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riley605_gw

New dream kitchen finally finished!

riley605
12 years ago

Whaddya think, GWers?

The kitchen in my new house, rebuilt from ground-up after a tornado 2.5 years ago. God willing, this one will stand longer than that last "dream/forever" kitchen!

Feel free to look through the photo album if my kitchen looks like your style - ask any questions, I'm more than happy to try and repay all the amazing help I got here on the kitchen forums ... you guys ROCK!

Here is a link that might be useful: Finished New Dream Kitchen

Comments (37)

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Slick, sexy. Very well done. enjoy!

  • willtv
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Riley, that's a great job.
    Sleek, clean lines and a great looking backsplash.
    I'm going to check out the link now.

  • badgergal
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Congratulations! I love modern/contemporary spaces and your kitchen is all that. Love your tile. It adds a nice amount of "glam" to the space.

  • clvransom
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Bravo! On your espresso kitchen. Nice job! Very clean and contemporary. Please provide details on your back splash. I like T.V. niche above the fridge.

  • riley605
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thank you guys so much! I'm really proud of it.

    MileHighDiva: the glass backsplash is by Marazzi, the line is called "Catwalk" and this color is Smoky Stiletto. It's got browns, grays, blues and almost a smoky plum color in it. Which is perfect, because the River White granite has a lot of gray in it, with plum spots.

    Here's a close-up of the glass tile:

  • dejongdreamhouse
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Well done! What a beautiful modern kitchen! What kind of hood do you have? We thought we knew what we were getting, but we need another option. I love the flat ones, like you have.

  • dejongdreamhouse
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I just went back and looked at the rest of the pictures. I LOVE your house! If I weren't about to finish my own build, I would totally want to move into yours. I love your backsplashes (especially the kitchen and stacked marble), the library, the finishes, the fans, and the lego table. (Do you have more details about that. My son is dying for one, and we promised him one in the new house!). Love love love it!

  • susanlynn2012
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I love your beautiful modern kitchen with the beautiful hardware, the beautiful natural maple floors, the gorgeous counters, the stainless steel appliances and beautiful range hood, and finally one of the prettiest backsplashes that is stunning.

  • athomesewing
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Beautiful!! The glass tiles are perfect!!
    Congrats and enjoy!

  • trailrunner
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Amazing home. Love all the interesting storage details..closet organization especially. I would have to get all new clothes to do justice to such a space :)

    I love the tile in the kitchen. Gorgeous colors. Everything is sleek but not cold very inviting designs in every room.I hope you too have a long time in your lovely home.

    The tornado in the Dadeville AL and Warm Springs GA area a year ago wrecked havoc too. Many having to rebuild in those areas near us. Congratulations. c

  • petra66_gw
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Congratulations, a wonderful home and gorgeous kitchen. I especially like the backsplash, such a bold statement!

  • sas95
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    It looks beautiful. Enjoy!

  • ww340
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Wonderful! That backsplash is stunning. I wish you many years of happiness there.

  • wizardnm
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I love it! But then I would, it's just my style.
    Your choices all work together and there is a nice smooth feel to it all.

    Great job!

    Nancy

  • MIssyV
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Gorgeous! Enjoy! Thanks for sharing, we love us some new kitchen pics :)

  • sixtyohno
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Your kitchen is perfect. It's so smooth and clean lined. I love it. Everything goes together seamlessly. Enjoy!

  • riley605
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I never dreamed I'd get the kind of compliments here that I've given to others w/amazing kitchens! Thank you all so much!

    ICFGreen: what a lovely thing to say! If your build is almost finished, I would love to see pictures - I was convinced my house was not up to the standards of so many beautiful spaces I see on GW; I think we are too close to our own projects to see what we've accomplished, because you've been looking at it for so long, ya know?

    I wish I could take credit for the whole house (I had help from a designer), but I did make the decisions on the things you are curious about. Specifically, the kitchen - she actually wanted to change my flooring, which was already ordered, and I had to argue for the River White granite. She wasn't familiar w/it, and was convinced Bianco Romano or Antiquo would be best. But they had too many yellow tones, IMHO, and I love the gray/plum look of the River White. Especially w/the backsplash, which I also picked out before hiring anyone. Yea, me! The kitchen was the one room where I knew exactly what I wanted, and I couldn't be happier w/how it all worked out.

    I hired w/an interior designer to help mostly with furnishings (I've never moved w/no furniture before; after the tornado, the insurance company paid out for all our furniture and disposed of anything that had fabric - too much shattered glass.) But once we started meeting, I realized she would need to start with wall colors and things like that, to be able to put together a coordinated look for each room's furnishings.

    So the COLORS in the Library, for instance, were chosen by a professional. But the design of the shelving - I'm proud to say that's all me and my cabinet maker. He's a dear friend, and we spent an afternoon in his workshop w/3-4 different sized books of mine, and planned out each section of the built-ins. I very specifically wanted fixed shelving, so it was necessary to think ahead about how I wanted to arrange things. I'm really happy w/how it turned out.

