Awesome progress!! Love the paint color, the icestone, LOVE that wood hutch you have! I'm not loving the lighting choice at all. I don't know much about what style/period design assigns to; but that just doesn't feel right. Too mid century (?) maybe? Plus the color is too peachy. I'd like to see something more industrial in there.
Oh... and woods... I like the little darker piece. It's a nice mid brown; not golden or red.

I like the second set of handles, the more decorative ones. For me they seem to pick up the grain of your wood hutch. Consider the satin nickel for sure, but bring home a sample of one that would be a similar colour to the hardware of your hutch - I'm not saying to choose that colour, but just see what it would look like.

I agree with the lights. They don't seem to be holding their own in the space. maybe try something a little longer but still slender in shape. Your chosen paint colour is beautiful. I really enjoy watching a kitchen come together.

Looking good!

I like the fancier pulls too, though I think the plain ones might be better with your other choices. Either would be fine.

I think the lights are too timid. They need to be bigger or more colorful. They're not bad, but I think that's why you're feeling they're not right.

The icestone would look awesome, but make sure you do all your investigations on it first. See if you can get a sample to torture. Awhile back we had some members with really bad outcomes from glass terrazzo in the kitchen. The concrete substrate etched very badly on one. They may have improved the product since. Do some ruthless testing to be sure.

These choices are fine, except for the light. It needs a lot more color and oomph. And I still think you should do the blue counter rather than the white counter with blue chips in it. The Corian would be perfect, and it will wear better than the Icestone. Icestone is mostly concrete with glass chips in it, and as such it etches and stains and needs sealing just like concrete does.

I'd like to see the oak of the Hoosier carried over into one of the other cab runs. Maybe the uppers. And I'd want to see a clean horizontal line of more uppers rather than that triangle thingie you've got there now.

Agree on the pendants. Color. Presence.

How about two oak shelves running from the uppers to the window on the left? It would tie in the hoosier cabinet, as Marcolo suggests. I made an island top from Ikea Numerar oak butcher block and used some left-over pieces as shelves. Mine are 9" deep. 13" would be the same depth as the horizontals, I think.

As for the pendants, maybe something in metal, matching your hardware choice?

As for the hardware, I like the plain ones better, it all boils down to personal taste, doesn't it?

Love the wall colour!

This is going to be a great kitchen!

I was one of the people with issues around the Icestone. You need to make sure the counters are sealed well with the correct product and that you continue to re-seal on schedule. Looking at the relationship between your counters and the window, you'll have less of a reflectivity issue than I did WRT etching. But, think seriously about how into perfection you are and how much maintenance you're willing to engage in.

I would choose a different counter surface.

The pendents do get lost and seem out of place. I think a linear look in a "color" would look better. I would absolutely choose the simple hardware it goes so much better with the cabinet and appliance choices you have made. Good Luck.

Petra66, how did you support your shelves?

So thanks for the responses and thoughts.

Consensus on the pendants: too blah, petite, timid. Affordable suggestions? One thing I do not like is to see the bulb itself in a fixture.
Dining fixture suggestion?

Countertop. Thanks to those concerned about the concrete IceStone. I had completely dismissed concrete before since I once had it and it did take a lot of maintenance, still stained easily. Somehow thought the icestone might be better sealed . . .???

So: Back to countertop ideas.
Corian, Zodiac, Cambria, Caesarstone, soapstone . . . ? Anyone? (LWO, I love that you are holding strong on the corian!)

marolo, I'm sort of in agreement about the 'triangle thingy.' But I can't put another one under the single or it will butt into my sink area. I could do one line across the top of four. Or??

I like Petra66's suggestion of oak (!) open shelves. Those under lights look nice - source??

re: hardware. I like the idea of matching the hutch, but my appliances and sink faucet are all 'silver' in color. What to do with that? Can one mix and still look pulled together?

What do you all think of the turquoise glass of the uppers? Wouldn't a turquoise mint ice corian counter be overkill (LWO?)?

