Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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Whew. Comment Explosion.

Who knew a half-baked banquette idea could bring on the chatter like that? Over 800 comments within a few hours time? Insanity. We’re loving all of the ideas and suggestions that you guys are throwing into the pot and promise to keep you posted every step of the way! There are definitely a lot more things to consider and nothing’s set in stone, so I think we’ll probably change our plan by the minute. But you know we’ll gab incessantly about it to anyone who’s willing to listen as we go.

In the meantime, since I should be painting office cabinets (but haven’t had a second to tear myself away from the blog), I thought it would be fun to share this awesome rendering that a sweet (and apparently very good at Photoshop) reader named Amber sent our way:

No John1

Now can you kind of start to picture it? Of course lots of things might be different (the counter might not be that color, the table might not be that shape/color, the lights may change/move, the floor will change, the cabinets won’t be brown and have eyeballs on them, there might be open shelves on the back of the banquette instead of just cabinetry, etc). Basically nothing that you see up there is “for sure,” but it definitely helps us start to picture it. So we thought sharing it might help you guys too. And a big wet kiss goes out to Amber for her ninja-like photoshop skillz.

I think the hardest thing for people to “see” before this rendering (us included) is that the banquette won’t block any more of the room than the table that used to sit there did. And people sitting at the banquette will have the same open POV that they would have had at the table (since the banquette seating will be the same height as table seating). And the countertops behind the banquette will also be around the same height as the base cabinets in the room. So hopefully it won’t feel closed off at all (everyone can see over base cabinets… well, except for Clara and Burger). Look, here’s John faux sitting in the new area now:

John Sitting1

Now that we see this we’re thinking it could be cute to even add two small stools to the back of the banquette so that the closest-to-the-kitchen countertop could be used as a casual seating area too. Not sure though, because it might also be great prep space. And I can definitely picture us using it to set out things like appetizers if we’re entertaining. It’s all complete speculation and guess work at this point! But thanks again for all of the suggestions this morning. Who knows where we’ll end up!

On and there were actually a few folks who thought seating that faced the hallway and the fireplace was less intuitive than something that faced the work area of the kitchen, but we like the counter being the close part to the work area, and also think the two best views of the room are the frame wall and the fireplace. Plus I’m not mad at the fact that I wouldn’t have to look at a sink full of dirty dishes when I’m relaxing in my nook. Haha. Also because that fireplace is in the corner of the room, turning the L to face the other way (with the seating looking back at the prep area of the kitchen) wouldn’t solve the balance issue that the L-shaped arrangement does when it faces the fireplace. Hopefully this sketch makes more sense of the reasons why (top setup: what we want to do, bottom setup: what it would look like flipped):

Banquette Flipped

See how that fireplace in the corner would make way less sense that way? Sorry for not including a sketch like this in this morning’s post for ya.

Anyway, you’ll have to excuse me, I have some office cabinetry to paint. I bought some new stuff last night (Benjamin Moore Advance paint) and I hear it’s awesome for cabs, so I can’t wait to pop back in with all those details – probably early next week if I ever get all those coats done and snap some photos. Anyone else painting cabinets? Or dreaming of banquettes?

Psst- We just announced this week’s giveaway winners. Click here to see if you’re one of them!

Comments

    • bridget b. says

      hey, no fair commenting before reading! :) so in my mind, i’m officially the first commenter. lol!

  2. bridget b. says

    wow! that image really does help. from the kitchen and dining room, it basically looks like an island until you go to the side where there is seating.

    you guys are so visionary!

    Reply

  3. Lisa says

    Wow, Amber did a GREAT job helping everyone visualize this! I wasn’t sold on it before, but this has totally convinced me that it would work beautifully! (I also love that the peak into the dining room shows wainscoting on the walls..I see another project being added to your list!)

    Reply

  4. Heather W says

    What is going on. I could see all your pics on the blog yesterday and now they are gone???? What changed. I can see your wedding pics still and your old house tour most of those pics are there but your current house tour pics are not there just a white box with a red x. All was fine yesterday.??????

