Complete noob here but damn that 99 design looks juicy compared to the earlier mockup.

Yeah, I wish I had time to actually process this and respond in detail between now and - like - July 6 (gotta drink and eat a lot so the British know we still mean business). But my wife and I spent a lot of time looking at this mock-up last night and just talking about how it felt better.

So, I don't know what to say except thank you, and that you've proven the point.

I like the designs you found online, but - as I mentioned earlier - they all come in at like 2700+ on the main floor before even counting the lower level. But your design, 99, is really, really cool and would definitely be something a lot more - I don't know - of a family heritage.

That's what we want after all - not just a nice home to live in for a few decades or whatever - we'd like something that could one day, with the timbers around it - be a place where our successors return for family gathers or for retirement or whatever. Though I worry about some issues with it (crossing the main entrance from the garage to the mudroom will leave a lot of mud and shoes where I'd rather they not be) - 99's design just feels a lot better.

Yeah, first thing I noticed that there was nothing between the copper and cement. Hopefully the plastic has just been torn off.

99's design really hits your wish list, but that plan is probably pushing close to 3000 s.f. on the main level alone. That said, the concept is fantastic and i think you could trim it down just a bit and get it close to your target.

The plan totals 1,840, excluding exterior space, i.e. the screened porch, and the garage. I wouldn't typically include those spaces in an area calc for a house.

Having said that, if I was working on such a project for realsies it certainly could and would be tightened up, without losing functionality.

I think he means the plans you linked to, but they have extra sq footage for bedrooms on the main floor that he wouldn't have.

meh, you're right. was just doing a quick eyeball of it, but that included the entire floorplate. taking garage/porch out and its right in line.

Had my blower wheel break on my dryer tonight. Went to start a load of clothes and machine was dancing all over the floor. Got my hands on one at 8pm and figured it would be half hour job well the blower wheel fused itself to the motor shaft. Going to try like all hell to get it off tomorrow or going to have to buy a new motor. Night before we leave for a long weekend too

Scalp,

Having just designed a kitchen remodel, here's some points to maybe consider for that space, some obvious, some not so much.

An island that is "in" the kitchen is a mistake, you don't want to ever have to walk around it to get to anything. Consider pushing it out a little towards the dining area. I happen to prefer the stove top in the island rather than a sink. Sitting opposite cooking food, for your guests, is killer.

The kitchen triangle is not quite right, it's actually a rectangle, or even a pentagon. The most used thing in the kitchen, although not sexy, is the trash can. You heard it here first, nobody ever says that. I put in two, away from each other. One should always be adjacent the main sink, another ideally by a main prep station. I even cut a 6" hole in my granite counter top that let's me drop stuff into the pull out trash. Unbelievably convenient.

Consider some open shelving in lieu of cabinets. I put some in and my only regret is I didn't put in a little more. It's super convenient and I think it looks great. Some enclosed cabinets are of course needed.

Do a single basin main sink. The old-school dual sink is just pointless with no purpose I know of. Deep, and as big as you can fit basically. Spend at least $200 on the faucet, it's something you'll use constantly. I'm having great luck with the removable "spring" type, magnetic connection to the main support arm. Kohler makes them, and others do.

You literally can't have too much counter space. Multiple prep stations is awesome when there's more than one cook in the kitchen. And remember you'll have a toaster oven, coffee maker, cutlery block, spoons spatulas other big kitchen tools in a can/jug or two, all set on counter space. You need more counter space than just for cutting board prep stations.

Consider a second prep sink, next to of course a prep station.

If you can't put a pantry in a good accessible spot, you should consider a spice drawer that would be the fifth point on a kitchen pentagon. The sink, stove, fridge and trash being the other four.

Dishwasher adjacent the main sink of course.

No lazy susan in a corner, it's weak. Do anything but that, they're to inconvenient.

6 burner stovetop if you can, gas, with no griddle. Griddles are worthless in my opinion. Hard to clean and do nothing a nice big pan won't do, plus the heat on them is hard to control. You can control the heat in your pans.

Dimmable LED lighting, not just in the kitchen, but in every single room where you put in recessed LED lighting. Dimming capability is the greatest thing ever. Was hard to do with fluorescent lighting. 3000k to 3500k on the LED light temp, no higher than that, it's too blue.

