Fridge and more! Thanks for the additional pix... I love them all, even the ones you took! : ) Especially Sochi!

I hate bugging you with more questions but can you tell me if you stained your walnut veneer? We can't decide on our selections and it's hard to see it on a 6" sample. Thanks :)

And I posted too fast trying to chase my 2 yr.old and forgot to say the rest of the house is GORGEOUS!!! Your Sochi is too cute!

Hi jamab - no worries about bugging me, I've bugged so many people here repeatedly I'm relieved to be able to help someone else! And I hear you about chasing two year olds. My two year old just turned three and he certainly hasn't slowed down any.

No, we didn't stain the walnut, it is natural. I think we still have a large (like cabinet-sized) panel sample of walnut - any chance you'll be in Ottawa in the little while?? Keep in mind that walnut lightens with age, unlike cherry which darkens. My cabinets have already noticeably lightened since installation in February. I know most people consider walnut to be a dark wood, but I would classify it as medium. What else are you considering?

sochi, I have to say your vision was inspiring to me. That is a beautiful kitchen to me. If you won't adopt me, can I adopt Zoya for her tastes??? That light fixture is awesome.

I love the wood and the open modern feel.

I went with a darker wood myself. You should be VERY proud of yourself. That is one of the most tasteful high end kitchen's I've seen in a long time. And no, I don't always post about every kitchen I see on here. You "had me" at the big circle theme.

Oh, thank you for posting even more pictures of your home! I'd like to just pick it up and move it to my city and move right in!

I forgot to ask a question: Our 1940s house has doors very similar to your powder room door, but without the glass panels. My DH has been wanting to put that exact type of glass in our laundry room door to let in light but keep the privacy. Did you have a glass company do the door for you, or did you purchase it that way? If you had it made, was it a simple project (and not super expensive)? Thanks!

cindyandmocha--I asked first! LOL

sochi, Isn't it neat how the different colors and the graining "pop" as the walnut lightens? Our black walnut DR table and buffet w/ shelf are about 1-1 1/2 yrs old at this point, and IMHO they are even more beautiful and more interesting now than they were when they were delivered!

BTW, are your floating shelves solid walnut? We'd almost given up on our plan for a floating shelf (furniture-maker advised against it), but we couldn't find brackets that we liked, so re-opened the floating shelf idea. Luckily a contractor friend said he could help, and he and DH did a great job. How did you hang yours (cleat system? posts embedded in the wall?)?

This is unbelievably gorgeous!! The walnut cabinets are my most favorite thing. And the wall of white cabinetry with the walnut trim. I wish I could find someone local who could do that (in my budget). If it's not too nosy I'd love to know what your cabinetry budget was.
And I'm not familiar with Quatzite. What exactly is it? And how does it compare (cost and durability) to a quartz composite liek silestone or zodiac?

lolog72 - Our kitchen cabinetry cost about $21-22k, but I expect this might be lower than market value (our cabinet maker is my brother-in-law).

Quartzite is a natural stone harder than granite (a bit more difficult to fabricate given the hardness of the stone). It can look very much like marble, but it doesn't etch like marble. Sealed properly it seems as impervious to staining as any well sealed granite. Several of us on the board have quartzite counters and we are all very pleased.

cat_mom & cindyandmocha- lol - I think we should all arrange house exchanges as vacations so we can enjoy each other's kitchens in person!

Yes cat_mom, I love the grain and colour of the walnut more and more every week. So happy with my decision to go with walnut. Your DR table and buffet sound fabulous.

floating shelves: no, the shelves are hallow to accommodate the lighting and wiring inside. As I recall they are hung similar to the way the ikea floating shelves are hung - there are bars that come from the wall and the shelf fits onto these bars. I can get more detail if needed, let me know.

albryant: we bought the doors from home depot. We just painted the primed doors green.

Thanks for the info! And I would agree your cabinets are well below market value. I can't say enough how much I love them. I'm starting my remodel a week from Monday and the look I'm going for is very similar. I have a walnut and white credenza from a local designer that has kind of been my inspiration for the kitchen remodel. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you look at it) I'm taking down walls and reframing some exterior walls and replacing sliding door and window. My labor and material costs are so high for stuff like that that it means going the way of ikea for cabs. But I'll hold your pics as inspiration! You did a really amazing job.

