Revising the kitchenette?

Source: Kelsey Leigh Design

Ah, the kitchenette. So simple at first glance... and then it got complicated. I made it complicated, but still it got there. I talked about it in this post about what my intentions were for the space and why I wanted the features that I wanted.

BUT, then I talked to a few people and they really suggested I consider adding a range. I pushed back. "There isn't enough space!". They said try harder :-) But, I'll be honest it was my friend Meredith that really made the decision for me. It was clear that anyone with kids (and I hope to be that some day) needs both a stove and an oven. 

In the interest of really weighing out all my options, I mucked around a bit in Ikea Planner to see how things might look. You have to use your imagination for sure, but just play pretend a bit.

Option 1: Hidden Microwave
Option 2: "Speed Oven"--> like a microwave and oven combined
Option 3: 20 inch range

Initial thoughts? 

Yeah, nothing is quite as clean and minimal as the original / Option 1. So I went through an activity of weighing the pros and cons of each option as they relate to why I love Option 1 so much.

After looking at this, it really became clear that Option 3 had to be the new game plan. There are other benefits to it as well, like I might still be able to add a microwave to the tall cabinet. Additionally, I like the idea of having a slide-in appliance like a range versus something that feels more custom to the cabinet built in. A 20 inch range is very standard - that isn't going away.

Other things to call out? 

For perspective, my ideal of pocket doors and a pull out counter are absolutely the most complicated and expensive part of this whole thing. But honestly, until I see an estimate of how much it will cost me... I'm not willing to give that up. 

• Pocket doors --> make this coffee station far more usable and intentional
• Pull out counter --> this becomes even more important with the switch to a range. there is no counter space.

Where are we now?

I'm talking to a different kitchen designer at Cape Cod Lumber about the feasibility of this approach... and she is going to give me an estimate. Time will tell. Everything is possible, it just depends on how much I want to pay for it... and we all know that I like to not be a big spender.