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I’d create a ”ceiling plan”. If you add pendants over island and sink, now consider task areas independently (note Hallett & Co‘s info). We have a very small kitchen (no island) and have 5 switches on dimmers, which works really well. You not only want good task lighting when needed, but also softer/flexible combinations. I’d be more concerned about using too little lighting.
Best faucet reviews out there. The kitchen forum has relied on this reputible company for many years. The most thorough reviews, and spot on.
This is all good feedback. Responses to all above:
- I'm not going to pay anything close to $1000 for this faucet!
- Since the mounting point for the faucet is fixed by the existing hole in my counter, I would prefer a reach as close as possible to the 9.5" of my existing faucet. But I also have other constraints:
- The finish needs to be stainless like all the other metal in my kitchen.
- There is a cabinet 17" above, so max height must be less than that. (Existing is 15.5".)
- The site that @darbuka references above says much of Hansgrohe is now made in China. Not entirely clear how that has affected quality.
Go on the Build dot com website, and sort for the following: finish: stainless steel; faucet holes: 1; spout reach: 9 to 10"; Height (not spout height): up to 16". You'll get faucets to choose from with your criteria.
Or, just get a new Brizo Venuto.
Post pics of the kitchen. Need to see the tile.
They’re showing now.
Is there no chance of removing and replacing all of the tile?
Since it is an alcove, perhaps install a mosaic tile carpet (used in vestibules) that complements your existing floor tile.
Thanks! I will look into that.
Think of all the house you have been in ... did you even notice if the slabs used were 2 cm or 3 cm. I am going to bet that 99.9% of people never notice or care.
Zline is junk. Do a search here, you’ll see.
Just follow the instructions in Chapter 15 Exhaust Systems, sections M1503.3 Exhaust discharge and M1503.4 Duct material.
They are clueless chinese importers of aggregated parts and cannot produce an appliance worth buying. Of course they don't care about liability. They can just fold the US import front, and open a new one with a different name.
Looks like there may be residual adhesive on it?
Replace the dark blotchy stone if you are trying to make positive changes to the kitchen.
"Replace the dark blotchy stone if you are trying to make positive changes to the kitchen."
What an obnoxious, baseless comment.
Way too large, and too ornate for Shaker style. A simpler trim/molding, would be more in keeping with the style.
We also have 8’ ceilings, There was no need for anything but a modest trim piece atop.
SM: Your kitchen color is stunning!!
The easy solution is raise the cabinets up and have avery simple fill to match the cabinets . I never like crown in a kitchen when the rest of the house has none.I often do wll cabinets 21" from the counter to the bottom f the upper it allows for tall appliances to fit better too
Do you have your heart set on this? It looks so....unnatural.
Though kaseki and opaone disparage Vent A Hood, many of us are more than happy with ours. Yes, cleaning is a bit more complicated, than just removing baffles. However, we don’t find it to be a big deal. Parts can go in the dishwasher, like baffles.
Our Vent A Hood, now 8yo, is incredibly quiet, even on high. The hood does a great job capturing all cooking odors, steam, grease, and smoke…exactly what a proficient vent hood should do.
Here’s ours:
Yeah, ovens seem to be quite bad for CO2.
For a while we had two multi-sensor arrays in our kitchen that did T/RH/PMx/CO/CO2/NOx/CH2O/VOCs and stayed in quite good numbers fairly consistently. One night I choose to not run the exhaust for a bit and IIRC CO2 got over 3000, along with high numbers for most of the others. I think CO was the lone excception. I think CO2 was the only one from gas combustion, the others were cooking.
Our gas oven was definitely bad for CO2; I wasn’t sure if that was typical since the range was a piece of junk in general. We roast a lot of vegetables and it is nice not having to worry about the electric oven producing CO2 (or anything else other than a burst of steam when we open it.)
Back to the original question, is it fair to say that a sub-400 CFM hood with good capture volume is still not really available? Would using an insert and a custom stainless hood be the way to go?