I absolutely adore your kitchen Sochi. It is one of the kitchens that has stuck in my mind every since I first saw photos of it. It exudes such a confidence and style that it's difficult NOT to admire all of its qualities. The family photos, open shelves and green barstools are to die for. Wonderful job!!

I'm sorry to hear about the celiac diagnosis but I'm sure you can make your layout work for it.

Sochi, there's much to love about your remodel, and the celebratory comments from everyone reflect my feelings too. It's a luscious, calm, elegant, big useful space. Bravo. It suits me perfectly, all of it. I hope your family will enjoy it for generations.

One element that hasn't been thoroughly discussed yet strikes me with particular pleasure: your sense of humor! When I saw the big round cutouts in the half wall with their interiors painted green, I immediately smiled. The lightness (both physical and aesthetic) of that touch gives the whole space a delightful playfulness. Good design can do that -- shock a person with beauty, yet keep the experience grounded in real life and real fun.

The dining room light fixture adds to that special sense of fun for me. Great choice! Useful and beautiful, but also original and irreverent. Perfect. And the same with the shade that has those Russian dolls marching around it. Lighthearted, whimsical, surprising -- a wonderful touch. I think maybe that the many sparks of humor keep the overall perfection from becoming overwhelming. Instead, it's quite welcoming.

What a completely pleasing experience it is to study your kitchen.

Great work!

With admiration,

rc

I would be happy with a country make that, world-wide "tour" of all the wonderful kitchens on this forum!

Our shelf is already up, thanks for the offer though. It was a bit hairy getting it hung (ours is solid walnut so they had to drill into it), but it's up, and won't have to come down until we ever have to move.

I'll post a separate thread w/ pics of the table, buffet, and shelf for you. They all came from the same log which is really neat.

I wish I could make a trip to Ottawa, I would make you give me a tour of your beautiful house, lol!

I finally got a sample and the original 2 were stained so It was concerning me that one was too light and the other was too dark but he finally got it right! Again, thanks for all your tremendous help with this and having pictures to fully describe what it was I was looking for right from the start. I remember you responding to my first thread on here when I was asking about walnut kitchens and it truly made this whole process a lot easier!

Great kitchen. Like a previous poster, I would like to know the maker of the stools or name of the store you got them. Thanks very much.

Wow! Absolutely stunningly gorgeous. I am in love with your kitchen: the look, the feel, the layout, the materials. Everything. Like a previous poster I'm wondering: can I move in? Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful space. Some day I hope to remodel my kitchen and I will definitely take some inspiration from yours. It sounds like you have an amazing home in an incredible location. Congratulations! I can't wait to see what comes of the backsplash and island.

mikeekim - thanks very much. I bought the stools at Zone (or Zone Maison), a home furnishing store with locations in Ottawa and Montreal. It is called the Venice Chair (in kiwi colour). It costs Cdn$168 at Zone. I just found a US web-site with it as well, listed at US$169.

I do like the chairs ... although they were a compromise. I really wanted the Modernica Fiberglass Shell Chairs (Eames), but I baulked at the $475 each price tag. At $168 per chair, the Venice chair is a great value I think.

pricklypear - thank you! I will keep everyone posted on the backsplash and island, I'm making good progress on both and even have a preliminary design for my island. Hopefully by October I'll have the kitchen truly finished!

Hi Sochi -
Where to even begin? It is a good thing I am typing as my jaw is firmly on the floor! I just love your entire house and if you posted more pix, I would love them too! You have an amazing eye for style yet function and warmth. Your dh sounds like a great partner in this as well ;)

I don't think you "need" a backsplash, but I understand that the backsplash can be the most fun design part/eye candy (or maddening, depending on the day). I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Your counters just slay me, as do your cabs. Your no uppers wall is fabulous and a true inspiration for those considering similar.

As much as you have posted and despite the many photos, I think I speak for all of us that we want more, lol. I love how everything just flows room to room and seems all so natural.

Your wallpaper in the bathroom is amazing. I have been considering doing 2 accent walls of paper in our bedroom, but may wimp out and just do a full wall stencil to get a similar effect. I think that it will be like designing a basksplash and be one of the more creative parts of the process. I am just a little afraid of going through all the wallpaper options and trying to pick just one. As much as I love paint (and I sure do), I think paper is poised to make a bit of a comeback. I think I'll hate it though if it gets too popular, as I like to defy trends ;) I also am not sure what to do in our master bath for the walls. I intend to one day do tile on the lower half, but paper could be fun too. I think you have opened Pandora's box here, lol.

