Kitchens on the Cheap: Where to Splurge?
Yesterday’s Parlor Kitchen post got us thinking about doing kitchens on the cheap. Based on our own rather limited experience, the one word of advice we’d throw out there for a more budget-consious reno would be to splurge a little where it’s really going to count. For example, in our kitchen, which hopefully will be…
Yesterday’s Parlor Kitchen post got us thinking about doing kitchens on the cheap. Based on our own rather limited experience, the one word of advice we’d throw out there for a more budget-consious reno would be to splurge a little where it’s really going to count. For example, in our kitchen, which hopefully will be temporary (we’re hoping to move it from the rear of the second floor to the parlor when our ship comes in), we used Ikea cabinets but salvaged some incredible old white marble that we spent about $2,000 having custom cut and finished. In our opinion, it really pulls the kitchen together and dresses up the cabinets, which cost a total of a few hundred bucks from Ikea (photo on the jump). To be fair, we also didn’t really cut corners on the appliances either, reasoning rationalizing that we could keep those if/when we moved the kitchen. Other thoughts about where to drop a few extra bucks in an otherwise penny-pinching reno?
to suzy 12:12 a.m.: i’d love some advice from an actual chef. since i’m not much of a cook and my kitchen has been so small, no counter space, and i’ve been using the oven for storage — and now i’m renovating it — do you have suggestions for what would make a kitchen a great place to cook? what does it need in terms of layout, appliances, or anything else? also, about that vent/exhaust issue — sounds like you think its not necessary which is a relief to me b/c i don’t think i can fit one in my place but everyone seems to have one so i was beginning to think i had to get one. what do they do? will my kitchen turn black or get covered in grease if i don’t have one?
Mr. B-just curious, what is that double handled amber thing hanging to the left of the stove?
to 3:33 — would you mind telling me where you purchased your marble? did you go through someone or just find a stoneyard yourself? any details would be most helpful! also, how much did that cost (if you don’t mind telling)?
anyone have a great contractor that they love and have had no problems with to recommend???
hey brownstoner … what do you think about including renters in the reno section? i’ve just moved into the ground floor of an old building in brooklyn.
it’s a one family 3 story building. there’s a cellar, then my place, which is the “english basement” deal, and the 2 floors above. the steps lead to the first floor; my place is a step down, with windows half above/half below grade.
i’d love to show what i’ve done, but it’s not a brownstone, and i’m not the owner of the property.
it is, however, a hundred + year old building, right smack dab in brooklyn.
it’s really been fun. i can’t do any major renovation, since it’s not my place, and that’s what’s made it fun; i have to work within the framework of the landlord’s place.
i’ve done a good job of making a silk purse out of a sow’s ear (so much nice than “lipstick on a pig”, don’t you think?)
can’t do much about the crazy bathroom. it was once the hallway to the yard, now it’s … um, where i bathe.
i’d love to see we renter peeps share with one another.
whaddya say?
finally, i don’t go a day without checking in at brownstoner. it’s an addictive and terrific site.
rock on.
oh, yeah, the topic at hand. i don’t like your kitchen. how the heck is a professional chef suposed to cook in there? i do, however, LOVE the marble, love the history, would love to just feel its coolness on my skin. can’t understand the granite thing … polished granite in pink and brown tones brings to mind a rash; more specifically, leprosy. that’s a lot more ick than pee, don’t you think?
i hope that, if, when you move the kitchen, the marble doesn’t fit, you can use it in the powder room.
finally, mr. “how’s that microwave working out for you as a vent”, or whatever you said, what’s your problem, dude? do YOU have a commercial grade restaurant exhaust in your hovel?
i actually AM a chef, one who has yet to have lived in any dwelling that had an exhaust over the cook area. nope, not in my whole life. trust me, you can work it out.
Sorry Mr. B, I’m with Mildred. I’m hoping the $2K you spent to fit the marble included some type of acetone dip germ killer treatment. Aged patina indeed…
Mildred Pierce is obviously off her meds.
Mildred Pierce–Please stick around. I love you. People here have no sense of humor.
Mildred,
I agree with you about re-using pissoir marble in the kitchen. Somehow that fact was more than we needed to know.
How’s your daughter? still a pistol?
ha ha!
PS: I also agree that Brooklyn’s forte has never been manners, but that’s made up by other attributes.
Truthfully, I had the same initial reaction about the bathroom marble as “Mildred Pierce.” But it was actually pretty funny.
For those who don’t know who Mildren Pierce is, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mildred_Pierce and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mildred_Pierce_(film).
JB: Nice kitchen! Love the marble — even knowing where it came from! 🙂