"remodeling on a shoestring budget"

[twintubdexter]

I have been working on changing a few things in my kitchen so I thought I'd post a few pics and get some opinions. I'm fortunate to have white appliances since it seems everyone insists on stainless so there are some great deals to be had. I like white, even after a dinner guest/real estate agent once took one look at my kitchen and said "how awful!...this is nothing but common builder's stock...white appliances and laminate counter tops." She didn't get any desert.

I didn't care for the surface lighting from the above-the-range microwave so I decided to install a microwave drawer. Even though the old microwave had an outside vented fan it was not very effective. The new Sharp microwave was less than half the cost of the stainless model and they gave me a double rebate by mistake

This is in the middle of installing the microwave in the island. You can see I'm no professional.

 

[twintubdexter]

Here is the finished "project." I lost 2 drawers to the microwave but I have a lot more. There was a trash compactor at the end of the island that came with the house which I never used. I picked up the little U-Line wine fridge at a warehouse sale on one of my trips to San Jose. It was cheap, again because no one wants white. I stuck the compactor in the garage in case I ever sell so the buyers can have a choice.

 

[jeffg]

Great job! Did the microwave come with wall clearance specs? If not, make sure its air intake and exhaust holes aren't blocked.

 

[twintubdexter]

Then I found this very nice GE Monogram clear ice maker on Craigslist for $50 and it was like new. I decided I really didn't need 2 dishwashers so I purchased a cheap little cabinet and installed the ice machine next to it. The ice maker was stainless steel so I covered the door with 2 layers of contact paper which took several hours. I wish the handle was white but you can't have everything.

 

[washerboy]

Good for you in not giving the heffier any desert!!!!! I think it's beautful..so clean and crisp..it just screams good food prepared here.

 

[twintubdexter]

The house came with one of those gas-on-glass Jennair cooktops. The burners were level with the countertop. After my shirt caught on fire twice (fortunately the shirts were cotton) I decided to change it out along with installing a new hood. Once again, because they are white, I found give-away prices for the Viking hood and Thermador cooktop...and the fur on my stomach has all grown back.

 

[twintubdexter]

I bought a couple of cheap closet shoe racks, cut them up and put them above the refrigeration units to make them look a little more built-in. I'd love a huge built-in refrigerator in case someone wants to send me one.

 

[jeffg]

Joe, I'm wondering how chrome or maybe steel or pewter drawer pulls would look compared to those brass ones. Ever tried it?

 

[twintubdexter]

My friends recently bought a home and the previous owner replaced the dishwasher with a new Bosch prior to selling. These guys could never live with dead-common white so they gave me this and I replaced the Maytag. Frankly, even though I rarely use a dishwasher unless I have company, the Maytag was much better. It did as good or better job cleaning than this thing and it was much easier to load. The racks in this are like putting dishes in one of those plastic milk crates. I put a new Bosch in my old home 8 years ago and I don't remember it being like that. This dishwasher is quiet, but I miss the gentle "swish" (unless I have guests since they do plenty of swishing on their own) noise of the Maytag. I did find new "homes" for both of the old dishwashers since they were perfectly fine and one was "new."

My mom passed away recently and her home in San Jose is vacant. Before I sell it I will probably swap the dishwasher out. I bought her a new KitchenAid Superba when I was still in school, late 60's/early 70's. That dishwasher was used about 5 times. It looks brand new. I'll have to paint it, the avacado won't look good in my home.

 

[twintubdexter]

This is a pic prior to the new hood and cooktop.

 

[twintubdexter]

now I need some advice...

This thing came out of a new and very expensive home in Bighorn...it's where the elite live here. A friend who has a friend that does kitchen work said the woman who bought the home told him "that's the stupidist thing I ever saw...get it out of here!" The guy sold it to me for $25. I like steamed vegtables but I'm not sure if I should cut a hole in my countertop and install it (it requires 220 and I already have a receptacle under the counter with the correct plug) when you can acomplish the same thing with a pot on top of the stove. It also requires a drain connection, again no problem. What would you do?

 

[jaxsunst]

install it!

 

[twintubdexter]

JeffG...

My friend who painted the interior of my house and the guys who gave me the dishwasher said the same thing..."what a shame they used such cheap, ugly cabinet hardware." There are a lot of door pulls to replace and in addition, all of the doorknobs and hinges are brass too.

 

[danemodsandy]

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh!

Realtors who say things like that should be trounced out of the profession and sent to work at Mickey D's or something. One of my friends, who is older, called in a Realtor because she wanted to sell the house she's been in for forty years.

When the Realtor arrived, she took one look at the immaculately kept, extremely well-equipped '60s kitchen and pronounced it "dated," saying that she doubted she could sell a house with such an old installation.

To which my friend replied, "I thought your job was to put things in their best light, not make paying customers feel apologetic because their houses aren't brand-new. Would you please leave?"

The Realtor's eyes bugged out of her head, but she complied.

 

[frigilux]

Looks beautiful! And while I actually like white appliances---very clean and crisp-looking. Is your refrigeration unit a freezer on the left and refrigerator on the right? It's to die for!

I would also love to have that ice machine, although I use dishwashers so much I probably would have opted to keep both of them. But if you don't need two, the ice machine is an awesome replacement.

Great job and hope you enjoy your new kitchen.

