Bostonpam, I thought xenon bulbs only came as low voltage. Though you can get the xenon strips that have a separate transformer which is installed in a separate place (usually inside or atop your cabinetry), or get the type where the transformer is built into the strip. The built-in transformer style is an easier install and cheaper.

BTW, when you install the strips undercabinet, make sure they are installed toward the front of the cabinets, not toward the back. The strips are designed to provide task lighting over your countertop; if they are installed toward the back, they will just shed light over your backsplash. Also, the strips will be more visible if installed toward the back, but will be hidden by the light rail if installed toward the front (make sure you get a light rail with your cabinet order; it's part of the trim).

Some further, unasked, advice from me: it's nice to have a dimmer for your undercabinet xenons, though many people feel it's unnecessary. You will need a dimmer that is specifically for low voltage bulbs, but they are easily found in HD or electrical supply shop. They cost about $35.

This is something that shold be left to the installer's disgression, so long as he's aware of what you want the finished product to be, that being a clean, well sealed, backsplash.

As for products, my recommendations would be either Miracle's 511 Impregnator, or Stone Tech's Impregnator Pro.

Don't expect to see the water beading up, though, with either of these sealers. That's not really a good thing, as impressive looking as it is. You don't want a sealer that can trap moisture in the stone. You want something that's "breatheable". IOW, it allows moisture to permeate through the sealer, while not allowing any kind of minute solids to lodge in the pores of the stone.

here is one example:

A special shout out to applepie61 - hang in there, don't let anyone push you around. Stick to your guns and get what you want.

A few finished pics of the backsplash and complete kitchen.

Close up of the tile, purchased from The Tile Shop:
Field is Imperial Bianco Craz 4X8 subway, Mosiac is Tuscany Empoli w/Glass.\

Thanks again everyone, we will continue to read this forum as we will be extending into the dining room next. (Sorry for the size of the pictures, couldn't figure out how to resize.)

I wanted some but couldn't find any with white tops for my white countertops.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mocketts thread

1st thread about Mockets.

2nd thread about Mockets.

Mine are all by FloodStop. I have several different models, probably just about everything they make because I had so many applications.

I have the sump pump attachement and alarm. It's a bit louder than the others (which is necessary). It alerts to overflows and given ours is in a crawl space we don't always know if it's kicked off (rarely happens but if it does you want to know right away...it's happened a couple times since we moved here, but only when workers turned it off accidently).

I have compression alarms/shut off systems on all of my appliances which have water. Hot water heater (they have a special one for them), both washers and dryers, dishwasher and ice line to the fridge. These are all electric and have a battery back up or you can just use battery.

For the hidden water lines (built in tubs) I also have compression stops on them. On all other water areas, (sinks and toilets) I have the basic alarm sitting either under the cabinet by the pipes or just behind the toilet where you'd get a drip if you had an issue. We were alerted to one toilet with a slow leak the couple of times it happened (took a bit to fix the toilet) but this saved the marble floor from being damaged since it was an area you'd not notice (way behind the toilet in the back) unless you were cleaning the floor...little used powder room so it could go a bit. I've had one sink alarm go off once as well, due to a badly installed pipe.

All of our issues could have been slow leaks that made a mess of the cabinets or floor and each was immediately caught with the water alarm. I will never live in a house without them again. They're worth every penny they cost (the alarms are about 30 and the shut offs are a bit over 100). I see they also have a freeze alarm now as well...we're buying a big old victorian and I will be ordering those for some of the water sources as well.

I have quite a bit invested in the darned things but if you compare it to one floor needing major work...it's nothing really. I'm ordering enough for the new house as we speak (thanks for reminding me Blue). If anyone wants them...hurry order before me LOL I have ten or eleven bathrooms to outfit!

By the way, for some I ordered an extra sensor. I have one on the floor by the water valves in the wall for washers and dryers and then another (hooked to the same alarm/valve shut off) under the washer since I've had leaks in the past in both areas.

If your water does get shut off because of an accident (the only time this happened is when our washer went way out of balance washing a big comforter and it sloshed out a tiny bit of water into the pan...all of our washers sit in cheap plastic pans by the way....30 bucks at lowes). Anyhoo, that tiny bit of water was enough to set the alarm off and turn off the valves. You have to dry the area (or pick up the sensor until it dries as I did) and then it's just a quick button to hit to turn things back on. If they still detect water though, they'll shut you right back off. Very sensative, but in all the right ways :)

I don't own this company LOL (I just sound like I do heh heh) Maybe I should buy stock....

Here is a link that might be useful: FloodStop at the Water Alarm .com

Here are some towel threads...including the famous "towel pig"!

