Beautiful! I love the cabinets and counters!

Also love your location! That's interesting that no one seems to be doing white kitchens there. Is the Tuscan look still popular?

My big reveal is Thursday night. The Holsteins will be sequestered in another part of the house so we don't get cat butt, hair and spit in the snacks.

LOL! I'm pretty sure I know what prompted that comment! ;) Have a wonderful party!

gsciencechick, I don't know anybody with a new kitchen or a recent remodel. Judging from most photos I see in the real estate section, there's a lot of cherry cabinets, stainless and granite counters. Probably the Tuscan look is still popular. If my kitchen is now a dated look, nobody around here knows it yet. :P

yandj, yes that's right, you're in Danville. My GC tried to use the old plywood under my tile. Not only did it look awful, but it was the wrong thickness and he didn't cut the radius curve. He was such a cheapskate. Set us back an entire week.

LaPurchase, thanks very much!

Looks really nice. Between the white tile counters, the house and the landscaping, I was wondering if you were in N CA. The first house DH and I bought together was in Sonoma County. We had white tile counters with maple cabinets there and this house had white (thickly) painted cabinets and doomed white tile counters. They were doomed because, even if I loved them (which I didn't), they were installed after the DW and the DW got tiled in. There are only so many years in a DW's life. I digress, but I really like what you did with the kitchen and the yard.

What a beautiful, functional transformation! And I bet your kitty likes the view too! :-)

linelle, your kitchen looks great! What a difference. I know I was smitten with just a coat of primer on my oak cabinets when we painted our oak ones. It just opens the place up and makes it so light and airy.

I know what you mean about no one having white kitchens. I still think I'm the only one in my neighborhood with one. Probably why everyone who sees it has the expression of shock and surprise when they see my cabinets (in not one, but two colors!)

Love the picture of your front yard too.

Bee

Wow, that turned out really well. The kitchen fits your adorable house so much better now. Cute Holsteins, too.

I think you did a remarkable job, all while staying true to the tone of your home and especially, in budget. The room looks updated and airy. You have created a serene and peaceful kitchen, which sometimes that room seems anything but! I can see how at first the white cabinets may have been too much for you, probably because it was such a tremendous transformation, but they are ideal! Your kitchen catches the sunlight!

Here is a link that might be useful: Your Kitchen Should be Your Oasis!

Bee, I confess I like the faux scullery aspect that emerged with the subways and triggered my latent Edwardian sensibilities. It made me appreciate my frumpy white Kenmore. I should really make some Yorkshire pudding and trifle.

designhippie25, for someone who loves airy and light, even I had serious qualms with all the white. Never was I so glad I chose a dark counter for contrast, to keep the room from being a total vanilla milkshake. My irrepressible red oak floor doesn't let the white and gray take themselves too seriously. Plus the cat tchotchkes (spreading germs of death!) and SF Giants mug.

Conchita and Anna, the Holsteins preferred I leave the doors off the cabinets for their amusement, but even I have to draw the line somewhere.

lascatx, Sonoma County FTW! My white tile counter triggered my totally off the chart obsession with wiping counters. My fastidious SIL has noted how she will clean up and I'm right behind her wiping them down again. It's a sickness and I'm troubled that nothing shows on my dark mottled quartz.

Somehow I can't believe there are people who haven't 'caught on' to white kitchens! Even tho they aren't my favorite (mostly they aren't DH's favorite so we didn't), they have been big here for years. My brother and SIL did white in their new house years ago and builders have been doing them for a long, long time. They obviously haven't really lost their appeal in this area. Of course you still see cherry, maple, and a lot of other stains too. Plus am beginning to see more in the grey range such as your island, beekeeperswife! My DD is thinking about a remodel and grey was suggested to her. You may be a trendsetter there! I showed her pics of your old and new kitchens and she was stunned and in kitchen envy! (That's with both yours, Linelle, and Bee's).

outside, where do you live? I don't know why white kitchens haven't really caught on here. I wonder if it's a Northern California oddity. I'm not talking about San Francisco or upscale homes here, just the rank and file. It was only a few years ago that I learned that people painted cabinets...not just old hopeless ones like I used to have, but new wood, perfectly good wood like maple. I learned it was a look. I never developed a deep yearning for a white kitchen, never saw that movie, but when I considered how to update my kitchen with what I already had, painting was a no-brainer. And since I'm a light freak, white--no, wait, creamy if you please--was my only choice. Never heard of subways or soapstone. I have a friend with gorgeous marble counters but she doesn't love them. Sigh. Until I found this forum, I thought travertine was the only way to go.