" The Cambria website section on "backsplashes" shows picture after picture of gas stove tops next to their product. "
And most all of those pics are not an actual used or functioning kitchen. There are tons of horror stories about the scorching. Get the backguard or at the very least look very good at the install instructions for the stove you select before making the decision.
I wouldn't want my main sink that close to the range. Some people aren't careful cooks and you could have spitting grease and water reaching someone at the sink ... I'm describing others in my house!
That matchstick mosaic is a trend from 16 years ago and most are ripping those backsplashes out, so I would suggest you don't go that route.
@dan1888, seeing how over the past year, you’ve been shilling for European oak, I’m inclined to suspect that you work for the European oak industry.
Not everyone is into the minimalist Scandi look. Graining is what gives real wood an earthy depth, and warmth.
Deepa’s floors are beautiful. A complimentary stain for the proposed wood island is attainable, without resorting to European oak.
I don’t have an island, however I do have white oak stained floors, and medium stained birch wood cabinets. The key is to choose stains that compliment, while offering contrast.
New options become available as technologies develop. The combination of the color tones of European Oak, its closed grain dense structure, 7-12"wide flat cut veneer engineered planks and clear matte water based polys is an increasingly seen choice. Many buyers won't be aware of it. That's why I highlight it. One choice isn't the only choice.
^^ Some people just don't like that look. At all. I am one of them. Frankly, it looks like unfinished wood to me.
Regardless, OP isn't re-doing her floors, she made that clear; she wanted advice on the ISLAND, and an island in the type of wood look you're showing in flooring isn't going to coordinate well with her current floor (which is beautiful as-is IMO), as evidenced by the pallid stain samples she has.
@palimpsest "I bet if I posted the latest kitchen I did for somebody, people would say it needed to be replaced" I understand why you don't want to post pics, but I would love to see the kitchen and I'm sure others would as well.
There are so many kitchens I've seen here that I love (including not limited to @darbuka, @cpartist, @rockybird, @Nidnay and many others) and they're all different from one another. I think many of us enjoy seeing spaces that have unique features, and/or where the owner has overcome challenges like a small footprint, small budget, or preserving vintage features.
To the person who said I’m a realtor that is 100% not correct, and I don’t know where you’re getting that information!
I am a kitchen and bath designer. To the post that said I’m sick of designing the same thing she is 100% correct I am using the exact same cabinets in the past 18 or so kitchens have done.
I’m not saying it’s not beautiful. It is beautiful. That was the first thing I said. But when every single client asked for the exact same kitchen, it gets a little redundant and a little overdone.
With that choice, you are creating a very grey kitchen. Is that what you want?
Me, I’d pick a colored tile. The green tile (second from thr right in the pic), would be very appealing. Green and grey (counter) will pair quite nicely.
I’ve been living with a painted backsplash for 20 years now, no regrets. With white cabinets and floor, grey countertop, and especially today’s grey skies and falling accumulating snow on a grey landscape, the paint gives me color.
well since your choice of "cool gray" is a done deal for counter I think the tile is fine. if by chance the floor is a wood ...... pick grout that is a warmer gray then..khaki??? I'd go ahead with it. In some time you can replace the formica /splash .... if you so desire to change it up....
here's 3 scenes......2 have lighter/warmer grout.. sets the tile off nicely... about what you'd achieve w your tile and similar grout. 3rd picture.....dark grout leaves a very cold look....avoid that....grout makes a difference.....good luck !!!!
"Much better than facing a loud, bulky, expensive, filth-accumulating, overhyped machine above our heads."
@Sally S. - with a downdraft, please tell me where the grease that is pulled by the downdraft goes? And wherever it goes and ends up, how do you clean it?
I've asked that question before, and the majority of the replies are that either they don't know, or that it goes to "a duct somewhere underneath", i.e. not seen and not cleaned. How is that not filth-accumulating?
The laws of physics say that smoke and grease rise, regardless if the energy source is induction. Consequently, it is physically impossible for a downdraft to be as effective as an overhead hood.
