fltsfshr

Here's glass and it can be underlit.


fltsfshr

Lainey

Seriously? Are you that stubborn about getting your way, Jerry.

The only trouble we have with selection of material when doing a project, (I should say having a project done) is the over whelming amount of choices. Rick doesn't have real strong opinions on stuff around the house and our taste is about the same. I make the initial shopping/looking trip, he helps me narrow it down.

Only regret when we remodeled the kitchen was that I didn't choose a more updated look for the back splash. I chose 3 x 3 tiles very similar to what we had earlier. The budget also allowed only a formica counter top. It was well done, one piece with beveled edge, but I'd like to update it as well as the back splash at some point. Hard to believe it's been 10 years since we did the kitchen!!

tof

Deb, when I said mid-century I didn't mean 23rd century. Spectacular look, though. Thanks for the post. Concrete is something to think about, and not just for counter tops.

I like your motto a lot and almost got away with doing just that. Fortunately wiser heads (Sandy) stepped in and deflected disaster at the last possible moment.

Wow. We saw some recycled glass samples and one full glass countertop at Home Depot but nothing like that! Beautiful and very much what I would expect to see in your place, given your artistic sensibilities. But even though Deb thinks I'm kind of edgy I am not quite bold enough to go with something like that. Well...I might be but, again, wiser heads would prevail since we do have to sell this place someday. But I do confess, I like your style. Spectacular kitchen. It would be equally at home in a $5 million condo in Manhattan or in the finest high roller suite at the Wynn.

fltsfshr

If you think about it glass is sand. Sand is cheap compared to mining cutting and polishing granite even without the shipping.

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MsPerky

Concrete floors are pretty cool, too.

dlq04

Emil, since you asked nice...



This black really pops at night; photo doesn't really capture that effect.

paterjim

I chose granite because I wanted something in my house that was older than me! Maybe a million years older

tof

Contractor has been working on the cabinets for a couple of days, fitting work on my job in with another that they are just wrapping up. This project isn't nearly as involved (or as high-dollar) as Mrs. P's but it will definitely dress up this, the ugliest part of our home at this point.

Because all the kitchen cabinets are solid wood...solid oak and oak veneer over 3/4" plywood...we decided to just go for new drawer fronts and doors. We are also having the cabinet boxes covered in a nice tight-grain heavy veneer so the grain won't show through the white paint finish.

So here are a couple of before pics of our little kitchen. These cabinets are original to the house from 1985. Solid but dated. Counter top is, of course, good old-fashioned Formica. Flooring is something cheap laminate we slapped in after Katrina and will be the next project.





Hope the counter-top clutter doesn't give some of you neatnicks (you know who you are ) a coronary. We had to empty out most of the cabinets.


Here are a couple of early in-progress pics. Doors are all done and sitting in the garage curing. Door pulls came today via FedEx.





We decided on "black pearl" granite for the new counter tops and back-splash. Look will be clean and simple. New cabinet doors are simple Shaker style to match the architecture of our little Arcadian cottage. Our white appliances will look much better nestled among the white cabinets. We went white rather than stainless because I was convinced (and remain so) that stainless is a passing fad. (Fire suite at the ready.)

MsPerky

White cabinets will really look nice and make the room appear larger. Will they have a gloss finish (rather than matte)? Much easier to keep clean. So glad I got those in my kitchen. And the black granite against the white will look really nice, too. Does the granite have those little mother-of-pearl flecks in it? You are keeping the pendant lamps, right? I like those.

BTW - I never would have spent so much on a kitchen not in this location. It's a high-end building in a high-end area. That being said, I like it as much today as I did nine () years ago.

tof

Deb, your sweet kitchen has held up beautifully. And obviously the appliances were all good choices.

We are going matte finish. Just a personal preference. You are probably right about cleaning but I'm retired and have plenty of time to clean. (Not offering this service to anybody else, by the way. So don't ask, Val. ) The granite has some movement in it but not the mother of pearl flecks. Saw some like that and felt it was a bit too much for the look we are going for. Those hammered pendent lamps were a bit of a desperation purchase. We were replacing pendent lamps we really liked with art glass shades but they had mini sockets and I couldn't find any replacement sockets. The shades were like new but the cheap plastic sockets had started to deteriorate. Anyway, found the ones pictured and liked them. I think they will show much better with the new decor.