kitchen remodel thoughts (cabinets)

[redneck joe]

Thinking ahead to the steps kitchen remodel.

New 12' beam going in (only 4' opening now) as soon as soon as I can find an electrician to do some work. Wish I new someone....

Our kitchen cabinets good to better quality solid wood, hidden hinges, just 1990?s golden oak colored. So yes we can paint them, which we did already in one bathroom and looks great. Espresso or something. The ?problem? is in my opinion the wall cabinets are too short ? they do not go to the ceiling which is another 12?? up. I could get 12' cabinets and put on top but I don?t think that would look good; it would look like I just slapped 12? cabinets up top to fill the space.



So what if I moved the existing up the 12?, then built cabinet boxes underneath but rather than swing doors like the current, I went with a garage type door that would swing up. I think it could make it look more ?custom?.



Thoughts?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Joe, bite the bullet, get taller cabinets. while at it, get them 14-15" deep so that they fit the platters. Made the Admiral a happy wife with our new kitchen. then again, even doing the design work, installation, back splash, tile, plumbing and electrical myself, still have about 18 boat units in the new kitchen (10 for just the custom cabinets, 5 for the granite). however the new appraised value of the home is 45 boat units higher than when we started.

you should only have uppers to do, because if I remember correctly you just redid your counters with concrete. so your looking at maybe 5 boat units

 

[Darrenmb]

I had same dilemma, thought about installing the taller upper cabinets or like you are thinking doing a 12 in cab up top or bottom, the problem.there was nobody is tall enough in my house to reach up there without ladders, stuff would get put up there and then forgotten about (much like items in the cabinet over the fridge) .
My last house i used the space to display all my wifes teapots. Was great, until we moved! They were all greasy and nasty, nobody ever took them down to clean etc. So in the house i went a.different direction, i basically built box fronts to go up there made small fake doors with glass and mull strips ( not openable) and ran rope lights behind it! Creates a nice ambience when on in the evenings. Will trybtonpoat pics, but no telling if it will work.

 

[Darrenmb]

Nope, says invalid file format, will try again later from pc

 

[gm280]

redneck joe, you could always make new facial fronts for the taller cabinets and install them. That way you don't have to rebuild entirely new cabinets and will have the same look as if you did. The top of your existing cabinets would be the shelf for the top section. And the new facial fronts would take care of the look. That would also reduce the cost. Lots of people reface their cabinets. You would just do it for full length types. Just an idea. :noidea:

 

[aspeck]

I am in Darren's camp ... So I built a ceiling box to bring the ceiling down to the cupboards a foot wider than the cupboards and installed recessed lighting. No dust on top of cupboards, nothing that people can't reach, no tacky decorations to cover that the cupboards don't go to the ceiling. And a lot cheaper than Scott's solution!

 

[bruceb58]

I had the golden oak cabinets. Ditched them for a modern look.

Either build a soffit and buy same sized cabinets or buy cabinets that go to the ceiling.

I did have some golden oak cabinets that I had in other rooms which I had a painter do a gel stain on that looks like cherry. Looks really nice.

This stairway and the cabinets at the top of the stairs used to be golden oak. The gel stain made them look great

 

[sphelps]

You could do what speck suggested but make them drywall ... New crown mold around the room ... Is there crown now ? A little extra light down on the counters wouldn't hurt ....

 

[bruceb58]

Before

After

 

[sphelps]

Very nice upgrade top to bottom !

 

[Scott Danforth]

No Title

Here is what I ended up with

 

[Scott Danforth]

No Title

Here is what I started with

 

[sam60]

Before

After

Excellent upgrade, Bruce. We have the same counter top tile and hate it but plan on a kitchen and master bath remodel next year. The tile on the walls looks great also! Thanks for the gel stain tip.

 

[redneck joe]

Nice redo's Yall got threre.

Plenty of light we added 8 cans when we did the countertops, and planning to add at leat three more.

definately do not want to box it in in any form.

Took crown molding off about a week after we bought the place 9 years ago. Not a fan.

I hate to spend the money for a few reasons. First, I'm cheap.....where i can be so i can waste money on boats. The cabinets are solid oak and plywood, no pressboard. Pretty nice, just size and color. And lastly I have priced new and that amount of money needs to go for something else. When we put the pool in three years ago i had the back patio covered,, tied into the house structure and everything built stout enough so my 5 year plan of closing in as a house addition can happen. Thats gonna run 25 large or so depending on how much i hire out, or if i even gc it may farm the whole thing out. South facing gonna make an awesome 600 sq ft sunroom and i can tuck in a 2 pc bath so the girls dont have to dry off to go inside to pee when we're swimming.


wish i was better at cad stuff I'd try to draw it out so i could picture it. I might test build one, threre is a single cabinet at the dishwasher that i could test on.

 

[redneck joe]

Oh and sam i woulda kept the fooseball table......

 

[redneck joe]

redneck joe, you could always make new facial fronts for the taller cabinets and install them. That way you don't have to rebuild entirely new cabinets and will have the same look as if you did. The top of your existing cabinets would be the shelf for the top section. And the new facial fronts would take care of the look. That would also reduce the cost. Lots of people reface their cabinets. You would just do it for full length types. Just an idea. :noidea:

yeah ive run that thru my head as well, and on my other forum even have a couple master cabinet builders that are retired and bored. Well, one works phones at a boat parts supply house in Seattle. The other is just retired and fishes and crabs at there new house on chesapake bay. He's got it rough...

but they could build and ship to me pretty easy and i could slap them on.

 

[sphelps]

That was Bruce"s Foosball table ... He's prolly got it set up in the man cave ...

 

[gm280]

Certainly not trying to hi-jack this thread, but I do have one question for others about such updates. How did you all figure out the number of can lights to use in your updated kitchens? I am trying to read a lot about that and seems every thread has something different to say about it. :noidea:

 

[aspeck]

Certainly not trying to hi-jack this thread, but I do have one question for others about such updates. How did you all figure out the number of can lights to use in your updated kitchens? I am trying to read a lot about that and seems every thread has something different to say about it. :noidea:

I had the lighting company where I was buying the lights come in and do their calculations ... They were the cheapest around and gave good service, so I trusted them. They didn't leave me down.

 

[redneck joe]

Certainly not trying to hi-jack this thread, but I do have one question for others about such updates. How did you all figure out the number of can lights to use in your updated kitchens? I am trying to read a lot about that and seems every thread has something different to say about it. :noidea:

hijack away.


Put in as many as will fit, put on a couple diff switches and use a dimmer.


Dad told me about 25 years ago when he rehabbed his house he was glad he put in 'too many', now at 75 he wishes he had a few more. Something about getting older....