I now know from all of the wonderful Design Around This exercises that I am coming to the design of this kitchen sideways/backwards/upside down. But this is how it happened, and this is what I have. So.

Back to you guys for more and better ideas, please!

Missing: the oomph, daring-do, pizazz. What do I add? Change? Lights, upper open shelves, countertop material. . .
My home and neighborhood both are modest, but I'd love an unusual, fun and beautiful end product (who wouldn't, I know!).

And thanks! I know it's a slow time for this forum as most are still caught up in or recovering from the holidays.

Happy last day of 2011!

$192 at Y Lighting ($143 shade only @ Homeclick). I like that it has some warm tones in it that work with your warm oak tones you have.

$208 mini pendant from Schonbeck Lighting at Homeclick, but with the aqua crystals like the 5K chandelier.

$125 at Artfire.com from UneekGlassFusions.

$185 from Seascape Lighting, and they have dozens more shades that could work too. A classic drum shade, but in a really intense color.
{{gwi:1993919}}

The Atom Blue, Veneer Peacock and R Taylor Floral Fun are also especially nice.

$149 at Homeclick. ET2 Steps 3 light island pendant. The shape is more interesting than the color, but the color is good too.

Another great find from Homeclick in an interesting shape from Kitchler and only $115!

I REALLY wanted Vetrazzo/IceStone when I started the remodel, but soon realized that while I loved the look, it was not a good choice. We visited a countertop showroom and their large island of Vetrazzo had A LOT of gauges, chips, etc.....and this was just from people shuffling through shopping. Can you imagine what it will look like when pots, pans, dishes, etc are moved around on them everyday? I think granite or quartz will hold up much better, and maybe for less $.

Hmmm...could you get one more of the horizontal cabs and do a straight run of 4 across that wall with a wood shelf underneath them? You could make the shelf narrower above the sink area.

It might be too much color, but what about the counter in turquoise, something a few shades darker then the cabinets? I remember the Formica DAR had some really fantastic patterns and I'm sure Corian or other solid surface materials have something interesting.

If you did the counters Corian you could wrap the base of the peninsula in some fabulous Formica.

@ catbuilder: the shelves are attached to the wall with hidden fixtures. Basically they are a metal pin, you drill a hole in the wood and glue in the pin, then you drill a hole in the wall and fix the pin with some cement/mortar. We used 3 pins per shelf. I live in Europe, so this system is for using in stone/concrete walls. I am sure there must be something to work with stud walls. I googled 'hidden shelf support' and found this link to Rockler.

@BalTra: the under cabinet lights are from a European builder's merchant called Leroy Merlin (a french company). They are basically strips of leds put into a tube that is attached to the shelves with small brackets. Again, I am sure there is an US alternative.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hidden shelf supprt

You have created a beautiful transformation.
I love your choices.
Here are a few visual ideas to toss into the mix.
~boxer

Glass Counters

Slate might be cheaper than some materials

Lighting ideas...

Expensive from Etsy

From West elm

Maybe you could paint a design on the shade like this

Maybe a little wood

Looking GOOD! I am also not a fan of your pendant choice. I think even a round globe pendant would be good.

Those Horton Brasses pulls are so lovely to touch. The more decorative Macintosh pulls are fun but I am a bigger fan of the simple ones. Either or, they are a great pull.

LOVE your Hoosier cabinet.

Oh, and SW Rainwashed is actually one of my favorite colors. Oh, and I love SN on walnut.

Lo. Lots of I loves! Happy New Year.

Here is a link that might be useful: seagull pendant

Good Lord... I am totally groovin' on the first drum pendant boxer posted with the slate. Now I want another kitchen to remodel!!

Getting really really FUN!

I love your ideas, all - is it weird to feel such warm fuzzies for people I have only virtually met?

