Not to mention the fact that just because there isn’t a view out there now doesn’t mean there can’t be in the future. Plant something wonderful out there, put out hummingbird feeders, build something cool and artistic.
While I normally agree, in this home there is a ton of natural light coming in from the adjoining rooms. Design is not a matter of "never do ...", the whole picture needs to be ocnsidered.
Yeah I feel like there’s no need to take out the window, you can still put the range against that wall without removing the window and have it look good. As you said symmetry doesn’t always matter so the range doesn’t NEED to be in the middle where the window was.
I have a 20 year old IKEA Swedish country kitchen in pale yellow with white ceramic handles. Every day I love it anew. I also designed it myself and ALL bottom cabinets are drawer banks. Best decision ever.
In '98, I designed two custom wide and deep drawers under my cooktop for pots and pans. Standard base cabinets are awful for tall people. I don't know why it took so long for big drawers to catch on.
@@debbielockhart7762 I was referring to storing a stand mixer way up in an upper cabinet. Unwieldy to get down. I would love to keep mine on my countertop but my kitchen is small. 🙁
I admit that I never thought about a side panel for my refrigerator. But now that you pointed it out, I really notice it. I may be making a phone call and seeing if I can get that done. At least one thing I did good in the kitchen is I put in a ton of drawers. I love them.
The kitchen at 8:58 is okay. Get food out of the fridge, step to the right, wash it, step to the right, chop it, step to the right, cook it. Good plan. I'd change one thing - I'd use 45-degree angles on the corners of the island to keep from bumping into those sharp corners. Nobody ever puts anything on those corners, anyway.
fun video ❤ In my kitchen I can’t move water pipes and gas stove so my kitchen probably would look funny for you 🙄 my point is I don’t believe people do this on purpose 🤔 they probably do want they can with existing layout 😢
In the first one I think I’d put the fridge where the stove is located and stove where the sink is. With the sink in the island it would make the triangle better while still leaving the fridge accessible to everyone. If they couldn’t move the window another option might be put a cooktop in the island with chimney type vent hood and built in oven/microwave where the range was.
I love having my range in the corner! Ample counter space on both sides, and no need for a frustrating corner cabinet with all that wasted space. Plus, there is a very useful triangle of counter behind the stove, perfect for keeping frequently used tools. Re-consider your rant against corner stove placement!
I do wish I had insisted on panels for my fridge…. Ahhhh.. next time for sure! Lol - but I do agree with all that’s been pointed out for these designs 😆
I like a bookcase in the kitchen. Many people have a collection of cookbooks that are more useful if kept in the kitchen. However, I would recommend doors (preferably glass) because doors are so much easier to clean than several rows of books.
I share many of your rants. I watch a lot of house videos, and for some all I can say is "WTF?" First and foremost, a kitchen must be functional. Placement of appliances is important. And second, a kitchen must be easy to clean. But too many planners make a kitchen pretty and/or creatively set up. They fail both of my criteria.
I do not have a panel on my fridge. One part is against a wall. As it is I had to take out the cupboard above it to get it in. I made an oak dish holder with a shelf underneath and a light for the extra large space over my sink. The oak does not match the solid oak cabinets. Still real oak. It works because it is framed on both sides. And it is very functional. The kitchen should have been flipped with the sink on the outside wall with a window for light. Especially as there is no room for a dishwasher. A very thin bit of oak on the side of the fridge will not match. I know that. It will look like an after thought. Were as I can keep magnetic bag holders and a pen holder on the side of the fridge making it functional if not pretty. As far as I am conserned the ideal fridge placement is at the open end of some cabinets, so when the manufacturers of fridges, which last an average of 6 years now, even when paying crazy prices, change the sizes again, you are not dealing with the nightmare of having to find a fridge to fit. And I will not change out of dated solid oak cabinets for modern, fall apart cabinets, just to change the kitchen. Even the expensive ones are partical board.
I thought I had learned the tile countertop lesson for the last time in 2002. Really. I was the freaking QUEEN of "NO TILE COUNTERTOPS." I preached it as a #1 rule for years. And then we built our house. I'd been having a secret love affair with subway tiles for years and I got carried away. See, our finish budget was insanely tiny. I could've blown it all on the floors alone if I weren't careful. When it came to the master bath I thought, "It's a place for grownups. It's just two small counters. Maybe it's not such a big deal..." One night I'd had one too many glasses of wine and I made a terrible mistake. I changed the plans to save us $1,200 by removing the quartz order and substituting white subway tile countertops in the master. Where my husband trims his beard. Where I bathe our small dog. Where my toddler grandbabies got washed in an emergency. (I was smart enough to put in a 22" sink in there with a small kitchen faucet and a sprayer. NO regrets for that one. It even makes washing my face easier.) But that wonderful sink becomes a draw for all sorts of situations. I also have tile for my makeup station. Did you know that foundation, powder anything, and toothpaste all stain light grey grout? Did you know you can't get hair dye out of grout? These two little countertops have become my bane. We ended up putting concrete covered with honed epoxy in the kitchen and we love it. That'll probably be the fate of my bathroom counters here pretty soon. NO. TILE. COUNTERTOPS. ANYWHERE. *EVER.* I don't care what approach you take or what sealant you use, you *will* hate yourself for this choice. Knock yourself out on the backsplash, but no counters. At this point, I'd put in plywood counters as a placeholder if I couldn't do anything better at that moment. We did this with the kitchen just to get moved in and it worked fine for two years to get us through until I could make a decision.