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      So sorry- nothing on our end changed. We have stored our photos in the same spot for the last three years. Maybe your office blocked them? Or it’s just a passing glitch?

      xo
      s

    • Heather W says

      It looks like the address under properties for some of your pics are different.

      I can see all wedding pics except one and all of the old house tour pics except a few etc. Anything lately I can’t see anymore.

      Under the post from two days ago where you show your kitchen cabinet drawer w/your tools to show it painted but the inside still wood. That is the only pic I can see but the property address for that is http;??ww.younghouselove.comp wp-content/uploads2009/04web/kitchendrawers.for

      Pics I can’t see have an address under properties that have
      http://images.younghouselove.com.53.amazonaws.com/2011/08/officecab-prep.

      So there is a difference now that is impacting my computer at work which has had no changes made to it. So any pics with out the amazon address are not showing now but other pics that don’t have that under the properties will???? Just wanted to let you know. so disappointed……;(

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yes, very few photos on our site are stored on our actual site server (the ones that you can still see). The reason for this is because when we store more on our YHL server we crash almost instantaneously. There’s just no wiggle room for the hundreds of pics we post each month. So we pay around 12K a year (ouch) to store them on amazon.cloud, which we have been doing for the past three years. They’ve always been there and we didn’t change anything, but we’re so sorry your office or computer is blocking them for some reason. We wish there was something we could do on our end!

      xo,
      s

    • Heather W says

      oops meant with amazon address won’t show. If pic doesn’t have amazon address is still showing. Sorry.

    • Jane says

      It’s weird, as of this morning I too can not see the photos – and I’m friends with the tech guy and he said nothing changed. Not that I read blogs at work. :)
      It’s extra weird because none of the ads are blocked, which would be more likely to happen in this office.

    • YoungHouseLove says

      So sorry for the trouble Jane (and Heather W!) – we did hear from a few others who couldn’t see pics this morning and they’re inexplicably back now, so maybe it’s some sort of regional glitch?! Wish we could do things on our end, but photos aren’t something we really do anything with. We just upload them and put them into the post and click publish. And the hosting site/uploading method has been the same for the past 3 years. Sad you can’t see things though!

      xo,
      s

    • Heather W. says

      PICS ARE BACK… PICS ARE BACK!!!!! It hasn’t worked all day and just now thought I would try again and pics are there. I knew nothing had changed at work.. Wierd.. Oh well I can dry my tears now :) whoop whoop! Just wanted to let you know.

  6. Janelle D says

    I resisted commenting on the previous banquette post because I wasn’t sure if I was feeling it yet. I wanted to let it sink in and see if I was buying what you’re selling… Haha. But after seeing this post, I had to comment. I’m liking it. The visual mockup really helps to picture what it’ll look like! It’s unusual, but in a fresh, fun, unique way… not in a what were they thinking way. I agree with the open shelving that you mentioned or glass doors that a commenter came up with. I can’t wait to see what you come up with (for this project and the new desk)!

    Reply

  7. Lindsay says

    Awesome image! I love how she removed the wall going into the dining room too. I agree that this is the best layout. At first I thought you would want it open to the kitchen but it makes sense that you don’t want to stare at any mess you may have in there. I think putting a couple seats against the back of it would be good too. Especially for when Clara gets older.

    Reply

  8. Janelle D says

    Sorry for the double comment, but also if you got those narrow stools they may be able to tuck right under the hypothetical counter. Voila, no issue with the prep space!

    Reply

  9. Stephanie says

    Ha, yeah I’m now trying to scroll back thru to see if my comment is still there and it’s all wonky! This is definitely a hot button topic!

    Reply

  10. Stephanie says

    I could picture it before I saw the photoshop images, which were extremely generous! Looks like a great solution. A place to put your stuff NEAR the kitchen table but not ON the kitchen table is brilliant! Good luck painting!

