Oh my gosh!!! I haven't posted in quite some time due to life, but I had to post about your kitchen....it is crazy fabulous!!!

It is also funny as well b/c your layout is very similar to mine and what I am trying to accomplish with a few changes.....anywho AWESOME!!!

Shannon

Pardon my asking if it was somewhere else in this thread, but where is your trash? Is that it in the island, to the right of the MW?

I really like this layout. Do you have a drawing of the layout w/ measurements handy that you could post? I see snippets of measurements here and there in the thread, so I can possibly piece much of it together myself if you don't have something that's easy to post. Just thought I'd ask.

Thanks!

I don't know how I missed this post but holy cow am I glad I saw it today! I'd seen your previous post but all these pictures are so fabulous. How happy are you to not only be back in your own home but in such a beautiful home?

You have done an exceptional job with your kitchen, eating area and family room. You should be incredibly proud of yourself!

mama-

My previous question probably didn't make much sense. We've just started to work with our architect and I'm just beginning to figure out what's what.

Do your wood floors go all the way under your island? I was trying to describe the "feet" on your island and how the floor goes under them to the architect. He thought I was describing a moveable island. I don't think that's the case, but I'm just trying to make sure. Thanks again.

Mama,
We are seriously considering the Sharp Microwave drawer and I thought it looked so good in your island, any particular reason you would change that decision? My kids are all teens.

Mama, I will be visiting Boston in Sept and would like to visit the design center - do you literally have to make an appointment for each place you want to visit? There are so many places I would like to stick my nose in. Thanks so much for all your information and the measurement for your spice cabinet - again, congrats on a job more than well done!

holly, I forgot to tell you where i got the mantel. I got it from restoration resources, an architectural salvage place. it is off of albany street (sort of south end/ dorchester area... near the flower market). definitely call for hours and directions as it is a little random. they mostly have magnificent and very grand stuff taken from the mansions in backbay. this mantel was a little damaged and downstairs in the back corner. it was $300. it it still needs a little TLC. most of their mantels are pricier and fancier too, but it is all negotiable. the crotchedy old guy that works there is fun to haggle with.

hi Kulagal,
check this out:
http://www.bostondesign.com/VisitBDC.cfm

perhaps you don't have to make appointments afterall?? I would give them a call and see what the procedure is.

hi pluckymama,
i have only used the sharp micro a couple of times. i don't use a microwave very often. just reheating leftovers and reheating my coffee. the first time i used it, i was reheating a medium size to-go coffee and it didn't fit in with the lid on!! with the lid off, it did (note to self: do not get a large coffee unless i can drink it right down with no reheats required). I think the time it takes for the door to open and the door to close is something I will get used to, but being on the go, feeding the kids, etc., it would be better if it were just a little bit more straight forward such as opening a door. I could have lived with a regular microwave and I do worry about my younger child messing around with it and breaking it (along with all of the kids we have over here for playdates who vary from well behaved to complete hellions).

hi yardboi,
sorry i missed your post earlier. yes, the flooring runs under the island. we had three different levels of flooring before renovating and one of my biggest goals was to get everything on one level. it makes everything feel so much bigger to me even though it is the same amount of space. where the beam is to the right and above the dishwasher is where the old kitchen ended and where the step down into the family room was. so the old kitchen was not big enough for anything but a small table and wasn't big enough for an island. anyway, that is a very long answer. the island i believe is somehow affixed to the flooring but i don't think it really needed to be as it is so heavy it isn't going anywhere. those are furniture legs on the island, an option we chose to dress it up.

scootermom, yes, that is the trash to the right of the MW. it is across from the sink which is working out really well. i will attempt to post the floorplans from the cabinet company. hopefully it will work. I had to convert a pdf to a jpeg in order to upload it onto photobucket. perhaps there is a way to upload pdf files directly onto here??

one note on the plan: the island ended up being 42" away from the range not 48" as shown in the plan.

wow, this is a truly great kitchen, congratulations! I think it will be our inspiration kitchen, all the choices you've made seem just perfect. That you designed it yourself is amazing.

I'd like to ask, what did you do for the lower cabinetry in the corner (right of the stove and left of the sink)? It looks like the cabs numbered #5 and #12 in the plan would leave an empty spot in the corner, is that right? I would love to do that for an excuse for more drawers.