Tile countertops in the kitchen are unsanitary. Even if the grout is sealed it's a rough surface and reverts to its porous nature quickly. Who knows what pathogens are thriving in the grout? The same also applies to backsplashes. I've seen kitchens that proudly display an elaborate tile mosaic over the cooktop. Grout just loves grease, so it will soon be varying shades of brown.
I just did my kitchen over. We also put the sink and dishwasher at the island. Also had the contractor hide the outlet hidden in the filler instead of the waterfall. I utilized every space one of which I have panty with pullout draws. I have a small space i can not reach, I had the contract put in 36” floating shelves. I absolutely agree keep the tile simple.I have glass subway tile, just use glass cleaner.
I redid my entire kitchen. Got at it. And somehow when it was all done, realized that the kitchen sink is not centered right in the middle of the window. I didn’t notice it. My contractor didn’t notice it. And the guy doing the custom cabinets didn’t notice. Till it was all done. The funny thing is, it doesn’t bother me. I’m sure it bugs the crap out of somebody but I don’t even notice it anymore. It was like a week or two of regret and I’m over it. But I live in a very small house and a mediocre neighborhood. It would make a big difference if it was an expensive house and a really nice neighborhood.
Mine is the same, doesn't bother me at all. I didn't want to move the plumbing when I replaced a small sink with a gigantic drainboard sink. Problem solved in the new house I am building though - no window!
Just FYI. There are some code requirements. Gas cook tops need window in kitchen, there are requirements on how far from cook top/range it needs to be.
Overall the really terrible common thread is lack of drawers imho. It was scary the shjt I found in my lower cabinets before we remodelled this spring. Also where is the walk in pantry in these houses? fail
I had the second kitchen once, BTW nobody puts in drawers in lol. I love the work triangle. No the sink is aways an issue. I LIKE a small chefs' kitchen now. I downsized and love my 1600 sq ft. island with sink. I don't need a big one! Welcome to 2004 to 2014 moved a lot!!
Yes, that would have been awesome to put the range under that window and maybe they don’t have to get rid of the window if they put some kind of stained glass so that they still get the light without having to look at that unsightly fence.
These awkward kitchens all have something in common - they were designed on a computer screen instead of in situ. A really good designer would spend time in the actual space in real life.
I'm not a fan of the gray, but I rather like the first kitchen. Yes, I do hope thy have pullouts in the cabinets, and putting a big mixer in that upper cabinet is just silly. However..... No way am I going to break up that island space with a sink. And I like the large runs of counter space either side of the stove. I see enough stove landing space on the right side. Those skinny drawers probably hold spices or utensils. The window view is not wonderful, but some pretty landscaping against the fence and help, and having the natural light is always nice. I'd use a warmer toned granite or quartz or whatever the surface material are., but I don't hate this kitchen.
I would never want to cover a window... fresh air, natural light, always things you can put out there to look nice. plants, bird feeders etc. venting can be an issue w a island sink. not every place allows air vents esp if they are below the waterline... been in plenty of apts where you never had a window above the sink.. it sucks. my moms townhouse has a cut out... but beyond is natural light from exterior windows... a good compromise. corner stove blocking nice windows wtf... idk um were they going for a "corner fireplace" look... we have a faux fireplace ( LOVE IT and it came w the house purely aesthetic now) that house was certainly a "custom designed house" FOR SURE! omg. hard to clean, places for dust or cats?
According to the national electric code, it is now illegal to have an electrical outlet on the side of an island. I’ve always had one there, but with our new kitchen we couldn’t put it back in and I really miss it!
Some useful comments. I do have a question: At 9:00, you propose moving the range from an exterior wall to an inside wall. Wouldn't it be better to leave the range on the original wall, which would have a shorter distance to vent outside?
Here’s what I think happened: The electric for the range was already on that end of the space. Owner didn’t want pay to have it re-wired. Could even be that portion of the structure sits on a slab, making electrical work cost prohibitive.
i went with that drawers trend and really regreted it. I am soooo glad i didn't do all drawers, but even those that i did - i should have done doors. What's wrong with the shelves? They are nice, sturdy and clean. Can't understand that drawer madness
I’m on the side of don’t get rid of windows. My personal mental health cries out for natural light regardless of the view. I would even have it slightly lower and if I had my way, I’d want a few more windows. A mother with small children might want to create a small, safe play area in front of that window where she can easily watch them while working in the kitchen. My friend and her husband who just bought their first house and love it purposely made a play area in front of the kitchen window for that very reason.
Don’t know what to say about the second one?! I will say I agree that the tile would be hard to clean (why I want my brick to go!) I do really like that faucet as it’s very similar to what I want. But overall kitchen and dining room impression 🤮
Is that kitchen at 10:45 real, or a rendering? To my eye it's a rendering-- some areas of the image are too crisp, while others are too fuzzy, and the island decor seems oddly scaled. I call BS on this one. But I love your critiques and tips!
a lot of houses we looked at in Ont canada.. OMG the bathrms open to the kitchen... no thanks. 1 the kitchen table was the centre of the raceway to all other rms in the house with the cabinets etc on the surrounding walls/doorways. skinny kitchen.. narrow hallway, stairs behind/pantry, the end of the narrow hall kitchen was ....the bathrm. probably other ones but I can't remember.
