Kitchen fun

I kind of like it!

Just so you know...yes, we are in the process of buying a house, and yes, it should close this week, and yes, I will post pictures after we sign on the dotted line (not taking any chances this time...) and no, we won't be able to move into it until Feb, as it will need a considerable amount of remodeling, and yes, I am looking for ideas as to what I should do about the kitchen which we plan to have done as part of the remodel.

Oh my stars and garters...I had NO IDEA how many decisions that are to make when remodeling a kitchen.

What kind of floor? Wood, tile, linoleum, cork, concrete, vinyl....

Say we go with wood.

What color wood? What KIND of wood?

Then there are the cabinets.

Wood, paint or laminate?

If wood, what kind of wood? (Especially if the floor is wood too. Can't match...it would be like living in a wooden box.)

If paint, what color?

(plus paint glazes, paint finishes etc.)

Cabinet door styles: Plank door, shaker frame, raised panel, glass?

Full cabinet coverage (the doors completely cover the cabinet) or just some coverage?

Drawers or cabinets below?

How many drawers? How deep?

What kind of glass in cabinet doors?

Reeded, bubbled, caned, frosted, clear, leaded?

Oh and how about hardware?

Nickel, black, chrome, brass, glass, rubbed bronze, hammered, copper, wood...

Counter top?

(NOT GRANITE!!!!) Ok...Formica, tile, quartz, butcher block, concrete, stainless steel, silestone?

Appliances?

Stainless, black, or white? Or how about "Mamie" pink? (more pink kitchens here...don't they all look kind of like modern IKEA kitchens?) Or even retro aqua or red?

(Lordie, I do love and admire Mamie...read about Mamie and "her" pink here. I've loved Mamie Eisenhower ever since I read that she always wore a slip and never a bra, and her husband referred to her as "saucy." And that he sent her pink flowers every morning. Note to self: Buy more slips. BTW: Wouldn't Mamie be a cute name for a little girl?)

Back to kitchen planning....

Gas or electric range? How many burners?

Free standing or slide in oven?

Single or double oven?

Range knobs on the front or in the back? (No brainer there...the front!)

Side by side or freezer on the bottom of the refrigerator?

Back splash?

Tile? Same as counter? Paint?

What color walls?

What kind of sink? Stainless or ceramic? Or moulded into the counter top?
Single, double or triple sink?

What kind of faucet?

Single handle, double handle, pull out sprayer, dishmaster?

What kind of finish?

Brushed nickel, oiled bronze, chrome, brass, enamel paint?

What kind of trim on the over head can/pot lights? White? Black? Nickel? Brass? Bronze...

ADA compliant dishwasher? (Raised up dishwasher = less continuous counter space, but less bending over too..)

Cut into a wall to make a pass through? (No for now...)

Seal off a pocket door to make more room for cabinets and counter tops? ( another no...)

Again...what color walls???? Bright and cheery or subdued and natural? The kitchen faces south west....

Right now I am at:

Rustic Cherry framed cabinets with black hardware and one glass door above the sink. (Fretting that they should be plank doors to fit in with the house style era...)
White single tub sink.
Oak flooring to match the rest of the house (don't know the shade yet...the floors are original and will be stripped, re-stained and sanded. Gotta decide on a stain color...SOON!)
Stainless GE appliances (worried about finger prints though)
Gas
Quartz counter top (don't know color yet)
One drawers on the lower cabinets on both sides of range top. Roll out shelves in the cabinets.
Dishwasher to the right of sink, and a pull out pantry next to that.
Counter deep refrigerator

I've never dreamed of a "dream" kitchen before; I've always been happy with whatever kitchen came with our houses. I had mahogany plank doors, tile counters and harvest gold appliances for years in the house we raised our kids in. The blue wall paper matched my dishes when we moved in, it was still up and making me happy when we moved out a dozen or so years later.

College course work in Interior Design (over 32 years ago) taught me how to color board selections and how to use color wheels and lay outs and all that stuff. One decision informs the next and once one element is selected all the other elements should harmonize.

Yeah I get that....I also get how much leg work is involved in running down all those options to make the best possible selection.
Or even just a relatively good selection.
Or "what we can afford" selection.

Dear Santa:

I've been a good girl pretty much all year. All I want for Christmas is my very own Interior Decorator. And a whopping gift card to either Lowes or Home Depot.

Say hi to Mrs. Santa Claus and Rudolph, and all the elves.

Your friend who now lives Salt Lake City;

Jill

PS: Sorry we don't have a chimney for you this year; we are staying in an apartment, but if all goes well, next year you can pick between two chimneys when you visit!