I agree with you about the flat drawer fronts. Do you need any cabinets in your garage? Then they wouldn't be a total loss.

I can't believe he thought he could push off those white legs on you. Well, I can, based on all the complaints lately about mistakes and contractors not wanting to fix them.

I think it looks fabulous. I understand that it isn't exactly what you want though. What hardware are you planning on? That will change the look as well.

Id it's one of those t.hings that will drive you crazy every time you look at it, then consider changing it. But I think once it's all done, it's got it's earrings and make-up on, you might not notice it as much.

FWIW-I like the slab fronts. Easier to keep clean. :)

I have slab fronts on my top drawers and 5 piece for the rest of them so I understand the look you wanted. If it is going to make you upset each time you look at the drawers the way they are I think you should have them changed. Since they only have to replace the drawer front and not the whole drwaer box or cabinet, it shouldn't be too expensive to change them out. And I agree with you the island legs should not be white.
Your kitchen is going to look fantastic. Hang in there you are almost finished.

What badgergal said. Talk to Dude (not Guy) about both issues. Ask him to make new drawer fronts for you - maybe he can give you a break on the price. It really will be lovely. I would go for 5 piece on all drawers - even the top one. It will take a little time for them to make and finish them, but it will be worth it in the end. Good luck.

The drawer fronts need to match the rest. I think this is an issue where the builder was trying to save money. The door faces look great, but it looks too plain/non custom without the drawers being done. No offense but the rest looks pure ikea.

Like badgergal, I too have slab top drawers and recessed below. My cabinetmaker said it was quite common. I notice the drawers under your cooktop are done that way. If you prefer that look find out about switching out the other drawer fronts. My cabinetmaker took off the fronts of one of our stacks to have them restained - said he didn't think it matched perfectly. Just the fronts were gone, the drawers remained. It didn't seem that difficult to do? Just not sure how much extra it would cost you to purchase new drawer fronts. If you left the top one slab there wouldn't be as many to change.
I also agree, though, that adding the pulls is like adding jewelry and will give it a new look.

I will start off by saying I love slab drawers and have them in my own kitchen but I really don't like them in your kitchen. Especially since I can see what the recessed panel looks like on the cooktop cabinet. I hope I don't sound too harsh but you asked for honest. Your kitchen is going to be gorgeous btw:)

I'd have them redone. And if it bothers you now it will bother you later.

I agree with your nagging doubts. It doesn't look amazing. It should. Talk to the owner with whom you have a good rapore. I prefer the look of all drawer formats being 5 piece, but can appreciate that some people like the smallest drawers to be plain. *You* should get what *you* want. Like Blfenton's mantra during her reno, "My money. My reno. My way."

I had the same issue except I'm the one who deciding to go with all slab fronts as we were really budget challenged. Once they were in - and most of the lowers are drawers - it didn't look right to me. We had the drawer fronts changed for everything but the top drawers and I like it much better. As badgergal said, they can just change out the fronts, not the entire drawer. It was still a change order, but I'm glad we did it.

Change them.
Definitely talk with Dude.
Particularly since it sounds like Guy is glad-handing you.

I've learned from my STBX GC DH, that anyone who begins something with "Trust me..." or tells you they've been doing this, "a long time" "since I was 7" "forever" is trouble. It might be true, but it doesn't mean 1) they know everything or 2) they're going to do a good job without cutting corners.

Perhaps you two, as a last offer to them, could 1/2 way the costs of the new drawer fronts. Definitely change them. I like the single flat, 2 Shaker myself.

My cabinets were installed within the last few days too. At one point i was disappointed that I didn't go withh all slab drawers. I agree with the rest--I think your kitchen will look better with a 5-piece drawer, but adding hardware will really change the look. So if money is a concern and you will be footing the entire bill for the change, you could live with them for a while and if it proves to be something you hate, you can change them in a year or whenever it feels natural.

a very architechtural/detailed cup pull on slabs might embellish in a way where the difference is a feature.I would look at hardware variations as a possible solution....the bottom drawers next to the dbl oven cabinet are the ones to perhaps definitely change.the other stacks are 4 drawers-with different hardware detail it might look like an intentional design shift for those spots.looks like a really nice installation so far.

