Lurker reveal: Adel white and soapstone and blue tile

9 years ago

GWers, you don't know how helpful you have been to me during this process. At the beginning the critiques and suggestions of the kitchen layout were immensely helpful, and I spent so many evening searching the archives for advice on everything from cabinet doors to ovens to trash pullouts. Here is our done kitchen (although we are still deciding what to do with our corner dining nook area!):

Original kitchen (sorry panoramic shot is rather goofy, but you get the idea)

"New Chichin" (as 2yo daughter says):

Ikea Adel White cabinets with Alberene soapstone and Blue Sky Fireclay backsplash.

Red oak floors with clear Rubio Monocoat (which I have already messed up by using baking soda to remove crayon, and had to resand and re-apply).

Beams were original to the space, big lights are from Ikea. Original fridge; the cabinets to its left were hung out a few feet so that it was sort of built-in-looking on that side

Gaggenau induction cooktop and Zephyr hood

Bosch 300 oven and our original Dutch door that I love love love; island is from Ikea, faucets are Hansgrohe Metro from Costco, we had to install the handles to the front, which I ended up liking more than I expected.

Aeratron fan that husband loves:

Hardware - Aubrey knobs and Ephram pulls in 6" and 8" from Restoration Hardware
Sinks - Blanco from Amazon that everyone recommended and a smaller Krause for the 'prep' sink.
Blue lights - SuperLiving Mini Dynamo in Smoke Blue (I should have put three of them over that long window area, oh well!)
Dishwasher - basically the cheapest Bosch. Quiet and works great, and though I turned off the end-of-cycle beep, it beeps annoyingly every time the door shuts all the way.

Now contemplating how to finish the breakfast nook area...see other post if you have ideas for a roughly 6x6 L-shaped corner!

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Comments (29)

