Countertop Decision Needed
Angie Boyce
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
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salonva
5 years agomelle_sacto is hot and dry in CA Zone 9/
5 years agoRelated Discussions
Need reassurance/opinions on counter top and backsplash
Comments (11)Thanks for the input. I lean toward the Raven and Calacatta, too. (In fact we just told our contractor to put the order in for the countertop). I'm still not 100% sold on the marble tile, though, I originally wanted a carrera that would be more muted, but the tile shop we're using doesn't have anything that looks right with Raven. I just worry that the Calacatta is SO white. When I see kitchens like this: http://bungalowhomeinteriors.blogspot.com/2012/04/clients-home.html my eye is drawn to how cool the tile looks next to the cabinetry. Guess I'm also concerned that the calacatta has more movement in it, which could be distracting. I'm loving the look of this kitchen (also with Raven), but I don't know what the tile is: https://www.houzz.com/photos/south-pasadena-craftsman-traditional-kitchen-los-angeles-phvw-vp~14622889-Pasadena-Craftsman-traditional-kitchen-los-angeles Does anyone regret getting marble backsplash?...See MoreCountertop, Range, Sink - Too many decisions needed at once!
Comments (15)I agree with the others, but I'm not quite as emphatic, having just finished a large, pressed-for-time renovation. It was hard--very hard--and we lived in the house (with a child) while it was going on, which made it even harder. Being able to still live in another place while you renovate is an advantage. How long have you lived in Seattle? Have you lived here long enough to fully appreciate how dark and gray it is for so very, very long? I ask because I've seen people move here from other areas and buy houses that they end up hating because there's not enough light. In undertaking a large renovation here (Seattle), I think it's important to be very sure that the house has enough light for you. We ended up adding a couple of windows and some skylights when we did our renovation, and that was as a direct result of having lived here for a while and realizing that there were certain areas of our house where we were desperate for more light. It's hard to know these things without having lived in the house. If you do decided to go ahead, please think carefully about how much natural light you get there. Don't decide based on the light in there over the next few days when it's supposed to be sunnier! In this climate, I really think that fewer uppers and more windows (even with a brick exterior) can help make a kitchen more enjoyable. I do agree with the others that not having lived in the house makes a rushed renovation even harder. We did ours in a similar kind of rush to what you're planning. However, we had lived here for years first, and we knew what issues we had to fix. We'd talked about incorporating two spaces into the kitchen for years. All that casual talk for years ahead of time helped make our very rushed decisions much easier. I can't imagine trying to make all those decisions without having had the basic ideas already in mind from before. If you do decide to go ahead, please post your layouts here and let people go over them. There is a huge amount of wisdom here, and that's something you have on your side--you've found GW! Take advantage of the experience and knowledge you'll get here. It's very helpful to people here if you post both your current kitchen layout and a legible floorplan of your entire first floor. Good luck!...See MoreHelp with kitchen counter-tops is really needed...
Comments (42)for the handles, may I suggest something to pick up on the hues in the flooring? A little more copper toned. you have light cabs, light floors. I think throwing in a dark ORB w/o actual copper highlights would be too much of a contrast. IMO. cypress park Sandra, I like the porcelain one better than the other one. Does the backsplash have to be done immediately? If the tones in the porcelain tile you picked clash w/the ivory tones in the counter, it could be a problem. However, I did find some copper toned ones that should be avail. these are porcelain/SS, and treated so as not to stain or tarnish. I LOVE these for your kitchen. timeless and gorgeous. They are probably not super cheap, but it would be worth it for me. http://www.miusartmosaics.com/arabesque-lantern-beacon-copper-tile-in these would also work. the site is here: maybe they have them in stock.http://www.westsidetile.com/arabesque-tiles/ i like this one too. notice the copper faucet. beautiful w/the glass mosaic. if you got the cream countertop, this would look amazing w/your floors. this last one is a copper colored slate/quartzite....See MoreCounters will be 1/2" taller than standard - Need to make decision
Comments (17)36" is a compromise that works for a large part of the population. After all, tall people can bend down, but shorter people can't easily get taller. Of course, the downside is that tall people find their backs hurt whenever they work in "standard" kitchens. That's why you hear from all the homeowners who decided to raise their counters by a few inches. Since @Ellen said that she doesn't suffer from the problem of being too tall for her kitchen. So, there would be a good argument made to lower it to 36". On the other hand, another 1/4" higher than standard is barely noticeable. So, it might not be worth the hassle, when there are perfectly good solutions to adjust the appliances. This is a relatively common problem that contractors have to do deal with all the time. And that's ultimately what I would suggest doing. Defer to the expertise of your contractor. No matter what you decide to do, I bet than 6 months from now, I won't be able to tell the difference....See MoreK Laurence
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoherbflavor
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5 years agoAngie Boyce
5 years agoRoanoke Woodworking Inc.
5 years agoRoanoke Woodworking Inc.
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5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoUser
5 years agoAngie Boyce
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