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OK, I need to find more space for kitchen stuff

berryblondeboys's picture
berryblondeboys

OK, I need to find more space for kitchen stuff

My kitchen isn't "small" but I have no pantry. I have a 11x10 kitchen with two doorways. On the 11 foot wall I have the refrigerator in the corner, a small cabinet (like 9"), then the dishwasher, then the big single basin sink, and then a double wide cabinet. Up top my cabinets are 42" tall and 36" above the sink and 30" above the refrigerator (and even with a stool I can BARELY access that cabinet).

On the other wall (with a doorway) I have a regular cabinet, the stove and another 9" cabinet, up top are 2 42" tall cabinets and a 30" one above the stove. In the middle of the kicthen DH and I built an island. The base is one standard and one double cabinet. And tucked in the corner opposite the refrigerator I have an antique corner cabinet.

Everything is FULL as I cook, bake and spend a lot of time in the kitchen. But, I have no room for all my flours and all my cake decorating supplies. I need more space! I don't have a garage and storing things in my basement (which is finished and we have just a 7x9 room for everything which is where our freezer is and my sewing stuff too) is something I want to avoid.

Now.... I have a BIG entryway into the house which is RIGHT next to my kitchen. The entryway is 6 feet wide and about 9 feet long. Currently I have a desk for mail and such right as we enter and an antique hope chest to sit on to put on shoes. Those two things stick out from the wall about 23", but are short. What I'm THINKING of doing is installing floor to ceiling (or close to it) kitchen cabinets along that entire wall - that wall is a shade over 6 feet and then there's the doorway for the kitchen.

By doing that however, I'm really cutting into the entryway. It would then only be four feet wide by about 9 feet (like a narrow hallway it would feel like). Also the ceiling fixture would look (and would be) offcenter.

Do I compromise and get only 12" deep cabinets? Or a small one that is 24" deep that goes behind where the door opens? and then a 12" deep ones for the remainder?

OK, I realize this is a muddled mess.... Let me try to take some pics. Of course, right now it's a mess as we were gone all weekend and we just kind of piled things in.

Melissa

                          Sweet Melissa's
Custom cakes made from scratch using organic ingredients
http://www.sweetmelissas.net/     http://sweetmelissas.blogspot.com/ 

cdnDough's picture
cdnDough
Let me try to take some pics. Of course, right now it's a mess as we were gone all weekend and we just kind of piled things in.

 

Better still, post a quick (hand-drawn is fine) floor-plan sketch of the kitchen area & hallway along with those photos.  A few things that I've done:  I have floor to ceiling cabinets and use a tall but sturdy foot stool to access a few baking things.  It isn't ideal, but I don't have the $$$ or space to go knocking down walls (yet).  I also go through my cabinets every few years and purge appliances, utensils & nicknacks that don't get used but take up space.  I also keep only a few cookbooks in the kitchen, the rest live on a bookshelf in the adjacent eating area.

berryblondeboys's picture
berryblondeboys

Ok, my scanner software isn't working (need to tell DH about it again), so I had to snap a picture of it to show. Measurements are pretty accurate. Each square is 1 foot.

I have two thoughts. When we put in the kitchen island (it was supposed to be an eat in kitchen), we thought we would eat breakfast at it, so behind it is empty space - under the cabinet is a 12" (actually closer to 13") overhang. I could put in shelves under there. they would be hidden and open (like booshelves). I forgot to draw in the window, but there is a full length window between the corner cabinet and refrigerator.

As you can see, our entryway is pretty big (because of the lack of pantry). this is a townhouse, so saying to put extras eslewhere is just not an option. There isn't an elsewhere with four people in the house. My china cabinet has china in the lower half and table linens. On the upper half, it's open display shelves with silver and some knicknacks and the middle section has our wine, champagne and the like. here's a picture of our china cabinet and dining set. This is not our house, we got this secondhand (it's Widdicomb from 1960).