Also, the windows are stunning in your entire house. We keep trying to specify all wood, single pane, true divided lite windows but it's been really difficult finding sympathy for our quest, much less practical advice on how to actually make it happen. Everyone is so quick to shrug off the whole idea as too expensive and too much trouble but it's really important to us. Is Marvin the only window manufacturing company that accomodates requests for historic type windows like yours? We were advised to use WeatherShield because they offer all wood windows (no cladding) but now the window guy our architect uses is saying we can't get true divided lites on the casement windows we've selected.

Anyway, congratulations again!

mamadadapaige,

You must be so excited to see how we all love your kitchen!

As I told you, we are looking at the Sharp Microwave drawer as we need to put a microwave in our island, as you did. I have had my concerns about it, and then when I read your comments, I feel like maybe I should consider another microwave. I'm wondering if you would still put a microwave in your island, but just use a regular countertop microwave on a shelf in the island instead of the drawer?

Thanks again for your help.

So Mama--I have to tell you that after seeing your kitchen, I am really tweaking my design. Our layouts and dimensions are so similar--except that where your fridge is, we have the doorway that leads to the front of the house, so that aisle is a major pathway. Our fridge is where your dish cab is to teh right of your sink. To the right of our fridge our kitchen continues with a hutch setup very similar to your wet bar--I am guessing your space is about 5' across?

Anyway, after seeing your pix I realized that I should also concentrate upper cabs on the range wall, and increase the windows on the sink wall. Our ceilings are also 9'. We currently have a 4'' granite backsplash but I'm wondering if we can remove it to bring the windows all the way to the counter. It looks like you have almost no molding at the bottom--is that right? And no crown at the top. Smart to increase window size!

Thank you for the recommendation for the salvage place--can't wait to go there!

I thought I'd post some pix of our house too (taken several months ago, obviously). It was built in 1910--it's a funny victorian/farmhouse/colonial revival mishmash.

Thank you again for being so generous with all your info--and for providing so much inspiration! Holly

Mama

Do you recall an approximate price for your butcher block? I think it looks great and would like to know if it's in our ballpark. Thanks for your help.

Your kitchen is really pretty. I noticed that you picked polished nickel for your faucet and hardware instead of brushed nickel-it really stands out and looks lovely. In the photos your kitchen looks like a creamy white but the Benjamin Moore color lancaster whitewash is kind of a very light khaki, so I wondered if the photos make the cabinets look lighter than they are in person. Either way, you made wonderful choices and I really hope I can feel as good about my decisions as you must. My biggest issue right now is figuring out the perimeter counters. I thought I would go with honed black granite but too many people object so I may start looking at other options. Thanks very much for all of the information about your kitchen.

Hi Mamapapa, was wondering whether the material on your range hood was the Rangecraft "Non Directional Stainless"? Or regular stainless? Are you pleased with it and with the match between the hood and the GE range? I just love the way your hood and range look!

Thanks for posting your Crown Point plans. So helpful! I wonder if half your readers are going to stop trying to copy Christopher Peacock and use your design instead!

Looks fabulous. I used Lancaster Whitewash on our 2nd floor trim because it looks like old white to me. I love it in your kitchen. Also love how the family room is open yet separated from the space. How will you position a sofa? Do you find the sink far from the stove for draining pasta? (This is an issue I am trying to figure out.) I love the solid butcherblock island but not sure if a sink would be necessary for us.

One other OT question: What colors are your home's exterior? I love them, the trim color especially.

Use it well and congrats!

Mamadadapaige, Thank you for posting your layout. Very helpful.