Wow, these obviously expensive kitchens made me feel better about mine! They are not builder grade and yet, so many mistakes were made. I would love to know what you would suggest to fix my kitchen. It is definitely roast worthy! 😅
You need a certain space between kitchen and cabinets …. The overheads on the side are quite low and this may have been the owner height decision. I think the stove in a corner is not bad as any cooking mess is contained in that area like an old fashioned alcove and there is plenty of area on the side
I would really love to see Do a layout of a kitchen your thrashing Then do a layout of your changes you're talking about So we can see what you would do if you were designing that kitchen you are thrashing
I feel so called out about my fridge by this video. I mean, come on man, I have a galley with zero corner cabinets, a shallow pantry, large single and standard double sink, no OTR, plenty of landing area everywhere... Just let me have my unpaneled fridge. Here's my excuse: my stand-alone fridge and chest freezer sit next to each other between two doors. The chest freezer does double as an extra countertop, but anything that might fall behind the fridge might just as well fall behind the freezer, that's why I just pull away the fridge and freezer every so often to clean behind/underneath there, which easy since I don't have to maneuver between panels. ;-)
I have a little galley kitchen too. My fridge is against the end wall on one side, so there is only the little bit of the side of it showing - and it's counter-depth anyway. The side of the fridge is gray and blends with the upper cabinets, AND the outlet is right behind the fridge that I use for my toaster. So no panel. And I have a magnetic hook thing on the side I hang my keys on, which works GREAT. I do wish I had brought the open shelf above the fridge out more though -that was a mistake, but since it's a relatively short counter depth fridge and I am tall, it's fine. I store a big pot and my InstaPot up there. It does get dusty and grimy! Open shelves that don't get things moved around much get yucky!
The white kitchen with the sink not centered, range in corner, and open base cabinet to the left of the sink is an AI - generated image. Look at the accessories.
If the wall behind the corner stove was parallel to the front of the stove, I would not hate it. It would solve the cleaning problem, and probably be a better use of a corner than blanking it off or the various corner storage solutions. All they had to do to fix the sink on that one was flip the sink and the dishwasher. There would still be decent landing area for both the sink and the stove. That last one is the stuff of nightmares! I need eye bleach!
You want to enclose the fridge? How exactly do you intend to manage airflow? We have a dual compressor fridge which vents out the back. So if you enclose the fridge, there's literally nowhere for the air to go. Also, I would never put a fridge next to any hot appliance. After all, the fridge is working to keep things cool using a heat exchange. If you colocate the fridge with hot appliances, you are not helping the fridge do its work. I also don't understand how people manage with only one fridge. We have two fridges in our kitchen, locating one close to the bar and also the coffee stations (we have two Jura coffee machines because having one is tediously slow when you have friends over). Two fridges allows us to dedicate one towards drinks and the other towards food. There is some cross-duty and when entertaining some overflow, but two fridges is one of the great inventions of the 21st century. One gadget I hate is waste disposal units. First thing I do is rip them out. You have the bin pullout next to the sink with the dishwasher on the other side. Guess what? In 23 years as a cook (we never eat fast food or prepackaged meals), I have never once had a blocked sink. That's because I manage waste. That's what the bin is for. I also hate integrated stoves and ovens. The stove needs your attention more often than not, and now you have a hot oven in front of your knees (or worse)? Makes absolutely no sense. Mount the oven separately and away from the busy area so food can bake (or air fry) while you get on with prepping the rest of the food. Also allows you to have a 30 inch oven and a 36 inch range. I can't imagine life now without a 36 inch range. ALWAYS make sure you have plenty of power! This is the number one mistake of all track homes. Before even moving in, we ripped out the stock kitchen and had an electrician install two more 220V, 45A wire runs to the kitchen. These runs power, respectively, a 36 inch induction range, a 3 heating-zone oven, an Advantium 220 microwave/convection/quartz optical grill. These require, again respectively, 10kW, 7.4kW and 7.2kW. I actually wish I had added another run. Also, if you're still using gas, throw it away. Induction is faster, far more controlled and delivers more heat than 95% of gas stoves. Added advantage, easy to clean and you can 't burn off appendages or set fire to the cat accidentally. Stupid things that never justify the effort include integrated floor vacuums. Just. Not. Worth. The. Effort. Had them in two houses and never used them. Open kitchens? Oh heck no. I prepare indonesian, malaysian, french, chinese, japanese, east african, south american, turkish and (forgive me) british foods. I don't want the house stank out, nor do I wish people to see piles of pan, pots, and mixing bowls when they sit down to eat in the dining room or lounge area. I would never, ever give a home with an open kitchen a second glance when house hunting. The only purpose of an open plan is if you primarily eat out or eat prepackaged/pre-prepared food. Other things I have never used include the 'breakfast bar'. I've never seen one used. The stools sit there gathering dust or getting in the way. Who has time for breakfast anyway????? The bonus round. Sadly my current kitchen does not allow for this, but I would like a water cooled wok burner in my kitchen. I have one, but it's integrated to the outside grill on account of the fact that turned to max you can see the burner from space. 10 foot ceilings aren't nearly enough plus you need an extractor that can pull out the hot air. But I can dream.... I do have appliances like mixers, grinders etc., in pull out sections. The mixer, for instance incorporates its own work surface - you pull the mixer out from the wall and the cabinet face drops down to become the work surface. Underneath (It's a pull out caddy) I have baking ingredients, tools and sundries. However I make no attempt to panel the sides or fronts of appliances. I imagine if done really, really well they are actually quite clever, but I'm not willing to spend another $50K to get a disguised kitchen that is in use more often than not. Backsplashes around ovens have to be tile, granite or a particular type of stainless steel that is easy to wipe down. Any abutting cabinet walls should be in the same or similar materials. I would never use wood because of the grease and inherent fire risk. Spoltlights. I have spotlights everywhere I work. Maybe because I'm old, but I like having tons of light on what I'm doing in the kitchen. I have yet to see anyone's kitchen that I'd deem to be satisfactorily lit. Surfaces and cabinets. Above all, should be super easy to keep clean. Handles that catch my fingers or tend to hide dirt are a cardinal sin. As you can imagine. I am hard to please.