What to do with the Dish Towel?!?!

OT. Kitchen-towel-hanging-on-the-oven-door-survey...

Where do you hang your cloth hand towels?

narrow open cabinet to hang damp dish towels

These are about dish cloths:

where do you keep kitchen cloths?

Ew...wet rags on kitchen sink

Dish cloth or sponge? And where do you store it between uses?

Where to store that wet dishrag?

Another GW that used them is janedibber. She's in the FKB but I don't think her link to photos works anymore. I have all her photos copied to my computer if you're interested. Someone else back then did a white painted inset kitchen through them also, but I don't remember who that was.

If you contact them, please let us know how things go.

Some pics:

Here is a link that might be useful: My experience with CD and links to finished kitchen

Hot pads
tea
drinking glasses
coffee cups
food processor
silverware
rolling pins & baking gadgets
measuring cups & spoons
spatulas & wisks
spices
coffee pot
toaster bread box
espresso machine
coffee
plates
bowls
pasta bowls
mixing bowls -2 sets
serving bowls
salad spinner
graters
strainers
vases
wine glasses
pilners
margharita glasses
dog food
dog meds
recyling
wraps & ziplocs
pots & pans & lids
stock pots
bakeware pans
casseroles
broiling pans
fruit bowls
lasange pans
nuts
flavorings
rice
flours
sugars
cereal
cookbooks
vitamins
oils
vinegars
pasta
can goods
crakers
snacks
popcorn
pitchers
paper plates
paper plate holders
trash can
cleaners
dish rack
sink gear (veg brush, scrubbers, stoppers)
step stool
tupperware
trivets
cookie sheets
large platters
large bowls
cutting boards
trays
waffle iron
crock pot
mixer
beater
blender
coffee grinders
dishwasher tabs
dish soap
butter dish
lunch box
brooms
plastic bag collector
hot mitts

Here is the accent tile detail. Daltile sells this in their Metallic Signature Collection. It is called Aged Bronze Rosette and is also available in a 12x12 tile.

Here is the view with the Butler pantry.

Here is a view of the counter backsplash with our cherry cabinets.

I just finished my kitchen with cherry shaker cabinets and black granite counters. The cabinet finish is called "heirloom" and it's darker than nhbasket's, so might be close to what you ordered.

The counters are Cambrian Black with an antique leather finish. From a distance it looks solid black; up close, there are flecks of silver and copper and the leathered finish has a great texture.

My house is dark -- surrounded by trees and not a lot of natural light -- and I suspect that my kitchen would be too dark for many people, but I find it soothing and cozy. The backsplash lightens things up and I have a lot of lighting choices so I can always get the right light (pendants, recessed, under-cabinet, over the sink, all on dimmers).

Hope these pictures help. (I haven't finished decorating... the rug and the bar stools are temporary!)

FWIW - all the plants are dead.

Here is a link that might be useful: My backsplash gallery

There is an end cabinet, with mullioned glass doors and drawers, which will go down to the granite top. So I want the granite color to look nice against the wood. Please give me your opinion on my "contenders", and if you have any other suggestions I'd be happy to consider them!

Here is a link that might be useful: my cabinets with granite choices

Unfortunately, I'm not building w/ a 'custom' builder, instead they are 'semi-custom' and are a one man show... Meaning you can change tiny things in your layout, add columns here, take out a wall there, but that is about it. If they don't have it at their design center, you can't get it. There is no builder credit for anything but refrigerators, and if you want something they don't have your only option is to not upgrade and rip it out when you move in. I hate that this is the way they do it, but it keeps there costs extremely low. I bought a house for w/ a base price a good 50k under what it should be.

We had a huge blowout about cabinets (they don't offer white.. they only use Marrilat Classic and are locked in w/ their supplier; Marrilat (sp?) doesn't carry white except in their Masterpiece line), so I am got maple cabinets and am getting them painted as soon as I move in.

Sucks, but it is what it is.

Here is what we wanted, which looks so much cooler in person:

Yes, I like my plug mold, it works great and even though I'm fairly tall (5'10"), I don't have a problem with leaning over slightly to plug something in. I've used it for everything from our KA stand mixer to a toaster to a cell phone charger...all worked great w/it!

I've tried to compile everything I saved over the past 8 months that I've been on this Forum. Most of it was taken from a write-up by StoneGirl (Natural stone primer/granite 101); other threads and sources were used as well.

So...if the experts could review the information I've compiled below and send me comments (here or via email), I will talk to StarPooh about getting this on the FAQ.