I don't think changing to 5 piece drawer fronts will have a dramatic impact on your kitchen but it's your call. Given the layout of the 4 stacks where the second drawer appears to be the same height as the top drawer I'm not clear about which drawers would be slab and which would be 5 piece (I think doing 2 drawers of the same height in two different styles is a bit odd, though it would probably look fine - if your going to pay to change the drawer fronts then you might consider changing them all to 5 pieces). I think the pull-outs look better as slab fronts, the 5 piece seems very ornate for such narrow fronts. On the legs a polite "what a great suggestion, we gave it some thought and have decided we really want the finish on the legs to match the island as per the original concept" should suffice.

I agree that it is your money and whether you think you were talked into the slab fronts is irrelevant - you agreed and they fabricated the cabinets as agreed. There's no blame or fault. They are employees and employees generally perform better when they get recognition for their good work along with criticism. It may not be how you pictured it but those cabinets look terrific.

Good luck the rest of the way. I'm looking forward to seeing your finished kitchen.

Spend the money now, it will hurt but not as much as looking at them 2 years down the road and wishing you had.

No they are not going to "like" it. Have had many of those discussions with contractors myself. They want to move on to the next job and don't really care. Don't finish paying them until it's done. Just don't. Or getting those drawer fronts will be almost impossible.

I had to have a few drawer front changed after the install due to other issues and it took MONTHS. We had paid them in full before seeing the problems. In a few cases, they kept telling me they had ordered the doors for months, and then suddenly someone else got on the phone and said no they hadn't ordered them. They seemed to hope I would give up and stop phoning!

Good Luck.

I don't think, once everything is in and the hardware is in, that a third party would see it as a flaw or even notice it.

But the most important party, you, will probably say something to yourself about it every darn time you walk into the room (or at least, I know I would, but then I am whacky about such things!)

I would insist that he change the bottom drawer fronts free or, worst case, at cost. He talked you into them.

Changing to the 5 piece will accent the fact that the 3 drawer stack and 4 drawer stacks aren't designed to line up correctly, IMHO. A 3 drawer stack traditionally has a 6" drawer and two 12" drawers. A 4 drawer stack traditionally has 3 6" drawer stacks and a 12". The horizontal lines of the drawers works and lines up across the rooms. Your stacks do not line up. Currently, the slab drawers do not draw attention to that fact. Add in the more detailed drawers, and it will be pretty noticeable.

There are several more details in this custom kitchen that don't appear quite right either, with the one that I would be the most concerned with being the custom wood hood not having a large enough opening to go on top of the cooktop below. It appears that the solid boxes at the side will be above the cooktop, and that's a safety issue. I'm hoping it's an optical illusion and that you do have 42" of clear interior space above a 36" cooktop, or 36" of space above a 30" cooktop.

I am so sorry you are disappointed. However, your kitchen is looking fabulous! I think at this point you should get what you want. Deal with Dude /owner. Tell him how close you are to your vision and that the slab fronts are just too modern looking for the vintage feel you are going for. You have a better repoire with him and he's the owner - at the end of the day, its his decision how to handle it. If you talk to Guy, he will convey the issue to Dude, but his side of the story will be more pronounced and pursuasive.

I would also let him know that Guy tried to pull one over on you by trying to convince you to keep the mismatched island legs. There should be no discussion of cost on the legs. It was their mistake and they must make matching legs.

Good Luck.

Honestly I really like the slab drawer fronts on the drawers that flank the cook top. I think it really does set off the cook top section from the rest of that cabinet run.

I think you should photoshop some hardware on those drawers. Right now you are just seeing drawer fronts and not seeing the kitchen as a whole. Once the countertop goes on and the hardware goes on it will have a different feel.

