Thanks so much.

Metro - Absolutely this forum is what helped me decide against honed granite. I likely would have went with honed granite if I had found it to be trouble free but so many people dislike it her and elsewhere, it made no sense to settle on both style AND function.

Brutus - I have a blog but since Im just finishing up the reno now, I don't have many "after" photos to show. The master bath and kitchen were the first ones. I have two more bathrooms to show. The rest of the rooms are pretty much bare right now as I hunt for the furniture in my mind that doesn't exist in reality :)

Mrs, you wanted the link to the HGTV Victorian kitchen:
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/dc_design_kitchen/article/0,1793,HGTV_3375_5782239,00.html

Hope this works!

Fabulous! Can't stop looking at it!! Love those ceilings.

Enjoy!

LOVE this kitchen! It is gorgeous! Absolutley perfect in every way....

just gorgeous. It's all so beautiful!

It's a spectacular kitchen. What is that "little extra" thing that I can't put my finger on? Your space glows and sparkles. Is it the lighting, the paint, the camera?

DH has softened on a white kitchen after seeing yours! I'm thinking of taking the cabs to our 10' ceiling. I love the look. How high are the ceilings in the Kitchen/DR, and what is the size of the lighted upper cabinets?

I tore out the soffit above one cabinet this afternoon to find nothing but ceiling 2 ft. above. Yea! Now I know why I have a yellow sink; it is the same yellow in the wallpaper.

Your kitchen is fantastic! And that dining room floor is to DIE for!! Great job, totally looks in keeping with Victorian style to me, though updated with the dining/kitchen combination.

Simply GORGEOUS Mrs. Limestone...
Love it.

Thanks everyone.

cotehele - My ceilings are a tad over 10 feet. Yippee for empty soffits!! There were a bunch of random soffits in this house (they weren't even above anything..they just were a bump in the ceiling). I figured there had to be something in there but they were all empty. Who puts soffits up randomly like that?

Congratulations! What a beautiful, beautiful kitchen! I love everything about it, but especially your one-of-a-kind floors. Once you have your furniture and accessories in there, please get your kitchen on the Finished Kitchen blog site, . . . and/or on Rate My Space. I'm anxious to see it totally finished, as this room is going to be a stunner. (And, let us all know when you do)

I have to add a window treatment but I probably won't do much more than that. I like clean counters :)

Anyone have a suggestion for a good window treatment here? I'd really like to cover the bottom half of the window for privacy reasons but keep the light coming in from the top. What should I do here? Im not good with window treatments. Shutters? Cafe Curtains? Up/down roman? Something else?

Mrs Limestone - I came across your sight after looking for kitchens with glass knobs and came across your kitchen. It is truly timeless and modern at the same time. We are completing our renovations and tore down the wall b/w the dining room and kitchen like you did and it looks fantastic. I also came across your business website and think your designs are unique and beautiful. Can I ask what you studied in school -- graphic design? interior design?

Mrs Limestone! I love your kitchen! The detail work on the floors is so beautiful. Your new space is elegant and looks like it will also be a joy to live in.

We have a bungalow, but my first love is Victorian so I can't wait to check out the rest of your house on your blog.

Mrs Limestone - you mentioned in an earlier post that your fridge pertrudes from the cabinets. I don't know if you have thought of this but you might be able to recess the wall where the fridge is. We did this in our previous home and were able to save 5 inches.

Catsam - Thanks. Funny enough, I studied finance. Didn't discover my creative side until I was an adult. This stuff is a lot more fun than crunching numbers :)
Our house is a row house so unless my neighbor is cool with the back of my fridge sitting in her kitchen, I can't recess the fridge. But its a good suggestion.

Thanks deco.

So no opinion on the window treatment? Im really at a loss here. Everything Ive found just doesn't seem "right" to me.

On your window treatment.....Have you thought about a half shutter? (Bottom half only.) There was a post on the decor forum today.

I like the idea of a roman shade, too. Love those.

Good luck.

About the window treatment, how about a one panel suspended Shoji panel? You could get one customized to match your kitchen.

Or, Wayborn has some stunning room dividers that could be modified and suspended thus leaving light at the top.

Mrs Limestone - regarding the window treatment, what about matchstick blinds that roll up (dark) with a curtain panel to the floor in a light colour for contrast.

I am just in awww of your renovation, it is perfect. I think you should do shutters on your windows.

We are going to do shutters in the living room so shutters is definitely an option for back here.

What is Wayborn? Is that a company or the name of a product?

YouÂll have to bear with me on this, sometimes my imagination gets the best of me and unfortunately IÂm not good at describing what I see in my head. The idea behind utilizing parts a screen or panel (or even stained glass panels) is to allow light to come in, provide some privacy, keep a somewhat flush elegant look by suspending panel or panels from inside the upper window frame with invisible line and make an artist statement without distracting away from the beautiful cabinetry and countertops. The panel/panels could be suspended at or near floor level leaving an opening at the very top; you could even have some opening at the sides to peek at neighbors. For further privacy you could add rice paper or other on back side, this way light would still filter in.

http://www.csnstores.com/Wayborn-2354W-WYB1322.html

http://www.csnstores.com/Wayborn-2363B-WYB1329.html

http://www.csnstores.com/Wayborn-2366B-WYB1335.html

http://www.csnstores.com/Wayborn-2371-WYB1341.html

terible - I really like that idea. I particularily like the first one you posted. I think one of the panels would look really sharp suspended INSIDE the window frame. (It wouldn't work in front as the profile of the molding is really quite deep.

