Kitchen and bathroom remodel advice

:rotfl:Nice try on the insult. :thumbsup2 I wish our over the stove microwave only cost $25.
????? Over the stove microwaves start at about $100, $125 if they are microhoods. A really nice one is in the $200-$300 range. Far cry from the current $900 for a drawer microwave
 
I think the cabinets are actually 24 inches deep. Maybe I can reduce that. I do not have a vented stove now. The microwave vent just vents onto the ceiling. My contractor is planning to vent it yo the outside in the new kitchen.

we have 24” depth in our kids bathroom. I think that you might be right about that feeling too deep for your space.
I think a 12” or 18” pantry would make you feel better but still provide much needed storage!!
 
Why do you need to see anything cook in the microwave? We moved our microwave over the stove when we remodeled 7 or 8 years ago and we love it. It's off the counter and looks great. It functions well in how we use our kitchen and the microwave. Our micro is only used for reheating and popcorn, not for cooking.

we definitely use the microwave for more than popcorn and reheating..and some reheating definitely warrants a visual??!

I think that the 2 things we watch the most on a regular basis are when the kids make scrambled eggs (watch for them to puff) and when we melt butter and then melt (Puff) marshmallows for Rice Krispie Treats...
 
we have 24” depth in our kids bathroom. I think that you might be right about that feeling too deep for your space.
I think a 12” or 18” pantry would make you feel better but still provide much needed storage!!

What if I put in a 24 inch bottom cabinet and open shelving over it by the front door (on the left as you face the window) and keep the full 24 inch floor to ceiling pantry on the other side? I could put in an L shaped seating area with under seat storage (short L leg against the right hand cabinet). Would that be too lopsided?
 


What if I put in a 24 inch bottom cabinet and open shelving over it by the front door (on the left as you face the window) and keep the full 24 inch floor to ceiling pantry on the other side? I could put in an L shaped seating area with under seat storage (short L leg against the right hand cabinet). Would that be too lopsided?

I am somewhat obsessed with symmetry so I think I would want the same thing on both sides of the windows...

also - I am not a huge fan of open shelling - because everything has to look pretty in those cases. But maybe uppers and lowers with a countertop if you don’t want a super spacious pantry? 24” cabinets will mean you can’t easily reach the back - they will be VERY deep - full counter deep..

how many people are you seating?

Is it just 4? You may have said this and I can’t find it... I feel like if you did built in seating bench plus a table and then chairs or another bench opposite the table facing the window you would have good space and open walk ways to the sides and no one feeling trapped in a corner seat?
 
I am somewhat obsessed with symmetry so I think I would want the same thing on both sides of the windows...

also - I am not a huge fan of open shelling - because everything has to look pretty in those cases. But maybe uppers and lowers with a countertop if you don’t want a super spacious pantry? 24” cabinets will mean you can’t easily reach the back - they will be VERY deep - full counter deep..

how many people are you seating?

Is it just 4? You may have said this and I can’t find it... I feel like if you did built in seating bench plus a table and then chairs or another bench opposite the table facing the window you would have good space and open walk ways to the sides and no one feeling trapped in a corner seat?
There are realistically only 2 of us right now though that may change to 3 if DD21 moves back in August.
 
So, seating for 4 would cover 95% of your lifestyle. Just good to keep that in mind. In our house, it's 5 people typically, but we do have another adult child who shows up once in a while. So, 6 is our typical number. We have other seating for parties, guests, etc.
 


So, seating for 4 would cover 95% of your lifestyle. Just good to keep that in mind. In our house, it's 5 people typically, but we do have another adult child who shows up once in a while. So, 6 is our typical number. We have other seating for parties, guests, etc.
We actually use our formal dining room for dinners. The breakfast nook in the kitchen would be only for breakfast and seating for others while I'm cooking.
 
We actually use our formal dining room for dinners. The breakfast nook in the kitchen would be only for breakfast and seating for others while I'm cooking.
Ah. Our formal dining room has been my craft room since we moved in here. We do eat in there, twice a year or so (maybe three--Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter). Most meals are eaten at the kitchen table, some at the island (we have 3 stools). You still might want to consider some bench seating by that nice bay window. And a cat.
 
Ah. Our formal dining room has been my craft room since we moved in here. We do eat in there, twice a year or so (maybe three--Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter). Most meals are eaten at the kitchen table, some at the island (we have 3 stools). You still might want to consider some bench seating by that nice bay window. And a cat.
I already have the cat.
 

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This is a better look at the whole kitchen. The computer desk is to the left.
View attachment 498481

I have 2 questions for you! Do you like your fridge configuration? And what brand did you go with? I am looking at an LG with that configuration and wondering if you have any trouble with proper temperature in the crisper drawers?

Also - lots of discussion about 2 drawer vs 3 drawer stacks going on right now with our kitchen. Do you have both or just 2 drawer stacks? Wondering how they compare and if you feel like the depth is not needed?
 