One of my rants is the word "oven". An oven is a heated chamber for baking or roasting. Period. The burners on the counter may be a cooktop or a hob. When you put the two together you have a stove or a range. The oven is not the whole appliance, but only part of it, yet time after time I hear people refer to it as an oven. Would you point to the sink and call it a faucet? At least you only once referred to a cooktop as a range.
I dont care for work triangles, its not like im going back n forth from sink to fridge to range. I take my stuff out of the fridge, put in on my island near my range and sink. big wood. what I cant stand is cabinets no going up to the ceiling, microwave above range, and those ranges with the back panels on them, fridges not being enclosed and range tops. give me a 48" dual over range not one in a wall.
every one of those kitchens was 1,000 times better than our 1960s kitchen, just sayin, we've been paying too much insurance and taxes, and no pay increases, to be able to afford a good remodel. Hope for better times to return in 2025.
That first kitchen was put together by somebody who doesn't cook. They put the range in the corner to make it harder to see from the fancy living room, because let's face it, the stove is often the most messy part of the kitchen. That marble island is impractical. Marble is soft and absorbs stains. The gray part is fossil mud - not appealing. The island has way too few outlets. The dishwasher is too far from the dining room. And that heavy mixer in the high cabinet is likely to cause a hurt shoulder joint. As for the window, maybe Mom needs it to watch her children playing. Somebody wrote a book called "A Window over the Sink" that explains that.
I thought i disliked corner sinks. I dislike corner stoves even more. 😅
We have a corner sink…best/only place for it….i hate them too!
I know, no one can sneak in to get a glass of water so they stand behind you until you sense their aura. Eew.
Take the counter straight into the end. No f n corners.
Never get rid of a window!!! Some people need the sunshine. What a depressing kitchen to have no window. View or not, sun is king.
Not to mention the fact that just because there isn’t a view out there now doesn’t mean there can’t be in the future. Plant something wonderful out there, put out hummingbird feeders, build something cool and artistic.
Also open a window during cooking so it doesn’t smell too strong.
While I normally agree, in this home there is a ton of natural light coming in from the adjoining rooms. Design is not a matter of "never do ...", the whole picture needs to be ocnsidered.
Yeah I feel like there’s no need to take out the window, you can still put the range against that wall without removing the window and have it look good. As you said symmetry doesn’t always matter so the range doesn’t NEED to be in the middle where the window was.
Electric lighting is king. For sunlight .. get a skylight instead.
I have a 20 year old IKEA Swedish country kitchen in pale yellow with white ceramic handles. Every day I love it anew. I also designed it myself and ALL bottom cabinets are drawer banks. Best decision ever.
In '98, I designed two custom wide and deep drawers under my cooktop for pots and pans. Standard base cabinets are awful for tall people. I don't know why it took so long for big drawers to catch on.
You really saved the worst for last. THAT is a teardown in my neighborhood.
It is not so bad , if the cabinets are solid I would just repaint them.
Sometimes, the placement of appliances is a budget question. Moving plumbing is very costly.
The video is not about, do the best you can on a shoe string budget!
The mixer is at the top because they rarely cook and bake every 2 years. People who cook from scratch have appliances plugged in anywhere.
Soooo dangerous !!!!!
@kathrynbaker5188 Why? My mixer is plugged in and sits on my coutertop at all times. Also my toaster.
@@debbielockhart7762 I was referring to storing a stand mixer way up in an upper cabinet. Unwieldy to get down. I would love to keep mine on my countertop but my kitchen is small. 🙁
Yet again, evidence that we need more MTKD in this world!
We read up on drawers vs doors and got all drawers in our lower cabinets! They’re better since you don’t have to squat down to see into them.
So true!
I admit that I never thought about a side panel for my refrigerator. But now that you pointed it out, I really notice it. I may be making a phone call and seeing if I can get that done. At least one thing I did good in the kitchen is I put in a ton of drawers. I love them.
The kitchen at 8:58 is okay. Get food out of the fridge, step to the right, wash it, step to the right, chop it, step to the right, cook it. Good plan. I'd change one thing - I'd use 45-degree angles on the corners of the island to keep from bumping into those sharp corners. Nobody ever puts anything on those corners, anyway.
13:00, that range in the corner is the biggest waste! Microwave could have been under counter. I agree that drawer banks are awesome
Under counter microwaves are the worst idea I have ever seen.
fun video ❤
In my kitchen I can’t move water pipes and gas stove so my kitchen probably would look funny for you 🙄 my point is I don’t believe people do this on purpose 🤔 they probably do want they can with existing layout 😢
Actually a lit of people are horrible at design and absolutely do these weird things on purpose (without realizing that they are awful at design).