christina222_gw
9 years ago
Very nice! Love the backsplash.
jgopp
9 years ago
Love that ceiling, wow! And that split doorway. Beautiful.
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Guilty of the drop in!!! Excuses of being a work at home mom with small children in the middle of building a house and moving aside, can I say that I'm actually quite intimidated by the depth of knowledge that so many here have to offer? So when I'm here (as spurts allow) I tend to not open my mouth unless it's to offer something I have direct experience with or just a little encouragement. It's the reason I lurked for so long, and sat up late with my husband pouring over things like vent hood overlap margin and cfms. Because there are so many truly knowledgeable folks in these parts! Can I tell you how amazed I am when someone comes on with their rough first draft and pages worth of input are given? I'm struck at how detailed and patient everyone is with something that this visulaizing klutz can't even wrap my mind around! I too hate words like "passe", and "trended out" because if anything the endless options of building has taught me is that there is no right answer. Because unless it's YOUR right answer, by nature of crowd think, it's fleeting. I built my white kitchen knowing that in 6 months to 2 years, something newer, better, more awe-inspiring very well could try and compete for my affections. But I've got kids to raise and values to instill, and I have to hope that when it does come along, I can cheer on the next crowd towards the next design breakthrough while being content with what I have. I will likely never build a 30,000 sq foot remote palace in Montana with a gift wrapping room, a flower cutting room, or get my husband ever take me seriously if were to show him a custom La Canche. But I don't resent the folks who do and I covet the sharing of their end work. Because through their sharing I get the benefit of their global travels, the architects who's fees were more than my house, and their decorators ideas! On the same hand, I value every detail of the suburban remodel. Every effort to go beyond the big box uniform is a spark of creativity, love, and build of home and family. After all, isn't that what these kitchens are for? There something inherently good about a place where people give their experience and knowledge freely. It's up to us to be adult enough to recognize the inherent personalities involved and choose to see the good. I sincerely hope popping in and displaying a milestone in our kitchen and then popping out for a spell didn't contribute to the ruffling of anyone's feathers. I love what betsyhac said... I wish Americans could discuss politics as constructively as the GWers discuss kitchens!
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Some notes on the install I used M. Texeira in Hackensack, NJ .. they gave me a good price, a small sale discount (10% vs. the 15% I would have liked) and covered some additional sqft that appeared after templating at no charge ... all in all - very nice and professional on the sale side Templating was done in Hackensak at the fab workshop (vs. the main office) ... we went and choose what sections to use for which pieces based on how the clear template revealaed the features in the stone we liked ... our primary focus was the slab used in the peninsula and we tried to get the highest concentration of green "sworls" that we could in that piece after fabrication, an unfortunate installer accident resulted in the large slab used for the peninsula cracking along the two of the veins ... rather than being one piece - it actually is three ... it remains to be seen whether the patch job that they used will be acceptable, but it is not easily apparent to the uninformed eye or finger ... the installer ("Jose") from M. Texeira owned up to it right away and offered to replace the slab at no charge but the replacement would take a week to fabricate ... Tex sent Leo up from the fab shop and he assessed the damage and monitored the repair and install all afternoon ... we left it at "I'll see if this patch/glue job works and reserve the right to have you come back and replace the one you broke at a future date" ... after the accident, I feel that M Tex did a good job of owning and fixing the problem ... Hopefully I made the right choice Some small issues - the undermount sink is slightly offcenter and not siliconed in ... the small slab to the left of the range is light enough to move easily and not affixed to the counter ... there is a gash in the new paint to the side of the sink corner that needs repair All in all, the broken peninsula slab has me concerned but the repair may be an acceptable fix ... a reduction in the invoice would be a welcome accomodation to address the defect
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becktheeng, Can I ask what blue you used? Yesterday afternoon I ran out to the paint store, because I just couldn't wait. We have fluorescent lighting in our kitchen (not my favorite for color) and so picked blue/greens with that in mind I thought all fluorescents looked the same, but these compact fluorescents gray down the colors that I chose. That doesn't make sense to me, because I thought fluorescent light made blues and greens pop more. The BM Bird's Egg is very gray in our light, the Peacock Blue ditto, and the only one which pops a little is the Water Drops. I love the Simply White in our kitchen - it has just the right amount of warmth in it. I am attaching a link I just found - Popular Mechanics posted tests on Fluorescent Lighting and color. They show different bulbs with a grid array of colors. Unfortunately, the color I like, blue/green, doesn't fare too well. I am still going to try changing my bulbs. I looked at your kitchen hoping for some inspiration, and was overwhelmed by the beauty of it. Since your blue is the tile, I guess you can't help with the paint. ps, I wish that I had the windows and view that your kitchen has! Just beautiful. The soapstone is so warm - and the glass tile backsplash is the blue I want. Sort of a greenish blue, like the ocean on a clear day. Your kitchen is looking fantastic. Hestia ps, I think I'll post the link as a new link as well - I hope it will help someone else. Here is a link that might be useful: Fluorescent Light & Color Test
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This is the house I just sold. (crying, lol). 1880's, but a stick Victorian not a Queen Anne. 10X10 main kitchen, with a regular pantry (all shelving from PO) and a butler's pantry/water pantry that housed the sink and dishwasher, as well as a few original/early 20th cabinets with glass door uppers and bead board lowers. Clearly built in place and not to standard depths or heights. The main kitchen had one, 1970's, 12" floor cabinet, a broken range and an old side by side fridge. Happily it also had original white beadboard, 10' ceiling and a heavy plate rail around the top. It also had (challenge) 7 doorways and 2 windows. In a 10X10 space. We wanted a functional kitchen that played up the nice architectural details of the room and had a bit of an unfitted feel (had to due to all the doors, there was no space for a "run" of any kind) but were very much on a budget and looking for materials that were simple, easy to clean and could be replaced without tears if we decided to make changes in 5-10 years. Changed the pulls on those cabinets to these: the uppers had proper and nearly matching latches so those stayed. In the main kitchen, we put IKEA Adel White cabinets, with glass door uppers, and IKEA butcherblock countertops (later replaced by a dark green granite). Light fixture: Restoration Hardware Schoolhouse with vintage fans ceiling fan fixture (no longer made). Range, micro/hood, and dishwasher: Bosch smooth white. D/F range with warming drawer for busy working family with kids and crazy schedules. Fridge, Jenn Air French Door floating glass white. Walls Benjamin Moore Popcorn Kernel: (ooh I found an old GW pic of MY kitchen!) Backsplash: If I could do that kitchen over, I'd have done granite/stone counters sooner (we did it just to sell), and I'd have done the backsplash sooner. But the rest, I was really happy with!
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robo (z6a)
9 years ago
I love your kitchen. The new blue and white go beautifully with the wood. I think keeping the original wood touches really creates a sense of personality and, well, hygge!
cookncarpenter
9 years ago
Love it! I'm a Dutch Door fan also, we have three in our house, and toy with the idea just of one more ...
feisty68
9 years ago
This kitchen is fantastic! What a stunning space with the windows, exposed beams, soaring ceiling, etc. The blue is such a fun accent - I think I'm in love with Fireclay. I think the colour works so well because it connects your windows. Gorgeous cabs and floors. Crazy that the Rubio didn't hold up to baking soda though! :/
User
9 years ago
So beautiful! I'll echo everything that's already been said - the combination of wood and white and blue tiles is just awesome. Wow!!
joygreenwald
9 years ago
I don't believe you. It's not the same kitchen. ;) Great job! You must be thrilled!
bicyclegirl1
9 years ago
What a fresh & bright kitchen! Good job! I love the dutch door. Always wanted one. Enjoy your beautiful kitchen.
deedles
9 years ago
How beautiful! Also love the combination of wood, white and blue. Your ceiling is just wonderful and your new kitchen fits perfectly, and just wondering: do you find that the ceiling stands out now way more than when the old kitchen was still alive?

