I have been waiting a long time to write about this topic; since I first saw this house, three years ago, a farm type table has been onmy mind. As I toured this house, I knew the kitchen area was not my ideal, yet it had all the essentials; and it was pretty with all the molding trim. In fact, when we listed it as a rental, the kitchen and dining area photos, brought people to our door. Functionally, however, it was far from ideal; but it sure was pretty and had such appeal; everyone loved it. Form took the lead over function.
The peninsula that separated the kitchen from the dining area was a huge problem for me, though I understood the reasoning behind the peninsula. The house was built in 1938; then, there was a pair of odd pull-out cabinets under the counter next to the sink. The cabinets were, no doubt, very serviceable; decades later, the homeowner wanted a dishwasher. I am sure the dilemma was where to put the dishwasher, without giving up the pull-out cabinets and all the storage they provided. A peninsula was the only option.
Unfortunately, the peninsula with a dishwasher would have to be adjusted to accommodate the pull-out cabinets, making for a very awkward space. I am certain it was a case of wanting the cake and eat it too; something had to give, so they decided awkward would suffice. The space drove me crazy! If I could have done the work myself, I would have removed the wall that backed the peninsula before we moved in; but, that would not do; moving alone was enough. Besides, it is always better to live with a problem awhile to make sure you know all the shortcomings.
I was anxious to be rid of the under-counter cabinets in favor of putting the dishwasher in their place. Removing the pretty wall was a problem for me, but we were able to remove it intact. How I’ll use remains to be determined.
Years earlier, I had seen a magazine article with a great plan to build table out of pipe and wood. My husband humored me on this topic for a couple of years, even after we moved in; but finally, he admitted he did not like the plan at all. His admission was frustrating to me since I had just seen a great farm table in a Phoenix salvage show and had passed on it since I had my planned table settled, I thought.
The hunt began for the next perfect table to act as an island between our kitchen and dining area. Luck was with me when I made my way to the Rose Bowl again, with my daughter, my favorite hunting companion. We found many bargains and a table; unfortunately it had already been sold. However, the booth owner said he had more in his warehouse, if I was willing to go to Santa Ana. My daughter and I nodded in unison and spoke the words, at the same time. We were anxious to say the least.
What a fantastic experience it was to be able to climb through all the salvaged furniture and other relics the owner had brought back from France; we were like kids in a candy shop! We found the table, purchased it and had it delivered within days of our adventure.
Next step was preparing the space, which meant some electrical and plumbing work under the sink, not to mention the deconstruction of the wall separating the kitchen from dining area with the peninsula. After three weekends of work, the dishwasher is under the counter and the table is in place. There are a few flooring issues to take care of, but I will call my flooring installer and have him tidy up the area where the dishwasher had been.
Fortunately, my husband and I are equally thrilled with the results. I now have an additional six and a half feet of counter space in the farm table. It is so convenient to have a place to set things down from the refrigerator and a place to prep food. It feels as though the room should have been like this all along. Using an old farm table is the perfect solution for more counter space and giving the kitchen and dining areas a more open, appealing feeling.