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I’m so glad you circled back! what a lovely treat, and the tiles, oh yes.
Is there something outside that is reflecting red into the kitchen? Umbrella, patio furniture, red brick, a car?
It might be an in-law suite, but I can't say for sure.
I think it's an interesting piece that gets lost against the sofa and would look better against a wall.
Yes against a wall. Just the glass bowl. Don't clutter it and take away the beauty of the table.
The cabinet by the sliding doors looks to be storing liquor bottles and barware which have to be taken to the kitchen in order to mix drinks, and a giant coffee maker is taking up counter space by the refrigerator. Use the dining space (which is really just a pass through) as a place for a beverage station with an under counter refrigerator, shelves above for decor, coffee cups, wine glasses, etc. It will take pressure off the kitchen and also be near the back yard for any outdoor entertaining.
I find it sad that people on here have to “brag” that they only run the dishwasher every other day or twice a week. Stop telling people what you can afford and imply that anything over your budget is wasteful. I suggested two dishwashers to my daughter when they were building in 2004. My son-in-law thought it was a waste until the first week they were in their house. My daughter loves, loves to cook and bake and they have a system for using both dishwashers. For the record, I only had room for one dishwasher and sometimes run ours twice a day. My husband loves to find new recipes-and it seems they require every dish, pot, pan in our kitchen! We both wish we had space for a second one. To the OP-sink in the middle of the two dishwashers and the trash to the left of the left one. Enjoy!
We entertain quite a bit and do many wine tastings. Having a second dishwasher for wine glasses is a privilege that I fully appreciate. The OP was asking for advice not criticism of her choice for convenience. I don’t understand what pleasure people derive by bashing someone they do not even know. As the old saying goes…’if you have nothing nice to say…’ it does not diminish us in anyway to be kind to others, but the reverse of that also holds. My only comment to the OP is not go with Fisher Paykel drawers. We had to replace ours after 5 years of continual problems, with minimal use, vs the Miele which is still going strong after 11 years and daily use.
Hire a professional to put on your window film. Bubbles are just a sloppy job.
"MY advice about the pricay issue is thta most is in your head and honestly people do not stand outside waiting to see you walk by in your towel ever even if they can."
Patricia, come back and apologize for being rude, not reading the previous posts and all the spelling mistakes... DO NOT start another post.
@gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9) Odd comment... anyone can put any rock or gravel of any color they like... in any state, in any climate. You need to loosen up with the rules.
Oh!! Horrors ! Please do not store in attic or basement. If you've had them for 25 years.......they owe you nothing: )
Out of sight is out of mind, and it's either trash..or treasure. If you waffle...can't decide? It's someone ELSE's treasure!!
( someday? your kids will thank you !!?)
I agree with the above comment that the indented wall is the better place out of the two walls you show.
I am not a fan of the cutting board wall, sorry! The pics of course look perfect, but in reality the likelihood is for it to look cluttered and busy. Plus, do you actually have a bunch of light-weight circular or narrow boards like that? A useful cutting board is larger, heavier, and rectangular. Or, if you are using small boards for charcuterie or cheese boards, do you have that many? I would not use up wall space for a busy display.
Neither. The stair way from the entry has enough stuff on the wall for the kitchen as well. The kitchen is very nice- don’t clutter up the walls. Maybe do a calendar on the inside of a large cabinet door.
Hmm - I like the look of one. Seems more balanced with the sidelight in door & the window on that side. Also makes the entry more open & welcoming - not too crowded.
Use the kitchen as it is, and while using the kitchen over time, keep a list of things you would change or improve. As you compile the list the priorities will become obvious. Some items will be able to done in the near future, some will be able to be done in the more distant future, and some will be done in the next house.
Edit: Some people would kill for a kitchen like that.
You will lose storage, and counter space both, to move to an island. Learn when to leave well enough alone. Just make the peninsula single level.
"There is no such thing as a bossy, traditionally inspired contractor. There is ONLY a technician who follows the design details provided by the designer, the homeowner or whomever is in charge of the project."
This has got to be one of the most arrogant and misguided posts I've ever seen on Houzz. Contractors are not animatronic zombie drones to be programmed by air-conditioned pocket protected desk jockeys. Drawings and specifications are not carved in stone, but malleable and should be viewed as very strong suggestions as to what we are collectively trying to accomplish.
I've had a 50-year career in construction and have saved many an architect/designer/homeowner from poor and sometimes dangerous designs and themselves. Good contractors are like the goalies in hockey. We're the last line of defense before something really bad happens. Ignore us at your own peril.
I'm with palimpsest, better too big than too small. I think they'll look just fine.
