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fishymom

My two tone kitchen reveal sans backsplash

fishymom
10 years ago

My kitchen is finally finished! Well, except for the backsplash and a change of paint color. It has been an interesting journey, with a few twists and turns, but I am happy with the final results.

Details:
Floors: 18" Travertine
Cabinets: KraftMaid Hartwell/Harrington Square
Base Cabinets: Cherry w/ Rye Finish
Wall Cabinets/Hood: Maple w/Mushroom Finish
Hood Liner: Fujioh BUF-Pro Series
Granite: Magma Gold
Sink: Blanco Silgranit II Diamond Super Single Cafe Brown
Faucet: Graff Bollero Olive Bronze
Garbage Disposal: Insinkerator Evolution w/ Air Switch
Microwave: Sharp 24" Microwave Drawer ADA Compliant
Range: Frigidaire Professional Slide in Range ADA Compliant
Refigerator: KitchenAid KFXS25RYNS French Door ADA Compliant
Dishwasher: Bosch 800 Series

When we moved into this house 5 years ago, we redid all the flooring and renovated all the bathrooms. The kitchen wasn't horrible, so all we did was replace a really ugly backsplash with tumbled marble. Here is a picture of the kitchen taken from the family room before renovation:

Our kitchen renovation started on Black Friday 2012 when my husband texted me a picture of a kitchen display at Lowes and asked me if I liked it. I said yes and he texted back that he was going to buy it! It was a new display that had only been in the store a couple of months. I had seen the display in person and really liked it, but was worried about it fitting. We had new travertine floors put in our common area 5 years ago and any renovation would have to fit in the existing footprint. The display had no refrigerator and a range, while we had double wall ovens and a cooktop. Here is the photo my husband sent:

This is the original plan from the KD at the store. I was never really sold on this option due to the venting for the hood. Our kitchen is in the center of our house and is open to the living room and I couldn't wrap my brain around a stack going up to the vaulted ceiling. It was logical to put the range where the cooktop was, but it just didn't feel right.

While I was mulling the design over, we were in the process of selling our other home. We spent a year remodeling that house to get it ready to sell, so when we finally closed last February, we needed a break from reno, so put our kitchen on the back burner for a while. Black Friday 2013, I finally found a range that I liked, a Frigidaire Professional Slide In, and things kicked into high gear again. I reworked the layout, replacing the old double wall ovens on the opposite wall with the range and hood, and ordered the cabinets we needed to complete the kitchen the first of January.

Another dilemma was what color wall cabinet to use next to the hood. I eventually decided to match the pantry instead of matching the rest of the wall cabinets, so this is the only cherry wall cabinet. I also decided not to add the glass at the top to balance out the weight of the pantry and hood. After all the agonizing over the decision, I am happy with the way it turned out, I really like the way the hood looks flanked by the cherry cabinets. Right now the hood fan is recirculating, but will have a stack vented to the outside.

After much hemming and hawing, I made the decision to buy a microwave drawer, allowing for a straight run of cabinets on the fridge wall. I chose the Sharp 24" model, which is the exact same size microwave as the 30", only the face plate is different. So far, I really like the microwave drawer, easier and more comfortable to use than the OTR and it is not sitting on my counter!

The dishwasher and microwave drawer placement were switched from the original plan, easy to do since they are both 24 inch. I am so happy I switched them, the dishwasher is just more comfortable to me on the right. And with my dish drawer in the base cabinet just to the right of the dishwasher, it is easy to unload. We ended up getting a new Bosch 800 Series dishwasher last weekend when our 5 yr old Electrolux died, that was definitely not in the plan!

I fell in love with this Magma Gold granite slab at the stone yard. I had planned on using a lighter countertop, Giallo Ornamental or Star Beach. But when I saw this slab, I was done shopping!