I have a bookmark folder called "Kitchens I Like" that I use to save links to...kitchens I like. I was re-organizing that folder yesterday and realized that I'd bookmarked your kitchen 3 times in the last week! :-) Didn't want to lose track of it. There were a few others (mostly white/off white) that appeared multiple times, too. That folder was packed w/ GW kitchens!

hi all,

sorry haven't been on in a day or two. thanks again for so many nice comments on my kitchen. it makes me proud that you all like it so much!

jan s,
yes, i have a dead corner there. i am not a lazy susan fan and had a blind corner thing in the last kitchen and didn't care for that either. I felt I could do without the extra storage space. along the way, there were many form vs. function issues and sometimes function won out, but in this case form won. you have to go with form sometimes!!

pluckymama,
i don't mean to discourage you on the sharp mw. it has been working like a charm and does have its advantages. the one i wanted to go with with the GE spacemaker. it is a 1.0 cubic foot mw... but I could not find a good answer on how to vent it in my application and really wanted a built in look.

holly, your house is beautiful. have you been to Splash in Newton? you can try a bunch of different kitchen faucets there. they have them hooked up to a water supply. sort of fun! and also they have some kitchen sinks to check out, but otherwise it is pretty much all bathroom stuff.

yardboi,
the butcherblock was pretty pricey. $2892 plus $230 shipping. that was my architect's price. he was nice enough to place the order for me and not charge me an upcharge. i think he got a 25% discount, so that was a nice gift he gave me! this comes out to $138 per square foot so more than granite typically costs. to me worth every penny and worth splurging for. (i did back off of the more expensive subzero fridge and wolf range my husband had agreed to, in order to make the butcherblock and custom hood happen).

blakey,
the lancaster ww does have sort of a greenish tinge to it, but it is sort of off white too.

hi sayde,
the body of the hood is non-directional and then the bands are all directional (which is what appliances are). you can do pretty much anything you want with them, even polished chrome for a really spiffy look. the towel bar and bands cost extra but the rivets don't.

soshh,
i will have to see if i can dig out those exterior colors. i know they were california paint colors. the trim on the windows is a very dark purple. it is like eggplant. the body of the house is like putty and then the trim has a khaki green feel. will try to get those colors. thanks! I am glad you like it. i chose the purple and my architect chose the other colors.

Dear mamadadapaige, many thanks for the answer about the dead corner. I don't know if we'll have enough storage elsewhere to do the same but I am tempted!

This post has so many responses, and now I see why. Your kitchen it absolutely gorgeous! We're building a new house, just about to get started. I had first decided on stained maple cabinets but then I noticed that every kitchen I was most drawn to in the gadzillion of books and magazines I've collected were white. So, at the last minute, before last bids came in, I switched to white painted. Seeing your kitchen now, I KNOW I made the right choice. Forgive me if this question has been asked before; I confess I've not read thru every post and ought to have. BUT I love the granite, and I am not a huge granite fan. So many seem too brown to me! I notice that the color is called green something, but the close-up pictures make it look more gray than green. So I guess my question is: Does it "read" green to you or gray???? I note that you wanted a "soapstone look" and that is the look I love, too. But I've got a lot a blue and white china which will be a prominent decorative part of my breakfast area that's at one end of my kitchen and I'd love a granite that is bluish rather than greenish, but then, I've not yet really looked for granite extensively. Your house is lovely, your kitchen beautiful, your little boy a doll. Thanks for any comments RE the granite!

Mama-

Thanks for the info. on the butcher block. We're going to have to make some trade-offs too, but I'm going to push pretty hard for the block--it adds such warmth, especially with the white cabinets. Now that you've moved back into your kitchen do you have any maintenance issues with the block?

Ack! My first post... was a lurker and now I am taking the plunge. Mamadadapaige - I think you just sold me on Crown Point. I had been hemming and hawing about the price. But your cabinets are gorgeous. I appreciate all the local resources too - I am in Concord, MA.

Where did you end up getting all your plumbing fixtures (i.e. faucet)? Where did you buy your tile? I also went to Tile Showcase, but I didn't realize you have to pick everything up. I am definitely going to call State Street - great idea. If you have a moment I would love to be able to email you directly. Not sure how to do that on this?

Izzy--welcome! I just wanted to say that my neighbor has Crown Point cabs very similar to Mama's...and they are as gorgeous in person as they look in the pictures! have fun and good luck!

Another great piece of information. Thank you. Sometimes I think all of this gets into the "funny money" category and it is very hard to hold back. But I have asked my architect to let me know if he thinks I am making a mistake... he said the only one he thought I was making was choosing the Signature cabinetry over Crown Point. Signature has a "Christopher Peacock" knock-off now called the Ridgeview or something like that, and the price was about $5K cheaper. I really didn't think it made that much of a difference until I saw these photos. Now I know why he has been pushing me to order Crown Point.

