The Perfect Kitchen

[stagis]

Conspicuously absent: ....well, sort of. If we're talking about 'cooking environments' rather than the kitchen as a room, then I'd add an outdoor kitchen as traditional homes have 'way down South. I guess the original idea was to get the wood stove outside during the summer months.

I'm sort of designing this as we speak, since I'm going to add a deck My needs aren't relaly for entertaining, nor are they commercial. I simply like to make messes.

Deck with a roof and screens.

220-volt power for a stove.

Running water, though it has to be drainable - I'm in Connecticut.

My grills - I use gas more, but prefer charcoal.

My hammock so I can admire my food as it cooks.

[snowangel]

A dishwasher that unloads itself.

Self-cleaning floors.

A fridge that automatically ejects (directly into the trash) all ickies.

And, we have a cleaning woman. Her name is Susan, aka mom.

[slarochelle]

Jason, I'd like to see the pics of the finished kitchen too. I think our kitchen/dining area layout are very similar, and we may be going through a major kitchen remodel in the near future.

And while you are at it, how about a final summary of the remodeling experience. Anything you'd do differently? Anything you're glad you did? It would be a nice way to close out that thread.

Steve

[JSD]

Conspicuously absent: ....well, sort of.  If we're talking about 'cooking environments' rather than the kitchen as a room, then I'd add an outdoor kitchen as traditional homes have 'way down South.  I guess the original idea was to get the wood stove outside during the summer months.

I thought this was so the house wouldn't be burned down accidentally..

[stagis]

I thought this was so the house wouldn't be burned down accidentally..

A minor inconvenience as long as you have a blendor and a place to plug it in.

[Kim WB]

what a fun topic!

These dream kitchenss sound wonderful..and I am jealous of all of you in the planning stages..its so much fun picking out the "kitchen" stuff.

I sell a significant number of new construction homes, and often bring my clients to showrooms in Philly to look at the kitchen upgrades available...and while I am often drooling at some things, without fail it's the imbedded fridge drawers in the island that I covet. In my kitchen, we have a small wine fridge there, and I'm tempted to loose some cabinet space, loose the fridge,a nd put in the drawers.

Edited May 22, 2003 by Kim WB (log)

[theabroma]

The kitchen in the Sta Rosa Convent in Puebla, MX. We've all seen the pictures, but spend a couple of hours in that kitchen, and you're hooked for life. I'd do unspeakable things just to cook there once in my life. Right down to the exquisite talavera puppy chow bowl set into a low counter.

Theabroma

[guajolote]

The kitchen in the Sta Rosa Convent in Puebla, MX.  We've all seen the pictures, but spend a couple of hours in that kitchen, and you're hooked for life.  I'd do unspeakable things just to cook there once in my life.  Right down to the exquisite talavera puppy chow bowl set into a low counter.

Theabroma

Here's some pictures of the convent kitchen, if you haven't seen it (I hadn't - it's beautiful).

[theabroma]

Dear, Dear Guajalote: That was very, very nice of you. Thanks.

That is, perhaps, the Mona Lisa of kitchens: you see pictures of it at every turn; Artes de Mexico once devoted an entire issue to it; so many, many references to it that once in Puebla you're tempted to pass it up in favor of seeing some of the things that are not so famous, like this Kitchen in Need of an Agent.

But you go there anyway, and when you finally descend into that cavernous room, your first impulse is, crazily enough, to giggle. There is nothing out there either in print or image - there is no telling or way that you can be prepared for the experience. It is physical: The intersection of kitchen, cathedral, sustenance, and spirit - a locus of immense energy.

I will be back there in early November - hopefully will return w/decent photos of that and more.

Theabroma

[KatieLoeb]

Oh My God! What a truly magnificent kitchen! Almost too pretty to cook in and mess up...but I'm sure you'll get over it

The pictures of the patio reminded me of a home I once visited in Styria (lower Austria) The homeowner (father of a friend) had bought an old farmhouse in shambles and completely fixed it up. It was a rectangular structure with an open patio center. There were large arched double swinging doors at either "short" end to bring in the carriages or tractors or whatever. In the open central patio they had installed an outdoor kitchen with a big open pit barbeque area that had a chimney of its own to vent away the smoke. Inside the home the fireplace had been hand "mosaic-ked" with hundreds of coins set into the wall above the hearth. There was a small chapel in another part of the house where he displayed his collection of religious artifacts (a collector of such) that had a small organ loft and functional organ. It's where my friend got married (although, I did not know him then) and was so quaint and lovely. Kitchen had all modern ameninties, yet was designed with the open exposed beam architecture that clearly was original to the home. Amazing. Architectural Digest ready at a moments notice.

[Pouncy]

Just about anything would be better than I've got now!

I have 2 levels of dream kitchen, the first serious attempt at a kitchen remodel (this requires me to have a decent size living space first), and the I'm a millionaire kitchen.

_First shot_

-BIG side by side fridge/freezer with filtered ice maker and slideout shelves, chest freezer and spare fridge in the garage.

-U shaped counters with movable island (but must have locking wheels, unlike the one at my work!), electrical outlets on each wall

-Pan drawers, and pantry with slide-out shelves

-Nice big microwave for melting butter and other odd jobs, mounted over the stove

-Good exhaust system so my vegan friend can come in the house after I make steak without throwing up

-a dedicated appliance counter for my cuisinart and kitchenaid

-tile floor - SO tired of sticky linoleum!

-BIG dishwasher that can hold broiler pans and such

-pegboard ala Julia Child to hold measuring cups and spatulas and such - I have a mini version now and it works SO well!

-HUGE spice rack with doors to keep the spices from UV damage - got to be able to accomodate the weird sizes of jars that I wind up with

-A sugar/flour drawer: deep drawer divided down the middle, sugar bin on one side, flour on the other. My grandma has this, and it's why I want to buy her house!

-GAS stove with 4-6 burners, wide enough to accomodate a few large pots and pans and most importantly level! (A feature not available in San Diego rentals )

-Wall mounted knife rack with good knives (though I do have a fairly decent hodgepodge of knives)

-Kitchen TV so I can watch Food Network, Cartoon Network or the news while I cook

-Bookcase for all my cookbooks

_The millionaire kitchen_

-The same basic layout from above

-6 burner cooktop

-Second sink next to fridge

-Beer/wine storage (cellar and in-kitchen fridge)

-Professional ice cream machine (gotta have the froyo!)

-Deli slicer

-Kitchen computer with my recipe program and internet hookup

-Breakfast bar

-Second oven (or an Aga)

-And most of all, cleaning staff!

Seems like a bit much now that I look it over, but I love to cook!

[Toliver]

-And most of all, [a] cleaning staff!

Isn't that funny...that's what my mom called me and my 3 brothers!

She also said "Who needs a dishwasher? I got four of them!" My mom...ain't she a riot?

Edit: Added second part

Edited August 5, 2003 by Toliver (log)