    Reply

  11. KLL says

    I think that the banquette actually saves the fireplace. Especially if it’s opened up to the living room. Just imagine sitting around a cozy comfy banquette playing board games with friends sipping hot cocoa around the fireplace. It will bring that ‘sitting around a campfire’ feeling into your kitchen and you’ll have it year ’round. I’m completely jealous.

    Reply

    • Sarah W. in Oregon says

      I agree. This idea totally blew my mind. It’s brilliant. That designer is super talented.

  12. Valerie says

    I love it… when Clara is ready to help you cook she can stand on the bench site with you guys on the opposite side so it’s perfect for both your heights…

    Reply

  13. Rebecca Torres says

    It looks like a cute idea… but it eats up so much space and makes the kitchen area look smaller as well as making the clear walkway disappear…. I would like to suggest an alternative that you may like. You know where your wall oven is? add a counter next to there that can be somewhat in your someday to be bigger wall opening somewhat, kind of making an L shape coming out of the wall.. this way you can more easily get to your counter space without having to walk so much, (which really helps when cooking) as well as having a seating/appetizer ready area on the other side of the counter where your guests can be seated as you prepare meals( or John and Clara ) :). You will also have room for a small table like you wanted (sans the banquette/unless you put it in the corner..?) It also makes the kitchen a little bit a part of the dining room which makes the two spaces seem larger. I could draw this up for you if you would like. I just think maybe you should look at an alternative that isn’t so awkward/ space consuming. I am not a designer or anything, just making a suggestion. BTW- I love your blog! :P

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Thanks for the idea! We must admit we’re pretty excited about going down this route, but we know some folks would do things differently if it were their house! We fear that another table with the opening to the dining room nearby is just one table too many (two tables “in a row” kind of feel odd, which is why we love the banquette solution since it breaks them up). We also think since there will be so many nice airy doorways into the room that it’ll feel open and not too crowded (it’s a 25′ long room- so it really feels big in person!). We’ll just have to see where we end up!

      xo,
      s

    • denise says

      I like this idea a lot! I’ve been thinking since I read the original banquette idea this morning that the fireplace end of the room would look so great set up as a “keeping room” area with a couple of cushy chairs or even a loveseat. That would give seating for people to hang out while others are working in the kitchen and it would also provide a much more comfy place to sit by the fireplace. The solution of having a peninsula counter added would provide counter seating so there would be an area for homework, breakfast, etc.

      Really just a thought…it’s fun being able to dream up someone else’s room! I do like the banquette idea quite a bit as well.

      And btw, I have used the BM Advance paint to paint some cabinets recently. I love it for its self-leveling properties and its soap-and-water cleanup. But I will say that it took LOTS of coats (4 or 5?) to cover my white cabinets with a medium brown paint. Now that they’re done, they look terrific…very smooth and enamel-like.

    • Meredith says

      LOVE LOVE the peninsula idea coming off the wall where the wall oven is. I just moved from a house with a peninsula and it was fantastic. Prep on the inside, “kitchen side” and bar seating on the other side. This is where my kids ate breakfast, after school snacks, did homework – so much easier to prep a PPJ sandwich and slide the plate over to them then carry it across the room with a counter in between. I loved that they could face me while we worked on prep. We usually kept 3 stools there but in a pinch could seat 5. You could still make a cozy sitting area facing the fireplace as a cool hang out spot.

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I think we just worry that creating a peninsula and then still having another area behind it to deal with (which wouldn’t be as big with the peninsula there) would be more of a challenge – and just break things up more. But a friend of mine had a peninsula and it looked great in her space!

      xo,
      s

  14. Marie says

    I think it is beautiful, but as mommy I would say be sure that beautiful banquette has nice smoothed edges and no sharp corners. I vowed never to have furniture with sharp corners, growing up in my house the coffee table always seemed to reach out and grab you as you walked by. May save you a trip to the ER :)

    Reply

    • Amy says

      I love this tip! I’m VERY clumsy and I have had so many bruises from hitting sharp furniture. The banquette is a great idea!