    The designer did help choose the tiles and backsplash in the master bath - she's the one who did the ordering for the Ann Sacks marble we used for the large tiles in the shower and the stacked backsplash, as well as slabs for the countertops. The gray tiles in the master bath are Emser.

    I LOVE the playroom! And I'm proud to say that's all me, as well. We had a large playroom in the last house, and I definitely learned some things from it. For instance, I have doors this time, instead of a large open playroom - the noise was a bit much! And the stage: that was a late addition last time, but my boys loved it so we went a little further w/it this time.

    You should see the room and the Lego table now! In fact, let me get a picture:

    That's why I took so many pictures before we moved in, lol! The table itself was kind of a last-minute idea, because I couldn't find anything retail that was just right. Once we built the banquette in the corner, we were committed to a certain height. The table is exactly the same height as the seating, and even has a "cut-off" corner so it can be pushed flush w/the bench seating to form a really big workspace. Again, my cabinet maker and I just brainstormed about it, and that's what he came back with. In one of the albums on Picasa, there are a few pictures of it before being painted - you can probably see a bit better how it's put together, but really, it's nothing fancy.

    Again, I hope you all know how thrilling it is for me to get this kind of feedback from people who I consider to be the most kitchen-savvy on the internet!

  • riley605
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Sorry! ICFGreen: the hood is by Zephyr, called Brisas. I had to find one quickly once I was told I couldn't re-use my old one; this was the most affordable with a style I still liked. The lighting is great, but gets hot quickly. I'm pleased with it, though.

  • suzanne_sl
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Unlike wizard, this is really not my style -- but I love it! I never would have guessed that I would totally be in love with that backsplash. It's hard to have your home destroyed (an aunt and uncle were devastated when they lost everything in that huge firestorm in Oakland 10 years ago), but this is the beautiful thing that grows up from the ashes, metaphorically speaking. Good job!

  • cat_mom
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Stunning! Just my taste!

  • rosie
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm in love with your whole house, and, yes, it's not my style, either, but it's so vibrant and clearly ready for whatever your busy family needs from it. The playroom's terrific, with great ideas; peculiar how it manages to look amazingly like those in our children's homes, though. :)

  • sjerin
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    You have a very beautiful new kitchen! It looks like a lot of planning went into the flow--absolutely perfect and very sleek. Did you raise the dishwasher for any particular reason? I'm thinking of doing that for my bad back but there are very few pictures to look at. I appreciate being able to see yours done so well.

  • blfenton
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Your kitchen is beautiful with the backsplash and the butcherblock that both add great interest. Do not sell yourself short - your kitchen is stunning as is your whole house. what a project this must have been after losing your house to Mother Nature. I hope you make many happy family memories here.

  • cjc123
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Well Done - Love your home! You did a great job, all the storage areas - WOW! The lego/kid's area is the best. Hope you can enjoy it for many many years...

  • dejongdreamhouse
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks for the info! Seriously, we could be design buddies. I LOVE the Ann Sacks stacked tile. That was my first choice for our kitchen, but we couldn't justify the cost. I am totally loving the Solistone I picked instead.

    I laughed outloud because we picked Emser tile as well. Is it the Strands in Olive?

    Thanks for the info on the Lego table. I finally sent your whole album to DH because there were too many things to share!

    We have a blog about our build. I've been dealing with some health issues most of the fall (I have a brain injury and when my headaches hit, nothing happens!) so we're a little behind. We just agreed to an offer on our current house TODAY, so hopefully all goes well and I can blog and pack instead of clean for showings and fret!

    Here is a link that might be useful: de Jong Dream House

  • dejongdreamhouse
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    We're raising our dishwasher as well. (We're trying to use as much universal design as we can afford), but no gorgeous butcher block on top.

    Can I peek in your pull out trash that's on the end. (We're doing that as well!)

  • sedeno77
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • dianalo
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    This looks like a kitchen one could really cook in, yet, Wowza, is it pretty too!
    It works together so well and is slick in the best possible way ;) I am so glad you held to what you wanted!

  • remodelfla
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I love clean lines and your kitchen exemplifies that. It's so nice that you took a horrible and scary event and turn it into a glorious new beginning for your family. Congrats~

  • dejongdreamhouse
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks for the info! Seriously, we could be design buddies. I LOVE the Ann Sacks stacked tile. That was my first choice for our kitchen, but we couldn't justify the cost. I am totally loving the Solistone I picked instead.

    I laughed outloud because we picked Emser tile as well. Is it the Strands in Olive?

    Thanks for the info on the Lego table. I finally sent your whole album to DH because there were too many things to share!

    We have a blog about our build. I've been dealing with some health issues most of the fall (I have a brain injury and when my headaches hit, nothing happens!) so we're a little behind. We just agreed to an offer on our current house TODAY, so hopefully all goes well and I can blog and pack instead of clean for showings and fret!

    Here is a link that might be useful: de Jong Dream House

  • gsciencechick
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Just gorgeous! The BS is amazing!

