What makes a perfect kitchen?

TastyReuben said:
MrsTasty wants to live in a traditional gated retirement community, somewhere like Florida (which is what her parents did), and I'm dead-set against it (which means we'll most likely do that :laugh:).

I finally had an epiphany and said that I'd be on board with that on one condition - that I get a full kitchen remodel, no expense spared (within reason). That way, it's a fight between her normal tightwaddedness and her desire to live like that. :laugh:
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Niece and Hubby are working on plans for a new home. They have a similar deal - she can do whatever she wants with the rest of the house but the kitchen is his. I know he will have a Viking Professional 48" dual fuel, double oven range . He is also planning on a wider than normal, deep, 2 basin sink with an elaborate faucet. Pot filler for the range and prep sink on a large Island .
I am seriously jealous .
 
I love our kitchen, which is a mixture of old and new styles, spread over four rooms, due to the quirky layout of our house. We have a six gas burner/two oven range but no microwave, and the fridge is not in the main kitchen. There is nothing I would change, having learned to work around any deficiencies. When we stay in Cyprus we survive weeks with only two electric rings, an electric toaster and kettle, but still manage to turn out good food. Cooking with limited kit provides a great opportunity to learn new skills. Mastering the art of cooking/holding/reheating reduces the need for loads of rings or burners. Turning an electric toaster on its side can open up whole new grilling options. Good ingredients, a sharp knife and a glass of wine, and my wife to keep me in check, that's my perfect kitchen.
 
TastyReuben said:
This is what I mean by plenty of floor space, but no prep space:


Prep Space

Prep Space

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My kitchen is very small but I reckon I have more prep space than that. In fact I have 4 different areas of prep space. Will take a photo tomorrow. Not sure I could cope with your prep space TastyReuben. Did you ever see My Little Paris Kitchen? If not, maybe you should resist, as you will no doubt fall in love with Rachel Koo. She is lovely eye candy. I'm not being sexist. I'd say the same about Paul Hollywood.
 
Did you ever see My Little Paris Kitchen? If not, maybe you should resist, as you will no doubt fall in love with Rachel Koo. She is lovely eye candy. I'm not being sexist. I'd say the same about Paul Hollywood.
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Yes, I really like that show, and I did fall quite in love with her, but the more I've seen her (she had another show, something like "London Notebook"), the less I think we'd be compatible. She gives off the vibe that she might require a lot of attention and praise, if I may put that gently. :)

Now, Lorraine Pascale...should something ever happen to MrsTasty, I reckon we'd get along very well. :wink:

I'll have to take pictures of my kitchen all round so you can see what I'm dealing with. :)
 
ElizabethB said:
Niece and Hubby are working on plans for a new home. They have a similar deal - she can do whatever she wants with the rest of the house but the kitchen is his. I know he will have a Viking Professional 48" dual fuel, double oven range . He is also planning on a wider than normal, deep, 2 basin sink with an elaborate faucet. Pot filler for the range and prep sink on a large Island .
I am seriously jealous .
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I'm envious as well.

Russ
 
Ok, so here's my kitchen, pretty much in its entirety:

Kitchen South Wall

Kitchen South Wall


Kitchen West Wall

Kitchen West Wall


Kitchen East "Wall"

Kitchen East "Wall"


My main prep area is that corner to the right of the sink and the left of the range, where the cutting board is.

As you can see, to the left of the sink, that's taken up by the dish-drying area, a little Mr. Coffee, a toaster, and my Keurig area. No room there, except to butter toast.

The long bench, that's a cobbler's bench from the early 1900's that we bought in England in the 1990's. My original plan was to use it as a prep area, like an island of sorts, but it's become a catch-all for MrsTasty's and my dog's meds, and where my dog's food gets prepared. I also do my bread slicing there.

I talked to MrsTasty this morning, and I think I'm going to buy another cutting board and try using that as a secondary prep area, or possibly as a dough station. That might help a little.

My prep problem is this: once I've gathered everything, as soon as it's time to chop and mince and dice and peel, I don't want to move from where I'm standing (currently, next to the range, in front of the cutting board). I want everything I might need within arms' reach, so that's why my oils are sitting right there, salt and pepper, my scale, and above me in the cupboard are my mixing and prep bowls, and in the cupboard above and just to the right are my flours and other dry ingredients. I don't even move to walk to the trash can; I keep a big bowl out for trimmings/waste; and then dump it when I'm done.