I am preparing for my first large party in this house/kitchen. Large for me being 12 adults, 5 kids. Pumpkin lasagne, black eyed pea soup with collards, corn bread, mixed baby greens with walnuts and blueberries + slivers of orange sweet pepper. A few lovely wines. Putting the layout to the test. So this post will be short.

The SLATE is amazing, boxer. Does it wear/feel like soapstone? Glass would be fantastic, but surely is out of my budget.

sabjamita - have you touched those pulls?

remodelfla - I think that feeling is what gets people into collecting and creating miniature houses. Careful!

Too many super cool light choices!

I need more time to read through your ideas. Off to prepare for the New Year guests!

Thanks guys.
Happy New Year to you all.
Tracy

I like that slate or other counter with a turquoise theme. This is fun to see coming together.

oo! oo! oo!

I have a slate reference!!!!!

John Tatko of 207-997-3165 Sheldon Slate Products in Monson, ME was on some home show. I saw the name in the credits and emailed them.

He sent me a box of gorgeous slate samples and the prices aren't much different than so-common granite!

Since I'm still dreaming, I haven't ordered anything yet. However, slate is in my plans for countertops on the sink side of my kitchen! :)

Hope this helps you dream!
Christine

I'd be sure to do a little testing on slate samples before seriously considering it for counters, especially with something hot, greasy, oily or milky.

Just another note about IceStone. I saw a counter installed as an office-kitchen counter for a place with maybe 5-6 people who each were out of the office one-two days a week.

After a year, there were significant areas where the binders had been eaten away by coffee and a good sized spot at the micro for whatever reason. Rough, uncleanable, stained patches, not like an surface etch - more removing every bit of the binders down to about 1/16" leaving the recycled materials still in place. They replaced the counter in the second year because it was a hazard.

Forgive the poor photo mods. It's not my strong suit. But I think you can get an idea. I used the same colors as your inspiration kitchen, with the Corian Silt on the sink counter and the Corian Mint Ice on the peninsula. That seemed to be enough blue, and it needed more orange tones to balance out the oak, thus the orange light and the oak shelf as someone else suggested.

A better pic of the light. The orange is not too bright or too red, and it seems to echo the floor and your Hoosier. The "grain" also echoes the oak. And since your Hoosier is such a prominent presence, I think using it instead of cherry with the walnut might work better in your particular kitchen.

And, I had another thought about your MW. I know you've been struggling with the OTR and it's installation needs (needs a cabinet above) and bulkiness really doesn't work with your clean lined vibe. In the small stub wall that the peninsula juts out from, you could cut a hole in it to recess a microwave there, sorta like you recessed your fridge. It would face the kitchen, but the bulk of it would be in the DR. If you are going to do shelving there, a plain wood panel could hide the back side of it and look like a cabinet door. Your carpenter could even do a pull out oak shelf under it that could serve as emergency landing space. It would block the door when pulled out, but it wouldn't be needed except for emergency landing space.

Sorta like this.
{{gwi:1993933}}

Then you could do a slim line chimney hood above the range, maybe with glass so it wouldn't clash with the window there.

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LWO- that light is amazing and would look great in the spot against the hoosier, the paint colours and her kitchen table. What a great splash of colour. It look like it has some blue-grey stripes in it which would tie in with the upper cabinets.

I think your pendants are fine as long as you do something interesting on the sink wall. Did you have a bs planned or would you consider some artwork? The lighting you have is not showy, but meant to let something else step forward.
I think the simpler pulls work better with the materials you already have.
I am linking to the kind of micro shelf we have in our kitchen. I love how we could decide how high to put it and it just floats on the wall and leaves the counter below as a landing zone. We installed ours 13" above the counter because our sons are young and needed to reach it. I did not want it too high so that people are pulling down stuff that could slosh. I am 5'5" and it is ideal for me.
As for the counters, I think Wintergreen in Zodiaq would look lovely. I am not sure your uppers are a full on turquoise. In Corian, I'd get samples for Jasmine, Aqualite, Cilantro and Tarragon. FWIW, I have Rain Cloud by Corian and it looks absolutely nothing like what the online swatch shows. The Aqualite would probably be your best bet of Corian but until you try out the samples near your other materials, there is no way of knowing.