I chose a Blanco Silgranit II Diamond Super Single in Cafe Brown. I debated between the Cafe Brown and Truffle color, but I think the Cafe Brown looks good with the granite. I bought it without seeing it in person and was a little surprised at how big it was when it came in. The first one was cracked during shipping, but the second one was perfect! I decided to drop in the sink because I liked the way the deck looked and it felt too deep to me under mounted. I kept my original faucet, a Graff Bollero in Olive Bronze. It is the perfect faucet for this sink, water hits dead center, no splashes. One of my favorite things I did was add the air switch for my garbage disposal. I painted the white cap myself to match the sink, It has been in use for over a month, so far, so good!

The last piece to the puzzle arrived last Thursday, my KitchenAid FD refrigerator. Although I haven't had it long, I love it and the extra drawer is pure genius! I use it for produce but it would have been awesome to have when my kids were young. The best part about it to me is that because the bottom of the fridge is glass, I see in the drawer every time I open the fridge. I am actually eating my fruits and vegetables because I see them now, instead of having them hiding in a bin! None of the other brands had this feature, so I chose this model without ever seeing it in person and am very happy with my choice.

I love the fridge, but I really don't like the way the open side looks. I am going to live with it for a while and see if it grows on me.

Here is a view of the kitchen from the family room. The green wall is going to be repainted the same color as the other wall, hopefully this weekend. We have not installed the cherry piece on the edge of the knee wall, waiting for a trim piece we had to order. And we also have 2 more bar stools, but they are at my son's house at the moment.

And last but not least, my dog does indeed match my two tone kitchen!

Still up for debate is the pendant lights above the counter. I can get single pendants that match the chandelier in the breakfast nook. My husband wants to leave it as is and I am too weary to make a decision.

As for the backsplash, I know I want a plain subway tile, maybe a crackle or a matte. It hasn't been easy to find exactly what I want that will play well with everything else. I do like the warm Carmel color of the painted backsplash, not sure how that will translate to tile though.


This post was edited by fishymom on Thu, Mar 6, 14 at 13:05

Comments (28)

  • Mgoblue85
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Wow - I love it. What counter is that - it looks great with your cabs! Also like the over-hang supports - very nice. What size cab did you get for the MW. I wish I had gone smaller to allow the adjacent stack to be wider on mine. Yours looks like a good fit.

    Congrats on making to the ABB club!!!

  • greenhaven
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I love it! When I close my eyes and imagine the new paint color, the lights all on after dark, I get a super-homey, comforting feeling. I used to think I hated two-tone kitchens, but the more I see the more I like them, when they are done well.

    Congratulations!

  • fishymom
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thank you! The granite is Magma Gold. It was an impulse buy, went to the stone yard looking for something totally different, saw this slab and I was done shopping! I used a 24" inch base cabinet for the microwave drawer.

  • bpath
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    So let's get this straight, your DH went to Lowe's for AA batteries and came home with a new kitchen, and you went to stone yard and the granite jumped into your cart at the checkout counter (like my impulse-buy 3Musketeers do). And the outcome is that beauty?! That's the kitchen experience I want! And your little dog, too!

    Thanks for the eye candy ;)

  • deegw
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I love the color of the uppers. What is it? Your space will look even better when you paint your green wall.

    Do you you have a special collection for your glass display cabinets?

  • amck2
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    So nice - love that run of cabinets on the fridge wall! Congratulations

  • nmjen
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Looks great! I especially like the upper cabinets with the glass fronts. So pretty! Too funny about your husband "impulse-buying" your new kitchen--I threatened such things when shopping alone, but never followed through! Congratulations!

  • Lisa
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Love the two tone cabinets, the hood is beautiful, the legs on the sink cabinet add a nice touch. Great job! Very pretty!

  • fishymom
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Deee, I updated my post to include the details I left out, but the wall cabinets are Kraftmaid Maple in Mushroom finish. And I have a collection of vintage Fiesta that will go in the glass cabinets, they are still in storage though.

    Bpathome, actually my husband went to Lowe's for light bulbs!

