Tuesday, March 19, 2019

In which I mourn the need for compromise

Compromises must be made, and I don’t want to.

We designed this house ourselves, because we couldn’t afford the services of an architect, and we began three years ago. We spent months on it, drawing it out with a computer program, and figuring out where every stick of furniture would go.

But we keep making changes, especially now that there’s an actual building to compare the computer design to. The washer and dryer were going to go in a little closet off the bathroom, and were going to have to be a stackable unit. Then we decided it made better sense to make that a bedroom closet, and put the washer and dryer in the pantry, which will be a lot more spacious for doing laundry in. Bonus, we can put a fold-out ironing board in there. Plus, it allows us to use the washer and dryer we already own, instead of buying new stackable ones.

But that took up the room intended for the chest freezer, which we also already own. We debated buying an upright to replace it and trying to cram it into the pantry, but decided to put the  freezer on the porch instead.

All of these changes, which took much longer to figure out than this summary suggests, have been great, and have improved the overall design of the house.

But today, DH called me at work, and informed me that the kitchen design doesn’t work, now that he sees it in actual form.

Specifically, there’s no room for the wall oven.

The wall oven I’ve been yearning for, planning for, for Years.

He explained a problem I’d noticed, but had been denying to myself: The only available counter work space was jammed into two small corners, one on either side of the wall oven, which was located on the south wall – the short end of the u-shaped kitchen – between two windows.

I assured him there was room, and that we would figure out a clever solution.

When I got home, I informed him I’d had the brilliant idea of moving the range to the south wall, instead. This eliminates crowding and greatly expands the available counter space, and the wall oven could go over – there, next to the refrigerator, or maybe next to the dishwasher.

Nope; he showed me; neither of those sites would work. He didn’t like the idea of moving the stove, either.

We designed the kitchen with a lot of windows. This is beautiful, and brings in a lot of light, but it greatly limits the available wall space for amenities like cupboards and wall ovens.

We walked down to the house and examined the lines we have chalked on the floor, designating various appliances. We measured and drew more chalk lines, and measured again.

We walked back up to the trailer, and looked at the computer design.

Walked back down to the house, for more measuring.

My suggestions grew increasingly desperate.

The wall oven could go above the washing machine.

It could sit in a pantry cupboard.

The refrigerator could go on the porch, and the wall oven could go in its place.

Nope, nope, and nope.

About two hours into this circus, DH came up with the brilliant idea of moving the range to the south wall.

It really is an excellent idea.

DH revised the computer design, and we spent quite some time admiring how much it opens up the kitchen, and how much more counter space there is.

It’s going to be a beautiful kitchen. But I’m still in mourning for my wall oven.

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