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analysisparalysis

Fourteen months later...it's DONE!!! (Pics...and a thank you!)

analysisparalysis
12 years ago

I haven't been here in a while - life got a bit crazy as our 14-month whole-house remodel came to an end. But as of last Friday, it's done. YIPPEEEEE!!!!! Thank you all for the input, support, and mostly, the great ideas I came across while just "lurking" early last fall as the project was getting underway. Here are some pics to show the results:

View from garage entryway:

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View from adjacent family room:

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Blurry, sorry - but view from adjacent great room:

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Looking back from great room toward garage entry:

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Same view, just showing more of the island seating and pantry beyond:

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From in the kitchen, standing at the sink, looking back at the great room:

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The prep sink/coffee bar/microwave counter (should have straightened the towel before taking the pic...lol!):

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The perimeter counters are a Wilsonart HD laminate; the backsplash is just a glass tile mosaic.

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Better shot of the long perimeter counter, cooktop and backsplash:

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Pantry (on left) and message center (straight ahead) - can see a tiny bit of the shoe storage bench and coat hook/mirror as well (it's in other shots as well):

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And of course...the copper countertop on the island:

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Things I LOVE about my kitchen:

- Tons of natural light from the enormous windows in the great room and family room!

- The copper countertop

- The SS apronfront sink

- The cork flooring

- The dual spice rack pullouts on either side of the cooktop

- The seating for 5 at the island; we have a dining room table, but never seem to make it away from that island! :-)

- The one-level island surface

- The large 5'x 2' pantry with roll-out shelves

- The enormous drawers (33"x30" deep), and having most of our daily-use items in drawers rather than cabinets.

- The below-sink double pull-outs that make use of every inch of undersink storage - no more crawling under the sink, moving items here and there, to reach something in the back!

- The above-the-ovens storage of cookie sheets/pans/platters/griddle

- The quartersawn white oak wood cabinets stained Cordovan (a deep cherry)

- Okay - EVERYTHING!!!

I hope some of you recognize your contributions to my kitchen. So many ideas came from so many of you and your beautiful, inspirational kitchens. So from the bottom of my heart, I thank you for this blessing I call my kitchen, and with each meal prepared, I think of you and know I have you to credit for so much of it! :-)

Comments (44)

  • trailrunner
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Simply beautiful and SO well thought out ! I too love that copper...I can see why no one wants to get up and go to the table :) It is so beautiful. Did you seal it or is it going to get a colorful rainbow patina ? Either way it sure is gorgeous. And that view...breathtaking. Would love to see inside your drawers LOL....the pantry especially and the under counter and everything. Will have to go back and look some more but for now...you did great. c

  • analysisparalysis
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    LOL! I can take some pics of inside my drawers - will post them in a bit (seriously - that sentence on any other forum would get us arrested!!!). Thank you so much for the comments - we're very happy with the results (as you can probably tell!). Oh, and no, we didn't see the copper - it's a living piece of art in the kitchen! :-)

  • desertsteph
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    it's beautiful! love all of the openness - windows - light around it. it's gotta be an awesome place to work / cook!

    what WA laminate did you put in?

  • analysisparalysis
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    desertsteph - I just checked the laminate chip, and I had forgotten that we got it narrowed down to a WA and a Formica, but went with the Formica - sorry about that! Our choice we based mostly on which one was least offensive with the rather-busy cork flooring! :-) We went with Formica Mineral Sepia in the Radiance Collection.

  • 3mutts
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Stunning kitchen! What a great job - and to take it on with the whole house at once, wow. We did about half our house at once a year ago and I thought it was going to kill me at times, LOL.

    What is on the front of your fridge? Is it an electronic message board or something?

    Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

  • analysisparalysis
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Okay, here's the inside of the pantry - the top "half" is shelving, the bottom half, roll out shelves:

    From New Folder

    Soup drawer pulled out:

    From New Folder

    Cookware drawer (bottom drawer below cooktop):

    From New Folder

    Copper pots and pans (these are SUPER heavy!)in middle drawer below cooktop:

    From New Folder

    Utensil drawer immediately below cooktop:

    From New Folder

    Knife drawer to right of cooktop:

    From New Folder

    Cooking spices - pullout to right of cooktop:

    From New Folder

    Baking spices - pullout to left of cooktop (and nearest the baking center on the far left run of the long counter):

    From New Folder

    Dishware drawer, just to the left of the sink:

    From New Folder

    Garbage pullout - left side below apronfront sink:

    From New Folder

    Garbage pullout and cleaning supplies pullout (both below sink):

    From New Folder

    Cookie sheet storage above double wall ovens:

    From New Folder

    Today's artwork: :-)

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    Let me know if there's anything else you'd like to see! :-)

  • analysisparalysis
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    3mutts - an electronic message board would be awesome! :-) No, it's just the magnetic poetry words - my MIL gave it to my daughter a few months ago, and it's the only magnets I've allowed on the new frig (our old frig was COVERED with magnets from places we'd visited around the country/world...cool, but too cluttered for what I wanted in the new kitchen).

