Rift-sawn white oak kitchen in Manhattan pre-war apartment?
lanikaicoconut
last year
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PROPatricia Colwell Consulting
last yearlast modified: last yearHonestly IMO kitchens and bathrooms need to be in this centuray who the heck wants to cook in space like there were 100yrs ago. No fridge maybe no running water for sure not . Come on doa kitchen that functions for you and for sure in Manhattan where that would be preferred .This was my kitchen in a house built in 1905 I kept a lot of the original trim in fact we replaced some of it buyt I sure did not want a 1905 kitchen Not sure what happened put there is the pic.
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Display of Wealth in Poor Taste?
Comments (69)Random thoughts, Violet.West, My personal take is that the primary reason people did not care for the home posted is that is it not currently on trend. I link below to the current issue of AD, which I have only perused briefly, for comparison. I think of the layered look as very Mario Buatta, and befitting Park Avenue matrons. Most people would rather not be a matron, and not be on Park Ave anymore. (most) I think the term "display of wealth" is an interesting one for decor, since relatively fewer people see your home (especially your entire home) than say, your car, or your watch. Especially, say, your MBA. So I am not always so sure you are looking at spaces created with the intent for "display", per se. Homes appear in AD primarily because the businesses involved in creating them want advertising; typically they pitch a home to the mag. Also, even for rooms or situations where people do wish to "display" something, it may not be wealth they wish to convey. Are they conveying wealth or class or lineage or worldliness or good taste or hipness or sophistication or success or cleverness? Those are all good possibilities. Or, are they just "keeping up with the neighbors". OR, hey, maybe they are not conveying anything much at all, just making places they feel comfortable in and enjoy looking at. I think we all agree that there is no good reason to mention the cost of anything, unless asked, and then one can always demur. Some people will ask the darndest things. The same people will ask to tour your home, which I used to find flattering but now I feel it is odd, other than close friends, and avoid it. OTOH, I do think that on an anonymous forum, any thing that might be useful is fine. Cost is very germane to decor of course. It is part of the educational process. More than once I posted specifically to ask if the cost of something seemed reasonable. In a business so rife with high markups and unscrupulous behavior, it is nice to have an unbiased source on your side. It's also nice to see what other people spend, to help establish your own guidelines. I am not sure there is any particular use to blanket statements about new wealth vs old, or about charitability by income bracket. I observe what I perceive as tackiness in all walks and lineage. I think a responsibility to give (and do) for others is a basic human obligation for all of us. One thing I greatly applaud is the integration of service learning into public school curricula, which I think is relatively new. It needs to be inculcated in everyone that service is just something that all citizens do. As for reveals, the only reveals I find offputting are people who have never posted before. I really like reveals of rooms that people have posted on over time. I find it interesting and satisfying, as well as inspirational. I appreciate any information, including costs, that people share. As for money and happiness. Money creates opportunities and helps to remove or lessen many of life's stresses. It is silly IMHO to claim otherwise. Does it mean the well to do never have a drinking problem or a broken family? Of course not. But what makes people happy? Certainly not money per se. I think I have mentioned this before, but I will again because I think it is such a useful concept. Most people spend a good deal of their energy and time on big goals. Say, for exampel, they want a newer, nicer, bigger, house. They will spend a lot of effort and time and money toward that big prize. However, research shows, that big changes, good OR bad, bring a spike of emotion, but then are rather quickly assimilated into your level of happiness, and become the new status quo. We've all probably BTDT. Whereas, small things, experienced frequently, raise your overall level of happiness throughout time. So,experts say, if you want to be happier, don't plan a 4 week vacation. Instead, go see a movie once a week. Don't buy a new house. Buy yourself a bouquet of flowers every Friday. FWIW Here is a link that might be useful: May 2014 AD...See MoreHelp with cabinets and floors with open kitchen
Comments (6)bamboo is durable, I believe even more durable than regular hardwoods. As with any hardwood,spills should not be allowed to sit prolonged.Stranded type is the most durable. solid or engineered are both available. Different thicknesses of the top layer are available. Cork is also an option. Exotic hardwoods, which will set apart this space from your other areas of living would work too, just more costly.Rather than worrying about one shade this way or that way or does it "blend" with the oak, I'd seek out a different look entirely to make the space rock a little more. Finish all your counter, hardware,cabinet stain colors,backsplash and you'll figure out the floor. I don't think inset plays fantastic in a narrow galley to warrant the upcharge, but it's obviously gotten your attention if you've picked it....See MoreCabinets arrived different than agreed on, what do I do?! Help!
