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mihelene

Your thoughts on this combination?

mihelene
10 years ago

I was hoping to get some honest comments on this combination of cabinet colors? We started a massive reno to a home and a job transfer has moved us away without ever moving in. We are finishing up construction and planning on putting the house on the market in a few weeks. I let the Realtor bring in a buyer who really wanted to see the house and after the showing I asked for feedback. According to the Realtor, she "hated" the kitchen. I haven't let anyone else in and per the Realtor's advice, I am waiting until the counters are installed before we do so. We are putting in honed Imperial Danby Marble tops, which have both copper and grey veining and which I thought, tie the look together. So your opinion- have I made a massive error or is this just a case of this combo not appealing to one buyer? Thanks for your thoughts.

Comments (14)

  • mark_rachel
    10 years ago

    I personally wouldn't want it in my kitchen, but that doesn't mean others wouldn't. I would prefer a dark glazed, or White Island if it had to be two toned. It will probably look better once its complete. What color are you painting the walls?

  • ineffablespace
    10 years ago

    I think this is the matter of it not appealing to one buyer.

  • fishymom
    10 years ago

    I agree with ineffablespace, it is just the opinion of one potential buyer. Some people only see exactly what is in front of them and are not able to envision a finished product, good reason to not have anymore showings until the kitchen is done.

    We sold a house last winter that had a free standing range on the short wall of the kitchen. Our first realtor brought in his "designer" (wife) who claimed the kitchen would need to be gutted, no one was going to buy a kitchen with a free standing stove and whitewashed cabinets. This home is in a beach town, a few blocks from the ocean. We dropped this agent when the listing expired and sold the house 6 weeks after listing with the new agent. We had a lot of traffic and only received one negative feedback regarding the kitchen. The couple that bought the house loved the kitchen and beachy vibe of the whitewashed cabinets. So, as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

  • speaktodeek
    10 years ago

    It's fine. Sometimes buyers "hate" something to the Realtor as a way of driving down the price.

    This is not an objectionable color combination by any means, it is quite handsome.

  • Vertise
    10 years ago

    Personal taste. Waiting until it's done is a good idea.

    Someone will be very glad to find your beautiful new kitchen. No need to drop the price, lol.

  • michellemarie
    10 years ago

    I like it. I would finish the kitchen before showing it to others. I also would call an upper end cabinet showroom or interior designer and get some feedback on your choice of granite and whether or not buyers will want it honed or not. I live in a suburb of Minneapolis and went through some Parade Homes about a week ago and all 6 that I toured had the polished granite. These were all houses priced $1,000,000.00 and up. I saw honed and leathered granite last year and the year before, but not this year. And I love the look of honed granite, but I am just wondering if buyers do and that is who you need to appeal to. Another thing I noticed was cream and brown granites.
    That was definitely a theme in my area. If I had to guess, the granites may been delicates or diamond arrow. Good luck. I think your kitchen will be really pretty!

  • 2ajsmama
    10 years ago

    I know a finished kitchen would show better, but unless you've already made a non-refundable deposit on the granite, I would hold off and give an allowance. If you can have a sample to show a serious buyer, then get one, just to show them what you were thinking. But I wouldn't want to go to the expense of granite and then find out that the one person who loved the house, including the cabinets, wanted something else for the counters.

  • debrak2008
    10 years ago

    Ditto what ajsmama said.

    To be honest I rarely see a kitchen that I would not want to gut. If you can let the buyer make some of the decisions you might be better off.

  • eam44
    10 years ago

    It's beautiful. Buyers will be clamoring for your home and its gorgeous kitchen. Don't worry about a single house hunter who lacks the ability to see past the unfinished details. It's just not her house. I'm sorry you won't get a chance to live in it!

    Was the potential buyer...how do I say this... older? Just wondering.

    Oh, and I disagree with other posters - don't change a thing, don't ask opinions of potential buyers. Generally speaking the only thing buyers lack more of than taste is vision. Just be true to yours and it'll be lovely.

    Please post images of the marble when it's in.

    This post was edited by EAM44 on Sat, Mar 22, 14 at 19:28

  • gr8daygw
    10 years ago

    I think the marble WILL tie it all together and look amazing. If you are truly afraid to put it in all the way maybe you could just put a small section of it in and let the buyer decide the rest or if it were me I'd just go for it. How can you go wrong with Danby???

    Sometimes when someone hates something as nice as what you have they often prefer something that you would hate just as much. Different tastes that never will connect.

  • peony4
    10 years ago

    If you installed honed Imperial Danby and a simple subway BS, I would take this kitchen in a heartbeat!

    Unless the realtor offers further explanation, you have no idea why their buyer "hated" your kitchen. It could be the empty Dr. Pepper bottle sitting on the cabinets and the garbage can in the backdrop that gave the buyer an icky feeling. Many people have never lived through a remodel, and so may not have the vision for what your kitchen will be other than what they're seeing before them.

    For that reason, finish it with what you have planned. I think buyers will be more inclined to picture themselves living in a finished space, than buying one that they have to finish themselves. Only GWers would suffer the latter!

  • ineffablespace
    10 years ago

    The majority of buyers are going to want a finished kitchen, and a good number of buyers won't even have really specific ideas of what they want the kitchen to look like. As long as you are doing something that isn't outlandish, a new kitchen in and of itself will satisfy a lot of buyers.

    I also have rarely seen a kitchen I didn't want to gut, but this means I have ruled out houses with brand new or nearly new kitchens. Any house that said "newly renovated" in the listing I wouldn't even look at. Your house, with its new kitchen, isn't going to attract the buyer who wants to remodel anyway, unless your house is a bargain or for sale in a very fast market.

  • amykath
    10 years ago

    I think your kitchen is gorgeous! Your cabinets look very high end and I think your choice of counter tops will be perfect. I would also do a simple subway white backsplash.

    Some people have no clue unless they see the finished product. Do not let one person get you down. When it is complete buyers will be fawning over your kitchen!

  • mihelene
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Ok, thanks for talking me off the ledge! I liked the combination; that's why I chose it. We sold a house last year with a kitchen reno that we had done- that one was white cabs, soapstone & marble. I wanted something different and the vibe for this house is more transitional. The walls in the entire house will be painted BM Elmira White, a very pale griegy color. The counter tops are honed marble, not granite. The backsplash will be simple subway. We are in a hot market with little inventory and upwardly trending prices, so the buyer of this house is not going to rip out the kitchen; they will be paying top dollar for it. We are in the midwest, where tastes tend to run a bit behind new trends. I think the grey island might have scared her off?
    I will post some pictures when the install is finished and here's to hoping for the perfect buyer who likes all my choices!

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