I "do" have one room in the house for all storage - but that includes EVERYTHING from bikes, tools, freezer, sewing stuff, craft stuff, holiday decor, EVErytHING in a 7x8 room (or about) and in there we have shelves with boxes. I tried at one point putting cake pans and such down there, but it was such a nuisance having to put them all back in. Besides my crockpots (big and small), my waffle/sandwich maker and the blender, I use most everything on a pretty regular basis. PERHAPS, I could find room for those downstairs, but we have these kind of shelves, so it's kind of wasted use of space too: 

 

Thoughts?

 

                             Sweet Melissa's
Custom cakes made from scratch using organic ingredients
http://www.sweetmelissas.net/     http://sweetmelissas.blogspot.com/

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

and keep only serving bowls, platters in the kitchen.

If you don't have large heavy duty under counter drawers, install them, they are a dream and a good place to store bins of flour and larger baking ingredients, right where you need them.  Any pans or equipment used once or twice a year get clear bagged, labled, and moved elsewhere.

Short depth in cupboards is easier to over see what's stored in them and crowds less into the hall.  An entrance is the last place to "crowd" for space.  Be careful. 

How deep are your favorite storage containers?  Also in a hall, might consider roll up or slide type doors.  When busy, no swinging doors in the way to cause traffic jams or accidents.   Can you consider closing up one of the kitchen doors? or turning it into a pass through window and use space below and above for storage?  

Mini O

Eli's picture
Eli

I have owned a couple of lofts and space is always a premium. You have to get creative. I have had plate shelves lined up on walls to display and use large platters and every day dishes. You tend to try to make art out of everyday objects that are used. There are many tricks. I will start a list as I think of them and post later.

Eli's picture
Eli

An idea, you could do an open shelving system (it would kind of look like taking that shelving unit you posted cutting it off, turning it upside down and suspend it from the ceiling to create a place to store pots, pans, etc...(over the island). You would still have an open feeling, more functionality than a pot rack. Beautiful exposed wood too. Stained to match your furniture and molding.

berryblondeboys's picture
berryblondeboys

Hmmm... If I had taller ceilings maybe. The ceilings are 8 feet and that's where my lighting is too - over the island.

Of coruse, if I had my way, we would gut it and start over, but it was a fairly new kitchen with granite countertops and such and pretty good quality cabinetry. If I were to hang above the island, I would have to redo electrical work and I think I would feel a bit clausterphobic, though that is an idea.

I don't know WHAT I would do without that island. Before, it had nothing and with the microwave, the dishdrainer and the toaster oven, I was left with only 12" on one side of the stove for surface, and 24" the other side. I do EVERYTHING on the island and that is where I have my cannisters stacked (against the wall). I roll out, decorate cakes, EVERYTHING on that island and all my appliances and pots/pans are stored below. (crock pot, blender, food processor, tea pot, mixer, waffle maker, scale, and a few smaller items)

                                  Sweet Melissa's
Custom cakes made from scratch using organic ingredients
http://www.sweetmelissas.net/     http://sweetmelissas.blogspot.com/

mcs's picture
mcs

Just curious if you're looking to just move things around or will there be some construction going on?  I mean besides moving cabinets in and touch up.

-Mark

http://thebackhomebakery.com

berryblondeboys's picture
berryblondeboys

Can't renovate now. We bought the house 4.5 years ago and it had a new kitchen in it. We did remove the upper cabinets and hung taller ones to go to the ceiling - before it was 24"!!!!!!! ONLY, and now they are 42 and 36" and we put in the kitchen island.

Just no funds for an overhaul though the layout is somewhat stinky - I'll admit!

I've thought about turning the kitchen island on it's side, backing it up to the wall and hanging cabinets on the far wall. Right now it just has some plates from the 40s/50s with cute sayings like "My house is clean enough to be healthy, but dirty enough to be happy".

I've thought of doing this:

I could chop off the excess countertop (it's IKEA wood) and hang full size cabinet above it.                                Sweet Melissa's
Custom cakes made from scratch using organic ingredients
http://www.sweetmelissas.net/     http://sweetmelissas.blogspot.com/

berryblondeboys's picture
berryblondeboys

Oooo, or better, turn it as is to it's side and keep it extra big. the corner cabinet is freestanding and holds very little. I can sell it really as it doesn't even fit in well.