If anyone walks into my kitchen and says, "so dated and overdone," I will punch them in the face.

Hi! Thank you for sharing. I am going to replace my doors and needed inspiration. Your new and improved kitchen is very pretty and appropriate for the style of your home. Enjoy!

I think it looks really nice, light, and practical, Linelle! :-)

And it looks like it integrates well with the rest of your house.

I also see that you have a really nice red hutch in the background ;-)

Wow Linelle, really great job! You should be so proud of your DIY work. I never would have guessed you were a novice!

I am in the process of redoing my kitchen, not some much DIY, but still SOOO many decisions to make! Yikes!

Many similarities to yours:
- Going from golden oak to white
- Leaning toward Caesarstone counters
- Chose the Hansgroghe Talis C
- Single basin sink
- 10x10 wall to wall (with the cabs it's about 8x9) in sort of a lower case 'r' shape
- Looks like your sink is not centered under your window. Mine too! DW is on the right just like yours.
- Looks like we have about the same amount of cabinets

What an inspiration your kitchen is, and so many others on this site. I love this forum and community. What a blesssing you all are! Keeps me going!

Linelle, this tansformation is amazing. You did a beautiful job. I agree with you - I like how your range looks now, too. The whole thing fits together so gracefully and fits your house so well. Just lovely. Congratulations and use it in good health!

PS I envy someone who can "throw out seeds in February" and produce a lovely garden. If I did that, they'd land on top of the snow and birds and squirrels would eat them.

"If anyone walks into my kitchen and says, "so dated and overdone," I will punch them in the face."
ROFLMAO
Good for you Linelle.

From your previous posts I had a incorrect image of your new kitchen. This is so NICE, BRIGHT & AIRY !!!
You did a wonderful job picking the paint color/counter.
I'm curious, what would you have done differently(besides hiring another GC)?

What a lovely transformation! The change to white cabinets and getting rid of the uppers over the peninsula really did make it bright and airy. The counter color looks great with the white cabinets.

I appreciate all your very kind comments.

Pawa, that hutch is very cheaply made pine. Not only had it turned very yellow, but its country look didn't match anything in my house. I had intended to paint the beadboard behind the shelves either deep gold or another shade of red, but I got so sick of painting coat after coat, that I left it alone. Painting beadboard is such a drag. Up close, it's not a very good paint job and it shows signs of wear, however, overall, I love how it looks.

Chamois, I'm really not a DIY'er. All I did was little stuff like painting the ceiling and walls, valance, etc. The Hansgrohe is very nice. At first I thought it was way too big for my little kitchen, but I got over that fast, once my things went back on the counters and it wasn't the Loch Ness Monster anymore. Plus, it's just really nicely made. As for the sink not being centered under the window, I could care less. There isn't room to center it in such a short run, and I'll take a large window any day. I can understand why it matters to people when the complete view of your kitchen is prominent and needs balance. You can't see my sink and window at the same time unless you're right there, standing at the sink.

Ginny, I realized I like the look of chubby ranges. I have enough white in my kitchen, but I wish something like I have but maybe in pale yellow or green weren't so expensive. As for the poppies. :) I have never been very successful planting flowers from seeds. However, the mulch dressing in my yard has created a very grow-y environment. And our climate here is hard to beat.

EATREALFOOD, what wouldn't I do differently?!!! First let me say that I really needed to make some changes, had a firm budget, and made most of my decisions before I ever stepped foot into GW. When I was still in an unappreciative state, my daughter wisely reminded me that I made the best choices available to me at the time. The fact that I wasn't aware of all my options still made them unknown to me.

