Beautiful kitchen! I love the dark floors-mine are quite dark, too, but my kitchen is nowhere near finished so it is great to see dark floors in such a stunning finished kitchen!

Now that's a sweet looking kitchen. Love the granite.

One question regarding your under cabinet outlets shown on your website. Are those to code (in the Toronto area)? If you got a permit and they were approved, then thats awesome but I though you couldn't have regular romex exposed like that. Just curious since I'm coming up with ideas for details such as that.

Great job,

Dan

redroze - Congratulations on a fantastic kitchen!!! You took both modern and traditional elements and pulled them together beautifully. Your kitchen is timeless and I'm sure you will enjoy it for years to come.

Hi redroze,

Your kitchen looks wonderful!! I haven't been on gardenweb long enough to have seen your posts in the planning stages, but it's very evident that a LOT of time went into it.

My kitchen is still in progress, and I'm glad I found gardenweb before entirely finishing. This is very odd, but I can now picture what I hope my kitchen will look like since seeing yours! To explain that, my layout will be very similar with the range in the same location and an island in the same location. Our cabinets will be white with the island stained dark, as well as very dark floors. The thing I haven't figured out is the backsplash.

I hope mine looks even half as good as yours! Congrats on being finished!!

Advertguy - We live in the GTA and DH says the undercabinet outlets are to code. Next time we see our GC though, I will ask him just to be sure.

Aubie - Happy to provide the visual for you! I was always excited to find magazines or online photos that were similar, just I got a better sense of what it would look like.

Redroze - Thank you so much for sharing your gorgeous kitchen. I have been reading everything here for months and have enjoyed snippets of your kitchen.

I really appreciate what you wrote on your website about appreciating your own kitchen. I have a small kitchen and I compare it constantly to all these gorgeous kitchens (yours) with envy. Thanks for sharing - enjoy! Kris

Absolutely stunning!! Your kitchen is gorgeous. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!! You have an incredible talent!! My favorite part is the espresso black cabinets- so chic! I'll bet you are thrilled - really wonderful job!! You should be so proud!

I've been bypassing your kitchen because I wanted time to really take in EVERY BEAUTIFUL DETAIL! My favorite are the open display shelves.

Thought I'd need to hunt to see it all. (I was expecting a photobucket link). Your blog is fantastic! Thanks!

Hi redroze - sorry, meant to say this in my previous post and forgot. I love that you included a section in your website for what you felt you were really happy with vs. what you'd do differently. I was especially glad to see your comment about covering the floors really well during the remainder of construction. We were considering having the floors completely finished prior to installing cabinets, painting, etc. but then I thought better of it! We are planning to try just having the floors installed and the the staining / refinishing existing floors AFTER everything else. I've seen what happens with the contractors in my house and I doubt the floors would be intact even if they were entirely covered!

Also, your comment about using subs recommended by your GC - one would think that would make perfect sense and would work out much better. You guys were very lucky to have a great GC! Unfortunately, in our case, our GC didn't have a very good list of subs, so some of them were absolutely horrible. We almost wished that we'd just told them to leave and gotten our own by the time they were done, but that would have slowed things down even more. One of his subs took forever to finish and kept just disappearing, only to act as if he was doing us a favor when he finally returned!! He also kept trying to raise his original price quoted every time he thought the job was actually more work than he expected. Never again will I put up with that! There are so many people out of work right now and I'm sure one of them would be glad to step in!

red, your kitchen is gorgeous! I'm so happy for you to be 'almost' done! Congratulations!

Sandy

Krissd - I'm glad that note meant something to you.

Willowdecor - Thanks SO much for your enthusiasm!! I'm giddy from your note because I just adore your kitchen and pantry!!!!

Cotehele - That's so sweet.

Thanks Sandy/Busybme!

Aubie - Just a note that most people with hardwood (including me) install their floors first, then do the stain and one or two coats of poly (because you do NOT want to get floor stain on your cabinets!!), then the final coat of poly after everything is installed. Your note seemed to suggest that you're installing the floors after the cabinets are in, so I would highly advise against that!! I'm sorry that your GC experience didn't go well with the sub hires. I agree that our situation with our friend/GC was unique and it saddens me that not everyone can have a positive experience as us.

