girlnamedgale - In the first kitchen picture, if you look up and to the left of the big plate, there is a weird square soffit and to the left of that is the white vent.

exactly an upscale tract house around here, built in nineties. would cost less though depending on square footage and location. I'd say somewhere from 1,2 to 2,5?

(unless it's 5 min from the ocean, especially in some locations ..there you can expect to pay millions for a really small house)

actually I usually like kitchens here better. lol

I'm sure it was staged for sale too though, only sneakers left..:) to illustrate better who sells it

the rest might be all warehouse stuff

I wonder if he bought the house mostly furnished.

His Interior Designer probably had the place staged

Awful kitchen, awful room. I wouldn't trade my kitchen for this. Mine is much better.

OK, here's a story about the house when he bought it: LINK

It seems like the furniture conveyed, but certain items did not (like art). I think it explains a lot. The home was built in 2008, but he bought it in 2015.

He did make an addition -- a custom boom-box aquarium in the entrance featured in a TV show:

I wonder if there is another catering kitchen somewhere. The kitchen area does look like a lot of homes around me, built in 2008, but in the 4,000 to 5000 sq ft range.

That fish tank looks like a front-loading washer/dryer set.

That's cool but they should've lowered the platform part of it the handle is almost touching the ceiling

It do look like a washer and dryer though hahaha

The kitchen is very nice. Such a ugly thing to do, critique everything. So easy to judge everyone else and comment about it.

sabbath, that is the purpose of these threads. Someone posts a real estate listing or a room featured in a design mag and we discuss the layout, location, design, decor, etc. If you don't like the concept, you are free to scroll on by.

I completely understand the purpose of the thread, and many of the homes posted are over the top. In this case this kitchen is mildly dated and quite nice imo. I spoke up because this thread reminded me of a conversation that I overheard the other day at a restaurant. A teenage girl was critiquing everything under the sun, and her father remarked isn't it so easy to do that...try doing hard. I thought what a great father!

Everyone has an opinion, and I stated mine.

So, let me get this correct. Because you like the kitchen, everyone who critiques it is being "ugly"? If you disliked a room would you consider yourself "ugly" ? Again, I don't think you understand the purpose of this thread.

Sabbath7, but your opinion was that we shouldn't state ours.

ETA: No one is calling you out for expressing your opinion that the kitchen in the OP is very nice.

Well. sabbath didn't state we're ugly..she said that to always critique is an ugly thing to do

frankly, after overhearing some conversations by teenage girls..yes, one's sense of injustice heightens:)

I kinda get it. kinda very well.

the difference-we don't critique everything..didn't even critique that much if you ask me. The thread was-as I understood it- about whether one would be underwhelmed by this kitchen in this house..an extremely expensive one

Purely theoretical too, as he whoever has 5 millions can either love that kitchen with all his heart and style the rest of the room so you'd start liking the kitchen, or decide to remodel that kitchen..5 million usually means you have a sixth one to spend as you see fit.

Quite a mild thread too..the owner is not here, thus less consideration for his possible feelings. Something tells me though he wouldn't be offended much. It was depersonalized to the highest degree. Probably doesn't feel like his anymore.

My opinion is that it's very easy to critique. I wonder if everyone put a picture of their current kitchen on this thread, if it would be as nice.

Oh, my kitchen is crappy and I wouldn't post it for critique (though I have posted it for other reasons). But if I listed my house, I would fully understand that lots of strangers would be critiquing my house.

I think this particular forum has a collective mindset that favors English Interior Design. I think many people have different opinions, and I truly do find everything everyone comments about interesting.

Cawaps- I laughed audibly when I read that!

I think we share here enough of our kitchens etc. Nice or not-I don't know..some will be loved by all, some by many, some by some..))

(We have a thread going on..it the "Bathrooms" I think? "what you'd consider a nice bathroom"..along these lines

just a few comments-and I already understand that different people put different meaning into "nice"

of course this kitchen is nice enough

folks just don't think it's mind blowing, enough for 5 mil dollars house

well it depends where it stands, this house.

and just like that, we're back to the beginning of that thread..:)

(no I wouldn't trade my kitchen for this one, because it's very chilly in Chicago..))))

I didn't mean to offend anyone. I just wanted to start a thought provoking dialogue.

Yes, but IMO telling people they are being "ugly" because you don't like how they state their opinion is resorting to the same behavior you are criticizing.

Edited to add - If you had said. "I like the kitchen, I don't understand why other people do not. Please explain what you don't like about it". That would start a thought provoking dialogue.

And I have posted my old kitchen, white laminate with oak trim and all.

The kitchen, while not my style, would not be all that out of place in the $1.5 million + range of real estate listings in my area (suburbs north of Atlanta). I'd actually prefer this one to some listings I've seen. Many of those homes in addition to being extremely large, also have very opulent decor with ornamental kitchens to match. It seems to be somewhat the norm, at least for homes on that price range and AND built in the last 5-25 years Now, If I limit my Zillow search to the same price range but built before 1980, then I see a lot more restrained design

"I just wanted to start a thought provoking dialogue."