Here is a link that might be useful: micro shelf

Just wanted to say that your pendants are not "blah." They're actually lovely, but not right for that space. Right now you have blue and wood going on. Do you plan on using a contrast color somewhere? Pendants in blues like the ones live wire oak showed even count as contrast since they are Yowza! blue vs. icy restrained blue. The orangey-yellowy also works well as contrast. If you choose one of those colors, just be sure to repeat it elsewhere in the space.

Hardware: Working with your "look," icy, sleek, modern (mostly), I think the plain are a better choice. Even though your hoosier (?!) is more rustic, the other look carries the room and the hoosier is a point of interest. Overall, I think the plain complements the kitchen better.

This is such a great space! Good job!

I like L-O-W's mockup. The colors look balanced.

I was just wondering L-O-W if you could suggest drawer fronts too :)

So, another quick check-in with you kitchen visionaries:

First, a HUGE thank you to LWO, sochi, dianalo, plllog, suzannesl, b'more, boxer, petra, marcolo, enduring, lavender, and your generous, useful, creative and logical contributions. May your offerings of time and ideas bring you many Good Things in 2012 (not meaning to quote Oprah, really).

Warning - there are orange countertop pics below.

LWO, I can't do as you suggested with the microwave because the dang HVAC is in that open pantry wall and it's too cumbersome / expensive / impossible to move.

How on earth will I choose between the lights you all present?

Dinner party for 15 went beautifully, though I can surely improve on the flow. Lucky me to have my new home full of people I love on the first day of the new year.

Given the comments here, I'm now convinced Ice Stone is a poor choice. I found more info online and by word of mouth. Thank you for speaking up, bmorepanic and joanie, amysrq, plllog.

I've already paid for my counters via IKEA super sale. In this area, they contract with Norwood Marble and Granite, who carries
caeasrstone
icestone
zodiac
cambria
corian
granites/marbles/soapstone
formica
silestone
eco by cosentino
and others I am sure.

I feel like I am back at square one! marcolo, feel free to use me as an object lesson if you are reading.

So. Color from tiles? From countertop? Lights? Back to crazy thrashing about and request for more hand-holding.

My kitchen right now:

From In Progress Kitchen

I've veered from 'honoring' my inspiration kitchen.
{{gwi:1971098}}From Colorful Board!

I'd love the Ann Sacs tile, surely too pricey
{{gwi:1980549}}From Colorful Board!

A striated solid glass as backsplash is my current fav option, but I haven't yet priced it.

Looking at the colorful options for countertops, I've found these, though I'm just.not.sure. Nothing is jumping out as the right thing.

Silestone
{{gwi:1993936}}From January 2, 2012

Corian
{{gwi:1993937}}From January 2, 2012
{{gwi:1993938}}From January 2, 2012

I kinda feel drawn to this - too bold?? Corian Azurite
{{gwi:1993939}}From January 2, 2012

Still more corian
{{gwi:1993940}}From January 2, 2012

Pretty:
{{gwi:1993941}}From January 2, 2012
{{gwi:1993942}}From January 2, 2012

{{gwi:1993943}}From January 2, 2012

Two more silestone (I hate that there is triclosan in this. What on Earth??)
{{gwi:1993944}}From January 2, 2012

{{gwi:1993945}}From January 2, 2012

Happy happy New Year to you all!
BT

My favorite for your look is pure white particularly with walnut. Second choice maybe cambria new quay.

I'm a colorphobe but I really like the light blue, 4 th from the bottom.. ESP w the walnut

Trying again. The above colors are awful. Think before submit is pressed.

Inspiration
{{gwi:1971098}}From Colorful Board!

Current state, with beautiful slate close by
{{gwi:1993946}}From January 2, 2012

From In Progress Kitchen

Backsplash (or clear glass +/- texture and awaiting pricing)
{{gwi:1980549}}From Colorful Board!

