My new kitchen makes me smile. I have to thank everyone at the Garden Web Kitchen Forum for giving me wonderful, practical ideas to help create my new kitchen. I also have to thank my DH for allowing me to do what I wanted to do in this kitchen, mainly white cabinets.
I have lived in this house for 13 years and always knew one day we would (God willing) renovate the kitchen. At first I wanted to change everything as far as layout, however, as time went on I discovered the layout really worked well and all I need to do was tweak a few areas. I needed to create a larger prep zone; I needed the garbage bin to by my prep zone and not half way across the kitchen. I also needed move the microwave away from the range at the request of my four children. I switched the refrigerator and wall oven to shrink the work triangle. My DH and I debated whether to put in a narrow island/ table or keep our kitchen table. We decided the space would be too small for an island and I liked the family sitting around the table and talking to one another and not seated bar style.

Many thanks to the Garden Web for giving me the impetus to ask if we could raise an obtrusive beam (left over from a 1985 renovation) into the ceiling. This beam caused the 6" vent pipe to run through several cabinets severely limiting my storage space. All gone now! This alone helped to create more storage space .We also expanded the opening into the family room and eliminated a door into the dining room and upgraded the windows to tilt-ins.

Appliances:
Range: Electrolux Induction Cooktop Range with second oven.
Wall oven: Electrolux single wall oven
Refrigerator: Kitchen Aid Architect II French Door Refrigerator (KFCS22EVMS4) Love the water feature inside!
Dishwasher: Kitchen Aid KUDE40FXPA panel ready. And Yes! you can integrate a Kitchen Aid if you know up front you need to allow for an extra �" in length. My CG put an extra �" sheet of sheet rock on the wall and cut out the space for the dishwasher. We had plenty of room to accommodate the Kitchen Aid and make it look integrated.
Microwave: GE Monogram ZEM200SF
Hood: Broan Elite Rangemaster Power Pack RMP17004
Cabinets: Dura Supreme: Crestwood series
Arcadia Classic, Maple perimeter in classic white
Arcadia Classic, Cherry Hutch peninsula
Granite: New Venetian Gold
Hardware: Amerock 96mm Westerly Pulls in Satin Nickel
Amerock Revitalize Knobs in Satin Nickel
Sink: Franke Orca sink, Love,Love,Love!!!
Faucet: Kohler K-690 Vinnata in polished chrome
Lotion Dispenser: Kohler Fairfax collection
Backsplash: Sonoma Tile; market collection, Ashbury Series in Mojave ( 4x4, subway, bead liner and moulding) also, Tumbled Honey onyx .
Under cabinet Lighting: Utilitech LED under cabinet lights
Flooring: Verde1999, Moonstone 20 x 20 porcelain tiles.
Charging Drawer
Wall Color: BM 1639 Windy Sky
Before:

After:

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afTER:

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Thank You !

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I know it sounds trite, but I REALLY want to thank all of you for your help. Buehl was particularly helpful in tweaking the design. Rhome410, steph2000, breezygirl, and many others were there for me during my backsplash angst. I had already chosen my windows before I saw PPS7's kitchen, but seeing hers helped me feel comfortable with the decision. Her kitchen also inspired my island design. I can't name everyone that inspired me, but know that I appreciate your input.

I was going for a calm kitchen with easy-care contertops. My husband was going for "happy." When I told him about the sweeby test, he responded by writing this:

MY KITCHEN MISSION STATEMENT

"I want my kitchen to be tranquil, soothing, calm and happy. It should be cozy and bright, too.

"The perfect backsplash for my kitchen will not add an element of romance or whimsy but it might have a fish tile in it. Even a bear tile would be nice, as long as it's not within striking distance of the fish.

My perfect countertop will be level and divert attention from the mess my kids have made in the living room. When friends see it they will remark, 'Have you lost weight?' and 'You're looking quite dashing today!'

But most of all, my ideal kitchen will make my wife happy. Every time she sees it she'll smile at both the design and with fond memories of the process she used to create it. My ideal kitchen will perfectly match my wife's kitchen mission statement, even if it doesn't quite match mine."

Isn't he cute? I'm not sure if I have fond memories of the process - it's more of a fog. I was trying to make a million decisions about the entire house, so some details fell through the cracks. I don't know who picked out the crown moulding, but it wasn't me. I told the KD I wanted something simple, and sometime later this was installed. At least it's 10 feet off the ground! But I still smile when I see the backsplash, and I feel like the space is happy. Oh, and it works great as a kitchen. I just tested out the lunch-making, breakfast-eating, homework-finishing morning rush for the last week and it came through for me!

On to the details:

Cabinets: Locally-made Amish painted white (it's their standard white)

Countertops: Leathered Kodiak Brown granite

Backsplash: Sunflower mosaic in ming green marble from Saltillo Imports (purchased from Caledonia Tile in Indianapolis) and AKDO 3/4" x 3/4" mosaic in ming green light (it's supposed to be all light, but there seems to be dark in there)

Floors: White oak stained with Minwax Provincial and finished with satin polyurethane

Walls: Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray

Knobs and pulls: Restoration Hardware Lugarno knob in satin nickel and Restoration Hardware Asbury pull in satin nickel

Faucets: Brizo Solna (loved the hidden pullout spray) standard and bar-size

Sinks: Silgranit precis super single bowl and large bowl

Stools: West Elm rustic counter stool (thanks PPS7!)

