looks like the island will be the star...don't worry about the floor..it's a big enough space you can do runners with patterns/whatever....the dark will be a backdrop. Beautiful looking island cabs...good stain job on Maple?? really nice. How was Conestoga to work with anyway?

very pretty so far!!

It is going to be gorgeous. I prefer dark floors so I love them. Once the marble is installed the whole space will be bright and beautiful.

Photo

Houzz Photo

Herb flavor- I think you're right about the runners. I love them in the kitchen, anyway! It was overwhelmingly dark at first but I'm noticing it less with more cabinets in! The island is white quartersawn oak. It doesn't have the amount of rays I was hoping for but I still love it. So far the butlers pantry shows it off the best..

Island in..

What kind of floor is that? It looks like it's being completely trashed with dust.

The cabinetry looks beautiful.

oh nice-QS oak.....I though maybe lyptus if not maple ....I wonder if your lighting hits it a certain way, the rays will come through??.........interesting stain color-is the island darker than the pantry-it looks more espresso-pantry a bit lighter. So attractive. Glad to see the choice of the oak-people forget how versatile it can be-that will really be classic for you.

Ooooooohhhhh.... Nice eye candy!

Candy... ohohohohohohhhoOHOHOHOHOhohohohohoh Love me some inset cabinets. The finish on these are gaw-geous. Don't sweat the floor. It's the forest for the trees thing. It's so big right now, it can be overwhelming. When your stuff is all in? It'll frame everything beautifully.

I just realized how grammatically incorrect the title of my post is.. Which is why I shouldn't post before three cups of coffee!

I ordered through Jim at the Cabinet Joint - he's been absolutely amazing. We corresponded for over eight months! I can't tell you how many times I just said, scratch that, lets start over. He was patient the whole time! We're only missing one piece (which they didn't tell me about until tonight, hopefully it's not too late) and it's just a drawer front so no biggy. Everything else was perfect. 33 cabinets and one error......... Not too shabby!! ;)

Herb Flavor - I noticed the butler's pantry looks lighter too - I think it's because the light was hitting it in that spot. I saw them being assembled and the stains all matched! The island back looks darker in person (I think) because it's regular sawn oak. I didn't want to spend money on QS oak plywood that wouldn't be seen under an 18" overhang. I forgot to get pictures of the apron + legs for the island that got added after the fact - opps! I wonder if maybe I got too dark of a stain for the rays to show? Not sure! I've heard that newer QS oak just doesn't have it like the older stuff does. It's still very, very pretty graining, though! Worth an upcharge!

Snookums - it's wood and I'm not happy with how trashed my GC lets everyone leave the house. The cabinet guys swept for me, but it wasn't even their mess. We've got a few meticulous subs ( our electrician puts the plates on with a level and ALL slotted screws are straight up and down - we love him) but there have been some major, major slobs.. Complaining has done nothing!

CEFreeman - I'm pretty impressed with the finish and that the installers managed to not nick a thing. Really great guys. I feel the same way as you do about inset - much rather have half the size of a kitchen and have it be inset! My husband doesn't get it, he keeps saying, "I don't understand what we paid extra for. They look like normal cabinets". I almost stabbed him after he showed no interest in my showing him the CUSTOM SIZED TOP DRAWERS in the island!!

Adding more pictures from my phone in a sec.

"A side note, my floors turned out WAY darker than we wanted. I showed a sample of the one I wanted to the flooring guy and he said he had a near-perfect match. I saw it in the sunlight and okayed it - ugh. I'm upset about it, as we both don't like dark floors."

And now a view from the other side.

Years ago, I did a built-in bench in oak, had the customer sign the back of the stained sample twice, cut it in half, and gave her one. (Store fixture companies submit samples to architects for approval; this is how the big boys do it.) I stained the bench only to hear "It's too dark!" I refused to continue without payment to fix her mistake, she refused to pay, I walked and ate the money she owed me.

No more finishing for me. You pick the granite, estone, bamboo, solid surface, whatever, and it is what it is.

Oh, love the open grooves/slots in the sink cabinet's false drawer. LOVE!

"And now a view from the other side....."

What is your point there? Here we've got an ideal client with a great attitude. Wood floors not only came out the wrong color but are being trashed by the trades.

" I'm upset about it, as we both don't like dark floors. But it is what it is, they are fine just not what we wanted. That's why God made area rugs.... Right? ;) "

Love your apron front cabinet feet. Beautiful cabinets & I don't think your wood floors look too dark. They look very rich & will contrast beautifully with the white cabinets & white trim. I have dark floors & love them.

I found your drawings enchanting, and the resulting cabinets are lovely. I like the vintage style of the ventilation slots and cabinet feet, too. Great job!

So lovely! Really, you can tell how much planning you put into your new home. I, for one, can not wait to see the finished product. It's going to be amazing!

i think the floors will look great once all the cabinets are in! You have done a wonderful job & once completed all will come together nicely.

