Fru-Gal Friends

Subject: In Your Kitchen Wed 19 Sep 2007, 6:31 pm

Whew!!!! Hubby and I are starting the big remodel we have planned off and on all summer.We are planning on painting the house this weekend though,,but cant do that till the weekend,,so tonight..we tore the carpet up in the dining room,,padding and the nail strip,,what a job!! affraid

My question is,,we have some plans and frugal minded is always in our thoughts,,,but if you were remodeling your kitchen,,or already have....what would you have in it,,or what do you have in it that makes it easier to work in,,cook,,clean,,etc.What are the little touches you have. flower

We have plans for a island where the stove will sit,,and Id like deep drawers and a shelf for my cookbooks,,I dont have many,,,yet,,,LOL
study

Subject: Re: In Your Kitchen Wed 19 Sep 2007, 11:27 pm

well did a remodel last year one of the best ideas was a baking center, board, place for cookbooks to be kept . Glass in the cupboard doors , cabinets and good counters , we used all wood , and stone .. and we put wood on the floor which I was not sure about but now I love it ... our kitchen is the heart of our house and we spend alot of our time in there .
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Gayla

"They take great pride in making their dinner cost much; I take my pride in making my dinner cost so little."

---Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

Subject: Re: In Your Kitchen Thu 20 Sep 2007, 12:41 am

Our kitchen renovation was a 2nd hand emergency as the original one starting coming apart and we didn't have the money for a brand new kitchen and I didn't want a money-loan to replace it. I hate owing money!
We really had to work with what we got but changed the original layout of the units to work in our kitchen and luckily it works for us. We couldn't use the worktop we got with the kitchen because we'd re-arranged the layout so we bought a new one.
The old kitchen had barely any worktop and what was there was not very deep, I couldn't believe how anyone works comfortably in a kitchen with hardly any work surface!
We have much more work surface, have the cooktop close to the sink, great for draining heavy pots, wall-mounted the microwave on brackets which frees up more workspace. With the 2nd hand kitchen we got a single-door pantry which we ended up replacing with a wider double-door...so much more storage, I love that Very Happy

It was a different colour and didn't match so I painted everything with 'White Knight' laminate kitchen paint.

If we had the money for a brand new kitchen I'd like a wall unit to house the microwave with a few open shelves above (or to the side) to house cookbooks, which I currently keep in a wicker basket on the bottom shelf of the pantry. We also bought a few white coated wire basket/racks which we screwed to the inside of one pantry door around each shelf height to hold spice bottles, stock cubes etc. so they wouldn't get lost in the pantry, they're great too.

My favourite things in a kitchen are lots of storage, lots of workspace, OH! and a double sink (we have a 1 and 3/4 size bowl) I find these invaluable. The original kitchen had a double-bowl and double-drainer sink but we reduced to a single-drainer sink, because I got my first ever dishwasher Very Happy

and having one drainer gives more work surface too!

I hope you love it when it's all finished Donna, I'd love to see pics! Smile

Good luck too with the painting this weekend, you're going to be busy!
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~ By sowing frugality we reap liberty, a golden harvest. --Agesilaus ~

Subject: Re: In Your Kitchen Thu 20 Sep 2007, 2:04 pm

Thanks skin,,I like the baking area Gayla,,I plan on making alot of home made meals and to be organized like that,,is a must! Thanks for the tips,,hubby mentioned a concrete countertop,,make your own type thing,,seen it on tv but never have seen one in person.

Subject: Re: In Your Kitchen Thu 20 Sep 2007, 2:47 pm

If we were to re-model our kitchen, I would want a pantry for all kinds of storage including appliances like the mixer, blender, etc. I would like to have a dishwasher because I've never had one. My husband would like to be able to hang our pots and pans from those ceiling racks. (I hope I explained that correctly) I've seen some kitchens that have small computers in them so the cook can show the recipe on the screen.

Like everyone else says - lots of storage, lots of counter space for working. It would be nice to have an open kitchen so the host/hostess could see through the house and converse with their guests. A nice seating area in the kitchen for guests would be nice. A fireplace would add a nice touch, too.

Subject: Re: In Your Kitchen Thu 20 Sep 2007, 4:42 pm

on thing on my wish list is a stone oven for bread and pizza.
_________________
Gayla

"They take great pride in making their dinner cost much; I take my pride in making my dinner cost so little."

---Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

Subject: Re: In Your Kitchen Thu 20 Sep 2007, 6:40 pm

I like these ideas..hopefully I will be able to take pictures and get them on here.Thanks all!