Hardwood floors in the kitchen are awesome functionally, the aesthetic is up to you.

Soft close drawers and cabinets of course.

Happy designing!

Painted my back door today. Looks good enough I'll probably do the front one next weekend.



Only problem is I have ugly brown screen doors. I'd love to replace the front one, but it's a non-standard size so I have to go custom which is almost 3xs the price of a stock door so I'll probably never actually do it.

Sparks,

Great kitchen tips.


Gregorio,

I don't know; I woulda got a door knob and lock first before bothering with the paint job.

#differentpriorities

That is a very blue door.

After trying to decide between dozens of shades of blue with names like "Pacific Ocean Midnight Storm Approaching Cobalt," the color I settled on was called "Blue."

Pls post a pic from further back so we can check and see if you shoulda gone with the "Pacific Ocean Midnight Storm Approaching Cobalt" instead.

It's probably going to be cheaper and easier to adjust the opening size. The screen door opening is set by the trim, not the main door frame, and I'm guessing it's off by a small enough amount that you can either pack it out or cut it down to get a stock screen door to work.

I went to Home Depot today with measurements to look at cabinets and hopefully work up with some kind of design with them. My stepdad and I hung out in the kitchen area for 15 minutes looking at things. No one even came close to approaching us. One employee was on the computer, but I think he was just surfing the internet. Is that normal for Home Depot?

Hey dumb****s, I'm here trying to spend $1000s and you completely ignore me.

Maybe a third of HD employees will ask if they can help if you're obviously looking for something right near them. As a pinko commie, I never really blame the employees. It's the system man. That and getting what you pay for I guess.

Yeah there was a woman in the appliances waiting for us to wander over. But she can't help with kitchens I guess.

It was all right because I wasn't really in the mood to sit down and spec out a whole kitchen anyway. Just thought it was weird. I'm gonna try the Lowe's down by me and see if it's any different.

I did decide I like these beachy cabinets:




and to go with them these tubular but lightly decorative handles:

DO NOT BUY CABINETRY FROM HOME DEPOT

If you truly care about your home and you want good quality products you should buy approximately nothing from Home Depot, or any other big box store. None of us professionals make significant purchases from them, and there is a very good reason for that.

We do buy a lot of tools there, and miscellaneous crap. Especially after 5:00 and on weekends when everybody else is closed. But never major lumber, flooring, cabinets, etc. purchases.

I mostly go there when it saves me from going to two stores (I need stucco patch and conduit fittings), and then I buy a lot of stuff that are essentially commodities like wire and conduit.

Even on those rare occasions when you can get Home Depot to supply the exact same thing as a professional supply house for like 2% less or whatever, they're going to put you through so much assache that it's not worth the savings. And the $12/hr forklift operator is going to beat the **** out of whatever you bought because he doesn't GAF and nobody will hold him accountable for it.

Professional supply houses are all over the map though in LA anyway as far as quality, price, customer service. Some of them are worse than box stores in quality, but cheaper. Some will really screw you over if you are a homeowner. Specialty stores that aren't wholesale supply stores may really get you on price.

One of the big advantages a contractor has is knowing where to buy what. I certainly got screwed over a fair amount my first couple of years and probably still do on some things.

Yeah im sick of trying to go cheaper and getting half ass quality work done on my house. We're going with a pro designer and contractor on our bathroom and kitchen remodels. Going to end up with the most expensive small cape in New Hampshire, but at least I won't be pissed off constantly for years to come like I have been with other work we had done.

I have similar hardware on my kitchen cabinets and I hate them. These don't look quite as bad because on mine, the sides of the handles stick out a bit further (maybe 1.5 more cm on each side) and they are constantly catching on my fly whenever I am washing dishes or standing near them for any other reason. Maybe you'll have more luck with the sides not sticking out as much.


And yes, I see the joke coming about 1.5 cm and my fly. Go ahead. You can make it.

Only saw them mentioned once ITT, but does anyone with a electronic deadbolt have any thoughts on it? Schlage connect one is a prime item, have been thinking of buying it so just wanted to check for any opinions now that it is on sale.

Sounds like only issue is battery life if it doesn't pass through the plate clean enough, so I might need to file mine slightly but besides that would be nice to not have to have keys ever.