  • blfenton
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Beautiful kitchen. Not too big and so well laid out. It must be a joy to work in this space from both a functional and aesthetic viewpoint. (Glad to see someone else has a roll-out pantry drawer dedicated to soups). A copper counter top would be fun to have. What made you decide on that?

  • analysisparalysis
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    blfenton - lol about the soups! Doesn't everyone have that? So many recipes call for soup...and it's just so yummy on a cold winter day. :-)

    Circuspeanut's copper counters - she was my inspiration and my source of information. I still don't know what she thinks of my results though - she has yet to respond to any of my posts about my counters - but that's okay, cuz she was a huge help as we were preparing for the project. Couldn't have done it without her! :-)

  • maybeiloveyou
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    It looks great! I love the warm tones!

  • analysisparalysis
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    In case anyone is interested, here are a few shots of our previous kitchen - it was in a totally different part of the house (top floor of a four-level split, so two flights up from the garage...think groceries...yuck!):

    From House remodel 2010
    From House remodel 2010
    From House remodel 2010
    From House remodel 2010

    Kind of a big difference, huh? :-) The old kitchen was large, but not very well laid-out, and cooking in it required a lot of bouncing from one end to the other. It was good exercise, though....

  • debrak_2008
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Really nice! Warm and welcoming.

  • honorbiltkit
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    That is truly amazing, even before I saw the "before" pics. The space is just gorgeous.

    I would not kill for your windows, but I might be tempted to. On the other hand, I would be afraid to install all your cool storage options, lest I run out of excuses for a piles-of-stuff-here-and-there kitchen, the result of a lifetime of not having a place for everything.

    Fourteen months is just remarkable. Awed congratulations.

  • wwwonderwhiskers
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    This is GORGEOUS!!!! LOVE your Cabs & Copper Countertop! And LOVE your fantastic windows!! Congratulations on a job VERY well done!! Enjoy your upcoming Holidays....

  • elba1
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Congrats to you on your new kithcen in that nice open space - looks great!

  • christy203
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Just stunning! I especially love the copper countertops, tried to get my husband to do them but he was opposed to it, he was afraid of the maintenance, they look so beautiful.

  • roarah
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    What a beautiful difference! I love the richness and warmth of your qs oak and the copper is lovely! It has gone from cold and usual to warm and wonderful!

  • Happyladi
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Beautiful! Do you have to baby the copper counter? It's very cool. Can you tell me what brand your pantry roll outs are?

    Your dog is a cutie, too.

  • dianalo
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I love not only your windows, but the views outside! In our neck of the woods, that size of property is only for the select few...
    Your kitchen is both pretty and functional. I think form and functional tied this race ;)
    I am guessing that the island faces the den tv... great for cooking and catching up on shows at the same time, although it can be understood if you just keep marveling at how pretty it is while you cook....
    The layout seems so wonderfully spacious. I love the open feel and how the windows and view can be appreciated from many angles. You are going to have some killer parties in this space!

  • Mercymygft
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Beautiful!! I love it! I am planning a kitchen with a similar layout. I am also planning to use the same farmhouse sink...looks great! And I love how you put the trash under the sink, great use of space! I also love your coffee/microwave station! Ok...I love it all!!

    I have questions:
    1. How wide and long is your island?

    2. How deep is your overhand on the island?

    3. What brand are your cabinets?

  • breezygirl
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    What a great transformation! Love, love the copper counters. I remember reading you and Circuspeanut discussing them. You did a great job on it.

    And how nice to be done after all that hard work. I'm doing a whole house reno too and fear I'll never see the end. You give me hope. :)

    Enjoy!!

  • Susied3
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Your kitchen is beautiful.
    And that view...I can see why you would want to frame it with all those wonderful windows!

    Love your cabinets. Mind telling what kind they are?
    And the countertops, really, couldn't find one thing that doesn't look fun, functional, and fabulous!

    Congrats to you....