In the first one I think I’d put the fridge where the stove is located and stove where the sink is. With the sink in the island it would make the triangle better while still leaving the fridge accessible to everyone. If they couldn’t move the window another option might be put a cooktop in the island with chimney type vent hood and built in oven/microwave where the range was.
The doorway breaks up the work area as it is. I have this now in my primary home. I really dislike foot traffic through my work area.
I love having my range in the corner! Ample counter space on both sides, and no need for a frustrating corner cabinet with all that wasted space. Plus, there is a very useful triangle of counter behind the stove, perfect for keeping frequently used tools. Re-consider your rant against corner stove placement!
Enough with clinical white and grey.
White is timeless and doesn't have to be "clinical".
I do wish I had insisted on panels for my fridge…. Ahhhh.. next time for sure! Lol - but I do agree with all that’s been pointed out for these designs 😆
I like a bookcase in the kitchen. Many people have a collection of cookbooks that are more useful if kept in the kitchen. However, I would recommend doors (preferably glass) because doors are so much easier to clean than several rows of books.
I share many of your rants. I watch a lot of house videos, and for some all I can say is "WTF?"
First and foremost, a kitchen must be functional. Placement of appliances is important. And second, a kitchen must be easy to clean. But too many planners make a kitchen pretty and/or creatively set up. They fail both of my criteria.
Lol I'm rolling. Great video!
Really like this format.
I do not have a panel on my fridge. One part is against a wall.
As it is I had to take out the cupboard above it to get it in. I made an oak dish holder with a shelf underneath and a light for the extra large space over my sink. The oak does not match the solid oak cabinets. Still real oak. It works because it is framed on both sides. And it is very functional.
The kitchen should have been flipped with the sink on the outside wall with a window for light. Especially as there is no room for a dishwasher.
A very thin bit of oak on the side of the fridge will not match. I know that.
It will look like an after thought.
Were as I can keep magnetic bag holders and a pen holder on the side of the fridge making it functional if not pretty.
As far as I am conserned the ideal fridge placement is at the open end of some cabinets, so when the manufacturers of fridges, which last an average of 6 years now, even when paying crazy prices, change the sizes again, you are not dealing with the nightmare of having to find a fridge to fit.
And I will not change out of dated solid oak cabinets for modern, fall apart cabinets, just to change the kitchen. Even the expensive ones are partical board.
Sooo agree with you about not getting rid of real wood for particle board!
You van buy all wood flat pack cabinets that look great. Put them together yourself. Not all new stuff is particle.
It's nice to see that you actually know how to roast.😊
Haha. I can be mean.
Another great video Mark! You made me lol a few times. And some of these kitchens are really bad. Thanks for the info and the entertainment!
I thought I had learned the tile countertop lesson for the last time in 2002. Really. I was the freaking QUEEN of "NO TILE COUNTERTOPS." I preached it as a #1 rule for years.
And then we built our house. I'd been having a secret love affair with subway tiles for years and I got carried away. See, our finish budget was insanely tiny. I could've blown it all on the floors alone if I weren't careful. When it came to the master bath I thought, "It's a place for grownups. It's just two small counters. Maybe it's not such a big deal..." One night I'd had one too many glasses of wine and I made a terrible mistake.
I changed the plans to save us $1,200 by removing the quartz order and substituting white subway tile countertops in the master.
Where my husband trims his beard. Where I bathe our small dog. Where my toddler grandbabies got washed in an emergency. (I was smart enough to put in a 22" sink in there with a small kitchen faucet and a sprayer. NO regrets for that one. It even makes washing my face easier.) But that wonderful sink becomes a draw for all sorts of situations.
I also have tile for my makeup station. Did you know that foundation, powder anything, and toothpaste all stain light grey grout? Did you know you can't get hair dye out of grout?
These two little countertops have become my bane. We ended up putting concrete covered with honed epoxy in the kitchen and we love it. That'll probably be the fate of my bathroom counters here pretty soon.
NO. TILE. COUNTERTOPS. ANYWHERE. *EVER.* I don't care what approach you take or what sealant you use, you *will* hate yourself for this choice. Knock yourself out on the backsplash, but no counters. At this point, I'd put in plywood counters as a placeholder if I couldn't do anything better at that moment. We did this with the kitchen just to get moved in and it worked fine for two years to get us through until I could make a decision.
Tile countertops in the kitchen are unsanitary. Even if the grout is sealed it's a rough surface and reverts to its porous nature quickly. Who knows what pathogens are thriving in the grout? The same also applies to backsplashes. I've seen kitchens that proudly display an elaborate tile mosaic over the cooktop. Grout just loves grease, so it will soon be varying shades of brown.
I just did my kitchen over. We also put the sink and dishwasher at the island. Also had the contractor hide the outlet hidden in the filler instead of the waterfall. I utilized every space one of which I have panty with pullout draws. I have a small space i can not reach, I had the contract put in 36” floating shelves. I absolutely agree keep the tile simple.I have glass subway tile, just use glass cleaner.
Glad we have fridge paneling - hides those dents!