Hi redroze,

Just to clarify, we were planning to have the new floors installed before cabinets, but stain and poly put on after (the floor company we are using puts on 4 coats of poly). So would it be highly likely that they would get the floor stain on the cabinets?? It would be fine if just the toekick area (we're planning on having stainless steel for all the toekicks, so it could go on after the floors were stained (and cover anything that got on them!). There seems to be no really good time for doing the floors!! That's the part I'm most worried about.

Hi Aubie,

You're right, I stressed about the floors too as there's no "right" time. We got a looong scratch on our floors when they moved the fridge in, and all we got was a last coat of poly after that. We also got a few hard dings when they moved out the old fridge from the laundry room. (Argh, what is it with fridges??) So it looks like we'll have to do one last screening then a final coat of poly.

I know they can keep the toekicks out...I'd prefer for them to do the stain before the cabs go in, but you may want to post on the flooring forum to get others' advice and experience.

Good luck.

Thanks, redroze. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one obsessing over things like this :) I know what you mean about the fridges - it seems that something is ruined every time they have to be moved. I actually did post on the flooring and remodeling forums, so will see if I get any responses. Enjoy your kitchen! I'm so jealous that you're done :)

your kitchen is a joy to behold ...lovely! i hope you enjoy many years of happy meals!

Sigh, so lovely! I'm a sucker for a classic white kitchen, and yours is so tastefully executed. You must feel so happy every time you walk in!

I love your choice in counter stools. I really like how they fade into your island and don't detract from its nice lines. They look comfy too.

Congratulations on your gorgeous new space!

Erika

I really love your kitchen. I love your cabinets and that counter is stunning! The dark floor is gorgeous with the white cabinets. What is the wall color since I love that also?

Just wanted to say I adore your kitchen, and have enjoyed reading your posts over the past few months. Especially the "DH wants this and I want that". We can all relate to that. Glad to see that you've been able to agree to such beautiful choices in this very sophisticated kitchen.

We just got a phone call that our table stain sample is ready, so the table should be done soon too!! The photo on the Woodcraft website doesn't do it justice.

Thanks for the wonderful comments. One person that i'm hoping will see this post is Rmkitchen. Has anyone seen here around?

Aubie - It's been 10 months since the demo so this reveal has been a long time coming!!

Kate - Thanks for the note!! Somehow meals taste better in our new kitchen, and there's much more prep space. I picture myself making jams in the summertime...always wanted to have a kitchen where you can make jams and pickles and stuff.

Erika - The stools are SO comfy. Many a time, we have sat at the counters with our laptops and just hung out. Our friend said it's like having an Internet cafe, LOL. I can even cross my legs...that's a requirement for me for dining chairs, that I can cross my legs!!

Lynn - The wall colour is Benjamin Moore Natural Cream. I originally thought we should do something more grey, but now that I see the big picture I realized that the pale warmth of the Natural Cream adds an overall coziness to the kitchen and family room that a grey paint just could not achieve.

Debsan - Yes, our kitchen is really a melding of decisions from me and DH. We both instantly loved the granite which became a jumping off point for the colour scheme. Then there were things that I thought would be perfect (ex. pendants) and that he was more comfortable "test driving" first, which made him nervous as they were not returnable. He prefers to test things out in our space, whereas I can look at photos and imagine what it would look like. In the end, it works out!!

Bumping this in the hopes that Rmkitchen will see this (if you haven't already). Where are you RM?

Hi Redroze,

Just wondering if you asked your GC about the electrical for your under cabinet lighting?

Dan

Hey advertguy, yes I did and he said that it is within code but he did not get a permit. Do you need anymore specific info?

Naw, I'm good. Thanks for finding out.

I'll do my part to bump this up for rm to see!