I am also ordering the Carlisle floors - they're really gorgeous. I am matching the width of some of the existing floors and really think they will add a lot of warmth.

I am feeling so confident about the rest of our renovation but the kitchen torments me. I guess because the cost is so high compared to the rest of the house...

Thanks for the welcome!

hi yardboi, sorry i missed your post about the butcher block. with school ending / transitioning the kids into summer, etc. I have been spotty on GW over the past week or so.
the butcherblock has been easy to maintain. i have been oiling it about once per week. the oiling takes about 5 minutes to do so not too bad. i have always been a little bit on the obsessive side about having clean countertops.

Izzy, I would be happy to email you. Could you post your email address? Did Crownpoint offer you a discount? Mine were 30% off so honestly not that bad compared to the other quotes I got (in fact the least expensive).

About your floors, I don't think you will be disappointed with the quality of Carlisle floors. Just make sure you get someone good to put them in. Our contractors person was very expensive so we hired in our own person who was a real jerk and could have done a better job (not horrible but not great either). It was all a bit of a disaster in the end, but noone but us would probably notice all the mistakes he made.

I got the faucet and sink from Home and Stone off of the internet (found them on ebay but placed the order directly). I also got some appliances (range and fridge) from Eurostoves in Beverly. It is a funky little culinary center. they have cooking classes and demonstrations so that you can cook on the actual appliances you are considering purchasing. Clarke out of Milford, MA does this too... they represent SubZero and Wolf. I will post a link below. Apparently they also have a scratch and dent department... I had intended to pursue this but couldn't get myself out there while maintaining the kids and their schedules.

Here is a link that might be useful: Subzero Wolf demo

I LOVE your taste! Your kitchen feels like home and is just so appealing. The color of your cabinets is not glaring and stark; it's very easy on the eyes. I just love everything!

Looking forward to chatting further. I understand about getting to Clarke's - I have a 16 mo old. I think I am going to see all the faucets at Splash, then order directly. I loved your lighting source - they have the pendants I wanted and a coupon!

I am very eager to hear how you got Crown Point down. I told them I needed a better price but I have yet to persuade them of that.

My email is izzyce@gmail.com.

Mama, just wanted to keep thanking you. I've been following ALL of your resources and haven't even closed yet. We've been to State Street Discount and they are awesome. Would you mind sending me an e-mail so I don't loose you, so I can keep thanking you and if need be get your advice? I really cannot thank you again - you are more valuable to my process than any new friends I've made here. please click link below to my page and click, send me and e-mail (I'd prefer not to post my e-mail on here)...thanks so much!!

Here is a link that might be useful: My page/My e-mail

I LOVE your kitchen- I want to ask the question everyone is wondering but no one will ask- How much did the crown points cost?? I was thinking of them as well- thank you for your candor!

Where did you find that marvelous table your adorable son is sitting at? It looks so welcoming and the perfect size for your space and I think it may work in my dinig area. thanks!

It's a beautiful and friendly space. Vintage and classy yet up-to-date. Thank you for the visual treat!

Very nice looking kitchen. Your paint color works so well with the vintage sensibility. I like your table too.

Red

Gorgeous kitchen mama!! You are so wonderful to post all the many many details. We are considering having our new cabs painted lancaster whitewash. I know it has a little green to it, I'm just concerned they will look to yellow. When you say they are a little greenish, is it more like a grey green or yellow green? THey look absolutely perfect in your kitchen. I just couldn't tell if the camera was making them turn a different color. I am really looking for a great cream without too much yellow. I don't think the green bothers me so much.

Thanks so much and congrats! You are one busy woman.

PS- I grew up in Concord, MA and all this talk about Mass is making me want to go back!!

Mama, what color grout did you use? Love the 2 X 6, different than standard subway. Do you remember what the cost per square foot was on the tile? Is Bone China the color? Looks like an off white. Thanks!

mamadadapaige, I love your kitchen so much. I love everything you chose. I am so glad you let me know that your floors are random width quartersawn White Oak with a stain since I love them and I am looking for hardwood floors for my home. What stain did you use? I love the color of it and the look.

I too have a question about your flooring: given that you chose the stain, I assume the floor was field-finished (as in, not prefinished)? Any experience/research on how field-finished floors hold up, especially in kitchens?