I redid my entire kitchen. Got at it. And somehow when it was all done, realized that the kitchen sink is not centered right in the middle of the window. I didn’t notice it. My contractor didn’t notice it. And the guy doing the custom cabinets didn’t notice. Till it was all done. The funny thing is, it doesn’t bother me. I’m sure it bugs the crap out of somebody but I don’t even notice it anymore. It was like a week or two of regret and I’m over it. But I live in a very small house and a mediocre neighborhood. It would make a big difference if it was an expensive house and a really nice neighborhood.
Mine is the same, doesn't bother me at all. I didn't want to move the plumbing when I replaced a small sink with a gigantic drainboard sink. Problem solved in the new house I am building though - no window!
@@Kevin_Rhodes I like having a window over the sink. If anybody else has noticed that it’s not centered, they haven’t said anything.
Just FYI.
There are some code requirements.
Gas cook tops need window in kitchen, there are requirements on how far from cook top/range it needs to be.
I think a vented extractor hood meets most code requirements for gas cooktops.
The corner range one maybe they want enjoy the nice view while cooking? Washing--cutting--cooking, smooth workflow!
Great video- you were spot on about the last - what were they thinking???
Overall the really terrible common thread is lack of drawers imho. It was scary the shjt I found in my lower cabinets before we remodelled this spring. Also where is the walk in pantry in these houses? fail
Not everyone has the space for a walk in pantry.
Enjoy your spirit and practicality!
Hilarious! I loved this video. It does help to see things done incorrectly so you can get it right.
In microwaves I've seen, you have to have the microwave stick out a little or you can't open the door.
I had the second kitchen once, BTW nobody puts in drawers in lol. I love the work triangle. No the sink is aways an issue. I LIKE a small chefs' kitchen now. I downsized and love my 1600 sq ft. island with sink. I don't need a big one! Welcome to 2004 to 2014 moved a lot!!
You can plant some rose trees by the window.
Sometimes, you cook stinky food, you need fresh air right by window.
It is valuable to have sunlight.
Yes, that would have been awesome to put the range under that window and maybe they don’t have to get rid of the window if they put some kind of stained glass so that they still get the light without having to look at that unsightly fence.
These awkward kitchens all have something in common - they were designed on a computer screen instead of in situ. A really good designer would spend time in the actual space in real life.
Nobody designed those last nightmares on any computer screen. And a good designer can work just fine from the computer.
I'm not a fan of the gray, but I rather like the first kitchen. Yes, I do hope thy have pullouts in the cabinets, and putting a big mixer in that upper cabinet is just silly. However..... No way am I going to break up that island space with a sink. And I like the large runs of counter space either side of the stove. I see enough stove landing space on the right side. Those skinny drawers probably hold spices or utensils. The window view is not wonderful, but some pretty landscaping against the fence and help, and having the natural light is always nice. I'd use a warmer toned granite or quartz or whatever the surface material are., but I don't hate this kitchen.
I would never want to cover a window... fresh air, natural light, always things you can put out there to look nice. plants, bird feeders etc. venting can be an issue w a island sink. not every place allows air vents esp if they are below the waterline... been in plenty of apts where you never had a window above the sink.. it sucks. my moms townhouse has a cut out... but beyond is natural light from exterior windows... a good compromise.
corner stove blocking nice windows wtf... idk um were they going for a "corner fireplace" look... we have a faux fireplace ( LOVE IT and it came w the house purely aesthetic now) that house was certainly a "custom designed house" FOR SURE! omg. hard to clean, places for dust or cats?
Kitchen 3 REALLY wanted an island 😂. It’s a very narrow island that gets in the way more than helps.
Also, they can barely open the fridge.
If the skinny island goes away, there is room for more than one person in the kitchen, and everything flows better.
Ok the kitchen at 13:38 cures me of thinking the hickory cabinets were pretty. Maybe some kind stand alone little side table but not a kitchen full.
Funny! It’s great to hear you give voice to the same things I would.
According to the national electric code, it is now illegal to have an electrical outlet on the side of an island. I’ve always had one there, but with our new kitchen we couldn’t put it back in and I really miss it!
Some useful comments. I do have a question: At 9:00, you propose moving the range from an exterior wall to an inside wall. Wouldn't it be better to leave the range on the original wall, which would have a shorter distance to vent outside?
Here’s what I think happened: The electric for the range was already on that end of the space. Owner didn’t want pay to have it re-wired. Could even be that portion of the structure sits on a slab, making electrical work cost prohibitive.
i went with that drawers trend and really regreted it. I am soooo glad i didn't do all drawers, but even those that i did - i should have done doors. What's wrong with the shelves? They are nice, sturdy and clean. Can't understand that drawer madness
That second kitchen-oh dear! Bad. And there is a brief shot of the 2 steps up to the weird dining room.
Oh my goodness - you wouldn't know where to begin with my kitchen! LOL!!! Help!
I’m on the side of don’t get rid of windows. My personal mental health cries out for natural light regardless of the view. I would even have it slightly lower and if I had my way, I’d want a few more windows. A mother with small children might want to create a small, safe play area in front of that window where she can easily watch them while working in the kitchen. My friend and her husband who just bought their first house and love it purposely made a play area in front of the kitchen window for that very reason.
