Show Your Home Kitchen!

For questions/topics that don't fit into the other, more specific forums.
Gary L
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Show Your Home Kitchen!

Post by Gary L »

For me I think home kitchen is where you can really get comfortable and be creative. You can set it up exactly the way you want it (well maybe not all of it, if you are renting like me).

Figure I'd share mine first. One thing I like the most is the red towel hanging on the cabinet handle. I put it there specifically for wiping off my knives after use. It is close to the knife block and just makes life so much easier.

Image

Now come and share your lovely home kitchen!

8-)
t3chi3
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Re: Show Your Home Kitchen!

Post by t3chi3 »

Nice. We are undergoing our 2nd renovation (added a floor and did the house over in 2005). I'm a serious home chef and find myself in the amazing position of designing my new kitchen. The kitchen isn't in very good shape now, we went with Mahogany countertops with marine varnish and my friend hand built our cabinets and they are coming apart. Some things I've learned and will apply...

-2 dishwashers is actually a hassle, I'm going with a single one, the biggest I can find.
-cabinets don't belong in a kitchen, I'm going to fight against my wife to use shelving and hanging space as much as possible.
-drawers suck too, too many places for my cleaning person to hide stuff.
-monolithic 48" Viking is hard to work with and is failure-prone. I'm going to get a wall mounted oven and put a high temp cooktop on the island, with access from both sides.
-all counter space will be some sort of stone and I'd be able to roll out pasta or whatever at any point the kitchen.
-recessed seating tucked under the island instead of being in the way along side.
-separate column type refrigerator and freezer as well as separate ice maker (they always go bad as part of a freezer)
-one long, shallow sink.
-a larger walk-in pantry.
-a single, wide and shallow sink.

I'll take pics as it becomes a reality!
shevitz
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Re: Show Your Home Kitchen!

Post by shevitz »

we are also remodeling our kitchen now. We are going with a minimal cabinet design. Lowers only to the extent possible. Could you post some links for hanging space ideas. Shelving is pretty straightforward :-). I only heard about this a couple days ago but don't really know what's out there.
t3chi3
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Re: Show Your Home Kitchen!

Post by t3chi3 »

I'm not there yet but I'm thinking wrought iron horizontal bars along the wall with knobs for hanging pots and tools. My knives are going to stay in the bag, I don't trust anyone in my house around them.

If I wasn't planning on a honking big range hood over the island I would do a circular iron bar over the island. My brother in law used to have a kitchen like that and it was ideal.
timos
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Re: Show Your Home Kitchen!

Post by timos »

my parents gifted me one of those stainless steel overhead racks you can mount on the wall. Its been great hanging our pans and wine glasses. We have also decided to do away with the cabinets but dont really have a plan yet. Looking forward to seeing some of these ideas.
Tim Johnson
Oxford, MA

“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few”
--s. suzuki
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Web: http://www.timothyjohnsonknives.com
Email: tim@blackstoneknife.com
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shevitz
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Re: Show Your Home Kitchen!

Post by shevitz »

still not seeing it. How do you hang wine glasses if not on a shelf? Do you have a picture or a link?
timos
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Re: Show Your Home Kitchen!

Post by timos »

something like this where you can hang glasses under the shelf on two parallel

Image bars
Tim Johnson
Oxford, MA

“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few”
--s. suzuki
Image
Web: http://www.timothyjohnsonknives.com
Email: tim@blackstoneknife.com
Instagram: @timostheos
salemj
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Re: Show Your Home Kitchen!

Post by salemj »

I've had bad experiences with exposed shelving and MUCH prefer enough cabinets/drawers in the kitchen. I've usually lived in smaller rental spaces with gas and the occasional open window, and any time I left things out exposed, they were often covered with dust, grime, or a combination of both faster than I could ever keep up unless they were ALL used essentially weekly (and believe me when I say I am a fastidious guy who keeps things clean around the house). Cabinets and drawers really do keep lots of non-essentials super clean when not in use, from lids to ladles to stemware; the second you expose those items to open air, you start discovering how much the combination of even water vapor and dust is a magnet to stick on everything from spatulas to spare glassware to pot lids both high and low, etc., etc., so be careful. I've even had this issue with hanging pots/lids or ones stored on racks, as I have lots of pots and I cannot possibly use all of them in a given week because many are designed for larger meals (and are thus only used for bigger meals with guests). Obviously, in a professional kitchen or bar, everything is used and cleaned essentially daily, or at least weekly, with maximum ventilation and minimum circulation, but at home, things are different. And in some homes, the air inside is always heat or AC with much less cooking or no gas, so there is more filtration, etc. But when this is not the case, boy oh boy, look out.

