Remodeling "sink side" of kitchen in Concourse

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Blue~Go
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Remodeling "sink side" of kitchen in Concourse

Post by Blue~Go »

I've started a remodeling project that includes a number of areas, but here I'll talk about the sink side of the kitchen. This is just preliminary because the cabinetmaker I'm working with no sooner got started than he was called away to take care of a family member. But, turning lemons into lemonade, we are making "functional mockups" (vs. the original cardboard ones) some I will be able to use and test before we resume work later on, and some, like this sink one which are just planning ahead. Although that said, this particular mockup will "go away" so I will be back to the normal functioning sink/counter in the meantime.

As those with a Concourse know, the cool, "panoramic" window on the driver's side means that the sill in the kitchen area is low. This is as opposed to the Premier which has a separate, smaller kitchen window. The negative to this is that the countertops in the Concourse are rather low. Mine are 31-7/8" as opposed to the normal house standard of 36". Although there was no particular reason to, they also made the stove counter the same height.

So, we started by mocking up a sink counter that is 34" high (making the stove that height too, but that's another thread). This seems like a good balance between too low and too high (36" seems really high and also "pinches" the distance to the upper cabinets). We also (after a series of experiments) have moved the countertop out to the shower corner trim (around 1-1/2"). Not sure if the cabinet will be moved out the same amount or whether we will go for more overhang. Having widened the aisle (another thread :D), this seems to be no problem. The reason for this is to allow for an 18" or even 19" deep sink (front to back). The stock sink is just over 15" and there is not much selection in that size. I despise the small drain baskets (because they are always low quality and get gunky), so that is another reason it will be nice to go to a larger sink with standard 3-1/2" drain basket.

I did want to keep the "niche" of the L-shaped kitchen, so we retained that as stock.

Here is a photo of the mockup before I go on. 34" high counter, moved ~1-1/2" into room, with ~18-1/2" x 24-1/2" sink taped off. (This would be the type of sink that would either have a small drainboard, or a draining "tray" that would sit on the rim of the sink.)
IMG_1037.jpg
A note:. I think I'm going to remove that "spice cabinet." I like the function a lot, but it's kind of "in my face" when working at the L counter. I took some inspiration from photos of older Concourses and think I'll go back in with a shallow cabinet running from the base of the upper cabinet down to (or near) the counter.

Something along these lines perhaps, although maybe not all the way down to the counter. This is a (remodelled, I believe) 1978 Concourse:
kitchen sink side.jpg
Back to the mockup, here is a detail near the window. This is with a 1-1/2" backsplash (in the main mockup you can see I have a 1" backsplash along the shower wall - mockups are good for experimenting.
IMG_1011.jpg
This will be removable (like once-every-five-years removable, not on a regular basis) so that the window trim ring can be removed/accessed. Haven't quite decided how to handle window covering yet. If I were keeping the day night shades, I would simply move the backsplash inboard a touch; but I plan to have curtains. Also I don't want to lose any counter depth (for sink purposes). I haven't quite worked that out totally yet, but one idea is to put a short piece of something like 1/8" black ABS over the bottom inch or so of the window, and thus be able to have a shorter curtain that doesn't drape over the counter. That's a detail yet to be decided though (probably until I have a new sink in hand - maybe I can just move the backsplash in and run the curtain behind).
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bolerama
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Re: Remodeling "sink side" of kitchen in Concourse

Post by bolerama »

I am currently searching for a Chinook (not an owner yet). I found this picture of a 1979 that had been remodelled. This is how the person raised the counter height. A lot of counter space is lost, but it looks like it works. Thought I'd share it in case others find it useful.

Hopefully this attachment works. :)

Lisa
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Blue~Go
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Re: Remodeling "sink side" of kitchen in Concourse

Post by Blue~Go »

Hi Lisa and welcome! I did gaze at that photo quite a bit in thinking about my sink counter (but others may not have seen it, plus - we love photos). What I decided to do is slightly different. The countertop will run pretty much right over to the window (vs. stopping much sooner like that one does), and then the backsplash will probably be removable (so one could remove the window trim ring for re-bedding or repair). I may leave a small gap for the curtain to fall behind - or else just cut that section of curtain shorter.

I found that most "non-tiny" sinks are deeper than I could fit into an even-less-deep countertop (if I took as much away as in the photo).

I do heartily endorse raising the kitchen counter a bit though! The ones in my Concourse were, if I remember correctly, something like 31". Ugh. And I'm not even very tall. I'm raising both sides to 34", which seems like a good compromise between not stooping, vs. running out of room between the countertop and the upper cabinet and/or getting way up above the window on the sink side. (Standard house is 36")

One note is that the Premiers (at least the "modern era" ones on the Ford Chassis that I have seen) do have a slightly higher countertop. That's because instead of the "signature" one long window that the Concourses have on the sink side, they have a big window above the couch, but then a smaller/higher one over the sink. Although the Premier was the "lower" model, I think they had some advantages (but then the Concourses have other advantages; but I mean to me it's not as clear cut as "best" and "least" like you'd think it might be).

