Can you put a cottage-like kitchen in a Mediterranean home?

11 years ago

We're still in the process of looking into house plans. The first house plan we really loved was more French Provincial & the kitchen I liked would have fit in there just fine. The house was just getting too big for my liking & there was no way to scale it back & still keep the aesthetics. I really crave symmetry & this house below has that, plus a nice layout (only I wish I could fit a laundry room on the second floor or a laundry chute down to the laundry room - can't see how that will work). Also I would love to open the kitchen up to the family room.

http://www.thehousedesigners.com/plan/the-verona-2959/

Can you put this style of kitchen (link below) into this house without having repercussions for resale? I don't honestly care what others think walking into the house. But for resale value, don't want potential buyers going, what were they thinking? White, full-inset cabinetry, marble-like counters:

http://thebestcabinets.com/

It's called the Verona but looks more Spanish than Italian to me.

Any thoughts would be most appreciated - thank you!

Here is a link that might be useful: The Verona

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Comments (9)

User
11 years ago
Would you wear a feather boa with ripped jeans and a T shirt or Converse All Stars with a sequin evening gown? Some people would, but to most, it would be extremly jarring and not so nice of a look.
lavender_lass
11 years ago
Here's a link to a 'Classic Italian Baroque' home plan...and they use lots of white and marble. Don't know if this is what you're looking for, but it might give you some ideas :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Italian Baroque plan
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michoumonster
11 years ago
considering a lot of fine marbles come from italy, i think marble and white cabinets can definitely look mediterranean. though you probably need to use more of the mediterranean details like in the moldings and lighting and perhaps the door style you choose.
i could not fit a laundry room into my house design, so I opted instead for a laundry closet upstairs and main laundry downstairs.
hth!
athensmomof3
11 years ago
I am not a fan, although my new kitchen looks very much like your link. Here is a link to a Mediterranean house my builder built that was in Coastal Living. It is fantastic in person - I have had the pleasure of walking through it. They did a great job with the kitchen and house in general with a nod to mediterranean architecture (very appropriate in the area - Sea Island, GA where there are loads of Mizner inspired spanish houses).

It has a softly glazed kitchen and more of a limestone-y look countertop (it may be fossil stone - it was lovely). Very pretty and authentic without being heavy or dark looking I thought.

Here is a link that might be useful: New Old House on Sea Island
wishiwasinoz
Original Author
11 years ago
Thank you all! hollysprings, you had me laughing! Though I didn't think it was that brutal of a fashion faux pas, I knew in my heart that it wouldn't probably work (was thinking more like Converse with a Steve McQueen gown). :-)

Thank you for the links, lavender_lass & athensmomof3. We are about an hour & a half from Sea Island - that is one gorgeous place!

I'll keep looking. I think I need to focus more on a cottage elevation, but I'm just so stuck on symmetry.

Back to the drawing board!

And a big P.S. -- I LOVE this place! I feel like I'm back in college & am getting the education of a lifetime. You are all so thoughtful & share an incredible wealth of information!
ppbenn
11 years ago
wishiwasinoz
I like that plan and if you are not set in your heart to go with mediterranian I believe you could rework that plan minimally to get it more cottage-like. First thing I thought of looking at the bones of the house was a 1910 four square or Prarie-style if you lose the arches and arch windows and square them up.
Its hard to find a floor plan that works well and if this plan does that and fits your needs then I would just change windows and exterior details and bring out its prarie-four square- cottage vibe.
palimpsest
11 years ago
I think you mean an Alexander McQueen gown :) Steve McQueen was an actor and race car driver...

This house could be wrapped with many different exterior styles really. You could probably do Colonial Revival on the exterior and get away with a kitchen like that.
wishiwasinoz
Original Author
11 years ago
Yes, Alexander McQueen! My brain is mush from too many THS all-nighters! Fashion is not my forte. :-/ I did get the last name right - does that deserve some credit?!

One major issue with this plan is the detached garage. I don't mind it, but I have a DH who is terrified of getting struck by lightning (despite 20 years of therapy).

I found this plan below that I'm pretty excited about (with some tweaks), but I would have to get rid of those bay windows for sure, as they irritate me greatly (despite years of therapy for me):

http://saterdesign.com/vienna.html
Alternate elevation: http://saterdesign.com/new-brunswick.html

Any thoughts?

Here is a link that might be useful: Vienna
palimpsest
11 years ago
You could figure out a way to attach the garage to the house in the first plan.