As to the video above that @dan1888 has posted for the hundredth time, it's a bit of a bamboozle for people who aren't as sophisticated about kitchen design as this forum is. While that downdraft appears on the video to be powerful and dramatic, it's only pulling steam from boiling water, so it's not much of an achievement exhaust-wise.
My experience:
- 2 week rental with telescoping downdraft (tall one, I don't know the exact height, but it was definitely taller than 6") -- absolutely useless! Did nothing other than to interfere with the flames on the back burner (gas). You could see the steam, etc., "ignoring" the downdraft. It was supposedly a good one (Dacor, as I recall).
- Growing up with no hood -- Walls & cabinets had to be cleaned all the time b/c otherwise grease & gunk built up. (Guess who had to wash the walls & cabinets -- we kids, one of our weekly chores!)
- Old Kitchen/cheap builder-grade shallow hood (~18"D) -- only worked for back burners. Did OK for back burners but did nothing for the front burners.
- Our current Kitchen with Vent-A-Hood (24"D) & induction -- odors, etc., are not an issue. I don't smell last night's dinner the next morning (or even while cooking). We clean the hood regularly and no issues. I'd rather have the grease caught by the hood than have it land on my cabinets, walls, etc.! Sure, if you don't clean it regularly, it will get dirty -- same as anything. BTW...it does prove that it's working.
Seriously -- where do you think the "filth" is going if it's not going out the vent? Into your home (& lungs)! Downdrafts, if they're any good, will have exactly the same "filth" as an overhead vent. But, since most are no good, I suspect most are sending the FOGSS (fumes, odors, grease, smoke, steam) into and throughout your home.
Of course they are not better. But people have become less educated in science, don't own tools, and don’t understand how anything works anymore.
Point of information…this is the North American Houzz. Most of us here are in the U.S. There is a UK Houzz. You might want to search for it. I don’t think Dulux paints are available in the U.S.
My personal preference is to add actual color to your kitchen…not, white or grey of any kind.
Please no grey. It’d detract from your gorgeous cabinets and lovely floors. Maybe a light sage green?
I was thinking green as well.
FWIW I think the comments above about gray are spot on
You have the tract builder look, sorry to say, and I think that is what is bothering you!
The vanity is too small for two sinks, and especially the sink size you have. The mirror needs a frame, looks as a hunk of builder sheet glass. You've got 4" spread faucets...sort of a Home Depot look.
Easiest fix is get the mirror framed to match vanity and put a color on the walls, a tint of the flooring you do like. If you can swing it? Pick a new top and faucets with 8 inch spread, use smaller under mount sinks, with a new top
The kitchen is awfully dark, needs more lighting.
All the lowers are DOOR bases, so it reads again, as a bit of the budget level kitchen. Would I paint them? There isn't a good answer here. Maybe paint the uppers and the island in a color. I think it was just too dark a cabinet selection . But......it isn't going to keep you from making a meal. You can add two stools in a color.
Get moved in, and take your time. None of it is life threatening.
Why does she want to paint her cabinets white…and, why is she changing out her granite countertops for fake marble quartz? Because that’s what she mostly sees posted here, and plastered all over HGTV…so, shes going to follow the herd in order to “update” her kitchen.
Fact is, your cabinets are beautiful…but, they’re staggered, and that’s what dates the kitchen. That, and the strangely shapped, afterthought of an island. Painting the cabinets white, and putting in plasticky-fake marble, will do nothing to update the kitchen.
Paneled fridges with water/ice dispensers in the door, are never a good look. Defeats the purpose of attempting to make the fridge blend in. In your case, it accentuates the raised panel design, and adds heaviness to the room.
Can you change out the heavy looking, ornate vent hood, for stainless? that would help reduce the matchy-matchy heaviness.
Also, ditch that island. Enough said.
Is there no way you could install a pull-out garbage somewhere? Even under the sink?
Add color to the walls!
I agree with you Connecticut Yankeeeee, about the imitation marble. But to me those heavily veined engineered stones were never attractive so not dated, just really ugly.
So you started a new thread OP!
