Floor replacement – we need to pick color &material
We were considering refacing the cabinets but the contractor says replacement would be not be much more cost and keeping the soffit above cabinets will still make the kitchen look outdated. We’re planning to keep the countertops and want to install wine fridge somewhere. Debating on whether to keep the task table or replace with cabinets but we always need somewhere to dump mail, kids junk, wallet etc 😀
CraftedShot
I highly doubt you’ll be able to save the countertop if your replacing all the cabinets just as a heads up. Also I’d be worried about ductwork in the soffits. They could be there just to save $ on crown but ya never know.
Personally I wouldn’t waste the $ as you’re kitchen is already pretty nice. If anything I’d scrap the left side of pic 3 and find wood that matches make a nice place for your wine and new microwave.
[deleted]
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ConnieLingus24
Get a kitchen designer. They are more experienced re flow of the space, storage solutions, and options. Speaking as someone who hates their contractor/developer designed kitchen, get someone in there who knows what they are doing.
BoulderCAST
Don’t think your kitchen really looks that bad. Everyone seems to hate on the golden or red oak cabinets, but I think they still look good in the right kitchens. You have a ton of cabinets. Any changes you make will run up a huge bill.
I would see about getting rid of the soffit. Also, have you considered wiping out that huge wall of cabinets? Do they have a practical use now?
I’d say it looks fine. Maybe put in a new contrasting floor.
Saint_Faptrick
This is the perfect opportunity for an inexpensive makeover. Your countertops are nice. Keep them. Refloor (dark wood). Professionally paint cabinets with new pulls. Maybe go two tone, white on top navy on bottom? Be consistent with hardware, all brushed stainless, all brass, etc… same material for a new faucet/light fixture. New light fixture above dining table. Would not mess with the soffits. most likely something back there. It also houses your recessed lighting. Maybe replace/rethink how you do that recessed lighting (LEDs etc…) Tile all the way up to the soffit on the backsplash. remove the bread bin thing to give yourself more counterspace. Update oven, dishwasher to stainless. Paint/re-wallpaper as the last thing because you may want to do more of this throughout the house. You just changed the whole feel of your kitchen for the cost of flooring/paint/door hardware and two appliances.
Pagoe
Just watch the sopranos, your kitchen looks halfway there
twoaspensimages
Builder here. If the cabinets aren’t in good shape, don’t have soft close everything, or in your case won’t fill the space where the soffit is, get new cabinets. From my perspective and your builders, refacing is about the same as new cabinets because pulling the old ones and putting new ones in is faster than refacing. What everyone isn’t thinking about when they tell you refacing must be cheaper is the labor.
The countertops are lost cause unless you get incredibly lucky and they were very poorly installed. It’s not impossible, but again, labor. It takes a lot of time to pull them, so it won’t save you much money. They also hold you to a very inefficient layout.
Kittypuppyunicorn
I don’t think the contractor suggestions are bad at all —especially removing the soffits. You could do a two-tone kitchen and do a darker bottom with new shaker doors so that you can keep the countertops and the get new white upper cabinets with some glass doors mixed in to show off china. The darker bottom cabinets would break everything up so you could do a white tile floor. Also, it’s pretty popular these days to carry hardwood into the kitchen, so something to consider (especially if you do all white cabinets).
blackdevil8808
Where the microwave is consider a tall cabinet with built in microwave…..maybe add a built in coffee maker. Ditch the desk. Get rid of the soffit. Add a tile backsplash. Pendant lighting at the island and undercabinet lighting around the perimeter. New tile or LVT floors.
kangace
Looks like the exact same layout as the Soprano kitchen. You should make it identical.
imadeapoopie
I’m with the repaint gang on this one, and a black fridge. Dark lowers so the littles don’t muck them up. Lighter uppers will make it feel airy, don’t have to be white. Delete the bread cupboard door and ditch the glass panel? Although the glass could look cool with matching hardware and light fixtures. Radio has got to go and you have way too many gadgets on the counter tops.