You do need to be happy with your kitchen, but it really depends if you can handle the expense of changing it. If you can handle the expense to change it then go for it and don't worry about what guy or dude say.

If you can't handle the expense, I truly think your kitchen is going to be beautiful if you leave it the way it is.

I like it except for the legs being wrong. I think some of the drawers are too narrow to carry a multi piece drawer face and at best it will looks busy and complex, and at worst a couple of the drawer fronts will look like toaster slots.

I think it looks clean and it will look better with hardware.

I like it. I'm biased though cause I chose slab front drawers with shaker doors for my kitchen.

It looks better once you have the hardware on.

Although normally I would advise against the slab fronts
on the lower drawers in the drawer stack,
Livewireoak and Pal make very good arguments
for keeping the slabs in your particular case.

You should ask your contractor to correct HIS mistake on your island leg.

It will look beautiful as it all comes together.
Soon, I predict, you will feel very happy rather than a little sad.

I agree with the others who like it (except for the legs). Personally, I think that the slabs look much better on narrower drawers than the 5 piece. We did a mixture of drawer fronts in our kitchen for that reason. Once you put the hardware on, it will look great, I think. But if you don't like the look, you should get what you want. It's too expensive a project to be disappointed.

So sorry for the disappointment.
When my white cabinets came in, the drawers all had flat fronts on them which is not what I had ordered (KD error). They wanted me to like them and the error was on their dime. It wasn't my vision or what we ordered so I had them reorder the correct fronts. It was an easy change out and the contractor just had to have one of the crew come back to install when they came in. Oh--and our contractor charged the KD for labor, not us.

Your kitchen is beautiful. If the drawer fronts are always and forever going to bother you, I would change them out.

I honestly think they make your kitchen look really cool! Personally, I think having the 5-piece drawer front everywhere can look busy. The slab fronts prevent this. I second the suggestion to put decorative hardware on the slab fronts. I think it will all look awesome when it is all together. And it looks a thousand times better than Ikea!!

Schmeal
Your kitchen is going to be great. Everyone but you will be fine with how it turns out. You will see the "defects" real or imagined everytime you are in your kitchen. So change now what you cant live with.
Now just a thought try to use those island ends on either side of your range, that looks better.
Your upper cabs are inset? and lowers are overlay or frameless? Looks like two different kitchens. Upper traditional and lowers are modern because you have no areas for the glaze to collect.
What is the final design of the kitchen? Are you going for traditional, modern a blend or what? The countertops pulls BS and lighting all influence the total. No one thing really should stand out and scream.
Since only the cabinets are in now they are singing solo.
When the rest of the choir shows up hopefully all will harmonize. Only you know if those slab cabs are worth the effort and expense to change out. They are slightly off key if your dream kitchen is traditional. But if transitional is in your future you can make them work.
All that said since you posted here you want advice.
I would change out the drawer fronts on bottom two drawers.
You will like it better.

I didn't like the idea of slab anything until I got slab drawers with my shaker doors. Now I think it's a great look. I don't care for 5-piece on small drawer faces, too busy. When you get your hardware on them, they will be awesome. I'm impressed how finely tuned and well lined up everything looks.

One question: why is the cab over the hood recessed?

I think with the hardware on and everything else done it is gong to look amazing. The range hood does appear to be recessed a bit too far but still looks nice as is.

Reusing the leg on the pull outs beside the range would look great there.

Found this picture on houzz looks great.

[

[Contemporary Kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2103) by San Francisco Interior Designer Home Systems , Wendi Zampino

Looking at your kitchen again. If you changed out just the 2 bottom drawers on the 3 drawer base to the right of the range to 5 piece and left the 4 drawer bases as slab it would be a more cohesive design. Definitely make them fix the island legs to the stain color. It will look great when all is done.

