My kitchen is new but i hate it...(pics) what can i do to improve
polarprincess
14 years ago
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Comments (37)
polarprincess
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agopattyk_64
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
Help, please! I hate my kitchen! (pic)
Comments (64)One day to remove, one day to remake the wall, one day to set, one day to grout...I think that's fair really. It is a time consuming job and you want him to do it carefully so the cabinets and counter aren't damaged in the process. You know, I'd like to suggest something entirely different which you might hate, but I'll do it anyhoo :) DH had your kitchen in his texas place, almost identical in tones so we had to giggle when we saw this post. I see you love earth tones by your pottery etc and you love slate and granite....honey you're wasting your time trying to make the space bright when the things you love are not bright. You just haven't embraced your dark side yet :) Come, step over to the dark side...earth tones and rich stones are devine when accented properly. You need to go with a rich tone on your walls like a brick or deep red, even a really deep green or gold (look to your crocks for inspiration). They'll make your cabinets sing and your stone will become a star. Hang a textured (dupioni or tapestry) drapery on the window top, soft and slouchy because you have so many hard edges) with a rich deep trim on it. CHANGE YOUR LIGHTING!!! You are entirely underlit and the white shades don't work with anything you've got going in your room. Go with beautiful rich amber shades and larger, more prevalent lighting as well as under and upper cabinet lighting (and to do that on the cheap, just put a bunch of christmas light strings on the top of the cabinet scattered about, you'll be amazed how much that helps your gloomy issue here). Embrace the darkside luke...umm I mean susan :) And your lovely kitchen will become a rich paradise you don't mind being in. You're half way there...step over the line :) And remember, a can of paint is WAY cheaper than a new backsplash isn't it? What's the worst thing that can happen???? You paint again. But in DH's kitchen, who everyone said was too dark when he tried to sell initially....I went with a deep umber tone on the walls and it sold three days later to a gal who described it as wonderfully cozy and rich :)...See MoreCan't sleep - I think I may hate my newly finished floors (PICS)
Comments (50)I am in exactly the same place with my red oak floors :( my floors look just as orange as in the pictures... and the variations and wood grain are much more pronounced than I wanted. I have the flooring company coming in on Monday to put down the third coat of poly - do I have any options at this point? Or just a matter of it mattering less once I get more used to the new color...? I had this same level of shock and discomfort with my wall color (had to leave my apartment for the evening just to soothe myself!), but once they sanded the floors - I realized I loved the wall color, just that my old floor finish was clashing with it. Now after staining the floor - I am back to feeling they really clash... and I really wish I had just opted for no stain and a natural finish instead... I’d take that look over what I now have any day. At least - that’s how it feels right now. To the original poster - @lacollar - (or anyone else with a similar experience) - did you eventually get used to (or even fall in love with?! :)) your floors... even though at first it felt like the choice of stain color was a huge mistake? Has anyone tried tinting the final coat to tone down the orange/reds? Does that work? Appreciate any help/advice. Thank you all!...See MoreNew construction kitchen-I HATE it!
Comments (29)Got home and took some quickie pics with my phone I said I would show you. While not identical, I have beige walls, SW Trusty Tan (6087) and ceiling SW Simplify Beige (6085). The counter top is not the same pattern, obviously, as yours, but it is still grey. It has tiny flecks of white, gold (looks yellow in photo) and the brown, like my cabinets. I thought the brown would show up a lot more to pull in the brown cabinets, but it doesn't. My flooring is porcelain 20x20 travertine look-a-like, the back splash is 4x4 real tumbled Torreon Travertine with buttercream grout (goes on yellow, dries beige-y off white). I have sealed the travertine back splash 2 x in 18 years and it wipes clean with a wet sponge. I also cook with a lot of tomato based dishes-goulash, spagehetti, beef stew, etc. I have 0 stains. My stone was pitted like crazy and the grout fills them in and it is a cinch to keep clean. Seal yours well and you will have easy clean up. Have grease splatters? Dawn soapy water cleans it right up. If you cannot wrap your island right away in wood to make it more furniture like, as some have suggested, you could pop off the existing baseboard, wrap the island in paneling, replace baseboard (may could use existing depending on thickness of paneling or just replace) and paint it or just paint it as is a contrasting color for now. I contrast painted my pantry last year, just for a little change. Bought 2 sample cans of the darkest color on my SW palate, SW Java (6090). My kitchen is not everyone's taste or what they would pick or do, but I like it. It works for me. Go with what works for you. I think what you have chosen will all come together and look great. It is just not complete yet and your touches have not been added....See MoreKitchen Reno - how can I improve my kitchen?
Comments (24)Here is a plan that could work. You could keep the same basic kitchen layout (the appliances work where they are, IMO), just remove some walls to open it up, essentially transforming it into a galley kitchen. Some of my measurements are off and the cabinetry could likely extend a little more to the left as you have it in your plan. On the right of the kitchen, bring in the peninsula and cabinetry so that they end at the wall (otherwise the passageway between the kitchen and pantry becomes too narrow). I would skip the overhang for benches, and fully use the space for storage and extra counter space. Remove the uppers above the peninsula. Remove the pantry around the fridge and add uppers and more counter space on that wall between the fridge and range. I would consider mounting a small TV in the kitchen somewhere, on a full motion/swivel wall mount so that you can push it against the wall when not in use. Or use a tablet computer, and get a stand/mount for it. Removing the hall in front of the bedrooms and bathroom, and the overhang for the peninsula, gives you enough space and clearance to add a pantry and more cabinetry, or just a wider pantry and no cabinetry. Alternatively, you could also place a desk, wine bar or message center against this wall. Moving the entrance closet by the front door provides separation, no more "walking into a big room" feeling, and improves the flow between the living room and kitchen. It also give you a wall for your tv, making it easier to lay out your living room. I would replace the wall unit and purchase one that is less substantial. Consider mounting the TV on the wall and having a unit underneath, and maybe shelves on each side. Do you currently use your living room or your family room more often? I would suggest making the larger one the family room, and the smaller one with the fireplace into the more formal living room or sitting room. Mounting the TV above the fireplace (or removing it altogether) also makes that room much easier to lay out. The master bedroom door is in a awkward location in terms of natural flow. Even in an open space, it would make more sense to have it accessible through the "hall" passing from the entrance between the kitchen and family room....See Morerhome410
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