What Comes First? A New Kitchen Or The Addition?

Matt and I’ve been speaking about which one to do first, then new kitchen or the addition. Okay, let me again up a bit.

Proper now, I’m engaged on our bed room suite. And sure, I’ve fairly a option to go earlier than it will likely be completed, particularly since I used to be slowed down final week with my injured hand. However I do plan to get that complete factor utterly completed earlier than shifting on to the subsequent mission. After it’s completed, I’ll take a brief period of time to complete up the studio rest room since it will likely be our short-term (and solely) visitor rest room. After that, I’ll get the within of my workshop arrange in order that I may be prepared for the subsequent large mission.

I had deliberate on that subsequent large mission being the kitchen. I’ve already defined why I can be transforming our kitchen, and why I’m going to maintain the kitchen in its present location as a substitute of shifting it to the breakfast room as I had been planning for the final 12 months. If you happen to missed that put up, you may see it right here. As of proper now, I plan on that new kitchen wanting one thing like this. The peninsula will keep the place it at present sits.

The again wall can have precise usable floor-to-ceiling cupboards, and I’m hoping I can transfer the fridge to that again wall.

And, after all, the opening to the lounge will keep…

After which, with the fridge moved, I’ll have extra room on the vary wall.

However I actually am questioning if my plan is within the unsuitable order. I feel the addition wants to come back earlier than the kitchen. The addition can be a household room, visitor rest room, and visitor bed room.

Right here’s my thought course of. Over the past week or so, I began asking myself this query. If I might solely select one or the opposite, the kitchen or the addition, which one would I select?

The clear reply is the addition. With out the addition, I gained’t be capable to have an precise eating space as a result of that eating space should accommodate a sitting space for Matt. And whereas we don’t have an actual demand for a visitor bed room, it will be good to have one. However what could be actually useful is to have a room that we will use as a house fitness center once more. Proper now, Matt’s Theracycle and my treadmill are in my studio, and that may’t be a long-term answer. And, after all, it will be very nice to have a correct visitor rest room earlier than later fairly than friends having to trek via my studio for a loo. And at last, I really feel like all plans for our again yard are perpetually on maintain till the addition is constructed.

And at last, I requested myself this. If I needed to stay the remainder of my life with our present kitchen, might I do it?

That reply is clearly a “sure”. I’ve lived with this kitchen for ten years, and I’ve been completely high quality. At a minimal, I might need new home equipment, and I’d should get the counter tops refinished once more. These are concrete counter tops, and so they accumulate stains over time. So the principle space that I exploit to the left of the sink is fairly stained proper now. And I don’t suppose they are often eliminated and changed with out damaging the cupboards, so I wouldn’t even wish to strive except I’m keen to take the possibility of a full transform.

Now don’t get me unsuitable. I’m nonetheless absolutely on board with a whole kitchen transform. That’s nonetheless my plan. However a full kitchen transform and a home addition are each actually large initiatives, and I’m simply making an attempt to weigh which one is extra essential. Matt isn’t actually any assist on this choice. His reply, as with most every thing else, is, “It doesn’t matter to me.” And since we will’t peer into the longer term and know precisely what the longer term holds, I all the time attempt to maintain these plans loosely in order that I gained’t be devastated if I by no means get to see my plans come to full fruition.

However sure, after I weigh the 2 greatest initiatives that we’ve got deliberate sooner or later, I feel the addition is definitely extra essential to me than a brand new kitchen. In order I have a look at our long-term plan, and we finances for our long-term plan, I feel that’s the course we’re going to go. Are you able to even think about how thrilling it will likely be to lastly construct that addition after speaking about it for ten years? I imply, discuss long-term plans! 😀