Don't do it! I hear Better Homes and Gardens is preparing an issue on the beauty and simplicity of the 3-holer.Originally Posted by Peter Quinn
Contributor
Don't do it! I hear Better Homes and Gardens is preparing an issue on the beauty and simplicity of the 3-holer.
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Thats probably where the "his and hers" dual vanity sinks thing came from. Honestly, I know people for whom that is the essence of luxury not to be missed, I find it the most foolish waste of porcelain imaginable. I've managed to brush my teeth in the same sink as my wife for 20 years now and have no strong urge to upgrade. I'd love to have his and hers toilets, but there simply isn't room in the yard for another pit....that three hole concept sounds intriguing....reminds me of scout camp.
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A bit of history. Cabinets used to be built in place. Uppers were a 1 X12 plus a 3/4 face frame. Face frame was held together with corragated fasteners Seldom did they have backs. Thus the 12" depth.
Member
I designed and built our kitchen with uppers 21' off the counter. this allows for a 2" valence to hide the undercabinet lights and accommodates any larger countertop appliances. unless you're extremely short (and i'm not a tall at all) the added space under the cabinets is really helpful. in addition, if you mount your lighting towards the front of the cabinet (our electrician unfortunately decided to ignore me on this one in our house..) you get a nicer, brighter reflected light.
Melad StudioWorks
North Brookfield, MA
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There seems to be no limit to the "i need that" mentality of the rank and file (of which I am part) in terms of how big their house needs to be, how expensive their building materials need to be (granite, etc, in $150k houses, as Julie mentioned).
I'm always semi-shocked at statements that people will make to me when they say "what are you doing in your house", "oh, you're putting in granite, aren't you?..."
No. I live in one of those houses slightly above the level Julie mentioned. Property appreciates, house depreciates. If you haven't made your retirement secure yet, it's follow-the-sheep-in-front-of-you foolishness to spend money on things like that essentially so you can meet the expectations of other people. And it seems far more common than sensibility. I am building uppers for my kitchen right now, and they are 12" deep. All of my dishes actually fit in them, but cabinet on the diagonal will be deep enough that it can accept dishes up to 14" wide, so I guess we have a cushion. I'm sure that some of our friends will tell us what we need to have for countertops, ask us how big of a loan we're cleared for (something I have *zero* interest in participating in - the loan part on a depreciating asset), and offer to hook us up with "their guy" as if it's a club. And they'll tell us that we should have deeper cabinets in the top of our kitchen because that's what someone told them or they read it in a magazine.
Now, were I making the cabinets for other people professionally, I'd let people get whatever they want. I'd probably even suggest what's in the magazines, etc, because their friends will expect them to have it, too. While I'm making something we essentially see as a consumable these days (that's how we see kitchens now, right? They're consumable, whenever you fear what someone else might think about your kitchen being out of date, you consume another one)...I'll stick with the layout that's there and replace what needs to be replaced and concern myself with being prepared for retirement and kids' college funds.
Member
The issue of cabinet depth could be resolved immediately if Freud would introduce a porcelain cutting "Plate Blade" for the table saw. A few quick passes on Great Grandmother's serving platter and your storage problems are over.
Guest
One straight down the middle and some hook an loop on each half of it would solve the problem just fine, right?
Then take it to the antiques road show and tell them you believe it to be "an original modification...from back when they stitched hook and loop by hand"
Member
Now now, be fair. Some men are quite short also. But then, at 6'3", I think lots of people are quite short...
Can we talk about standard heights of cars next? Cuz I'm telling you, getting enough headroom is not always easy!
...art
ps: I like the 11-3/4" option mentioned above. Quite the economic use of materials.
"It's Not About You."
Contributor
Art, that would be me at 5' 7"..........However I am planning to make full height kitchen cabinets that are 14" deep outside dimension this winter.
I'll make a step stool as well..............Rod.
Contributor
I have made cabinets for tall people that were over 36" counter height, but it messes with appliances. I make uppers whatever they want, and at whatever height off of the counter they want. See, if you want a cabinet that is 14 5/8" inside, I can do that. The box stores can't. Same with toe kicks, what do you want? You want the top rail to be hickory the bottom to be oak, the sides maple and the panel cherry? I can do that!
Mine are 12 to use material the most efficiently.
I still have painters tape on some of my cabinets, I can't find where I put the rest of the pulls...........
In my new house the cabinets will have no plywood in them at all, so I may mess with sizes and do an Smallbones style unfitted kitchen.
Larry
Member
Martha Stewart just called to tell me she hates you.
Contributor
OK, you want custom, I got custom, and this was definitely at the request of the client (wife). She also designed it all.
Top cabinets are mostly 13" deep, with a couple at 16" and one at 19". 19" above the bottoms, mostly, as they vary up and down, as well as in and out. Red oak for all except one cabinet which is maple.
The bottoms are standard 36" high, but are 24 1/4" deep. This accommodates the drawer depth of a full 24", except for the top drawers which are 22" because of the nail rail....no backs, they take up storage room. The bottoms are ALL drawers, with some banks of drawers behind raised panel doors, all the top drawers are normal with faces, but there are some with acrylic windows in them for beans, macaroni etc., just for giggles. Oh yeah, there are also eight drawers in what are the toe kicks. Three inches deep, they slide open on the floor on felt pads, and hold stuff like grates, cookie sheets, and a pizza stone.
She designed the kitchen to hold the dishes and pans we have, drawers are different heights for individual uses, very few are the same. We also did the kitchen in a bay window shape, to match a bay window 8' in front of it. There will be 8 inch deep cabinets all around the front of the bay with a serving counter on top. These will also incorporate the corners of the bay shape for more display shelves and storage.
Try to get that at IKEA. Not finished with it yet, about 75% done, then she designs the 3 walk in closets and the walk in pantry with 9' tall shelves and cabs.
Pray for me.
Rick Potter
Last edited by Rick Potter; 05-29-2013 at 3:05 AM.
Guest
My wife is pushing for drawers in the toe kicks on our cabinets. I'm undecided on it, but I haven't built the bottoms yet, so one or two of them may get a drawer. I do kind of like the idea of toe-kick drawers.
Guest
With our dog, anything at that level would be prone to accumulating dog hair. I don't know how he does it, he seems to be able to control the blowing of his coat into a directional thing.
Without dog, it would be awesome.
Contributor
David, that sparked a thought. If you hinged the toekicks at the top, you and your wife could just use your feet to flip them up and slide the dog bowls out of sight between feedings. You could call them "Canine Kabinet Kicks." Petco and Pet Smart might be interested. If your dogs lick the bowls clean between meals, you'd never even have to pick the bowls up off the floor. Huge time saver over the life of the average dog.
David
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