  • trailrunner
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Wow...your drawers are SO well organized. I wish all of mine were that wide. But I have to tell you after 6 yrs I have everything out on the counters and I am redoing ALL my drawers . Will have to post the after...I am too ashamed to post the before LOL. YOu did a great job....love the pantry...you must have a large family. With just DH and I, no soup in the house :) Your space is just beautiful and after seeing the before I am really impressed that you had the vision to change it. c

  • analysisparalysis
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thank you all so much!!! :-) It is quite a change from before, and we do so love the surrounding view of the yard. Tonight's sunset was stunning, and I watched it from my kitchen. :-)

    To answer the questions -

    First, the general question about the copper - no, we don't baby it at all. I wipe it down after prepping and/or meals (most of the time - sometimes life gets in the way and it has to wait a day). It is patinaed (how on earth is that spelled???), and where certain foods/liquids touch it, is is depatinaed (back to the shiny copper). There are scratches, but no dings or dents from things being plunked down or dropped on it. Some areas are a deep brown. Some are almost a yellow/green/blue/turquoise - not quite verdigris, but a deep brown/blue hue. It changes constantly, so for people who like things a certain way, it's not for them. I thought it might bug me to have the constant "imperfections," but it doesn't. It's just cool. :-)

    The cabinets - all were completely custom-made by our builder/contractor. In fact, the whole house remodel (including demolition of 50% of the house - literally torn completely off and rebuilt) was done by one man. That's why it took so long. But he's a cabinetmaker by trade, and he does beautiful work. The only thing he actually installed pre-made were the spice racks - and those are rev-a-shelf brand. He did put Blu-motion on all the drawers and doors, so they are all soft close.

    mercymygft - the island countertop is essentially 4'x10', but we clipped off the corners to make for the angled seating. We can fit three barstools across the straight part, and one at each corner. The cabinets under the counter are harder to explain, but let me try. The two middle cabinets (one is a drawer bank, the other the sink base) are both 33" wide by 30" deep. The extra 18" of depth of the countertop is the overhang for the straight 66" that is made by those two adjacent cabinets. On either end of the 66" sits a cabinet that uses up the remaining 27" on either end (one cabinet is drawers, one houses the dishwasher). Those cabinets are 24" deep, so if we hadn't clipped the corners, that overhang would have been 24" - but with the clip, it forms a triangle in the cabinet where your knees fit without any difficulty. I think the deepest point is still at least 18" overhang, maybe more, but it narrows toward the edges, obviously. It's very comfortable there, no bumping or anything. I designed it, with ideas and feedback from people here, and I'm so happy with how it turned out! If my description doesn't make sense, let me know and I'll see if I can upload a drawing or something.

    I think that's all the questions - thanks again for the incredibly nice comments! :-)

  • analysisparalysis
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    trailrunner - we have one daughter, age 10, not a big eater! LOL! We're both "stock up" kind of people, though. I got it from my dad, who grew up in the depression and his family owned/ran the only grocery store in the town. It was a must to have all kinds of food on hand at all times! :-) So no, not a big family at all - just a lot of soup. :-)

  • Mercymygft
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks for the explanation of your island... I had to read it a couple times and go back and look at your pictures, but I think I understand!

    One more question... How wide is the isle between your cabinets with the cooktop and the island?

  • analysisparalysis
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The aisle is 42" from countertop overhang to countertop overhang. Cabinet front to cabinet front is 43.5" (my hips are below the height of the countertops, so I'm more cognizant of the width at a lower height...lol!). Two people can move about very comfortably in that space. I wouldn't go smaller, though. We intentionally offset the sink and cooktop to make sure we weren't bumping into each other if one was cooking and the other was cleaning up prep stuff or whatever.

  • dejongdreamhouse
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I love the cork!! We're putting cork in our kitchen and dinette, so I can never see enough of it? What kind do you have? How is it for keeping clean?

  • analysisparalysis
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    We put in Lisbon Matte, from the NaturalFloors line of USFloors. It's a floating floor, and has held up beautifully over the past six months it has been down. It went down after the cabinets were in, but long before other construction was done, or the grass was growing in our muddy yard, so it has seen a ton of abuse - including two very big dogs and one little dog, all with longer-than-ideal nails cuz they are buggers about letting me cut them! I have damp mopped it on several occasions, and it cleans up beautifully. It has no gouges, tears, or other damage at this point - and we're not careful with it (anymore). I don't wear tiny heels, so I can't say how that would go, but none of our furniture is causing any issues either. We have over 1000 sq. ft. of this stuff, and it's so warm and cushiony on the feet - and is awesome at absorbing noise (important in the vaulted great room!).

  • gsciencechick
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Love it all! My favorites are the copper and the cork! Congrats! That was a lot of work!

  • Circus Peanut
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Yowza!!! It's EEEMAZING!

    Analysis, I'm so sorry I must have missed the posts on your counters that you reference - I thought I'd seen them all & responded? Posts can move so fast around here if you miss a week or two. In any case they turned out drop-dead GORGEOUS! Congratulations on a wonderful job! And I'm so jealous of the cork flooring, it's really stunning as a complement.

    We have the same drawer knife block, too. Love it.

    I particularly like the wooden support beams and the way they frame the space with their rich color. I've always been partial to a good beam. :-)

    You will have to keep me posted on the evolution of your copper. Ours has darkened considerably but the patina just goes on and on...