Wow, Thanks so Very Much for your honest and thoughtful opinions. I really appreciate it. And thank you for the kind words. I've read through the thread several times now. First, when I woke up. Second, when I sat down at my computer to photoshop a couple of images and now a third time as I'm posting. :)

DH & I would have to pay for changing out the drawer fronts if we decided to do it. I approved the idea and I approved the line drawing so there is no way I would even try to get them to pay for it. And since they are subs to our builder I can't withhold payment either. However, they are going to change out the legs and they are going to cover that cost since they were honest about that being their mistake. I just hope the legs missing don't slow down the granite installation.

So, after sleeping on it (like I said I would) when I look at the pictures I totally agree that I would not like the narrow drawers in the four-drawer stack with the 5 piece fronts. I liked the analogy of it looking like a toaster . That's definitely not the look I was going for.

I'm trying to do a transitional kitchen. As I told the owner of the tile shop we are working with, I'm knocking on the door of a more modern look, or maybe peeking through the window at it without going all the way in. I'm hoping it works as all the parts come together.

I did a quick photoshop of the kitchen with the hardware. I'm not very good at this, but it does help show what the bottom half of the kitchen will look like once the hardware is installed.

This is the hardware that we chose. I could go back and look for a complimentary style and use one style on the slabs and one style on the 5-piece fronts? Good idea? Bad idea? I told Guy that I wanted to keep the hardware simple and all one color since it already felt like we had so much going on in the kitchen.

Working my way backwards through specific questions -
I don't know why the hood is recessed. It didn't show up that way on the line drawing I approved. It didn't bother me when I saw it in the kitchen. I guess I'll put a decorative platter up there? It does look a little funny, now that you mention it.

All the cabinets are frameless. The top of the wall cabinets still needs a crown and the bottom part is there to hide the undercabinet lighting.

LiveWireOak - I have asked multiple times about the width of the hood. I was concerned about that exact question. Our appliance salesperson finally called KitchenAid and asked about the size of the vent that we need for our 36" induction cooktop. She was reassured that 36" wide was fine but that we needed to make sure we had 600 cfm. So that's what we went with. I'm assuming that since we aren't cooking with gas the smaller hood is adequate. Also, thanks for pointing out the heights of the drawer stacks. That helps me understand what looks off to my eye. I wasn't asked about drawer heights during the design phase just how many drawers I wanted in each stack.

I wish I had gone with four drawer stacks everywhere except the cooktop. I think it's that drawer stack between the cooktop and the ovens that is throwing me off. It's not balanced with the other slab drawers and it doesn't match the drawer stack that has the same size drawers right next to it.

Hmmm...I think I solved my issue. What should I do with that three drawer stack? Should I just switch out the fronts on that? Would that help? It's too late to change out the number of drawers in the stack.

AHHH - The countertop guy just called. He's heading up to my house right now. I thought he was going to be there tomorrow. SOOO Excited. Gotta Run!

I think the slab drawers are more appropriate for a transitional kitchen, and I like the look (did it in my kitchen as well). I think that they have a sleek feel, and with hardware they tie in well.

However, the legs that are white do need to be fixed :-)

shmeal, I love your analogy about looking through the window into a more modern look without going all the way in. I think that's what I like about my slab drawers. I don't lean modern at all, but I like slabs' clean and utilitarian look. Nice hardware gives them a beautiful finish.

Here is a link to suzannesl's finished kitchen. You can see her island has a mix of drawers sizes and slab/5 piece fronts and it looks great!
Hope you come up with a solution you are happy with!

Here is a link that might be useful: kitchen

I love the look just as it is. Others have pointed out good reasons not to make a change so I won't reiterate. I did do the top slab and bottom 5-piece and that is a decision I have a feeling I may regret. I think I'm going to wish I had done all slab. Oh well! :)

Anyway, I think it looks beautiful. Well, except those white legs! "Squint and see what you think..." - honestly. =)

Agree about not changing slab drawers. However, I'd go with different cabinet pulls for a more "modern/contemporary" part of the "transitional" design. Just my 2 cents...

I think the idea of mixing up the hardware a little is nice.
Something a tiny bit more elaborate/modern on the slab, with something simpler on the 5-piece. It could look great. I think finish is the key.