Your house is so European to me and so high end. It has more style that I usually see in a month of looking at houses and it is all rolled into one home. You must be so thrilled with the outcome!

Just like everyone else, I absolutely LOVE your kitchen. We are doing a complete rebuild of our home that burned in a wildfire and are going with a modern/contemporary style this time around. We are leaning towards walnut cabinets and will be using a natural character maple flooring that is similar to your birch. I also want to do white uppers (wish I didn't have to do uppers at all, but it's a small kitchen and I need the storage space!). So thank you for your glorious inspiration. It is much appreciated.

dianola - thanks so much! Once the island and backsplash are in DH will do the final photo shoot, I'll post a link for certain. The cabinet maker (my BIL) is just branching off and starting his own company, so they need the pictures for his web-site.

I love that wallpaper too, but I doubt we'll ever do WP again - just too difficult to put up. I love it, but DH swears never again, lol.

Funny that you think it looks European - I'm addicted to European house/shelter magazines (house porn as I call it), I guess that I'm being influenced!

gryane - I'm so happy that my space was able to serve as inspiration, given that I've been so inspired by other kitchens here. You kitchen sounds wonderful, I can't wait to see the final product. Good luck!

I envy your kitchen---and your home around it. It's just such a lovely clean aesthetic. I like that you mixed walnut and birch. I've had both in flooring and they both just have an internal gleam when the light hits just right.

Oh Sochi,

What an incredibly beautiful and completely perfect space. Your kitchen counters inspired me to hunt for a quartzite that I loved. Yes, your whole clean, elegant design has been quite an inspiration. I absolutely LOVE everything you've done. Congratulations!!!

Hi Sochi,

Thanks for getting back to me about the stools. I was in contact with Zone, but was hoping to actually see/try the stools here in Vancouver. searches for "venice stools" did not help. Do you know the name of the manufacturer? I may have better luck contacting them to see if they have retailers out west.

Thanks,

PS - i really enjoy your kitchen. Every time I come to this page I notice new details. truly a great space.

For anyone in NYC - there are barstools like Sochi's but in white on Craigslist. Four of them for $79 each or best offer. Please, someone snatch them up!! Wish I could.

http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/fuo/1921991784.html

Mouth dropping WOW

Sochi - How are you liking the undercounter oven and the separate microwave? We are contemplating a similar layout: placing the oven under a counter and separate from the microwave...so we are very curious how it works for you.

P.S. Love your kitchen!!

Hi comtemporganic - thanks! The m/w / oven configuration is working out fine, now that I have a drop zone for the m/w. We don't use the undercounter oven that often, so I don't find it inconvenient at all.

That is a fabulous kitchen and living area. May I ask what the wallpaper in the bathroom is?

I don't know how I missed this!

Gorgeous kitchen and home! I can't wait to see your backsplash...based on the rest of your choices, it's going to be great, I'm sure!

As to Celiac...yes, I have it as well. I found out around the time of our remodel but too late for design & cabinet order. But, I'm not sure I would have done anything differently...I pretty much have allocated the left side of the Cooking Zone as both my Baking Center as well as the "GF" storage. My butter, measuring cups, etc. are in the upper cabinet to the left of the cooktop and the utensils, measuring spoons, etc. are either on the counter or in the top drawer to to the left of the cooktop as well. I do have to move the utensil crock when I bake non-GF so flour, etc. doesn't get on the the utensils, but that's easier than having them in the main Prep Zone where my family tends to just grab the nearest utensil for whatever they're doing. This way, there's less of a chance they'll grab one of mine!

I've also "color-coded" or similar my utensils, scrapers, etc. Scrapers: white, for gluten; any other color, for GF. Turners, spoons, ladles: if it's red, GF; any other color, for gluten. Wooden spoons: right now, bamboo is for GF; all others gluten.

Oh, one thing....I use the saucers from my dishes as "spoon" rests. When cooking/baking/prepping GF food, I never put a utensil (spoon, scraper, etc.) on the counter, on the cooktop, in the sink (until done), etc....I always grab a saucer to use a rest/surface. Unless your home is totally GF, you can never be certain there aren't any crumbs, residual gluten, or other gluten-laden things on the counter...so better to be safe than sorry!

FYI...I just discovered Whole Foods' sandwich and UDI's GF breads...much better than just about anything else I've ever had. (I have other versions of their breads still to try...) I've also use Kinnikinnick....it's pretty good as well. (All are frozen.)

