Michael@tekecs.UUCP (05/22/85)
We're building a new home. I'd like some suggestions on making my "dream kitchen" efficient and enjoyable to work in. I love to cook and we have a household of 6 (4 pre-schoolers). I'd appreciate any suggestions on anything that comes to mind, although I do have a few specific questions: 1) Do people who have islands with barstools around it actually use it for breakfast, etc.? Anyone have an island with a butcher-block top? How do you like it? 2) We're considering putting in a Jenn-aire. What are the pro's and con's of putting it on the counter as opposed to on an island? 3) Does a self cleaning oven make a difference? 4) Where would one put a trash compacter? Is a compacter a novelty or is it really nice to have? Thanks, mle (esposa de mikei) (I'd like my kitchen to be as efficient as those twits at McD's (-:))
beslove@osu-eddie.UUCP (Adam Beslove) (05/23/85)
> We're building a new home. I'd like some suggestions > on making my "dream kitchen" efficient and enjoyable > to work in. I love to cook and we have a household > of 6 (4 pre-schoolers). I'd appreciate any suggestions > on anything that comes to mind... > > mle (esposa de mikei) I've always wanted a kitchen with at tile floor and a drain in the middle so it could be easily hosed down after a spill. This might be especially nice with kids in the house. Double or triple sinks are also a plus. Room for the dishes and room to wash the dog. A butcher block counter top would be especially nice (and pretty chic, too). I'd add a 'blood trough' around the edges to channel small spills. How about a walk in cooler? Let's dream big! >>>>Adam Beslove (c)1985 (aka Odious Verity) ====================================================================== (UUCP: ...!cbosgd!osu-eddie!beslove) (CSNet: beslove@ohio-state) The world is my sandbox, (ARPA: beslove%ohio-state.csnet@CSNET-RELAY) humanity my playmates.
beard@unc.UUCP (David Beard) (05/24/85)
A kitchen my folks designed and built 15 years ago had several interesting features. First, an area next to the back door was designed as a "mud" room or area. The floor was several inches lower to attempt to contain the dirt. It also had a seperate small sink where we kids could climb up and wash our feet after playing barefoot outside. This kept the dirt out of the rest of the kitchen and house. Second, all the sinks has little pump devices on them that gave forth dish soap and hand cream. Very nice ergonomics. Third, my mom dug up several slabs of that black stuff that covers the tables in high school chem labs. (anyone know what it is?) They were used as counter tops. One slab was near the range, the other near the oven. Hot containers could be placed directly on top. Finally, the folks spent a great deal of effort doing rough time/motion studies. For example, how many steps between the stove and fridge. All in all, it seemed like a well designed kitchen. - dvb
ed@mtxinu.UUCP (Ed Gould) (05/25/85)
> 1) Do people who have islands with barstools > around it actually use it for breakfast, etc.? > Anyone have an island with a butcher-block top? > How do you like it? Dunno about barstools, but an island cooktop set in a cutting block is a wonderful workspace - especially if the sink and refrigerator are on the other side of the corridor: counter sink fridge ------------------------- cook -------------- | cooktop | | & block | > 2) We're considering putting in a Jenn-aire. What are > the pro's and con's of putting it on the counter as > opposed to on an island? no experience > 3) Does a self cleaning oven make a difference? According to Consumer Reports, it costs about the same to buy oven cleaner as run a self-cleaner. The question then becomes which is worse: Using up chemicals in a yucky job, or using up the energy for self-cleaning? My preference is for self-cleaning. The other point often made is that, since the self-clean cycle runs very hot, the self-cleaning overn are better insulated. Whether this is really true or not, I don't know. > 4) Where would one put a trash compacter? Is a > compacter a novelty or is it really nice to have? I don't think compactors are worth while, but then my household is only two people. Even when I've lived with more folks, I didn't think they'd have been worth it. -- Ed Gould mt Xinu, 2910 Seventh St., Berkeley, CA 94710 USA {ucbvax,decvax}!mtxinu!ed +1 415 644 0146
goldman@umn-cs.UUCP (Matthew D. Goldman ) (05/26/85)
In article <5346@tekecs.UUCP> Michael@tekecs.UUCP writes: >We're building a new home. I'd like some suggestions >on making my "dream kitchen" efficient and enjoyable >to work in. . . . >(I'd like my kitchen to be as efficient as those twits at McD's (-:)) Bugs and all?? :-) -- ------- Matthew Goldman Computer Science Department University of Minnesota ...ihnp4{!stolaf}!umn-cs!goldman Home is where you take your hat off... Banzai! Kyllara : What did you just do? Moederan : I don't know but it's going to be fun...