Stone Information, Advice, and Checklists:

In an industry that has no set standards, there are many unscrupulous people trying to palm themselves off as fabricators. There are also a number of people with odd agendas trying to spread ill rumors about natural stone and propagate some very confusing and contradictory information. This is my small attempt at shedding a little light on the subject.

Slab Selection:

On the selection of the actual stone slabs - When you go to the slab yard to choose slabs for your kitchen, there are a few things you need to take note of:

• Surface finish: The finish - be it polished, honed, flamed antiqued, or brushed, should be even. There should be no spots that have obvious machine marks, scratches, or other man made marks. You can judge by the crystal and vein pattern of the stone if the marks you see are man-made or naturally occurring. It is true that not all minerals will finish evenly and if you look at an angle on a polished slab with a larger crystal pattern, you can clearly see this. Tropic Brown would be a good example here. The black spots will not polish near as shiny as the brown ones and this will be very obvious on an unresined slab when looking at an acute angle against the light. The black specks will show as duller marks. The slab will feel smooth and appear shiny if seen from above, though. This effect will not be as pronounced on a resined slab.

  Bottom line when judging the quality of a surface finish: Look for unnatural appearing marks. If there are any on the face of the slab, it is not desirable. They might well be on the extreme edges, but this is normal and a result of the slab manufacturing process.
  

• Mesh backing: Some slabs have a mesh backing. This was done at the plant where the slabs were finished. This backing adds support to brittle materials or materials with excessive veining or fissures. A number of exotic stones will have this. This does not necessarily make the material one of inferior quality, though. Quite often, these slabs will require special care in fabrication and transport, so be prepared for the fabricator to charge accordingly. If you are unsure about the slabs, ask your fabricator what his opinion of the material is.


• Cracks and fissures: Yes - some slabs might have them. One could have quite the discussion on whether that line on the slab could be one or the other, so I'll try to explain it a little.
  • Fissures are naturally occurring features in stone. They will appear as little lines in the surface of the slabs (very visible in a material like Verde Peacock) and could even be of a different color than the majority of the stone (think of those crazed white lines sometimes appearing in Antique Brown). Sometimes they could be fused like in Antique Brown and other times they could be open, as is the case in the Verde Peacock example. They could often also go right through the body of the slab like in Crema Marfil, for instance. If you look at the light reflection across a fissure, you will never see a break - i.e., there will be no change in the plane on either side of a fissure.
  
  
  • A crack on the other hand is a problem... If you look at the slab at an oblique angle in the light, you will note the reflection of the shine on the surface of the stone. A crack will appear as a definite line through the reflection and the reflection will have a different appearance on either side of the line - there will be a break in the plane. Reject slabs like this. One could still work around fissures. Cracks are a whole other can of worms.
  
  
  • Resined slabs: The resin gets applied prior to the slabs being polished. Most of the resin then gets ground off in the polishing process. You should not be able to see just by looking at the surface of a slab whether it was resined or not. If you look at the rough sides of the slab, though, you will see some drippy shiny marks, almost like varnish drips. This should be the only indication that the slab is resined. There should never be a film or layer on the face of the stone. With extremely porous stones, the resining will alleviate, but not totally eliminate absorption issues and sealer could still be required. Lady's dream is an example. This material is always resined, but still absorbs liquids and requires sealer.
  
  
  • Test the material you have selected for absorption issues regardless - it is always best to know what your stone is capable of and to be prepared for any issues that might arise. Some stones indeed do not require sealer - be they resined or not. Baltic Brown would be an example here. It will not absorb one iota of anything, but it is still resined to eliminate a flaking issue.
  
  

Tests (especially for Absolute Black) (using a sample of YOUR slab):

• To verify you have true AB and not dyed: Clean with denatured alcohol and rub marble polishing powder on the face. (Get denatured alcohol at Home Depot in the paint department)


• Lemon Juice or better yet some Muratic Acid: will quickly show if the stone has alot of calcium content and will end up getting etched. This is usually chinese stone, not indian.


• Acetone: The Dying usually is done on the same chinese stone. like the others said, acetone on a rag will reveal any dye that has been applied


• Chips: Using something very hard & metal—hit the granite sharply & hard on edges to see if it chips, breaks, or cracks

Measuring:

• Before the templaters get there...
  
  • Make sure you have a pretty good idea of your faucet layout--where you want the holes drilled for all the fixtures and do a test mock up to make sure you have accounted for sufficient clearances between each fixture.
  
  
  • Be sure you test your faucet for clearances not just between each fixture, but also between the faucet and the wall behind the faucet (if there is one). You need to be sure the handle will function properly.
  
  
  • Make sure that the cabinets are totally level (not out by more than 1/8") before the counter installers come in.
  
  
  • Check how close they should come to a stove and make sure the stove sits up higher than the counter.
  