    • Martha says

      I was reluctant to share this comment, because of the huge response (and it may be buried in there somewhere), BUT I liked the curved upholstered banquet on the board for this space and for the round/oval table. You could still put cabinets in back and a counter on top. The cabinets could be angled to form a rough curve and the counter could be curved.

    • Rebecca says

      I agree… the sharp corner on the L could be scary with little ones running around… maybe a rounded corner? I’m really starting to love the banquette idea!

  15. Bethany says

    I love the idea of the L-shaped Banquette table. Growing up, we had a booth in my kitchen and it was so cozy to sit in after school and have an after school snack and do homework there. It was also a good chance to be near my mom while she prepped dinner without being in her way. I can see Clara hanging out there down the road or having all of her friends pile around the table for breakfast during a sleepover.

    Reply

  16. Lindsey says

    Just a thought… Would you ever consider adding to your existing fireplace (to the right if you’re standing in front of it) to give it a longer look and make it appear to be centered. Leaving the actual hole where the fire sits, but adding more of whatever stone, tile or mantle you plan to revamp it with to the right side? I can picture cute cabinet cubbies for decorative accessories or storage. Maybe this would help solve the placement of an island or banquette. Let me know what you think!

    ps. LOVE the idea of a cozy banquette though. I’ve always wanted one!!

    Reply

  17. Jess @ Little House. Big Heart. says

    Wow! That’s some mad Photoshop skills!

    I definitely understand better what you’re envisioning and how that helps to balance your fireplace. Will you be able to seat as many people as you would with a conventional table/island?

    Happy painting!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We probably could have seated 2-3 people at an island (since we planned to only have seating on one side) and Nancy thinks we could comfortably seat four around the banquette. Maybe even two more if we add casual stools to the outside. We’ll have to see!

      xo,
      s

  18. Jason says

    So exciting to see that you like the idea of stools as I had mentioned in my comment to the earlier post! It makes me feel like I have the eye at about .01% the level of a Petersik! How exciting! Islandette here we come!

    Reply

  19. Susan says

    I think that I would close the door to the hallway (do you really need 4-5 doors to your kitchen?), do a U-shaped banquette, and add in additional storage or maybe even a small desk area in the corner opposite the fireplace.

    Reply

    • Paula W says

      I’m thinking the same thing. For ME, I’d wall that hall doorway off and put a couch back there actually, with a nice table and a chair , facing back into the kitchen. But you have obviously been thinking about this space a lot longer than I have! :)

    • Erin says

      I was thinking the same thing, Susan! With the large [future] opening to the dining room and the opening to the living room, plus the opening to the laundry room and the one to the office, that’s a lot of “flow” and doorways for one poor little room to handle. :) It seems it might be even cozier if the opening to the hall was closed up and you could back up a couch with a round table and a couple or chairs or a banquette to that new wall as Paula W. said, plus would allow people to flow into and out of the kitchen, especially during entertaining, without disturbing the people who are sitting near the fireplace. And it would give you more space in the major flow area from the dining room to the living room.

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We just love that view of the frame wall and the idea of an open feel in the hallway (as opposed to closing things in on that side and gaining a wall that’s 4′ closer). Since the lkitchen doesn’t have any windows (it’s completely internal) we love the doorways to let in light and keeping things feeling airy (we worry that more walls = more closed in/dark). It’s also the doorway that leads to the hall bathroom, which we think is nice for guests (instead of looping around through the living room).

      xo,
      s

  21. Lori says

    I’m about to paint cabinets in our kitchen…I want to raise my cabinets to the ceiling and do an open shelf underneath…we’ll see if that happens before.