I'm also not sure on why you'd want a shallow sink, although I don't mean to criticize the choice. My experiences have always been much better with a deeper sink, not only for fitting larger items and avoiding excessive "splashing" when straining hot liquids and rinsing larger items (not to mention washing things like large greens, etc., or rinsing anything else with a colander), but also for avoiding the needs for oddly shaped faucets to ensure there is enough clearance under them for, say, a stockpot. I'm not saying it is a bad idea; I'm just saying for someone who cooks a lot, it goes against my experience pretty broadly, including my experience working in catering and all of those kitchens I used.
~Joe

Comments: I'm short, a home cook, prefer lighter, thinner blades, and own mostly Konosukes but have used over a dozen brands.
inzite
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Re: Show Your Home Kitchen!

Post by inzite »

salemj wrote: Tue Oct 23, 2018 9:11 am I've had bad experiences with exposed shelving and MUCH prefer enough cabinets/drawers in the kitchen. I've usually lived in smaller rental spaces with gas and the occasional open window, and any time I left things out exposed, they were often covered with dust, grime, or a combination of both faster than I could ever keep up unless they were ALL used essentially weekly (and believe me when I say I am a fastidious guy who keeps things clean around the house). Cabinets and drawers really do keep lots of non-essentials super clean when not in use, from lids to ladles to stemware; the second you expose those items to open air, you start discovering how much the combination of even water vapor and dust is a magnet to stick on everything from spatulas to spare glassware to pot lids both high and low, etc., etc., so be careful. I've even had this issue with hanging pots/lids or ones stored on racks, as I have lots of pots and I cannot possibly use all of them in a given week because many are designed for larger meals (and are thus only used for bigger meals with guests). Obviously, in a professional kitchen or bar, everything is used and cleaned essentially daily, or at least weekly, with maximum ventilation and minimum circulation, but at home, things are different. And in some homes, the air inside is always heat or AC with much less cooking or no gas, so there is more filtration, etc. But when this is not the case, boy oh boy, look out.

I'm also not sure on why you'd want a shallow sink, although I don't mean to criticize the choice. My experiences have always been much better with a deeper sink, not only for fitting larger items and avoiding excessive "splashing" when straining hot liquids and rinsing larger items (not to mention washing things like large greens, etc., or rinsing anything else with a colander), but also for avoiding the needs for oddly shaped faucets to ensure there is enough clearance under them for, say, a stockpot. I'm not saying it is a bad idea; I'm just saying for someone who cooks a lot, it goes against my experience pretty broadly, including my experience working in catering and all of those kitchens I used.
I second the comments about leaving everything out in the open - despite how clean I keep my kitchen and vents in the house I always feel dust on my quartz which i totally clean and wipe down every night by the next morning - can't imagine things that hang without being used for a few days or weeks. It looks cool but won't be that practical imo depending on how much things you have or use regularly. If you want to minimize the visual attention of cabinets you can choose certain color combos that makes them stand out less - eg. have something that is a feature that draws the eyes in instead of allowing the eyes to wander and focus on the cabinets.
t3chi3
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Re: Show Your Home Kitchen!

Post by t3chi3 »

Good feedback guys thanks. I guess I would leave only the stuff I use regularly out. I have a special area for all that now. In fact my restaurant style skillets and cast iron pots stay out all the time and I have a special drawer for my goto ladles, spoons and other tools. I'd like that stuff out and easy to grab. The shallow sink? You have a point, not sure. I would like a functional sink that fits things but see no reason for it to be deep. My big stuff doesn't fit in it anyway and it encourages my wife to load it up with dirty pots and leave them, drives me nuts. The shallow sink makes things within it more accessible.