  
  • Make sure they have the sink/faucet templates to work from.
  
  
  • Make sure have your garbage disposal air switch on hand or know the diameter
  
  
• If you are not putting in a backsplash, tell them


• Double check the template. Make sure that the measurements are reasonable. Measure the opening for the range.


• Seam Placement: Yet another kettle of fish (or can of worms, depending on how you look at it, I guess!) Seam placement is ultimately at the discretion of the fabricator. I know it is not a really popular point of view, but that is just the way it is. There really is more to deciding where the seam would go than just the size of the slab or where the seam would look best in the kitchen.

  Most stone installations will have seams. They are unavoidable in medium or large sized kitchens. One hallmark of a good fabricator is that they will keep the seams to a minimum. It seems that a good book could be written about seams, their quality, and their placement—and still you will have some information that will be omitted! For something as seemingly simple as joining two pieces of stone, seams have evolved into their own universe of complexity far beyond what anybody should have fair cause to expect!
  

• Factors determining seam placement:


• The slab: size, color, veining, structure (fissures, strength of the material an other characteristics of the stone)


• Transport to the job site: Will the fabricated pieces fit on whatever vehicle and A-frames he has available


• Access to the job site: Is the house on stilts? (common in coastal areas) How will the installers get the pieces to where they need to go? Will the tops fit in the service elevator if the apartment is on the 10th floor? Do the installers need to turn tight corners to get to the kitchen? There could be 101 factors that will influence seam placement here alone.


• Placement and size of undermount (or other) cut-outs. Some fabricators like to put seams in undermount sinks, some do not. We, for instance will do it if absolutely necessary, and have done so with great success, but will not do so as general practice. We do like to put seams in the middle of drop-in appliances and cut-outs and this is a great choice for appearances and ease of installation.


• Location of the cabinets: Do the pieces need to go in between tall cabinets with finished sides? Do the pieces need to slide in under appliance garages or other cabinetry? How far do the upper cabinets hang over? Is there enough clearance between the vent hood and other cabinets? Again the possibilities are endless and would depend on each individual kitchen lay-out and - ultimately -


• Install-ability of the fabricated pieces: Will that odd angle hold up to being moved and turned around to get on the peninsula if there is no seam in it? Will the extra large sink cut-out stay intact if we hold the piece flat and at a 45 degree angle to slide it in between those two tall towers? Again, 1,001 combinations of cabinetry and material choices will come into play on this question.

You can ask your fabricator to put a seam at a certain location and most likely he will oblige, but if he disagrees with you, it is not (always) out of spite or laziness. Check on your fabricator's seams by going to actual kitchens he has installed. Do not trust what you see in a showroom as sole testament to your fabricator's ability to do seams.

With modern glues and seaming methods, a seam could successfully be put anywhere in an installation without compromising the strength or integrity of the stone. If a seam is done well, there is - in theory - no "wrong" location for it. A reputable fabricator will also try to keep the number of seams in any installation to a minimum. It is not acceptable, for instance to have a seam in each corner, or at each point where the counter changes direction, like on an angled peninsula.

Long or unusually large pieces are often done if they can fit in the constraints of a slab. Slabs as a rule of thumb will average at about 110"x65". There are bigger slabs and quite often smaller ones too. Check with the fabricator or the slab yard. They will be more than happy to tell you the different sizes of slabs they have available. Note, though, that the larger the slabs, the smaller the selection of possible colors. Slab sizes would depend in part on the capabilities of the quarry, integrity of the material or the capabilities of the machinery at the finishing plant. We have had slabs as wide as 75" and as long as 130" before, but those are monsters and not always readily available.


• Generally, it is not a good idea to seam over a DW because there's no support for the granite, and anything heavy placed at or near the seam would stress the stone, possibly breaking it.


• Rodding is another issue where a tremendous amount of mis-information and scary stories exist: The main purpose for rodding stone would be to add integrity to the material around cut-outs. This is primarily for transport and installation and serves no real purpose once the stone is secured and fully supported on the cabinets. It would also depend on the material. A fabricator would be more likely to rod Ubatuba than he would Black Galaxy, for instance. The flaky and delicate materials prone to fissures would be prime candidates for rodding. Rodding is basically when a fabricator cuts slots in the back of the stone and embeds steel or fiberglass rods with epoxy in the slots in the stone. You will not see this from the top or front of the installation. This is an "insurance policy" created by the fabricator to make sure that the stone tops make it to your cabinets all in one piece


