Project Babbling Brook
Hi everyone! This week I promised I would dive into my plans for the kitchen in our spec home.
While we are carefully considering what should stay and what should go in the old part of the house, the kitchen was non-functional. The fridge was slammed next to the oven, and even though we assumed there was a dining table squished under the window at one time, it would have left a one-person path to get to the sink. Basically you’d be sitting on the dining table while you looked in the fridge.
It had to go.
We also decided to knock down the wall separating the kitchen from the living room. I know people have strong feelings about open floor plans, but it is usually the best option in small homes.
This is a bearing wall, but instead of Chip and Joanna Gaines-ing it with a beam, Dave is adding trusses for support. The ceilings are only eight feet tall, so we didn’t want to have them even shorter in the middle of the house. Now there will be no obstruction at all.
This will be the new layout:
The oven is on the left, the sink is under the window, the fridge is to the right, and the microwave is hidden in the island.
I love drawing cabinetry. The act of drawing channels the creativity in me. I’m not a designer that can visualize a space simply by standing in it. I gather the measurements then go back to my studio and draw, draw, and draw some more.
I start by drawing elevations.
Here’s the island. This is where I test different light fixtures, and I do that by hunting online and then drawing them. If I don’t like the scale, I go back to my lighting sources and start the process all over again.
The west wall will have two uppers that go all the way down to the countertop. They could be used for anything from a bake center to dish storage. That will be up to the new homeowners.
The south wall has a funny little window in it, and while these quirks can be problematic, sometimes they force something beautiful. I decided to run an open shelf along the entire wall, just under the window. It ended up being my favorite part of the kitchen.
Every choice I make as a designer is deliberate. After I find lights that set the mood, I’ll start hunting for the faucet and hardware and import them into a collage app. I like to see everything together. I want them to feel like a family. If something doesn’t feel right, I’ll keep swapping out the “oddball” until it feels coherent.
I’m always astonished at how many people pick this stuff at the end of the project. That’s doing it backwards! Start your building or renovating projects with light fixtures, faucets, and hardware. It makes a world of difference.
The countertops will be an affordable granite that looks like soapstone or this fab reproduction by Wilsonart. I spotted it a KBIS and marked it for this project.
Are you ready to see the rendering?
The cabinets are two-toned stain. The lowers on the perimeter will be white oak (regular grain) in an ebony stain. The two uppers and the island will be quarter-sawn white oak in a light wood stain (still to be determined).
Where did those fab counter stools come from? Don’t ask…haha. I made them up after getting frustrated hunting online. Why are great bar stools so hard to find?
{Calling all furniture manufacturers to up the bar stool game. Please start making more wood or metal stools (no fabric) in interesting, minimalist shapes}. Maybe designing some myself will be on my bucket list.
That’s a wrap friends!
Thanks for coming along for the ride. Next week I’ll be sharing more of my painting journey, but I’ll make sure to update you whenever progress is made on this little spec. Until next time!
Catherine says
LOVE the soapstone look countertops, ebony stain and cabinet layout! Looking gorgeous!
Tawna says
Thank you!