Kitchen finally done after more than 3 years!

ni_2006

12 years ago

Hi all,

I am not sure if anyone remembers me or my kitchen! The remodeling started in April 2008 and was for the most part completed with the installation of the backsplash in December 2009. I wanted to have the walls painted before I posted the "final" reveal pictures! After living with patches of bluish-greenish-graying paint color samples for the last 3 years, I finally painted the kitchen a couple of weeks ago! To give you an idea of how long this whole project has taken, my DS1 was just 6 months when we started, and he is about to be 4 years old next month!!

We encountered some drama along the way, but luckily everything turned out alright! I would like to thank all of my GW friends who were extremely helpful during this journey! You are all amazing!! I learned so much during this process!

I dug up a couple of "before" pictures to give you an idea of what the space looked like before the remodeling. Please excuse the mess - we were in the process of packing up when these pictures were taken!

"After" photos

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Comments (35)

ni_2006
Original Author
12 years ago
Here are some details.

Cabinets: from Hanssem Kitchens, Eureka style in cherry. Most of the base cabinets are drawers, which is such a treat since we did not have a single drawer in the previous kitchen (not even for silverware, what was the previous owner thinking??)

Granite - Bianco Romano (I really struggled with this choice, but I am so happy with this decision. Thanks to GW friends for your input!)

Faucet - Kohler Forte

Sink - Ticor double-bowl sink from Galaxy Tool Supply

Soap dispenser - from Lowes; purchased for $19.99

Refrigerator - Kenmore Pro counterdepth fridge (purchased prior to remodeling; the fridge that came with the house was yucky)

Dishwasher - Bosch

Range - Bosch slide-in electric range

Microwave - Sharp over the counter microwave

Vent hood - Zephyr Tamburo (since we have the stove in the corner, this was the only hood that allowed us to open adjacent wall cabinets; I am not thrilled with its performance)

Floor - white oak, no stain

Cabinet hardware: Ebay (I really wish I got different handles! I keep on bumping into them and getting bruises on my legs.)

Pendant lights - $20 each from Home Depot!

Tapmaster - my favorite item from the renovation; a lovely present from DH for mother's day last year (my first mother's day :)

Paint color Ã¯Â¿Â½ Comfort Gray (Sherwin Williams); after purchasing close to 10 samples, I found the perfect bluish-greenish-grayish color!!!

Backsplash Ã¯Â¿Â½ calcatta herringbone from Ann Sacks (inspired by WillowdecorÃ¯Â¿Â½s kitchen); field tiles are Grazia Rixi tiles in Mandorla color
roarah
12 years ago
I love it and would like details! Your wood is so yummy and i love the marble backsplash and shelf! Very warm and inviting!
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Oh, Gwent, definitely not DIY and we had a lot of design help. The basic idea for white perimeter cabs and natural cherry island, along with the Cornufe, which was supposed to be the focal point, was ours. And we knew we wanted a terra cotta floor. We got the idea for the ceiling from a kitchen showroom that we visited, but my contractor built us a much nicer one than what we had seen. Layout was a painful process, that was part us, part a KD from a cabinet company that bailed on us, and part our final KD. We picked all the light fixtures, faucets and appliances on our own. It was our idea to do the glass-front bookcases, and the double-sided glass cabinets, but he designed them. Big picture was us. I give my KD credit for a lot of the details, and the execution, slow as it might have been sometimes. All that woodwork was really his design, to fit with the rest of the house. He convinced us to do the two granites, I would never have done that. He picked the backsplash. I was impressed that he came up with it so quickly and easily, until he took us to see his house. It is the backsplash he had in his kitchen, except he used only one color of insert tile instead of a variety of colors. The border around the floor on the island was also totally him. The butler's pantry floor was him. He gave me input on the knobs and handles, although we picked them. It was my idea to use the walnut for the bookcases, his to use it for the peninsula. We picked the vintage poster and stools and the pantry door. All in all, it was a collaborative effort.
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roarah
12 years ago
Oops thanks i must have xposted with you.... thanks for the details! Enjoy your kitchen!
blfenton
12 years ago
What a transformation. I like the way the stove is in the corner with the recessed alcove. Nicely done with the windows bringing in so much light.
rhome410
12 years ago
I remember!!! Congratulations on finishing! We're at 3 1/2 years and we're not there yet...

It looks wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
breadandsuch
12 years ago
Absolutely beautiful!!! I love all of your counter space.
cat_mom
12 years ago
What a nice big kitchen--ditto on the counter space!
mtpam2
12 years ago
Your kitchen looks so spacious and open! Really love the changes you made. Your cabinets are great and I love how your range area. I have considered putting our range in the corner, but don't think I can afford the loss of cabinet space. Love it all.
breezygirl
12 years ago
Color me green with counterspace envy! I love the BR in your space also. Comfort Gray is on my list of fav grays, but it looks much more blue in your kitchen than the chip does in mine. Great choice for you!