“Quartz” is a man-made engineered material. Did you mean ”quartzite”? Quartzite is a natural stone mined out of the ground. Dolomite is not quartzite. Dolomite is a stone made from calcium carbonate like marble is. Dolomite is harder than marble, but will etch like marble. If the stoneyard is calling a stone ”dolomite quartzite”, it is dolomite and will etch, but is probably a beautiful stone. Many people put up with etching if they feel the stone is beautiful enough to make up for that. All the kitchens with marble counters go through that decision process.
Edited to add: I just googled and found this Quartz (i.e. manmade material), and the name of its pattern is “Bianco Dolomite”. That is just a name the manufacturer has given that color pattern, and has nothing to do with the stone called dolomite. If that is what you are talking about, then the vounter will have the maintenance properties of Quartz.
https://www.precisionstonedesigns.com/quartz-countertops/corian/bianco-dolomite/
Your pics didn’t post. Try again.
How rare to see a post about countertops where the comments are not "wow, your job is F'ed up, rip it out, hire someone new." If these eagle eyed harsh critics are telling you that it looks good, I'd consider your kitchen to have passed with flying colors.
I would not want drawers flush with countertop. Though, I am surprised this conversation was not had a some point with your designer, fabricator, installer around what to do here.
The counter is better done than the cabinets. By a long shot.
@millworkman, google LEGRABOX. It seems Anna is correct. Blum is selling drawer boxes and parts. I tried 3x to post the link, but my entire reply wouldn’t post.. So, now I’m replying without the link.
James , may you know which one sells bottoms and back parts? I was not able to find, build.c_om, amazon, lowes can't help
For the love of heaven, there's nothing wrong with the floors. Change them to WHAT?
Show the kitchen which is getting the new tops? Show the kitchen, all angles, in broad daylight , in pictures, where you are painting these cabinets?
Add it all below. Or go ahead and suffer "ugh"? : )
Honestly folks, we are not visionaries. If you want valuable feedback ? Be forthcoming with all that is pertinent to your question. Thank you! thank you thank you.
Show the area that surrounds the kitchen and get MORE brownie points.
I guess I am not really understanding what you have now and what you are changing.
Modern/farmhouse/beachy sounds like you just read the titles off decorating magazines in the grocery store. What farmhouse anywhere is located on the beach? Find things that you like. Quit trying to shoehorn things into some made up style.
Would be helpful to post some pics of the entire space.
We decided to move the coffee bar area to over by the oven. So the area in the first pic would just be mostly open counter, desk area. The area next to fridge is charging station.
So, I’m thinking no BS in that first pic area???
To me, I would put the backsplash where there is a reason to have a backsplash. That is, wall where sink is, wall where cooktop is, wall where a wet bar is.
An update on a fifteen year old kitchen after decluttering i am thinking i will have the living room ´ dining area and kitchen , repainted in a warm off white , i wil remove the glass back splash and have large glass tiles installed ( a lite orange of an off white? , or something else ? i will get an estimate on having some cupboards installed above also .
chg hardware on cupboards ? i also think under counter lights are needed and i will get luten wall outlets for the glass area to match any other ideas or suggestions ?
“The quartz may soon be too trendy with a too-white on-white kitchen.”
Fake-marble quartz is already far too trendy in white-on-white kitchens. Just peruse the many threads in this site.
Your granite is perfect for your cabinets, in color and style. No need to follow the herd. Quartz would be a total mismatch in your kitchen.
If I were to change anything in your kitchen, it would be exchanging all of those lower doors for drawers. Way more convenient, and a more updated look. Look around here at finished kitchens. You’ll see lower drawers are the norm. Even if you just change out a few of the doors, it’ll break up the wall of vertical doors, and change the look of the kitchen.
Not a fan of the heavy looking, cabinet matching vent hood. Much prefer stainless hoods, to break up all of the sameness. But, that’s a personal preference.
Please don't switch out granite for quartz. I totally love your countertops and backsplash. They are timeless and beautiful. Patricia suggested stainless hood--easy upgrade that would give a more streamlined look.