I have 2 deep sinks now and when I need to wash my large stock pots etc I need to use the hose and wash them on the counter next to the sink and turn them on their side to rinse.
inzite
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Re: Show Your Home Kitchen!

Post by inzite »

t3chi3 wrote: Tue Oct 23, 2018 2:23 pm Good feedback guys thanks. I guess I would leave only the stuff I use regularly out. I have a special area for all that now. In fact my restaurant style skillets and cast iron pots stay out all the time and I have a special drawer for my goto ladles, spoons and other tools. I'd like that stuff out and easy to grab. The shallow sink? You have a point, not sure. I would like a functional sink that fits things but see no reason for it to be deep. My big stuff doesn't fit in it anyway and it encourages my wife to load it up with dirty pots and leave them, drives me nuts. The shallow sink makes things within it more accessible.

I have 2 deep sinks now and when I need to wash my large stock pots etc I need to use the hose and wash them on the counter next to the sink and turn them on their side to rinse.
I went for a single wide and deep sink to address the last point you made. makes cleaning oversized items a breeze.
timos
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Re: Show Your Home Kitchen!

Post by timos »

I hear you guys about collecting dust. Ive come to just rinse everything before I use it anyway. Items that dont see regular use get put in boxes in a closet, or the basement. I have a small kitchen with a couple young kids and cleaning the place is kind of constant. I think my wife and I wash and use the same 3 or 4 pans half a dozen times a day on the weekends it seems....dust is a huge pain but its easy enough to clean off.
Tim Johnson
Oxford, MA

“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few”
--s. suzuki
Image
Web: http://www.timothyjohnsonknives.com
Email: tim@blackstoneknife.com
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salemj
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Re: Show Your Home Kitchen!

Post by salemj »

Appreciate the added feedback from others on some of my points. I completely agree, btw: I think there is a place for all of these variations. I think I was just trying to help avoid an "all or nothing" approach. I love keeping certain items out (knives! but also, when I have space, a few choice spatulas, usually one skillet on the stove, not to mention certain things like my entire coffee set-up, which gets used daily, of course). But I also wanted to highlight the functionality, if you will, of having certain types of dedicated storage. To respond to Tim above, I think the key question is not if it is possible to cope ok, but rather if you had a bigger space and could redesign your kitchen, do you think you would still opt to voluntarily store less used items in boxes or a closet or the basement, or might you explore a certain style or size of cabinet which fits those objects well without wasted space and saves some time on the pre-cleaning/rinsing issues?

I think my biggest frustration with most kitchens is not the presence of things like cabinets or counters, but the format: poorly sized cabinets, square kitchens with deep corners in the counters that are useless, etc., etc. I think that, when going for a redesign, one can keep the idea of storage and counter space while still avoiding the pitfalls of BAD storage ideas and NON-functional counter or storage ideas (a current example being opting out of 2 dishwashers after realizing the space would be better used for something else on most days)—no reason to throw out the baby with the bath water, right? I'm not recommending a professional, but this is where they can help: the more places you live, magazines you browse, and people you talk to, the installations you do, the more you realize what specific solutions really work in a given space. I think this is all very personal – no one size fits all, which is why professional help is only as good as the buyer is able to articulate her needs – but it also means the key is to know how you like to flow in the kitchen. This is speaking to the choir, of course: I think most of us here know exactly how we like to flow in the kitchen! So it is more a reminder of that priority than me trying to given "advice" on that front.

Anyways, I like hearing how others appreciate different designs and utilities in the kitchen, so I'm excited by this thread. Thanks.
~Joe

Comments: I'm short, a home cook, prefer lighter, thinner blades, and own mostly Konosukes but have used over a dozen brands.
rayl1234
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Re: Show Your Home Kitchen!

Post by rayl1234 »

I am actually a big fan of cabinets and particularly big deep drawers that can hold most but the largest cookware. Having it in the open is just too messy. It goes against your list, but thought I would mention it. Nothing beats being able to put Dutch ovens and 8 qt stock pots right into a drawer. Around here, buy custom cabinets and they throw in free design services.

