Congratulations on beginning your remodel!!

Been there done that! I also had my DW go out before I knew if I'd be getting black, stainless, or white appliances so I had to do paneled. If things are starting to break, I recommend getting an overall color scheme before you get in too deep. =)

You can do a half-replacement of your soap dispenser--use the new spout stuck in the old thingy. Then you'll have a chrome/brushed SS dispenser hybrid. It's a good way to learn which of your friends are OCD (or TKO).

Fori, Well I already know that I get obsessed with the details. I cannot allow myself to become TKO, although it would certainly be easy for me, as we are doing a very modest redo in our kitchen. I would love to do some actual structural changes, but DH is against the idea and the budget says no. So we just plan to replace the flooring, add hardware to existing (oak) cabinets, replace sink (faucet now already taken care of---hope I like it for the long-term), and install new counters and backsplash. I'm also hoping to get a new cooktop. I'm glad I've done a lot of the planning already, which made it possible to give DH the name of a faucet that would work with the overall plan. If I'd known I was going to have to choose a faucet yesterday, I would have researched more faucets before making the decision, but at least I had done some looking around so I had some idea what to get when we had to make a choice quickly. We've tentatively decided on all the materials, colors, etc. we want to use (except for the backsplash), so we've got an overall plan in mind. It did help when we were forced to make a quick decision yesterday. And, who knows? Maybe I saved myself a lot of time searching and agonizing over what faucet to get by having to pull the trigger right away.

What DW did you get? I was wondering if it's still possible to buy DW with diferent colored panels. Glad to hear that it is, as our appliances are aging and will probably start needing to be replaced over time. A DW with different color panels leaves the options open for future appliance colors.

We got a Fisher Paykel dish drawer. We'd had one before and missed it. Then after a while we got tired of using magnets to open it (no handles without panels) and put on some $3 cabinet or drawer fronts from Ikea that almost fit. Looked terrible. :) It was like that for over a year.

We reused the double oven, faucet, soap dispenser, garbage disposal, and dishwasher. GC probably thought we were terribly cheap. We are. The disposal and oven were newly installed by the previous owner. The other things had been replaced as they broke by us, while planning our remodel.

If you're keeping your cabinets, of course, you'll have to pick a standard color since it could be pretty hard to find a cabinet panel to match. But it sounds like you sort of know which way you're going.

Let the updating begin!

Fori, I misunderstood about the panels. I thought you were referring to how, in the past, you could buy a dishwasher that had interchangeable panels so that you could change out the color if you every changed the color on your other appliances. In fact, I believe my current dishwasher has several different panels under the white one that we've always had showing.

As I mentioned, we currently have white appliances, and I believe I'll be content keeping white appliances in the future. I just can't bring myself to replace appliances that still are working fine. We do need to replace the cooktop in the near future, so we're hoping to have that coincide with getting new countertops. I'm planning on black countertops (hopefully, in quartz), so I think I want a black cooktop that will blend in with the countertop. Everything else will remain white. I was thinking the appliance most likely to give out next would be the dishwasher, so if differnt color panels were available, I could hedge my bet and replace with another white one, but have the ss panel available if later decided to switch. I think I'll probably be happy sticking with white, but maybe for resale, if I had to replace any appliances around that time, ss would be better?

We are definitely budget-minded, but don't have to worry about the GC's opinion, as our kitchen redo will be strictly DIY.

We are definitely keeping the cabinets. That's non-negotiable. They are good quality, have a lot of life left in them, and DH loves the oak. Plus, controlling cost is important to us. I'd probably prefer something less busy than oak, but I'm content to keep it and am trying to embrace it and find things that will work with the oak.

Do you have any photos of your finished kitchen---maybe even the before kitchen, as well---posted here?

I see I neglected to include the link to the faucet we ended up getting. I was wondering if anyone here has had any experience with this particular faucet. Unfortunately, I have to use the escutcheon plate right now, which I really don't like, but when we get the new sink/countertop, we won't need it. One thing I do like is that it's not as tall as many of the newer faucets. I think it fits better with my kitchen, not being quite so tall.