Countertop options
fingers crossed this slate is ~inexpensive. Reviews on durability good so far
{{gwi:1993946}}From January 2, 2012

Corian still in the running - 2 colors I like. Mint Ice:
{{gwi:1993942}}From January 2, 2012

and Azurite
{{gwi:1993939}}From January 2, 2012

Could tone counters way down to a shade of white. Will match the counter of my hoosier
Caesarstone:
{{gwi:1993947}}From January 3, 2012

{{gwi:1993948}}From January 3, 2012

Dining light
{{gwi:1993949}}From January 2, 2012

Walnut Slab cabinets
{{gwi:1993950}}From Colorful Board!

Will the walnut provide sufficient contrast?
Still undecided on pendant lighting.
I like LWO's pendant ideas (metal and glass).

What I now know I like about the inspiration photo:
the colors
shiny
"organic" earthy look with the concrete counters and so much unstained/unpainted wood
modern, clean lines
pleasing curves and horizontal lines - straight lines, no up and down.

A few conclusions from this: the triangle thingy needs to be linear somehow. Open shelves using oak to match hoosier. The 'earthy' look of the concrete is why I keep shying away from using corian. When I first started all of this, I wanted soapstone or marble. I love the way both of those stones weather over time and show evidence of the people living with and using them. Like a beloved pair of jeans (but before the holes start showing up).

This is why I keep looking at Caesarstone -not 'natural' I know, but the honed ones have the look of stone and are clean and modern at the same time.

The suggestion of slate was a stroke of genius! I may not be able to pull it off because of having pre-purchased my counters & I don't know if Norwood carries slate. In which case, perhaps I should be looking at soapstone. Or check out those remnant slabs of marble CEFreeman keeps showing us all over at Forklift!

I'll stop here.
Thanks again!!

bmorepanic, do you prefer the stark whites to Cambria's Torquay? The flecks in New quay I don't like so much - looks like a granite, though easy to see it would go well with walnut. Stark white over Caesarstone's buttermilk?

mtnredux - that's the color I like too. I'm just stuck on it being Corian instead of a stone feel. I have only a small sample of it at home. I guess it is time to order a big sample.

Slate is pretty porous and needs to be well sealed---much like concrete. If you want a surface that gets patina, then Corian is it. It's the right color---the Mint Ice--and it will get small scratches and nicks in it over time. Take a look at a local kitchen showroom to see for yourself. However, Corian is non porous, and even if you leave oil on it for weeks, it will never soak in.

It may be a bit of a splurge for the aqua tile you show, but it will be cheaper than the sheet glass. Last time I priced glass from a local showroom for a client, she could have done granite cheaper. You really don't have that much backsplash to cover. Maybe 12-15 square feet from the counter to the shelf? Even if the tile is $75 a square foot, that's the $1200 expense that will completely make the entire kitchen.

For the back wall, I think you should do more of the horizontal glass cabinetry. They should run the length of the entire back wall, except over the range. NO OTR! This isn't the kitchen for it. You have plenty of counter space for a small MW on the right hand side of the back wall. That glass range hood would be perfect over your range.

I love the dining light. Toning the counters down will not give you the dramatic & modern look of the inspiration picture. Of the corians I like azurite, not the mint. Agree about moving the lower single upper cabinet, making them linear/horizontal. You say you like the 'shiny' and the 'color" of the inspiration picture, the corian will give you both. The slate looks good, but I don't know much about slate.

Agree that the caesarstone may be more "earthy" - but honestly, I don't find the concrete counters in the inspiration picture that earthy. I think you're better off with sticking to the vision and I think one of the Corian's or the slate will get you closer. There were other blue Corians posted in the earlier thread that are great too. I like the first blue corian with the white flecks too.
Marcolo's backsplash suggestion is wonderful of course if you can pull it off.

Very helpful, hollysprings.

