snoozingpug.typepad.com > Kitchen

Cabinets

The cabinets and appliances were all installed in 1981 when the seller did a whole-house renovation. We are replacing all cabinets with cream-glazed maple cabinets. The island cabinets will be replaced by warm brown stained cherry cabinets.

The range will be moved to where the sink is currently, and the sink will go in the island, which will all be counter-height, with an eating area on one side and a workspace on the other. Countertops will be black and tan natural granite, appliances will be the KitchenAid Superba line, in stainless steel. A stainless steel range hood will go over the range on this wall, venting along the top of the cabinets to the outside.

The soffit above these cabinets will be removed and, if the molding is in good enough shape behind it on the ceiling, the soffit will not be replaced, allowing a continuous ceiling molding over the entire kitchen, similar to the adjacent parlor.

Ceiling detail

The medallion in the center of the kitchen ceiling is quite pretty, although the hanging lamp/fan needs to go. We will keep recessed lighting in the ceiling, although we will try to make the holes a little smaller than the large floodlights that currently provide light. The moldings in the kitchen and parlor are quite pretty and we will be restoring them (strip, etc.).

Peninsula, pantry, and door to entryway

The range is in the bottom corner of this picture, with a built-in red laminate pantry, and the glass door to the entryway. All of this will change with the renovation. Unfortunately, we may have to lose the glass door if we install a small powder room under the staircase here.

Opposite wall, view 1

Here is what the right side of the bricked-over chimney wall looks like. There is a built-in oak glass front cabinet that is providing nice storage space for the moment. We will be replacing this unit with a full wall of cream cabinets and granite countertops. We are considering the very top, center red color (Spanish Red, Benjamin Moore Paints) for the kitchen area and the golden color below it for the parlor. Still in debate phase, though.

Opposite side of the Kitchen, view 2

This shot of the kitchen shows the opening for the pocket doors into the parlor, along with some sample paint colors on an old chimney that has been bricked up and painted over. This old chimney wall will be dressed up with more cream cabinets (some with glass fronts) and granite countertops.

The peninsula (and range) is visible in the foreground.

Fridge (and a pug!)

Here's a shot of the current refridgerator configuration. The new fridge is a KitchenAid Counter-Depth side by side in stainless steel. The cabinets will be replaced by new cream-glazed Maple, black and tan granite countertops, and the yellow plastic laminate backsplash will be replaced with tumbled stone tile with a mat pattern of metal tiles. We are keeping the beautiful inlaid wood floors, but they will be refinished.

A/C unit

This is the a/c unit that has been installed through the back wall of the kitchen to the outside. It is hideously ugly, overpoweringly cold, and extremely noisy. We have decided to install central a/c and this unit will be removed and the exterior and interior walls will be patched. The central a/c system is ductless and relies on small refrigeration lines that run along the exterior wall, tapping into split ducts that are installed on the interior walls.

Notice how dirty the walls are in the house - we are looking forward to having them scrubbed and painted *soon*.

Kitchen main wall

Remember the heavy soffit hanging from the ceiling? The garish plasticky red cabinets, yellow formica countertops, and the brown ceramic sink and oversized fridge?

GONE! Replaced with cream cabinets, black granite countertops, a dual-fuel stainless steel range and range hood, counter-depth fridge, and the hand-molded reconstructed plaster ceiling.

In the foreground you can see the cherry cabinets to contrast with the cream cabinets that line the walls. YAY!

Range Detail

A closer photo of the KitchenAid dual-fuel range (gas stovetop, electric convection oven).

We are in love with this appliance. The first thing we "cooked" was heated-up taco shells, which I swear were the best that we have ever had. So evenly heated! :)

Opposite Wall View 1

The bank of cabinets provides an awesome amount of storage space. And with the heavy oak cabinet gone from the corner, it lightens up the space and lets the sunshine stream through the window.

Opposite wall, View 2

Ah....remember that wall of paint swatches and dirty white walls?

Here is the new-and-improved version, with the new cabinets with antiqued glass doors, black granite countertops, a better hanging light fixture, refinished pocket doors (which lead to the parlor). Cherry-finish stools line the eat-in peninsula which now houses a double undermount stainless steel sink and the awesome pull-out Kohler faucet instead of the horrible corroded 20-year old leaky gas range.

Cherry peninsula detail and back wall

This is the area where the old stove previously stood. Replaced by a batch of cherry cabinets, sink, and dishwasher.

You can also see the repaired wall above the peninsula where previously the old A/C unit went through the back wall. We decided on a ductless split until for air conditioning to the first floor, which is what the contraption hanging at the top of the wall near the window is. This is the blower, the compressor and condensor is located in the backyard, so the system is quiet and less obtrusive. Had we gone with a central a/c system on this floor (we did on the top two levels of the house), we would have needed to cut ducts through the beautiful historic molding that covers the ceilings on this level and we just weren't willing to do it.

Under-Peninsula Storage

We snuck some extra cabinet space underneath the peninsula.