Houzz Basics
Marianne Scoggin
9 years ago
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rredpenn
9 years agoMarianne Scoggin
9 years agoRelated Discussions
how many hours would it take a KD to design a basic layout?
Comments (28)thanks herb. I understand what you are saying, but for the life of me what I can't understand is why a sink is so offensive! How many feet away does a cleanup sink have to be to not be offensive to diners? People are going to see the sink from everywhere in the kitchen, dining room, AND family room. If people hate being by sinks so much why do they always congregate in the kitchen? So much I don't understand. People always talking about hiding dirty dishes. I put my dirty dishes immediately in the dishwasher. Then I wipe out the sink so it's clean. ah well. Let me ask you this: do people who design their kitchens with you typically mind if their main cleanup sink faces a wall with no window? Maybe I need to be more open to this idea. It really bothers me though. In my own plan the only place the sink can face a window is if it's towards the dining end of the kitchen. The only other spot I see as an option is in the island, offset towards the opposite end (far away from the dining) maybe two feet away from the edge of the island, with the dishwasher being on the very end of the island. My prep would take place to the right of the sink at the 5 foot expanse of island, across from the range, or next to the range on one side or another. Then I could move the wall ovens to the spot closest to the dining area. Snackers could access the fridge, a snack counterspace and the dishwasher all outside the prep and cook zone. something like this except swap the trash and dishwasher and perhaps i don't need a prep sink, or perhaps the prep sink should be on the other side of the range: [img][/img]...See MoreHouzz survey on kitchen trends
Comments (14)Too white for me. Not my cup of tea at all, but that's just me. The house has to work together - in a unified whole. If the white works in that house and for the people that live there, then that should be what matters. Not whether or not it's "trendy". On a somewhat related note - we're close to drywall on our house. Mechanicals are going in this week. Yesterday I did a job walk with the guy that's in charge of our tile job. He said that he's seen a lot of "different" houses in his line of work - different as in "strange". He said that ours is going to be different in a terrific way. Of course, he hasn't actually seen some aspects of our house yet - has only seen drawings of the kitchen, heard about the lighting, etc. But he still kept stopping his planning work to look at our rooms. I was flattered! He has a good eye for design, too, from what I've seen of his work. Trends are okay, I guess, as long as they *work* for the house. I've gone to Houzz for basic ideas, but I've brainstormed to come up with specifics that work for us and our house. Although I realize that not everyone has - or would want to have - a virtually blank slate for their house (sometimes it's kind of a pain!)....See MoreHello Houzz! Old "houzz" / new "houzz" ...
Comments (33)Thanks for checking in on our progress, patty_cakes! Unfortunately, with all of the rain we've received over the past month or so, progress came to a standstill and we are still waiting for our foundation to be poured! Construction crews all over this area are so far behind on jobs, and I'm trying to have patience. At least we presently have a house in which to live. I know that there are many who work construction here who depend on having those regular paychecks and when they stop rolling in, they really suffer. My heart goes out to them, and I'm trying to keep this all in perspective! As it now stands, our projected completion date is mid-October at the earliest. We have made all of our selections for the house, and I think I've got photos of most everything we've selected here in my "idea book." (Can you view it?) My vision was to keep things as classic and timeless as possible. We've chosen hardwood flooring throughout, with the exception of the bathrooms and the laundry which will be tiled. My kitchen will have white cabinets (with a couple of lighted Flemish-glass fronted cabinets to display my blue and white Cornishware), black granite countertops, and a glossy white subway tile backsplash. We've added crown molding throughout the house. Will have a stacked-stone fireplace in the living room (which is open to the kitchen - a concept that will be quite different than we are used to!). The bathrooms will be simply styled with white subway tile in the showers, white integrated counters/sinks, and we'll have brushed nickel hardware throughout the house. The walls will be painted a very neutral off-white -- certainly different from the Crayola box that our current house used to be! I'm yearning for simple, classic, clean. And new. Never, EVER thought I'd be saying that, but well ... here I am. :-) We'll be buying new furniture once we're in. I'm leaning towards a sectional in the main living space, and we'll need new bedroom furniture for the master and the upstairs bedroom. The little "game room" upstairs will be a space for TV watching and reading, and I'd like to furnish it sparsely but comfortably. I plan to use my paintings as pops of color, and it will be fun to figure out where to hang things once we move. I'll have to sell a few pieces, but I think I can use most of my favorites. We have already committed to plantation shutters in all of the rooms requiring window coverings, and I'm really happy with that decision. I've loved that look for ages, and am also just tired of dealing with curtains. Right now it still feels a little like a dream that's a long way off ... But I know we'll get there eventually!...See MoreBacksplash Basics - New FAQ?
