The above picture is a rendering of my proposed kitchen remodel floor plan with window seats.
The most exciting development in the last week is that a Paonia, Colorado customer has asked if she could have my old cabinets and help with the demolition project. She came over, made measurements, took pictures, went home and called back a little while later saying she thought everything would work in her kitchen and is very excited and so am I.
I really am old-fashioned at heart, I believe in the old adage of “use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.”
So why am I no longer making do with these serviceable cabinets, then?
My kitchen remodeling project has several goals:
1. Replace/Update 35 year old appliances that are not repairable.
2. Re-do the kitchen layout so the kitchen can accommodate more people and add an island to facilitate traffic flow.
3. Expand the existing small kitchen space into the existing dining space to add a desk and get family paperwork off kitchen counters and move the dining room table into the existing sun room, a large space that is underutilized.
4.) Most importantly, I intend this “new” kitchen to be my future studio for producing instructional DVD’s.
In the last week I have been able to reduce the cabinet costs by choosing to use rustic alder (it’s on sale this month) instead of rustic cherry, making minor cabinet modifications that don’t take away from the original design, and identifying other cost saving options.
My plan is to order the new cabinets next week, and use the week-end to decide whether to keep the window seat cabinets (lots of extra storage and seating) or eliminate these cabinets from the project to cover other costs. An elder in our church who I consult when facing big decisions has encouraged me to give myself permission to waffle back and forth in the next few days, – yes, I want the window cabinets, no – I can live without them. So that is what I’m going to do.
The above picture shows a representation of the kitchen without the window seat cabinets. Whether I do with or without the window seat I will be putting a small bistro table in the space in front of the window for eating. The funny looking beams at the ceiling line represent beams going up to a cathedral ceiling in the new kitchen area. The existing kitchen area ceiling will have to stay the traditional 8 feet.
I’d love to hear from you with your thoughts.
Marilyn – I love your layout. Labor Day weekend 2003 our house flooded from the top floor to the basement while we were out of town. We ended up moving in with my Mom for 8 months. The year before we had plans drawn up to expand the back of our house (3 floors), but the price came back as what a small house would cost. When the house flooded, we decided to at least expand our kitchen and add a screened porch. The new part of my kitchen has cathedral ceilings with two sky lights. I love it!!! The old part of the kitchen is still the 8 foot ceilings. I thought this might look weird, but you really do not notice it and no one has walked into our house and made some comment about the ceilings being different. The one thing we could have done was to raise the beam that supports the back of the house so that it would have been flush with the old ceiling, but my husband and our contractor thought about it too late. Still, it has not been a problem. Even though I do not know you, except from reading your emails and your blog, I am excited for you in getting a new kitchen. I have loved every minute in mine. I have so much more space and went from an electric range to a gas – never used gas before- I love it!!! Sorry for the long comment. There is a lot more I could share, I am a Christian, and even though Satan meant the flood for the bad, God turned it into more than one blessing!!
Marilyn,
I so appreciate your heart and desire to be frugal and economical. However, I must say that after all that you’ve been through recently, I think that God is thrilled to provide a new kitchen for you. I hope that you don’t feel like you have to justify your remodel or expenses to your readers. We trust your walk with Jesus and the wise friends and family that are journeying with you. I hope that you enjoy every beautiful inch of your new kitchen, and I trust that God will infinitely multiply your precious ministry in the lives of families around the world.
Congratulations!
With a Thankful Heart for Your Life…
Sheila,
I really appreciate the vote of confidence. I am planning to put in a gas stove top so I can still do canning and use my existing Jenn-Air venting system.
Marilyn
Hi Marilyn,
If you decide to do without the window seat for now, you can probably always keep measurements for that section and find a cute bench with storage to put there. Finding it used could save you a lot. Until then, you can keep some nice house plants there so it won’t look so empty 😀 Otherwise, I love the lay-out. It’s very pretty. Lord bless you in all your decisions!
Looks fantastic. The only thing I recommend you think about is a butcher block island. I have one in the center of my kitchen. And it is the best decision I EVER made.
There is a picture of it at the bottom of this page.
http://www.simplycanning.com/pressure-canning.html
Sharon
I like your new kitchen. My vote is you go ahead and put in the window seat. It would be nice to sit and look out the window with a nice cup of herbal tea. The times of quiet reflection can inspire more creativity and ideas to pursue for more productivity to offset the expenses. Good luck on your remodeling.
Go for the window seat, you will not be dissapointed. Also, I would increase the size of your island to make it alittle longer because of having the cook top on the island. This would allow you space to mix, put extra canning items on it,etc. Or if you are going to give any demonstrations, you will need space to line up cooking supplies & ingredients on the same island as the cook top, all at your fingertips. So from what I see I think you would be better to make the island a little longer. I have a small kitchen 8 x 10, and we have 9 people in our family. So Good & Creative use of space is the key.
Hello Marilyn. by all means keep the window box seat. it will serve for 2 fold purpose, storage and when the grandchildren come over to play,they will have a place to use for their toys, like helping you cook and such, they love helping in the kitchen. Plus you get to set and feast on the word in they early morning sun light, Now what could be better then that. Lord Bless.
Hi Marilyn,
It’s great to see a picture of your kitchen with 2 ways to do it. I think you’ll be happy either way window seat with a fun fabric on the cushions or a fun bistro table to enjoy that morning coffee or tea with the family. As you know I love my new kitchen and I’m happy that we spent time in deciding the extras that would add to it. Like the butcher block island and the sliding glass door. Trust yourself in this decision you’ll love the results.
Bev
Marilyn,
I LOVE your kitchen design, I agree with the others that you should go for the window seat! I think you will enjoy it when you have it and when looking at the design it makes the kitchen flow into the office space better, in my opinion (I grew up in a Kitchen and Bath Showroom, my dad was a kitchen designer). Also we had a friend who got his butcher block for his island from a science lab supply company. It was way cheaper but was just as nice looking. If you’d like I’ll see if I can get the contact info for you! God Bless you in this remodel. I can already see your DVD’s coming out! Thank you for all the things you do to encourage all of us Mom’s out here!
Sarah
Hi, Marilyn.
Two years ago my family moved from our 1941 cottage style home in the city to a pretty home in the country. I am very happy with our new place, but if there was a way to do it, I’d build a window seat just like the one we had at the old house. Ours had bookshelves on both ends and was wide enough to comfortably sit across it. I hung a bird feeder at the window and loved sitting there alone or with the children,reading the Word,looking out the window, reading recipes, and planning menus. I think you’ll love it.
Sheri