Piano kitchen island pt. 4: design, functionality.
this is part 4 of the piano… here is: part one, two, three, five, six, seven
1. We are going to replace the top of the piano.
I do not want to have to be careful with the original wood surface, so we are going to replace it with a slab of countertop material.
Carrara is my first choice, despite knowing the arguments against it, and despite the commitment involved with spending the next chunk of my life patrolling the island to be sure no one touches anything.
The floor of the piano box is SOLID. (It is built to support the harp which is heavy.) Paul will build a structure internally to make sure that the marble is supported across the entire span.
Removing the wood top will also give us some spare material – no specific plans for it, but always good to have.
2. I keep forgetting to tell you how surprisingly ideal the piano’s height is: 38” tall.
This is slightly taller than a standard countertop height, but I am used to working at a 40” high workspace— I am 6 feet, Paul taller… and when we DIY-ed our original (luxury) custom island, I had Paul jack up the height of the countertop.
I have been testing the piano as a workspace, to see if I want it taller, but it feels good.
3. My goal is to make the piano a truly functional workspace.
That gives us two totally different options:
- sink in the island.
or - storage in the island.
4. Sink in island option.
The space is there, and we could configure the plumbing to be as hidden as possible… what we cannot hide, we could sort of mask (at least on one side,) by using the decorative foot pedal as a guide.
We could not make it totally invisible, but if we used copper tubing and were careful to align everything, we could do a decent job of something vaguely steampunk. Or, at least not horribly unsightly.
Do I think that is the best plan? No. But all along, I have been considering a kitchen design where we move the sink into the island because it would free up the sink wall. Which would give us the option of doing a full wall of cabinets.
All in the pursuit of finding space to install a yet-to-be-discovered-and-may-not-even-exist-magnificent-perfect-size-nine-foot-tall-seven-foot-wide-bookcase-to-repurpose-as-floor-to-ceiling-cabinetry.
If I commit to the sink on the wall and two months from now we find the perfect thing for that space… I might have a nervous breakdown. (Paul says not to worry– while I am in the sanitarium, he will finish the kitchen in peace.)
The thing that finally discouraged me from sink-in-piano was the dishwasher… I cannot come up with any configuration that is not utterly ridiculous.
We played around with the idea of dividing the empty space under the piano, long-ways: building a wall down the center with the spare wood from the piano top we removed. This would allow us to build a back for a dishwasher/cabinet.
I also looked at dishwasher drawers. Maybe one on either side of the sink… At some point I even started to think – maybe we DON’T need a dishwasher?
But while I feel like we could do a good job of camouflaging the back/sides of the dishwasher, I was never satisfied with how we would integrate it in the front.
Plus, Paul kept going on and on about how if we cut a giant chunk out of the bottom of the piano, we end up with an entirely new problem: stability.
Which brings us to this plan.
5. Drawers in island.
Ultimately, I think the best decision is to preserve the furniture-ness as best we can.
The last thing I want is some configuration that is offensive to the dignity of the piano’s appearance, and I’m not too excited about the idea of a faucet sticking up out of my isle of beauty and Carrara marble and shrine to awesomeness.
Also, I have been saying all along that ALL I needed was JUST ONE giant fancy thing… And that when I found it, that GFT would dictate everything else: layout, design, sink placement, range placement, EVERYTHING… So this really is what I have been waiting for; it’s just that hoarder-brain always wants to point out ways to get more GFT’s.
So I think drawers are the best solution… you can see how the marble-supports are going to integrate with a drawer structure.
Paul is on vacation this week and enjoying a relaxing time full of math and building what I have made up in my head… we’ll see if I can do my part to improve his time off even more, by finding something REALLY RIDICULOUS on Craigslist.
I will receive extra credit if it won’t fit in the van and needs to be tied to the roof. And extra, extra credit if it serves no purpose at all. (This would be ideal, and if one of you near Chicago can go get it, you will save me a lot of driving.)
Wish me luck.