Comments (121)I can't add to the great cabinet advice here, butI can speak to your timeline. Stop it! You *want* the house to be finished before you move in, but that's a wish, not a necessity. You will make far better decisions and deal better with the problems that arise if you set that timeline aside and just deal with what needs to happen. You can live without floors, but they are a pretty big deal (I hated the weeks on bare concrete floors post-flood), so get your floors down. Since you are paying for your GC's services, why exactly does he get to tell you that he 'won't' do floors until cabinets are in? That may be his preference (just as yours was to have this all completed before move-in), but that is just the way he wants to do it (less flooring that way), and as someone once said, 'you don't always get what you waa aant'). Here's what we determined we actually *needed* to be able to live in our post-flood house: walls, floor, and one functional bathroom. Get your flooring down. Toilet, sink, shower or tub. I second the suggestion to get an inexpensive pedestal sink or cheap big box vanity in the interim. You can sell it afterwards. One or two long folding tables in your kitchen work pretty well for prep, drying dishes, etc. One or two metal storage racks (on wheels if possible) such as Metro Commercial or Metro Kitchen from Container Store work wonders to temporarily replace cabinet storage. Helpful hint 1: you don't have to unpack ALL of your kitchen utensils, cookware, dishes, etc. Unpack only what you need, place on shelves, go about the business of living and take your time and make sound, non-emotional, non-urgent decisions about how to resolve the cabinet crisis. You have time, you just need to stop telling yourself that you *must* have this completed by x-date. Helpful hint 2: I love Container Store but the reference to their product was just a reference - you can find similar shelves at Home Depot, Lowes, or even Craig's List or a restaurant supply. Breathe....See MoreNeed help finding THE white oak of my dreams!
Comments (45)We've seen homeowners out of the house for close to 3 weeks or longer when the odour of the oil based products is 'locked' inside the home. For those of us who are sensitive to odours (migraine sufferers, asthmatics, COPD sufferers, etc) we are unable to sleep in the same house as a 10 day old oil poly floor. For us, the stink is like breathing in ammonia. It constricts our lungs, it causes massive headaches (I lose vision in my left eye), vomiting (often goes with migraine) and a sense of feeling unwell for the entire time the floor takes to cure. These are all KNOWN reactions to HIGH VOC content. Since the OP is in California, the VOC content in the finish *should be lower (than Minwax 550...which means VOC 550g/L) it still means the VOC content is still allowed to be HIGH if the containers of the product are small enough (don't get me going on that little nugget). The top water based products (not the off the shelf stuff nor the 1 part products) are tougher than oil based. Yes the cost is higher but then again the cost of living in a hotel for another 3 weeks is also pricey. Loba 2K Supra AT, for example, is infused with ceramic nanobeads. They are equal in performance to Aluminum Oxide factory finishes. The myth that water based products are inferior only goes as far as the Home Depot parking lot. So long as the professional works with PROFESSIONAL GRADE materials (not Varathane, not Rustoleum, not DuraSeal) then the 2 PART water based products are superior to oil baed. But the caveat of "...so long as the professional works with professional grade materials..." is the ONE AREA where we see concerns. Many "pro's" do not have the education (ie. paid for the Bona or Loba training themselves) to work these high-end products....See Morelanikaicoconut
last yearI'm definitely not looking forward to an icebox or to cook on a stove from 100 years ago. I appreciate the modern technology! But it does seem strange to me to have very slick cabinets in my kitchen, especially with 100 year old parquet floors and molding in my apartment.
Louis, my kitchen is small and closed-off (for the most part -- there's a pass-through). If it were totally up to me I'd do a white kitchen with inset cabinetry, like what is featured in these pics from 1924. But it's the feng shui thing where I need either green or wood cabinets. Top to bottom green cabinets will look oppressive in my kitchen which is why I was thinking of green on the bottom and white-ish on top (basically to make the top "disappear"). I would do just lowers if I had the space for it but unfortunately I don't.
lanikaicoconut
last year
Jennifer Hogan
last yearlanikaicoconut
last yearherbflavor
last yearmost important thing is to use the space efficiently. modern usually works well and I've seen dozens of some of the oldest buildings with modern sleek kitchens. I'd spend on appliances : correct size and features for efficiency.....
Grade II* Listed Medieval Barn Conversion, Cornwall · More Infomore than a high price tag for cabinets.
lanikaicoconut thanked herbflavorlanikaicoconut
last yearroarah
last yearI love quartersawn oak cabinets in any tone in older homes. It is also historically accurate in many cases.
some great examples
PROSabrina Alfin Interiors
last yearI would go with painted cabinets and pick a color or colors from any of the paint manufacturers' Historic Colors palettes. I agree a too modern look would compete with the architecture of a pre-war building. So perhaps go with a more transitional style--Shaker doors and slab-front drawers are always a good option--to make it feel more up-to-date. A couple of ideas:
West Village Apartment Combination - Kitchen · More Info
Manhattan, NY Residence · More Info
KITCHEN Meridian Kessler Two Tone Green and White Transitional by CCG, Inc. · More InfoKeep it classic with a modern vintage vibe.
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