But, that being said, if I could redo MY kitchen, I think I would like wood cabinets, probably quarter-sawn oak. I love the look of my painted cabinets, but I worry about how they will wear over time. No regrets over shaker doors, would do that again and again. I like my quartz counter, but its mottled pattern is kinda meh. I think I'd prefer soapstone or one of the lighter, marble-esque granites. I would also consider a granite with more movement, something with more personality. I'd have gotten one larger pendant over my peninsula, rather than two smaller ones. That's do-able down the road. I would do a different backsplash, maybe marble.

In the end, I like my kitchen. All the problems I encountered along the way (even my GC) got resolved and have faded into semi-funny memories. I didn't spend more than I could afford, so I continue to sleep well. Next time, quarter-sawn oak.

I've seen several people comment about your pendants, so I hope I'm not the only one who wants to know where you got them. They are great.

marti8a, my pendants are Thomasville Santiago in forged black and I got them at Wayfair (see link). That's about what I paid for them. I have a nearby chandelier over my dining table with black metal and thought these would blend. There's nothing Spanish about my kitchen, but I don't think it matters.

The reason I'd go from two to one, is more about the size of and how I use my peninsula. If you like a glow of light from mid-space, these are for you. I had to reduce the size of the bulb because they created such a bright light. I think I'd prefer a larger light with downward-casting shade. When I bought these I only wanted a rigid rod. Now, I've decided I like the look of black cord better. Who knew?

Here is a link that might be useful: Thomasville Santiago mini-pendant

Hi Linelle, I noticed that you have a cabinet under your bar over-hang. I am doing something similar. Would you mind posting a picture of the cabinet opened? I am interested to see! Thanks!

Your kitchen looks wonderful! I've just about finished a similar facelift, old cabinets bases are 30 yr old oak. I too am happy how everything looks (my shade is coming this week then I'm done). Unfortunatly I had trouble with my GC too, but am glad to say it's history now...enjoy your beautiful kitchen!

BlackChamois, your wish is my command. Of course, the minute it was opened, my Holsteins had to get involved. It connects with the cab on the opposite side.

Love Holsteins! Too cute! Thank you for the peek, Linelle. Mine is going to be a separate shallow cabinet that will support a raised bar and will be exposed on the living room side. I like yours though - no digging for those items in the very back! Great idea! Thank you again!

hi linelle,

Several people told me to ck out your kitchen and I am so glad I did. It looks great! Nice and bright and homey. You did a fantastic job !!

I like the "whiteness" of it all, you can add in any accessory color you like and change it all up, which I love.

Thanks for posting!!!

go_figure01, thank you! I can't even remember my old oak and white tile anymore. The white and dark counters were a little daunting at first, but all it takes is a pop of color here and there: a kettle, flowers, a bowl.

Hi Linelle, can you tell me how wide your single basin sink measures?

I've purchased this Franke, but seeing one similar in my moms kitchen it seems so huge. Hers is top mount while mine will be undermount so that might be partly deceiving.

I had a double bowl in my previous kitchen. My kitchen is similar in size to yours so I am also wondering if you felt (at least maybe initially) that it was too big.

Thanks for your input!!!

Hi BlackChamois! My sink is officially 30" but the real inner dimensions are 28.5" wide x 16.5" high x 10" deep.

At first I didn't like my sink (or my high arc faucet for that matter). After my twin bowl, relatively shallow old sink, this one felt like a stadium! It seemed ridiculously large. I hated my grid. Lots of splashing. I missed my stupid old twin bowl sink.

LOL. I'm over it now. I love the single bowl. Even though my sink has a drain right in the middle, I seriously don't see the problem with it, esp. with a grid that essentially keeps it open and unobstructed. I don't have a separate prep sink (I don't have room for luxuries like that!), so I often have dishes over on one side while I'm prepping on the other.

It's cool to be able to set your largest pan or baking sheet down for a soak or clean.

Are you planning to get a grid for the bottom? Even though I spend more time chasing food with the sprayer than I'd like, I just love how it elevates everything above the bottom of the sink. Great for draining/drying big pots.

Your sink looks really cool. I like the shape. Let me know how you like it once you've gotten used to it.