What this means is that I rarely need to move, but it sure does get crowded in my prep area.

Opinions?
 
Perfect kitchen... well compared to my old home back in Connecticut I HAVE a perfect kitchen.

Lots of counter space, lots of storage space, with sufficient stuff that can be stored above counter height such as in upper cabinets. (I'm tall and my back sometimes wants to go out (on vacation or something, but painfully so...)

A good system of organization. Both in the design of the kitchen itself and how I might be working day to day. For instance:
I have a small counter spot next to where the fridge opens up so I can put things in after shopping, and take them out to prepare. Next over is a prep sink, for washing if needed. Then the prep space (with a window looking out into the back - eye candy for scenery or chicken-watching...) Next over is the range - things can be prepped then cooked without roaming everywhere.

Beyond that is the wash up area - main sink, then the dishwasher. This is on a peninsula that overlooks into the dining area - so I (or any visitor who has volunteered - assuming I can ever have visitors again...) can continue to chat with houseguests sitting at the dining table.

Having the kitchen semi-open works wonders for me. More cabinet space, but still open to the dining area, but not open to the living room. Which in turn gives the living room a nice wall to hang my collection of art upon.

Could it be more perfect? Well, the builder could have listened to me regarding putting in an upright (vertical) area for platter placement. Otherwise I am exceedingly happy here.

I designed it, based on what I hated about my old kitchen, and I also sought advice on a kitchen-related forum elsewhere on line.
 
I also decided what I DID NOT need. A pot filler. (Range is close enough to the washup sink.) A fridge that made ice or dispensed water. An expensive dish washer.

I did go for an induction range, because I loved my brother's, and I got a fridge freezer with the freezer on the bottom because I was really tired of losing food back at my old home when I lost food on the hard-to-reach (bad back, remember?) bottom shelves there.
 
TastyReuben said:
Ok, so here's my kitchen, pretty much in its entirety:

Kitchen South Wall

Kitchen South Wall


Kitchen West Wall

Kitchen West Wall


Kitchen East "Wall"

Kitchen East "Wall"


My main prep area is that corner to the right of the sink and the left of the range, where the cutting board is.

As you can see, to the left of the sink, that's taken up by the dish-drying area, a little Mr. Coffee, a toaster, and my Keurig area. No room there, except to butter toast.

The long bench, that's a cobbler's bench from the early 1900's that we bought in England in the 1990's. My original plan was to use it as a prep area, like an island of sorts, but it's become a catch-all for MrsTasty's and my dog's meds, and where my dog's food gets prepared. I also do my bread slicing there.

I talked to MrsTasty this morning, and I think I'm going to buy another cutting board and try using that as a secondary prep area, or possibly as a dough station. That might help a little.

My prep problem is this: once I've gathered everything, as soon as it's time to chop and mince and dice and peel, I don't want to move from where I'm standing (currently, next to the range, in front of the cutting board). I want everything I might need within arms' reach, so that's why my oils are sitting right there, salt and pepper, my scale, and above me in the cupboard are my mixing and prep bowls, and in the cupboard above and just to the right are my flours and other dry ingredients. I don't even move to walk to the trash can; I keep a big bowl out for trimmings/waste; and then dump it when I'm done.

What this means is that I rarely need to move, but it sure does get crowded in my prep area.

Opinions?
Click to expand...

Nice size kitchen!! Lots of countertop space!! :wink:
 
TastyReuben said:
The long bench, that's a cobbler's bench from the early 1900's that we bought in England in the 1990's. My original plan was to use it as a prep area, like an island of sorts, but it's become a catch-all for MrsTasty's and my dog's meds, and where my dog's food gets prepared. I also do my bread slicing there.

I talked to MrsTasty this morning, and I think I'm going to buy another cutting board and try using that as a secondary prep area, or possibly as a dough station. That might help a little.
Click to expand...

The long bench is good and you definitely need to use it more as a prep area. That was my first thought. :okay:
 
morning glory said:
The long bench is good and you definitely need to use it more as a prep area. That was my first thought. :okay:
Click to expand...
To the right and behind the cobbler's bench (so to the left of the hot drinks area) is another piece of furniture I like - also from the early 1900's, also from England, it's an old baker's rack for holding breads. I'm using it as a microwave stand. :)
 
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