Comments (60)FOR TAMARA AND THE FAQ I've gone back and reviewed what everyone has said and came up with the following: ================================================== Title Subject: How do I choose a backsplash and when do I choose it? =============== CONTENT BELOW ================== To the age old question, "Do I need a backsplash?", the short answer is yes. You need some sort of backsplash in wet zones to protect your walls, cabinets, floors, and subfloors from deterioration due to water infiltration, and in your cooking zone to protect your drywall from cooking oils, spills, odors, and cleaning chemicals. That said, plenty of Houzzers have chosen not to have a backsplash, or to delay the choice for budgetary or other reasons. To review some of these threads, search for threads with "ABB" (All But Backsplash) in the Subjects to check those out. (See the current "New to Kitchens" thread for more information regarding searching the Forum.) . How does one choose a backsplash? First, like every other process here, we encourage you to do some research on your own, then post your particulars and ask for feedback. One fundamental question you must consider before all others is what is the focus of your space? Cabinets? Counters? Backsplash? Something else? Multiple focal points are generally not recommended, so determine what you want for your focal point and select your backsplash (and other components) based on your preference. For example, bold counters and attention-grabbing backsplashes rarely work well together. How do you determine your preferred focus? Look at pictures of Kitchens you like as well as those with various items as the focal point. Some will have simple cabinets and floors with a busy/bold counter and calm/simple backsplash. Others will have simple cabinets, floors, and counters with a busy or commanding backsplash. Which do you find yourself drawn to? The images of the Kitchens you like will help you determine which you prefer – is there a pattern to what you like? Another consideration is whether you want a backsplash that's only a few inches tall, one that goes to the ceiling, or something in between. You don't have to have a backslash that covers every inch of wall. In some cases, you don't need a backsplash (e.g., an island sink or cooktop), but that's rarely the case. In most situations, at least a small backsplash is needed in key locations. . To Wait or Not To Wait There is no right or wrong answer – many Houzzers have done both. Wait…Waiting to buy your backsplash until you have had your counters installed allows you to see samples in your space and in your light throughout the day with your actual installed materials and with proper orientation/location (e.g., backsplash samples should be vertical between the counter and upper cabinets, flooring should be horizontal below the cabinets when viewing). For example, if your installed cabinets are warmer than you expected or your counters cooler, you are free to search for a backsplash material that can pull things together. The only drawback to waiting is that you may have to wait for your backsplash material to be fabricated or to arrive, causing possible delays in the completion of your space. Don't Wait…Choosing your backsplash in concert with your other materials, prior to demo, allows you to be certain they all work together both in terms of design and cost. This keeps you from running the risk of falling in love with a backsplash that doesn't look right with your already installed counter or fit within the budget that is leftover after you have made all of your other choices. There are also advantages in terms of lay outing things like electrical outlets to best work with your chosen backsplash. Finally choosing your backsplash before demo starts allows you to order any necessary material so project completion isn't delayed. However, a major drawback to this is that you are making decisions on colors and finishes based on samples -- sample cabinet finishes, sample counter swatches, sample backsplash materials, etc. -- and samples don't always represent the final product accurately. If you are in the "pick all the elements now" camp, consider creating a "mood board" to get at least an idea of how things will look together. In addition, bring home samples to at least check how they will look in the light of your Kitchen – both natural and, if possible, artificial light. The majority wisdom on this site favors waiting, if that is possible. Regardless of which approach you choose, you should consider your backsplash as one part of the whole picture of your beautiful new space! . Inspiration Images These really help you to focus on what your kitchen as a whole will look like. They also give the folks responding to your queries an idea of what you like so they won't recommend, for example, white subway tiles if all your inspiration images feature hand painted Mexican tile. As mentioned above, search the web for images of kitchens with your other materials (white cabinets, walnut floors, etc.) and select which ones you like the best. What type of backsplash do they have? The idea is not to copy the look, but to get a feel for what you like and communicate those likes to others. . Budget Finally, we'll need an idea of a materials budget. Installation can account for half of the budget for a backsplash, so take that into consideration in your planning and deduct accordingly. Let us know how much you want to spend in $/sf for your materials and/or overall cost. It's not very helpful falling in love with a handmade tile in a custom glaze if it costs $100/square foot and your budget for tile is $10/sf, but Houzz Kitchens Forum members are fantastic at finding similar (and occasionally the same) tiles for less money. Without budget numbers it is very difficult for us to truly be of help to you. (Be aware that labor costs will vary by the area where you live as well as how complex your installation will be.) . How we can help The way it works is that we can recommend a surface (usually tile, sheet glass, metal, slab stone or laminate), advise for/against a choice (color, or busy-ness are the usual things discussed), provide you with layout and pattern feedback, and find images you might have missed of materials that have worked for us or caught our eye. For example, you might ask: "How can I find a backsplash tile to go with my green floors, counters, and purple cabinets?" The answer might be that you have to paint your cabinets or change your floors to make it right, or maybe some Houzzer somewhere will show you an image of a kitchen with a painted tin backsplash that pulls it all together. It has happened! Some Houzz members are great at photoshopping images together to give you an idea of what a small sample of your backsplash might look like in your space. It is time and effort on their part that can be truly helpful. Remember to say thank you! . . Regardless of our advice, remember that it is just that, advice. In the end, it's your Kitchen and it's up to you what you want to put in it – take or leave the advice we give, but at least you are making an informed choice and know the pros & cons of your choice! We hope we can be helpful and good luck with your project! . . . [Eam44, Crl_, Buehl, and other Houzzers]...See More- Emily H9 years ago
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Marianne ScogginOriginal Author