Thanks Linelle!

My bowl size is 29 7/16"x18 15/16"x9 1/16". Hoping it doesn't look out of place in my small kitchen. I did purchase the grid for the bottom. They also make a grid for the right side that sits about half way up (there is a built in ledge which you can sort of see in the picture) which I may decide to puchase.

I'll let you know how I like it. Thanks again!

Wow, what a lovely transformation! I don't recall seeing this before and it's unreal that you accomplished this for just 20K. The counters and lighting are amazing, and the cabinets are beautiful. Love the window treatment as well. Congratulations on your great kitchen!!

By the way, I have the same Zephyr range hood that I love as I can reach the light and fan buttons despite being less than 5 feet tall. I also love the way it looks.

You did an amazing kitchen facelift!

I'm so glad this got a bump. It's just what I need after the collage kitchens. :)

Lovely kitchen Linelle. The pendants are perfect. What a treat to see your garden, so pretty and such a nice blend of color & texture.

Hey linelle, would you be a lamb whenever you get a chance (no rush) and measure how far down your handles are on those big drawers? Is it the same distance down from the top edge of the drawer front as the ones on the top drawers which look centered? The way you have them looks really close to what I was thinking I'd do.

I do remember this thread... how time flies. I guess I didn't notice the beautiful backsplash tile 'til this time around. Gorgeous.

Glad to see this thread resurrected as I missed it the first time, along with your very funny narrative. Holstein cats ... LOL. I love what you did with your kitchen!

Oh my, a stroll down memory lane. Can't believe it's been two years and the white cabs have held up great.

lynn, I love my Zephyr hood too. I think mine was less than $200 and it's got all the oomph I need for my weekly burger or occasional searing. I used to be envious of the chimney hoods, but am glad I got something relatively unobtrusive.

deedles, I sent you an email, but will repeat what I said to you here, slightly abridged:

Yes, you are correct. The top drawers are 6" high and the pulls are centered vertically at 3". The bottom (taller) drawers all have pulls at 3". Without even thinking about it I knew that's what makes sense and looks best to me. The thing is, drawers can be different heights but your hand knows exactly where to grab, based on the top of the drawer.

My backsplash has lippage. Sounds almost like an STD. You can only see the lippage when the undercab lights are on, so, I don't turn them on that often. Sigh. Other than that, I love the tile, even if it matches my cab color a bit too well.

Thanks all for your kind words.

Linelle:
Did you ever replace the range and DW? I am sure that many here would appreciate your updated photos, especially the Caliente stools!!!

firsthouse, I did replace the DW with a Bosch 300 series. It's okay. Cleans well but I don't love the interior arrangement.

The Caliente stools had saddle seats. Loved the look, but HATED how the long edge cut into my thighs. Why I didn't try sitting on them BEFORE going to all the trouble of painting them is a mystery to me. So they're stashed up in the attic and I bought a new set of unfinished milking stools (rounded edge) that I painted Seattle Red.

As you can see in both pics, I still have my old stove and I'll admit I am very conflicted about replacing it. I can't explain why, but I now like it's dowdy frumpiness, esp. the riser in the back. I can't ignore the fact that it cooks just fine and hasn't caused me a single problem since I've had it (11 years).

I have a notion that I don't want to pay more than $3K for a stove. I don't need a fire-breathing dragon, in fact, I put more of a premium on burners that will do a low simmer. While my current stove isn't a beauty, neither are many of the new ones in my price range. I can't really justify paying a lot more just for looks or for features I don't need.

I wish I had continuous grates, but I'm not interested in a griddle (hello??!!) in the middle. I cook and bake and, other than LOOKS ALONE, I am kinda wondering why I need a new stove with potential headaches I keep reading about.

I am willing to listen to arguments for replacing my current stove.

Hi Linelle,
I am looking into doing exactly what you did with your oak cabinets, new doors and drawers and painted white. My question is concerning your old boxes. Do you notice the grain in them? I know that most is covered up with the new doors and panels, but is the grain noticeable? And does the painted oak look different (color-wise) than the painted doors?

