KITCHEN LESSONS LEARNED

Steve Rice, Star Tribune

The new kitchen has more counter space with better storage and lighting.

A daring do-it-yourself couple shares what they learned while remodeling their Edina ranch home kitchen -- and some things you should consider before you embark on a similar project.

By RHONDA PRAST, Star Tribune

Last update: December 31, 2007 - 1:24 PM

We knew when we bought our 1959 ranchburger that it needed a lot of updating, inside and out. The kitchen was a decent space -- 12 by 20 feet -- but a lot of it was unusable because of a small eat-in area, a desk area (used for dumping mail) and a narrow L-shaped counter with peeling white Formica. Other problems: The microwave didn't work, the ovens were too narrow to hold large cookie sheets and the dishwasher and refrigerator blocked doorways when they were open. The original single-pane windows made the kitchen drafty in the winter and food froze in the small closets because the insulation was inadequate. We wanted to redo the kitchen within the existing space, and by ourselves, to save money. We moved the gas stovetop from one side of the kitchen to the other to accommodate an island and planned for a larger refrigerator, but left the plumbing in its existing location. Steve completely rewired the kitchen, replaced the insulation and added a vapor barrier. Together, we installed two new windows.

What we faced:

1. CHALLENGE No place to store coats or boots despite entrances from the garage and the outside.

SOLUTION To get the space, we bumped into the garage 1 foot deep, which gave us room for three cubbies.

2. CHALLENGE Awkward space left behind the refrigerator once the doorway was widened and small closet eliminated.

SOLUTION Created a hidden pullout pantry on wheels in the dead space between the wall and the refrigerator. Here's where we store large quantities of soy milk, potatoes and canned and dry goods.

3. CHALLENGE No island and limited food preparation area. All small appliances housed on the counter.

SOLUTION A triangular-shaped pantry (top left) made room to accommodate the island with seating. We allocated specific spaces for the microwave, mixer and other appliances to get them off the counters. We added a wall of cabinets in place of the original eat-in area.

4. CHALLENGE Not enough salvaged slate for all kitchen surfaces.

SOLUTION Used the slate on the counter only, and chose contrasting materials for other surfaces. We used Brazilian Uba Tuba granite for the island, which played up the green in the tiles and the slate.

5. CHALLENGE Old linoleum under cheap, floating wood floor.

SOLUTION Steve leveled the floor with pieces of plywood, then nailed bamboo flooring over it. Not removing the floor allowed us to continue our work-as-we-go pace.

Prast, an editor for startribune.com, and Rice, a Star Tribune photographer, are still married despite having built five decks and remodeled two houses. They're currently redoing a bathroom.

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