My Kitchen Layout Design is Way Better Now!

by Wendy
(Chicago, IL)

We took one look at our kitchen layout design and knew that we needed to redo it...

As soon as we moved in, we gutted the kitchen. We took a wall down to open it up to the family room. We put down all new bamboo hardwood floors and I designed the kitchen myself!

What I love about the kitchen

Well, for one, I designed it. That makes me happy. I also love the kitchen layout. I designed it specifically for how it would function for us.

I love the little appliance garage I have at either end of the long run of cabinets, which we use to house our mixer (pictured above) and our coffee maker on the other side.

I love our appliances, in particular our trash compactor. I know a lot of people say they're awful because they get stinky. But nothing a little attention won't take care of every now and again. And honestly, we don't put our trash out that often because it takes forever to fill up a bag!

I love the stainless steel, although it is tough to keep clean (or so I hear ;o). Our 5 burner kitchen range is great because the grates are all even, so you can slide pots around easily. And our side by side refrigerator is cool with the stainless steel finish. Once you get used to where things are in the fridge, you only have to open one side. I LOVE that!

And we got an extra deep stainless sink. It really cuts down on the splashing.

The kitchen granite countertop I chose is really cool - it has flecks of silver and red that shimmer in the sun. As a result of the red, which I didn't notice until we were picking out our granite, I decided to go with red kitchen pendant lighting. I think I've settled on red glass tile backsplash, which I'll install in the Spring.

Another thing I love about the kitchen are my kitchen cabinet pulls. I got all 34 for under $50. eBay rocks!!

And the last thing I'm grateful we did is buying a bar-height table for the breakfast area. Because the counters are so high, we use full bar height stools at the breakfast bar. We use the same kitchen chairs in both locations, so adding more seats is easy and doesn't look odd.

What I don't like about the kitchen design

Well for one, the kitchen backsplash...because I haven't finished that yet!


Then there's the kitchen color. I can't stand the kitchen color I picked out for the walls. It drives me nuts every single day.

The dark bamboo kitchen flooring was a bit of a mistake with a yellow lab in the house and a 14 year old boy. But the dog's 11 1/2 .... The boy will always be a boy ;o).

I am not happy with the kitchen cabinets. I was dead set on a raised panel doors. They were sold to me as if they are 100% solid wood cabinets. And with those little samples, you can't really tell. But they're not solid wood. They seem "plastic" to me.

Since we got the 42" uppers, it stands out even more IMO. And honestly, KraftMaid did a really crappy job designing this particular line. Nothing lines up properly.

The kitchen cabinet crown molding was warped all 6 times they sent it to us, there's nothing to attach the crown molding to on top (so why even sell it as an option???), and there's no lip on the bottom of the cabinets to hide under cabinet kitchen lighting. My cabinets are the Amore Maple with a French Vanilla Bean Glaze.

Another thing I'm not to thrilled about, but I have to get over in order to save my marriage, is I truly built this kitchen customized for our family. The counters are 6" higher than normal. My 6'2" husband and his 6'6" brother love it.

And since they have to conform to our short world, I figured this was the least I could do. But honestly, I feel like a little person in a big world. Thankfully I arranged all the cabinets so everything I need to reach is on the bottom two shelves. The rest above could be in heaven for all I care!

It is rather comical to watch me have to stir anything on the stove or bake ... or cut for that matter. The one thing I made sure was they weren't so high that I couldn't get my foot on top of the counter and step up in one motion. That works for me when I have to get something out of heaven way up on the top shelves. The rest of the time I either sit on the counter or use a kitchen bar stool ... which is always close by. :o)

Overall though...I really love my new kitchen design!