It's not deluxe, by any means, but I am impressed that the ss doesn't seem to waterspot. I'll see if that lasts over time, but for now it's nice. Also nice to have a faucet that will stay wherever I position it, instead of slowly drifting back to the starting point, and one that doesn't essentially fall apart every time I pull out the sprayer. Just having a fully functional faucet is a pleasure---if it contributes to the overall look aesthetically, that will be a plus.

Here is a link that might be useful: My new faucet

It's so amazing what a new faucet can do for you. I recently moved and have already replaced the leaky low-rise faucet (I have to use the escutcheon plate too--for now) and broken dishwasher. We're gambling on black this time. :)

The styling of that faucet should go with just about anything. Classically modern?

Don't think my photos are here anymore. It's been a while. Here's an oversized photo just before demo barely showing my mismatched Ikea dishwasher and jumbo faucet.

Sail-away, I almost posted the same kind of story this morning just out of happiness, and then I saw yours. Our old faucet, which has been getting on my nerves more and more, finally started showing signs of dying last night (it revived today but I remain suspicious). So I had a fine time going faucet hunting this afternoon. It is probably going to look completely ridiculous with our old sink and countertops, and that will make me happy too because then maybe we can get this show on the road.

I have pretty much settled on a faucet, unless I change my mind overnight, but I have to sidetrack just a little and ask -- fori, what is the faucet in your kitchen? I have to ask because of your knobs. (I know you will understand what I mean.) Any faucet that looks good with those knobs will work just fine in my (future) kitchen too.

I was going to spring for a Delta Touch because they are just too cool for words, but I couldn't quite make the ones they had in the showroom match the (future) kitchen in my head.

Aw shucks. The faucet doesn't go with the knobs except it's shiny. It's Hansgrohe Allegro gourmet or whatever their biggest one in that line is.

Not only was my dead faucet leaky, it didn't have a long enough spout for my shortness and this was the only single holer with the reach I wanted. Looks like the thing that zaps people in "The War of the Worlds" original version. HUGE and alien.

I recommend a Chicago Faucets type faucet with a TAPMASTER!

Fori, Thanks for posting the photos---what a change! Love the cabinets and how all of the elements seem to go together so well. What are your countertop materials? I like the slightly lower cabinet, I assume for kneading bread, rolling out pastry, etc? Is that a marble countertop, or look-alike?

Northcarolina, Good for you. What faucet have you decided to get? I've known for a very long time that I have had it with my old faucet, but I rationalized that it was still working and we would replace it eventually ... you know the way it goes. Now, after less than 24 hours of using the new faucet, I wonder why I put up with the old one for so long? Think how often we use the kitchen faucet, especially when cooking. The unpleasantness of dealing with the old faucet added frustration to every meal preparation. I like to prepare food for my family, so it's nice not to have my faucet working against me anymore.

Sail-away, I forgot to point you to the Design Around oak thread. Have you seen it yet? I'll link it below. There are some gorgeous designs in there.

Fori, your knobs (and light) are just wonderful, I think I've told you before in a previous thread. No, the faucets I was looking at don't look much like your Allegro (except for being large shiny gooseneck things). It's hard to know when a gooseneck single-hole faucet is too "transitional" for a 1940's kitchen since they kind of all are. Or if the more modern ones (all sticks and circles and no swoops) are too-too 2011. Chicago Faucets -- well yeah, but never again will I have a two-handle faucet, that's one of the things that annoys me about my old one. Oh wait, that's why you said Tapmaster. Hmm... (can you get a tall vase under a Chicago faucet? Off to look.)

Here is a link that might be useful: Design Around This: Keeping the Golden Oak

Just saw your answer, sail-away. I have it narrowed down to 4. I guess that's not all that narrow. lol.