Wow. Really well executed.
nmjen
9 years ago
So pretty! I love those blue tiles, and the whole space feels very open and serene.
Terri_PacNW
9 years ago
Those blue tiles bring on the "bling" love it!
ktj459
9 years ago
Love it! That tile is gorgeous!
firstmmo
9 years ago
This is beautiful!!! I especially love the dutch door!!! So gorgeous. The beams really add a sense of homeyness.
karen_ohio
9 years ago
My favorite color, blue. I, too, have a Dutch door. Is it possible to post a picture of the hardware on the door that holds the top and bottom together?

Karen.Ohio
romy718
9 years ago
So open & spacious. I echo everyone's previous raves. Love, love, love the tile. Great kitchen!
lascatx
9 years ago
Also a fan. Your home is architecturally blessed, but the previous layout made it seem challenged. You have turned it around. White, blue and wood are my favorites anyway, but love the Dutch door, beams and ceiling -- enjoy it!
onedogedie
9 years ago
Dang! That's nice. Ooh, the tile! Ooh, the Alberene, which is my future counter too. Love the contrast on the windows. Great Chichen!
onedogedie
9 years ago
Now that I have looked at the before panorama in large format, clearly you have a very cool house because that before kitchen is pretty original and bad*ss with two zones. That vinyl floor, which I've encountered in real life, makes me a wee bit nostalgic and I often think those plywood cabinets would still be in kitchens across the country if only the base cabinets had been drawers.

Which isn't all to make you feel bad for redoing your kitchen. I totally appreciate the light, bright transformation.

Thanks for sharing!
deegw
9 years ago
Enjoy your lovely chichin and your sweet baby too. My babies are 21 and 17 and we still occasionally use some of their toddler words during family conversations.

The space looks SO different! Did it turn out like you imagined or was the finished project an even lovelier surprise?

Does anyone like the Bosch continuous beeping? I have no idea why Bosch thinks that is a desirable feature..
mgmum
9 years ago
Gorgeous! You all must be loving it! It's so light and bright now!
Mousun
9 years ago
Very nice space! How did you support/hang the uppers that are pushed forward to the left of fridge?
marykh
9 years ago
What a transformation. Thank you for sharing it with us!
Margoria
9 years ago
I too am a fan of the blue! such wonderful light you have in that chichin! enjoy, enjoy!
Hannah Koenker
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks everybody! We are loving the space now. The old kitchen was the original 1956 kitchen, with the original 48" Thermador electric range with griddle in the middle. Unfortunately only two of the burners worked by the time we bought the house last fall, and neither of them really boiled water. So we've been cooking on a single induction burner since September and through the remodel (which at least made things consistent and more familiar when we were out of the kitchen). The old kitchen was kind of bad*ss, I will admit, but the long serving island was just in the way, the wall oven was 24" and too small for us, and it didn't have a dishwasher. It had been a nicely designed kitchen for its time, but we needed a different layout. Forgot to mention that there was another exterior door in the back corner (where we bumped out the cabinets) that we eliminated! I love having our microwave and toaster and Cuisinart back in that space (30" deep corner), although they're not pictured in the photos I posted.

Feisty - apparently the baking soda reacts chemically with the Monocoat/Rubio. Not right away though. I dumped a rather large amount of baking soda on the area by accident, and scrubbed it up, which definitely removed the crayon, but an hour later the area was black. I may post a separate thread for posterity, but sanding it, cleaning away the dust, and reapplying the Monocoat works great.

Deedles - the ceiling is way more vibrant now than it was before, when the soffits and the dark cabinets ate up all the light. There was also an amazing amount of yellow grime on the walls, so just painting the ceiling and the walls white (painter matched color to the Adel white...I will try and figure out the exact color) really helped a ton to brighten the space.

Karen.Ohio - I will post more closeups when we get back home this weekend. The hardware on the door is really neat!

Mousun - to hang the uppers out from the wall, the carpenter built out a frame of 2x4s from the wall, partially supported by a 3/4" plywood sheet (plus the Ikea fridge panel) that went between the fridge and the wall cabinets. The above-fridge cabinet is also built out a little bit (6"?) with 2x4s. I don't have a photo of that part, unfortunately.
Mags438
9 years ago
Sooo much to love. Right off the bat, the backsplash is *all* that! Would love a close up of soapstone and bs together. I'm trying to stay out of ABB and I have ss too.

The Dutch door - I'm just too jealous! I wanted one for our rear door replacement but as of yet, DH not on same page. I hate bugs in house so undecided if I could really handle a Dutch door but they are just too cool. The beams, oh my, very nice touch

You have made such a wonderful transformation of your space. Big congrats!
blfenton
9 years ago
Love the blue back splash - oh and the rest of the kitchen as well.
Swentastic Swenson
9 years ago
Stunning!!
chrisinsd
9 years ago
The blue tile, dark counters, white cabs--it's just great. Very nice work!!
hyjenist
9 years ago
Loving your backsplash!

Lurker reveal: Adel white and soapstone and blue tile

Comments (29)

christina222_gw

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Lurker reveal: Adel white and soapstone and blue tile

Comments (29)

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Hannah KoenkerOriginal Author

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Hannah Koenker
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