I feel ya on the lack of interest from DH. But you know we noticed. And appreciated it!

Totally love what I see so far. My favorite part is the routed sink cab.

Amber that looks awesome! I'm loving the QS oak and the stain color on it is so rich looking. Hey and look at how great those fancy toe kicks turned out. The extended style in the corner worked perfect.

Amber it's looking fabulous. Can't wait to see it finished. Can we get another peak?

Love love love them! So gorgeous thanks for sharing!

I just have a second so will respond the comments later, but they put uppers in, just not one that touches counter.

Looking good so far. Did you assemble these yourself?

O wow, are these ever looking good! Great job!

can't wait to see the finish kitchen!

Love the shot of your contractor :) What fun to see your space and the progress! Are those 9' ceilings? Which white did you end up selecting? I'm looking forward to continued progress pictures!

Treb- Oh no, it was absolutely my fault. I saw the sample in full light so it looked much lighter. What I should have done is brought my sample they were supposed to match and compared the two. There's easily 3-4 shades difference between the two. In all honesty we were in a rush so I wanted to get it ordered and didn't take my time. Our flooring guys have been great aside from a few parts of their tiling job being poorly planned (ended up with a tiny sliver of tile on one spot, then another spot I think they could have made it look better, but again, we're rushing so I'll have to live with it).

Funky and Mama Goose - Thank you!!! The ventilation slot is one of my favorite details. I couldn't justify doing a farm sink and my husband wouldn't go for me putting in an old cast iron sink with a drainboard, but still wanted something vintage!!

Rdsga - So Conestoga has two different types of fancy toe kicks. There are applied ones and there are the ones like mine that are flush to the cabinet. Be warned that with the latter your cabinets have to go directly onto your floor (as opposed to cabinets first, then flooring up to the cabinets, which is common here) or you'd need shoe molding around the toe kicks. We ran into that issue and had to rush to get the flooring down. I worked with Jim from The Cabinet Joint, the way it's worded through Conestoga to do the toe kicks like I did is "shaped bottom rail". They have a few different designs you can choose from, without looking at my sheet I can't remember this profile is called but it's a standard offering. Good luck, I had a lot of fun learning their catalog! Let me know if you have other questions/need pictures!

Prep Mom - Thank you!!!! I've had fun planning it all out!!

Fldirt - The floors are already growing on me, so you might be right! ;)

Nancy- Thank you!!!! I keep reminding myself he didn't spend the last half a year staring at cabinets. He still doesn't get the 'whole inset thing' and thinks drawers are a waste of space.. LOL I love him anyway.

CPartist - My pendants and school house lights went in yesterday so I'll add pics of that. I will say, as cute as the schoolhouse lights are, they are so out of scale! When I have a chance I'll buy new shades that are bigger, since I do still like the fixture itself. But right now it looks a little funny because the windows look huge in comparison to my little dwarf lights... :D

farmdrmer - I've been enjoying watching your house come together, too! We're getting closer! ;)

Beachem - I didn't put them together myself, but I got a steal on that. My builder's usual cabinet guy assembled and installed for $1000. I'm pretty sure if he were to do this again he would charge much more, though.. ;) He just had never used Conestoga and since I was doing the plans, etc. he said he'd take $500 off his usual price. They've been great, willing to do any crazy thing I've asked but they absolutely think I'm insane.

OB2B - He is the real contractor - SO BOSSY! Yes, ceilings are 9' and we went with the frosty white. I like it but still wonder if the crystal white would have been a little better. My slabs ended up pretty creamy, so I guess we will see on Thursday how they go together! I'll try to update more pics after slabs go in, but our baby has surgery Friday so no promises. :(

The bottom shaped rail is the elegant arch one.

Yes! It was on the tip of my tongue! Thanks!

Close ups of QS oak

Ogee framing bead detail (no glass yet)

That's really beautiful, but your floors are killing me.

@Amber $1000 for assemble and install is a steal. I will have to pay a lot more than that to install and I have to assemble myself. It's looking beautiful so far. I love the oak and inset.

Snookums - I should have taken a picture of the mess one of our builder's "handy men" left. Chunks of drywall, mud all over floor and my cabinets, etc. We've talked to our builder about this from the get go. At one point there was a massive amount of trash blowing around our pastures. Our electrician, painters, and trim guys all clean up after themselves, but everyone else has been complete and total slobs! We were put there sweeping and cleaning today and there is (miraculously) no damage to the floors. We have just hit the point where I'm tired of arguing with builder!

Beachem - I've kept up with your posts and the cost of labor on your side of the country and wow! I'm so sorry! I'll send my guys your way! ;)

Even though this is an old discussion, I am writing in hope that the OP could return and provide the stain/ finish color on the Conestoga QS oak cabinets. I am looking to order the same. Those cabinets are beautiful!