Until about 10 min ago I had pretty well decided on the Moen Brantford, which is a lot like yours. Hmm, they didn't have your model there; different store I guess. Does yours have the Reflex thing and do you like the way it works? That's why I had the Brantford high on the list.
Moen Brantford

Then another place had the new Kohler Cruette installed and I thought it was just great. Then I realized it was probably very similar to the Brantford but without Reflex. And I really liked the Simplice there too. (OK, that's 5 then.)
Cruette
Simplice

The two Delta Touches struck me as being either too transitional or too modern for my kitchen, in any case not fake-1940's enough, but I could be wrong. I like the touch thing. OTOH they cost a good bit more.
Addison and Trinsic

And now I am afraid I am completely hijacking your post. I'm so glad for you that you have a great new faucet! I bet I will feel exactly the same way after I get mine.

Bwahahahaha! I installed the Simplice in my "new" kitchen. It's okay but sometimes the spray/stream button is squirrely.

But I needed a single hole high rise with an escutcheon plate and a decent reach that I could have NOW.

I don't tend to overthink faucets. As long as you have the right number of holes, they're pretty easy to swap out.

My former kitchen has 14g stainless steel counters with a section of "Bardiglio" marble with a cheesy overdone fat edge because of a miscalculation. Took over a year to pick out that stupid marble and moved a month after it went in so I don't know if it's holding up. SEP. The lower cabinet is allegedly for baking/rolling out stuff but is really that way because I didn't want to raise a window. Also I'm short so it seemed logical.

(I did have a problem with the knobs coming unscrewed from drawers though. Took a while before we figured out it was from the two year old trying to right his reflection.)

Okay it's time to see Sail-away's kitchen isn't it? After all, I posted a picture of a kitchen that isn't mine any more. Heheheh!

Northcarolina, Yes, I did see the design around this post---learned some things for sure. I already had a general idea what I want to do with our kitchen, and the thread confirmed some ideas and made me question others. Mostly, I have to tune out the comments about how impossible it is to work with oak cabinets.

I like all of your choices for faucets--especially the Brantford. I also remember looking at the Simplice and liking it. It's probably a good thing I was forced to buy one immediately, or I would probably obsess for a very long time about finding the best choice and find it hard to make a decision. One thing I liked about my faucet is that it is just under 14" tall---not nearly as overpowering as some others I've seen. By the way, my faucet is on the same site as the Brantford---just search for Terrace. I don't think my faucet has the Reflex pulldown system, as it's not listed as a feature of my faucet. The pullout does seem to work very easily and it actually clicks into place when you put it back---you do have to take an extra second to make sure it clicks in place, but it's not hard to do. I'm hoping that it will continue to work this way over time.

Fori, What a wonderful thing not to overthink everything---I'd like to try that sometime. Funny about the two year-old and the loose knobs---I can totally imagine how that would happen.

I would be happy to provide a photo of our kitchen, but we have no camera. My husband was traveling with the camera in his checked luggage, which fell off the luggage vehicle as it was being driven to the plane and then run over by the luggage mover. Needless to say, it didn't survive. Since then, my DH has bought, not 1, but 2 cameras, both of which were DOA when he brought them home from the store. (I know it sounds a lot like "my dog ate my homework," but I swear it's the truth.)

Sure I believe you! Riiiiiiight!! No camera! MM hmm. Don't be embarrassed about golden oak, or any other oak. (Except pickled. Pickled is pretty bad.) My "new" kitchen has wood sticker cabinets.

I overthink plenty of things. If it involves hiring someone or more than an hour of work, I'll think it until it never gets done.

Faucets I can change myself if I change my mind. (Not saying I ever DO get around to it, but in theory I could.)(Actually I did once, now that I think about it. So I CAN do it!)

Fori, Nice to know you wouldn't dream of doubting my honesty. :)

I agree that faucets aren't as big a commitment as, say, flooring or countertops. However, since we have a list of things to do in our kitchen, I really wanted to make sure I got the right faucet for now AND later, as I don't want to spend $178 twice. My solution is not to look at other faucets so I can remain content with the one I have. Although .... I would really, really like a Tapmaster. Probably not in the budget, though, and I think I'd have a hard time convincing DH.

By the way, I've heard warnings not to buy faucets at Lowe's because they are of lesser quality than the same faucet sold elsewhere. I'm hoping that's not true, and I kind of doubt it because the model number for the faucet and parts are all the same and, thus, I would assume interchangeable.