Well you certainly did that. But to understand our reaction, you need to understand that those of us who enjoy these kinds of threads have faced criticism and attack in the past, that we shouldn't have these kinds of discussions, that they are mean-spirited etc. And it usually takes the form of someone jumping onto the thread and derailing it, which ruins it for the people who are genuinely interested in the critiques and discussion. And in the past it has gotten heated enough that people have left the forum. The solution seems simple: If you don't want to read critiques, don't read the threads (Chijim's is a regular instigator of these, although others will post interesting MLS listings they run across).

"D drains", spamming with your product is not allowed in the gw forums

Judging from other listings of homes owned by local players/ballers, etc - this decor/style fits fight in with those

Well, I looked and stared and analyzed that kitchen. I enlarged the photos and looked at the others that were posted on the house (and yes that fish tank looks like a washer and dryer and I couldn't figure out why a picture of the washer and dryer was being posted) and there is a reason I have not posted a comment.

I can't find one single item that I like in that kitchen and that's because I just don't like it. It isn't my taste, I don't like multi-level uppers, I don't like frou-frous, I don't like whatever is on the floor (is that laminate?) and replacing the chairs and lights isn't going to make me like it any better. I think the squat uppers beside the huge range hood visually upsets the balance of that wall.

I like the pictures that chijim posts, they're fun to look at and think about and I can usually find something about the room that attracts me.

In my view it's a beautiful traditional antique tuscan style kitchen that opens up to the family room with it's monochromatic scheme anyone who loves this style would buy it but as far as the aquarium that was Butler's idea I'm surprised it didn't play any music like a little pod station,

blfenton

Well,
I looked and stared and analyzed that kitchen. I enlarged the photos
and looked at the others that were posted on the house (and yes that
fish tank looks like a washer and dryer and I couldn't figure out why a
picture of the washer and dryer was being posted) and there is a reason I
have not posted a comment.

I can't find one single item that I like in that kitchen and that's
because I just don't like it. It isn't my taste, I don't like
multi-level uppers, I don't like frou-frous, I don't like whatever is on
the floor (is that laminate?) and replacing the chairs and lights isn't
going to make me like it any better. I think the squat uppers beside
the huge range hood visually upsets the balance of that wall.

******************************************************************************

Thinking it's either travertine or limestone...maybe high-end cement

Found this video of the area - I had no idea

What's remarkable is how much the area has really come up, this is only a block away from the once notorious Cabrini Green Housing Project complex which now has mostly be torn down and rebuilt .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2bmUHH_yz8

It has to be honed travertine flooring. In this video the windows were put above the kitchen cabinets, which kind of make the ceilings look smaller and the ceiling aren't very high. The color schemes are very rich in taste but a lot of niches

ok. obviously I need new reading glasses. Regardless, it adds to the mish-mash of squares/rectangles in the room.

chijim - thanks for posting that video. That was really interesting. I did like the house that we got a tour of, especially the kitchen. I would have made one minor change but I liked the windows. I'm assuming natural light was an issue and so that's why they were added.

This is a good example of what makes me nervous, as at one time, theoretically, this was the coveted room for many and something I might have loved. (really??) But now, of course, no.

But am I making the same bad choices? I desperately want a heavily wood beaded chandelier. Right now. And a cowhide rug although they are on the way out, I've read.

d_gw, I see now what has been referred to , the soffit and vent cover. Thank you for explaining and yes it looks very odd. I cannot imagine that it could not have been concealed better then that!

I already weighed in that I don't particularly care for it, but since it's been an ongoing discussion, and the thing about such critiques being mean spirited, and would we post picture of our own kitchens and be subject to the same scrutiny has come up again...I'm back.

My kitchen is horrible. It has white melamine cabinets, water damage, cheap appliances and is about the size of the kitchen island in the OP kitchen. Eventually it will get redone, but even if it doesn't ---I can still have a valid opinion on another kitchen whether it's in a tract house or a house like this. I dunno--and it doesn't have to do anything with whether I am mean spirited or jealous or not. If I had a $5M house, the interior would not look like that, that's all I can say. It's a completely inoffensive interior, and if were a Marriott or whatever, I would not think "this is an ugly hotel". It's just inoffensive, kind of generic, and kind of dull. It sort of has a universal Millennial, impersonal, non statement feel about it. And it's obviously not even really the taste of the current owner, because he would not pick the fishtank and pick the rest of this.

----

I am really surprised that people seemed to have such a hard time finding the soffit I was talking about. That is the first thing I noticed. The very first thing... I saw the kitchen of course, but the kitchen is such a representative sample of what it is that I didn't notice anything in particular. This is approximately one of Three higher end generic suburban kitchen styles that are still popular in my area.

