I LOVE your kitchen-your whole house-it's drop dead georgous! Congrats! You did a great job.

I really like your kitchen and your bathrooms and your built-ins, etc. Your pix will be inspirations for the new house I am doing.

I have one question as of now (I am sure there will be more later). Are the doors in your kitchen French or sliders? Our plan has French doors in it, but in my current house, we put in nice sliders so that we didn't open the door into the table.

Thanks and great job. Keep the pix coming--I love them!

Hi Cpang and Kelleg ---

Thank you -- it has been a long process and nice to hear that others can appreciate the choices. There were soooo many choices.Â

Kelleg -- Yes those are sliders in the kitchen -- couldn't fit in french doors, but as it turns out I think the sliders will be better. My two boys would be tough on french doors. The sliders are pretty nifty too, you can open both of the middle panels to make a wider door for parties or nice summer breezes.

Good luck in your planning.

Oh my...is that ever pretty! Especially the red Lacanche. Stunning.

Did the Lacanche stove get switched? In one photo in your Flickr collection it looks red and then a few photos later it looks like a different range, a Lacanche in black. Am I crazy?

Ahneb-
Love your kitchen. I sent you an email last night as I am interested in seeing more of your layout. I have a few posts on our 'kitchen layout for 22'x19'' kitchen and some of the configurations are very similar to yours (island centered in kitchen facing the backyard with french doors and the workspace behind it).We are struggling with certain things and was inspired when I saw your finished kitchen.Great job. Let me know if you can post or email the layout.Thanks!

Ahneb- I can't see where my previous message posted. Forgive me if this appears in duplicate....
Love your kitchen. I sent you an email last night as I am interested in seeing more of your layout. I have a few posts on our 'kitchen layout for 22'x19'' kitchen and some of the configurations are very similar to yours (island centered in kitchen facing the backyard with french doors and the workspace behind it).We are struggling with certain things and was inspired when I saw your finished kitchen.Great job. Let me know if you can post or email the layout.Thanks!

Hi Ravmd --

Try my mail again -- I hadn't updated my email with the new address. I'd be happy to share my plans. We are still unpacking so it might take me awhile to find them.

I will tell you that I LOVE facing the outdoors. I was worried about not having my sink 'under' a window but it's almost nicer to have it on the island. It's been interesting to see how it all shakes out, I haven't ever had such a big kitchen so I am still working out where to put what to make it convenient.

I'll try to post more pix with the backsplash once I can clear off the island.

Jan_s -- It is the burgundy red, but maybe looked black in the light?

The range looks like a black model in one of your photos (dsc_007) that is taken in somewhat lower light so I guess that must be it. It's a lovely space, congratulations! I really can't wait for the finished photos!

Any finished pictures yet?

Laurie

Ahneb, I just sent you an email.Hope you get it and you can share some more details! Thanks so much.

Ahneb, what abeautiful kitchen. Now that you have lived with your kitchen I have two questions. How do you like the functionality of your La Canache (Cluny?), and do you worry about staining your marble? I was considering both but was I am currently scared off. Please help me change my mind! Thanks.

Hi lbmkitchen --

I absolutely adore my Lacanche Vougeot -- it's beautiful and functional. It's not hard to clean and it's a dream to cook on. I haven't used the oven as much but it does roast a gorgeous chicken.

The marble has etched but so far no staining that's noticeable. The installers put three coats of sealer on it, and so far I haven't done any sealing. It doesn't stain, but it will leave rings from wet glasses that are noticeable in certain light but disappear as they dry out. The rings last maybe a day at most.

I love it, and would do marble again, but I'm super low-maitenance and like the 'lived' in patina. If you're fussier about the way things look you may be disappointed in marble. It's really a personal call.

Good luck!

Ahneb,

I just came across your fabulous kitchen! What a stunner! Of course, I am especially biased because I see we have some very similar design tastes going on. As such, I'm hoping you'll entertain a few of my "second guessing myself" type of questions. :)

For example, I'm going with Plain and Fancy cabs and ordered a door sample in Buttercream. After living with the sample for about 3 weeks now, I'm starting to feel that the color has a tad too much yellow in it. I find this especially so at night under artificial light. So now, I'm considering switching to Dove White. I'm wondering how you feel about your Buttercream color and whether you seriously considered any other P&F white finishes before placing your order.

Now, I see that we also have Shaw's farmhouse sink and a red range in common! As for the range, while I don't have the fantastic LaCanche, I do have the pretty wonderful Aga 6-4. When I first saw that range in red my heart stopped immediately and I knew I had to have it. But it is still such a rarity that, from time to time, I sometimes wonder whether I am putting together a heart-stopping kitchen or whether I've just gone out on some kind of nutty design limb that I will regret 5 years from now . :) (Whether I have or not, I know I won't be making any changes in that department in my lifetime!) Still, do you ever have any second thoughts about choosing a red range? Regardless, seeing your red LaCanche with the P&F Buttercream cabs is comforting assurance that I'm not the only one who thinks like me on these things. And, FWIW, I think your choices look great!!!

I'm curious about whether you have installed your tile as yet. If so, got any photos? Either way, what is the color scheme of your backsplash?

Thanks so much!

Hi Martha --

I send you a reply via email, but now that I've read your post I'll answer here too.

I initially tried using 'cornsilk', but after months of inactivity on the project I selected 'buttercream.' I love the color with the range, but it's made other aspects of the kitchen tougher -- like wall color. It's hard to find a color that works with the cabinets especially in the yellow range/neutral range.