Pendants: Kichler 2665OZ in olde bronze

Refrigerator: Samsung RF266 in platinum

Dishwashwer: Bosch SHX68R55UC in stainless

Range: GE Cafe Electric

Hood: Zephyr Breeze with baffle filters

Lighting: All-Pro 5" LED recessed lights, LED under-cabinet lights, and LED puck lights.

And here are the pictures (finally!)

kitchen remodel

Cabinets - custom made and painted Benjamin Moore Marscapone (in entry they are a cherry stain).
Backsplash is Minton Hollins Gloss Biscuit 3x6 from Best Tile.
Walls - Benjamin Moore Yarmouth Blue
Granite - Leathered/Antiqued Jet Mist
Refrigerator/Freezer - Electrolux
Lights in entry, over sink and over island are Rondo Maxim from Bowery LIghting. I would NOT recommend Bowery Lighting.
Pulls/knobs in entry from Ikea
Pulls/knobs from My Knobs - don't remember the name. I can figure it out if anyone wants to know. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND using MYKNOBS.com
Sinks - Ticor 16 guage stainless steel kitchen and bar sinks from Overstock
Counterstools from Target
Ovens & Cooktop - Thermador
Faucets - Moen Brantford Collection from Faucetsdirect.com

Let me know if there are any other questions I can answer. Good luck to everyone!

Here is a link that might be useful: Remodeled Kitchen

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The backsplash that I've ordered.

view from livingroom
(please ignore the mess, we were tiling the entry in this photo)

Pantry door has since been frosted..

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On to the pictures.

So far the kitchen is working out really well for us. Other than not loving the performance of my wall oven, I am happy with how it all turned out.

The details:

Perimeter cabinets: Decora (Chantille finish on maple)
Island cabinets: Sorrento (Hermosa finish on alder)
Backsplash: Walker Zanger Gramercy Park (Heirloom White and Pipe Smoke)
Granite on perimeter: Antiqued Nordic Black (love this!)
Granite on Island: Alaskan White
Pendant lights: Schoolhouse Electric
Knobs & pulls: Amerock Highland Ridge
Barstools: Restoration Hardware (bought during Friends & Family sale--20% off--yay!)
Wall color: BM Revere Pewter
Flooring: walnut w/ Waterlox finish
Sink: Shaw's farmhouse sink
Sink faucet/soap dispenser: Danze Opulence
Range: NXR
Wall oven: Kitchenaid
Fridge: Bosch
Dishwasher: paneled Bosch
Micro: cheapo GE

Thanks again!

test a sample in your house in the finish you plan to be sure you can tolerate etches. look at in your light. some folks do this and are assured marble is the right choice, others freak and say no way.

a few pics of my calacatta crema delicata marble. will be posting finished kitchen pics soon. really - i know i keep saying that but i am close! just finished final coat of paint last night, nook light installed, just need to figure out window coverings....

would i order marble again? yes, i love it. mine is honed. i pet it daily.

babushka cat with his matching marble and backsplash tile:

i purchased a cutting board cut to size for the key landing and prep area. i get many compliments on it and it works great! cutting boards placed strategically can minimize etches.

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Although we moved no walls, it ended up being a bigger project then we expected as the old tile floor went through our foyer, powder room and laundry room. Also didn't have correct sub-flooring, and we wanted to move some of the appliances around, etc. The reason the it is only 98.627% completed, is we still have 1.373% left to do, such as glass shelves in glass front doors so in cabinet lighting can shine all the way through, etc.

Details:

Cabinets - Inset Shiloh Homestead painted MB Softwhite, Island Maple stained Espresso
Flooring - Tile Fashion Coffee 12 x 24
Countertops - Ceasarstone Raven, Ceasarstone Misty Carrera - Mitred Edge
Main Sink - Franke 33" SS Apron - FHX710-33S
Main Faucet - Generic Costco Brand
Prep Sink - Elkay - ELU1618
Prep Faucet - Danze Como Pulldown
Refrigerator - JennAir CD FD - JFC2089HES
Ovens - Electrolux - EW30EW65GS
Warming Drawer - Electrolux - EW30WD55GS
Microwave - Electrolux - EL27MO45GS
Cooktop - DCS 36" Drop-in - CTD-365
Hood - Bosch - DKE9365AUC
Beverage Center - GE Monogram - ZDBC240NBS
Dishwasher - Bosch
Backsplash - White Glass subway tile from theglassmosiacoutlet.com
Backsplash - Stainless Steel 1x2 tiles
Pulls - TopKnobs - Princetonian
Paint - BM 1542 Himalayan Trek

Before:

After:

Sink Area:

Backsplash:

Island:

Island - Backside:

Pantry Area - Closed:

Pantry - Open:

Lazy Suzan - Corner Pullout:

A big thank you to everyone who gave such great advice over the past few months. If anyone has any questions on what we like /dislike please let us know.

My Kohler Simplice is an absolute joy.

The handle was front-mounted, instead of side-mounted to avoid dirtying the back splash and to have any potential leak fall into the sink rather than the granite.