I think some of the kitchen designers were drinking when they conceived these kitchens
The cabinet style in that last one is called Psycho-Rustic. 😵💫
Don’t know what to say about the second one?! I will say I agree that the tile would be hard to clean (why I want my brick to go!) I do really like that faucet as it’s very similar to what I want. But overall kitchen and dining room impression 🤮
TH-cam sent your channel my way. 💙 😎
Is that kitchen at 10:45 real, or a rendering? To my eye it's a rendering-- some areas of the image are too crisp, while others are too fuzzy, and the island decor seems oddly scaled. I call BS on this one. But I love your critiques and tips!
a lot of houses we looked at in Ont canada.. OMG the bathrms open to the kitchen... no thanks.
1 the kitchen table was the centre of the raceway to all other rms in the house with the cabinets etc on the surrounding walls/doorways.
skinny kitchen.. narrow hallway, stairs behind/pantry, the end of the narrow hall kitchen was ....the bathrm. probably other ones but I can't remember.
Wow, these obviously expensive kitchens made me feel better about mine! They are not builder grade and yet, so many mistakes were made. I would love to know what you would suggest to fix my kitchen. It is definitely roast worthy! 😅
Look like first one had an 18in dishwasher too which is probably pretty small for a larger house.
You need a certain space between kitchen and cabinets …. The overheads on the side are quite low and this may have been the owner height decision. I think the stove in a corner is not bad as any cooking mess is contained in that area like an old fashioned alcove and there is plenty of area on the side
I would really love to see
Do a layout of a kitchen your thrashing
Then do a layout of your changes you're talking about
So we can see what you would do if you were designing that kitchen you are thrashing
Kitchen # 2.... WHAT THE WHAT?? Tile/Stone Yard Sale?? No vent/hood over the weird stovetop
Example #2: Maybe the reason the owner is moving is to escape from their kitchen! 😜
I love my pot filler; sometimes I forget to use it but it looks cool😂
That first kitchen was very nice in my opinion.
I feel so called out about my fridge by this video. I mean, come on man, I have a galley with zero corner cabinets, a shallow pantry, large single and standard double sink, no OTR, plenty of landing area everywhere... Just let me have my unpaneled fridge.
Here's my excuse: my stand-alone fridge and chest freezer sit next to each other between two doors. The chest freezer does double as an extra countertop, but anything that might fall behind the fridge might just as well fall behind the freezer, that's why I just pull away the fridge and freezer every so often to clean behind/underneath there, which easy since I don't have to maneuver between panels. ;-)
haha, ok ok. I'll give you a pass on this one.
I have a little galley kitchen too. My fridge is against the end wall on one side, so there is only the little bit of the side of it showing - and it's counter-depth anyway. The side of the fridge is gray and blends with the upper cabinets, AND the outlet is right behind the fridge that I use for my toaster. So no panel. And I have a magnetic hook thing on the side I hang my keys on, which works GREAT. I do wish I had brought the open shelf above the fridge out more though -that was a mistake, but since it's a relatively short counter depth fridge and I am tall, it's fine. I store a big pot and my InstaPot up there. It does get dusty and grimy! Open shelves that don't get things moved around much get yucky!
The white kitchen with the sink not centered, range in corner, and open base cabinet to the left of the sink is an AI - generated image. Look at the accessories.
The reason there’s no panel at the fridge, wasn’t common until the 2000s.
Went to Buckingham Palace😂😂😂😂
So funny!! 😆
If the wall behind the corner stove was parallel to the front of the stove, I would not hate it. It would solve the cleaning problem, and probably be a better use of a corner than blanking it off or the various corner storage solutions. All they had to do to fix the sink on that one was flip the sink and the dishwasher. There would still be decent landing area for both the sink and the stove.
That last one is the stuff of nightmares! I need eye bleach!
Fun video!
Je serais curieuse de voir la cuisine et la maison de ce monsieur si prétentieux
You want to enclose the fridge? How exactly do you intend to manage airflow? We have a dual compressor fridge which vents out the back. So if you enclose the fridge, there's literally nowhere for the air to go. Also, I would never put a fridge next to any hot appliance. After all, the fridge is working to keep things cool using a heat exchange. If you colocate the fridge with hot appliances, you are not helping the fridge do its work.
I also don't understand how people manage with only one fridge. We have two fridges in our kitchen, locating one close to the bar and also the coffee stations (we have two Jura coffee machines because having one is tediously slow when you have friends over). Two fridges allows us to dedicate one towards drinks and the other towards food. There is some cross-duty and when entertaining some overflow, but two fridges is one of the great inventions of the 21st century.
One gadget I hate is waste disposal units. First thing I do is rip them out. You have the bin pullout next to the sink with the dishwasher on the other side. Guess what? In 23 years as a cook (we never eat fast food or prepackaged meals), I have never once had a blocked sink. That's because I manage waste. That's what the bin is for.
I also hate integrated stoves and ovens. The stove needs your attention more often than not, and now you have a hot oven in front of your knees (or worse)? Makes absolutely no sense. Mount the oven separately and away from the busy area so food can bake (or air fry) while you get on with prepping the rest of the food. Also allows you to have a 30 inch oven and a 36 inch range. I can't imagine life now without a 36 inch range.
ALWAYS make sure you have plenty of power! This is the number one mistake of all track homes. Before even moving in, we ripped out the stock kitchen and had an electrician install two more 220V, 45A wire runs to the kitchen. These runs power, respectively, a 36 inch induction range, a 3 heating-zone oven, an Advantium 220 microwave/convection/quartz optical grill. These require, again respectively, 10kW, 7.4kW and 7.2kW. I actually wish I had added another run. Also, if you're still using gas, throw it away. Induction is faster, far more controlled and delivers more heat than 95% of gas stoves. Added advantage, easy to clean and you can 't burn off appendages or set fire to the cat accidentally.
