I like it.
I would get rid of the table with the glass top and chinese scroll in the middle of the room. That is ugly.
Or buy a nice big slab of marble with similar colors as the backsplash and put that on top of it instead.
The cabinets are VERY European. Sharp.
The wall paper, I wouldn't have in a kitchen. I wouldn't want to clean it.
Other than that, I like the kitchen. It isn't a large kitchen and the reflective light give the illusion of more space.
And high ceilings.

Yep, a nightmare to clean. It feels like a hall of mirrors, to me. Nothing in there is of any appeal to me, at all, and that is saying a lot because there is something I like in nearly every other kitchen I have seen.

I have a very busy mind, and need my space to be quiet. That might put me in the looney bin.

Deftly Dubai

It's not wallpaper it's very expensive custom tile.

Where would you put the slot machine?? Reminds me of a casino, but it would keep a housekeeper employed.

It makes my brain twitch. But whoever designed this would probably fall asleep in my kitchen!

Yeah, I can't make up my mind about that tile. Part of me likes it and part of me thinks it would drive me batty. Maybe in an otherwise plain kitchen? And maybe in someone else's kitchen, not mine.

But I tend to very, very simple choices and am pattern phobic, so I am definitely not the intended audience for this kitchen. And whoever loves it, would certainly hate my choices.

"pattern phobic" lol, I can relate!

Hmmmm.... I think I could live with it if it had a couple differences. First... Different cabinetry. Maybe something more traditional in a darker wood to match the island. And second, different light fixtures. In really don't like the ones pictured. However, I do LOVE the stove. I could spend many happy hours cooking/baking on that beauty!!

I don't know. I think it's a pretty generic kitchen except for the finishes. I don't care for them, but really in normal finishes it would be a pretty dull kitchen, as far as layout goes.

I don't like the wall surface, whatever it is. I don't like the flooring. Too busy with it reflecting on cabs. But I love that light fixture. Very modern, very upscale. not for me, I like a lived in look, that would have to be spicnspan all the time. No way. It is unique.

I like many of the individual aspects, but not all of it together. Too many styles and not enough cohesiveness to pull all the styles together. It looks like someone who loves many, many different decorating styles and couldn't decide which, so (s)he put them all together, but without the expertise to pull everything in as one.

As for cleanability...I'm kinda betting that this kitchen was designed more as a showpiece. And that the owner has a cleaning team who takes care of cleaning what needs cleaned.

If they like seeing their reflection this much they are probably asking for two prices for their house. The name Kardashian comes to mind.

I like the appliances.

Wow there is soooo much going on in that kitchen. I am a big fan of letting the architecture dictate a kitchen to a large degree. That is a lovely space that says retro industrial chic to me. I find the finishes and overall effect are somewhat in conflict with the bones of the place. I think that was intentional, but I wouldn't say they pulled it off.

I love certain parts of it, but the combination makes my head spin. I tend to like aggressive design, but this one is over the top for me. I guess it's just that there are too many colors, textures and patterns all together. I have seen some designers do this and it's their signature, their design aesthetic. I can appreciate that they were able to execute their vision, but it just isn't me. Some days I love to look at Kelly Wearstler pictures, but I am not sure I could live with it.

Thanks for sharing!!

I suspect that standing in the real space wouldn't be as bad, but trying to sort out all those reflective and shiny surfaces in the photos kind of hurts my eyes.

I don't think it feels very welcoming, or like a space that invites use. I'd be a little scared to go in there (what if I accidentally touched something?)

There are many beautiful elements in the kitchen -- and that is the problem. There are too many conflicting elements shouting at each other in a small space. I'm guilty of loving my patterns in tiles, fabrics and flooring, but as they say: edit, edit, edit.

Material overload, ie visual clutter.

I am curious what the "mission statement" for this kitchen might be, it's not at first obvious to me.

The first thing I notice are the shiny cabs above the range wall. They reflect everything and seem to cut the wall in half. That would bother me. I also do not like the table. It is a cool kitchen but I would change a few things. It i not my taste though. That is for sure.

The island table is custom made for the kitchen. Everything is absolutely top of the line. I agree that there are just too many pattern elements going on and competing with each other.

Maybe losing the custom tile and putting up more of the slab backsplash would quiet it down a little?

What you can't see in the pics is that there is a ladder that runs along the fridge wall (like a library ladder).
The cabinets above the range are dummies covering a soffit.

Wow, huge money kitchen for sure...not my style, but I can appreciate the work that went into that high gloss black lacquer

so, are we going to see another Hobokenkitchen makeover?!

"Gaudy" is the first thing that popped into my head. My Mom taught me not to say nasty things or to make fun of the tastes of others, so I guess I have to say that the range is remarkable!

Is this greater Philadelphia metro area? It looks familiar, like I've seen it on Berkshire Hathaway Fox Roach.

Yes! It's in Philadelphia center city and it looks like it is listed with Berkshire Hathaway.

We are not planning on moving... yet. ; )

All of those things together? Migraine inducing. Do love that tile though.

Too many reflective surfaces reflecting too many patterns. It's like standing in the middle of a disco ball.

Too many of the elements just do not go together, stylistically, and there simply too many elements IMO. I like the patterned wall tile, and the floor, but not together and not with all the other busy elements. It is all way, way too busy. Even those sleek cabinets are too busy because of the mirror finish.

Seems like this was put together by picking each thing individually (oh, I like this finish. Oh, this is different, let's do that...) without a bit of thought about where it was going overall.

However, you will never catch me complaining about red knobs on a stove.

