Chocolate Workshop Rebuild- suggestions

[ChocoMom]

3 hours ago, Lisa Shock said:

I agree with Kerry about the moveable stainless tables. Look at the restaurant supply places online they carry ones that have cabinets built in below and on top. You can customize them.

 

When I redo my kitchen, I am pretty much just putting in a commercial kitchen:  all walls 100% tiled floor to ceiling, tiled floors, the curved tile joining walls and floors, floor drain (if possible), small 3 compartment sink with a dishwasher under the right-hand side draining area, hood, appliances, then all counters/cabinets will be moveable steel items. No affixed cabinets at all, no wood. One large work table will have a marble top.

I've been pricing all of that  SS around the Green Bay area, since its about the closest "large" city near us (despite being a 3-4 hour drive).  I did find a restaurant supply warehouse there that actually stocks all of the necessary pieces, and has a showroom.  While I tend to gravitate toward the whimsical side when it comes to my own spaces, (hence, the pink lemonade stove), I will go with all SS, and maybe some built-in shelves  or floating shelves up above the counter areas.  I know when the grandkids come over, there are certain things that I cannot have beneath the counters, within their reach.  (BTW....grandkid #3 is due this week!!!!)  Probably should have the booze in closed area, too.  

Flooring, I need to go explore again. Love the way Travertine looks--not sure how well that would work for me.  I'd probably fill all those natural little holes with chocolate instead of grout. You know...personalize it a bit.   (kidding.)   The area behind the stove and sink are likely the only parts I'd tile.  

The plumbing I plan to tie in with the current system unless the health dept. says no.   I looked at Kerry's 3 compartment sink, and am using that as the sink plan for my kitchen. Far more cost effective than the traditional homestyle sink/cupboard. Love your dishwasher idea, too.   I have enough room for an island, but I'd like the ability to move it. Been looking at those online at Overstock and Wayfair.   So many details to work out. ugh.   And I have to do this for the entire house. 

The quotes on trusses, wall systems, and floor systems are due tomorrow....how high or low that comes in will dictate much of how we proceed. 

Thank you all, once again, for the flow of ideas, advice and information!  I appreciate it all so very much. 

 

[Lisa Shock]

I have gotten some good things from The Webstaurant Store, and shelving.com. I am sure there are others out there. You should also ask around, there's probably someplace near you selling used equipment and tables, etc. Once in a while, they will get a marble slab or some other custom goodie. There are also online sellers of used items, mostly common stuff, but, you never know.

 

I built myself a storage unit for my liquids, in a tight space, from an 18" x 18" x 6' Metro rack from one company and some side panels to clip onto it from another.

[Darienne]

On 2016-04-04 at 8:58 PM, ChocoMom said:

 

Flooring, I need to go explore again. Love the way Travertine looks--not sure how well that would work for me.  I'd probably fill all those natural little holes with chocolate instead of grout. You know...personalize it a bit.   (kidding.)   The area behind the stove and sink are likely the only parts I'd tile.  

 

Looked up travertine flooring to make sure I knew what it was and read the pros and cons of the material.  Nowhere did it say anything about my first concern...comfort.  Last winter we rented a home in Utah with wonderful terra cotta ceramic tiles on the kitchen floor.  Within a few days of candy making, my back was aching.  We then covered all the surfaces where we stood: the sink, stove and table with cheap grey foam-backed mats which we had brought from house for the dogs in case the floors had no rugs.  Relief from pain?...almost immediate. Styling and beauty?...ugly as sin.

No tiled floors for me...ever.  We have pine planks in our kitchen.  And do they look wonderful and distressed. 

[Smithy]

2 hours ago, Darienne said:

Looked up travertine flooring to make sure I knew what it was and read the pros and cons of the material.  Nowhere did it say anything about my first concern...comfort.  Last winter we rented a home in Utah with wonderful terra cotta ceramic tiles on the kitchen floor.  Within a few days of candy making, my back was aching.  We then covered all the surfaces where we stood: the sink, stove and table with cheap grey foam-backed mats which we had brought from house for the dogs in case the floors had no rugs.  Relief from pain?...almost immediate. Styling and beauty?...ugly as sin.

No tiled floors for me...ever.  We have pine planks in our kitchen.  And do they look wonderful and distressed. 

