Design input needed on my Island

15 years ago

So, we are almost done with our DIY kitchen facelift/reno. So far I love everything we did with one exception. While we did use a designer friend of mine, one part just does not look right to us and we can't figure out why so I thought I would ask here!

Here is the island. The idea for the oak beadboard back was to tie in the off white kitchen with the otherwise oak-y house (floors, trim, doors, etc), and to make it easier to keep clean with little feet kicking at it while eating snacks and doing homework.

But, something just does not look right. Ideas we had were: paint the beadboard white and leave the base trim oak, or add corbels/braces to the underside of the counter to make it more balanced looking, or get new stools, or SOMETHING!

Maybe it is just fine the way it is, but I would love more opinions- I won't be hurt, (well, maybe if someone is really mean LOL---but I can deal with the truth!)

Hopefully I can figure out how to post pictures. If it doesn't work, I'll try again

[IMG]http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e72/ladybugdoctor/Kitchen/DSC06748.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e72/ladybugdoctor/Kitchen/DSC06750.jpg[/IMG]

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Comments (11)

david123
Original Author
15 years ago
I'll try again!
julie92
15 years ago
David, I love your new kitchen. It looks like tropic brown granite and glazed cabinets. Exactly what we are working on if we quit running into problems. My island is painted black in an oil based paint from SW and my perimeter cabs are going to be cream with chocolate glaze soon I hope. My island was white with oil based paint before the black and honestly I think it held up to kids feet better than the black. The black shows everything. IMO, I would like it better if you painted to beadboard white also, but do what makes you happy. I know I have done some things my designer suggested and found out the hard way, that it is not the most practical. Could you give me details on your creamy white paint and glaze? Love your kitchen! Don't fret over the little thing. It is beautiful!!!!!
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Thanks for the responses! Interesting... Okay, to answer a few questions -- yes, there is a pantry. It is thru the mud room entry, and is virtually right behind where you see the wall ovens. It is in a different room technically, but close by. It's the only place we could make one fit. We had this huge kind of fridge in our last house and we got spoiled with it... BUT, I don't want it to be the elephant in the room! As far as where the microwave is located, instead of going with double ovens, I'm doing the stack with micro/convection oven on top, and oven below it. I'd be willing to nix the desk, I guess. My husband will not agree, but I'm the one that spends the most time in this room! I definitely want it to function well! Thanks for your input. Keep it coming...!
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Here's a sketch of what you could do. There are other options to arrange the master part but just to get started. Note it is not to scale. Just a sketch, but I kept some of the measurements in mind as well as wall thicknesses to see that it would fit. I used 4.5" for interior walls. Also couldn't see where all the windows were so this may not work with the windows. Now this assumes you have full standing height in all spaces shown. I'm not sure you do though, but it isn't marked where that starts and stops on the drawing.
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Since you do not like your cooktop on your island, it may be easier to move to the wall with a full range (the window wall is my plan). Then you can leave your micro and other oven combo alone. You also may do with one less cab under your island to give you some room for seating. The island top can be the size you have basically. It is hard to say for sure because I can't see how wide and how many cabs you currently have for your island. Since you are re-doing the counters, it gives you some leeway on changing/moving other cabs too. You might want a narrow one between the dw and stove, perhaps to fit cookie sheets. That would give you some elbow room for the cook to be away from the sink. You seem to have a little room to extend that run. You can put some open shelves on the side of uppers if you want them to extend equally, or better yet, move the uppers down to make room for a larger sink window when you get to it later. You might want to try the local Habitat for Humanity Restore or other architectural salvage place for a new window at a really reduced price so you can do it now. You will get a better deal on labor if you do as much of the work at one time as possible. I got a more than $1k specialty window, brand new, at the Restore and it only cost $149 a few weeks ago! What are your thoughts for a backsplash?
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david123
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks for the compliments! The paint is SW proclassic in a satin (it's their waterborne paint, oil encapsulated in a latex so its water clean up when painting!) The color is called Casa Blanca. The accent was done by hand (super painful), and the countertops are not granite (it does look like tropic brown though) but rather Cambria (Reading is the color).

I will link you to my blog, but I do have to say that the glazing was the hardest part and we were just too dumb to figure out an easier way to do it! So, I would not recommend the technique if you are more clever and can find a better way.

Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: DIY kitchen makeover blog
julie92
15 years ago
I know the detail work is a pain. I would rather pay someone to faux finish mine, but my dad is a retired painter and would not think of letting me do that. Although he loves the way detailing and glazing looks, he hates the prep work! Thanks for the info!
gglks
15 years ago
i would agree that it would look better painted the same as the cabinets. Could you take the beadboard down, paint it, and then put it back up? Maybe that's actually more work than it's worth though. Looks great though!!!!
megradek
15 years ago
I agree that it might look better if painted in the casa blanca.
david123
Original Author
15 years ago
It seems to be the consensus that it should be white. It would be impossible to take it down first (it is nailed in and has adhesive on it and has corner trim on it). It would be easier to paint it in place, or to get some thin board and paint it and place it over top.

So you think it would look weird to keep the trim piece on the bottom oak or just paint that too and be prepared to touch it up a lot?

Thanks so much for your input!
gglks
15 years ago
i think you gotta paint it.....we also have proclassic in our kitchen and mudroom. not our cabinets but our built in bench and cubbies. it does seem to clean up nicely......
chinchette
15 years ago
I am not sure it has to be white. Hard to tell without seeing more of the kitchen. I'm not emphatic on it being white.
craigbass1976
15 years ago
Can you stick fake door panels on it?
rnest44
15 years ago
Maybe applied molding to break up the expanse of that side of the island. Also I do think I would like those stools painted white. If you do decide to paint it white I would do the baseboard too.
What I can see of your kitchen looks fabulous. Enjoy the holidays!

Design input needed on my Island

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