Stupid things that never justify the effort include integrated floor vacuums. Just. Not. Worth. The. Effort. Had them in two houses and never used them.
Open kitchens? Oh heck no. I prepare indonesian, malaysian, french, chinese, japanese, east african, south american, turkish and (forgive me) british foods. I don't want the house stank out, nor do I wish people to see piles of pan, pots, and mixing bowls when they sit down to eat in the dining room or lounge area. I would never, ever give a home with an open kitchen a second glance when house hunting. The only purpose of an open plan is if you primarily eat out or eat prepackaged/pre-prepared food. Other things I have never used include the 'breakfast bar'. I've never seen one used. The stools sit there gathering dust or getting in the way. Who has time for breakfast anyway?????
The bonus round. Sadly my current kitchen does not allow for this, but I would like a water cooled wok burner in my kitchen. I have one, but it's integrated to the outside grill on account of the fact that turned to max you can see the burner from space. 10 foot ceilings aren't nearly enough plus you need an extractor that can pull out the hot air. But I can dream....
I do have appliances like mixers, grinders etc., in pull out sections. The mixer, for instance incorporates its own work surface - you pull the mixer out from the wall and the cabinet face drops down to become the work surface. Underneath (It's a pull out caddy) I have baking ingredients, tools and sundries. However I make no attempt to panel the sides or fronts of appliances. I imagine if done really, really well they are actually quite clever, but I'm not willing to spend another $50K to get a disguised kitchen that is in use more often than not.
Backsplashes around ovens have to be tile, granite or a particular type of stainless steel that is easy to wipe down. Any abutting cabinet walls should be in the same or similar materials. I would never use wood because of the grease and inherent fire risk.
Spoltlights. I have spotlights everywhere I work. Maybe because I'm old, but I like having tons of light on what I'm doing in the kitchen. I have yet to see anyone's kitchen that I'd deem to be satisfactorily lit.
Surfaces and cabinets. Above all, should be super easy to keep clean. Handles that catch my fingers or tend to hide dirt are a cardinal sin.
As you can imagine. I am hard to please.
Yep. Those were roast worthy contenders. The first and last were the worst as far as
aesthetics goes - garish crap
No I don't want fridge panels where am I going to put all of the magnets;)
Omgoodness that last one!!! Whuuuut?
Completely out to lunch!
That kitchen is bigger than my whole house!
Having a lot of drawers is a double edge sword. I have 18 drawers in my big kitchen and 12 of them are junk drawers. God help me.
One of my rants is the word "oven". An oven is a heated chamber for baking or roasting. Period. The burners on the counter may be a cooktop or a hob. When you put the two together you have a stove or a range. The oven is not the whole appliance, but only part of it, yet time after time I hear people refer to it as an oven. Would you point to the sink and call it a faucet? At least you only once referred to a cooktop as a range.
I dont care for work triangles, its not like im going back n forth from sink to fridge to range. I take my stuff out of the fridge, put in on my island near my range and sink. big wood. what I cant stand is cabinets no going up to the ceiling, microwave above range, and those ranges with the back panels on them, fridges not being enclosed and range tops. give me a 48" dual over range not one in a wall.
If I went to see the 2nd house with that kitchen I'd turn around and leave. It's hideous!
Darth Vader fridge 😂 (last one)
I really dislike white, to me is not an improvement on most kitchens.
My microwave is in my pantry. It’s not used often.
Hehehehe! Hysterical!
The mixer is a display item! They never use it!
I
Detest
My
Tile
countertops.
every one of those kitchens was 1,000 times better than our 1960s kitchen, just sayin, we've been paying too much insurance and taxes, and no pay increases, to be able to afford a good remodel. Hope for better times to return in 2025.
I could live with the 1st kitchen. The 2nd one is hideous designed by a donut in the color of......donuts
I really don’t understand why you like drawer banks so much. Why would I want a drawer down by my feet?
Accessibility.
@@MTKDofficial we will have to disagree on that one.
Island sinks suck!
That second kitchen looks like someone spray painted it with chewing tobacco juice. NASTY NASTY NASTY. Just my opinion.
Can’t add much more than what you said to the others.
That first kitchen was put together by somebody who doesn't cook. They put the range in the corner to make it harder to see from the fancy living room, because let's face it, the stove is often the most messy part of the kitchen. That marble island is impractical. Marble is soft and absorbs stains. The gray part is fossil mud - not appealing. The island has way too few outlets. The dishwasher is too far from the dining room. And that heavy mixer in the high cabinet is likely to cause a hurt shoulder joint. As for the window, maybe Mom needs it to watch her children playing. Somebody wrote a book called "A Window over the Sink" that explains that.
The second kitchen is hideous
wtf...
that's my house.....
LOL
😂😂😂
The waterfall outlet should be on the inside so liquid can't seep into it, as well as to hide the ugly thing.
Ideally, outlets should be hidden.
I don’t think that’s what ‘waterfall’ means - ha!
Outlets need to be accessible. Hidden outlets are not useful.
Oh that first kitchen was horrible! Cold, white-(plastic? partical board?)-cabinets that I can just see chipped and stained with food. Uggg!!!!