Then, under it to the back and side, add in some base end shelves - one of these:

 

 

 

Um, editing to add, that wouldn't work as I can't REACH over 24" of cabinet to get into the upper cupboards then, I would have to chop the back off (which I wanted to do in the first place, but my husband is cheap and didn't want to pay someone to cut it to size!)

 

                                  Sweet Melissa's
Custom cakes made from scratch using organic ingredients
http://www.sweetmelissas.net/     http://sweetmelissas.blogspot.com/

Eli's picture
Eli

What about making an L Shaped Island adding counter surface and cabinets?

 

berryblondeboys's picture
berryblondeboys

Hmmm... L-shape is interesting... If I cut the counter down to 2x5 and then I have more manuevering space, I can take out that corner cabinet and put in a pantry cabinet in the back - like floor to ceiling. Dh would like this as Ikea stuff is WAY cheaper and it wouldn't require hanging wall cabinets which we did by ourselves before and it was a NIGHTMARE and took forever as DH is a super perfectionist.

 

 

                                    Sweet Melissa's
Custom cakes made from scratch using organic ingredients
http://www.sweetmelissas.net/     http://sweetmelissas.blogspot.com/

cdnDough's picture
cdnDough

Here's what I'm thinking.

 

Lee Valley, waricorner and Ikea have some clever hardware for making the most use of the blind corner cabinet I've drawn (example video). You'd gain in counter space over your current configuration and you'd almost double the cabinet storage space (the exact amount would depend on how effective your current corner cabinet is).

Edit: I see I am not alone in this suggestion.  The biggest problem I see with your current and my proposed layout is that there is a choke-point to pass from the stove/sink to the fridge.  One or two extra people in your kitchen will likely block the route to the fridge.

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

With the L configuration (leaving the island where it is is optional) the upper cabinets could also rest directly on the new counter top and then be fixed to the wall, the countertop providing the base to level everything, or an open spacer could be put in between (so that you can open the doors when something is in front of them or think about mounting the microwave here) and they could also be glass doors.

A floor to ceiling unit gives tons of space (I've put 3 (IKEA) of them together and I recommend putting a level sturdy wood socket underneath, the flimsy plastic feet are a pain and make it a three person job. If it is the pull out drawer type, very awkward on the wall side, to adjust and to reach into -- a space of about 4 inches should be added between the cabinet and the wall so a nailing strip and blind must be added on the cabinet before it is put up. A socket piece of wood for this to match the cabinet can be ordered at same time.

Mini O

SourdoLady's picture
SourdoLady

Get rid of the corner cupboard and install a 36" wide, 24" deep, floor-to-ceiling pantry cupboard in that space. It would fit perfectly and give you TONS of storage space!

cdnDough's picture
cdnDough

It might help to see what the current corner cabinet looks like.  That being said, you are quite right that most are a very inefficient use of the available space.

berryblondeboys's picture
berryblondeboys

I found my corner cupboard for under $100 at an antique shop. It's not a great use of space. The top part is open and I have books and  some bread baskets and such there. The drawers hold like NOTHING so I have some little candles and weird stuff in there. In the bottom, I've wedged some pans and baking supplies in there, but that cabinet is near impossible to get into with the position of the island. We had the corner cabinet before the island.

No matter what I do, the refrigerator is in a bad spot, but without ripping apart the kitchen, we're stuck with that.

Of course, since we've made the island, they have changed their cupboards again, so we would have a THIRD cabinet pattern in there if I add anything from them. I could get a pantry from Merrilat to match the rest of the stuff, but they don't look as nice (imo) and aren't as easy to use and reconfigure as IKEA kitchen stuff is. I'm SUPER impressed with the IKEA kitchen stuff. IT's holding up great!

