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Lynn2006, Kitchen Pics and granite story for you

Sidney4
12 years ago

Lynn, Here are the pics of my kitchen you asked for. The back splash is a work in process. My DH,for some reason, decided to start the project one week into the holiday season and then had to stop because I needed my kitchen back for Christmas. His timing wasn't great but I'll be glad to have it done. I'll post an official reveal when it's all done.

As for the granite story.The counter is much darker than New Venetian Gold would normally be. I had a beautiful slab

of NVG in my other house and I wanted the exact same granite in my new house. My KD suggested a place that could give me a "real deal" on granite so I drove 2 hours to the fabricator and picked out a primo slab of NVG.I was so excited and couldn't wait to see the final product in my new kitchen. Months passed and still no granite. My builder started to worry that the fabricator would push back the completion date and potentially delay our move ( when we had to be out of our old house). I finally heard back from the fabricator that the slab I had picked out had to be used in another home that had a granite order from the same run. They said I could use the NVG from another slab. All I needed to do was approve an attached photo and they could have my counter top installed in time for my move in date. Here's what I've learned. NEVER SIGN OFF ON A GRANITE SLAB WITHOUT SEEING IT IN PERSON. It was a stupid mistake on my part. I have no one else to blame but myself but I OK'd the slab from a photo. It looked dark but I naively assumed it was my monitor and that all NVG was pretty much the same. It was such a shock when I saw this butterscotch colored granite against my creamy white cabinets. What was even more disturbing was that the original NVG color was visible on the edge of the counter tops. The fabricator later explained that the granite was likely discolored during the polishing process. My builder said he would stand behind me if I wanted to press for satisfaction and everyone here on the forum said I should fight back but the fabricator said I didn't have a leg to stand on. Eventually, I gave in and decided to make the most of it because it was creating a huge riff between my builder and KD both of whom were friends. It actually looks pretty good against the cherry island and I even get compliments on it sometimes. Don't get me wrong, I love the new kitchen but every time I see a nice slab of NVG,I wonder how it might have looked had I gotten the granite I picked out. Sigh.

This is a better shot showing the contrast between the granite and the light cabinets. The NVG I picked out was much lighter with flecks of white that blended well with the perimeter cabs.


Comments (12)

  • schoolhouse_gw
    12 years ago

    Very nice. I love the clean lines, yet it still looks "comfy".

  • suzanne_sl
    12 years ago

    Your kitchen is lovely despite the "mix-up" on the granite. My problem is not the slab color, because I actually like it, but the "mix-up." When you chose a slab and put money down, I would consider that a done deal. Just because someone else under-ordered, it doesn't become your obligation to remedy that problem with your designated slab. Aarghhh! At the least, I hope that you be sure to make it known locally that that fabricator cannot be trusted to be sure that the slab (and presumably pay for) you choose is the one that will show up in your house.

    Meanwhile, I love the cozy design of your kitchen. I'll bet it's a joy to work in. I love the look of the open shelves especially and the two glass uppers - such nice details.

  • joaniepoanie
    12 years ago

    Lynn, I feel your pain. Similar for me with foor tile.. Store was supposed to get me a larger sample but never did. with start date looming, I went ahead and ordered 12x24 tiles from a 4x4 sample (not from that store!). It' s here and just not what I thought I would be getting based on the sample. It will go with cabs and counters fine, just off from what I envisioned. Contractor and DH like it so I'm just gonna roll with it and hope I don't regret the decision everyday...

  • susanlynn2012
    12 years ago

    Sidney4, I love your kitchen so much! Despite the mix-up in the granite, it still looked like New Venetian Gold to me and I found it so beautiful with your cabinets and island. I love the creamy cabinets! What off-white paint was used? I can't wait to see the full reveal to learn about the paint colors and your choices. The backsplash is beautiful also. I love the Cathedral Ceiling and the crown molding. I love how open the kitchen is. I love the island.

    Thank you so much for sharing. Hope your holidays were wonderful and your New Year is happy and soon your kitchen is completed for a final reveal!

