. After that was the fun bit, chosing materials/colours and finishes.

amother

Red

Mon, May 01 2023, 3:01 pm

Bnei Berak 10 wrote:

Two sinks and not side by side
Dishwasher meat
Three ovens
If possible a pesach kitchen a close as possible to your regular kitchen or it least most of pesach items stored close to your regular kitchen (who wants to schlepp boxes from basement or attic)
A hood

What is wrong with sinks side by side?

amother

Wheat

Mon, May 01 2023, 3:02 pm

amother Narcissus wrote:

If you have space for it, why not try? It won't replace our living room couches. We have a small couch in our bedroom too.
I guess we're a family of couch potatoes Smile

but I love it!

amother

Wheat

Mon, May 01 2023, 3:03 pm

amother Red wrote:

What is wrong with sinks side by side?

A lot wrong with it, if you were redoing a kitchen most people would avoid it.
I had it in Israel separated by a small partition and hated it.

Bnei Berak 10

Mon, May 01 2023, 3:06 pm

amother Red wrote:

What is wrong with sinks side by side?

Unless they have a separation by means of a partition I wouldn't have side by side.

amother

Red

Mon, May 01 2023, 3:12 pm

Bnei Berak 10 wrote:

Unless they have a separation by means of a partition I wouldn't have side by side.

What about sinks with a space of about 12-24 inches?

amother

Wheat

Mon, May 01 2023, 3:15 pm

amother Red wrote:

What about sinks with a space of about 12-24 inches?

They should ideally be in different stretches of work surfaces. I'm not sure if those would need a partition but things splash further than you think.

amother

Narcissus

Mon, May 01 2023, 3:45 pm

amother Wheat wrote:

If you have space for it, why not try? It won't replace our living room couches. We have a small couch in our bedroom too.
I guess we're a family of couch potatoes Smile

but I love it!

I think I might! Very Happy

amother

Buttercup

Mon, May 01 2023, 3:56 pm

the rule is NEVER EVER EVER PUT A SINK IN THE ISLAND!!
I know it's tempting, but it will MESS UP the symmetry of your kitchen BADLY
Imagine a tall faucet in the center of the kitchen (where the island is)... it will automatically draw your eye there and will look AWKWARD