May 5, 2015 @ 8:14 pm
I’m so continually impressed by your designs and ideas. Truly. Right now I’m in the middle of my own kitchen renovation, a full scale down-to-the-studs move-the-walls deal. I’m surrounded by drywall dust and un-hung cabinets and questionable decisions that made sense at the time (back when my ceilings were intact). So in theory I should be freaking out at what you’re proposing and all the steps involved, and flinching when I see the pictures if your work in progress. Instead I’m thinking, “How lovely! What a great idea! Oh look what they did there!” Your kitchen is going to be gorgeous.
May 5, 2015 @ 8:25 pm
1. No sink in counter. I’m up for steampunk anything but what if you plumbed and then found the perfect GFcabinet/bookcase/pantry and couldn’t get it around the island?
2. Drawers on only the working side of the island. Don’t cut into the beautiful “back” of the piano.
3. With drawers, you can pull them out once a year and inspect the bottom of the marble for mold. Dave was an elevator constructor for high-end residential homes. He talked to a number of marble/granite/etc. installers and asked them what they have in their homes. Formica and Wilsonart due to mold (especially granite). Just be careful.
4. I hope you find drawer pulls that “match” the fabulous foot pedal. Your followers should be on the lookout!
May 5, 2015 @ 11:49 pm
Are you sure it’s not Paul who is going to end up in the sanitarium? Just sayin’ 😉
May 6, 2015 @ 7:05 am
I am in awe. I’m amazed at how talented Paul is to be able to make your dreams a reality and I’m amazed at your vision for seeing a kitchen island in a GFT such as a free standing piano. It is a monument to your love affair with GFTs. It is the art of the impractical being beaten into practical servitude risen to all new heights. You are both utterly magnificent. I think to myself that the two of you finding one another is like Cinderella finding her prince in the end. It makes me happy just the same way. Hat’s off!
May 6, 2015 @ 3:14 pm
love the island – and love the comments. definitely cool people reading your blog:)
May 6, 2015 @ 3:39 pm
This is GREAT! And yes. I live near Chicago and I’m always good for picking things up! Drop me a note if I may lend a hand.
May 6, 2015 @ 8:41 pm
I love everyone’s comments. I didn’t want a faucet on that fab island. Everyone is so fun, the offer of the van etc. I’ve enjoyed this whole process and the wonderful comments by all those fun people. Thanks you and your husband and followers are just so clever and funny! Love you all xo
May 7, 2015 @ 9:31 pm
Just saw this giant fancy cabinet, and of course, it screams “Victoria Elizabeth Barnes” at anyone who’s read your website. Too bad it’s not in Philly: http://eugene.craigslist.org/fud/5000078846.html
P.S. Your piano island is genius. Only you would have 1) found that piano and 2) imagined it reborn in a 21st-century kitchen. This project brings the concepts of “repurposed” and “upcycled” to entirely new levels.
May 9, 2015 @ 12:25 am
Have you considered Danby marble? Looks like carrara, but holds up more like granite.
May 9, 2015 @ 12:32 am
Also, I’m sure you’ve seen this, but drawers look wonderful here:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/496029346429860856/x
May 9, 2015 @ 3:25 pm
I love love ideas just wow sorry dont have anything to add but but I know it will be gorgeous love you blog and your humor!
May 13, 2015 @ 12:59 pm
I am in shock that you are turning a piano into an island. It is a cool idea to make an island out of an old piece of furniture, but a piano? OMG my (musical) heart cannot take the destruction of an old instrument! 🙂
I also would not put the sink into the marble top. It will be great to have that workspace without a sink taking up the middle of it. The drawer idea is very cool.
May 14, 2015 @ 8:59 am
CLEVER! With CAPS! Cant wait to see finished!
May 18, 2015 @ 10:25 am
Good idea to just replace the top. It looks amazing! Thanks for sharing.
July 23, 2015 @ 12:47 am
Love all you do and some how we must be twins separated at birth! Your lucky to have Paul . My husband is great in many ways but does not care for antiques!! Anyway I was thinking a cool drawer pull would be the brass peddles or glueing a few keys together to make a handle.I have also seen the insides of a piano hung on the wall as art and it’s very unique ! That way you are using all the parts so nobody can get offended!Keep doin what your doing, you are very fun to read and good luck.Mindie