  • Sidney4
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Suzanne, thank you for the kind words. I agree, the outcome wasn't nearly as infuriating as the circumstances that led up to it. I really felt like I had been had. The fabricator does a booming business across multiple states so one dissatisfied customer 2 hours away didn't phase them at all. I never even got an apology. I was also bothered by the KD's reaction for whom the fabricator was a subcontractor. They were very apologetic and admitted that the NVG was much darker than they had ever seen before but they said because they were a small business they just couldn't afford to replace it. My builder suggested that they at least split the difference. That's when it became a tense standoff between my builder and the KD. At that point I backed away. I didn't want to be responsible for two small town businesses that had worked well together for years coming to blows.

    Granite aside, I do enjoy working in my kitchen. I've never been much of a cook but I think I have actually gotten better since we've moved.... simply because it's more fun to cook in a kitchen you like spending time in.

  • mobydog
    12 years ago

    i love your cabinets. Do you know the brand, door style and finish colors. I also love how you integrated open shelving into your space instead of a solid wall of doors. Absolutely beautiful!

  • taggie
    12 years ago

    I love your kitchen and think the granite looks fabulous. We picked a caesarstone that looks quite similar so it seems I'm drawn to these colors and pattern anyway, but it looks particularly great with your cabinets!

    I really like your hood and the way it bumps out for texture and contrast. Love the panels and the molding at top and bottom. Did you design it yourself?

  • ellendi
    12 years ago

    I was pushed to quickly choose my granite and it is a dark giallo which sometimes looks a bit off with my white cabinets. Yours look great, it is just that YOU notice a difference. As someone told me while I was frantically going around trying to match a backsplash that would transition from my white cabinets to the brwon in the counter, "At some point, you need to make pease with this." And, just hearing those words spoken, I did.
    It is funny that now I see more and mixing of whites, browms creams in kitchens.
    You have a beautiful kitchen!

  • Sidney4
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Schoolhouse, thanks. It is a comfortable place. I do like keeping things clean and simple....mostly because I'm too lazy to clean around a lot of decorating accessories, although I love seeing them in other peoples house.

    Joaniepoanie, I appreciate your comments. It is tough making decisions with too little information and too little time to contemplate. That is what makes this forum so great We have a whole team of "on call" consultants who help with quick decisions and help us learn to live with less than perfect ones.

    Lynn, mobydog,thank you, thank you! The cabinets are Haas. The style is Milford. The perimeter cabs are painted eggshell with a taupe glaze.

    Taggie, I wish I could take credit for the design but it was my KD. I had seen her work before so I just showed her a few inspiration photos and the blueprints for our new house and let her roll with it. I discovered this forum half way thru the process. Had I found KF sooner I might have taken a more active role in the design but she did a pretty good job interpreting my needs and tastes.

    Ellendi, you make a great point. Its not realistic to expect that every decision made in large project is going to turn out exactly as hoped. To dwell on the one thing that didn't turn out takes away from the joy of seeing the effort overall come to fruition.

    Thanks to everyone for your kind words and sage advice.

  • susanlynn2012
    12 years ago

    sidney4, I had to come back to look at your beautiful cabinets and show my friends that I would love a kitchen just like yours and I adore your darker New Venetian Gold Granite Counters!

  • Sidney4
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Lynn, that is such a nice thing for you to say. It does seem silly now but at the time I thought the world would come to an end. Time puts things in perspective.

    Oh and the back splash reveal I promised? ......Still not done. My DH started in the middle of the holidays and hasn't come back to it! He loves to start projects......hates to finish them!LOL

  • gr8daygw
    12 years ago

    I'm so sorry for your experience and completely understand. We just had granite put in our master bath and also in the kitchen. What I have learned about "some not all" granite places is that it can be a pretty sleazy disappointing business.. They don't seem to appreciate the business and treat customers poorly. OTOH your kitchen is so beautiful. I hope this is one of those times when it was a "fortunate mistake". It looks beautiful in pictures but I completely understand your feelings. I love your kitchen!