Planning: The kitchen overhaul

When I last posted about the kitchen - the vision was for a maj/min remodel…utilizing some of what was there, and supplementing with new.  I've now had the privilege of working with two kitchen designers, and costed out several options:

• Keep and paint the lower cabinets, add new uppers, build new peninsula
• Keep the lower cabinets, add new doors/drawer facias, paint the "old", build new peninsula.  Add new uppers.
• New upper and lowers, including new peninsula
• All of the above - with current appliances
• All of the above - with new appliances

The clear winner has been new throughout - for aesthetic and functional reasons.  And with my new super-duper kitchen designer, Bianca, new throughout is less than 15% more than my maj/min initial quote (ex-appliances).  

Aesthetic:  

Putting in new uppers, but keeping the "guts" of the old lower cabinets would have been mis-matched…I figured I could live with this, and even considered different paint treatments so to not try to look like this was an accident.  However, the old cabinet fronts looked odd with everything new I actually liked, and painting/adding new doors/drawer facias was nearly as expensive as new.  

I'd also figured that I'd eventually swap out the fridge…which wasn't counter depth, jutted into valuable workspace, and wasn't a layout I loved.  However, the dimensions of any new fridge wouldn't be accommodated well by new cabinetry (upper or lower).  I also disliked the existing range/oven configuration…it wasn't one piece (wall oven under counter, large range on the counter)…it looked strange, and the oven was difficult to use without crouching down…probably because it was meant to go in a wall!  Given the counters/cabinets would be configured around these appliances, it made sense to select the appliances desired long term before cabinetry was sorted. 

There is an existing asymmetrical window partially hidden by drywall and cabinets, and fairly useless given proximity to the neighbor's laundry vents, and a window of their own (about 2 feet!).   It lets in very little light.   When presented with an alternative layout that eliminated this window, the decision to go with new cabinetry throughout was very easy. 

No change to the plans to eliminate the soffett, and lower the peninsula to counter height - adding drawers at the same time. 

Functional:

The new cabinetry/appliance/sink layout will make much better use of the space.  No major replumbing is required, and the usability of the space will be infinitely better with a sink not locked in an uncomfortable nook.  Kudos to kitchen designer Bianca @ Studio 41, who's brain child it was to essentially swap the sink and dishwasher, and to close off the useless window.  There is no doubt that with the pull outs and extra storage space, the new cabinets are going to work very well for this aspirational chef who loves to entertain!  Every inch of the limited footprint will be maximized - and nothing has been taken away from the adjacent dining space (with full window, and door with window).  The trash/recycling will be hidden, the counters will be lit via under-cabinet lighting, and all the appliances will actually "fit".  

Before:

Tomorrow:

Picture this with the herringbone backsplash, solid white quartz countertops, and potentially a white breadboard ceiling:

Nothing is going to waste - the kitchen at large has been donated to the Rebuilding Exchange, a beneficial non-profit.  The faucet will be utilized in the new laundry room.  The microwave was sold, and the dishwasher will stay in the new space…but in a new spot.

In a future post I'll introduce the "accent color" to the kitchen, and the adjacent dining space (essentially one room).  

Planning: Living Room Furniture

Given the delay of game in terms of construction, there has been plenty of time to plan the furniture layouts in the house.  It has been fun sorting out how to utilize my current furniture, and where best to supplement with the new (and some new-to-me that is prettied up vintage, as you've seen in earlier posts).  

The ground floor of my bungalow has only three rooms - the living room, powder room and the kitchen.  The living room also serves as the foyer - so it needs to serve several purposes.  First, it needs to be comfortable - somewhere you'd want to settle in with a glass of red wine and a movie on a snowy night.  It needs to be welcoming and functional, with a space to hang coats, leave boots, etc.  And it needs to have a "wow" factor - showcasing the lovely woodwork and lighting that will be added.

As noted in an earlier post - I love grey, and menswear-inspired fabrics…this room will have umpteen shades of grey.   To break up the grey, soft plums, light pinks, and a lot of white will hopefully keep it from looking like a man's closet.  

