Product details...
* Cabinets - Inset painted maple (Oxford Cabinet Shop)
* Backslash - 1"x2" quartzite (Walker Zanger)
* Counters - PA Green soapstone
* Floor - 12"x24" porcelain (Mediterranean Tile & Marble)
* Appliances - Bluestar 48" range, KitchenAid 36" refrigerator, Bosch dishwasher, Prestige 48" 1200 CFM hood insert (Reno's)
* Faucets - Rohl Country (Grande Central)

A huge thanks to everyone on the forum who spent the time to look at my ideas, provide great feedback, and calm me down when I thought the project would never end up right.

More Pictures

brickton - I used 6" can lights from HD. Almost bought smaller but thankfully I didn't. I even had two extra added after the fact over the table.

malgold - that's a good suggestion. I was concerned about keeping it clear over in the workspace. I'll probably need some sort of box for the TV also.

sabjimata - yep, you got it! They're the RH chrome - not hard to keep clean, surprisingly. I thought the chrome was just a bit less expected than the brushed SS hardware.

earth pal - great suggestion about the tv but I've got deep cabinets over the fridge filled with platter, large stuff that I have nowhere else to store...but I might mull that one over. I hadn't thought of that spot.

boxerpups- you're too kind, thanks! you were one of the first to help me here when I was agonizing about black granite too!

pillog - I tend to agree. I'd love some funky patterned cafe curtains on the sink window but fabric around the sink, ehhhh. I have bamboo blinds elsewhere in the house and was thinking about using bamboo again or matchstick blinds in the kitchen too (when I can afford them!).

kaidan - I will look up the floors for you - the receipt should be in one of my files. They're prefinished and I think they're white oak in a pecan stain, not red as I stated above. My caveat to you would be that they seem much softer than the other hardwood floors I have on the first floor which were sanded/finished on site - shinier too. My dog has done a job on the kitchen floors but I try not to let it bother me too much - the color is not scraping off, it's just indentions from her nails. I'll post again who manufactures the floors. :)

susie3d - I remember! Thanks girl!

happiladi - thanks! my chairs are from a European Antique Pine warehouse in Alpharetta, GA. http://www.europeanantiquepine.com/
My table is from Storehouse. Storehouse might have been just a local Atlanta store, and it went out of business about 3 years ago. I can't figure out who manufactured it, sorry!

biochem101 - Bingo! It was so irritating it was to be working in the kitchen and NOT be able to see my small children at the table b/c the line of sight was blocked by a ginormous fridge! I'm SO glad we moved it, it really makes a difference. One person actually thought I removed a wall when she saw the kitchen after it was done - no, it was just the big white fridge was gone.

westsider - we're not neighbors (I'm in GA) but we'd love to live in Chicago someday (DHwas born in Arlington Heights). I just love the vintage railroad line posters. They are also a great pop of color! I have two more Illinois Central line/Chicago posters on the wall across from the bay window. That's the quirky part of the kitchen, I guess!

rjr - the recessed lights are 6" cans - not sure of the brand -but they're from HD. And the undercounter lights are "Utilitech" puck halogen-xenon and they do get pretty hot. I was really unprepared for the electrician and grabbed the puck lights in a panic - he hardwired them in, but they weren't originally designed for that. I just couldn't find anything else, wasn't sure, and HD wasn't being helpful at all! They do the job though but next time I might go with strip lights.

ajard - thanks! my pulls are Restoration Hardware chrome -
http://www.restorationhardware.com/rh/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=prod1080017&navAction=jump

and the trash pullout handle is the 8" RH Aubrey in chrome.

ejbrymom - thank you! The floor planks are 3.5" wide to match the other floors in the house...although the rest of the 1st floor was finished on-site.

Thanks again for all the compliments. :) It's nice to have this project behind us!

granite is bianco antico
backsplash is mandala sinu stingray (thanks beekeeper's wife)
floors are stained dark walnut
wall paint color is revere pewter
kitchen table is from mcguire
barstools & chairs are from crate & barrel
island lights are from restoration hardware
light over table is from hinkley lighting
fridge & double wall oven ge monogram
wolf range & hood
miele dishwasher
cabinet color is white dove & island is java w/a coffee glaze

here's a closer pic of the granite & backsplash:

this is a view into the family room from the kitchen. the built ins are all ready with the mount installed for the 65" tv.