    Enjoy!

  • willtv
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    While it's all great, the copper countertop and the floor are, to me, the best.
    Congratulations on completing such a massive project and keeping most of your sanity ;).

  • beekeeperswife
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Really gorgeous. Love it all.

    Congratulations on completing such a great project, and 14 months is not that long!

  • shelayne
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Wow! Beautiful! Love your copper counters--they are amazing! I am also digging on your storage--your pantry is fab! *droool*

    I must never allow the Hubster to see your soup drawer. He will insist we do the same, and I have no drawers I can sacrifice at this point. I have visions of the contents of one of my drawers stuffed in a closet, only to find a drawer filled with cans of soup. No, I can enjoy and appreciate your soup drawer, but it is contraband that must never pass before my dearest's eyes. ;^)

    Seriously gorgeous kitchen! Congratulations and ENJOY!

  • cat_mom
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Very, very nice!!!

  • flwrs_n_co
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Fan-dam-tastic! I love the layout--wonderfully functional! It's great to hear about your cork floors. I've always thought they couldn't be an option for us since we have 2 GSDs who tend to have long nails. I love your copper counter and also love your main sink--are you happy with it? Most of all, thank you for sharing all your storage ideas! Enjoy!

  • lisa_a
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    You need to change your screen name. There is absolutely no evidence of analysis paralysis in your kitchen. None, zippo, nada. You did a great job with it all!

    I love the copper counter and how the backsplash ties all the colors together. And your windows. And your view. And your well-organized drawers.

    Tell me more about the pull-outs under the sink, please. Do you have a garbage disposal? Is it under the side with the pull-out of cleaning supplies? I'd love to do something like this in our kitchen. Most people do trash pull-outs but then, what do they put under the sink? Your set-up seems like a great solution, especially since we need 4 bins: trash, glass, returnables and recyclables. Oops, make that 5: kitchen waste (destined to become worm compost). I just can't see giving up 36" of cabinetry for 2 trash pull-outs for 4 bins. I just don't have that kind of space in my kitchen. TIA!

  • 22laura
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    beautiful! You must be sooo excited! Looking at all your pics I was able to answer some of my own questions about our remodel-Thx! :)

    What is the name of the wilsonart laminate you chose? We are currently debating which to choose. TIA

  • laxsupermom
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Beautiful transformation! Love the rich wood and the copper countertops!

  • ginny20
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    That is just lovely! I particularly love your hood, the glass mosaic tile, the copper countertop with the cab color, the great organizational features and layout. The pendants look great, too. I love how their squareness mirrors the lines of the cabs. Really good job. You must be so pleased!

  • jakkom
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Stunning....absoluely stunning! Great layout, wonderful mix of materials, amazing color choices. Congratulations on a job well done!

  • farmgirlinky
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    What a transformation, and a real cook's kitchen.
    Lynn

  • lynn85
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    What a beautiful kitchen! Love the copper island and all the natural light you have flowing in! It really is a big change from your old kitchen area plus I am sure so much easier to bring in groceries and other items!

  • analysisparalysis
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Wow - thank you all so much! I really did design the whole kitchen using this forum for inspiration, so I feel funny taking all of the compliments - I have to give credit back to this site! :-)

    Circuspeanut - I'm not sure what happened with that post - I did also email you pictures when we finished the counter, but perhaps cyberspace ate them. No matter - I'm glad you like the island - wouldn't have done it without your help!!! And I think of you almost daily as I wipe it down, or look at a particularly interesting spot and think of your "crime scene" that you had in one post. As for the patina - do you have the turquoise/blue/brown areas? Or just all shades of brown?

    lisa_a - we decided to put the garbage disposal under the coffee bar sink rather than the main sink. We're on septic, and by putting it in the less-used sink, I have significantly cut down on using it, which is better for our system. But, yes, there would be room for a GD under there. Not a monster one, but a compact one for certain. Our builder designed it such that a GD could fit. Is there anything else you'd like to know about the pull-outs? Oh, and by the way, when this project started, I was most definitely paralyzed by the process. I couldn't even figure out where to start. So I started here, at GW, and the rest is history. :-)

    flowers_n_co - your dogs would NOT be a problem on the cork! And yes, we love our main sink - I can lay multiple large pans in it - FLAT! :-)

    22laura - Formica Mineral Sepia in the Radiance Collection. I was mistaken that it was Wilsonart - we got it down to a Formica and a Wilsonart, and the Formica "matched" the floor the best (was least offensive with the floor????).

    Thank you all again - your comments are so kind, and so appreciated. When I think of all of your beautiful kitchens (those of you who are finished and whose kitchens were my inspirations), I am humbled and amazed by your kind compliments about my new space. :-)