There are a number of ways to deal with how the bar is held in there. The easiest that the cabinetmakers came up with is to use the "cup" holders that some curtain rods are hanging with. One side has a place for the rod to sit in, the other has a more open "cup". Rotate the cup so that the bar won't pull out when you pull on the roll. You need to push the bar up and back into the cubby to take out the bar--thus the deep 10".

Another way to mount the roll is to use a spring loaded roll bar like the kind for a toilet paper roll. Just stick a spring inside two hollow poles.

We also saw a few different paper towel holders at BB&B that could be mounted inside the cubby sideways. The easiest again being the ones that are on the wall and spring loaded. Make the cubby an inch or two wider to allow for the "arms" to release the holder.

Good Luck!

Thoughts anyone?

From Kitchen

From Kitchen

From Kitchen

Attached dining area:

From Kitchen

Paper towels...On the counter in an OXO holder that allows me to easily get one panel one-handed. Paper towels are used from various places in the kitchen so I wanted to be able to take them with me instead of having to run back to where they're stored each time I need one. Personal preference. My mom has one mounted under the cabinet next to the sink and you either need to take the roll out of the holder or run back to it when using it other than at the sink. This would be the same if it were mounted under counter or inside a cabinet.

If you're going to give it a permanent/fixed home, at least locate it in the middle of the Prep Zone so it's easily reached w/o having to run around an island or up/down the counter to get a paper towel.

Wet dish towels...hanging on the handle of either the freezer drawer in the refrigerator or the warming drawer. The most convenient place is the refrigerator since it's easily accessed from both the Prep Sink & Main/Cleanup Sink. I successfully banished it from the oven handles b/c the oven is front & center from the front door. We don't use the DW handle b/c when the DW is opened the towel hits the floor.

Some related threads...

Thread: Ew...wet rags on kitchen sink

Thread: Dish cloth or sponge? And where do you store it between uses?

Thread: where do you keep kitchen cloths?

Thread: Where to put the roll of paper towels? etc.

Thread: paper towel holder

Thread: OT. Kitchen-towel-hanging-on-the-oven-door-survey...

Thread: Where do you hang your cloth hand towels?

Thread: What to do with the Dish Towel?!?!

Thread: narrow open cabinet to hang damp dish towels

Thread: Where do you keep your paper towels?

Thread: Best Paper Towel Holder for kitchen?

Thread: Where to store that wet dishrag?

Thread: Those little dishtowel racks?

Thread: Towel bar on front of sink - talk me into it (or out of it)...

Thread: cloth for washing dishes

Thread: Where and how do you hang your cloth dishtowels?

Here is a link that might be useful: Photo Bucket

We went shopping today and actually ordered pendants. I think I'm going to be very very happy with what we got:

Two will go over the sink; two over the island/peninsula and one in our bar/hutch. The way my kitchen is laid out, you're never really looking directly at more than 2 at a time, so I don't feel like it's going to be too much. I absolutely love the look of what we ordered.

Thanks again for your input!! SQ

But here are a few pictures of fixtures that provide a good blend of direct and indirect lighting. These are often suggested as supplemental, with large quantities of cans being recommended as primary. However, when properly placed, IMO these or similar fixtures can and should serve well as principal lighting for a kitchen.

As a bonus for those who love period-accurate older homes, some of these (though not all) are much more appropriate in terms of decor than anachronistic recessed lights.

http://blog.visiondecor.com/imgs/lighting-ideas/kitchenlighting2.jpg

http://www.theconstantbaker.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Kitchen-Upgrade.jpg

http://www.furniturestoreblog.com/2008/11/26/pendant_light_fixture_from_ivalo.html

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii272/thatgirl2478/house/kitchen1.jpg

http://www.blog.barnlightelectric.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Bolton-Victorian-Kitchen-Pendant.jpg

Ironically, although Rejuvenation's period lighting collections are meant for folks refurbishing old houses, many of these fixtures typify pre-1970 rational thinking about how to effectively light task areas. (No endorsement of the vendor intended, btw.)

http://www.rejuvenation.com/catalog/collections.html

Maybe some other GW folk who've recently upgraded will share their photos of their kitchens which use pendant and surface mount direct/indirect fixtures to good effect.

I hope this provides some ideas.

Mike

My cabinet above the refrigerator was originally going to be for larger serving pieces not used that often but then we decided to do a shelf that did not extend all the way forward. That way Dad has a place to keep his scotch that is easily accessible when friends are over but not easily accessible for the kids!

We took down the wall to our dining room, bought a new table that extends as large as our old dining room table so we can use it for holidays but now we use it for everyday dinners, and replaced our kitchen table with an island with 4 barstools that gets used every day for breakfast, lunch, homework, hanging out, etc.

Custom, inset cherry cabinets with a cinnamon stain and coffee glaze, full extension glides with soft close drawers and hinges (Blume) - local cabinet maker Mike Santa

Knobs and drawer pulls by Top knobs

Seeded glass door inserts from Emerald Glass in Pittsburgh

Granite - St. Cecelia from Blum’s

Floor - Distressed Maple in Butterscotch color from Ark

Backsplash - 4x4 durango limestone with driftwood grout, ½” pencil molding and basket weave pattern above range top.

Under cabinet outlet strips (maybe it’s plugmould) and xenon lights - to allow for an uninterrupted backsplash

Appliances -
Wolf 36”gas range top
Independent brand range hood
Sharp microwave drawer
Miele Dishwasher
Kitchen Aid standard depth refrigerator KFIS27 (recessed to look cabinet depth)
Kitchen Aid double convection oven
Kitchen Aid garbage disposal and air switch
Franke Sink
Delta touch faucet

Custom made, distressed, wood-topped island - made by local cabinet maker, Jim Haugh, Haugh Woodworking

Tigerwood island top from Grothouse Lumber

Niche with computer monitor/tv screen, pull-out keyboard tray with wireless keyboard & mouse, drawer for laptop and charging station

Window seat with cushion

Table, chairs and hutch - Canadel

Barstools - sawhorse style, much larger seat area than saddle seat, only came in brown stain, repainted by Jim Haugh who made the island

Chandelier - Restoration Hardware

Light switches - maestro

Glass pocket doors to separate living room from kitchen

Appliance garage with doors that recess

Window treatment - would like to put something up on the double window by the table

Area rug - from Target

Favorite things about the kitchen - computer screen recessed into wall to save space on 18” deep counter, love to use the pullout drawer with wireless keyboard & mouse for the computer - it uses the laptop as a tower (laptop can be unplugged and taken elsewhere,) I always pull up a comfy stool from the island, computer screen also can toggle to a tv screen to show what’s on the tv in the adjoining family room, love my vertical storage slots built in above my double ovens, love how my silverware tray from the dishwasher and silverware drawer pull out to within 3 inches of each other - I easily can transfer the silverware from dw to drawer, love to cook on my gas range top (used to have smooth-top electric), love our standard depth refrigerator that looks like a cabinet depth due to recessing it just a few inches into the wall and building out adjoining cabinets to give the look of a cabinet depth, love my drawer storage for pots and pans under my range top (instead of getting a range with a large oven below,) love having the drawer micro in the island instead of in the wall across the room where my double oven is located, I love the natural light from the windows.

Here is a link that might be useful: Additional kitchen photos

Before

Before

href="http://s1136.photobucket.com/albums/n491/scottno1/?action=view&current=Before.jpg" target="_blank">

After

After

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