As far as the 3-drawer not matching up? Your top drawers do, and the bottom edge does. I think it looks great and actually gives a little visual interest. This, from the woman who would rather stick a fork in my eye than deal with visual clutter.

I have Shaker doors in my MBR, and went with slab drawers. I am seriously considering changing out the bigger drawer fronts for 5-piece, but would keep the smaller fronts slab. I like the combination.

Interestingly enough, on my cabs with beaded inset (my beloved beaded inset) I am using the slab doors because it doesn't distract from the detail. Plus, it's very traditional and I love it.

I think your kitchen will be gorgeous. I can't wait to hear what the granite guy says.

Hang in there!

I would keep all of the top drawers slab and everything below to paneled. I think you see how nice it looks in the cooktop base, and I think "the Guy" did you a disservice in convincing you to go with slab (easier and cheaper option for him). It doesn't look BAD, it doesn't look TERRIBLE, but it is not a detail I would want to live with. I do slab top drawers/paneled lower drawers all the time - this is a very common detail and if he has never seen it before he is full of poop.

I think in the example above where there is a simple square edged shaker door you could go either way (slab or panel) but with the bead on your panel along with the glazing to highlight it, that little bit of extra detail makes it too stark a contrast between paneled and slab. It looks like something is missing, where in the pure white shaker kitchen it does not.

Just keep in mind that if you panel the second drawer on the 4 drawer bases that the rails on that drawer face will be more narrow than everywhere else (kind of like your column turned on its side) but the stiles should align along the sides... I have seen it done both ways, with the top two slab and bottom two paneled and only the top slab and bottom 3 paneled and I like it both ways with a slight edging out for only having slab top drawers, it is completely personal preference. You could probably leave the top 2 slab, see how you like it and replace the 2nd drawer with panel if you decide you don't like it.

I would keep the columns flanking the cooktop as slab. They are wider, but echo the detail in your hood, which is one I tend to favor myself ;) To me this is a penny wise/pound foolish decision. I understand it will cost a bit more for you to fix it but you have already so much sunk into a beautiful kitchen... what you have now would ruin it for me.

BTW, I think that you SHOULD be able to have your cabinet-maker modify the 3 drawer base to the right of the cooktop to be a 4 drawer base. What it will involve is removing the lower 2 drawers, uninstalling the hardware, and replacing those drawers with 3 new boxes and 3 new drawer fronts, plus the cost of one additional set of slides and labor. The way the semi-custom frameless cabinets I use work is that the cabinet sides are drilled on a 32mm module and you can reconfigure stuff internally based on that module. Even if your cabinets were not drilled every 32mm (like for adjustable shelves) the cabinet maker SHOULD be able to uninstall and reinstall the drawer slides to reconfigure it for 4 drawers... if these leaves "misdrilled" holes, well... you'll never see those. This is something I would fix too while I had to chance. I would also panel that drawer below the oven.

I would only change the 3 drawer one to be like the cooktop base. Otherwise the other ones look ok to me.

Oh, I am not that advanced and I did not mean mixing different hardware, just going with more contemporary style on all cabinets.

However, I *think* I am going to mix different types in my kitchen (b/c I want some "invisible" pulls) but not the styles, as in "contemporary vs. traditional".

Would the latter be a new trend then? LOL.

I'm new here and am getting ready to remodel my kitchen. Your kitchen will look great!! There are so many different things that make up the end result. With the right door pulls, it will look fantastic.

I don't think the slab drawer fronts look bad at all. Just a nice clean sleek look. I think you will appreciate them when you start cleaning since they will not get dirt in the crevaces. I think you will barely notice them when everything is done. Everyone is different though so getting them re-done now would be best if you are sure you dislike them.

