I've never designed a home before and I spend every waking moment trying to come up with a cool, functional design for our Baja casa.
Actually for the past 20 years I've been day dreaming, collecting pictures, and accumulating ideas for our Baja home. I thought when we finally
retired and moved to Baja, I'd whip all those ideas into a masterful design plan for a really cool, unique, solar home. But I'm finding it
overwhelming to start from the ground up since the possibilities are endless (except for budgetary and material constraints). There are too many
choices!
Currently i'm at a creative dead-end on the kitchen design.
I've got the room location figured out, but by the time I add an island, and extra counter space. and an eating bar, and ...
the room is 3 times bigger than it needs to be. At this rate we'll run out of money before we even get started.
Time to start over again with a new plan - this time I'll keep it basic and simple. Big Woo has been very patient but I think he's worried that at the
rate I'm going, we might be living in our tiny guest casita for a very long time, so the pressure's on.
If you hear of a workshop on "Dream home design on a shoestring for the creatively impaired" please let me know.BajaGringo - 2-15-2009 at 10:49 PM
You can do it but it takes some time. I would suggest picking up an easy to use design program like Punch or some other that will allow you to drag
walls around, save different layouts, etc. Kitchen islands are nice to have but they do require a lot more space and when on a tight budget they might
not be your best bet to keep the square footage down.Paulina - 2-15-2009 at 11:27 PM
Oladulce I feel for you. Our place was definitely built on a shoe string budget. To keep it from getting too big I drew out the plans on a c-cktail
napkin. You can't get too big and too carried away that way, unless you find yourself taping on an extra paper towel or two.
Regarding your kitchen dead end, I can only tell you what we did and that was to make the counter also serve the purpose of an island, an eating bar
and a room divider all in one.
Here it's being used as an island for Christmas cookies:
It's just the right height for sitting at the bar:
It seperates the kitchen from the dining area:
You can see the edge of the counter on the right, the fridge was set into another cabinet on the left that sticks out like a triangle with more
storage above and along the side. It also acts as a room divider of sorts.
I guess it depends on how long your shoelaces are. Ours were Ked laces, not Converse Hi-top length.
It will be fun. Once you get started on your house prepare for your plans to change a few times, it seems to always happen. I'm sure you'll love it
when it's all said and done.
P<*)))>{ckiefer - 2-16-2009 at 12:01 AM
Try this site for online designing. Needs internet explorer to work.
[Edited on 2-16-2009 by ckiefer]Bajafun777 - 2-16-2009 at 12:39 AM
Oladulce, you could go to Lowes and see about cabinets and they will design it out for you. I know you will probably have the cabinets made in Mexico
but it would give you some ideas. What I really want to know is Paulina how do I get the cookies that were being made in your kitchen, as I have some
cold beer that would go great with them or some ground bean columbian coffee in the early morning. Now don't tell me that I have to wait til X-Mas
for them and only at a set time and only inRuss - 2-16-2009 at 06:21 AM
oladulce, I feel for your dilemma. I've been drawing floor plans for my"dream house" for over 5 years. And had a unexpected disaster. When I lost all
my 2008 photos I also lost all my drawings. Maybe 150 variations including window, doors, cabinets, bathroom & kitchen details.
Don't ya just love computers? To me the kitchen was the most important and expensive project. I want people to sit at the counter/island and see the
view. Good luck with your project. Can you send a drawing of you most resent idea so we can what your ideas are? Paulina, nice home!Russ - 2-16-2009 at 06:52 AM
AHHHH Jeese! You got me started again! I found a drawing I did a week or so ago. Maybe some ideas here. What I'd really like to do is put the kitchen
up front in the alcove.... some how
[Edited on 2-17-2009 by Russ]
longlegsinlapaz - 2-16-2009 at 07:58 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by Russ
AHHHH Jeese! You got me started again! I found a drawing I did a week or so ago. Maybe some ideas here. What I'd really like to do is put the kitchen
up front in the alcove.... some how
Russ, how about shifting the current kitchen counter configuration a quarter turn counter clockwise & slide it into the alcove
space...I'd shift the sink to under the front window & adjust the length of cabinets against the end wall & along the sala
side to fit your needs/budget. And I would make sure there was at least 6' of floor space between the the two rows of cabinets.
Edit: Hmmmmmm no frig to keep your beer cold? I'd put frig along end wall at end of cabinets. I'd also lose the island. The length of the counter
areas along the sala side could serve as both work area & eating area.
[Edited on 2-16-2009 by longlegsinlapaz]bajaguy - 2-16-2009 at 09:00 AM
Design the kitchen and bathroom first, then the rest of the house around themHook - 2-16-2009 at 09:13 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by ckiefer
Try this site for online designing. Needs internet explorer to work.
