I need advice for my Kitchen remodel/ upgrades please...

Linda Lavine
by Linda Lavine
Kitchen about to be gutted due to water damage. What upgrades esp cabinet designs/organization does everyone think are vital. Drawers/slide out shelves are my must haves. What else?
  8 answers
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Mar 20, 2017

    My opinion having gone through this,Consider a pantry,storage for brooms,mops etc,access to corner cabinets if that is how your design comes out,enough cabinets to store pots,pans,plates,cups,etc,a small cabinet for spices.These are what I planned with mine. Take a look at what others have done with there kitchen rents. www.hometalk.com/categories/remodeling-renovating/kitchen/cabinets

  • Cori Widen Cori Widen on Mar 20, 2017

    I would consider the height of your cabinets currently - we have sooo many cabinets that are very high up, and if we gutted the kitchen, I'd get rid of those and add more horizontally. Consider the location of your cabinets in general and if there is any new placement that would make them more practical for you.

  • Eroque022810 Eroque022810 on Mar 21, 2017

    I agree with both people, I would add food pantry doors and drawers that close by themselves when pushed. Avoid at all cost corner cabinet unless it is wide enough to get in largestpot in,take it to store and check. Get lazy susan for top corner cabinet. Avoid at all cost any thing 9 inches just a huge waste of money I regret mine everyday. Make sure cabinet above fridge comes out over fridge not just half way I am short yet I can reach into it and you can store things not used daily in it. I don't like my microwave over my gas stove because they still put tiny cabinets I would get a stove top and cabinets underneath and a wall oven and microwave above ovn. Get the oven as large as you can make sure turkey fits in it. Get the deepestsink you can and goose neck faucet for more space. Stay away from Frigidaire gallery , not good quality dishwasher not good at all and empty fridge at store always looks larger. Take a bowl and plate with you to store so you can make a good decision also stay away from the 3 shelf washers top shelf useless I removed mine. Take a deep glass to make sure it fits and not on an angle as well as wine glass. Don't bother with a 5 burner stove the middle one can't be used unless you want to get burned. Either get a 6 burner or the regular 4 burner. Stay away from black top on stove it shows every water drop and dust. Whites coming back in style and the brushed finish does not help stainless steel. I do like the filter in fridge. I love the cabinet garbage and recycle bins in lower cabinet and I use drawer as junk drawer it is sealed from garbage but I guess we all have our quirks. I need to have it all symmetrical that's why I have nine inch cabinet. I do use it for baking sheets and it can be used for cuting boards. Get the lower cabinets with shelves that slide out no more searching. Don't get dividers you can put them in yourself. And keep in mind that the box of cabinet is "9" inside is less than 8". We had ours done in a hurry last yr bought house and yes was inspected but top cabinet fell down. My hub and insisted on each cabinet box being plywood cost more. Only get end cabinets fully in plywood. Remember that every inch counts so those 3" filler panels could be slide out holders for spices or lids. I wish I could do mine over but I enjoy being married. LOL make sure to have floor put in before appliances and place felt pads on bottom so you can slide out without ruining floors . Make sure to think out how you want to use cabinets and counter underneath them. I wanted a coffe/toaster area next to stove. The cabinet above holds coffee and tea plus mugs. Cabinet underneath can be all drawers. That way pot holders and cutlery is close by. Make sure you have outlet there. I do love that. If you bake maybe have a lower counter so you deal with dough and in cabinet still have room for kitchenaide mixer. Anyway you get the idea everything should make sense from how you live your life. I have sink then dishwasher then gabage cabinet all next to each other works for me. Have baking area I have coffee area I have dish cabinets and glass cabinet above dishwaser. I have regrets but I also have made it work. You will too if you don't plan it out for your family lifestyle and resale value. Good luck.

  • Eroque022810 Eroque022810 on Mar 21, 2017

    I meant if you do plan it out. Sorry!

  • Che21518442 Che21518442 on Mar 21, 2017

    I redesigned my kitchen and I have two ceiling height pantries, double-wide that I simply love - bottom has slide out shelves and top has removable shelves so you can change them depending on height of what you want to store. I have several deep drawers. Some cabinets have glass insets where I put my dishes, glasses, thinks that look attractive - they aren't clear - there are several designs for the glass that you can choose. Gooseneck faucet with pull down spray with single handle is great. I put the sink in a corner which takes care of that wasted corner space. I bought slate-colored appliances - no smudges - I love my black top on my stove. I agree - don't put microwave above stove unless you simply don't have counter space. I did not want the mess of an outside ice dispenser or water dispenser. I have French door frig with bottom freezer and ice falls into a large removable container and the cubes are half-moon shaped and large. The water dispenser is inside the frig too. I have mini-LED string light under counters that can be dimmed or brightened with a switch and put the same lights in the glassed cabinets - they can also be dimmed but are on their own circuit so don't go on when under counter lights are on. If you have soffits, get rid of them -will make kitchen seem larger

  • Mary Mary on Mar 21, 2017

    I love the large drawer slide outs, but there are a lot of choices. Look at kitchen make overs on Houzz.com I always take a 12 in plastic charger with me when I have bought a new dishwasher. I also look for a tilting top rack. I think the middle of the road prices are the best. The stainless steel inside makes no difference on the longevity of the washer. The amount of money you want to spend and the size of your kitchen is tops. Look at everything and everywhere then decide. but set yourself a limit of time to look. Otherwise every day you you will change your mind. Find the one thing you like the most or want the most and build from that.

  • Kristy Kristy on Mar 21, 2017

    I love some of the features our kitchen has but some of them are a pain in the bum. So ...since we're getting ready to relocate these are things I'm looking for in the kitchen.

    Pantry

    Garbage and recycle bin on sliders in cabinet.

    (Ours used to barely have to touch it to have the runner thingees pull it back into the cabinet but with the kids having been too rough on them thru the years they have to be pushed back "manually")

    Fridge w/ bottom pullout freezer. I hate our side by side one..you can't fit a large turkey or ham in there.

    I love the idea from above comment about ice maker and water dispenser inside the unit.

    Love our current deep sinks with the gooseneck faucet so I'd love that again although we could change it if the home we bought didn't have one.

    I'm sure I could probably think of a ton of "dream" items but those are my musts.

  • BabyBoomerSC BabyBoomerSC on Mar 22, 2017

    All the above suggestions are great! Here are 4 that I would add to the list:


    1) Granite composite sink. They come in all different shapes and sizes and colors. I have a black one that coordinates with the colors in my granite counters. My granite has cream background with browns and black. The granite sink does not scratch or stain, so you don't need to baby it like a stainless steel sink.

    https://www.lowes.com/pd/Swanstone-33-in-x-22-in-Canyon-Double-Basin-Composite-Drop-in-4-Hole-Residential-Kitchen-Sink/50440452


    2) If you're putting a pantry in your kitchen (one with a regular door and shelves), I'd add a light that comes on automatically when you open the door. Our last house had a small walk in pantry and you had to turn a light switch on every time you went in there just so you could see everything. I now have the auto light and it's great!


    3) Depending on how your sink is laid out, we had our garbage disposal "switch" embedded into the countertop, next to the faucet. I don't have to hit a switch on the wall or under the cabinet to turn it on.


    4) Think about where you put your garbage can. I'd rather have mine in a cabinet but it didn't work out that way in our current kitchen. If you want a dedicated spot for your garbage can out of the way and in a lower cabinet, be sure you have room/space for it.