Thank you for sharing your lovely kitchen. I'm glad to hear you are still enjoying it!

Hi Boots! No, I do not notice the grain in my old boxes. If I look closely I can see it, but the reality is I'm not standing a few inches away, so I really don't see it. And even when I do, it does not bother me at all. There really isn't too much of the old stuff that isn't covered. The color is exactly the same on the old oak, paint-grade maple (slab drawers and door surround) and MDF door centers. Exactly the same.

Camera about 3" away:

Same view, from normal edge of counter:

To the right, new door. Everything else (frame, to the left) old oak box

linelle, this was awesome! I have not been here long enough to have seen this the first time around; what a treat!

Your kitchen turned out beautifully, and I would be totally conflicted about that stove, too. I love it! In our house in town we had a 40-50 year old stove that was sooo cool, with a warming drawer to the side, a little sideboard built in, and tons of character. I was sorry when it finally died and I had to get a nameless one.

Anyway, so nice to see your kitchen transformed, and share in your pleasure at a job well done.

Hi Linelle! Wondering what size (end to end) pulls you have on your pantry doors! Thank you! :)

" I am kinda wondering why I need a new stove with potential headaches I keep reading about. "

I'd say you don't! if it works and you're ok with it, keep it! save your money in case it does die on you. I think it looks just fine. I wouldn't change it out myself.

your kit is lovely - so is your house!

BlackChamois, end to end the pulls are 5 inches. I have them throughout my kitchen, except for knobs on a couple of upper cabinets. I really love the pulls from Top Knobs and considered getting them for my bathroom vanity, but decided to avoid the mixing-metal issue and went with glass knobs instead.

One thing surprised me. I have always thought I had the smaller pull and marveled that it was so roomy for my hand. Then I took one off to see how it would look in my bathroom and realized it was the larger size. The visible screws are faux and the actual ones come from behind, underneath where the pull rises from the back. I have a sample of this pull in flat black and satin nickel. The one in my kitchen is antique pewter and it coordinates with stainless and black.

DesertSteph, thanks for the compliments! Seriously, after reading about some recent stove problems (the Blue Star and the scorched cabinet door!!!), I'm a lot more appreciative of my humble white Kenmore. There isn't anything in my cooking repertoire that it can't do. One day it may conk out, and then I'll have to replace it. Until then, I'm good with it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Top Knob cabinet pull

Wonderful Linelle! Love how your counters and cabinets look with the wood floor. The window area feels so much more spacious and open...I always think it is so important to have "breathing room" in that area.

Haven't read all the comments in depth (this thread is getting long!), but wanted to say the kitchen looks great. I lived in Sonoma County and both of my sons were born there. I am a white kitchen person, but the closest to a white kitchen I had there was natural maple with white appliances.

Thanks feisty and lascatx!!! This is an old thread, but it's nice to hear from folks anyway.

We lived in Sebastopol for 16 years, and now I've been in Santa Rosa for 15. It took me many years to get over missing Sebastopol, and I'm happy to be in SR. I don't know anyone with a white kitchen plus dark counters. I'm neither trendy nor dated because nobody seems to even acknowledge that it's a certain look. It's funny, because we are not in a sleepy backwater town. I just don't think cutting edge is a priority in this laid-back area. Suits me fine.

Thanks Linelle! I have a single pantry door that measures 68" tall with a rail in the middle. I am debating between an 8.5" pull or 6.5" (end to end). I think either would work scale-wise, but I fear that the larger one will look too heavy duty and more like an appliance pull.

I am using the Amerock Highland Ridge in PN.

I am coming into the home stretch and will be posting pics in the next few weeks. Yay!

Hi Linelle, I missed this the first time around, so glad to view your lovely white cloud kitchen. I too am doing a basic white cloud kitchen, along with another colour. Love the look. I also love your red stools. I am replacing a 30 + old stove and have feelings of trepidation that it won't even last 10 years. Thanks for sharing.

Linelle, I had to look at your kitchen again. I really love the BM White Cloud painted doors chosen! I already commented above about how wonderful your kitchen looks but I had to look at your counters again and your hardware. You did an amazing updating job. Thank you for sharing.