    On a side note, you mentioned a couple of posts ago about not working on laminate…I actually peeled off our laminate and primed and painted the particle board underneath. I got lucky bc mine was relatively smooth…I did a polyacrylic coat just to give it some durability (the first “trial run” was the master bath — I figured it couldn’t get much worse than peeling laminate so I did a place that people don’t have to go.) Turns out it worked so I’m now doing the kitchen. (I spray painted my laminate counter tops and sealed them with Super Glaze…we’re on a serious budget around here.)

    I want a banquette in the corner of our kitchen for the kids…I’m thinking about checking Ana-White to see if I can make one……..

    Reply

  22. Caroline says

    I still can’t decide if I am pro or con the banquette idea. My husband’s family house has a banquette seating area and it was limited in the amount of people you could comfortablly sit around a table for meals and/or conversation. Can we photoshop new floors to get a better sense?
    I love the wall cut-out and think that will add some much to the overall layout of your house!

    Reply

  23. Chesley says

    I really like this banquette idea – a lot – and I like the rendering that has the banquette more open to the kitchen area. Good luck with the process and when you guys start to bottle and sell your energy and enthusiasm, I will be a buyer!

    Reply

  26. Sherri says

    I like the stool idea, but also think bookshelves with cookbooks and such would be great! We have them currently on shelves in our pantry, and I’d much prefer them in a more accessble place in our kitchen.

    Reply

  27. sara says

    who needs sketchup when you have amber?! i think this is a FAB idea! i was worried about it being too big, but with the opening to the dining room, i don’t feel that way at all. WOW! i’m dreaming of all the functionality you could do with that now….sitting, eating, storage, even a few bar stools for fun sitting….or extending the counter to make for a great prep are….(i see rolling out cookie dough with clara standing on the other side helping) i like the seating facing the fireplace much more than the kitchen too. :)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Our photos are stored on a separate site (amazon.cloud) which is where they’ve been for the past three years. So nothing has changed with them with our site redesign or anything. Wish we could do something on our end, but it seems like maybe your office is just blocking them? Or some anti-virus software is going it? So sorry, wish we could do something on our end but nothing has changed!

      xo,
      s

  29. elle C. says

    So I always hate to leave a negative comment because I figure it’s your house and we’re simply privileged to see any of it at all, so it’s best to be encouraging on the things we like (which I love just about everything about your house). But I’m not a fan of this lay-out. Even with it being the same proportions as a dining table would be, it just seems to visually block the space and seems like an anomaly in the kitchen. I love the idea of a banquet facing the fireplace though.

    It seems like you need more countertop/workspace in the kitchen. What if your intended doorway to the dining room was either moved slightly further toward the kitchen or made slightly narrower, and you put the banquette in the far corner still facing the fireplace with a large rug that connects the banquette to the fireplace as a single unit? Then if you get a range/oven combo, you could take out the tall oven column and extend some counter space out from where your current oven is in an L-shape. Your counters would be much closer to where you’re actually working in the kitchen and you’d have that whole “work-triangle” thing going on.

    It’s hard to tell how much space you actually have from pictures, and I wish I had mad Photoshopping skillz too. But more power to ya on whatever you decide to do, and it’s fun to watch the process.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Thanks for the suggestions Elle C! There are probably lots of other options, so it’ll just come down to seeing what we like the best. But you know we’ll keep you posted every step of the way!

      xo,
      s

  30. kristin says

    I really love the banquet idea. Just curious though…do you guys think you will have enough counter space/prep space with out adding the island? It’s hard to tell from pictures if there’s a decent amount of usable counter space. Anyway, can’t wait to see the progress and final outcome!

    Reply

  31. Jill C. says

    Do it!! I built my own L-shaped banquette (in a corner, so not as complex as yours’ll be) and I LOVE it – I spend way more time there than I ever would’ve expected. Here’s my final post on it: http://www.jillcarson.com/blog/2011/07/banquette-complete/, and there are earlier posts about building it.

    You can also have internal storage in the seat, which makes it even more useful space. It does take up real estate, so I like your cardboard box-template idea – seems like that’ll give you a sense of what it’ll be like walking around it.