 

Our kitchen has snap-together tile flooring that is grouted (like standard tile) but floats above the original flooring.  In our case it was mostly because the floor was too uneven to accommodate regular tiles without budge-busting work to level things up, but I think it's a bit softer on the feet than standard tiles. You can see it in the top photo of this post. I bought it at one of our do-it-yourself hardware stores.  I'm pretty sure the brand name is SnapStone.

Edited April 5, 2016 by Smithy
Edited to add SnapStone link (log)

[Deryn]

I have never lived with (owned) travertine floors but in Texas my kitchen had porcelain tiles and I hated them because they were hard on the feet/back, cold (which some would say is a blessing in TX but the a/c was usually on too so that was not needed in my opinion) and worst of all, they were slippery if wet or I dropped something on them. And the grout ... ick .. was always filthy no matter what I did to clean it. I dropped a bottle of balsamic vinegar right in front of the stove and when I went to sell the house, I had to scrape a LOT of grout out and replace it because anything like that seeps right down and cannot be washed out/off.

 

Travertine might be better I guess since I think the 'slabs' are usually larger than a standard tile might be (meaning fewer grout lines - and I think thinner ones as well) but what about the 'slippery' factor?

 

In NC my kitchen floor was sheet linoleum (I picked it because of its great natural properties) and I loved it. Warm, easy to clean, water-resistant, environmentally sound, long lasting, colourful, and easy on the back/feet. It was not cheap but I think it was a good choice - and I think it could work even in a commercial kitchen (if that is allowable by the authorities?)

 

p.s. I am drooling over that Big Chill stove! Looks as though that is a wonderful choice for you.

Edited April 5, 2016 by Deryn (log)

[Lisa Shock]

I know of a medical facility that installed travertine. It was a nightmare. It was never clean. They got a company to fill in the holes, but, then it looked awful.

 

I have ceramic tile at my house and like it. It's not super shiny, it has a medium glaze that is almost tacky to the touch. The tiles are 12" square. My grout is black, and was of a type that had a sealant mixed into it. Yes, it is tough to stand on all day, but, you can get chef mats. I like the fact that my floor is cool, here in Phoenix, it's usually pretty warm outside, being able to have a cool floor is comfortable for me. You can always put rugs and mats on top.

[Deryn]

Black grout would also be my choice if I ever had to have tile floors again.

[ChocoMom]

Next small update...we started construction on Monday of this week. Measurements were off, but my chocolate room ended up bigger. 12.5 by 13'. Not huge, but I'm okay with that. The whole basement has to be insulated and drywalled to meet current codes, so I will have plenty of storage space down there.  They poured the footings for the enclosed porch 3 feet too long, so, the window is gone from the shop,(and I am thrilled!)  I am looking at a slim-air unit to run in the shop, and the condenser can set right out side, tucked behind the front porch.

   Machines...I am still pondering. Having to do this kitchen plus the house kitchen, plus 3 bathrooms and a laundry room...just a little much to deal with.

   I was ready to order a sink system from Webstraunt but, the shipping would have killed me. So, I am making a trip to Green Bay sometime in the next month or so. If I take the big trailor, I can get all the pieces except the island, in one trip.  With the prefab'd floor and roof trusses, and the wall systems (studs and headers only), the shell for the house will likely be up by June 1. Siding, Windows, roofing....all on order now.  We went with the larger construction company, not because they cost a little less, but, because they could start within 3 days of signing.  They have a massive team of guys who work at incredible speeds.

  And, the last little update.....grand child #3 arrived yesterday---23 days past the due date. He's happy. healthy, and entirely adorable.

[ChocoMom]

One month ago, we were just starting out. Now, here is what we have: 

 

Edited June 8, 2016 by ChocoMom
The shop/kitchen is located in most of the space behind the front porch, and some just to the west of it. It is 12 or 13' by 11 or 12' (log)

[curls]

Congratulations! Very impressed with the amount of progress for one month of work. Hope you'll be enjoying your new home soon.

[MSRadell]

It's looking great and coming along very quickly! I'm sure you'll be glad to get into it and start living a normal life again. It's a shame to lose so many valued possessions but many times in the long run even though you don't, what I had you at least break even.

