We're planning a new kitchen

[CapeTownMommy]

So... where can I find great pictures for inspiration? We've done the basic design, but need to decide on materials and fittings etc. Any advice welcome!

[prov31craftymom]

No advice, but I'll give you a :bump:bump:bump!

[mamacat]

IKEA has tons of pics of kitchen cabinets and different layouts in their catalogs & online.Even if you arent planning on getting cabinets from them it might be helpful.Also if you go to HGTV online and look around you might find a kitchen design section or something.......

[Lady Grey]

Try doing a google image search with your color scheme - for example "red and white kitchen" etc....

[HomeyT]

for me it was magazine pics. i pulled out any pics that resonnated with me. then flipped through them all a million times, and it gave a picture of what schemes i really liked.

[Tuesdayschild]

No new picture suggestions (except the picture forum here ;) ) but in terms of design you should consider having a lower counter at the area of an inbuilt hotplate iyswim. That way cooking is *much* easier on your back and shoulders :yes

Just drop it about 10cm lower than the standard height, and have stone or metal on either side so you have a place to put hot pans.

[CapeTownMommy]

No new picture suggestions (except the picture forum here ;) ) but in terms of design you should consider having a lower counter at the area of an inbuilt hotplate iyswim. That way cooking is *much* easier on your back and shoulders :yes

Just drop it about 10cm lower than the standard height, and have stone or metal on either side so you have a place to put hot pans.

Not sure what you mean - is this for the hob? Should we have the hob lower than standard counter height? We are doing a separate hob and oven so it is possible, I've just never thought about this.

[Tuesdayschild]

Yeah, the hob and some space around it a little lower. I've never seen it anywhere except in my mother's kitchen, as far as I know it's her idea! You can see in the pots better, stir more easily, you have to lift heavy pans less far, ime it's great. If we ever manage to get a new kitchen I will def. be doing it.

eta, what kind of style are you into? modern? rustic?

[CapeTownMommy]

Dh likes more rustic, I like more modern. :giggle So I don't know exactly what we'll be doing yet!

I will definitely explore the option of the lower hob :ty

[Tuesdayschild]

A Shaker-style kitchen might be a good mix of clean lines and rustic...

Here are two pictures:

Number 1 (http://www.homesandgardens.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=1662&g2_serialNumber=2)

Number two (http://www.ukhomeideas.co.uk/images/fired-earth/original-shaker-kitchen.jpg)

[HomeyT]

i was in the same boat with my kitchen, a rustic country home, which my husband loves, and me fighting with it's style all the way :) so i chose to work with it as best i could....but with modern convenience and simple lines. my kitchen is like pic 1. the wooden countertops were DH's idea. I didn't know at first, but I LOVE Them...although more maintenance. our cabinets are plain white. our knobs will be more rustic (yet to be installed). then we have stainless steel appliances. LOVE THEM! we went whitish walls, with exposed shelves, and a grey floor...all make the oak countertop POP. I really liked airy...and i thought rustic meant all wood, and earthy colours. but we found a compromise. oh we also put in a country white ceramic sink from ikea! LOVE IT too! :)

[CapeTownMommy]

I LOVE that first pic. Will show dh - it's a very nice mix of rustic and modern, you're right! :ty

[Aerynne]

I just redid mine. We had a leak, so we had to do it, but we put in some extra and made it beautiful!

A few suggestions- deep lower drawers instead of cabinets- so much easier to get out what you need.

We put in a kids' cabinet on the end ouf our island that was shallow and we keep some silverware and dishes in there- so nice for the kids to get their own stuff.

We got quartz countertops by hanstone and I love them!

Don't put pergo on the floor. That was the reason we had to redo our floor after the leak instead of just mopping it up. Then we did tile, and we did it at a 45 degree angle (diagonal). That is cool looking.

Spice racks on the inside of cabinet doors are wonderful!

If you want to redo lighting, the clearance lighting at Home Depot is great. We spent $12 each on 2 tracks with 3 lights each and combined them to 1 track with six lights. $24 for kitchen lighting is a bargain!

Buy those tiny paint sample cans to make sure you like your paint at your house on your walls before you buy a big can.

It will take longer and cost more than you thought, sorry to say.

Not sure what you're doing during the actual remodel, but we set up a makeshift kitchn in the living room with fridge, microwave, toaster oven, paper plates and utensils, etc. It was nice to be able to cook some things. If you can freeze some stuff in advance, even better (my dd spent six weeks complaining about how gross frozen pizza was in comparison to my homemade pizza).

PM me if you want pics of my kitchen and I'll email them to you. If you don't, that's okay, too. Our walls are khaki with a dark red accent wall, knotty maple cabinets with a reddish finish, and black countertops with brown speckles.

[Tuesdayschild]

ITTTTTA with the deep drawers - the more the better! Great for everything - baking stuff, pans, crockery, serving platters, lasagne dishes... you name it, it can be 'drawer-ed'.

Get things inbuilt where possible, much 'sleeker' (since you like modern), and if not in-built, hide your microwave behind a cupboard door that opens upwards (not out and up, but parallel to the cupboards iyswim).

I would suggest keeping work surfaces as clear as possible, and things behind doors as much as possible - saves A LOT of dusting ;)

The Ikea website has lots of good ideas for planning, organisation of space etc.

My dream is to take a sledgehammer to the wall between the kitchen and the dining room :shifty I would make a large, light family room, with cooking space, eating space and a kids' playing & crafting space. If you have a big room to work with, consider what activities are likely to go on there besides the cooking (like doing homework in a few years time? - you'll need ot think beyond what you need *now* with a baby and a toddler, to what you'll need with two (or more?) primary-school kids. Kitchens need to last, they are pricey!).

[katiekind]

This is an amazing forum for kitchen remodeling:
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/kitchbath/ (advice threads)
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/kitchbath/nph-ind.cgi?type=gal (gallery for picture threads)

(Although there are picture threads and advice threads in both places)

And people who post in the forum there often archive their finished kitchen pictures at the link below, including details of the materials they used, approximate costs, etc.
Watch out! You could spend hours poring over these links!

http://finishedkitchens.blogspot.com/

[CapeTownMommy]

Wow, you ladies are very helpful! Off to pore over some links. :mrgreen