We're having our upstairs re-painted in a couple of weeks (kitchen/LR/DR/hallway...). Might end up using BM White 01 again (but in the Aura paint, matte finish, which is why we are re-painting so soon--I fell in love with that paint while renovating a bathroom). One of the other whites I am considering is "your" Chantilly Lace. After reading your description of it, it sounded like a white I might like as well (for my walls). Will be painting sample whites on our walls over the next few days, and make a decision soon.

I might not have included Chantilly Lace as a possibility had it not been for you. No matter which white we choose, I'll be happy that we'll have included a "redroze-endorsed" color in our decision-making process!

Thanks for providing such descriptive details!!! :-)

Wow! Timeless and stunning, elegantly simple, what else can I say?

I just can't stop looking at your kitchen! It's unbelievably beautiful! That granite is to dye for....

Redroze, I've enjoyed the story of your developing kitchen since I started reading GW. I think one of the first posts I read was about your floors, where you didn't like the stain, and had them completely redone. I have to admit at the time that I thought you were crazy. But over the last several months I've come to realize that you understand that beauty is in the details, and that good enough is not always good enough. Now look at the gorgeous result of all the details you stressed over in your project. You've also been so generous to share all that you've learned along the way. You have an eye for design so I always enjoy reading your opinions. Congratulations on your beautiful space.

Hi Redroze -
Even though you're not "finished finished" may I archive your kitchen in the Finished Kitchens Blog? We can always update your photos/details later if any changes are needed.
If you're ok with this please submit the FKB Category Checklist so I can easily categorize your kitchen.
Thanks and congrats!

Here is a link that might be useful: FKB Category Checklist

Starpooh - I would be honoured. I'll fill out the details now. Sorry for my tardy reply! The kitchen chairs and table should be here in a week or two, then we're officially done.

Hey Starpooh, just wanted to say thanks for filling in all my kitchen details on the Finished Kitchens blog. I wanted to post "finished-finished" photos once our kitchen chairs were unwrapped. But alas, we got busy with our two bathroom renos and we haven't had time yet. I'll add new photos to my blog soon!

I plan to do a combination of white and espresso cabinets too. I love your granite choice. Could you please tell me the name of granite? Thanks.

Chilili00 - just dug up my old post as I was reminiscing about our kitchen reno. Sorry for the late reply - it's Bianco Antico.

redroze, your kitchen is beautiful and I love the Bianco Antico counters! Thank you for letting us know.

Redroze!!! I saw this thread pop-up, and smiled from ear to ear, as I remembered your lovely kitchen, and equally wonderful you!

Redroze, if you are reading this...email me!!!

Hi everyone this is redroze. Anyone still here from the old Garden Web days??

Hi, Redroze! I’m here, but just because I get email updates from threads I participated in previously.

Hi redroze and rhome! Good to see you are still around.

I don't participate much anymore, but am alive and kickin'!

I'm not one of the old regulars, but old enough to be grateful to see this thread pop up again, esp with redroze, rhome, and starpooh!

Hi redroze / Graceful Shopper (and rhome410 and starpooh)!!!

I adore it. Black and white is so classic.

Hey catmom!!! Funny enough I was just scrolling through the FKB thinking of old times. Thanks Stephen.

Thanks Steph!! (Autocorrect)

I can’t believe it’s been 11 years since your reveal, redroze. It is a classic. I used to post as budge1. I was away for awhile but we had a bit of a Disaster a few years ago and had to redo the whole house. Gardenweb was invaluable thru that process but I still regret not being able to have my results posted in the FKB. That always seemed like the real finish line.

Gardenweb was a lifesaver when we were designing our kitchen and this particular kitchen was a favorite! Beautiful!!

I’m in the process of updating my personal blog, there will be lots of photos of other rooms in the home. Nice to hear from you all! Budge I’m sorry to hear about your home but hope all is well.

http://www.thegracefulshopper.com/blog/ in case you didn’t see my earlier posts

Thanks, redroze/graceful shopper. Yes, all is well and while I wouldn't want to go thru it again, I did get my black and white kitchen :-)

Yay would love to see it Daisy!