Dreaming of the kitchen

I have a very specific vision for our (now gutted) kitchen.

My dream kitchen includes a warm hardwood floor, island, apron front sink, double oven, white subway tile, white cabinets, a breakfast nook, a half wall to look over at the dining room, ample amounts of storage, easy access to my KitchenAid mixer, and perfectly home cooked and healthy meals to serve my family each day.

OK, I'm rambling.

Here are some of my favorite Houzz photos that have fed my dreaming and inspiration. 

Traditional Kitchen by San Francisco Interior Designers & Decorators Fiorella Design

Traditional Kitchen by San Francisco Architects & Building Designers Taylor Lombardo Architects

Farmhouse Kitchen by Austin Architects & Building Designers Tim Cuppett Architects

Back to reality. 

Once the cabinets and appliances were torn out, the half wall was the next thing to make its appearance. The half wall will separate the kitchen from the dining room. 

I love the idea of open concept, but I don't want it to be so "open concept" that when you are sitting down for a meal you can see all your left behind pots and pans. We decided that a half wall would be the best compromise for both of us.

BEFORE - Kitchen 

AFTER - removal of cabinets, appliances, and half wall

We have had six months to dream about the kitchen so when we finally closed, T$ got straight to work (with the help of many friends and family - THANK YOU) emptying the kitchen and taping down the layout to see it in real life.  For now, this is going to be the layout of the kitchen and dining room.

View from the dining room

Next up: refinish the hardwood flooring and extend it into the dining room!