eNte19
**My thoughts;**
**appliances. what type, integrated or free standing.. budget? Plan to re-use most of it until it breaks? Work the design around that. Your point of contact with the kitchen will usually be with something faucet or appliance related 8 out of 10 times, so why not give that some attention.**
**I have too much ADHD and too many ideas popping around when I see this, but one thought in particular;**
**the section with somewhat narrow tall cabinets seems to be around 12-14 inches deep? Imagine if you changed that to a full 23-24 inch depth. Would let you put ovens there + fridge/freezer, either integrated or free standing. In europe, best value likely lies with a 47~inch niche with a free standing tall freezer and a matching fridge. Total width around 47 inches, but likely no icemaker ;)**
With ovens and fridge moved to that part of the kitchen, you could go for a complete L-shaped worktop with no tall cabinets on that side. I would likely still want to retain the island and hob with integrated ventilator thingy, but possibly reduce it a bit in overall size to accomodate for the now deeper back wall.. idk, just a thought ^^
The kitchen really is OK and the appliances seem to have more than a few years of life left in em.. I’m thinking that you either go for a full revamp now, or you keep it as is and live with it for a year or two, while developing some actual wants around that space. 🙂
​
edit; microwave has to go obviously. When you get new ovens, let the smaller one have integrated mw function so you can reclaim that bench space.
RealPantosaurusRex
Hire an architect. End of advice.
unfurnisheddesign
With all honesty, I think this is a great opportunity to redesign your kitchen. You could start by working with a kitchen designer at first to set up your ideas, needs AND budget so you can get a fresh design for your space and see what you could work with before getting a contractor involved. DIYing with Ikea cabinets + custom made details is also fun plus inexpensive if you’re willing to invest the time in it. You have a wonderful space for your kitchen! If you have any questions I’ll gladly answer them for you.
IndependentDraw8824
This looks like the same kitchen layout as this famous builder’s house on youtube: Matt Risinger. He made a multipart series where he renovates his kitchen and entire house. Maybe you will find some inspiration there.
16 Comments
Contractor suggested:
white shaker cabinet replacements
Paint the wall white
removing soffit above cabinets
Floor replacement – we need to pick color &material
We were considering refacing the cabinets but the contractor says replacement would be not be much more cost and keeping the soffit above cabinets will still make the kitchen look outdated. We’re planning to keep the countertops and want to install wine fridge somewhere.
Debating on whether to keep the task table or replace with cabinets but we always need somewhere to dump mail, kids junk, wallet etc 😀
I highly doubt you’ll be able to save the countertop if your replacing all the cabinets just as a heads up. Also I’d be worried about ductwork in the soffits. They could be there just to save $ on crown but ya never know.
Personally I wouldn’t waste the $ as you’re kitchen is already pretty nice. If anything I’d scrap the left side of pic 3 and find wood that matches make a nice place for your wine and new microwave.
[deleted]
Get a kitchen designer. They are more experienced re flow of the space, storage solutions, and options. Speaking as someone who hates their contractor/developer designed kitchen, get someone in there who knows what they are doing.
Don’t think your kitchen really looks that bad. Everyone seems to hate on the golden or red oak cabinets, but I think they still look good in the right kitchens. You have a ton of cabinets. Any changes you make will run up a huge bill.
I would see about getting rid of the soffit. Also, have you considered wiping out that huge wall of cabinets? Do they have a practical use now?
I’d say it looks fine. Maybe put in a new contrasting floor.
This is the perfect opportunity for an inexpensive makeover. Your countertops are nice. Keep them. Refloor (dark wood). Professionally paint cabinets with new pulls. Maybe go two tone, white on top navy on bottom? Be consistent with hardware, all brushed stainless, all brass, etc… same material for a new faucet/light fixture. New light fixture above dining table. Would not mess with the soffits. most likely something back there. It also houses your recessed lighting. Maybe replace/rethink how you do that recessed lighting (LEDs etc…) Tile all the way up to the soffit on the backsplash. remove the bread bin thing to give yourself more counterspace. Update oven, dishwasher to stainless. Paint/re-wallpaper as the last thing because you may want to do more of this throughout the house. You just changed the whole feel of your kitchen for the cost of flooring/paint/door hardware and two appliances.