rws@gypsy.UUCP (05/28/85)
Have some of your cabinet doors equipped with racks to hold cans of things (e.g. 15oz size). We much prefer leaving floor space for a kitchen table, rather than an island. We (family of 5) eat all our meals in the kitchen unless we're having company. When not eating, the table is great for laying out cookies to frost, eggs to die, pie crusts, seed starting trays, . . . Bob Schwanke Siemens Research Princeton, NJ 08540-6668 seismo!princeton!siemens!rws
eac@drutx.UUCP (CveticEA) (05/28/85)
>> 4) Where would one put a trash compacter? Is a >> compacter a novelty or is it really nice to have? > >I don't think compactors are worth while, but then my household >is only two people. Even when I've lived with more folks, I >didn't think they'd have been worth it. Whether a compacter is worth it or not depends on how (and how much) you are charged for your garbage service. Some parts of the country charge by the can, and charge a lot at that. So using a compacter to get down to one can a week can definitely be worthwhile. One note--crushing glass can be a little hazardous to the people who have to handle the bags since broken shards of glass tend to poke through. Betsy Cvetic ihnp4!drutx!eac
leo@cca.UUCP (Louise Osterman) (05/29/85)
My uncle who was a carpenter in the Portland (Oregon, of course!) area always designed his own home such that the logical place for the family to enter was through a door that led into the kitchen or a half-bath/laundry room. It was wonderful at preventing the tracking of dirt, dust, etc. into the main part of the house. He had three regrets after living in the house awhile: not putting a sink in the butcher block island, getting a lemon of a butcher block, and (unrelated to the kitchen) the decorative fountain (outside) the main entrance to the house.
rcj@burl.UUCP (R. Curtis Jackson) (05/29/85)
> Whether a compacter is worth it or not depends on how (and how much) you > are charged for your garbage service. Some parts of the country charge by > the can, and charge a lot at that. So using a compacter to get down to one > can a week can definitely be worthwhile. One note--crushing glass can be a > little hazardous to the people who have to handle the bags since broken > shards of glass tend to poke through. True, and true; on the latter if you use a lot of glass you can really have a fun time trying to get that squished bag out of the container; my father insisted that we put glass into a separate container. Also, you dasn't put greasy things in the trash compactor, because the grease sticks to the plunger and after a very few days can start to smell \real/ interesting. I personally think that they are a nuisance because of the above-mentioned items, because they are hard to get to to throw something away quickly, and because I live in an apartment complex with a convenient dumpster :-) -- The MAD Programmer -- 919-228-3313 (Cornet 291) alias: Curtis Jackson ...![ ihnp4 ulysses cbosgd mgnetp ]!burl!rcj ...![ ihnp4 cbosgd akgua masscomp ]!clyde!rcj
mielke@ihuxk.UUCP (R. W. Mielke) (05/29/85)
> We're building a new home. I'd like some suggestions > on making my "dream kitchen" efficient and enjoyable > to work in. I love to cook and we have a household > of 6 (4 pre-schoolers). I'd appreciate any suggestions > on anything that comes to mind, although I do have a > few specific questions: > > 1) Do people who have islands with barstools > around it actually use it for breakfast, etc.? > Anyone have an island with a butcher-block top? > How do you like it? We have a peninsula (attached) and use it for many casual meals. A butcher block top is nice but it requires care. > > 2) We're considering putting in a Jenn-aire. What are > the pro's and con's of putting it on the counter as > opposed to on an island? Jenn-Aire's can either duct down or to the rear. Consideration must be given as to where the ducting would go to avoid interference with plumbing, etc. Also avoid long runs and multiple bends as they cut down on air flow. > > 3) Does a self cleaning oven make a difference? I have a Jenn-Aire self-clean convection oven. The self-clean does a nice job but you lose some interior room because of the extra insulation needed to handle the temperature (around 1200F). > > 4) Where would one put a trash compacter? Is a > compacter a novelty or is it really nice to have? > As for location, ours is across the aisle and to one side of the dishwasher so that there is room to get around them when they are both open. My wife tells me (she is a kitchen designer) that the work triangle (the distance between the frig, stove and sink) is the most important part in planning a kitchen. -----------------------sink------------------ ---------------stove----------------------frig------------ This is a straight line representation and must be adapted to your layout. The "ideal" length of the sides totalled should be around 19 feet. > Thanks, > > mle (esposa de mikei) > > (I'd like my kitchen to be as efficient as those twits at McD's (-:)) Hope this helps. Bob Mielke AT&T Bell Labs Naperville, IL ihnp4!ihuxk!mielke
dkatz@zaphod.UUCP (Dave Katz) (05/29/85)
One great idea we found when designing our house was to put an area immediately adjacent to the kitchen where guests can sit and chat with the person doing the cooking. The range/oven are on an island between the two areas. Since there is almost always someone who wants to visit with the cook when we have company, this keeps them out from under foot. Also, since my wife and I both work, this is a nice way to share the days news.