We have a field-finished red oak floor in our upstairs bedrooms, and it doesn't take much to scratch it (aside from the flooring sub swearing up and down it'd be hard as a rock). Now we're going to pick flooring for a complete downstairs remodel, including the kitchen, and I'm insisting on prefinished for the hardest possible finish.

But "prefinished" limits colors and species, and my architect is suddenly balking at the prefinished floor we chose (Wood Flooring International, American Woods Collection, Red Oak), balking based on the color. (Actually she's balking at the kitchen color scheme, partly based on the flooring, which will go throughout many rooms).

Our kitchen color scheme will be very similar to yours -- off-white painted cabinets, though with a wood island much the same color as your non-kitchen wood cabinets, island with a reddish butcher block. At least in the photos, your flooring nicely matches your butcher block, which so far ours wouldn't.

Your kitchen is SO NICE that it yanked me out of lurkerdom to join and post! Great job, very inspiring! (Making me second-guess my insistence on frameless cabinets, hence no inset drawers -- I want every millimeter of drawer width possible, function over form...but boy those inset drawers are so clean-looking. Mm-mm.)

Anyway, any info on floor finish in your kitchen, how you went about choosing it, would be very helpful.

-rp.

omg this is gorgeous!!!!!! i must have that hood!!!!!!!! i already emailed rangecraft but was wondering if you have an estimate of what it cost??????????

Mamadadapaige, your kitchen is simple and elegant. Could you comment on how your Ocean Green honed granite countertop is holding up in regards to daily cleaning and oil spatter near the range? Have you sealed it yet? I saw pictures of the granite (polished) on the web and was surprised that the green color is very dark compared to your honed look. I was wondering if sealing the honed granite would make the green be as dark as on the polished stone. Thank you for sharing your beautiful kitchen!

hi,
thanks so much. am happy to comment on floors. the stain is called Indian Summer and was purchased through Carlisle where our flooring came from. I would HIGHLY suggest that you have your floor finisher do some samples for you on your floor prior to staining. Our finisher did three samples for us: one with just one coat of stain, the second with two coats of stain and the third with one coat of stain on conditioned wood (the conditioning process is apparently opening up the pores of the wood by putting water or something on them... perhaps the flooring forum would should more light on this??). Anyway, the result of this sampling test was eye opening for me: far and away the one coat on conditioned wood was closest to the sample that I had from Carlisle which was the basis for my stain choice. The other two weren't even close and I'd have been SO disappointed if my floors had turned out that way. Also, I learned that not all woods take stains as well as other woods. For instance, I know from personal experience that fir does not stain well at all (on top of being extremely soft). There was a website I had come across that had Janka scores and info on which woods took stains well... I wish I had bookmarked it as I can't find it now.

gglks, the hood... I LOVE it! and I think it makes my kitchen so I splurged for it (meaning I had to get a GE Monogram range instead of Wolf and a GE monogram fridge instead of subzero... which hasn't been a compromise at all as they are both working out GREAT), but the hood was expensive - I think for my size, style, options about $5K. The nice thing about Rangecraft is they fully customize for your situation: depth, width, height, etc etc...

anhha,
the granite is holding up. the pictures were taken after I sealed it. My previous counters were polished ubatuba and this honed granite is different in many ways. First, when dirty it doesn't show as much, but also when clean, doesn't gleam as much. For some reason I haven't been as free in my cooking style since the renovation... I am a little careful of getting stains on the counters or setting hot things on it, but I think this is just a case of gitters on having a brand new kitchen. I think once the new-ness wears off, I won't be as reluctant to use my kitchen to its full extent.

sorry, i didn't respond quickly.... I have been off of gardenweb the last few days

WOW! You just designed my kitchen!!! I haven't been able to put into words/pix what I wanted until now. THANK YOU for sharing!
The butcher block island is my fantasy. I am almost afraid to ask a price quote for something that beautiful. If you recall, is it just maple or a special order?? Any info (thickness, etc.) would be appreciated.
Are you cutting on it now? DH is suggesting not end-grain and sealed (so not to be cut on), but I am salivating over what yours looks like!!! Did I say gorgeous kitchen yet?? WOW!

love your kitchen!! what is the color of your grout???? thanks....