What I'm bringing with me:

Oly Coffee Table 

Ethan Allen Steel Table

Peter Weigl Large Art - Ceramic on Board
http://www.petrweigl.com

White/Silver Silk Velvet Pillows from ABC Carpet & Home

Donabella Chest from Mitchell Gold

Ornate Lacquered Mirror from Brocade Home

Simple console (very old and seasoned) from Pottery Barn.  Upholstered ottomans from Ballard - in Velvet Pinstripe fabric from Arhaus

Nanny and Papa's cane chairs - 16 layers of lacquer applied; upholstered in grey/white houndstooth by Arhaus

Large art piece by Studio Renea; framed in white laquer

Large pink vessels, a London find

British Cane dark wood TV armoire - Restoration Hardware

And what I'm adding new:

Walter Smithe sofa in velvet (the pillows are toast)

Vintage end table - grey/black

Chandelier by Lightology

New/Old:

I purchased this chair from Crate and Barrel in 2010 - it was upholstered in a pale grey/blue bird print, and uber comfortable…my friend Julie calls it "sitting in First Class".  In the new home, I needed two, but "mine" has been discontinued by Crate and Barrel.  C&B was good enough to give me the manufacturer's name (Sam Moore).  So - I purchased a duplicate Sam Moore via Walter Smithe…it is off with the elves being upholstered in this grey/pink wool plaid.  Upholstery guru David gave the star treatment to the chair I already own - below, the WIP.  So, one chair will be "old" with a new face, and the other completely new.   I have one "ottoman" to go with this - an industrial bench I picked up at a thrift store in NYC, with a cushion upholstered in matching fabric.

Crate and Barrel/Sam Moore in sumptuous fabric by Hickory Chair

And a TBD:

I need a gorgeous, comfy rug to anchor the space - and would like something in violet/plum/purple.  I've found the perfect rug at ABC Carpet and Home, but it's about $10k over my rug budget!  So - here is the inspirational piece.  I'll circle back with whatever I land on!

Pure Gorgeous - ABC Carpet and Home - Silk

Paint:

Room Layout:

Update: Delay of Game

Early October I was pretty excited - drawings for The Bungalow were fairly landed, key selections had been made, and demo was slated to begin.  All of the work done in planning pre-close seemed to be about to pay off.  The setbacks then began - first, a cost estimate that was more than double that initially presented.  Secondly, I received an email from the selected design/build firm outlining that, for a variety of reasons, not least of which their busy schedule and remoteness to The Bungalow's downtown location, they would be pulling out of the project - a week before demo was to be underway.  Little did I know at the time what a blessing this would be.

I pouted for a day, listening to platitudes from well-meaning family and friends, and then began collecting referrals - and received three recommendations that yielded interviews (thanks, Friends!).  By mid-October, a couple weeks after "the big news", I had contracted with a new firm (based in the city), and we were off and running.  The new firm proved much more responsive and creative than that which I'd worked with previously.  I met with their preferred architect and we re-drew plans.

I learned that my budget could accommodate a much better layout in the basement, (including a laundry room, yeah!)  but didn't yet have room for the recommended dual-zone HVAC system (my current system only had a few years of life left, and as winter was upon us, it was clear that the heat was not being well distributed).  Allocating an additional $12k for un-sexy HVAC wasn't as much fun as my on-going search for the perfect bar stools, but is the right thing to do.  (It also has terrific aesthetic benefit - the entire burgundy box will be gone!)

The other eye-opener was the recommendation for permits approval…all three of the contractors I interviewed insisted upon permits, in stark contrast to the out-of-town team I was working with from the beginning.  Again, the right thing to do, but has cost valuable time - the new architect's optimistic assessment of "two to three weeks" is in reality "two to three months".

So - we're in a waiting game with the City, expecting to start construction in early January and wrap mid-March.  Demolition has been completed - photos to follow, as well as an update as to the plans for the rooms I shared with you below.  Some plans have changed quite a bit - e.g. the kitchen is now a "full gut"…with thanks to the terrific kitchen designer that works in affiliation with the construction team selected.  

I've already learned so much through this process - and construction has not even started!