But it looks like these panels are too big to fit inside the frame. Ive considered stain glass panels but I really don't want some sort of ornate/colorful pattern that won't work with the room. I want it all one color and glass to allow the light thru. Im going to keep looking on this site though. Does this website have a good reputation? I haven't seen it before.

Shoji screens is really an inventive idea but anything that has a far east style feels very out of place in my house.

Mrs Limestone - Now that I look at the pictures again, I think the shutters will look nice. Quick question for you. I want to also use the glass knobs from Restoration Hardware but can't decide the size. My friend said the smaller size looks better? I see you used the larger size. What made you decide?

mrslimestone - you can get "stained glass" that is a collection of clear / frosted / textured glass. It doesn't have to have color.

pbrisjar - I think that would be ideal but I haven't seen anything like that. I could have it custom made but it would cost a fortune. Not in the budget for that.

catsam - I was originally going to do the small knobs for the uppers and the larger knobs for the lower cabinets but was concerned that the contractors might get it all mixed up and I'd be sorry I complicated it. I think a mix might look nice though.

The bigger ones just seemed the right size for my cabinets. Now that they are on, Im glad I went with the bigger ones but since I just made the decision on the fly, I just have easily could have made the wrong decision.

I would not do anything on the windows that would compete with your architecture. I'd like simple white lace curtains in your kitchen (which is totally lovely) to add some texture without detracting from your detail.

wow - your kitchen is a new favorite for me. I tracked down your blog and saw your inspiration collage -they are fabulous! Do you happen to recall where those photos came from? I'd love to pour over some of them, especially the ones on the upper & lower right corners.

congratulations.

You could also do decorative window film for now.

How timely - I went out to buy some of that film today. Of course I got the wrong one that requires some kind of fancy adhesive and gel so that is going back. Off to find the easy to apply kind while I look for the "perfect" thing.

Both photos came from designers I had found online. The upper right is from Keith Morton and the lower right is from Anne Coyle.

thank you, mrslimestone! i'll track those down.

Just wanted to thank you for recommending the film. I thought I'd use it as just a short term fix but I really like it!! It might be there for a long time :)

Your kitchen is SO beautiful!!!! Those high ceilings are very dramatic - I love them. As for the cabs, soapstone, lighting (I could go on and on) - you've made such great selections and everything really looks wonderful. I'm a little bit envious!

Your kitchen is simply amazing, and very similar to what we are doing (but oh so much nicer! Our counters are black laminate, but with oak floors and cream cabinets with a slim beading).

I adore the simplicity of your cabinet hardware but I cannot make out what they are!

Thank you !
Cheryl

I love your kitchen...but I just can't get past this issue I have with your name. :oP Am I talking to Mr. Slime Stone? Or Mrs. Lime Stone? :oP (I read it number one every time LOL)

Your kitchen is such a beautiful kitchen I just can't equate the slimestone name with it heh heh

I am speechless! It is absolutely stunning!

Thanks! And yes - its mrs. limestone (my house is a limestone, thus the name) although mr. slimestone sounds more exciting :)

I'm a LOT envious. If it were possible for a kitchen to be TOO beautiful, this one would be it.

Mrs Limestone, In the left side shadow of the old room that was gutted, I see a radiator. You obviously removed it in your new space. How is the new larger space heated? I don't see radiators in your pictures.

I love your dining room floor!

I am so glad you went with the window film. It keeps the room open and light and the eye goes where it should, which is the rest of your beautiful room. This is my favorite renovation ever!

Our needed all new mechanicals so we eventually decided to install a central heating system along with central air. We haven't had any warm weather to test the central air but the central heating seems to work pretty well.

Thanks caminnc - I think im going to keep the film even though I put it up thinking it was a stop gap. It looks right to me.

Heeeyyyy! You got your lamp lit! Cool!

Mr. Slime, your kitchen is more heart-stoppingly lovely every time I visit it.

I have to tell you, I never tire of looking at your kitchen. It is simply gorgeous. I currently have white cabinets and am seriously trying to avoid them again in this remodel(for a # of reasons), but every time I see a white kitchen, it just keeps drawing me back in. Just beautiful. I hope you are enjoying it.

Haha mindstorm - yep, I finally did get a bulb in there :)

Malhgold - Id be the same way if I ever moved..I wouldn't want the same thing. Have you seen some of the gray painted cabinets - they are fab.

Absolutely gorgeous kitchen!
But can you tell me about your closet system? I love it and am looking for something very similar.

Thanks!

Your kitchen is what I had in my eye's mind! We have an 1800's Victorian house and have started to think about renovating the kitchen. I can't go forward until I have the palette in place. After visit the granite and marble yards....I find I'm not crazy about granite. We did decide on soapstone and off white cabinets. It is so great to see your beautiful soapstone/cabinet combo. The floors are wonderful too. We have 40 year old linoleum. All I can Hope is that it turns out as beautiful as yours.

Our closets are from the Container Store. They are called elfa. Their sales people are very helpful. We just brought our measurements and they did the layout for us. The installation was a bit of a pain b/c it doesn't click together as easy as they make it appear in the store but we eventually figured it out. I totally love my closet now!

I know its been a long while but I figured I'd come full circle and post photos of the completely finished kitchen now.

Mrs. Limestone - how high are your ceilings? We are about to reno a 1915 Victorian with 12 foot ceilings and I love the look of yours!!