Destroy cabinets and install open shelving?
Please encourage or prevent me from tearing apart my kitchen. I'm thinking about removing the 2 left sided upper cabinets (including the upper moulding part) and install open shelving in their place. In doing so, I would switch the 3rd cabinet to the left to open the other way, if that makes sense.
Also would like advice on a new color scheme for cabinets and walls.
Thank you!
Comments (26)
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Kitchen - where to put microwave & open shelves
Comments (12)Thanks for those ideas... Daisy do you mean to have the microwave over the fridge? if so i'd love to do that, but unfortunately my husband's shorter than me and my MIL who sometimes minds our kids is 5ft nothing so I would be the only one who could reach it. I'm not sure if the drawing shows but the row of all pantry cupboards is actually across the back of an adjoining room (dining room) so its a bit of a walk away. of course quarantining the microwave in there would be doable but I'd prefer to keep it closer if possible. Strawberry 47, great idea also to put the microwave under the bench except we already have only got room for the bare minimum - 2 corner cupboards, 1 set of drawers, a sink cupboard, and one filler base cabinet of 20cm to put trays & cutting boards. That's it on the bottom. The pantry that will sit on the benchtop is only 30cm deep external... meaning the microwave wouldn't fit inside without modifications (such as stealing 450x30cm from it... but would rather not as that would make storage space there very minimal. lkirk44 thanks for the thought re everything lining up on top, I agree... going to have to work out how to do that somehow! I was actually thinking that maybe we could add another wall - even just a full height shelf sitting on the benchtop to the right of the sink - parallel with the partial wall where the row of tall cabinets start. It would shut off the view a bit but not that much.... It would mean the microwave could sit across that corner without the ugly back & cord of the microwave being on display. If only you could create a virtual full size model and walk through it to see how it would feel!!! :)...See MoreOpen plan, wide kitchen - advice needed - a few proposed solutions
Comments (8)That's some nice ideas, thank you all! I'm especially liking Jonathan's repositioning of sofa and L-shaped kitchen. An additional question: how do i deal with tall cabinets in the L-shaped option? there will be some pipes running in left upper corner, so that might be the best place to put them, but tall corner cabinets are a bit of a space waste, i feel, don't you agree? @strawberry47 good thinking, still need to put some thought into that. Keen on having a built in oven that's place higher up, but need to find a good spot for it. If that doesn't work out, the standard below stove oven will do just fine....See MoreKitchen or dining area at the garden end of open plan room?
Comments (30)Hello Colourwise Design, Thought I would give you a visual of what I had meant. I have used Jonathan's drawing as I use sketchup personally for spatial drawings in 3D. However this means you get to see the same kind of view though with his design and scale. Also offers me the chance to show you how the materials can effect the overall appearance as I have deliberately chosen a material colour to blend with the flooring (or as close to so you can see what is solid) which can be done in a myriad of ways so things appear less solid and thus give a more open room configuration ... Have copied Jonathan's chairs which I have slid under a little more. So you have flow and a very simple configuration which does not hinder the exit to the garden which I think you will want to retain personally. So it could be that the first section houses sink, dishwasher. FF could be in left corner where room opens out? Hob could be at dining end. So cook and serve idea. This also allows for the additional room where the area widens. You still have flow between task oriented routes ie sink to ff and ff to hob etc. Making use of height with a single width double ff and perhaps considering a wall oven and some wall hung cupboards on that wall to the right of the image. The dresser might be able to situate to the right of the window on the left of the image. Down draft on hob or overhead extraction and ceiling hung pans or a section underneath hob for pans etc.. So this idea could either be solid with build in cupboards which I would propose have sliding doors or at dining end taper off into a table top.. Its a quick rework to show you what I had envisioned as I saw it. Re the door in to kitchen, perhaps consider a door that is sliding for example a pocket door. : ))...See MoreFront Room Shelving around fireplace in home with picture rail
Comments (14)Several years ago, we wanted floating shelves but after googling around for “alcove shelves” we found this image - it was from a carpenter in Brighton who had made shelves out of mdf and then painted them - and they look like flowering shelves. I found a local carpenter and he basically copied the idea for us - and years later we still love our shelves, and several of our friends have copied them! We even copied the two lower angled shelves for our tv! The cost was also much better than buying ready made floating shelves or even Ikea offers. My top tip - find a local carpenter!...See MoreThe Vintage Bean
7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago
Jennifer Havin
7 years agowhat will you put on the ends of the cabinets and moulding you remove? I love the open shelf look, but I feel like it will look like an after thought on this kitchen, not part of the original deisgn, kwim? Do the cabinets need painting or you are tired of the white? Edgecomb gray could be pretty, and paint your island a color
Radiant Home in Oakville (1443) · More InfoThe Vintage Bean thanked Jennifer Havin
jhmarie
7 years agoJust FYI - cabinets can be removed without being destroyed. Just unscrew them usually. The wall behind will probably not be finished - so you would need to finish it in some way - ideally by going up with the tile - but not possible unless you have leftover tile and the top row of tile did not need to be cut. If you change your mind and put the cabinets back, you will have to touch up the caulk and possible the paint.
I agree that removing the cabinets you are considering would look off balanced. It is possible that the wall by the fridge has room for something like this, only smaller:
Or this with the help of a carpenter:
I have never been able to figure out if the lack of symmetry in the pic above bothers me or not - your cabinets would produce the same.
I have to agree with the others that your kitchen is really pretty as is:)
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Emily Jowers
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoIf you're just feeling bored, you could paint the lowers or island a bright teal. Nothing too dark since you have dark counters, something bright and exciting.
Modern Federation · More InfoJust curious, what do you not like about your kitchen. It's lovely and seems very functional as it is.
The Vintage Bean thanked Emily Jowers
acm
7 years agoHow about taking off that giant molding and replacing it with another row of cabinets, all with glass fronts? A fresh look, can show off some dishware, but not wrecking what you have that works.
Filmore St. Covington, LA · More Info
Transitional Kitchen · More InfoA couple of nice pendants might give you and updated feel too...
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PROLynsey Jane Designs
7 years agoI would suggest you keep your kitchen as it is. By taking out cabinets you will then be left with the moulding above. This would then have to be removed and reformed to finish on the third cabinet.
I love open shelving and have used it in lots of kitchen designs as you can see in one of my latest projects but feel it's something that should be on it's own on a clear wall.
You could replace the eye level cabinet doors with glass doors. This would deal with the cleaning issue and will open up the design more. Creating a feel of space.
Maybe paint the inside of the cabinets a different colour to the outside of the kitchen. Add lights in each cabinet and replace shelves with glass shelves to display your favourite pieces.
As for the colours see pictures attached. I love charcoal and cream at the moment and can give a really dramatic look.
Maybe replace you bar stools with something more substantial and comfortable.
Good luck with your project. Your kitchen is already lovely.
The Vintage Bean thanked Lynsey Jane DesignsThe Vintage Bean
7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago
sunnydrew
7 years agoI think your kitchen looks nice as it is too. Putting glass in the fronts of some the doors would be easy as they are not arched. We did that a few years ago, as we could not replace or repaint the cabinets and they were that old builders' oak. It was a relief to break up all that "color".
Just think about symmetry and what it would look,like from across the room and what would be showing if glass is not frosted. I am attaching an after photo of our old kitchen. We have since moved.
The Vintage Bean thanked sunnydrew
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