    Reply

    • Erin says

      Just saw the photo of your banquette, Jill, and it shows a great idea—a half-wall or pass-through. I’d already posted where I thought it might make the room flow better to close off that doorway to the hall, but, Sherry, just read where you said you and John didn’t want a dark hallway. What if you just closed up half of the door opening into the hall? That would give you not only a wall to back up a banquette or couch with table, but also allow light into the hallway.

    • YoungHouseLove says

      That’s actually a great solution and something that appealed more to us off the bat (a half wall of sorts to act like a window) but we’re just not sure what we gain from closing in the room more and adding more wall space since we have so much space (especially length-wise in the kichen), we’re not looking to move the banquette away from the food prep area and against the wall. I think in person when you’re in there something floating feels really nice, but maybe it’s hard to visualize online.

      xo,
      s

  32. Meagan says

    This is awesome, and it can totally double as a buffet. We have a galley kitchen, so when we have a bunch of friends over, it’s super cramped when people are trying to get drinks after they get their food. Drives me crazy! But with this set up, they can move down the L shape, get a drink out of the main kitchen area, and get out of the way! :)

    Reply

  33. Erin C says

    I LOVE that picture of John sitting at the table… I laughed out loud!!! High five to Amber too, I am a visual person and that changed my whole opinion about it!

    Reply

  34. kathy says

    ahhhhh – thanks Amber! I really CAN visualize it now! And I like it! I want to make a little nook like this in our kitchen, too! We currently have this weird, not-attached-to-anything-but-the-wall “island” (penninsula?) that totally looks like an afterthought in our kitchen (thanks, previous owners!) However, that’s a million years away on the to-do list

    Reply

  36. maria says

    since you guys are painting cabinetry i had a question–i actually asked about this before, and you were so nice to answer! I painted the insides of my kitchen cabinets (they were like your cabinets in your first house- white on the outside pressed wood on the inside) well we didn’t end up sanding or deglossing, (big mistake) i waited 3 days for it to dry and put down liners on the cabinet shelves and i went to take them off and they were peeling the paint and primer off :( i am in a panic because they are brand new cabinets and i fear i destroyed them. it looks good as is, it isn’t randomly peeling, but if someone were to remove the liners, the paint is going to come off with them. any advice on what to do? should i just leave it or should i try to remove the paint?
    thanks in advance :(

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I would either just leave the liners in there and not worry about it since it’s completely hidden or remove all the liners and sand everything waay down and then use a deglosser and prime and paint. Then I’d give them ten (yes ten!) full days to dry without liners or anything in them with the doors open. Just so they’re not still tacky. Good luck!

      xo
      s

  37. Michelle Kersey says

    Oh, or maybe instead of a wooden solid banquette, more like a small clean lined L shaped upholstered bench thingy ;)

    And, other people have probably mentioned my ideas… but my daughter just woke up and I can’t read through all the comments right now :)

    Reply

  40. Jamie says

    I’m envisioning the nook vs fireplace as Tetris pieces. Remember when you would put that L looking one all the way over to the right and you’d need that long skinny one to fit into the extra space? Yup. I like the idea and think it flows together like 2 perfect Tetris pieces! Good luck!

    Reply

  41. Kate (and Ben) says

    WOW!!! I read the first post today whilst getting ready to head out and didn’t have time to comment to say that I think it sounds like a FANTASTIC solution!! When I checked back now to tell you that this total stranger from a few states away who spies on your daily lives gives her full thumbs up for the L-shaped seating/banquet area, I see you’ve been bombarded with comments.
    And after seeing the (amazing for so quick) photoshop work, I agree that two stools would look great there and add to seating–they make a ton of options that fit snugly/unobtrusively underneath a bar (re: counter) that can be pushed out of the way when not in use.
    good luck!
    -K

    Reply

  42. Brandi says

    I love it. And I agree about putting some open shelves on the “kitchen side”. What do you think about putting the stools on the “dining room side”? Whoever sat there would also be looking at the fireplace wall but would still be close if you ever needed to overflow from the dining room. A friend has a similar set up and even when people have to sit on the stools, they don’t feel left out from the crowd… Also works great with kids so you can still keep an eye on them if there isn’t room at the main table. Just a thought!