Before:

After:

Cabinets painted a mix of Farrow & Ball Lime White and Light Blue

Marble countertop Crystal Carerra - Kitchen Aid Diswasher

Wall of cabinets painted with desk top faux finished F&B Light Blue paint

backsplash (Walker Zanger Vibe Blue Shadow mosiac and Sonoma Tile creamy crackle, stovetop (Wolf 30") removed over the stove microwave and added custom hood

backsplash feature tile WZ Vibe Blue Shadow

island (marble top - painted Farrow & Ball Light Blue)

Leibherr Refigerator (counter depth) - removed upper cabinet built new surround

Where's the microwave?

it's in here - an old, old TV cabinet from my grandfather's hardware store that I attached to the end of the old island and painted to match.

Undermount Kraus Stainless sink single bowl & Rohl Perrin & Rowe faucet in polished nickel

Cabinet hardware - Old World Hardware from Myknobs.com

Chandelier (I need to lower it a little) Visual Comfort from NYLighting online

Kitchen Aid Double ovens (no convection just plain ovens) fit in the existing cabinet perfectly - that thing was heavy

More shots to show the layout:

I will post the details in more depth later.

It is not an exaggeration to say that this kitchen is a result of GW’s collective wisdom. I did not ask that many questions but I gleaned untold amounts of information from searches and reading and participating in others’ threads and revisiting the FKB every time I had a new detail to conquer.

There are so many of you who have a good eye for the big picture as well as details when looking at layouts; and even more impressive and appreciated is that you take the time to walk each person through with honest, detailed feedback and encouragement. Thank you for looking so consistently at all the posts requesting help. rhome and buehl come to mind immediately -- I know there are others who do that as well and I am sorry for not remembering everyone to acknowledge.

Many others have kitchens posted to the FKB that gave me great inspiration, answers to questions and solutions to problems. You were a huge help and didn't know it, and I wish I could list every single one of you! (Many of these were not white shaker inset kitchens.)

Special thanks to jrueter for counter help and encouragement, among other things -- aside from the layout itself, that was one of my biggest challenges.

It feels good to be finished, and now I hope I can start to give back a fraction of what I received. Thank you to everyone!

Appliances
DW - Bosch
Like - Gets dishes clean
Don’t like - Plastics are wet in am unless I leave the door ajar; door catch is already broken, door won't stay halfway open (should be covered under warranty)
Hood - VAH PRH18, 36", 350 cfm (wish I had gotten more, salesman talked us out of it)
Fridge - Whirlpool Gold french door
Range - Electrolux Induction slide-in; still learning it but love it so far
MW - Sharp

Cabinets
Tar River Custom Cabinets, Creedmoor, NC, white inset with Blum glides
Like - Looks, the 30" and 36" drawer bases
Don’t like - Not as much useable space with inset; drawer glides don’t all work smoothly

Counters -
Leathered Impala Black, 3 cm, 3" radius corners, 1" radius corners, no radius
Love - Easy to keep clean, don’t show fingerprints, just the color I was looking for in a matte finish (didn’t want shiny)
Don’t like - sink reveal is not uniform, slightly negative in most places (I asked for flush, was told that slope of sink prevented exact flush but in one area it’s actually positive, one it’s flush, so sink is not set in perfectly; not being picky and preferring to have it finished, I am leaving it alone)
Supplier - Daltile
Fabricator - The Countertop Factory, Raleigh NC

Wood counter - Walnut edge grain, classical edge minus one bead from http://www.blocktop.net/; finished for non-food use

Sinks - Blanco Silgranit in Anthracite ordered from HomePerfect.com
Clean up - BlancoDiamond Super Single (drop in) 33"
Prep - BlancoPrecis Large (undermount) 24"
Like - Looks, size, location, maintenance
Faucets - Delta Leland 978 (Main) 9978 (Prep) (ordered from DesignerPlumbingOutlet.com
Like - Looks, function, ease of use

