Buyer's Remorse - am I making a HUGE mistake?
Several months ago, I posted pictures of my kitchen with the question of whether or not to re-do it. Nearly all thought I should not, and I decided I agreed. But it kept nagging at me, and finally this winter, I went into a local kitchen/bath shop and talked to the owner. Yes, they COULD do a new kitchen for me on my budget...if I kept my existing white Corian countertops and integrated sink, my appliances, my existing hardwood floor, and didn't add much lighting and no plumbing involved. I contacted two more companies/cabinet builders - multiple cancelled appt's and no-shows, so I only had a bid from this one company. They've been in business a LONG time and I'm very happy with the owner/KD.
My kitchen is small - 11 x 15. I cannot tear down walls, both due to cost and I also like the adjacent rooms (formal dining room which ai adore and use) and breakfast room with builtins I must keep for storage. So, no knocking down walls, blowing out the back etc. I must live with the space I have.
The biggest problem is where to put the refrigerator. It is a counter-top depth, side-by-side KA, which I like very much - it is 36" wide. It's present location is where the refrigerator in this kitchen has always been - on the wall with the stove. The problem is the entry next to it from the back hall - the entry used the most often. There is only 24" between the edge of the cabinet on the diagonal wall and the front of the refrig. When I'm at the sink, I cannot see anything but the top of the door frame. There are only two other places it can go. The KD initially thought it should go next to the door into the DR. I didn't like that (when I did a cardboard mock-up!) as it cut my view of a nice expanse of countertop and I also lost my empty bottom cabinet which I use as a dog den - that is a deal breaker as there was no other good place for such and it is a necessity.
So, that left the wall diagonal from where it now is. It's a trade-off -- no more physical space, but it does open up the kitchen when one is inside and gives me a nice 60" countertop next to the stove instead of the present 24" one. No, I don't like seeing the side of the refrig cabinet when walking down the backhall from the library, but I dislike that less than the way it is presently. A trade-off.
So, what is my problem? I started off wanting a gray and white kitchen. I really prefer all white kitchens but this room is a full west exposure with a huge bay window and I'd have to wear dark glasses from 4-8PM in the spring/summer/fall, the glare off the white would be so great. The problem is that the Shiloh cabinets (he only carries Mauser and Shiloh and Mauser is too expensive) in Sherwin Williams Repose Gray, come across as "greige", not gray. I'm hopeful that perhaps when they're all installed they gray will be more dominant but it may or may not be. A custom color was too expensive as was having them handprinted (my preference).
The other "problem" is that I still end up with the microwave and the toaster oven living on the countertop - simply no place else to put them. I did buy a MUCH smaller microwave but it's as 700 watt piece of garbage. Yes, I DO need both!
One thing I have learned from this process is that there is a difference between designing a kitchen for appliances and from designing one for what must go INSIDE cabinets. After nearly 50 years, I have a LOT of dishes and cooking things. Yes, I HAVE edited it but I want what is left and that means I can't just stick the microwave in an upper cabinet - I need that space for dishes etc. I am loathe to give up my pot rack. First, it has HUGE sentimental value - I well remember buying it at age 25 for my first house and feeling very french and Julia Childish - and I love the convenience of reaching up for my most used pans.
Contract is signed but cabinets are not yet ordered so I might be able to back out. KD is coming to do a couple of last measurements tomorrow at 3PM EDT and once these are ordered, I own them.
Here is the layout.
My refrigerator/stove/hood do not look like drawings - today's software does not include 1948 stoves! They look like this:
The soffits are now gone and I have a new ceiling - had that done in Feb. Added another pot light over problem corner and that at least makes it less dark.
I'm just worried that my kitchen will end up looking ordinary and generic - at least it had character before. I almost backed out last week when I went to sign contract and write check, but with soffits gone, it would have cost me at least $3000-4000 to put soffits back over existing cabinets, have them re-painted (I painted two Repose Gray to see how I liked it!), and build an inclosure for the hood vent pipe. That was in addition to the $2000 I have already spent on removing the soffits and the new ceiling. It didn't seem like a good thing to do. I "crossed the Rubicon" when I had those soffits removed!
I am well aware that I have overthought this entire thing. I had hoped to keep tile on stove wall - it works with the cabinets but makes them more "greige" as it's bone not white. I will have to get new wallpaper and am finding it difficult to find something that works. I had planned on getting a new box bay window that was level with the countertop behind the sink and painting the muntins black to resemble a steel window. The window guy's "ballpark" was off by $7000 so that's not happening! I will still be painting the muntins black on existing bay.
My house is in a highly desirable neighborhood in my city. It was the cheapest house on the block and still is. Expectations of luxury are high for buyers, so high-end appliances/finishes are expected. Not everyone does Subzero however. My refrig and hood meet expectations and stove adds vintage interest. There is lovely hardwood floor and DW, while older, is same as today's KA style. Faucet is Perrin & Rowe and now ridiculously expensive - glad I bought it 13 years ago! I have excellent lighting - high end under cabinet lighting and pots in ceiling. No place or interest in pendants!
I need a new backsplash behind stove and under cabinets. I'm quit taken with the look of Neolith but finding a local distributor has been a "unicorn search" and I think the cost is prohibitive. No, not willing to replace countertops due to cost and fact that marble is too high maintenance and Neolith too expensive as is quartz, plus I ADORE my integrated sink.