  • mmhmmgood
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Beautiful. LOVE the backsplash. Enjoy!

  • MichelleDT
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Beautiful....love all of your choices....wood - maple or oak?

    Do u have steel or chrome railing? I think I see one peeking out of one of the pictures. If so, what is the brand.

    Thanks,
    M

  • drainbead
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Stunning!

  • riley605
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thank you all again so much. We've had a setback here, and I needed to come read all your kind words to cheer myself up! The undercounter icemaker (next to the fridge) was not installed properly, apparently (the drain hose was too low, or something) and while we never saw any water in front of it, there was water leaking behind it.

    We figured it out when last Sunday I noticed what looked like a blister on a wood floor board in that walkway in front of the icemaker. I stepped on it and it gave, making a bit of a squishing noise. I had horrible flashbacks to the last time we built our forever home on this site - we had a moisture problem in the foundation and wound up having to replace our entire wood floor with tile. (The tornado was a bit of a blessing in disguise, because we learned to put a moisture barrier down when pouring the foundation this time!) So I was somewhat relieved to pull out the icemaker and discover it was the source of the water, but still sick at seeing my beautiful wood floor mildewed and bubbling in the whole general area. The carpet in the under-stair closet, which is right behind the fridge, was soaked ... I can't believe we didn't see that sooner.

    Anyhoozle, I now have a gaping hole where the icemaker should sit, and am waiting to tear up and replace an unknown amount of wood flooring in the kitchen. Aargh!!! I'm glad I took my pictures when I did, lol!

    ICFgreen: I checked out your blog, what an amazing project you guys have going! I can't imagine building while dealing with your health issues - I have garden-variety migraines, but I've never dealt with something like a brain injury. You will be incredibly proud of what you've accomplished - both personally and "architecturally" - when you're done, I'll bet! That's a hoot about the Emser tile; ours is Moda style in a gray, but I've forgotten the name ... Perla? Overall our bathroom is REALLY gray - I've got to bring in some color!

    MichelleDT: I'm a big fan of different varieties of wood, and this is the first time I've used nice wood and then stained it - our last house used five diff varieties of wood in the kitchen, and we left it all its natural color and just clear-coated it. So it was tough for me to watch the espresso stain go on our cabinets after choosing to build them from stain-grade maple. In hindsight, that might have been a waste of money because the stain is so dark we could've gotten away with paint-grade, but I love that my European-style cabinet doors are so heavy and solid. The floor is engineered, and is just a natural/light maple - I don't know the actual color name, but it's by Urban Floor.

    As for the railing you mentioned, you hit upon a bit of a sore spot, haha! We don't actually have a stair railing yet - I think what you saw was the arm on a floor lamp for my son's room; we had just unboxed it and it was sitting in the kitchen. We do have plans for a stainless steel contemporary stair railing system, but in the interest of saving money we went through stairwarehouse.com and ordered all the individual parts we thought we needed so our contractor and cabinet maker could build/install the railings for us.

    We've hit a snag, though, because our contractor didn't envision the railing correctly and ended up ordering parts we don't need, so now our cabinet maker (he's great at lots of things, thank goodness) is re-imagining the project and is going to get the rest of the parts we need to build the kind of railing I've pictured from the beginning. I'm not having a good feeling about it, though, and am probably going to get an estimate from a company like Milk Designs (they do modern stair design) and order a "system" to have installed. Something like the link below: I've actually seen that railing installed in a local building - we would only have 3-4 horizontal cables, though. I guess that was the incredibly long version of an answer to your simple rail question! : )

    Again, thank you all - you have no idea how much I needed all your kind words this past week!!!

    Here is a link that might be useful: Viva Railings CUBE system

  • riley605
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    ICFgreen: you asked about our trash pullout on the end - there's really nothing exciting to see, just your basic Rev-A-Shelf style double trash can setup.

    sjerin: the reason we raised the dishwasher was so the butcherblock could be installed above regular counter height. Because of location, we wanted the butcherblock to fit just under the granite on top of the ponywall, so that required raising the dishwasher. To be honest, though, it's not enough to really be of help for my back. It feels like I'm still stooping almost as low as normal ... I think we only raised it 6" or less.

    I saw a picture a while back in a "Dream Kitchens" type magazine where they had installed the dishwasher on the end of a cabinet run, and I think the bottom of it was about the same spot where my bottom oven begins. My oven has a good-sized drawer below it, as well as the standard toe-kick; I think this dishwasher had a drawer below, but it may have been a false front - I'm not sure how the drainage for dishwashers are set up. But it was definitely raised enough to be very comfortable. I wish I could remember what was on top of it ... I want to say there was cabinetry that continued up to the height of the other uppers. In fact, there was a decorator panel on the front of the dishwasher that made it look like part of the cabinetry - that's what made the raised position of it fit in so well. If I can find that pic, I'll post it and bring your attention to it.

  • MichelleDT
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Beautiful! Love the blacksplash! Really love the blacksplash.