This whole kitchen thing began because we wanted to widen two doorways — one from the den into the kitchen and another from the living and dining area into the kitchen. In our typical 1950s brick ranch, most rooms are connected by narrow doorways. The house has great bones (and a wonderful all-glass sunroom), but we wanted to improve the flow and make the layout feel more open.
I suggested, perhaps optimistically, that we close off a third doorway in the kitchen that leads to the current dining room. That dining room will be converted back into the third bedroom we originally bought the house for. Our plan is to shift the dining area into the already large and open living room, then reorganize the kitchen to gain more cabinet and counter space.
What started as a “someday” idea quickly turned serious: within days we had contractors out to give estimates. Apparently, “someday” in our household can arrive very fast.
After careful measuring of the kitchen and a sober assessment of our budget, here’s our overall plan:
We’ve already provided a kitchen designer with detailed measurements and had the cabinet and countertop specialist take their own notes. We’ll meet with the designer next week to see how close we can get to the kitchen we want and to learn what it will cost. There’s a lot to consider — layout, storage, workflow, and budget — but we’re excited to see how the project shapes up and to get moving on creating a more open, functional heart for our home.