If you have a craving for cinnamon donuts, try Kinnikinnick...they're very good when warm.

Also, try Kinnikinnick's hamburger & hot dog rolls...not bad (no, not perfect, they still crumble fairly quickly, but to me, they're better than no roll at all!)

If you go to Disney World (and probably Disney Land), all of their restaurants have GF food...including the "fast food" restaurants. I was told to go straight to the front of the line and ask for the manager. Don't worry about how busy they are...go any time. I was told, and I quote, "You're our guest too". I never had an issue with anyone acting annoyed, etc.

Sochi. Fantastic in every way, including the photography!Love every aspect and it's all so unexpected when you said 1870's Victorian home. Does it still look Victorian on the exterior?
I love the tone on tone wallpaper in the powder. Can you please supply the manufacturer, color and style for that?
Thank you and thanks for posting all the pics and details. Truly inspiring.

buehl - thanks so much for the tips! I love the idea of colour coding the utensils, that is brilliant. We try to just remember, but I can (should) do better. And I used a saucer tonight to rest my spoon upon while cooking -thanks for that tip too! I attended a lecture on Celiac last month where they discussed results of recent European and N. American studies - the studies were a bit depressing, but they did push me to being even more vigilant with cross-contamination. Have you had any follow up to see if your villi have improved since you went gluten-free? I hope you're feeling well, thank you again.

island - thanks so much for the kind words about the kitchen!

It is a little unexpected for a Victorian - yes, the house is still original on the outside, completely period appropriate. I live in a heritage-designated neighbourhood (and I'm on the heritage committee!) so I firmly believe in respecting the the original look of the home whenever possible. If the interior of the house had had more of the original trim, look etc. I would have done something more respectful of the age of the house inside as well. But it was all long gone, so we embraced the modern elements the house had from the '70s.

The wallpaper is Hula from Graham and Brown (see the link below). I just love it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hula Green

Sochi. Thanks for the wallpaper link and info. It's green? Oh my, even better! I love green and the print is like a modern take on art nouveau or William Morris. I must get my hands on that and see it in person!

The nesting doll light fixture is great! I was so focused on kitchen and bath that I didn't see it first pass. It makes me wish I needed a playroom just so I could have it. Ha!

So many unique elements including a modern interior in a Victorian home. Love that. Your home is like a nesting doll itself; so full of surprises. Please consider posting a pic of the outside; the contrast would be terrific!

Thanks again for the info. Hope you don't mind, but I'll probably be back with more questions since there is so much to see in your pics. How long were you working on this project from inception to now? Long time I'm sure!

Thanks island! Hope you find the wallpaper - I know what you mean about it being a modern take on art nouveau. It is quite unique. Sadly it isn't the cheapest wallpaper out there - I wouldn't want to use it on anything much bigger than a powder room.

The nesting doll (matryoshka) light is one of my favourites - I searched months for a light fixture for that spot. It is playful, but adult enough to work in the foyer too. It was a great find for me (we love Russian matryoshka dolls here)!

Feel free to ask any questions you may have. We lived in the house for about a year before the renovation started. It included foundation work, plus the removal of structural walls, opening new windows, new floors, insulation, beams, etc. , so we had to move out. We were gone from November 1 2009 until early March 2010. About 4-5 months. I still need to get an island done, a backsplash and a fireplace in the living room. Hopefully we'll get it all done by the end of winter.

Sochi, your kitchen is stunning. I am about to start my renovation, and will have a walnut kitchen as well. I am stuck on countertops. I found a quartzite that I love, but am hesitant to use it as I have heard that some quartzite is not as "reliable" as others. (I went to my fabricator and they told me the quartzite they purchased and cut completely crumbled and that he would not sell it to me). I know 2 people who have installed in in their kitchens and one is very happy with it. The other has plenty of chips and other problems with the counters.
How has your experience been? Have you found your quartzite to be durable? Are you happy with it?

Hi research queen - my experience with my quartzite has been very positive. We've been using it for 8 months now, no stains, no cracks, etc. It functions exactly as my last granite counter.

There are stones out there that are called quartzite but clearly are not. Before dealing with my stone my fabricator thought all quartzite's were 'crumbly' soft-ish stone as well. He now knows that real quartzite is harder than granite (difficult to cut, dulled many blades).