  • oldbat2be
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Congratulations! There's something so visually satisfying about your straight run of upper cabinets, nicely done! Glad you got the MW drawer, you will love it. You do have a lot going on in this kitchen - when you get to the BS, I'll be interested in seeing what you pick and will photoshop different tiles for you. We'll help you tie everything together! Best, oldbat2be

  • deedles
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Wow, so that's the entire display or you had to add some cabs to the display. Cool story. And the kitchen looks great.. I do like the two tone kitchen. And dawg!

  • Kathy Rivera
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Beautiful (though I'm biased since our finished products are so similar, IMO!). That counter is gorgeous!!!

    I know you are 'done', but if the fridge still bothers you, you could also look into recessing it into the wall a bit? We did that and the grey side only sticks outs about 1.5" past the base cabs. I have the side panel, but still, if you could get the grey panel to only be really seen from the counter up, maybe it wouldn't bother you as much? Though I still think it's a non-issue (but I understand all the work and then not having everything 'perfect').

    And be sure to post a picture once all the Fiestaware is in!!!

  • romy718
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Great story & your husband has excellent taste. I love the two tone & especially love the color of the uppers.
    I'm looking forward to oldbat2be's backsplash photoshop project.
    Yes, more photos when your Fiestawear is in.

  • gr8daygw
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Well, I'm glad you had the presence of mind to match your dog! So cute : )) Love your new kitchen, the combination is so lovely and makes me want it!!! Nice job on everything. I will look forward to seeing the backsplash mock ups, too.

  • xc60
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Your kitchen looks amazing, really liking the two tone cabinets and upper cabinet lighting. The granite is also gorgeous!

  • edeevee
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Looks like it would be a dream to cook in!

  • jellytoast
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    You guys did a great job pulling your design together! Of course your husband had to buy that display ... it matched your dog. It turned out beautifully. Did ya'all do any of the work yourselves? I have a question about your microwave drawer.

  • fishymom
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thank you all! Oldbat, I will be taking you up on your photoshop offer as soon as things settle own around here. We are moving right into a laundry room renovation, reusing some of the old kitchen cabinets.

    Deedles, we used all the cabinets in the display except one 27" wall cabinet and a 39" shelf. We had to order 4 cabinets, a 24" cherry base cabinet for the microwave, the 15" cherry wall cabinet next to the hood, a 15" mushroom wall cabinet and the 39" box above the fridge. We already had the 39" glass door cabinet, just added the box below.

    KathyNY76, I LOVE your kitchen! And seeing your stained hood sealed the deal on my cherry wall cabinet. Although our colors are reversed, it is the same look and I love it! As for the fridge, I am getting used to it, I think the gray was just so different from the black. I had the option to get a counter depth fridge, but I just felt it was too small for this size house. So for now, I am just going to live with it as is. And I promise more photos when the hood stack and paint are done and the Fiestaware and backsplash are in!

    Jellytoast, my husband did most of the work. And I am happy to answer any questions about the microwave drawer, I am very happy with mine!

  • jellytoast
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    fishymom, I have a base microwave cabinet and now I just have a regular countertop microwave sitting in it. I thought about putting in a microwave drawer, but I've looked at the specs and they say that the electrical outlet should be in the top left corner. Mine is in the center of the cabinet, located about two-thirds of the way up. It is recessed into the cabinet, if that makes a difference, so there is no "box" sticking out into the cabinet recess.

    I have extra wood to trim out the cabinet for a MW drawer installation (as per the specs I saw online), but am worried that the location of my outlet will prevent proper installation. I can't move the electrical.

    I'm wondering if there is wiggle room regarding the outlet location.

  • fishymom
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Jellytoast, you should be fine. When installed, there is space in the back of the cabinet to accommodate the cord and plug. The outlet does not have to be installed in the top left corner, it says in the installation manual "* Can also be installed using an electrical outlet in an adjacent cabinet within the area where the provided electrical card can reach.". Our outlet is in the sink base.