And it's one of the reasons I don't do interior design for a living. I could not do that for somebody even if they wanted it, and they are the people with the larger budgets. That probably sounds snotty but it's played out in interior design magazines. I live in a major city and not a single national design magazine actually has anybody covering this area except perhaps as a far reaching outpost of NYC, and there is never any editorial coverage of a local property done by a local designer. None. If I run across anything in my area, it's something that looks nothing like what most people here want, and it was also done by a designer from somewhere else, not here. It's as if people who don't want the above don't even bother looking at the successful designers here, because they think that the above is what they are going to get.

Pal, as an artist and teacher, if there's one thing I know, you can not teach people how to see. And most of my students are bright, professors, but they can't see the simplest of things in an art class., but they have the money for the classes.

I guess my prior post was not clear, but here is the home (with pics) before Butler bought it just two years ago. He has not changed a lot, and it appears most of the furnishings conveyed (note the difference in the office, where he has a new desk and AV setup).

LINK: Prior Listing Photos

A small nit -- the prior owner/ID/developer chose bars stools too short for the elevated counter. Probably not a problem for a basketball player, though. The rest of us would be sitting chin high to the counter. :)

I was thinking, I would easily see the weird soffit in person but on my computer screen it would take a while for it to jump out at me. I don't enjoy a lot of online shopping, especially for textiles, because I feel like I miss a lot of details from a one dimensional photo. Maybe I need to get a fancier computer screen.

Gooster - I understood your post. He never decorated it - except for the shoe room and the stupid aquarium. He bought it furnished. It's interesting because there was some care taken in the decoration. Do you think he asked to buy it furnished or the previous owners listed it furniture included?

Bumblebeez,

If there were a medication I could take that would allow me to not see things like that, I would really think about taking it. People who don't notice things like that seem much easier to please.

I couldn't miss the soffit, at the very least, it and the cabinetry below it don't fit together properly. They're fighting and it is a blight on flow, there had to be a better answer to that area than what was designed.

bfelton, there was no design when it came to that soffit.

The HVAC people came in and put the HVAC where it needed to go. That may or may not have been planned by the architect, but probably not more than planned for, if that makes sense. The implications weren't planned.

Then the drywall people came in and built boxes around anything that stuck out and that was that. They are not going to design a soffit on their own. I have seen drywallers stop a soffit one foot from the wall because that's where the duct stops rather than carrying it across, which would at least be a complete form or shape. They are not going to do anything but box and cover unless someone else (like me) tells them to.

Sure ignorance is bliss and all that. But the ignorant are at the mercy of the marketers and trends. That is not a fun way to live either.

Perhaps constructed would have been a better word than designed. I know what you mean palimpsest.

When I see some of the high-end homes around here, honestly, the kitchens are usually not that impressive and often somewhat generic.

Oh yeah, the sneakers! Based on a student presentation I saw this summer, this is a thing! Sneakerheads! Those who collect lots and rare sneakers. I swear I learn something new every day.

yes, HVAC guys..the engineer himself was good in planning it. The guys who ran it..I couldn't be on the site that day..I come-and they made two vents on that ledge that we kinda have to have since it's load bearing..which was the plan, but if they put it lower-no one would see them vents. They drilled right in the middle..

I saw red.

So I know my house like no one else. I know all the mistakes made, either by others or by me. I hate cheap vents..I know closets are very basic..I know windows we installed(we installed just some) are mostly crap, and actually plan on changing two of them. I know curtain rods should be a tad higher..and they're not my dream rods too, to say the least. I know the light fixture in the guest room is too small(amazing color though. thus its weirdness is forgiven). I'm not even starting on the fireplace...

Would I redo it if I had money and energy? You bet.

Or I'd get it right in the first place, most likely.

Do I still love the house? Yes, I do. I like it quite a lot too,

So I can critique my own place very easily

And if I designed for somebody who pays me-yeah..I'd try to get it right in the first place.

One can feel irritated and very fortunate at the same time..:)

One can critique without actually jumping on everything.

You think I wouldn't faint, out of happiness, if my first place-the one that we could buy since we won the lottery ran by the state, subsidized apartments -had any kitchen actually, lol? it had a sink base cabinet with the sink in it. That's all. Yet I couldn't stop touching the (very non-straight ) walls because it was ours. With its almost total absence of the kitchen. It had space to put/ install the rest...

But design is a very subjective thing. It has a bit of art in it. Or a lot. Will always be interpreted, critiqued, admired, you name it. You create something-it will get out of your hands and will have a life of its own. It stops to be completely and utterly yours the moment you create it. That's a sorrow, and a joy, and they always come together.

i love it

The kitchen is too small for me especially in a 10K square house I'd be expected to shell out 4 million on. But then again, if he (whoever he is, first I ever heard of the dude) doesn't cook, or hire someone to cook for him... he likely didn't care. But it would be a deal breaker here. Since i like to cook. The sitting set up across the aisle from the kitchen screams "hotel lobby" (aside from the fireplace, which is a likeable feature if it were in another context...)

If those shoes convey, they'd end up at the nearest donation center...

The office is the best room depicted, I like the built ins for books.

Washer/dryer aquarium!! Poor fish on the spin cycle!