Splurged on the range. A kitchen is for cooking (unless you're just building a show kitchen) so getting the best range (or cooktop and ovens)that you can afford is IMHO the best place to spend your dollars.

I splurged on the countertops (soapstone) and a small addition of about 7 square feet where my table goes to increase my eating area. My priorities were to make it a cozy, comfortable warm place for family dinners.

I saved by using my old refrigerator & double oven and by buying other things on the cheap where possible (new kitchenaid compactor on craigslist, backsplash tile on ebay, etc.)

I also saved money (kind of) by selling my old stuff on craigslist. I sold my old countertops today for $750 and my old cooktop (maybe) for another $300.

Although I agree with weissman in that my kitchen is for cooking, I'm a very basic cook for a family of 5 and I'd be lying if I said I needed a fancy oven or cooktop; good is good enough for my cooking style.

Anita

I also agree with Weissman...Besides the DIYing our house, we saved on countertop and am very happy with what I have. (A combo of laminate, stainless, and wood.) Got our brand new F&P ovens off Ebay for less than 60% of retail...so no real sacrifice and all gain there.
Splurged on the Wolf 48" rangetop which makes it possible for more than one of us to cook at a time, and with power and control like we've never had...Priceless!

I think I just splurged heh heh

No wait, now that I think about it, I got half my knobs on clearance and my antique lighting came from a barn..I had to rehab it myself so I guess that's sort of a save :o)

I am with Weissman as well. I splurged big time on the appliances, stainless counters and sinks. While my kitchen is beautiful it's primary focus is to be a machine :) beauty is just an extra bonus.

I too splurged on appliances: Bluestar range, Monogram single oven and Advantium, Bosch dishwasher, Futuro hood and Samsung and LG refrigerators. I did save some money on the GE stuff because I have the friends and family discount. I'm also splurging on Fire and Ice backsplash; I'll have about 70 square feet of it! I'm saving, though, on my Ikea cabs (though I'm gaga for them), and my granite was less than I thought it would be at just over $60 per square foot. Faucets (Grohe) and sinks were purchased on Ebay.

Truthfully, after years of watching DH jet all over the world to golf, I was set to spend whatever it cost to get the kitchen of my dreams. But, I'm a thrifty Scot at heart, and didn't feel an over the top kitchen would fit our low key home. I just wanted a space where I could cook at least twice as well in half the time. Hopefully it will look nice, too.

In case my kitchen sounds like payback, let me just say that I don't begrudge DH's passion for golf-- it makes him happy. My kitchen is making me happy, too, and right now we're at the drywall dust stage!

we kinda splurged on the granite.. the granite which we picked cost us an extra $1,000.. but we saved by doing all the labor.. apart from the counter fabrication and install we did everything..

Saved: dishwashers, trash compactor, microwave, secondary kitchen convection oven - all KitchenAid, granite countertops ($13.25/sq. ft.), not having any decorative light fixtures (only cans, under and over cabinet lights and soffit rope lighting), Blanco Silgranit sinks from eBay Home and Stone.

Splurged: Lacanche range, Gaggenau combi/steam oven, Savage Cabinets (inset with LOTS of bling-bling moldings), having a second kitchen instead of a walk-in pantry (thank you, Savage Cabinets).

Splurged on the new door and windows. Saved on the cabinets. Economised a bit on the appliances - bought Electrolux rather than Wolf, etc. Spoiled ourselves a little with a wine fridge too. We showed admirable restraint and decided to substitute granite for copper countertops when the 'additional items' started getting added to the purported "final" quote. Consoled ourselves with a copper sink :)

My Thermador is both a splurge (by the standards of my family and neighborhood, which are both midrange Kenmore/GE Profile type people) and a scrimp (retail $7K, bought on Ebay for $3700). It's made a big difference in my cooking, so it's worth every penny.

I originally thought my azul macaubas granite was a major splurge, but from what I'm hearing I think it's in the same ballpark as soapstone.

I put basic HD Daltile (probably about $100 total cost)above the range and the granite.

My cabinet knobs are my favorite example of both -- the island knobs with character were $25/each, and the perimeter cabinet knobs were $6 each.

Without question the Lacanche range was the biggest splurge!

Remodeling my kitchen was a splurge in & of itself. So with that in mind, I tried to save on everything! DIY'ed as much as I could. Learned a LOT about where to shop for the best deals, & still get good quality, by reading here.

What I considered splurges were not extravagent by any means, but I got the best stove & fridge I could within my budget (Frigidaire Convection, Fisher Paykel), solid wood semi-custom cabs (made locally) & granite counters (not ready-made w/ the big bullnose I hate)

The things I really saved (cheaped out?) on were things that can be easily done or replaced later (you know, when I'm rich & famous) - no new DW, DIY'ed beadboard backsplash that is just fine, but could be tiled nicely later, kept some of the old lighting until I can find and afford something fabulous.