Hardware - Amerock
Like - Looks, feel
Don’t like - One set of cup pulls, on my one deep drawer, were not placed well but it was too late by the time I saw it

Lights
Pendants - Edison by Hudson Valley, with glass # D12 (~$600 total for 3 pendants)
Like - Looks, adjustable length
Tracks - WAC

Paint - Timberlake Painting, Mickey Smith
Kitchen walls - BM Quiet Moments (LR walls @ 50% formula of QM)
Laundry walls - Valspar Safari Beige
Garage hall walls - Valspar Oatbran (on same strip as Safari Beige)
Trim, ceiling, etc - White gloss (don’t know color, just agreed with painter to do white)

Floors - red oak, refinished with oil-based poly satin finish

Windows - Monarch double casement

Backsplash - Adex Neri White 3x6 beveled subway tiles, 1/2 round liners

Trash pullout, tall pan divider

Sweeby Test
warm or cool, tranquil and soothing or energetic and vibrant? calm, happy, dramatic?
Cool, tranquil, soothing, calm

cozy or spacious? light and bright or dark and rich?
Open, spacious, light, bright

subtle tone-on-tone, boldly colorful, textured?, woody or painted?
Simple, unobtrusive, painted (maybe not exactly subtle but not bold, overstated colors)

modern, traditional, vintage, rustic, artsy, retro, Old World, Arts & Crafts, Tuscan?
Backdrop rather than focal point, no particular theme, time period or style to stand out (vintage would be closest but not overtly so)

elegant, casual? sleekly simple, elaborately detailed, or somewhere in between?
Casual, simple (not sleek), understated touches of elegance, but not be intimidating

pristine or weathered, professional or homey?
Simple, summer cottage; Clean (pristine?), homey

whimsical, sophisticated, accessible, romantic? masculine or feminine?
Accessible, maybe a touch of whimsy and zing (in decorative elements); Neither overly masculine nor feminine (functional, clean straight lines for ease of construction, with a few rounded edges to soften)

How much zing? and where?
Quiet, unobtrusive but a breath of fresh air so when people walk in, invites but does not distract from fellowship

I've been saying "I really like my kitchen". DH was surprised that I wasn't saying "I love my kitchen". That's because it wasn't truly finished and clean until today when we got everything hung and most everything put away (still a few very minor things to do). So as of today, I can say "I LOVE my kitchen". I also LOVE my utility room just as much!

We are not completely finished with the house; we plan to add to the front to expand the LR and add a MBR. With the kitchen construction, we were all crammed into a small room together during the day, but with the addition, we have a refuge with our new kitchen.

View 1

Still need a piece of molding on either end to cover up the holes made to install Plugmold, which I couldn't stand and had replaced with Sillites

View 2

View 3

View 4

Mudroom

Baskets - World Market
Bag - Belvah, custom embroidered by mineembroidery.com
Shelf - salvaged from 200 yo house DH bought for office
Hooks - Pier 1 Imports

Pantry

Countertop and pullout shelves recycled from previous kitchen
Upper shelves built by carpenter

Laundry from kitchen

Laundry toward kitchen

Communication center and laundry shelving

4" shelves built by carpenter
Upper box shelves - Pottery Barn Outlet
Calendars, etc - Storables.com
Fabric boxes - World Market, Target

Here is a link that might be useful: Photobucket link

After, I had the cabinet above the fridge made to be as deep as the fridge, with the side pantry cabinets a little shallower. Don't know the exact measurements, but you can see it has a built in look. I hate seeing the top and sides of my fridge.