Here's to finding your new-to-you Chinook! Welcome aboard :)
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Re: Remodeling "sink side" of kitchen in Concourse

Post by kdarling »

Personally, I'd prefer more countertop room. And I usually am around shore power.

Since the main reason to have double sinks seems to be for doing/drying dishes, I've been thinking of installing an 110v RV dishwasher in the cabinet below which would also serve as dish/pot storage, and replacing the current double sinks with a much smaller single back corner sink, with the majority of the top space open for food preparation.

On a related note, has anyone installed one of those tankless water heaters? The idea of unlimited hot water (at least, when hooked to an outside water supply) is quite appealing.

Kev
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Re: Remodeling "sink side" of kitchen in Concourse

Post by bolerama »

Thanks for the "welcome", Blue-Go. Best wishes with your reno, and I can't wait to see pics! Actually, all I have to go on is pictures because I've never seen the inside of a Chinook in real life. I'm used to small spaces -- I have a 13 foot boler trailer. :)
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2017 Airstream Flying Cloud (full-time home) https://atomicpod.wordpress.com
2008 Airstream International CCD --"Atomic Pod" (gone to a new home)
1973 boler (13' fiberglass egg) --"The Boiler" (gone to a new home)
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Blue~Go
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Re: Remodeling "sink side" of kitchen in Concourse

Post by Blue~Go »

kdarling wrote:Personally, I'd prefer more countertop room. And I usually am around shore power.

Since the main reason to have double sinks seems to be for doing/drying dishes
Just to clarify my remark above, when I was talking about the depth of a sink, I meant the measurement from the front of the counter where you stand, back to the backsplash. I actually far prefer a single bowl, and can't WAIT to ditch the double bowl stainless sink that came in the Concourse. It's a nice sink, and it's not that I'd mind a double sink if there was so much space that the bowl(s) could be generously sized; but I don't like the "two little sinks with a big wall down the middle" that you get in smaller spaces. I'll probably end up with a smaller sink width-wise, but a decent sized single bowl. Thinking either a ~21" rectangle or an ~18" round.

I use a small tray off to one side to dry dishes in (it's actually meant to go in a cutlery drawer - is around 5" x 11" and about 2" deep and has a rubber lined bottom inside and rubber feet outside. I just put a folded over paper towel in it and then change that every so often. Takes up so much less space, and I'm not generally doing dishes for a crowd.

bolerama: Have a look at your PM's when you get a chance (in case you didn't think to look at them yet).
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Re: Remodeling "sink side" of kitchen in Concourse

Post by hanesworthy »

I'm looking forward to seeing how your renovation of this area turns out!
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kdarling
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Re: Remodeling "sink side" of kitchen in Concourse

Post by kdarling »

Since the spice rack was brought up, I have a question:

Has anyone removed theirs? I want to paint/paper behind mine, so I need to take it down and later put it back up.

Any tricks to it? When I go look, will the fasteners be apparent? Or did they do some Chinook-thing, like staple or screw it from behind?

Thanks! Kevin
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HoosierB
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Re: Remodeling "sink side" of kitchen in Concourse

Post by HoosierB »

re: spice rack removal
Not sure about a 1994, but my 2001 was easy peazy to take out. Just removed a handful of easy to see Robertson drive screws. Once off, I did a tracing/template of the screw hole locations if ever wanted to reinstall. However, after it was removed (to do new wallpaper), I liked the open wall space so much, may never put it back up. I may repurpose parts of the spice cabinet for my remodel on the galley side above the stove top so the cabinet space won't be lost.
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Blue~Go
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Re: Remodeling "sink side" of kitchen in Concourse

Post by Blue~Go »

Basically the same as for Hoosier on my '99. The spice cabinet has obvious "rails" in the back at top and bottom (there is no "back" as the back is just the wall). There are long/thin black Robertson drive screws that go through this rail and into the plywood shower/kitchen bulkhead wall. You can access them all through the open door of the spice cabinet.

One note is that since some of them are a bit off to the side/top/bottom, some of them will have been driven in at an angle. Just something to keep in mind because if you are going at them presuming they are 90º to the wall, they may seem hard to get ahold of with your bit.

The cabinet (at least in my oak rig) is HEAVY. I stacked some stuff under it to support it as I removed it.

Like Hoosier, once I removed mine, I quickly realized it was never going back. (I was going to paint it white and then put it back, since it looked really dark given that my wood is now light maple.) Even though it was probably my most used cabinet, and you couldn't have convinced me I wouldn't miss it.... I don't miss it. It is SO nice without it there. Opens up the counter space (no more limbo), makes the door look closer to the kitchen (vs. the long dark tunnel to freedom), gives me a place to put a piece of art (a topo map, at the moment), and just is better all around. Of course that's completely personal taste, but just thought I'd mention it.

PS: I can't actually think of anything on my rig that was stapled or screwed from behind (thankfully). Maybe there was something that I've forgotten about. Oh, but now that I think of it, and along those lines, whichever worker had the "privilege" of screwing in the forward club chair base box after the furnace went in.... must've drawn the short straw that week. Even just removing them was a royal pain!
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