To tweak the space add some wood/wicker elements, chairs, handmade cutting boards, a beautiful wood tray, bamboo shades; lovely pot on one of the burners as above. Add undercabinet lighting if you don't have it to give the place a glow.
Kitchen rug:
On your Etsy wood tray, add some antique wine glasses and a wood ice bucket. Pour a glass of wine and banish all thoughts of a new countertop.
I do have undercabinet lighting, shown in pics... And also want to mention that quartz comes in different qualities. I think many of you are referring to cheap varieties, that don't look good. Others are meant to last a lifetime. I have used some of these, the grey carrara quartz for instance, in rentals. And they've held up well. I understand a quartz may not work in my kitchen given all the other elements... But if I had to do over I would seriously consider quartz — one that's not busy. As granite tends to be and can be hard to find a good match...
I am always just amazed at these situations. I am not a builder. I know that one of the early things you need to do in planning is for the range hood ductwork. You pick the range and based on btus - you need a vent with a certain CFM. Then you pick the hood which has installation instructions dictating the size of the rigid duct. The concept of flexible duct confirms that your builder is ignorant (and that wasn't my first thought of a word).
Then you plan the duct and then you plan the decorative cover.
This is basic building 101. Really makes you wonder what else your builder doesn't know.
A basic concept is to build the necessary framework before the decorative stuff..
If by ”stylish” you mean trendy, keep the cabinets as is. Wood Shaker cabs are in style, and will have a far greater lifespan, than the two toned, different colored uppers from lowers look…which is already dated.
As others have said, despite the dark cabinets, your kitchen is not dark. The plentiful, and well placed recessed lighting is doing its job. And, the counter and backsplash are light.
Think about adding under cabinet lights, if you don’t already have them. Often, they’re the only lights I turn on in my stained wood kitchen.
Frankly, the change I’d make, is installing a true vent hood…and putting a microwave elsewhere. Much better for the health of your family (yes, even with induction cooking), and will bring the appearance of the kitchen up a notch.
Would you suggest an area rug that covers the entire kitchen floor? It might be hard to see in the pic, but the backsplash has texture. here is the link to the tile. https://www.bedrosians.com/en/product/detail/purestone-ceramic/?itemNo=PIEPURBI1224M&moq=true&nbt=nb:adwords:g:20425540544:160585663428:668442886781&nb_adtype=pla_with_promotion&nb_kwd=&nb_ti=pla-294505072980&nb_mi=125657189&nb_pc=online&nb_pi=PIEPURBE1224M&nb_ppi=294505072980&nb_placement=&nb_li_ms=&nb_lp_ms=&nb_fii=&nb_ap=&nb_mt=&utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=20425540544&utm_content=160585663428&utm_term=&gadid=668442886781&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw48-vBhBbEiwAzqrZVL1BwdWDoSb9uSb1bGnkb3Ciha7rKgsWw8WUISr_GB8mcDPTd1DUqRoCU-MQAvD_BwE
You can put the two rugs you have next to each other to get a feel for how it will look. Measure them to see if you want to go bigger or smaller. You get a rug locally, roll it out, and see how it looks, then return it if you don’t like it. Once you know what size works, you can order one online. Some kind people on this site might even mock it up for you.
The banquette is harder in, harder out. Get comfy chairs, a nice casual table and don't "box " yourself in: )
Nobody really wants to crawl over another human, to get up for milk.
Look again at the inspo you just posted. Not everything you see on the internet is a great idea in practice.
Get cabinet end panels in the door style, for the island sides, and all ends of cabinet runs. They will match the cabinet doors, and give a polished look to the kitchen.
Best picture I have from my kitchen, is the reach-in pantry. Look at the right side of the pantry. You’ll see it matches the Shaker design of the doors. It’s not just a flat panel.
Get these for your island, for a finished look. More in keeping with the style of your kitchen. A waterfall would be a mismatch.
they notched out cabinets and supports sit down inside the notches
Ahh I see. Thank you
Your mistake was putting in a wood ceiling, with dark wood beams, and repeating the mistake with dark wood floors. The idea is not to be matchy-matchy…but rather to have some contrast in the woods.