Melissa

 

                                 Sweet Melissa's
Custom cakes made from scratch using organic ingredients
http://www.sweetmelissas.net/     http://sweetmelissas.blogspot.com/

Eli's picture
Eli

I have always been curious about it holding up. So you like it?

berryblondeboys's picture
berryblondeboys

 I do. We had a cheap looking thing for years and years and it is 8 years old and still in great shape. Then we got two rolling carts and use them for craft supplies (though they are for kitchens) http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40016834

My kitchen island is three drawers and one 24" wide cabinet and one 36" wide. The drawers are so smooth and since they hold all my knives, utensils and spices, they get opened and closed ALLLLLLLLL the time. I wouldn't do the wood countertop again, but that was DH being cheap again by not wanting to get granite like the rest of the kitchen.

They have a 25 year warranty which is better than my pricey cabinets with 3 years!!!!

                                  Sweet Melissa's
Custom cakes made from scratch using organic ingredients
http://www.sweetmelissas.net/     http://sweetmelissas.blogspot.com/

mcs's picture
mcs
berryblondeboys's picture
berryblondeboys

And I did put in track lighting. That made a huge difference. I'll take a picture of the room as it is now in a bit.

Yesterday was my 15th anniversary, so we were out for a good part yesterday.

Melissa

 

                                  Sweet Melissa's
Custom cakes made from scratch using organic ingredients
http://www.sweetmelissas.net/     http://sweetmelissas.blogspot.com/

berryblondeboys's picture
berryblondeboys

I would love to do that, but I forgot in my original picture to include that the wall in the middle has a low, full window, so nothing really can go beyond 2.5 feet from the wall where the corner cabinet now is.

                                    Sweet Melissa's
Custom cakes made from scratch using organic ingredients
http://www.sweetmelissas.net/     http://sweetmelissas.blogspot.com/

berryblondeboys's picture
berryblondeboys

Boy, I'm really stuck if i want to refigure without adding in a THIRD cabinet type.

Ikea no longer carries the cabinets we have, so reconfiguring the island or adding more, would look odd and if I'm going to spend the $$ I want it to look right as we MIGHT be selling in the next year.

Taking out the corner cabinet and putting in a pantry cabinet would be awkward as access to it would be limited and ramming a kitchen island up to a deep cabinet would look odd. And I would have to buy it from Merrilat and their prices are at least a 1/3 higher than Ikea.

Turning the kitchen island around and adding cabinets above is a possibility, but I would loose that extra deep counter and I use it a LOT, though it would make maneuvering around the kitchen MUCH BETTEr, but I would have to put Merrilat cabinets above the island AND lose the corner cabinet. And really, that corner cabinet holds quite a bit. It holds about 30 cookbooks and there isn't room for those elsewhere unless I take them to the lower level and having to walk DOWNSTAIRS to get to them seems a bad idea. Plus, with losing a lot of my kitchen island counter space, I've also taken away that extra space I use for cannisters which would then have to go into cabinets and what have I gained? Spending a lot of $ and basically just moving things around (which isn't a bad things as our current layout is not ideal).

But what about sneaking them into the entrway? I wouldn't have to match the kitchen. I would prefer to do a glossy white. Our entry way NOW has stuff in it and I could ditch it for better use of space.

This is what I have now. There is an antique writing desk for the entrway, an antique hope chest to put shoes on and to store winter gear. This is ALWAYS just a colleciton point for clutter - no one ever sits on it! Across is a tall cabinet to store shoes, and near the stairs is a coat tree:

 

Now, what if I took out the shoe cabinet and put in a taller and slightly bigger one and tuck it behind the door? I could then put our hats and mittens in there too. and then put a narrower and shallower table for the entry table for keys, etc. and then two 24" wide 12" deep pantry cabinets? Ikea makes these 80" tall and 12" deep cabinets. Keep the tree where it is.

Probably hard to see the difference, but it would actually free up space in the entryway. I wouldn't do deeper than 12" for the majority of the entryway though. Just the part that is behind the door and in the corner....

Or if I get a closet system, it would be 15" deep the entire length of the back wall: 

Or is that just weird? or not advisable? (I admit I HATE the tall cabinet between bathroom and closet as it's the first thing you see when you walkin the house (door opens up and THERE it is. If it's at least on the other wall, it's BEHIND the door area and not in your face. A little entry table would seem less obnoxious at the entry to me.