Here's the deal with our fridge. When we moved in, the house had an apartment fridge--very small, insufficient for a family of 6, but it worked. Sort of. When one of the door shelves broke, it was a good excuse to buy a new fridge. Lowe's was having a good sale, so we went and looked around. This particular model was out of our budget at the time, BUT this particular fridge was a return--the people didn't measure their space properly (memo: always, ALWAYS measure your fridge space properly!). So, this one fridge was marked way down--but still had all the plastic wrappings on the drawers, etc. So, they threw the 20% off discount, on top of the return discount for us, and we got an ~$1800 fridge for ~$1300. We actually kept the old fridge, and have it in the garage for extra drinks, etc.

The fridge was only a couple years old when we did the whole remodeling, so we kept it. It's a Samsung.

As to the pros/cons: We have had to have it repaired under warranty, for the upper doors. Something about the ice maker/dispenser (sorry, I can't remember). Ice/water dispensing is a must in our house--we drink a lot of water. You can't see it in the picture, but it has a digital display of temperature--no problems with maintaining, you can set it by degree, if you want, and it beeps if, say, you leave a door open and the temperature rises. We like the 4th drawer--stuff seems to stay fresher, longer in there. It may be because it isn't opened as often. Shelves inside are adjustable, freezer below has a pull-out drawer for easier access to frozens.

As to the overall kitchen and drawers vs cabinets--the drawers you see in that photo hold my pots and pans. For that use, the 2-drawers configuration is fine--they're kind of piled up in there. On that side of the island, I have a 3-drawer configuration that I use for utensils, cutting boards, and paper/plastic rolls. I have a LOT of kitchen utensils. The middle drawer easily holds weird kitchen stuff--I have my apple peeler/corer/slicer in there, along with my sifter, whisks, meat tenderizer, and a lot of other, weird-shaped items. I have dividers in there to neaten things up a bit. I have other 3-drawer stacks between the computer desk and the fridge (I don't know how visible they are)--those, I use for silverware, towels, cleaning rage, meds, desk accessories, and batteries.
 
Thank you @QueenIsabella for all of the info! I have so many decisions to make!!!
I’m pretty sure we are going to LG Fridge with the knocking glass door. It’s a toss up between that one and the Samsung you have - but the LG is 29.7 cu feet and we need every foot we can get!!!!

We also have an insane amount of kitchen gadgets
crinkle cutter ✔️
Apple corer ✔️
Pepper Corer ✔️
Well - you get the point...
✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️
 
Thank you @QueenIsabella for all of the info! I have so many decisions to make!!!
I’m pretty sure we are going to LG Fridge with the knocking glass door. It’s a toss up between that one and the Samsung you have - but the LG is 29.7 cu feet and we need every foot we can get!!!!

We also have an insane amount of kitchen gadgets
crinkle cutter ✔
Apple corer ✔
Pepper Corer ✔
Well - you get the point...
✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔
I think kitchen utensils expand to fill up available space. Wait--I need a lemon zester! And a mandolin slicer! And-and-and!
 
a couple of things I didn't think of when I remodeled 3 years ago and my boyfriend just fixed for me:
He put in jam light switch in my pantry, cleaning and coat closet, so the light comes on as you open the door (life changing)
modified a shelf in the pantry to be waist high for the cuisinart mixer so I don't have to bend over or reach up with that heavy sucker.
 
Do what you like... you are going to live there... things change rapidly... so who knows it might be back in style when you get ready to sell...
We have tile everywhere, and carpet in the bedrooms which is what we like... listen to everyone opinion... thoughts... then make your decision, don't be pressured into high end finishes just because... As a PP stated... do not tell them what you budget top end is, because it' going to go over, and this way you have alot of wiggle room, like a complete rewiring, or plumbing issue... the list can go on and on..... I found out rarely does the job come in at what they quote you... things like extra outlets,... how deep the cabinets are, in the kitchen I think that they call it the traingle, between the fridge, cook top/oven and sink, easy of getting to them when cooking, make sure that you can open everything fully.. which way cabinet door swing, and a pantry... a proper pantry... - nice shower heads with a hand held, we have a roman shower, no door or curtain...as well we went with a complete tiled shower make cleaning super easy.. and look really highend... and we love it.. as well we have 2 fans in the bathroom, one in the toilet room, and one in the bathroom itself, really helps with the steam..

Once you get ready to sell.. clean, and de-clutter... paint a neutral color inside.. outside paint you can check out whats popular when you are getting ready to sell and go with something neutral and current.... spruce up the yard - curb appeal is really important... patio or porch - a nice relaxing space with some touches, throw pillows, outdoor rug, clean the outdoor furniture, plants full and healthy, so it can be presented as a extra living space.. and a clean garage, shelving this mattered to my DH...

Good luck to you...
 
So here's the cabinet and counter choice. I'm not sure about the counter. I wanted granite and this is quartz, but all the granites look too busy.
 

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Very nice! FWIW, I love my quartz countertops. Pretty and very easy to keep clean--no staining issues, no need to seal them.

We have a similar tile in our new master bath (I don't remember if it's marble or faux marble--probably faux, but I'm okay with that.) You're probably doing slab versus tile--I love the look of the nice, large slab of marble.
 

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