It's sort of practical knowledge, but deserves to be said again that my one door's yellowish nature was increased several fold in a whole kitchen. My kitchen has northern exposure which might account for some intensity. It's a pleasant color, but I did get a bit queasy thinking I'd made a mistake. My kitchen looks totally different than MrsLimestone's for example and she used buttercream P&F as well, but much less light I think. My queasiness subsided, and I think it's the right color for the kitchen, but every once in awhile I wish I'd gone with a black range and whiter cabinets but then I look at the red and it's just so right.

I have Dove White in my bathroom -- and I love that white. It's just right, not too bright, not too dull. I don't know how it would work with my red Lacanche or your Aga for that matter -- to me it changes the whole look of the kitchen to use a starker white with the warm red. Is the Aga a tomato-ey red? The Lacanche is a very rich and tomato-ey red with more yellow than blue undertone.

I will post pix with the tile -- it's a subway with a crackle glaze that's a neutral oatmeal color with some green tossed in.

Good luck -- it was the toughest kitchen decision, I don't envy you at all, and it's the easiest choice to second-guess.

I think P&F will do any Ben Moore color custom -- have you looked at Mayonnaise? I hear that's a nice yellowish white.

Let us know what you decide MarthaVila! BTW... did you marry Martha Stewart to Bob Vila in your user name?

Hi Ahneb,

Thanks so much for your post. Quick answers here:

1. The red of the Aga is a ruby red. Not tomato-ey at all!

2. I went ahead and ordered another sample door -- this time in Dove White. Although the shop had a small painted wood block in Dove White for me to sample, this color decision is too important, as you say, to make it on the basis of eyeballing a little piece of wood!

3. You are so right about how daylight vs artificial light and exposures can change how colors look! (My west-facing kitchen gets lots of light but no direct sun because of a huge, flowering crab apple tree outside the window that blocks it). I confess that I ordered the Buttercream sample door after seeing Mrs. Limestone's kitchen. Like her, I also have oak parquet floors and will have soapstone countertops. But, I must say, when I got that Buttercream sample door into my kitchen it was way more yellow than I expected.

BTW, I haven't totally given up on the Buttercream. It certainly works with the red range and it could work with the backsplash -- in an offbeat kind of way. But, at this point, I would rather make a more informed decision by seriously considering another type of white. Hence, the Dove White sample door order.

3. And, yes, I most certainly did marry that famous homemaker to that well-known home builder in my user name. I did so to poke fun at myself. And, I gotta tell you -- this kitchen reno is surely proving to me that I'm no Martha Stewart nor a Bob Vila! LOL!

Meanwhile, look for my email in your inbox soon with more behind the scenes details. :)

Hello,
I wonder if you mind sharing the paint choices in your kitchen. (In one of the photos, it appears to be a slate bluish color). I too have butter cream ("eggshell") cabinets with a yellow and it's been tough to coordinate colors. Currently, I'm using Restoration Hardware's "Latte" but it's a bore. Thank you!

Hi Jamiclune -

The walls are Farrow and Ball's French Grey in the modern emulsion. It's a very greyish green but changes with the light. I have to say I never thought I'd have a green kitchen. The buttercream is tough on color choices, I originally wanted a khaki-ish yellow/tan and it looked great with door sample but horrible when the whole kitchen was in.

Good luck!
ahne b

Hello Ahneb,
I was wondering if you have any more current pictures of your kitchen? It's along the lines of what I'm planning, and confirms that I love the choices(although I'm not as brave as you and am getting a Wolf stainless range-though your photos have me re-thnking.....). If you have a chance, I'd love to see more, especially if your backsplash is in.
Thank you!

Hello Ahneb,
I was wondering if you have any more current pictures of your kitchen? It's along the lines of what I'm planning, and confirms that I love the choices(although I'm not as brave as you and am getting a Wolf stainless range-though your photos have me re-thnking.....). If you have a chance, I'd love to see more, especially if your backsplash is in.
Thank you!

Ahneb: Sorry for posting this three times but I can't figure out why it's not appearing and I think I may be doing something wrong? Anyway, do you have any additional photos of your pretty kitchen? Thank

Hi Blakey --

Thank you for your kind comments. It seems my kitchen will never be perfectly neat so I guess now is a good as time as any to post the pix I have.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24087473@N05/2665147051/

The light is tough in the kitchen because of the sliding doors so I get a lot of shadows. The tile is actually not as dark as it looks - it's nearly the same color as the cabinets. I will try to get a better shot of the tile and post it.

I don't think you can go wrong with the Wolf range -- I love my wall oven and I'm sure the range is just as wonderful. I do love my Lacanche, but the red certainly limited my choices. The black Lacanche is less of a statement but it would have made my other choices much easier.

Good luck to you!
Andrea

Andrea,
You must be thrilled with your kitchen; it looks fantastic. And thank you for posting the additional photos, and the words of good luck. I definitely need it, along with patience!

Hi Andrea,

Just so you know, those new photos of your kitchen are wonderful. Could it be possibl that I love your kitchen even more? :)

BTW, I did get the P&F sample door in Dove White. I've had it for about a week or so now and I'm pretty certain I will go with it. Much as I love the Buttercream (which is way more "interesting" than the Dove White), I think the Dove White will give me much more latitude with the rest of the color scheme. Like you, that red range - gorgeous as it is, is limiting enough! LOL!

Can you share the maker of your sliding doors?

Hi -

MarthaVila -- congrats on the dove white, you really can't miss with it and I'm dying to see your finished product. Keep us posted.

GGkell -- The sliding doors are Eagle Window and Door (www.eaglewindow.com). I was feeling a little bit like sliders were 'settling' when I wanted french doors, but I love them. They don't slam! enough said.

ahne b.

Thanks for sharing.

I really want to see this kitchen! Can someone link it for me. For some reason I can NEVER pull up anything on Flickr.

THANKS!

ditto..........i can't see it either!!!!!!

Try this:

Here is a link that might be useful: Gorgeous House