    Reply

  43. Jaime says

    I love the banquet idea and I think stools would be great too. You can always move them to the wall if you want to use it as a buffet. I wouldn’t worry too much about keeping the counter for prep work. I’m a kitchen designer and have found that the majority of people do their prep work between the sink and the stove even if there is a bigger counter space… it’s sort of the natural route to take. Fridge to sink, sink to stove. I always try to leave a 36″counter space here when designing kitchens.

    Reply

  45. janie says

    Best EVER kitchen design tip I ever got was to mock things up with cardboard boxes so you can get a real feel for how it works.

    It seems from pictures that you’d want to have a free shot from the dining room, between the gap and into the living room, without having to twist to not knock your hip. But if you do the flooring all the way underneath it it will be movable anyway.

    Reply

  46. Ruth says

    I’m not really feeling the idea of the island OR that little seating nook because it looks so much in the way! Plus, if I imagine myself as your guest, how weird am I going to feel sitting in there looking at the hallway picture frames while you buzz around in the kitchen behind my back?

    Looking at the last sketch, what if you moved the doorway into the dining room over a midge toward the business end of the kitchen and put your L seating area against the wall? If you did a built-in table, could you have cabinets on the outward facing sides and totally avoid a support in the way of people’s legs?

    Anyway, just a suggestion and I realize everyone has different ideas about what is awesome and what is irritating, plus it’s hard to see from the pictures whether it is in the way or totally not troublesome.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We thought a lot about moving that doorway but want it to line up with the window in the dining room and also considered putting things against the wall across from the fireplace, but the room is actually huuuuge (25 feet long!) so it’s nice to have something in the middle to break things up – sort of like the table that has been there for the last 8 months. I guess it’s really hard for folks to envision without being in the kitchen though.

      xo,
      s

  47. Megan says

    Now I’m dreaming of a banquette and painting cabinets! If I get a vote, I say extend the counter 8 inches or more so the stools can tuck under! (What a pandora’s box you opened!)

    Reply

  48. Micaela says

    I love the banquette facing the fireplace. My parents have a fireplace (with a gas insert) in the kitchen and it’s always been the hot spot of the house. Every time anyone comes in in the fall/winter months they head straight for the fireplace. Except they have nothing in front of theirs so we just stand and chat with our butts to the fire.

    Reply

  49. Annie in Indiana says

    When you referred to the area as your nook, it reminded me of one of my most embarrassing moments as a realtor. I was showing houses to the deacon from our church, and his wife. As we were looking at the eat-in kitchen, I made some comment about “that nook-ie area” … and watched her face turn red as I realized what I’d just said. There’s just no graceful way to recover from that.

    Reply

  50. Nicole says

    Love the idea and I think it will look great! (insert tony the tiger) I am currently in the cabinet painting process. Still on the sanding step and it is loads of fun! Glad I went to Home Depot and bought a electric sander, my arms will one day regain feeling (right?) So sending you good vibes as you paint away!

    -N

    Reply

    • Kim S says

      I too am in the middle of cabinet painting! In fact, I just came in for a break to let the rain die down a bit (I’m painting in the carport so the cabinets are safe and dry, but the thunder and lightning was getting a bit too close for comfort!). How many coats are you expecting to have to do on yours? I’ve done 1 coat of primer and this is coat #3 of paint…I think I’ll still need one more too, yikes!

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I’m on coat #2 after a coat of primer, and it seems like I’ll need 3 to be good, but I really think it’s the paint I’m using (Ben Moore Advance, it’s nice and thick like oil but is low-voc/water based). White is hard because you want it perfect and bright. Hope it helps!

      xo,
      s

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