How does this compare to the freebie version of Google Sketchup?BajaGringo - 2-16-2009 at 11:17 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by bajaguy
Design the kitchen and bathroom first, then the rest of the house around them
That is a good idea, as keeping all the plumbing in line and close together will make things much simpler (and cheaper). If you were planning on
building more than one bedroom you have another option to help you keep the costs down. Plan the design with the second (or more) bedrooms and bath in
a way that allows them to be added easily and in line at a later time when the budget allows. So instead of trying to cram multiple bedrooms into a
small space you can start out with a larger one bedroom with the space and feel you originally intended.
That is what we did...bajadock - 2-16-2009 at 01:06 PM
AWRRRIGHT! Someone is building or designing or dreaming!
Thanks to nomads who post trip reports, scenic photos and construction stuff.
Nice casa, Paulina.
Oladulce, keep pushing on your dream.BajaGringo - 2-16-2009 at 01:09 PM
Very nice layout - simple and clean. Another thing that bajadock's design reminds me of is to avoid hallways if possible. They are dead space that
take up sq footage and take away from living space.fishbuck - 2-16-2009 at 01:34 PM
Where is your private beach, boat dock and runway?
Oh wait, that's only at my house!oladulce - 2-16-2009 at 01:50 PM
Thank you everyone for allowing me to vent. I know there's a heck of a lot worse problems to have.
I'm using paper and pencil to transfer the ideas in my head, and then a program called "home Designer" to arrange cabinets and appliances to see how
it lays out. My husband is using Sketch-up to play with overall floorplans to allow for wind direction, views etc.
What a nice feeling Paulina's kitchen has! But is it the functional layout, the openness to the dining area, or all of that warm wonderful light that
makes it enjoyable to be in those rooms? Translating what I draw in to how the rooms will "feel" is part of the problem. I can tell when I've got it
right, but I can't always figure out how to get there.
Quote:
Originally posted by Russ
I want people to sit at the counter/island and see the view.
Thank you Russ! I agree 100% but I think this has been my hang-up- trying to design a counter/bar area that faces the view without having the
barstools in the kitchen work area.
I end up with either a center island that's huge with a massive kitchen floor so you don't trip over the stools, or a counter peninsula that's too far
out of the work area again, so the stools are out of the way. I think I've got to let go of the breakfast-bar-with-a-view idea.
Luckily, the shoestrings aren't little tiny nubs, but I want to save money for the important stuff like maybe a rock grotto shower and patios and
landscaping and the outdoor areas so we can enjoy where we are.
Our location is a blessing, and a curse. I'm often humbled when stand there and look around me and I know that we are truly lucky. The pressure comes
from trying to design a home that honors our location.
The design process
It's silly to fret over the kitchen design. Coffee tastes best out on the patio anyway. This post has been therapeutic, thank you.
[Edited on 2-16-2009 by oladulce]Russ - 2-16-2009 at 01:59 PM
I ended up living in my casita/guesthouse cuz of short shoestrings. But still dream of that house with the perfect kitchen.Now if someone would just
buy my other lot I could move out of the casita.oladulce - 2-16-2009 at 02:02 PM
Bajadock is that a island or a dining table on your kitchen plan ?bajaguy - 2-16-2009 at 02:12 PM
Ola.......get some powered lime and sketch out your designs full size on the dirt.....really helps with the 'space" ideas.....just remember to
document the ones you like!!!bajadock - 2-16-2009 at 02:19 PM
Oladulce,
You can't go wrong with that canvass for your design. Thanks for photos, WOW!
Bajamigo helped me with my limited space by encouraging me to pitch my dining room table in favor of my island. I still have the table, but, it is in
pieces and top has become bed headboard in my guest bedroom.(all of my photos are on my site, link in signature below)
Where is your spot? Plan for climate control? Insulated walls v. block help maximize winter heat and minimize summer heat. Steel frame was my
choice, but lots of other foam walls available and distributed in Mex.
And Fishbuck lucked out, as he and I almost became neighbors in San Quintin. The neighborhood covenants wouldn't allow both of us.
This post and your dreams are what we all love about Baja. Thanks for sharing.
[Edited on 2-16-2009 by bajadock]Sharksbaja - 2-16-2009 at 03:42 PM
OH MY! THAT is (just) a guest cottage? Wow!
Why not just add on and forget the guests!wilderone - 2-16-2009 at 05:59 PM
There are tons of magazines with blue prints in them; most issues feature a certain type: cabins and small homes; cottages and 2000 sf+
You'll find floor plans and drawings for a particular square footage.
For Baja, orient them for morning sun and plan windows for breezes. I've found them in book stores, but probably at libraries too, and maybe Home
Depot.BajaGringo - 2-16-2009 at 06:34 PM
There are many such sites online and you can even download pdf files of the layouts for free...Russ - 2-17-2009 at 08:01 AM
THis is a drawing I thought I had lost. One of many layouts but it take into consideration sun, wind and seasonal changes.
Edit: pic too big