Effective lighting is the key to kitchens with dark cabinets.
You have a country style home which can be beautiful and inviting. However, there's simply too much brown in the kitchen and even the hardware doesn't stand out. Perhaps consider changing the pulls for black ones and I suggest they be installed vertically instead of at an angle..
I know it's a lot of work but would you consider repainting the cabinets that you'll be keeping for many years to come? I show below 2 nice colours for a country style kitchen that would stand out with all the surrounding wood with a white wood slat backsplash.
I think you are going to be fine. I don't think your wood is "dark". It's just wood. It's all pretty neutral in tone, and I think a greater limiting factor in decorating and choosing finishes and colors happens when a larger item (flooring, cabinets) has an undertone that you might not care for, or that limits other choices. And, you got some free cabinets! That's fantastic!
I love the way it looks so far. I would indeed agree that white or light counters are the way to go. I wouldn't do stone backsplash---Just choose some light tile that complements the counters. The colors will come in with rugs, accessories, art, window treatments, upholstery, etc.
Darbuka is right that lighting is very important. Remember to get some undercabinet lighting in there: it shouldn't cost too much. Don't worry about it being "dark" in there. It's going to be lovely.
Eight years in, and we’ve been ever so pleased with our Bosch 800. Yes, the loading took some getting used to…especially the deep cereal bowls. But, the unit cleans impeccably, and it dries well too…except for occasional droplets on plastic lids.
DH thought he’d hate the third rack…turns out, he really likes it.
Cleaning the filter on the Bosch is not that big of deal, to me it is a non-issue, except that you have to remember to do it every once in a while. IMO going with a DW that doesn't have a food grinder is a plus, because it is one less mechanical component that could malfunction.
I'm a DW Tetris master and the way I see the Bosches loaded in review photos triggers OCD-like feelings in me!
Yes, things just don't fit. Admittedly, I have seven sets of dishes, and three of them -- Pfaltzgraff, Fiesta Ware and Longberger -- are thick. I guess I like substantial tableware. But I just can't fit as many dishes as I could in my previous dishwashers, and I've owned various name brands over the years.
except for occasional droplets on plastic lids.
Plastic never really dries. I always reach for my plastics first /let them sit in the dish drainer a couple hours.
Cleaning the filter on the Bosch is not that big of deal
Agree. While I despise my Bosch dishwasher, that particular detail is not a problem.
Leave the whole thing ALONE until you are ready to lose the bisque appliances for stainless.
Until you are ready to let edge to edge carpeting go in the dining room. ........ and extend the hardwood.
Until a lot of things, inclusive of the very inconvenient dish washer location: )
No to the white. : ) Just NO.
Fake marble counters will make your dated partial overlay, arched cabinets look even more dated. Quartz is just wrong for your kitchen…unless you’re going to change the cabinets.
Thank you for all comments and suggestions. i will remove the balance🫣😊 and the window will be framed. also, the cabinets will have crown molding. after looking at several slabs, i have fallen in love with 2 granites! Bianco Romano and white Galaxy. both have a lot of whites. Sometime this year, my woodfloor will be restained. as per cabinet doors, i might condider to replace. So i think its between White galaxy and Bianco Romano! ???
Oh the refrigerstor its counter deph. 28"
None. Try using a grout stain the same color as the background of the tile before you spend thousands tearing that up and installing plastic.
^^^^Oh, so F A K E looking. And, makes the partial overlay cabinets, and that tile floor appear even more out dated.
Should I lie, and say that’s a perfect match for marble? It isn’t. I prefer to not to lead the OP astray.
@darbuka I’m not sure who wronged you but you seemed bitter for no reason at all. I’m not even sure what your purpose here is. Thank you everyone for your words of encouragement.
"You knocking it at every opportunity is getting old."
Correct and darbuka isn't the only one in the "let's look down our noses at engineered stone" club. Tiresome.