Mamadadapaige - I just wanted to write that I adore your kitchen, all the lovely bits and details. It just works so well and is so stylish and inviting. Great kitchen table and chairs too!! It makes me long for a butcher block top. =)

Congrats!

Mamadadapaige, I saw some absolutely beautiful Ocean Green granite today and thought of you. It was polished, not honed, but it was gorgeous.

thanks guys!! I am loving the new kitchen and really appreciate all the compliments.

pluckymama, saw your other post re: the ocean green. it really is something. I have to thank the people at Gerrity for pointing it out to me as I was so distraught about their "leopard spotty" soapstone and had my heart set on it. the ocean green really is a nice substitute for it given that several places in my area had very poor slabs of SS to choose from.

thanks again!

Mamadadapaige, I don't think I've ever seen someone's new kitchen post fill up with the limit of 150 posts and you're nearing that now! (I feel a little guilty taking a valuable spot) Anyway it says a lot about your design and your choices, and how it's hit a chord with so many people in so many ways. Lovely, lovely. And you've been such a help to people in answering the many questions, too. It also shows the classic, broad appeal of a white kitchen with dark stone counters...A look some people keep trying to say is 'done,' or overdone. You have accomplished a wonderful kitchen in your own way and prove there can be a uniqueness in kitchens using this style and this general color scheme. I wish your family good health and fun cooking in this kitchen for many, many years! This is a little gushy sounding, but I mean it.

mamadadapaige-

Of course, I agree with all above that this is a wonderful kitchen. I am planning my space myself as well, and havea very similar floorplan to you. Would you mind sharing one dimension not shown on the Crown Point plan? How far is it from you range wall to the bookshelf divider wall (on the dining table side). Also, how deep is the divider piece, and how much aisle space do you have on each long side of the table?

I have done mine on paper a million times, but sometimes you have to see it physically to know if it will work.

Thanks SO SO much.

Amy

Hi Amy,
not sure how many feet it is so I am going to post the architect's drawing as I think it will be helpful. Just one caveat... the kitchen in this plan just shows our old kitchen. When we started our renovation we did not intend to do the kitchen (I was able to talk my husband into it, mid-January so had to make my decisions in a big hurry and generally had to keep things in a similar layout to what we had to keep costs down).

mama-

That was very helpful! My space (currently sep d/r and kit) is almost the same size as yours (up to the columns). I was trying to figure out if I had enough room to reorient the island perpendicular to the table- but based on you drawings it won't fit that way (my space is about 4" short). So the visual really helped!!

Thanks so much, and again, absolutely beautiful space.

mamadadapaige

can you tell me where you found your dining table?

we are looking at crown-point as well tho price is high.

hi goblue7,

I got it at an Antique Store. It is Italian, turn of the century, wormy chestnut. REally worn in which is great when you have little kids as you don't feel too bad about anything happening to it.

below is a link to the antique store in Boston where I got the table. They definitely lean toward transitional pieces and things that could be considered eclectic (vs. ultra traditional stuff).

HTH

Here is a link that might be useful: Antique Store

Today, I had the privilege of seeing mamadadapaige's kitchen and I have to say the pics just do not do it justice. It is even more amazing in real life!

The quality of the Crown Point cabinets is evident, by the subtle finishing details that only a true craftsman provides. The Ocean Green granite looks like a mixure of soapstone and green marble. It's smooth honed finish tops off the lovely veining and deep, but not dark green color. Her butcher block countertop provides the warming contrast and balance to the granite. The large window over that sink that provides a wonderful view of the water and boats in the inlet. The rangecraft hood, the tile backsplash, her choice of hardware and all the other details that make this kitchen one of GW's favorites are just so well put together.

mamadadapaige truly has a magazine worthy kitchen and she is as friendly and helpful in person as she is online! Thank you mama, you really helped me today!

Mary, you are so kind. I really enjoyed meeting you today. It was fun to have you over. The DH's really hit it off too - particularly with their similar political leanings and their ability to launch right into a hearty conversation.

I can't wait to see how your kitchen shapes up... please post progress photos as it comes along - with everything you are putting into it, it will sure to be a GW favorite.

Thanks again for the nice compliments and keep in touch (and enjoy your trip!!).
Karen