 

[jeffg]

Joe, I wouldn't call that cabinet hardware cheap or ugly, and I'm not sure if something in silvertone would look better or worse. But for some reason that's the first thing that popped in my head when I looked at your photos.

As for white appliances, I *love* them. According to the forums over at HGTV it seems the whole stainless steel appliance (and granite countertop) craze is finally over. Yay!

 

[volvoguy87]

Stainless is the new Avocado!

I wonder how long until the stainless look will be as dated as harvest gold, avocado, copper, poppy, or all the other colors we love? Curiously though, white appliances never ever go away. I guess that's why they call them "White Goods."

The KA dishwasher may have white panels. Take out the green ones and see if they can be flipped over or if there is another panel set.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[twintubdexter]

Frigilux

Yes, the unit on the left is a freezer and the right is all refrigerator. I put those in when I bought the house. This was a Kosher Kitchen, 2 sinks, ovens, refrigerators and dishwashers. The Whirlpool frig and freezer was pretty inexpensive. I think 2 nice bottom-freezer refrigerators with the doors reversed on one would look cool too. The bodybuilder guy I bought the house from had a black side by side there with stacks of dry dog food piled next to it. He had a good body but no taste.

 

[polkanut]

Sandy,

Your friend sounds like one smart and classy lady!

 

[polkanut]

Sandy,

Your friend sounds like one smart and classy lady!

 

[toggleswitch2]

Why were you tasting him?

Tell that realtor *itch that the excesses of granite and SS are no longer in vogue. It does not impress anyone to have the "right" toys in one's house when the house itself has no equity in it at all because one borrowed against it to redecorate it so it would no longer be "dated". Serves no one if it has to be foreclosed upon.

As for the Gaggenau thingie-- I have to agree-- it is pointless, especically when the whole pot that one uses stove-top can go in the DW.

I'd say you kitchen is in very good taste and looks great. I agree that the gold color may look better replaced with something silverish.

 

[scott55405]

Twintub, I think your kitchen is delightful, cheerful and functional and I like the updates you've made to it. White it is/would be for me as well, barring any cool mid century colored sets.

Should anyone remark negatively again, suggest that perhaps you will consider installing stainless steel if she is willing to come over and clean it daily. Even so, I know only one person I think that actually knows how to do it right, and he has ss only because it came in a house he otherwise liked.

I do like my stainless steel sink, but that's all the ss I need to be cleaning, thanks very much! As for the builtin steamer, my personal opinion would be no. 220 and a drain plus a hole in the counter seems a bit much for something like that that you may not even use that much, given other available alternatives.

How do you like living in Palm Springs, after having lived in Northern CA? Did it take time to get used to the heat?

Danemodsandy, I think your friend handled that situation most graciously, considering. Clearly not much of a real estate person if she can sell things only state of the art in the last few years, not to mention showing no courtesy or respect to a prospective client.

Volvoguy, I think the d/w he's talking about at his mom's was before reversible panels. Painting would probably work fine, or perhaps another panel will be located.

 

[twintubdexter]

The Hobart KitchenAid does not have reversible panels, it was slightly before that. They are easy to mask and paint.

I will probably install the steamer. I love anything that's built-in...period. Since I am planning on having new countertops installed later, if I decide I don't like it I just won't have a hole cut for it. There's about 100 sq ft of counter space (counting the island) so there's plenty of room, and it may come in handy for steaming the wrinkles out of my face.

 

[jeffg]

Wow Joe, maybe the attached link will change your mind about the steamer.

This one's a combo rice steamer from the same company, current Buy It Now price is $2000.00, and it looks like the seller has already sold one of the two he/she has:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260459505198

 

[frontaloadotmy]

And of course when your friends say,

"Joe how do you keep your face so youthful, so wrinkle free?"

You may smirk, " I simply Gaggenau every other month!"

I think your kitchen is very nice; white appliances are
very attractive.

 

[appnut]

I think your kitchen is beautiful either way. I am sad a little bit you got rid of the Maytag dishwashers. I do believe those were the Mechanical (not electronic) IntelliSense models. I wanted one of those really bad, they were so fasscinating, but oculdn't justify giving up the GE GSD1200 with rapid advance timer.

 

[twintubdexter]

JeffG

That's the same steamer I paid $25 for. I knew how pricy it was but I think just about all Gaggenau is a rip-off. Show me where there's even $500 worth of parts there let alone $2000! Same with that U-Line wine refigerator, not worth half of the retail. And that Monogram ice machine....all of the parts say FSP, that's Whirlpool.

 

[jeffg]

For us it comes down to cost vs. benefit. If we could sell that steamer and pay for an entire remodeling project in our kitchen, we'd do it in a heartbeat. For $2000 we'd boil the cup of water to steam our veggies.

 

[kqkenmore]

I am not a fan of white but in your kitchen i think that it looks great.You have done a excellent job on it.I do not care for stainless steel appliances either I prefer black.You have an awsum kitchen.enjoy

 

[spankomatic]

Cool kitchen! Love the boxes on top of the frige/freezer for the built in look. Great idea! Drawer microwave looks really "metro". Love the steamer and would install it. I too noticed the cabinet hardware. It's not bad......but could be a lot better. The hinges are hidden so not really noticeable. Great thing about cabinet hardware is it is easy to change. Some reason I think black hardware would look good. It would be fun to get a couple different knobs and experiment. Thanks for sharing the photos. They are great!

Jim