Kichen remodel - 85 Sovereign 25'

[j54mark]

I have just added a new photo folder - 85 Sovereign remodel. It has the photos of my nearly finished kichen cabinet. See http://www.airstreamphotos.com/photo...er=139&thumb=1 - I hope that works.

Please allow me to give a tour:

Kichen1 shows the new counter, new endcap, new sink, new faucet, new 2 burner stove, and a new (and badly needed) drawer. The endcap is oak with wallpaper in the center to brighten up the lounge area. The sink is a single bowl, but the actual bowl is larger than the old divided bowl area. We can drop in a small dishpan and still have more room for rinsing than the old divided sink gave us. The faucet is a Moen with one of those heads which pull out for rinsing. The two burner cooktop is certainly adequate (the only time I have ever used more than two at a time at home was for a dinner involving 24 guests. This is not likely to arise in the trailer.)

That open space between the cooktop and the sink is called "counter space." This is a new concept to us in the trailer, but we are adjusting to it nicely. There is 13" between the cooktop and the sink, and about 5" more to the left of the cooktop. I will make a sink cover when I get a chance to give even more counter space.

You can also just make out the new Alloc laminate floor.

Kichen2 shows the space for the 1.2 cu. foot microwave (not
installed). A convection oven would be nice, but I could not spring
for the extra $300. Below that is a 18" X 16" drawer. This about
tripled our kitchen drawer space. The handle is not yet installed as I need to get one to match next time I am in Kansas City.

Kichen3 shows the nifty new upholstered insert in the upper cabinet that my wife made from leftovers when we had the couch
reupholstered. Note also that the spice cabinet, or whatever they
called that thing with the roll up door, which used to be on the wall behind the stove is now gone. We never used it, and by removing it I was able to set the cooktop back from the counter's edge for safety.

The new bedroom cabinet needs only a door front, and the front room cabinet/folding table is yet to be assembled. More as it becomes available.

Mark

[JW84345]

Mark,

Kitchen looks realy nice.

Are the counters formica or is that corian?

Are the cabinets built from scratch?

Jim

[j54mark]

"Are the counters formica or is that corian? "

That is a stock formica counter from Lowe's.


"Are the cabinets built from scratch?"

Well, mostly. The frame and the two doors under the sink are original with the trailer, although refinished. Everything else is new. The entire unit is now more than two inches less deep from the wall to the counter edge. Believe it or not, this slight addition in floor space is quite noticable.

Mark

[Sav'h Steve]

Seems if you gained a couple inches floor space then you had to cut off some cabinet supports. Did you redo the floor? From the pic looks like you have a wood floor.

(ps I originally put this in the 1980's post area)

I really like what you have done with your 25'. I have a '90 Excella 25' with the twins and envy the double. As you say, there are not many around. Hunter has a '96 double in a wide body.

Our stove and oven seem to work fine, so I plan to leave for now. We've only been out once so don't know how much the single sink would be of benefit. I like to use a plastic dish pan to wash dishes in, and the double sinks are probably too small to fit much of a dishpan into. We read that the oven will work fine if one puts in a ceramic tile / or pizza stone in the bottom to disperse the heat.

We have the convection microwave and have yet read the directions on how to use it. Hear it is a delight to cook with.

Great counter space with your addition. I have used the stove cover closed to set the clean dishes on while drying. We also have the swing up added counter where your catalytic heater was.

BTW, did you try the catalytic heater out. Looks like a great place for one. Sure helps the furnace from what I read. Thinking of a Wave 6.

Steve in Savannah

[j54mark]

"Seems if you gained a couple inches floor space then you had to cut off some cabinet supports. Did you redo the floor? From the pic looks like you have a wood floor. "

No cabinet supports were removed, and in fact one was added. The end panel is new, which supports that end. On the other end it was just screwed into the pantry wall. I just unscrewed it and shoved it back. The under sink storage was supported only on the pantry side, so I added a support on the other end. The floor is a new Alloc laminate (Pergo type) floor.

"I have a '90 Excella 25' with the twins and envy the double. As you say, there are not many around. Hunter has a '96 double in a wide body. "

If you have seen her website (http://members.aol.com/airstm2268/excella.htm), mine now looks a great deal like hers, with the new front credenza and new bedroom cabinet with drawers. The outside is another matter altogether. That will be next summer's project.

"I like to use a plastic dish pan to wash dishes in, and the double sinks are probably too small to fit much of a dishpan into. "

We found the RV type divided sink too small to do anything with. A standard divided kitchen sink is simply too large for the available space. That left a single bowl laundry sink. It is larger, front to back, deeper, and is large enough to use with a dish pan.

"We read that the oven will work fine if one puts in a ceramic tile / or pizza stone in the bottom to disperse the heat. "

Could be. I scarcely ever use the oven at home, and since I do all the cooking when we are out, it was no loss to me.

"We have the convection microwave - Hear it is a delight to cook with. "

I would love to have got one, but the price scared me off. Got a real nice 1.2 cu ft microwave for $80.

"Great counter space with your addition. We also have the swing up added counter where your catalytic heater was. "

Ah, counter space. The sine qua non of successful cooking in a RV. I thought of adding a swing up counter, but it would swing up in front of the door creating a nuisance, I suspect.

"BTW, did you try the catalytic heater out. Looks like a great place for one."

No I did not. They frankly frighten me in such a small space. This is not to critisize anyone who thinks otherwise, just a statement of personal phobia. Speaking of which, a previous owner must have been paranoid about being cold. We had four heat sources: gas furnace, electric furnace, electric heat strip in A/C, and the catalytic heater.

Mark

[Happycampers]

Hello Mark, Was just searching for some redos of kitchens and saw your pic.. we are interested in putting in a two burner cook top also.. am having problem finding one we like.. could you please let us know where you got yours .. it is the closest to what we would like... Have you been happy with the changes you have made? Any info would be appreciated.. Happy's wife Annie 1976.. thank you

[j54mark]

happy82301,

The changes have worked out really well. We have used it over some week-long trips now, cooking almost every meal, and could not be more pleased. I really do not know why Airstream does not offer something similar as an option on the new 25' Safari and Classic models.

The cooktop is a Wedgewood or Suburban two burner ccoktop (I do not remember which), and should be readily available. What is a bit unique to ours is the recessed pan and lid. I got the setup from Colaw's RV salvage (http://www.colawrvsalvage.com/). They had them as overstocks from a motorhome manufacturer at about $110. It came in primer and I had an autobody shop paint it black.

Here is a link for stoves and stove covers: http://www.ducktec.com/itmidx5.htm
They offer ones for both Wedgewood and Suburban two burner cooktops.

www.go2marine.com has Seaward stoves and cooktops. Beautiful, but a bit pricey for me.

Mark