What is the name of the quartzite you are considering? What does it look like? What company is selling the stone? If others here have the same stone that might reassure you.

Keep us posted.

The two slabs I am looking at are madreperola and nacarado. I found them at crystal tile and marble in toronto.
my fabricator is majestic marble, and they are located in woodbridge.
majestic has told me that they can also source the slabs for me and purchase through them, if i want.
the quartzite is also a lot more expensive than the granite and DH is extremely nervous about spending money on something seemingly new on the market.
i am very torn because i cannot seem to find any granite slabs that catch my attention in the same way the quartzite does. I have looked at bianco romano, kashmir white and even piracema white (for the island). i am stuck on the quartzite. how did you determine that the quartzite you purchased was, in fact, quartzite?

I bought a quartzite from Ciot called Quartzite Bianca, the same as luce di luna. I knew a number of people who had luce di luna on this board and they all seemed to have good experiencess. Plus Ciot gave me a good sized sample that I tested out a bit.

Will Crystal tile and marble give you a sample to bring to a fabricator to test? I would be pretty annoyed if they don't. I see in another thread that amoraljardin has a sample of madreperola. I see that she/he is in Canada as well - find out where she got it from. There are very few rare stone importers in Canada (I think it might only be Ciot actually) - if it is sourced from the same place and her tests work out well you will know.

Have you checked out the Ciot in Vaughan?

Both are well known quartzites, but for total peace of mind you need a sample to know for certain.

(and I know, the granites just don't compare to the quartzites!)

Sochi,

You already know I admire the gorgeous walnut cabinetry, but the rest of your home is lovely too! Thanks for sharing all the pictures. You've done an outstanding job!

sochi - just realized that you had responded to a thread i started about this in september!!
i have been to the north york location of ciot (on lawrence) and was unimpressed. apparently the vaughan facility is bigger and has a better selection, so i should probably go check them out.
crystal tile wouldn't give me a sample of the nacarado. they didn't even call it nacarado - i had to figure that one out for myself. (they called it van gough dream, probably to confuse the consumer. great marketing scheme, but didn't work on me!) i was very annoyed.
thanks or all your advise and feedback.
and your kitchen is really stunning. just saying. again

Do check out the one in Vaughan - I went to the one on Lawrence as well, they really don't have much in the way of counter selection there. The warehouse in Vaughan has literally thousands of slabs to view.

thanks Doonie! I still dream about your ceiling. You and Elizpiz, I've got serious ceiling envy. But I cannot move, I cannot move (so I keep repeating to myself over and over again - every time I feel the urge to do another kitchen!)

Sochi

Hi, new member here. I am absolutely obsessed with your kitchen. I love the reclaimed birch floors and of course the countertops and cabinets. What width are the floors. Did you specify random widths or go with one width? From the pics, it looks like all wide plank but I want to confirm width as I think your floors are absolutely perfect!!

Hi jaluca, welcome! The floors are just a shade over 5" wide, they are all one width. DH and I had decided on random widths and when I went into the reclaimed flooring place I changed my mind at the last moment and went with all 5". I think both would have looked great, but I'm very pleased with the 5". We have a water-based finish on the floor. We opted not to go with a more typical oil-based finished in part for environmental reasons (and to reduce odour) but also because oil finished tend to yellow the hardwood and I loved the blonde/light brown colours in the birch.

Hope this helps, let me know if you need any other info.

Wonderfully, beautiful kitchen cabinets! And I especially love the personalized artwork (photography) used in a kitchen space.Thanks for sharing with us! I'm a sucker for non-traditional kitchens - nicely done!

Sochi - I know it has been a while but hoping you can give me info on your drawer pulls. Looking for something similar. Any input on size, cost, material, and where you bought them...and how you like them:)...would be much appreciated. Thanks!

I'm late to the party, but your kitchen and house is amazing! Love the way you broke up all the walnut with the white fronts on some of the pieces.

sent you a note on GW email...what a stunning kitchen /home. I don't know how I missed it...if the note doesn't go through just know that I think you do a marvelous job of simplicity and style and warmth. c

Sochi, I'm in love with your style! I'm planning a new kitchen with bookmatched walnut lower cabinets and almost no upper cabinets. I could really use your input on how that's working out for you! Would you care to comment on my post? Pretty please?

Here is a link that might be useful: My kitchen layout ...

I used Waterlox on all my floor and cabinet finishing. Several different sheens available.