                              Sweet Melissa's
Custom cakes made from scratch using organic ingredients
http://www.sweetmelissas.net/     http://sweetmelissas.blogspot.com/

berryblondeboys's picture
berryblondeboys

 Alright, pics of my kitchen. This is how it usually looks, so I wasn't trying to pretty it up for you all! - this is stove side from entryway and behind island:

 

Wall with sink and refrigerator - two shots - one from doorway from dining room:

And then the island and corner cabinet:

 

And then my entryway:

 

Does this help at all? We are about to paint and such and before we do that, I want it to be SET the way we want it (for now).

Melissa

                              Sweet Melissa's
Custom cakes made from scratch using organic ingredients
http://www.sweetmelissas.net/     http://sweetmelissas.blogspot.com/

Eli's picture
Eli

Would your corner cabinet with the cookbooks fit behind the door opening(entry)? That would still make it accessible. Also, and I know you may know this but you could get rid of the microwave and get one to go over the range with hood/fan. That would help with clearing a few feet of counterspace. I'm thinking outloud. Also, your diagram shows stairs is there any dead space you could steal from there (overhead, under stairwell)? Also, what about knocking out the wall that the corner unit is on adjacent to the entry. Put in another island, cabinets underneath both sides and leave it open and accessible?

berryblondeboys's picture
berryblondeboys

Lovely suggestions but you forget, my husband doesn't like to spend money! I really can't be knocking out walls. I would just as well start over. 

I guess I should have enough space, it's more space than most people have, it's just not EFFICIENT and i'm all about efficiency. I think I really need to get that island out of the middle of the kitchen because refrigerator access is HORRIBLE and there is so much dead space. The least I can do is turn it to the wall and I would LOVE to get rid of the wood top to it. I've stained it I just feel I have to baby it all the time and it's my work horse. I use it for EVERYTHING. It's too deep though... Wonder how one goes about chopping it down to size?

As far as the microwave goes - when it dies we'll move it, but neither of us are willing to ditch it ... I'm not even sure I have enough clearance above my stove for one of those microwave vented things, but I agree - it takes up WAY too much counter space.

I don't usually have my mixer out, but I had used it earlier in the day.... and now you all know I had broccoli, red pepper and sun dried tomato turkey sausage with barilla pasta for dinner tonight! LOL

See how I have no room for brooms and such either?I'm SO strapped for space, behind the island is "dump" zone. My box from a package today, the cooler we used on MOnday, the swiffer vac, the broom, the swiffer wet jet... SOOOOO strapped for space and too lazy to go up and down stairs every five minutes. I use the swiffer vac and broom every day as I have a 3 year old and a 12 year old nearly as messy!

Melissa

                                 Sweet Melissa's
Custom cakes made from scratch using organic ingredients
http://www.sweetmelissas.net/     http://sweetmelissas.blogspot.com/

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

I think you have way too much stuff cluttering your countertops! Corner cupboard has to leave the kitchen. You would regret making the island smaller, so don't, but you could round the two outer corners for more room.

Put in nice open shelving in wood to match with bookshelves to the floor. It should be deep enough to handle the depth of the micro, toaster oven, mixer, and bread machine plus one or two inches. They can sit where the canisters are now, the canisters can be lined up above the machines. Books in the shelves next to the wall. Move the electrical sockets to end of island to use equipment there. To make the room bigger, free up your countertops and install more under-counter lights. Add a row of clip lights (black $10 each, point in any direction) to the top shelf for more light.

Get the front and skirting of the dishwasher painted glossy black and paint the walls above the countertops tan or sand or.... Paint wall behind the shelving boldly. Put small things in good looking, easy to wash containers or boxes. 