Tomorrow is the point of no return. Any ideas? Should I just take a deep breath and wait and see what it looks like with the cabinets up? Did I mention that I'm a designer and NEVER indecisive!
Comments (18)
- PRO
Anglophilia
8 years agoForgot to mention that I bought an island/cart at Ikea and painted the base black. Yes, the kitchen looks larger without it, but it is proving to be very useful. I'll make a final decision when cabinets are installed and I've lived in kitchen for a few months. Here it is before base was painted. Size is PERFECT as was $99 price!
This is cabinet painted Repose Gray and pulls I will be using. I'm a polished bass girl all the way!
beachem
8 years agoRelated Discussions
Did I make a huge mistake?
Comments (31)Oooh, that mamadadapaige is so smart! As I was reading through this thread and enjoying every photo my first thought (at the reclaimed encaustics) was "wonderful!" and then I saw your inspiration and I thought "fabulous!" and then I saw your proposed tile and it left me a little flat. My initial thought was that the white and charcoal simply have too much contrast, while the tile colors in your inspiration photo don't contrast too much -- a la Goldilocks, they're "just right." Instead of charcoal / white could you do rust / cream tiles, being really true to the inspiration photo? I think what my eye was drawn to in the inspiration photo was the border, or rather how the border fixed the look, the way a picture sings when it's been appropriately matted and framed. Anyway, mamadadapaige said it much better (and sooner) than I, but I guess I still wanted to say "me too!" You have such incredible materials in that kitchen (that quartersawn oak is so yummy!) -- I'll be looking for more pictures from you....See MoreBuyers remorse or I'll never even notice?
Comments (72)Follow up - resolution. Per KD the bead board wasn't costly enough to even make a dent - he said for the Shiloh line to do a plain veneer of that size with filler would be more expensive. The bead board can be easily seamed at the groove so easier install also. The corbels however were where he thought we could cut cost and possibly find something elsewhere or through our granite fabricator. A quick call to the fabricator and certainly - much more cost effective! In their view I could easily drop one of the corbels on the short side but will would need 3 supports across the front where the 9' span is. We have a wall built out from the cabs to shorten the overhang (4' deep island) so they can easily mount support braces there. Yay!! So dropping the corbels (which I didn't have strong feelings toward either way, totally was a decision of function not aesthetics for me) was an easy concession. I ended up within $1.41 of my original invoice dropping the corbels and adding the Blum - there was a ~$110.00 adjustment in my favor for the Hickory as well. I couldn't believe it. The supports for the counter top from my fabricator will be much less than the $650ish cost from the cabinet mfg and I won't have to worry about stool and leg banging. Not sure you'd see them much with the stools there anyhow. Thank you to all that contributed for and against the upgrade. I am feeling much better and appreciate all of your comments helping me along my way!...See MoreHelp, did I just make huge $$$ mistake??
Comments (5)Thank you guys for all of your comments, the sofa reads quite a bit lighter than it actually is. I was hesitant, because the contrast between the darker furnishings and lighter Couch. Pillows and throw will work great...See MoreDid I Make A Huge Mistake?
Comments (7)The grass clumps won't burn any roots so no worries there. But any fresh or undecomposed organic matter will shrink and reduce in volume substantially as it breaks down and starts to decompose. So the planting hole and possibly the tree itself could settle and sink as the grass clumps start to break down. ETA: the grass clumps are no different than the soil dug for the hole.....they are just soil with some existing vegetation attached :-)) NBD!! And I'd have to question the lime comment above. It is rarely necessary unless you soil pH is excessively acidic (below 5.0) and when necessary, it is applied to the entire planting area, not the planting hole. What comes out of the planting hole goes back in........NOTHING else!! (since the grass clumps were removed as part of preparing the planting hole process, they can safely be reincorporated (given the caveats previously stated)....See More- PRO
Anglophilia
8 years ago 
Bunny
8 years ago
romy718
8 years agojpmom
8 years agolast modified: 8 years ago- PRO
Anglophilia
8 years ago hatethecold_gw
8 years agodesertsteph
8 years ago
Ann Scott-Arnold
8 years ago- PRO
Anglophilia
8 years ago 
rebunky
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoI remember your other thread with the doggie bed cabinet. Oh yes you must keep that! :-)
One thought I had was changing the blind corner base to a 36" super Susan. Then next to it the fridge. (Possibly need a narrow cab between? Need to be sure fridge door can open fully) Then a tall pantry that is turned sideways facing the doorway to hide the side of the fridge. Something like this. Not sure, but this might be Mizlizzies?
A couple more examples.
That last one is pretty narrow. I was thinking it might allow you a little more space to enter the kitchen, yet still provide storage. 24" corner to corner seems super tight and a definite deal breaker for me.
My only other question was regarding the upper cabinet left of the sink. I get why it doesn't go all the way to the corner because of the bay window, but I wondered why is it not the same height as all the other upper cabinets? It seems kinda odd to me being the lone squatty upper, but maybe you have a reason I'm not understanding?
desertsteph
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agorebunky
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoartemis_ma
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoscrappy25
8 years ago- PRO
Anglophilia
8 years ago
Ann Scott-Arnold