Congratulations on a job well done! You have reason to be so proud and excited- it is beautiful!

I love the way you pulled out the area below the cooktop- possibly to simulate a range. It gives the area more presence and extra landing room as well- what a great idea.

Your plants look happy on your deep windowsill. Your desert view makes me homesick for my time in the mountains.

I'm delighted for you!

Lynn, your kitchen is beautiful. Your hood is especially amazing. What is it? Thank you for sharing the "guts" as well as the lovely exterior and what would I give for a view like that! Enjoy!!

Thank you! Cheri, what info are you wanting about the hood?
Are you all able to access the other pics in my album with the link here?

Wow...you did an INCREDIBLE job!!! The SW flair is so different from other kitchens that I have seen. I love how bright and spacious your kitchen is. That area by the cook top is really unique. You did a great job!!!!

Cheri, our builer/GC built a wood frame over the premounted Vent-a-Hood liner he'd already put in/up. He then added some drywall to it. Then an artisan came in, who specializes in these kind of things and carved up the frame and hand-troweled on plaster. There's no paint on this hood; it's all some kind of special plaster that cures into this smooth, beautiful finish. It actually looks different at various times of the day. It's really kind of cool. I hope this answers your question.

Lynn, I've been waiting to see this and it's just fabulous, as expected. It's perfect for your architecture, strong and organic, and the whole perfect in its setting. Your home reminds me strongly of what I miss about the Southwest. Our home in the Nevada desert was a little wood-frame Victorian, sweet but scarcely a match for the magnificent mountains and panoramas that surrounded it. Happy cooking!

Wow! That is perfect! I love the stovetop area. The drawers underneath look incredible. And that view is even better!!!!

Congrats!

Ooooohhhhhhh, that those tiles accents. You have an eye for the details.

That's just such a gorgeous setting! It seems like your kitchen is just part of the natural landscape. I love how the natural light floods the space. Is that an afternoon shot? Love it! Congrats!

Lucky you! I'm happy it all turned out so beautifully and you got that vacation as well. Enjoy!

Like, OOOH! But the thing I like most is the light under the sink. What a great idea! Thanks for showing us the insides of your drawers & cabinets as well.

I am green with envy. The backsplash is fabulous, but the view is to die for.

I knew when I first saw your gutted space a long time ago that yours would be a favorite and it is!

It is so wonderful and so easy to live in! Congratulations on all of your work.
I have always thought I did not like black appliances, but yours look just perfect.
I love how you used the art work and the hood!

Thanks so much for such a wonderful detailed photo album...it is so helpful.

Thanks for posting your finished photos. I've been dying to see your final results and they are not even remotely disappointing. You've done a fabulous job of keeping the southwestern flair with an elegant and classy feel. Understated and not too "cutesy" ethnic. Great job!!!

Can't say enough - loving your kitchen. That shot of your cooking area is something else. The "window" pic is breathtaking! Great choices all the way around!!

gng

Love your new kitchen, everything is just beautiful. I think I might like to live in NM some day!

WOW! Your demo/starting pictures were some of the first things I read when I started perusing this forum, so I'm really excited to see the finishsed project! It's gorgeous. And like others have said... WHAT A VIEW!!

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful - congrats, and I hope you're enjoying it!

Just gorgeous! I am with divamum, yours were some of the first pics I saw here and I just thought that view was to die for! You've done a fabulous job of incorporating your kitchen around what is the best feature of your house - the view!

Lynn, thanks for the information. It's really one of the most unusual things I've seen and I just love it.

I am so proud for you, Lynn! You kitchen is absolutely perfect!

Can you tell me about your microwave drawer? How do you like it? Also, one of the photos has a caption that says, drawer underneath the microwave, however it shows a KitchenAid logo on the oven. Do you have two microwaves?

What all can fit into the microwave drawer?

The kitchen is as gorgeous as the scenery outside your window and perfectly in keeping with that southwest feeling you've wanted. Congratulations on a smashing job!