Mini O

 

berryblondeboys's picture
berryblondeboys

I'm not quite following (I'm too visual), but I agree - too much is on my counters because I have nowhere to go with them! Now, normally my mixer is put away, but yes, my bread maker, microwave, toaster oven, dish dryaing rack, coffee maker, coffee grinder and canisters are ALWAYS out. and the Top of my refrigerator is my office! How sad is that?  Other little things are out because we "live" here and that will always happen.

Whatever I do, things need to be reachable. I can BARELY reach the cannisters across 3 feet of island, so putting them higher won't work and a stool doesn't help (I need a stool to access my higher cabinet space). If I put things on that wall, I would HAVE to turn the island.

I think it's obvious the corner cabinet has to go, but then storing that stuff is next! I can purge some of those books, I just need to write down some of the recipes I like, but no need to keep a whole book for a handful of recipes I can scan!

Melissa


                       Sweet Melissa's
Custom cakes made from scratch using organic ingredients
http://www.sweetmelissas.net/     http://sweetmelissas.blogspot.com/

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

with a little space all around?  That would be the now wall side near to the window.

The nice thing about starting this thread is that when you've decided what you're going to do, you can delete the whole thread,  and get back to bread.  :)

Mini O

berryblondeboys's picture
berryblondeboys

True.... but it's bread's fault that I started this thread. Starting to bake my own bread put the last stress on my kitchen. I have no place for flours and I want to stop buying 5 lbs at a time as it's WAY more expensive and I picked up a couple bread recipe books and I want to get some seeds and nuts and stuff, but WHERE to put it all?

 So, this expansion of the kitchen has EVERYTHING to do with bread.

 

I didn't answer a couple  of the things you mentioned. Our plan is to paint the kitchen a deep red actually, The white is awful.

Second, I can't really put the corner cabinet in the entryway as that wall next to the door has a air/heat vent. I always left 6 inches of space or so of other cabinet idea. I can put a diverter cover on it, but nothing can go AGAINST that wall. I think whoever installed the heating vents in this house should be reprimanded - MOST of them are so inconveniently placed.

 

                                  Sweet Melissa's
Custom cakes made from scratch using organic ingredients
http://www.sweetmelissas.net/     http://sweetmelissas.blogspot.com/

berryblondeboys's picture
berryblondeboys

 Look at this pretty on my craigslist I think this could stand alone in my entryway. I LOVE it.

This is the description:Refinished high boy, painted pale grey with coral trim and shelves, open back, circa 1930s. This originally was in the pantry, along with an old ice box, in my DC townhouse of that era. Measures approximately 89 1/2" high; 50 1/2" wide and 15 1/2 " deep. Three shelves on top, and 1 below.

 

                                  Sweet Melissa's
Custom cakes made from scratch using organic ingredients
http://www.sweetmelissas.net/     http://sweetmelissas.blogspot.com/

Marni's picture
Marni

I try to keep only things used regularly in the kitchen, so I have my bread machine, juicer and such in other nearby rooms.  You might want to re- evaluate your appliance use and move things around.  I don't know how you store food, and it may be unorthodox, but if you buy in large quantities and are trying to keep it all in the kitchen, you can get yourself more space by moving canned goods and packaged foods into another room.  (the garage?)  No remodeling required.

My other suggestion would be to see if you can move the corner unit into the entry.  Would it fit into the space next to the stairs across from the front door?  I would leave the cookbooks on it and use it for some of the purposes that the desk serves.

Then, if you turn the island against the wall, can the tall cupboard in the entry fit into the remaining space?  A closed cabinet would give the kitchen a calmer feel.

Lastly, if a tall cupboard could be found to fit behind the front door, you would get that storage back without filling the room.

Marni

I hope you don't mind my jumping in here and that this is at least somewhat helpful.

berryblondeboys's picture
berryblondeboys

OK everyone, your patience and help has been WONDERFUL. I went to IKEA again today, and I have figured out what I'm going to do in the most cost efficient way! YAY! being able to see and touch them made me realize I CAN put cabinets above the island and it DEFINITELY is reachable - more so than I thought.  So, I went with a lot of the suggestions here and it will give me TONS more space and will make the flow of the room much better. I can make MORE changes as money and circumstances allow. (Like when/if the micrwave dies, I can put it above the stove, etc).