edelson@mhuxi.UUCP (edelson) (05/30/85)
> > 3) Does a self cleaning oven make a difference? It sure does. We have had one (electric, although you can now get them with gas) and its a pleasure to clean it up. Just set the clock, push the button, and go to sleep. Turn the kitchen ventilator on low, because the fumes from burning off the gunk vents into the room. But its much better than getting in there with caustic chemicals etc. You may still have to do a little with chemicals in areas which are not heated by the clean cycle (such as door edges etc). Also, do not confuse self-clean with 'continuous clean'. The latter has an oven coating like a no-stick frypan which lets you wipe the grease off easily, but the coatings deteriorate with time. > > 4) Where would one put a trash compacter? Is a > compacter a novelty or is it really nice to have? Dont know about trash compactors, but seriously consider a garbage disposal unit, if allowed by your local code. Especially with a large family, it eliminates all the wet garbage (potato peels, apple cores, leftover veggies, and the like) from the trash, so it does not stink up the place until the garbage man comes. With kids especially, spend a couple of bucks more and get the batch type, which cannot be turned unless the safety cover is in place. > > More hints, learned when we redid our kitchen a couple of years ago: 1. If you're into microwaving, install a cabinet so that it can be placed at eye level instead of on the counter top. 2. Consider a counter top cabinet for small electrical appliances which you dont use every day -- like the mixer, blender, food processor. Install electric outlets inside the cabinet so the things are continuously plugged in ready for use. When you want to use it, open the door, pull the appliance out onto the counter, and go; when done, push it back in, close the door and its out of sight. Keeps the kitchen neat looking. 3. You may not need it now, but as you grow older you will appreciate every bit of light you can get. Avoid dark wood cabinets, which are going out of style anyway. We did our in all white formica, with oak trim. We would have liked a full luminous ceiling, but settled for a large fluorescent fixture. > >
gino@sdchema.UUCP (Eugene G. Youngerman) (05/31/85)
>Third, my mom dug up several slabs of that black stuff that covers >the tables in high school chem labs. (anyone know what it is?) They >were used as counter tops. One slab was near the range, the other >near the oven. Hot containers could be placed directly on top. Yeah that stuff is a concrete like stuff that contains ASBESTOS I put that in capital letters so that you would all know and be scared. Asbestos is really scary shit. Now, in a solid form, it is no problem at all. The only problem is breathing the little fibers or particles. From what I can determine, the danger point of the little fibers in air tends to increase, every time somebody thinks up a new way to measure them. Basically, if they can detect 10 parts per million, then the safe level is 10 parts per million. If the detection level is 1 ppm, than that is the safe level. (Disclaimer: Those are not accurate numbers, but just examples.) On the other hand, if you could get the solid stuff, and have somebody cut it to size, where they were properly equipped to cut it, then it would be nice. But don't think of ever drilling holes in it, or modifying it by saw drill or file. Disposing of it in ten or twenty years time could also be a problem. GINO
mielke@ihuxk.UUCP (R. W. Mielke) (06/03/85)
> >Third, my mom dug up several slabs of that black stuff that covers > >the tables in high school chem labs. (anyone know what it is?) They > >were used as counter tops. One slab was near the range, the other > >near the oven. Hot containers could be placed directly on top. > > > Yeah that stuff is a concrete like stuff that contains > > ASBESTOS >... > years time could also be a problem. > > GINO If you are looking for something to set into a counter to place hot pans and pots on, Corian(*) is the ticket. This stuff is not affected by heat and most spills. If something does stain it, (grape juice) a little low abrasive cleanser will remove it easily. The only drawback is that it can be cut with a knife, so you can't use it as a cutting board. Bob Mielke AT&T Bell Labs Naperville, IL ihnp4!ihuxk!mielke * Corian is a registered trademark of DuPont.
mmr@ritcv.UUCP (Margaret Reek) (06/06/85)
The island in my kitchen used to have a Nutone kitchen center in it. When not in use, there was an ugly metal plate with a 2 recessed knobs in it that always collected every crumb. I never used the food center since it didn't work very well, so I got my husband to take it out, and to cover that space and some more with inlaid ceramic tile. The island is near the oven, and it was a pain to always look for a couple of trivets to put the hot dishes on. Now the dishes can go straight from the oven onto the tile insert with no fuss. The tile is both decorative and useful. Even if I didn't have something to hide I'd do it again. Margaret Reek Rochester Institute of Technology rochester!ritcv!mmr