With the timber floor commitment made HERE, (delivery and installation still to be arranged) my thoughts are onto the next possible project... frustratingly, money for building supplies is not our enemy ATM, but time is.
Paying someone else to do what David can, when time allows, is money ill spent. So, patience it is.
With this in mind, my thoughts have returned to the kitchen.
I nutted out the plan eons ago and the beautiful B, from B is Building a House, who has sadly evaporated from the blogosphere (please email sweetie if you're still reading!) generously drew some 3D plans to assist in visualisation.
The design is mostly the same so now I'm on to tweaks and all important details!
These are my current thoughts....
I am thinking about placing the cook top and sink in-line on the back wall and eliminating the microwave / oven stack. These can be located under counter instead.
I'm currently using an in-line arrangement in our temporary kitchen (the downstairs laundry) and it works well. I'll miss the convenience of a wall mounted oven but this will streamline the back wall. The prominent island will also become devoid of any dish cleaning clutter. The back wall will be topped in stainless steel (LOVED this in our last place) as a heavy duty and practical work surface. I like the idea of a thin edge profile.
I'd like the overhead cupboards to be constructed as long, low units that lift upwards as these images show. I like the horizontal line emphasised, tying into horizontal elements in the house facade.
I don't want handles.
The Island, being free of the sink, would be a single, large serving area. I'm still holding onto the Cararra or Calacutta dream for this; 20 mm thick and flush with the cabinetry below. (Plain white Ceasarstone is the default option) As it will be 1200 deep, I can have cupboards or drawers on both sides. The outer side, visible from the dining room can be more decorative....maybe something like these:
Again, repeating the horizontal shadow line I 'm fond of.
On the right hand side will be the pantry and home office set up but shallower than originally planned. 450 mm should be adequate.
I like the concepts in the images below but am not sure how to make the doors work ? Davey will not entertain the use of pocket door either!
Material wise, I would love the rear and right hand side joinery to be constructed with Matt lacquered, quarter sawn, black-stained oak al la my god; Mr Natale but am anticipating this to be out of our budget. Without finding a black-ish textured laminate that's similar, then 5% gloss Dulux Domino 2-pac polyurethane it will be. The island and fridge joinery will be 5% gloss Dulux Natural White 2-pac too.
Counter tops: Stainless steel rear, Marble Island (fingers crossed)
Floors: Matt Oak.
Appliance wise, I'm in a quandary. I have already bought a sink, Miele dishwasher and oven and integrated Ilve range hood. The oven has been temporarily installed in the laundry but having looked at the price of my preferred cook top, (Barazza Lab, below left) I think I'll leave the oven downstairs and buy a 900 wide Ilve freestanding instead. ? We already have a fridge in situ, so a microwave is the only other appliance needed.
I've posted about the proposed kitchen quite a few times and it has morphed considerably. It can't be installed until the timber floor is laid (which we're waiting to do after the bathrooms and decks are tiled!) so we're still awhile off. I wonder how much of this post will change?
I think I'm starting to lock down all the details though in prep for a green light! Changes are easier done here than regrets when it's built!
x KL
Thank you for stopping by my blog.
You are very welcome and encouraged to comment, I love receiving feedback!
How exciting that the kitchen is nearly at a point that you'll be ordering and installing it. You've certainly been very patient, and as for your ideas changing, I think this is natural as you go through, finesse and question your original decisions. Love all your finish options
ReplyDeleteThe image with the two doors in them, the first are a standard sliding bifold mechanism, the second are pocket doors with the mechanism you commonly find on tv cabinets where the door hinge system are concealed in the pocket and the doors recess into it after being opened. I used them once on a project on very high doors (they were Hafele brand) in a kitchen to conceal a bar, and they were pretty hard to use on very high doors as they were quite stiff. No idea if they loosened up over time, or just required a readjustment, but I know the client found them a bit unwieldy. For a pantry this might be worth considering…
In terms of timber oak finish, you could try looking at the Abet Laminati range (it's Italian Laminate). I know they have a black oak that has a bit of a textured finish and is matt in the range. You'll need handles with laminate though, as you can't do the profile on the doors to do handleless (although you could do magnetic push catches I suppose).
Also, I've just realised that I've been clicking off your page having pressed publish before doing the word verification, so all my comments on previous posts must've been lost!! So sorry! I've been reading along (and commenting)…
Hate the thought of 'missing' someone's comments! Damn! I' get frustrated with quite a few Wordpress sites where I lose my comment when attempting to remember my login password!
DeleteThanks for your feedback with the kitchen Heidi. I know how the door mechanisms work but I was more questioning how I could open up the pantry / desk area without using either of the pictured options? Hinged doors would block thoroughfare around the island and David (and our joiner) refuse to use pocket doors due to prior experience with damage when retracting. Urgh. I hadn't thought through the handle-less profile and laminate incompatability. Thanks so much for drawing my attention to that; if I find a nice laminate, might need to look at a square edge with shadowline as opposed to a sharknose edge. Off to see what I can squizz online about Abet Laminati as suggested! Thank you again! x KL
Ok, ignore my last bit - you've turned the word verification off!! Obviously the comments just got lost in cyberspace somewhere instead… x
ReplyDeleteI haven't turned the verification thingy off...will have to play around and make sure I'm not losing yours and others contributions which I so much value!
DeleteYour ideas are amazing. I love that sleek, modern look, but my husband is a bit more traditional, so our house is in between, but if I had my way it would look just like this post!
ReplyDeleteStacy
Hi Stacy! I must admit that I'm struggling with the modern look. I much prefer a bit of soul and character...would have liked to have had a single panel shaker door profile but hubs disagreed with me that it would still work here. Oh well; as you have done, sometimes it's easier to compromise and let them have a few wins! LOL!
DeleteYour kitchen plans sound fabulous! I would have loved a marble benchtop but sadly the budget didn't allow it. Maybe in the next house :) Can't wait to see your vision come to life!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment! The marble island top is a wish list item for here...I may not be able to afford when the time comes but I've got my fingers firmly crossed!
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