Makes me dizzy just looking at it. Would give me vertigo.

Love the light. I think a GWer had one similar? The reflective surfaces would get way too smudgy for me, and the multiple patterns aren't my cup of joe either. I like the range and the refrigerator, but those aren't what make the kitchen unique.

I forget where I heard this, but they say before you leave you should look in the mirror at the accessories you're wearing and edit (meaning take off some b/c you probably have too much going on). Somebody should have done that with this kitchen. I'm really not a fan. If I had to live here, I guess I would get rid of the chandelier thingy and...............

I just went back up to look at the picture to see what else could be done, and I've changed my mind...I could not live here

I knew I should have had my stainless appliances sent out and polished!
Casey

@magsnj Coco Channel

Can you believe this is the living room in that house?

Think you should be able to get a nice reduction in the listing price, because the unusual kitchen will turn many buyers off.

Then you can re-do it to your liking. Maybe keep appliances, marble BS and change everything else.

Figure out how much it will cost you to do floors, walls, cabs, counter, etc. and make an offer based on that.

How long has it been on the market?

It's just hit the market I think.

Someone is either going to fall in love with that kitchen and pay however much to get it, or I think they will have a real problem which is such a shame for a brand new reno. Why do people insist on doing such taste specific renovations on homes they plan to sell? I just don't understand it. All that money and effort! : (

I think the house is overpriced even if it had the perfect kitchen for it. By quite a bit. But you never know - it only takes 1 person with similar taste, it's not like they'll find that kitchen anywhere else!

That living room and That kitchen are in the same house!! No, no, tell me it ain't so! Which post did I miss that tells where the house with the living room is?

Here is the full listing:

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/2057-Lombard-St_Philadelphia_PA_19146_M40095-94888?row=5

WOW.....

Like the exterior. Otherwise, looks like they bought things without any concern about how they would look together. Or they used all leftovers from many other projects.

I think it's actually reasonably cohesive apart from the kitchen. A bit dated, but pretty classic. The kitchen looks like it should be in a whole different house.
It's a fabulous amount of space for the location and it has parking, but I still think it is well overpriced.

It reminds me of the Design Around This: Hollywood Regency thread. The chinoiserie and shiny lacquer finishes are characteristic of Hollywood Regency, along with the luxe glitter of the light fixture. But I agree with most others--the combination of the busy wall tile and floor pattern reflected off the cabinets at so many different angles would drive me batty. If the cabinets were matte, I think I'd like the rest. And I could live with the gloss cabinets if what they were reflecting didn't have so much pattern. Regardless, I'd probably replace the bar stools with something more French Regency.

Too many reflective surfaces~ I can't imagine the fingerprints, dust, animal fur, and whatever else might stick to one shiny surface or another. The wall 'tile' reflecting in the cabs really bothers me making the cabs look like there 's some sort of texture going on and the flooring reflection in the appliances(?)I also,find annoying. As for the cabinet knobs, it's hard to tell if they're glass or porcelain, but again, so wrong. This kitchen is trying so hard to be modern that it totally misses the mark.

As for the living room, get rid of the border and valances and it would be a fairly nice traditional living room. I've seen a lot worse, and unlike the kitchen, find it very cohesive.

It's a good example of why "just buy what you love and it will look great" is not good advice. Looks like a beautiful view of a parking garage from the "picture window" doors. The whole place looks gaudy to me. The outside painting choice is a good clue.

I don't think anyone would fall in love with that kitchen, except maybe Trump or Michael Jackson. Don't think either will be making an offer, lol. Too bad if it is a reno that will get redone. Over the top wastefulness as well.

Surprisingly small dining room for such a home...I love the tile in combination with the backsplash, but could never live with the cabinets...I would have to loose that island and the lights; I was going to say maybe then I could tolerate the floor, but really would want the softer look and feel of hardwood. But regardless of my own taste, looks like someone really had fun putting it together. I can only hope they thought they would stay and not be putting on the market.

It's not a parking garage, the doors look out over the backyard, an alley way and the back of the homes on the other side. It's actually not a bad view for a city home.
Likewise the dining room isn't bad at all, especially since many row homes have more of a 'nook' than a room.

If it was mine I would have taken out the interior dining room walls between that traditional living room and the kitchen and had a huge open living/ dining/ kitchen space. That's how I would have spent some of that astronomical kitchen budget.

This post was edited by hobokenkitchen on Sun, Mar 30, 14 at 12:18

Looking at the listing, i can hypothesize how the new kitchen evolved: the other traditional rooms are filled with objets d'art (including a lot of wall art), a bit of chinoiserie and red accents. A newly found love of Hollywood Regency developed, and those same impulses took on a large budget in a small space.

Reading the comments, I wonder how few edits someone could do to help calm down the space. I wonder if a new floor and the same calacatta marble on the island might serve to reduce the excess reflections and excess variation in materials (in the small space). Maybe take down the tile wall or reduce down to mid-wall (or swap the counters out to all white). I am also not a fan of the red barstools (shape, or color) nor the horizontal rail on the protruding uppers. It would still be too much for many people, but perhaps it would look less overwhelming. It would still be a large departure from the rest of the space, but that could be bridged with some decor changes.

We've often talked on this board about too many clowns in the kitchen. Well here we have a whole danged circus....

Helene

Apparently it is sold! For full price or close!

I am eating my words big time - I NEVER thought it would sell that high.
I wish we could have a do over on selling our house - the market is smoking hot!

I want to see kitchen pictures next month. I'd have a nervous breakdown drinking a cup of coffee in it. Even if it was decaff!