*** countertop. Would you do the Corian Mint Ice on both counters? Or pick a Corian grey -- or a white -- for the counter against the wall?

Starting to completely agree about that Ann Sacks tile. And if I downgrade to Corian, I'll save a bundle on the countertops (I paid for eco by cosentino ages ago to get the discount -- I think it is somewhere around $90/ft2).

Does the AS tile really 'go' with the mint ice???
{{gwi:1980549}}From Colorful Board!

From In Progress Kitchen

{{gwi:1993950}}From Colorful Board!

right on with the horizontal glass cabs. Single open shelf running beneath?

Ditching the OTR micro - will have to sell it on craigslist. Ugh. I have the (ubiquitous in my area) old-fashioned fan in the wall for vent right now - plus the window and backdoor. Definitely will save up for the glass range hood, installation will be a bit spendy. And currently have microwave above frig. I use it so seldom except for warming milk in the am for my coffee and some leftover warming.

sochi! Thanks for chiming in, I love your eye for style and modern design.

Here is the Azurite. I have the same questions: both counter top runs? Does it go with the fab AS tile?

From In Progress Kitchen
{{gwi:1980549}}From Colorful Board!

{{gwi:1993939}}From January 2, 2012

{{gwi:1993953}}From Colorful Board!

{{gwi:1993949}}From January 2, 2012

That's a whole lotta turquoise.

You're going to have to get samples and judge the colors in person. I'd lean towards the Mint Ice over the Azurite, but you need to have both in person in your light in your kitchen to be able to judge. You need tile samples too.

As far as the light goes, I'm really really liking the touch of orange stripey light that LWO posted. It does echo the orange tones in the floor and your cabinet, which is a nice touch. And orange and blue are opposites on the color wheel, so each makes the other look a bit stronger. That's why I said get the samples in person. I think they orangeyness of the floor and cabinet (and potential opens shelf) will make the Azurite way too blue in an in your face way rather than the calm color of the Mint Ice.

I think that glass hood is one of the Chinese knockoffs that are available on Ebay fairly cheaply. Some of the brands/sellers have better reputations than others but the prices are all shockingly cheap. In general, you can find a 30" wall hood with glass for under $500. Sometimes, under $300 if you catch an auction right.

On my screen the mint looks closer to the backsplash tile, but holly is right, you will have to get samples and judge for yourself. The azurite isn't turquoise so Hollysprings is right it isn't best for your space. Do you like the corian blueberry?. I might only do the peninsula in blue, like in LWO's rendering. If too much blue you could do the orange version of the ETSY light, or LWO's suggestion.

You've got great ideas here from many folks. I think you've got what you need. Get some samples and prices and away you go.

Hey Tracy, it is looking great! Amazing what taking that wall down does for these houses! You are right that recessing the 'frig opens up the space. We don't have that doorway from LR to kitchen so I was thinking of only recessing the 'frig into the wall. What did that do to the LR?

I think you should use a different counter on the wall - too much blue with the tiles and cabinets. My preference would be a grey over white, the white to me would seem too stark in your space. As for the blue of the peninsula, it is hard to say looking at the colors on a monitor, so get a bunch of samples to see what works - but stay in the turquoise/lighter, not blueberry/darker realm.

I also agree that the pendants then should be orange - as with others, I love the ones LWO posted. Maybe use the turquoise light in the DR to tie that end of the space in to the kitchen.

Line of cabinets and open shelf is also the way to go with a vent hood on that wall - you'll have to tell me how it gets vented (and cost!) so I can be prepared when it's my turn!

Thought I'd let you know I'm going down for my weekly visit to the Community Forklift Friday morning to pick up the deck materials I bought last week.

You're welcome to come....

I'd say have lunch or something, but God knows the best in the area is McDonalds. It's not a terribly nice area.

Warning: I've learned you must shop with an idea, not looking for an exact thing. Poverty is the mother of invention, but you might find thing you didn't expect that can compliment your choices.

Christine

C,
sent you an email!
BT