Induction is a serious contender. I didn’t believe it when I redid the kitchen in 2003 when the tech was somewhat new then and a local well known chef told me she redid her home kitchen with induction and was splitting her new restaurants between some induction/ some gas.

The past few years, I’ve switched exclusively to using induction counter top units which I have placed over the cooktop and no longer use the cooktop! A 3500 watt unit puts out around 30,000 btu equivalent— for a single hob— boiling 5 quarts of water takes under 5 minutes. And searing on cast iron is a joy.

Adding 240/20A outlets was quite a retrofit task. If opening the walls, next time I would have several oversized wires in strategic locations so outlets can by swapped by changing breakers and receptacles. I actually had 4 wire 30A capable wiring with these new outlets so they can be upgraded to handle induction wok, or something that needs dual 120/240. Live and learn. 9 hours to pull the wires and rework the panel....$$$ don’t want to repeat that!

For counter tops, polished granite was a mistake for me. Today I would do one of those permanently sealed engineered stones to reduce maintenance or go with something intentionally dulled/with patina to avoid hassle of keeping cleaned and sealed. But definitely high thermal capacitance to allow working with dough.
salemj
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Re: Show Your Home Kitchen!

Post by salemj »

+1 to induction. I haven't "lived" with it yet in my own place for long periods, but I have used it several times—and mostly cheaper units at that. It is by far the most powerful and most precise "normal" cooktop I've experienced. The control far surpasses the majority of gas ranges, at both low and high sides of the output (it leaves normal electric so far in the dust that comparisons are totally superfluous), and the power is not only intense, but insanely efficient: you really notice how much less heat is wasted, and it is nice to not have handles getting hot from escaping stove heat all the time, especially when things are tight. And it is also way cleaner with no flame exhaust. There's something to be said about cooking with a flame, but I genuinely believe most kitchens should be inverted, with one gas burner and everything else induction, not the other way around.

And for all those "purists" out there, just remember it was always more "traditional" to have a flat/iron stove top with some kind of under-heating (be it some kind of fire, electric, or whatever) or to cook outside over a flame. I still love gas, but it is just not accurate to assume that it is somehow "the" classic way to cook.
~Joe

Comments: I'm short, a home cook, prefer lighter, thinner blades, and own mostly Konosukes but have used over a dozen brands.
rayl1234
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Re: Show Your Home Kitchen!

Post by rayl1234 »

I should mention -- I now melt chocolate w/o a double boiler by using the temp setting on an induction hob.... (and this is just using the temp sensor on the surface, not using a plug-in probe, which I have as well.) So while I've been singing its praises for the high power, it is wonderful for low power too.

And comparing to copper on gas for quick heat changes -- I find changing the power level on induction with cladded stainless/aluminum core to be just as responsive....
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ashy2classy
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Re: Show Your Home Kitchen!

Post by ashy2classy »

I see a lot of words and no photos... :D
salemj
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Re: Show Your Home Kitchen!

Post by salemj »

ashy2classy wrote: Wed Oct 24, 2018 3:07 pm I see a lot of words and no photos... :D
Yeah, I was thinking that, too, although the OP makes it clear that the real issue is sharing ideas for a redesign and not necessarily sharing photos of a kitchen. Also: I really hate scrolling through all of the photos (and quoted photos!) on some of the blog threads these days...haha.
~Joe

Comments: I'm short, a home cook, prefer lighter, thinner blades, and own mostly Konosukes but have used over a dozen brands.
t3chi3
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Re: Show Your Home Kitchen!

Post by t3chi3 »

I'm so happy this thread came up, so timely for me. I never even considered not using a flame cooktop, I'm going to look at induction for sure.

I'm going to take a crack at designing my kitchen, I have an architect but the thing is so personal and I'm a bit of a techie nerd, hence my callsign. :P

I'll post something as soon as I can get it created. (pictures yeah~!) Hey all, let's make a pact, when replying to a picture thread, remove the picture from the reply, not sure about you all but it makes it hard to navigate.
Afjagjones
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Re: Show Your Home Kitchen!

Post by Afjagjones »

My best friend has 4 boys- they love two dishwashers.
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