kitchen for my dream house (granite, floor plan, counter, sand)

[kelly237]

We are gathering ideas & pictures before we actually begin to
find floorplans that may work. We are thinking 2 baths with one bath being between the 2 extra bedrooms. About 2000 sqft. Open feel between
living room and kitchen.

Here is my question ,..I was thinking a large freestanding kitchen bar
but I just saw a photo of a kitchen with a large table where the bar would be.
That picture has me unsure if I want a bar or table.

I love the thought of being so close to the kitchen for coffee & reading the paper and for easy sandwiches , ect. It has a tuscan feel to me to be
right there inthe kitchen ..Thoughts???

[bluesky42day]

How fun!

A picture of the looks you're going for would help, but in the mean time, below are the ones I like!









I feel like a breakfast bar would add more resale value in the future than just having a table there.
Courtney

[donie1]

I love the kitchens above. I just brought a house and will have to demolish the whole kitchen but I can see the second and fourth picture of the kitchen in my home.

[desertsun41]

Kelly you are beginning your plan correctly. Gather up pictures and ideas. But I want to guide you on the next step so you don't get ripped off. After you have your head filled with ideas and your arms full with picture ideas, I want you to drive right past the big box stores. Unless you want a disaster and over pay by double for your new kitchen that is.

Here is part 2 of your research. Visit NKBA National Kitchen & Bath Association where you can spend days reading up ideas. There are a few thousand photos as well as listings of Certified Kitchen Designers. You can also ask technical questions which fools like me are happy to help. The big box stores do not employ Certified Designers. They never have and never will. Instead they promote a floor person to be a cabinet salesperson. They give these minimum wage clerks a 3 day course on how to lay out kitchens for profit. NOT for maximum functional design for you the consumer.

You as a consumer will see your new kitchen come to life on the screen but be very short changed. You will have no idea what you are missing in regard to design possibilities because they don't know anything about design to tell you. This is why you must use a CKD to walk you through your new dream kitchen. Again, NKBA can guide you there AND IT'S FREE!!!!!!

The following is just a piece of what I teach:
1. Be prepared to tell your Designer what your budget is. There is no sense in showing expensive cherry doors when you have an oak or maple budget.

2. Have pictures of kitchens you saw something in it that you like

3. Be prepared to change your mind because you will be introduced to things you never knew existed.

4. Be prepared to change your tastes. Designers come into your project with a fresh viewpoint and (hopefully) a lot of knowledge with ideas you may not have heard of.

5. Put function first, then looks. Your kitchen can be drop dead gorgeous but if you have to trip over the island to get to the oven then what good is it.

6. Expect to look at 3D drawings looking at your new kitchen from several angles.

7. Finally expect to get a firm price based on the drawing. Keep in mind any change will change the price. And many times the design is changed several times before it's to your liking.

*Do not expect anyone to give you a price either by phone or just by walking in your door and looking.
*Do not accept a price per lineal foot from anyone. It is not even close to being accurate.

I would like you to go to your local small kitchen showroom. There are a lot of good ones in your golden triangle area of NC. Make sure they discount from list price. Nearly everyone today does except Home Depot and Lowes who still charge full MSRP or list price.

You're welcome to look at my web site for more info under HOW TO BUY CABINETS. Don't worry, I ain't selling anything. I educate instead.

[kelly237]

desert sun...Thanks so much for great advice!!!

blue sky...I love the pictures you posted...That is what I was after until I saw this picture and then I remembered other kitchens like this in movies that I had always liked


This is the link with the table where the counter height bar often goes.

Kitchen with International Style - Photos - SouthernLiving.com

Be sure to scroll through the series of photos to the floor plan drawing.

I am thinking through many situations and the holidays will help me think through
using our kitchen to the max this month. Tonight 4 of us made tacos in 5 minutes and all had room to work. All while one daughter set and talked at the bar. Would a lower table have the same function??
Often we leave the food on the bar and serve from there,
If we have just a table would that bother me ???

[RooCeleste]

Our kitchen/family room/breakfast nook is a totally open concept. Separating the kitchen from the family room, I have a 40 sq. ft. island (very similar to the last picture with light colored granite that bluesky posted) with a sink. I LOVE IT! I have tucked four saddle barstools underneath the overhang so that they're very handy when needed, and out of the way when not. Our breakfast nook is off to the side with a table, although nobody ever sits at it - we are always at the big island! If you want to look at our floorplan with that design, you can go to www.gehanhomes.com and see their Harvard plan.

[pennquaker09]

You can most certainly buy your cabinets from Home Depot or Lowes if you desire. They do happen to employ certified designers.