[ChocoMom]

For this next update, I have a couple pics. While its not included in this set, most of the siding is on the house, and parts of the base and exposed chimney are receiving stone.  Insulation started yesterday, as did drywall. It was a surprise to me, to see part of the shop dry walled. As for electrical, I have seven circuits running from that room alone.  I lost count of how many outlets.  Had them do all 12 gauge wiring for the entire house, much to the electrician's chagrin. Not sure what ever happened to "the customer is always right" idea, as they sure argued about doing it. I paid for it, so I don't get why it was such an issue, (other than the wire is a little more stiff than the 14 g.)  Drywall continues, as does insulation, then siding gets finished next week, doors get installed, and a couple last windows.  From there, I can start some painting and flooring. All the appliances are ordered---not the machines yet- but the major stuff. I had to downsize a bit to stay in budget, and still have a good amount left for the machines in the shop. So here is the inside...

 

 

 

[ChocoMom]

Progress is steady and ongoing.   I can be a bit impatient at times, and waiting for the painter to begin was just too much for me to handle. So, I bought the primer and paint, and did the whole workshop myself.  In two days.   Bought the flooring- done in three days. Still going to do a little more grout work and trim, but it is done to the point where the appliances can be delivered, and the electricians can work their magic

 This afternoon, I went online with the Restaurant Store in Lancaster, and bought the worktables, sinks, shelving, and other widgets.  Found an amazing kitchen island on Overstock that appears to have a soapstone countertop: http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Kosas-Home-Deni-Washed-Grey-Blue-Stone-and-Reclaimed-Pine-Kitchen-Island/8201990/product.html?refccid=356AJX54WIG3Q32HM5EJP2GI4U&searchidx=27   It is 60" by 30" by 36"h- so large enough to really work on. 

Once all of the big pieces arrive, I will start ordering the actual machines and molds. 

 

In the meantime, I have a porch, foyer, three bathrooms, a shower, and a laundry room to tile (using slate).   Plus, tending the garden, canning, and taxi-driving the kids- will keep me plenty busy. It appears we have a second calf arriving tonight or tomorrow, also.   (When the cow's udder reaches the size of a volkswagon, its safe to bet a calf will arrive within 24 hours.)   So, that's where we are. I apologize for no pictures, but, without lighting in there- it is so hard to get a good pic. Once the lights are installed- I shall take some photographs and post. 

 

 

 

 

[ChocoMom]

Its been a while since I posted an update, and things have been moving along-- sometimes fast --only to come to a screeching halt due to broken countertops, wrong sized cupboards, and I won't even go into the pain its been getting the stair nose.  Today, however, was a joyous day, with the delivery of deliciousness delivered to my front door: 

Guittard galore, Felchlin, Pralus and Cacao Barry.   Let the games begin!!! 

[keychris]

how long will it stay that tidy

[ChocoMom]

Regarding the flooring in the shop, I did the same kind of hybrid stick tiles- part stone- part linoleum. I left no room for grout.   BUT, I was intrigued with the idea of dark/black grout, so for the three bathrooms and laundry room I laid natural slate tiles, and grouted using Charcoal or DeLorean Grey. It looks excellent, so thank you for that idea!   I still have a little to finish, and then take on tiling the shower. (The porch will be last, as the floor in there is buried with cases of oak flooring. )

For the counters and sinks, I ordered SS pieces from The Restaurant Store in Lancaster.  Ended up with free shipping, which saved more than a few smackaroonies. And those ill-sized cupboards I mentioned? Well, they ordered me new ones at no cost, and let me keep the old ones....so DH (love that guy!) installed them above one of the worktables in the shop. It is wonderful!!!  I am feeling more "at home" and comfortable in the new setting.  The hard part is restraining myself from working in there now, while simultaneously forcing myself to finish the tile work. 

We still having a ways to go with the flooring, stairs, and railings/balcony, thus we are aiming to be in there completely by March. 

@keychris As for keeping the shop clean.... I'll give it about a week. 

[ChocoMom]

This is funny, so I have to post.   One of our bathroom vanities came with a 60" Carrera marble countertop.  When the plumber and I opened it about 5-6 weeks ago, it was cracked in two places.   The replacement one just arrived, and I am left now with the broken one. 

Hubby just measured, and I can get a 17" by 22" slab for the  workshop!!!    Time to go fire up the tile saw.