So this is the plan.  I will turn the kitchen island on it's side. Since I have 13" overhang on each end, I will put a cabinet 12" wide and 24" deep in those spaces. They have cabinet faces THE SAME as my counter top, so it will flow.

Then, above the island I will put in the corner a corner cabinet as it will be deep enough for some bigger items, beside that a 12" wide cabinet (on the wall with the window) that is the same material/stain as the countertop. Then, above the island I will put one or two 30" wide horizontal cabinets that match VERY closely the glossy black  island and then end it with a 18" wide cabinet. Between or on those horizontal cabinets I can put books or  other things. The cannisters will line up on the back of the 39" deep island leaving me still more than 24" of nice space to use.

And, that solution would cost around $1000 only! Not too bad for the amount of space I would gain and the better flow I would have in the kitchen.... I think it would help with resale too.

Melissa

                        Sweet Melissa's
Custom cakes made from scratch using organic ingredients
http://www.sweetmelissas.net/     http://sweetmelissas.blogspot.com/

Eli's picture
Eli

When you are finished we all want to see. Good luck

Eli

berryblondeboys's picture
berryblondeboys

Can I just cry now? I had a plan, it was GREAT (I thought) and then I just got to measuring... The wall, yes, is 73 inches long - my island is 72... BUT that makes it even CLOSER to the cabinets with the stove. NOW it is 32, that would make it 29..... WAY too close (I think recommended is 42!!!).

OK, so I thought, I can make it a bit shorter, I can cut down up to 12". If I cut it just three, I can still fit a little cubby in there for wne bottles or other small things... but then I measure the wall... My top is MORE than 36", it's 39.5"  and that takes it ALLLLLL the way to the interior of the window sill... which of course sticks out a bit, so I need to chop down a bit in the back too.

I'm so bummed, maybe that's why I made it an island in the first place? (I forget now.) I'll draw some more diagrams.

 

                                  Sweet Melissa's
Custom cakes made from scratch using organic ingredients
http://www.sweetmelissas.net/     http://sweetmelissas.blogspot.com/

berryblondeboys's picture
berryblondeboys

I finally figured out what to do and it gives me even MORE space! And to do it through IKEA it would be $1400 (a 30" pantry, a cabinet to hang on it and the wall over the island) and then I would need to pay someone to cut down the island overhang. Here is what I'm thinking. It would give more flow to the room and more space.

But then on my craigslist I see a pantry in the EXACT size and it matches my existing cabinets. The listing has now ended (it's over a week old) so I can't show the exact one, but it's this style - 36" wide, 24" deep and 96" tall (which is ideal size).

It's this kind of pantry: 

if I buy cabinets to attach to it to go over the island, it would cost me a total of $650 including paying someone to haul it here, but would still need to pay someone to size down the island.

 

But which style is a better pantry cabinet? Drawers/trays like this below, or are narrower shelves fine?Tough call! The money $$$ is really something to consider...

What do you think? (besides that I'm driving you all nuts).

Melissa

 

                                   Sweet Melissa's
Custom cakes made from scratch using organic ingredients
http://www.sweetmelissas.net/     http://sweetmelissas.blogspot.com/

berryblondeboys's picture
berryblondeboys

I'll take pictures when I finally get it all together, but I have decided to get the  pantry from craigslist. She's selling it for $300 and with her configuration (it only has one door rack and one swinging door) it's $1600 new. And I can still buy the inserts to give me even more space for an additional $500. Normally this unit new costs $2100. I mean, what are the chances that on CL I would find ExACTLY the size and color and style of my current kitchen? The same maker even! Go figure!

Then, I'll order from merillat a corner cabinet that has finished ends with  open shelves and a glass door. In the end it would completely match my kitchen and it saves me more than half the price to do it this way. With the alternative going to Ikea and getting everything new for about the same price in the end, but it wouldn't match the rest of my kitchen and in the end, I have to think about resale value along with practicality.

Thanks for everyone's help!

Melissa

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