Kris in MI and anyone else who loves their kitchen...

I have an LP range and an electric range in the kitchen - with a large pantry at the end.


The opposing wall also has a large pantry with a make-shift dumbwaiter built into the floor (which goes to the basement storage room).



The hearth room (off the kitchen) has a wood cook stove.

Gracious!!!! Thank you all SO much for taking the time to type out your suggestions and post pictures of your kitchens!!! I had no idea I would get so many responses... you all have given us WONDERFUL ideas and much to think on. Kris, your island is fabulous and very similar to what I was pondering. We plan to purchase a wood cook stove to install for heat/winter cooking on the opposite side of the kitchen... LOVE the one posted by... grr.. can't remember the name, but it was the lovely PioneerMaid, I believe. We are looking for something more antique... hee hee, less expensive.

Working while Roger watches the kiddles for me... so I have lots more to ask about and look at... but will have to wait for some *down time*... just wanted to thank you all!!!!

Carmen

The island is two 3' cabinets side by side; the butcher block top is 6' x 3'. My big pots (canners & 20 gal brew pot) are kept under there, plus lunchboxes, liquid measuring cups (1c, 2c, 4c), sifter, colanders (3, varying sizes), nut chopper, canning stuff (funnels, jar lifter, etc), attachments for my kitchenaid, mixing bowls & large bowls we use when processing venison, and cooling racks. In the two drawers on the front side of the island are all my dry measuring cups & measuring spoons, wooden spoons, pestle, cutting boards, rolling pin, candy thermometer, biscuit cutter, plastic silverware (to go in lunchboxes), pizza cutter, scraper spatulas, pastry brush, etc, etc, etc. In other words, it holds a ton of useful stuff!

The butcher block overhangs the cabinets on the back side, and I have a barstool there (perfect place to sit and peruse cookbooks!), and also store the stepstool under the overhang (it's always handy when I need it, and never gets tripped over).

The island is the heart of my kitchen. It is the baking, canning, and food prep center. One end of the island is parallel to the stovetop and perpendicular to the sink, the fridge is about the middle of the front of the island, the pantry is parallel to the backside of the island, and the wall ovens are one step from the rear end of the island. I can take food from the pantry or fridge, wash, & prep on one end, then either turn around and cook on the stove, or take 2 steps and put into the oven. On heavy baking days when my cooling counter is filled up, I can put cooling racks on the end of the island near the ovens and literally take something from the oven, turn 90 degrees, and put it on the island to cool. The island is also where jars come out of the canner and sit overnight to cool.

Don't know if you process your own meats, but we've found that an island this size is perfect for deboning deer (the deer is hung, skinned and quartered outside, then brought in and set on the butcher block for deboning, cutting & packaging). Four of us fit comfortably around it for working, and clean up is quick and easy--wash with soapy water then spritz with vinegar for sanitizing.

I went to two different kitchen designers when we were building our house. The first one was determined that I didn't know what I needed in a kitchen because what I asked for was so out of the normal.

The second designer about fell on the floor in shock when I said "I have four kids, I cook 7 days a week, we don't eat out, I can alot of our food, I cook from scratch, I bake, I need a pantry I can store a minimum of 2 weeks of food in, and I want a kitchen that is functional for ME. I don't care about pretty or trendy or what sells according to the real estate lady. It's my kitchen and I need to be able to work in it everyday." But instead of telling me I knew nothing, he was willing to listen to me and not the kitchen designer training manual , and we both had alot of fun designing my kitchen.

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Kris
http://thislittleplacehere.blogspot.com/

I don't know how to post pictures on here so I will explain my kitchen. Our kitchen is open to the family/living room. It is a good size with an island. In the island I have a 1921 prpane stove. I use that for canning. I also have an electric stove with a ceremic top which is so easy to clean. Between the the kitchen and living room is our red Vermont Castings wood stove. That is our main source of heat and I can cook on it if I want. It is just perfect for our needs. In the cellar I have a good size room for canning jars and vegies. Unfortunately I and dh have arthrites and we don't use it now. If I had one wish it would be to have a big walk in pantry done when we built this house 30 yrs ago. But I still love my kitchen.

RenieB

This is our kitchen here in SC. It's a small but mostly functional eat in kitchen. I do wish for more counter space. When we get a kitchen in the NC place it will have a large island. That way there will be room for both of us so we can cook meals together. I can't wait!!!

Mrs Oz I really like your floor and the backsplash! Very pretty!!