Late to the discussion, but those two pieces belong together. The sofa is not too small…..the art is the statement. Paul F. has given you the vision….go for it! Make the statement that the art wants….you selected them so let let them speak….I love them.
There is Fedex... you can get a sample overnighted for less than the expense of driving 4 hours.
I hope you can feel the stress draining slightly. The first thing I did when selecting tiles for my bathroom floor and walls was to look at the most readily available easy to stock options to see if by chance there was something I like. Surprise - there was and for once in my life I took the easy route and love my bathroom. If you end up feeling like things are too boring a great sconce, mirror, and faucet will up the game.
Not sure about black nor whites. But existing colors in room would work great.
One of the most cost efficient things you can do is make certain your water supply hoses to the washer are stainless steel and not rubber. Buy a good quality set at any local home supply store and install them.
LOL Most are not even open past two pm on Saturday!! At any of them ? Your best bet is by appointment. I am not kidding. Don't get stuck hanging around a lot of shiny treasure while they sit with the folks who made an appointment: )
Personally I don't like any of them. The patterns are all very busy with the small tiles and multiple grout lines. I would choose a much larger glass subway tile in a color perhaps a little lighter than what you have.
Plain white rectangular splash allows the blue to predominate:
Larger white rectangular tile with a more undulating surface and slightly gray grout:
However, you don't have to stick with a white or neutral tile. Don't be afraid to go bolder with a backsplash--try a pattern, a color, or a handpainted tile. Stay away from the big box stores and go to a dedicated tile store. You'll find a lot more interesting products.
Here's a tile with a subtle pattern:
Closeup of the tile:
Gorgeous blue tile backsplash!
Another patterned b/s:
Here's a blue hexagon:
These hand-made, hand-painted tiles are wonderful!
Not if you don't tell anyone or post pics of your room, but now that you have it may well come to the attention of the Houzz Decor Control special forces. Better to delete your post, destroy your hard drive, and move.
I laugh when people post the phrase, 'go with your gut'!!! That phrase only applies to how a person feels about a choice. Your 'gut' cannot discern design or functional criteria for a selection.
Glad I could bring you a laugh. As for me, I'm trying to decorate a home I live in, not build a design portfolio or land in AD. My gut reaction to an element is more relevant than someone else's professional opinion. And honestly, some of the advice given here is just plain BAD. There, I said it. Should someone buy and install sconces they hate just because some internet stranger who claims a certain degree of unproven expertise thinks they suck?
My advice? If you truly are drawn to something, the LAST thing you should do is post it to this forum. Someone - maybe not everyone - but someone will assuredly try to rain on your parade.
Often when I visit this site, I'm reminded just why people AVOID hiring "professional designers." In the wrong hands, it becomes a bossy person who tries to dictate things you don't authentically love or want in your own home.
He's screwed. He needs to replace it. No fixin' that stuff inconspicuously.
I think a two tone of white on white color scheme would look nice on your home.
This is Pearl brick, white everywhere else and blue door.
Unfortunately I can't add the palm trees!
My 2 cents...
If you are going to build something that some people might find objectionable, then you better follow CC&R's to the letter. So, if I was building a 2,200 sq.ft. house with an outbuilding that was 2,000 sq.ft. in a neighborhood where that was not typical, I would only consider materials that were specifically named in the CC&R's or used extensively throughout the neighborhood. If that outbuilding is visible from the street, there is a very solid chance that someone is going to find it objectionable and take action against it if possible.
Ask the builder if they are willing to pay for the costs to prove it is a high quality material, because it really doesn't matter. What matters is whether or not your neighbors will find it objectionable enough to take action against it. You can still spend a fortune in court proving that you did nothing wrong. So don't be penny wise and pound foolish.
Always. Use Primer. On. Fresh. Drywall.
If the fixture is centered on the tray ceiling, I'd leave it alone.
You are hyper-focused on a detail that is a non issue. The chandelier and table are properly centered on the tray and in the overall space.
You actually blocked off the distance view with that gold shelf unit. Look how it chopped off the arch on the right side, which has nothing to do with the dining room. The shelf unit is fine too, but you can pick everything apart if you are looking for perfection in every space and from every angle, while looking through different rooms!
Unfortunately, from an audiofile perspective nothing can be placed in front of the speaker; including plants faux or real. Everytime you wish to do some serious listening they will have to be moved out of the way.
The speakers in question are specifically designed to be seen and heard. Don't fight it.
Okay, bear with my mediocre image editing, but how about something like this:
Build cabinetry that matches your trimwork with smoked glass doors to visually incorporate the equipment into the space.