I kinda doubt it too. Wouldn't it be a bad business model for, let's say, Kohler if their biggest source of sales only sold crappy Kohler badged products and not the good ones?

But we keep hearing it. Maybe we should ask Snopes. (I am too lazy to see if they've already addressed it.)

I'm sure if the model number matches, you're good.

isn't it amazing what we put up with or do w/o over time? Then it gets fixed/changed and we wonder about our sanity of not fixing it sooner.

desertsteph, So true---unfortunately that's not the only thing that makes me periodically question my sanity. Oh well, Fori secretly thinks I'm untrustworthy (aka a liar), so why not insane, as well?

sail-away i would appreciate it very much if you gave a hint about the manufacturer of the faucet whose hose was "indeed, full of holes". Or, if you revised that statement. Things don't fail by becoming suddenly full of holes, or someone suddenly noticing that it's got a lot of holes.

davidrol, The faucet was an American Standard---about twenty years old. It had been slowly falling apart in various ways for some time. We had been putting up with it until now. I am shocked to hear that the hose could not have been full of holes, because when I emptied out the cabinet and turned on the faucet, the hose was leaking at multiple points along the length---kind of like a soaker hose. Unfortunately, the faucet has been put out in the garbage, so I can't offer a post-mortem autopsy to provide any other answers. As I said, the faucet must be about twenty years old, so I think it provided adequate service for some time before giving out.

This was one of the first faucets made with a pull out sprayer instead of one on the side--quite advanced for the time, but archaic compared to modern faucets. The pull out sprayer portion was made of black plastic. You pressed on the top of the sprayer and the water stream would change to a spray and automatically go back to the regular stream when it was turned off. It stopped going back to the regular stream when it was turned off years ago, so we had to turn it on and off manually ourselves. We had a friend who worked for a plumbing supplies distributor at that time and he was able to get us a good deal on it at the time.

See, if you'd taken a picture of it leaking, we'd believe you! :) Twenty years is a respectable lifetime for a hard-working kitchen faucet, especially one with a hose.

Sometimes we just need a kick in the pants to accept that something has died. Or a flood. You've inspired me to go replace my drippy nasty bathroom faucet now. I've had the replacement (American Standard no less) sitting around for days.

fori, Okay, you win (sigh) ... I am sick at home with the worst cold I've had in several years, also taking care of my child who is also sick with this cold. Nevertheless, I will immediately get dressed, knock on neighbors' doors until I find someone who will lend me their camera, dig my old faucet out of the garbage, convince my husband to reinstall it, and take a picture of it leaking.

As soon as I've accomplished all that, I will post the picture. Keep checking back!

Glad you're inspired to replace the bathroom faucet. As desertsteph said, it's amazing how long we put up with these aggravations. It's also amazing how very good it feels once we've addressed the problem. I'm still in the honeymoon stage with my faucet--I still lovingly dry it off after every use (I'm sure that will end shortly). Maybe it's a good thing we were forced to get a replacement faucet before actually doing any of the other remodeling in the kitchen. Otherwise, it would have been a very insignificant part of the kitchen redo. Now it's a big deal and I can appreciate it more fully.

Now go replace that faucet. But remember to take a photo of the old faucet, then of the new one after it's installed. :)

My old faucet was a Moen. I had to replace the hose four times. They always sent it at no charge, but the down time waiting meant I could not use the sink for days at a time. I bit the bullet and invested in one that I have heard is one that has had a good record. I could instantly see and feel the quality difference. My plumber also raved about the quality and he was a bit of a primadona.

Here is a link that might be useful: My Waterstone faucet

LMM, I hope my experience is not the same as yours. When I realized the hose was leaking, my first thought was to look at the articulating faucets (like the Kohler Karbon) so that I wouldn't have to worry about another leaking hose. However, when I considered the faucet was twenty years old, it didn't seem to be so much of a concern. It does concern me that you had to replace the hose four times. I hope that's not a common problem, and I guess I'll be a bit more vigilant about checking the condition of the hose from time to time.

The Waterstone faucets look great, but way out of my price range.