The things I saved on may or may not ever change, but I'm Finished For Now, & happy with what I have. :)

Splurged on the Wolf cooktop....

Saved on the Kitchenaid appliances. We figured we could always afford the "nicer" brands in 10 years if we needed to....and it's so easy to switch them out. Also saved on the sinks and faucets which I bought online for a steal.

Splurged on the pendant lights which are antique reproductions. Also splurged on the granite, which wasn't necessarily pricey but definitely pricier than the more common granites. Our biggest splurge was putting hardwood in the kitchen, then refinishing all the hardwood floors on the entire main floor so they all matched. Best splurge ever, as the floors are amazing and defined the feel of our home.

Oh! Forgot what I really considered a splurge - my Franke instant hot/cold filtered water tap. Worth every penny!

We are "splurging" on inset cabinets -- although by finding a local cabinet maker the price came down. My finish will be more costly -- handpainted with some additional finishing steps, not sprayed. Reclaimed antique wood floor, needed Marvin windows b/c they were the most "historically correct" to match existing house.

Saving on appliances a bit -- we, too, did Electrolux instead of Wolf or Thermador, Kenmore will also be represented.

For me, my cabinetry is forever and an area that I paid very close attention to b/c that is what I love. We will use our kitchen hard, everyone likes to be in it and use it and hopefully the appliances we chose will service us for years to come, but we did have to compromise in this area to put some additional $$ toward windows, abinet details/finish and reclaimed flooring.

My splurges for my budget: Construction costs removing wall and door/window installation. Got the creamy white painted cabinets with all the bells and whistles I wanted. Got the granite I wanted.
My savings: No new appliances; handles were $2.25 a piece; DH and I DIY'd painting and purchased/installed the flooring; Ticor sink/Delta Allora faucet; got lighting on internet; Ordered customs blinds from internet and DIY'd their intstall.
Barb

I haven't gotten my estimate yet and am very nervous. Our construction costs will be high, as we are replacing a long window with a shorter one, removing a giant radiator and installing a new one, asbestos issues, plastering, etc. We are not getting the inset, painted cabinets I have dreamed about, but factory made, factory painted mid-level ones that my contractor can get a low price on. We may keep our old appliances. If we got new ones, they would be the higher-end Kenmore white ones (nothing too fabulous anyway).

I am hoping to splurge on soapstone, and some nice trimwork and decorative shelving to detract for the modern look of the cabinets.

Sayde - I have enjoyed your posts. You have asked great questions that have been really helpful to me.

My kitchen is not a renovation but part of a new build. As construction has progressed I've been so nervous (due to other cost over-runs) that the kitchen I've been envisioning would not come to be.

In order to make it happen I've finished the floors in the entire house myself, with a savings of $8000.

Bought lighting in the wrong color at a great clearance price online(then painted it ORB), bought additional lighting direct from the manufacturer instead of from a local distributor.

Bathroom vanities were custom made, but drop in sinks were purched at Lowes on clearance and with a coupon for $17.55 ea (listed for $199.00ea).

I'm bringing my existing custom made island instead of having a new one made.

Cooktop and dishwasher were purchased during a no tax weekend, and additional discounts and price matching were applied as was free delivery, for a savings of $940.00. Sub-zero 700 was a splurge for me but I purchased it from a model home so I got it at a great discount. Still haven't picked out a wall oven , but I'm hoping to get a bargain as it will be in my pantry. I bought an inexpensive bridge faucet from home depot, because it had the look, color and reach that I needed for $119.00. I'm getting a wood counter from Ikea for the sink run, not just as a savings but because it is available in oak. And lastly I am splurging on a Soapstone sink and counter for the cooktop run.

I'm with moonkat - the remodel was the splurge! Electrical and plumbing cost soooo much.

Some of our choices straddle the line of save/splurge.
Splurge: We chose Pella windows with brown metal clad exterior trim, to coordinate with the other (original 1950 wood awning) windows which we are slowly reglazing and repainting dark brown; Special order laminate, in a custom configuration for both kitchen & laundry room; cabinet hardware at HD EXPO (not too pricey, but Ikea would have been cheaper); chimney hood (again, not the most expensive, but more than DH wanted to spend!); french door refrigerator (floor sample; good price, but WAY more than we planned to pay for fridge); kitchen faucet that we both loved.

Saved: Fixed, rather than open-able windows; Ikea pendants (less than $40 each); laminate rather than solid surface countertops; stock paintable cabs from Lowes to replace rotted ones in old kitchen/new laundry room; $40 laundry tub sink (love this--so deep).

