so the prefabs are pre cut in 9' (some are 6' or 8') lengths and kitchen counter depth...24" or so, I believe. they also have island sizes at 3x5 or 4x6' sizes, and the edges are simply finished. here's a close up of some,,, this is Python (click on the pick and you'll get to see the finished edge) they also have quartz (a little bit more. maybe 500 or so this was at a different stone yard and these are rounded edges. more quartz the fabricator brings them to the residence and cuts the holes for sinks or stove tops. some fabricators my come out and template your kitchen before hand if they have to cut for an L shape. Once at the home, they install them just like they would any other granite. just as an example, this was a kitchen we did for a rental about 7 years ago. the L shaped perimeter countertop and the island were all pre-fab granite. for the granite alone, I paid 700 or so? maybe less? i can't remember. and then had the guy come out and cut it to fit was another 1000 or so. so the granite for that entire kitchen came less than 1800 or so. it was very nice granite, nothing wrong w/it and the fabricator did a great job w/the cuts and the seaming. these are cheaper than slabs because they come pre-fabbed and are limited in types and colors. They still have plenty to choose from though. I live in SoCal so there are hundreds of stone yards and tile places around here. Depending on where you live, you may have this, or you may not.

What is the blue paint color?

Cutting glass tile is not hard......if you have the right tools. If you are going to install glass tile professionally, you either have the tools and know how to use them or you don't. This guy does not. The glass cuts look like a dog chewed them off. Grouting is not hard. You put it in, you sit around for a bit, you form the grout lines on the first pass, then you sit some more, then you clean it all off and polish. What you have here is what I'd expect from someone trying it for the first time in their life. Anyone with a brain gets a lot better at it quickly. This level of work is indicative of someone who should not be charging money to install tile IMO. I have run up against bargain rate handymen that do cleaner installs than that. Just the fact that he did not put caulk at the change of plane means they have no idea what they are doing. Tiling 101 and they failed.

Jane's personal kitchen has a lot of Scandinavian and European influence I think, though she did throw in an antique dish cabinet that makes the area look rustic. She chose a Dornbracht tall faucet for the sink as I recall, and I saw a comment she made at Houzz afterward that made me think maybe her faucet hadn't turned out to be the best choice for her--still good, just maybe not as great as she'd hoped. I just ordered a couple of Brizo articulating faucets for my kitchen after much research and think I will be happy with them. The most memorable kitchen for me from Attic Mag's archives was the one with the working fireplace oven in the middle. It was such a simple kitchen with great functionality, and I think it was in Italy somewhere that she rented while on vacation. We really don't do kitchens like that here in the USA on any regular basis anymore now that gas and electric stoves have taken over.