  • CEFreeman
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hey! You've done such a beautiful job! There's something to be said about taking it slowly, isn't there?

    I also appreciate how you narrated your pictures with your process, experience and whys. It's much easier to follow and far more interesting than a huge blurb I have to keep moving back up to read. Call me picky, but thanks!

    I also love your granite. I've seen that before and it always draws me in.

  • robo (z6a)
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Beautiful! It looks so warm and happy. Great job!

  • lawjedi
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Very nice. I've been planning my own "2 -toned" kitchen -- painted up the old cabinets a few years ago to mock it up & love the result.

    I really like the way you've embraced the warmth in the 2 tones -- often I see 2 tones with a cooler feel -- this is very warm and inviting. :-)

    Personally, I think I will be "straddling" the warm/cool look... I like from both sides. But dh definitely wants warm, so I think I will need to lean a bit stronger in that direction.

    enjoy your beautiful kitchen!

  • fishymom
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thank you Lawjedi! The most difficult part of this whole kitchen renovation has been making the cooler tone of the mushroom wall cabinets play nice with the other warmer finishes. And this is why I still don't have a backsplash! The granite does a nice job creating a bridge between the two tones as it has quite a bit of the light taupey color, but I still haven't found a backsplash tile that works. I do like the caramel color paint,and have ordered a similar matte tile sample that I hope will work, so we shall see.

  • fishymom
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I haven't been here in a while, I have missed seeing and hearing about all the new kitchens! I thought I would post an update, now that we have lived with our kitchen for over a year. I really love my two tone cabinets, the cherry base cabinets are warm and inviting and the mushroom wall cabinets keep the kitchen from being too dark. After all the angst of the decision, I am so glad I went with the solid wall of cabinets. And I am still in awe of my granite, do not for one single second regret the money spent on it! We ended up doing a stacked beige subway tile for the backsplash, with a herringbone pattern behind the range and I am very happy with my choice.

    As for appliances, I still love my microwave drawer, I use it every day and the only complaint I have is that the panel doesn't light up well. And I absolutely adore my fridge, love it so much we got the same one for my son! The produce drawer is still my favorite feature, and the ice maker my least favorite. We have never run out of ice, but we are a small family and when we have company, we always use bagged ice. But I can see this being an issue for a larger family without a second fridge with ice maker. I am very happy with my Bosch dishwasher, it does a great job and I've never had the goop issue some were having when I bought mine.

    The big miss in my kitchen is the range, I should have gone with induction. And I really dislike the surface of my range, it is a pain to keep clean, I miss the ease of my Thermador cooktop. And if I had it to do over again, I would have done drawers in the two base cabinets that don't have them. I still cannot believe how much more organized my kitchen is because of the drawer bases! I had a hard time wrapping my brain around how they would function for me, but after living with my kitchen for a year, I would do an all drawer kitchen in a heartbeat. Overall, I am so grateful to have a kitchen that is both functional and beautiful, and I so appreciate all the advice and encouragement I got from this forum!

  • fishymom
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    It is hard to believe it has been two more years since our kitchen remodel, it has been a busy few years! We adopted a new puppy in October, our little brown boy Jackson also matches the kitchen! At 10 months old, he is 70+ pounds but has no clue how big he is.


    Blfenton, we decided against the pendant lights, but we had the direction of the recessed lighting changed to increase the light over the bar, which has worked out well. We added pullouts to all the base cabinets that did not have drawers and that helped quite a bit, but my next kitchen will have ALL drawers! I still love my granite, an impulse buy that is my absolute favorite piece of the puzzle. I am still happy with my appliance choices, except the stove, I not so secretly hope it gets ruined by a lightning strike or power surge. Looking forward to catching up!

  • morgan932002
    4 years ago

    Late in the game here but my question is on your peninsula why did you raise it? We have a raised bar and I am thinking of cutting it down to counter height.