Congrats on being finished!!!!
Lori Ryan
12 years ago
Great Job. I love your hood and the nook behind the range. Nice use of space. I hope you have many enjoyable years with your family in your beautiful kitchen.
laxsupermom
12 years ago
It's beautiful! Love the deep rich cabinet color! And the herringbone backsplash is perfect! Thanks for coming back and showing off your beautiful kitchen!
ginny20
12 years ago
That is some transformation! Just lovely. Love rich color of the cabs and the olive oil nook. Congratulations!
pricklypearcactus
12 years ago
Absolutely stunning! Your kitchen inspired me to begin considering the combination of white countertops with cherry cabinets. Thank you so much for sharing the beautiful finished kitchen. I love the stunning cabinetry and the granite looks fantastic. The backsplash choice is spot on and the cabinet hardware looks perfect. Love it! Congratulations on your finally finished kitchen.
boxerpups
12 years ago
WOW.
Beautiful. And you have inspired me to show mine. It is
almost done. A few details I need to finish but I need
to just bite the bullet and show my pics.
~boxer
elba1
12 years ago
Looks really calming - congrats to you!
prill
12 years ago
I remember you! Thanks for coming back to post. It looks wonderful.
ni_2006
Original Author
12 years ago
Thank you all so much for the nice comments. The amount of information and help I received from the forum was invaluable! We are so happy with how the space has turned out. We definitely have a lot of countertop space (about 95 sq feet), which means I have to work extra hard to keep all the mess off the countertop!

I need suggestions for the window treatments! Help!! I really like the idea of having roman blinds and would love to learn to make them myself, but I have no idea what colors would work.

Also, what do you think of the "Family" art piece on the wall? I do like the colors and the idea that we can hang key on the hooks, but it feels rather bulky for the space. I would appreciate some suggestions for another piece of art. That wall is about 26 inches wide by 30 inches high.

TIA
jlcorp
12 years ago
Ni 2006-
Love all your choices. Your kitchen is both traditional and modern with tons of counter space and the light granite keeps it bright and airy.

I am currently doing an update on my kitchen and chose Monte Bello granite (somewhat similar to yours) and will go with soft white subway tile and a herringbone calacatta mosaic like yours also. I am keeping my golden oak cabinets, but I might stain them to be about the same color as yours (not yet decided on this- the lighter oak actually looks pretty good with my new top treatments). I made my own mosaic because I liked polished finish better than honed with the oak cabinets.

Question- what color(s) of grout did you use for your tile area and the mosaic area? Are they the same color or different?
ni_2006
Original Author
12 years ago
pricklypearcactus - have you already posted pictures of your kitchen? I would love to see the kitchen that was inspired by mine :)

boxerpups - I do remember your kitchen. Don't you have white cabinets, white square tiles, and granite that looks like soapstone? I can't wait to see the finished pictures!

rhome410 - what else is left to do? I could have sworn you were done!!

prill - I really like your blue rixi tiles! Seeing the tiles in your kitchen really helped me make my decision to move forward with Rixi tiles...

breezygirl - the paint does look bluish on the screen, but it has an element of blue-gree-gray on the wall. I looked for so long to find the right color and everyone thought I was mad for living with paint patches for years!

JLGC - I just looked through my records and found that the grout we selected for the field tiles is called Sauterne and it is unsanded. The ground we selected for the marble tiles is called Alabaster (it is sanded grout from MAPAI).
lynn85
12 years ago
What a beautiful kitchen! Might have taken you 3 years to complete but you will be able to enjoy it for many years to come!
dilly_ny
12 years ago
Nice! I love how the kitchen has a light feel even with the dark cabinets. Great choices. Enjoy!
clg7067
12 years ago
Wow!

I like the way you utilized the corners, and agree about the paint color. I'm going to have to make a note of that color.
clueless_70
12 years ago
Love your kitchen. How are your hanssem cabinets holding up?
ni_2006
Original Author
12 years ago
Sorry for the delay in my response. The cabinets look great from afar, but when you look closely, there are a few dents here and there. I don't know if it is because of the manufacturer or if it is because they are made of cherry, but they are fairly easy to scratch. If I had the chance to do it again, I would go with a harder type of wood but in the same type of stain.
cherylmass
12 years ago
Just beautiful! You'll enjoy entertaining this holiday season in our beautiful space. Congrats on a job well done.
carybk
12 years ago
Looks great!
aliris19
12 years ago
Wow; gorgeous. I love the oils shelf.
colorfast
12 years ago
Wow, rich color choice on the cabinets. Great job!
eugene325
11 years ago
Just wondering how are your cabinets holding up. I am considering Hanssem Neo for my new kitchen. Thanks.
sayrevilleNJ
10 years ago
How's your Hanssem cabinets holding up ? We really are struggling to find enough reviews on this brand.

We are trying to compare with armstrong which are also priced same.
gr8daygw
10 years ago
what a beautiful transformation!
susanlynn2012
10 years ago
Gorgeous kitchen! I love the style of the doors, the hardware used, the gorgeous Bianco Romano Granite counters (I need to now get a sample), the appliances, the backsplash, the shelf in back of the range, etc. Thanks for letting me know that you keep bumping into the handles and getting bruses on your legs since that is something I did not think about as I have no hardware on my doors right now and my new kitchen will have hardware that I have not picked out yet. Thanks for letting us know that your cabinets are Hanssem Cabinets as it is a door I am considering if I decide to go with full overlay frameless and not inset.
Mags438
10 years ago
Beautiful transformation; doesn't matter how long it took, it's great! Love all the counter space!
abekker
9 years ago
Hi,

We are considering Hanssem for our kitchen as well. How are your cabinets doing after all this time? Did you go with all plywood?

Thanks.
susanlynn2012
9 years ago
What recessed lighting did you go with? Do you know how far they are from the cabinets? How are the cabinets holding up? What did you use for the corner cabinet? Any pictures inside? Did you go with all plywood or not? I love the style of the door and the color of the cabinets. Are the cabinets cherry with no stain? Did they darken much? Thank you for sharing. As I said before, you have a beautiful kitchen.

Kitchen finally done after more than 3 years!

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