This whole house is a DIY project so I have saved a lot thoughout the whole thing. That was sort of my way of saving so I could splurge in other places. Since my whole life I had not had a great kitchen, I did splurge on the kitchen, to a degree. I got custom cabinets and exotic granite. I laid the quartersawn white oak floor myself though, and will do the backsplash too. I installed all the lighting, range hood and appliances. I went sort of in the middle on appliances. I got GE profile oven, microwave and refrigerator but splurged a little on the 36" GE monogram cooktop. The DW will probably end up being whirlpool just because I have had such good luck with them through the years.

i went for every thing i wanted for my kitchen renovation besides replacing the 3 year-old stainless fridge and i think the rewards worth every penny. if i tried i would have saved at most $10,000 for my small kitchen (18 linear feet including island). but to be able to fully enjoy and be amazed by this kitchen for my family and friends for the next 20+ years (at least) make the extra cost so easy to justify.

The nifty new window over the sink, the granite and the glass tile were splurges. I saved a lot by getting new doors instead of new cabinets and by buying hardware at Home Depot.

We were trying to do a DIY remodel for under $10K and have pretty much accomplished that.

Our splurge: madura gold granite and ripping out the dropped ceiling to add another 10" in height.

Where we saved: APPLIANCES: our range was black and white which looked really bad with all other appliances black but a new stove wasn't really in the budget since we are trying to move toward building a new house soon. The answer? Believe it or not black appliance expoxy. For about $20 we spray painted it all black. Our friends bought a new DW and gave us their black & ss Maytag (only 1 yr. old). We also bought inexpensive but well made cabinets that I think were the right price-point for this house on resale.

Splurges:

Wide shaker door style - standard shaker would have been much less, but I had my heart set on the wide shaker...

And the 18" Miele dishwasher. Once I knew I could only fit an 18", I consoled myself by getting a nice one. (Didn't like the old-fashioned controls on the MUCH cheaper Frigidaire and GE's...)

Saved:

Frigidaire top freezer refrigerator instead of the GE Profile bottom freezer (half the price!).

SS Blanco sink from Home & Stone via Ebay.

Blanco faucet from faucetdepot.com (much cheaper than everywhere else!).

I agree with others here that the biggest splurge was actually deciding to do the kitchen (and bathroom) at all. I can't believe how much this is setting me back (and in this financial environment - shudder!).

Thanks for your comment Maureen -- I learn so much from all you GWers --

I am thinking of another tradeoff to save -- rather than a 36 rangetop and wall ovens plus a MW I'm thinking of a 30 AG range and an Advantium ---this will still get me a multi-purpose wall oven and the big gas oven in the range which would be relatively infrequently used. Still thinking Wolf or American for the range and GE oven but this would save several thousand over the earlier plan.

I have been talking to several people about bidding for the cabs and the labor. Today I got a call from one of them asking how the planning was going and hinting that because of the economy I could get a better price on the cabs (better than initially quoted) if I ordered by the end of the year. So, shop around and press for better pricing.

we pretty much approached our kitchen reno as a one time opportunity so we splurged on many things, appliances (all wolf,sub zero), counter tops (azul macaubas granite), but we did keep existing wood floors, and went with simple tile no mural above stove. Its 1 year later and I have no regrets although I'm glad I wasn't in the middle of our reno now with what is happening with the economy!

The only things we splurged on was custom lower cabinetry & cast iron sink.
Everything else was salvage (uppers) recycled (relaid existing fir floors & I sanded & refinished them myself) or eBay (antique lights, cheap, cheap, cheap!)
We kept our white appliances, they were in great condition & fit in with our victorian house especially the vintage double oven stove.

Too early to tell but the one piece of advice I have clung to, I got it out of some kitchen magazine, is that less expensive materials can look much more expensive when they are installed well. I always remember this kitchen (see link) not for its' soapstone counters or beautiful lacquer\painted off-white cabinets which are lovely (and important to the overall effect of the room) but for that composite vinyl tile floor. The custom pattern, the great colours it's fantastic and I am sure many have spent more than 20 times as much on their floor to not achieve 1\2 the impact.

What I take from that is while $$$ dictate that you may have to compromise on materials to stay on budget you don't have to lower your standards in terms of the quality of the design and workmanship that goes into the kitchen your working on. One of the reason I chose the box store I did is because the installer is excellent and he gets paid the same to install my stock "Instant Kitchen" as he does someone elses Kraftmaid semi-custom "Venicia" kitchen that cost 4 times as much. So I suppose you could say that I saved on the cabs and splurged on the labour. Time will tell if it was a smart trade off or not.

Here is a link that might be useful: pics of mjsmama's kitchen

I think I saved on my cabinets, but everything else is going well over budget. My cab company seems to be new in town, with few choices of boxes or doors, but I got exactly what I wanted, custom stained and installed, for a fraction of the other companies.

My appliances are a bit OTT. I wanted a really nice range, DH wanted a TOL DW, and we ended up with about twice as much refrigerator as we needed. The BIG surprises were the cost of the ventilation system - HVAC + the hood equalled about half the cabinet costs. The electrical upgrades were also an eye-opener, also not optional.

The only way I could have saved (and DIY was never a consideration!), would have been to choose a few cheaper appliances, and cheaper countertops and floor tiles.