Just watch the sopranos, your kitchen looks halfway there
Builder here. If the cabinets aren’t in good shape, don’t have soft close everything, or in your case won’t fill the space where the soffit is, get new cabinets. From my perspective and your builders, refacing is about the same as new cabinets because pulling the old ones and putting new ones in is faster than refacing. What everyone isn’t thinking about when they tell you refacing must be cheaper is the labor.
The countertops are lost cause unless you get incredibly lucky and they were very poorly installed. It’s not impossible, but again, labor. It takes a lot of time to pull them, so it won’t save you much money. They also hold you to a very inefficient layout.
I don’t think the contractor suggestions are bad at all —especially removing the soffits. You could do a two-tone kitchen and do a darker bottom with new shaker doors so that you can keep the countertops and the get new white upper cabinets with some glass doors mixed in to show off china. The darker bottom cabinets would break everything up so you could do a white tile floor. Also, it’s pretty popular these days to carry hardwood into the kitchen, so something to consider (especially if you do all white cabinets).
Where the microwave is consider a tall cabinet with built in microwave…..maybe add a built in coffee maker. Ditch the desk. Get rid of the soffit. Add a tile backsplash. Pendant lighting at the island and undercabinet lighting around the perimeter. New tile or LVT floors.
Looks like the exact same layout as the Soprano kitchen. You should make it identical.
I’m with the repaint gang on this one, and a black fridge. Dark lowers so the littles don’t muck them up. Lighter uppers will make it feel airy, don’t have to be white. Delete the bread cupboard door and ditch the glass panel? Although the glass could look cool with matching hardware and light fixtures. Radio has got to go and you have way too many gadgets on the counter tops.
**My thoughts;**
**appliances. what type, integrated or free standing.. budget? Plan to re-use most of it until it breaks? Work the design around that. Your point of contact with the kitchen will usually be with something faucet or appliance related 8 out of 10 times, so why not give that some attention.**
**I have too much ADHD and too many ideas popping around when I see this, but one thought in particular;**
**the section with somewhat narrow tall cabinets seems to be around 12-14 inches deep? Imagine if you changed that to a full 23-24 inch depth. Would let you put ovens there + fridge/freezer, either integrated or free standing. In europe, best value likely lies with a 47~inch niche with a free standing tall freezer and a matching fridge. Total width around 47 inches, but likely no icemaker ;)**
With ovens and fridge moved to that part of the kitchen, you could go for a complete L-shaped worktop with no tall cabinets on that side. I would likely still want to retain the island and hob with integrated ventilator thingy, but possibly reduce it a bit in overall size to accomodate for the now deeper back wall.. idk, just a thought ^^
The kitchen really is OK and the appliances seem to have more than a few years of life left in em.. I’m thinking that you either go for a full revamp now, or you keep it as is and live with it for a year or two, while developing some actual wants around that space. 🙂
​
edit; microwave has to go obviously. When you get new ovens, let the smaller one have integrated mw function so you can reclaim that bench space.
Hire an architect. End of advice.
With all honesty, I think this is a great opportunity to redesign your kitchen. You could start by working with a kitchen designer at first to set up your ideas, needs AND budget so you can get a fresh design for your space and see what you could work with before getting a contractor involved. DIYing with Ikea cabinets + custom made details is also fun plus inexpensive if you’re willing to invest the time in it. You have a wonderful space for your kitchen! If you have any questions I’ll gladly answer them for you.
This looks like the same kitchen layout as this famous builder’s house on youtube: Matt Risinger. He made a multipart series where he renovates his kitchen and entire house. Maybe you will find some inspiration there.