You could add hinged panels to the top of the cabinet, as well, if you like, but you'll need to imagine that yourself. Also, your choice on the level to which you wish to see the equipment in terms of how much you want the glass smoked or frosted.
You could also go with some sort of mesh on the doors instead of glass ...
I only did the middle doors and tried some different effects, so again bear with my image editing ...
Those giant chess pieces are awesome. Very cool.
When I look at your set up, while the equipment isn't on the floor, it has that appearance, which makes it look like there is a missing piece of furniture. It gives a cluttered feeling to the space. Furthermore, because the equipment at the back is visually small, it makes the forward items seem all the more massive. While it seems counterintuitive, in order to lessen the impact of the equipment overall, you actually want to make the items in the back bigger in order to ground the larger elements in the front. Adding a piece of furniture that spans the lot does this as well as unifies the elements to reduce the visual clutter. (Obviously, these are not clutter, but when they appear as a cluster of smaller objects, it looks busy and this more cluttered than fewer larger items.) The undersized coffee table stand-in (piano bench) isn't helping the visual clutter either. At least that's my two cents.
Maybe a carpenter could build a soffit that looks like a cabinet
Like this.
Don’t see any need to decorate stairway, especially with tenants & luggage.
You have to ask yourself if the $10K differential in the upgrade vs. having an outside contractor do it is worth the time and hassle. To me, in the scheme of what you're paying for the entire home, I'd just have your current contractor do it even if it's a bit more expensive.
Edited to add that we will be taking these plans to an architect
You take ideas/wants/desires to your architect. It's their job to create the plan.
What is the hallway width? Hard to tell but I wouldn’t fill up the floor with much based on your photo. The suggestions for a runner and wall art sound good.
Buy a stainless steel backsplash and cover up all that with it
Boxerpal, thanks for setting an example of providing a helpful and kind response to the OP.
While I appreciate Pros offering free advice (and have taken advantage of it in the past), I must admit some responses are causing me to rethink why I signed up for this site in the first place. Honesty is always good…is brutal honesty really necessary?
I'd put a strong rod in but skip the shelf. Too cluttered and not needed with your cabinets.
I’ve been using a tension rod for over a decade and it is fine for everyday use. We wear a lot of high tech fabrics and of course my husband likes his fancy pants undies that can’t go in the dryer. We actually have 2 drying racks plus the tension rod, some of my jeans that have a lot of stretch in them go on a drying rack.
You have a good idea with the rod and shelf, you can get a set like your photo or I'd probably go with separate pieces in white. You can add color decor on the shelf to coordinate with a rug and the rest of the room. Just be sure to check your rod and shelf measurements, the shelf depth shouldn't block the lighting above, and the rod depth should be hold a coat hanger which needs 24". Also consider the height of the rod - you want to be able to reach above to hang clothes comfortably and still allow space at the bottom so you aren't accidently sweeping items off the countertop.
The tile would be pretty or you can hang artwork for the days when nothing is hanging on the rod.
Okay, I can't help myself! Sorry! Cement is an ingredient in concrete.
There is no such thing as cement driveways, pavers, countertops, nothing is cement. It is all concrete. Been married to a civil engineer for over 30 years and he's wormed his proper terminology into my brain. LOL.
Concrete also has to be power washed to keep it looking clean. If there is settling, it can crack, which doesn’t happen with pavers. But sand and ants probably won’t be a problem.
They both have pros and cons.
Weed block underlayment is what we have used under our driveways, front walks and patios. On Cape Cod where a solid surface often is not allowed because drainage is the operative goal. Pebbles, larger than the grooves in your sneakers and tires, for obvious reasons, are used.
Thought this article might help you.
https://www.homesandgardens.com/gardens/patio-materials
For your installation maybe you could do stones and areas of greens would look lovely.
If you just moved in, you should live with the kitchen for a bit. ......
You can't do much with the island until you determine if the shape can change. if it can be enlarged, still provide adequate clearances and cover the flooring. You can't , (and we can't) determine that because you would need to provide all the dimensions of every wall, window and passage, and appliance in the kitchen.
It's certainly not ideal as is, but largely telegraphs a kitchen too small to even HAVE an island, and worse? The island contains the cook top with NO venting I can see in the picture.
It's a kitchen begging for a re do.....and the best thing? Save money and wait it out, versus pecking at it.
Or accurately measure the kitchen. Walls and all, every inch, with the island placement within. Where doors and openings lead..etc.
The black looks very good and the white trim will be fine.
Love a black or dark charcoal house with white trim!
I would see if you can make your trim wider.
Looks great so far