-Attic fan & whole house fan
-outdoor speakers
-outdoor uplight landscaping lights;
-outlets placed in the floor of my family room so I could have a light placed behind the sofa on my sofa table;
-all four corners of the home with motion sensor lighting; connected to both back doors and master bedroom as well as front door sconces
-TV/Cable/internet in my kitchen; under cabinet tv
-low voltage-xenon under cabinet lighting wired to switch on dimmer
-wire for outlets above cabinet for rope lighting connected to a switch in kitchen
-a lot of 4 light switches/switch plates for almost all my rooms so I could add something!
-carbon monoxide sensors
-surround sound in rec room & playroom
-Place outlets in my mantle
-Wired for Cat 7 whole house audio.
-We knew in advance where we were planning to hang the plasma televisions, so we wired the wall where they were hang so there wouldn't be any visible wires.
-Outside outlets
-outlets inside bathroom cabinets such that hair dryers can be plugged in and placed inside a drawer rather than being draped over the countertops.
-'boogie-man' lights switch and switch to room lights by the bed
-outlets on either side of the front door for Christmas decorations wired to interior switch
-outlets in ceiling of porch above pillars for decorations
-switch for gas fireplace starter
-Outlets under roof eaves/soffits for Christmas lights – wired to one switch inside foyer closet
-Outlets under inside of windows for 'candle' lights
(and place them on switches as well).
-Where are you going to put your Christmas tree?
Place an outlet in that corner controlled by a switch!
-Place an outlet at front of the side base for a lighted garland up the staircase.
-Place outlets on every exterior wall for landscape lighting or yard work.
-Several outlets in walk-in pantry
-Outlets on both ends of island
-Place an outlet adjacent to telephone jacks for cordless telephone base.
-GFI outlet under the sink for the instant hot water dispenser and garbage disposal
-If you are putting in a security system or intercom
(or are just pre-wiring), be sure to provide
electrical service to these areas.
-Light switch in hall, etc. for attic
-For furniture placed in the middle of a room,
place outlets and fixtures directly above or below exact location.
-Place outlets in convenient locations at bathroom vanity – inside drawers for razor, electric toothbrush, hairdryer
-For a home office, fully consider computer, scanner, printer, answering machine, lamps, chargers, radios...need I say more?
-Do you need a plug-in for a laptop computer? Where?
-Where your TV is located, don't forget the DVD, VCR, CD...
-what else did I forget?...oh, yeah...satellite receiver? Dvd and all other peripherals in cabinet and wired to tv
-In a bedroom, don't underestimate the number of plug-ins at your bed stand: alarm clock, cordless phone, lamps. A quad outlet may be needed. Put outlets on opposite walls too in case room is changed around.
-Add outlets in exercise room – closet for treadmill & elliptical
-Wire for flat screen tv in exercise room
-Remember that your dishwasher also needs an undersink (usually) plug, so you might want a 4 receptacle outlet -- of course, GFCI.
-dimmers on every entry point to kitchen, living, rec, foyer and mud
-Quad outlets in study for printer/wireless router/etc. and kitchen
-Outside closet light switches.
-I think running 3/4" or 1" PVC conduit for comm wiring is probably the smartest thing to do. That way, you're pretty much ready for anything that the future throws at us.
-Floor outlets in middle of family room
-Dedicated circuit? Outlet in master closet for ironing and outlet for charging cell phones
-Step lights on front porch, up stairs and in area under stairs
-put a motion sensor on the wall next to the door to the deck so we can carry stuff out there from the kitchen and the lights will go on automatically.
-lights for our deck along the top rail
-rope lights under bathroom vanities
-lighting for backyard
-outlets for cable and electric behind the tv
-sconces next to entry to study and family room, sconces in hallways - upstairs and on sides of mirrors in bathroom
-quad outlets rated for 20A in front storage area for air compressor, etc.
-wire for lighting in storage area
-interior switch to exterior outlets
-light in area under stairs
-run 2 inch pvc pipe from attic to first floor/crawl space for future wiring purposes
-bedside lamps wired to switch
-outlet and gfci outlet for future bar area near kitchen
-make sure all outdoor lights aren’t only on one switch so they can also be turned on individually instead of lighting up the entire outside when not necessary
-outlets in storage area set at 4ft height
-switch for lights above island on the island

My kids have closets with bifold doors...do I need a light in those closets?

Rope lights under vanity? How do you feel about them? Just for the kids' bathroom if at all?
I know I'll forget something, but I'm waaaaay better off than I would have been if I didn't have GW.

Thanks in advance!
Lori

Pre-landscaping and before the grass turned green. I really need to snap some new ones of after the flower beds were done!