If you were remodeling your kitchen from the studs up?

[maddyjohn]

I'm doing a down-to-the-studs remodel of my kitchen in a few months, and looking for some collective wisdom here. If you were in my shoes, what are your must-haves? Anyone who's gone through a remodel, what mistakes should I avoid? What do you love about your kitchen?
miles from Atlanta to Orlando 200 usd to btc


Some things I'm thinking about:



Gas or induction cooktop?



Tile or vinyl floors?



Undermount or farm house sink?

[truckcab79]

I’ve built 3 kitchens to date starting right back to bare brickwork. Unless you’re going for a mega-bucks build then have a look at Ikea kitchens. Superb quality. Back when I used to buy loads of interior and design mags I found inevitably most super-spec kitchens were Ikea carcasses with custom doors so that what I used. Even if you don’t use their cabinets then the free design design software is worth using just to play with layouts and stuff.

I personally would only ever have gas for a hob. It’s far more responsive to cook on. Conversely I’d only ever have electric for an oven.

If you have space then two ovens are essential. If you don’t, or you want a range cooker then buy one with a single large oven, not split into two. You’ll end up with one standard sized one and one that’s too small to be of any use. Advantage of using two ovens is also that it looks super-luxe but you can use cheaper ovens if cost is an issue.

Don’t buy anything Smeg. Style over substance. Utter rubbish and will cost you a fortune in repairs. Buy German if budget permits but if not then any well-known mainstream brand is perfectly adequate.

Build everything in. Appliances will cost you more and things like washing machines will have a smaller capacity but it will massively improve the overall appearance. Include things like coffee machines in this and anything else that creates clutter on the worktop.

Loads and loads of power sockets to avoid untidy trailing flexes or having to move stuff to use it. When you think you have enough add some more. You can get pop up ones that come out of the worktop if you need to add any in positions where wall mounted might be an issue.

‘Designer’ taps can be stupid money but don’t overlook Ikea, the likes of B&Q or Screwfix. All will be stealing ‘the look’ at a fraction of the price.

I know people that swear by lino or the posh versions such as Amtico. Personally wouldn’t touch it. They all look like plastic floors to me regardless of price. For a decent finish always tile. Larger tiles always look more expensive then small. Wood floors look good anywhere. That’s what I’ve always fitted in ours. Avoid laminate but any decent quality engineered plank will be fine and will stand up to spills so long as you don’t do anything daft like leave standing water on it for hours. You can get plastic trays designed to sit under washing machines and the like to further protect.

If you tile, fit underfloor heating. Water if you can, electric if not. Don’t expect too much out of it if you’re building over a floor with a void under it though. But if you’re on concrete then they work brilliantly.

Worktops make a kitchen. Use the best you can afford. If you can only afford laminate then never choose a gloss one. It will look cheap. Matt finishes always look ok. Think about alternatives if you’re on a budget. You can pour you own concrete worktops or think about reclaimed materials such as old scaffold planks. They’re a great source of sturdy timber and can be left raw or finished to whatever level you desire.

Sinks? Depends on the overall look of the kitchen to be honest. What I would say is always have a second one (or a half sink), and make sure the main sink is big enough to comfortably wash your biggest pans (because not everything fits in the dishwasher), and so you can do your clothes hand-washing.

With all the above in mind if you have a big enough space then get all the big appliances into a separate utility room.

Most important thing of all is to install an old fashioned pantry. Never had one until we bought the current house but would never be without it now. Doesn’t have to be big but it’s so convenient to have all of your food in one place. Positioned and ventilated properly they can also be kept cool enough to store cheese and cured hams etc.

Think that’s it !

[oblertone]

Good advice there and little to argue with.

A minor point on sinks, the type that sit just below the worktop leave a mould trap around the upper rim as it can't be seen in normal use, for that reason I'd try and avoid them.

Boiling water taps are a current trend but most have a non-reusable filter that needs changing after a little as 60L throughput.

Lighting is vital, especially over the sink, seems a small point but washing/preparing in your own shadow is irritating. We've just fitted some 'daylight' LED panels in my brothers kitchen; most folk think they're skylights !

Utility room is a must (where possible), even over a pantry; and I'd love a pantry !

Ceramic/stone/slate worktops look the bollocks, but if you tap a plate or drop a bottle expect them to shatter or break. That said, my ideal would include a slate top for pastry/dough etc.

[albacore]

I certainly agree about Smeg; we bought a Smeg kettle and initially it looked the part, but the ultra-polished stainless finish was a complete dirt magnet. The problem was soon solved, however, as inside, the kettle was full of plastic bits which soon fell to bits!

And here's my five tips:

• Think about custom carcasses, so you can have a custom void at the back - if you've got pipes, etc to run, then size the rear void to suit behind that unit, but otherwise keep the void to a minimum to give extra cupboard space. It's also useful if you want to reduce the projection on one wall, if you're short of room - you can reduce the units and worktop by eg 100mm.
• Think about LED strip lights in cupboards with a door switch to operate
• Kick space drawers, ideal for storing nick-nacks in an otherwise wasted space
• A hardwood strip pelmet screwed to the bottom of the wall units will help to minimise sag - a cupboard full of plates is incredibly heavy
• Slide out baskets in a tall larder unit. Go for the ones where you pull one basket out at once, otherwise you are pulling out a heavy load every time

Lance