I personally like the 5 piece look and have them on all the door and drawer fronts in my kitchen. That being said, I think your kitchen looks great and I know once the countertop goes in and the hardware goes on it will change everything again. And the slab fronts ARE easier to keep clean ;)

If it will be at your own cost anyway, maybe you could live with it a while? If you hate it and it drives you crazy you could maybe have the drawer fronts remade at a later date? Maybe once you recover a bit financially from the reno? Your kitchen is on the way to beautiful no matter which door style you go with for the drawer fronts. But YOU need to love it in the end too, so do what you have to do to make that happen.

The island legs would NOT be OK the way they made them, good for you for standing up for yourself there. They definitely need to be the same colour as the island.

How did the counter top install go? Anymore pics?

The slab drawers are far cheaper to fabricate. I am sure this had something to do with it.

Having said that, I have to say your kitchen looks very incongruent to my eyes.

But I also agree that when counters and hardware and everything else is added it could end up looking just fine.

But I wouldn't have it.

Looking at the bare cabinets, I would prefer at least the larger drawers as 5 pc. but when looking at it with the hardware and considering a counter top, I think it will be fine. The setback on the hood allows you to display something and give you greater flexibility in what you can display. When you finish off everything and have something decorative there, it is going to look good and the 5 pc drawers below that only will make it look like one accent in the run rather than lost in a lot of details. Some of that focus is lost when viewing across the island, but that's okay. If you want to accent the difference, change the pull you put on the 5 pc drawers. Stay in the same group, but you can give those 2 drawers a different look on purpose. Test it to make sure you like it before you drill holes.

You are looking at parts -- like looking at lego bricks and trying to see the end product without all the bumps showing. I would have done it differently, but I never saw it or thought about it differently. Well, that and my DH hates slab drawer fronts period (yes, I have 5 pc on the 4 drawer stack too). Things look rough in the installation and that's part of the process.

If you want to change it, you only have to change the drawer fronts, not the entire cabinets. Looks like it would just be those two stacks -- not a huge problem. No wrong answer.

The blind speculation about the motivations of the OP's cabinetmaker are hilarious. I think he did it because he has a nefarious plan to buy up all the houses he works on for cheap when they don't sell because they have slab drawer fronts. It's diabolical. Careful OP after he steals your house he'll probably tie you to the train tracks, put Dudley Do-right on speed dial ASAP so you'll be ready.

To the OP - if the 2nd drawer in the 4 stacks is the same height as the top drawer (they look the same to me) I don't get why the top one would be slab and the 2nd one 5 piece. On the 3 drawer stack - do you need\want those deeper drawers in that stack? It's a kitchen after all - form should be secondary to function. I like it the way it is and I agree with LWO that you might find the "fix" is more objectionable than your initial disappointment. Good luck, you seem more than capable of getting what you want.

Thanks again for sharing all of your comments and opinions. Reading through them has really helped me gel in my own mind and heart what it was that I liked and what was truly bothering me with the kitchen cabinets.

I have talked with Guy, who has been more than understanding and willing to help us, so I didn't need to involve Dude. No nefarious or underhanded plans were actually involved and he wants us to be as happy with our kitchen as we do. LOL.

We have told him that we want the bottom two drawers in the 3-drawer stack replaced with the five-piece drawer fronts. We are leaving the 4-drawer stacks alone and are not doing anything with the drawer below the oven. IF we find, down the road (after we've finished the basement guest suite and the backsplash), that the two bottom drawers on those stacks continue to bother us we will replace them. The hardware has been installed on about half of the cabinets so far and that helps a lot. I'm sure once the appliances and countertops are installed that will make even a bigger difference.

Thanks again for your help. It is greatly appreciated!

Oh, and the white legs are still in the kitchen Just In Case the granite guys need to use them to hold up the overhang because the brown legs may not arrive by Friday. But they will be replaced! The granite guy said maybe they'd just use 2x4's instead and I'm tempted to let him do that just so no one thinks I'm settling for the white.

My heart is aching for you because I'd be very stressed at how it's turned out. I'd request the drawer fronts be changed. I probably wouldn't have stayed with someone who tried to push their ideas off on me though.

I hope you can get it resolved to your liking.