Gorgeous! I love your light and dark and earthy elements, particularly your fireback behind the range. How did you install it? Any special finish on the metal?

Overall, it's *just* what it should be -- perfection!

Really beautiful, Lynn. You did such a great job to create a beautiful indoors that meshes with the spectacular outdoors. The adobe touches are just perfect. I'm originally from the Southwest, but now live on the East Coast, so your kitchen tugs at my heartstrings.
Congrats!

Thanks for the pictures, lynn! It's looks as gorgeous as I knew it would. Is the stove area black or wood colored?

Laurie

msrose: the cooktop cab and two flanking pull-out cabs are a dark espresso brown.

Looks fantastic. I love the way you kept the white brick as a feature. Terrific job!!! You really captured the look you were going for.

Sweeby: my tile guy and I first decided exactly where I wanted the fireback and he drove heavy duty nails into the wall there to help support it on the bottom. By support, I mean just until the adhesive on the back of the fireback dried. He drove them in quite deeply so that the (small) nailheads wouldn't interfere with the grout or other tile later. He then used a very heavy duty adhesive (one with the consistency of a thick white paste or grout)on the back of the fireback and held it tightly in place on the wall for just a couple minutes. After the adhesive dried, he started placing the 4x4" field tiles around it and worked outwards.
Sherilynn: the microwave drawer is by Sharp. I only have the one microwave. There is a regular drawer (all my cabs are Brookline) under the microwave (drawer) that holds all my MW cookware. I love my MW. As I mentioned in the photo's caption, it has a kind of Blumotion on it for soft opening and closing. It cooks quickly and is very easy to clean. The inside usable dimensions of it are 15 7/8"w x 17 7/8" deep (back to front) and 6" tall. They're available in black, SS and white.

PecanPie, yes, we pulled that cooktop cab and two flanking cabs out 3" more than the rest of the cabs for just that reason, to give it a more separate furniture or range look. We also had them done in a darker stain. In retrospect, I wish we would have gone with black instead of the espresso brown, though. Ideally, I think the difference needs to be more pronounced.

Breathtaking!

Just for the record, I added all the detail pics of my kitchen because I think it's good to share those ideas. I swear, I probably got 90% of all my ideas here from photos of other completed kitchens. Some I adapted to my own needs, but I'm really grateful for people who took the time to post the good ideas they had. Good ideas need to be passed on!

Love it! The fireback and range, the window wall, the hood...it is all perfect. That is the fireback I was going to get-it looks great, I should have done it.

Cleo, were you going to get the fireback to use in your backsplash or in your fireplace?

Lynn, your kitchen is just so perfect with your surroundings! Those views are pretty amazing, too! Loved all your detail shots! I've got mine on the computer awaiting uploading into my photbucket album. You'll laugh when you see my spice drawer, it looks almost identical to yours!

I love your kitchen. So unique. The wood tones are beautiful.
Crystal

I have been following your kitchen journey. I am originally from Albuq., NM so I was interested to see how you incorporated the style into your kitchen. VEry well done! I think it fits in beautifully.

"I'm hoping I'll be able to add my pics to the Finished Kitchens Blog."

Just give me the "ok" and I'll add them!

Starpooh, I'd be honored if you'd add my pics to the Finished Kitchens Blog. Just tell me what I need to do regarding that. Thanks!

Calisamcn, thanks! Coming from someone who really knows this area and our culture, that's a big compliment. CatMom, how cool that we have almost-matching spice drawers! Dom't forget to let us see your pics soon.

A list of details would be helpful.
And please submit the Category Checklist.
Thanks!!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: FKB Category Checklist

Absolutely beautiful!! Makes me want to take a sledgehammer to my kitchen when I get home this evening!lol

Congrats on a fantastic job.

Starpooh, thanks for the Checklist. I filled it out for you. Catmom, let me know when you post your pics, will you? Texaswoman, too funny! Are you finished with your kitchen reno? Pics?