• Edges: The more rounded an edge is, the more stable it would be. Sharp, flat edges are prone to chipping under the right (or rather wrong) circumstances. Demi or full bullnose edges would almost entirely eliminate this issue. A properly milled and polished edge will be stable and durable regardless of the profile, though. My guess at why ogee and stacked edges are not more prevalent would be purely because of cost considerations. Edge pricing is determined by the amount of work needed to create it. The more intricate edge profiles also require an exponentially larger skill set and more time to perfect. The ogee edge is a very elegant edge and can be used to great effect, but could easily look overdone if it is used everywhere. We often advise our clients to combine edges for greater impact - i.e., eased edge on all work surfaces, and ogee on the island to emphasize the cabinetry or unusual shape.
  Edge profiles are largely dependent on what you like and can afford. There is no real pro or con for regular or laminated edges. They all have their place in the design world. Check with your fabricator what their capabilities and pricing are. Look at actual kitchens and ask for references.

Installation:

• Seams:
  

  One hallmark of a good fabricator is that they will keep the seams to a minimum [StoneGirl]

  
  
  • A generic good quality seam should have the following characteristics:
    
    • It should be flat. According to the Marble Institute of America (MIA) a minimal amount of lippage is acceptable (1/32"), but conscientious fabricators all strive for a perfectly flat and smooth joint.
    
    
    • It should be narrow - as in smaller than 1/16". (I think the MIA stipulates no larger than 1/8", but that is pushing it - and only if the fabricator bevels the edges of the seam, almost similar to the edge of a stone tile. This is, thank goodness, not a standard practice any more!)
    
    
    • The color on either side of the seam should match as closely as possible. On regularly patterned stones like Ubatuba for example - there should be no variation. On stones with variation in colors or veins, the match should be made as close as was humanly possible.
    
    
    • Vein direction should flow. The MIA suggests a single direction of vein flow, but it is acceptable IF DISCUSSED WITH THE CLIENT to change vein direction on a seam if no other option is available. This would happen in book matched slabs - you will have a "butterfly" seam in this case. In other cases, the fabricator could put a miter seam in a corner and change vein direction 90 degrees. This is usually done with extremely linear veining like Bamboo Green, for example, but this is something that should be discussed with the fabricator and agreed upon by the client.
    
    
    • The seam on the finished edge of the stone should NOT dip in and create a divot in the edge. When you run your fingers over the edge, you should not be able to feel the location of the seam at all.
    
    
    • The thickness of the slabs on either side of the seam should be equal (or feathered out so that there is no discernible difference)
    
    
    • The glue in the seam should be of a color that matches the stone as closely as possible. Glue joints that are too light or too dark will show up something terrible. The idea behind tinting the glue is to try to make the seam "disappear" or something relatively close to it

• Checklist:
  
  • Check the seams for evenness and smoothness.
  
  
  • Make sure that the seams are neat and clean.
  
  
  • Make sure that the seams are not obvious.
  
  
  • Make sure the seams are butted tight
  
  
  • Make sure that there are no scratches, pits, or cracks
  
  
  • If sealing is necessary (not all granites need to be sealed):
  
  
  • Make sure that the granite has been sealed
  
  
  • If more than one application of sealer was applied, ask how long they waited between applications
  
  
  • Ask which sealer has been used on the granite.
  
  
  • Make sure the sink reveal is consistent all the away around
  
  
  • Check the gap of the granite at the wall junctions.
  
  
  • Check for inconsistent overhangs from the counter edges
  
  
  • Check for chips. These can be filled.
  
  
  • Make sure the top drawers open & close
  
  
  • Make sure that you can open & close your dishwasher
  
  
  • Make sure the stove sits up higher than the counter
  
  
  • Make sure that you have the appropriate clearances for your appliances
  
  
  • Check the edge all around, a good edge should have the following characteristics:
    
    • Shine: The edge polish should match the top polish in depth and clarity. The edge should not be milky, dull, or waxy.
    
    
    • The edge should not have "waves". Eyeball along the edge. A good edge should have a mirror like reflection and be fairly flat. Waves that you can see or feel are not a good thing.
    
    
    • The aris (very top of the edge) should be crisp and straight, even on a bullnose edge. Once again you can see this by eyeballing along the very top end of the edge profile. A wavy, dippy aris is poor craftsmanship.
    
    
    • A good edge will have a consistent profile. It will not be larger in some spots or smaller in others.
    
    
    • A good edge should also have NO tooling lines. These will be fine lighter/white lines running along the edge. This is a mark of a poor edge polish, of a CNC machine that is not set correctly, and a lack of hand finishing. This is common when a company has only mechanical fabrication (i.e., CNC machines or line polishers) and no skilled hand fabricators to finish the work properly.
    
    
  • Run your hands around the entire laminated edge of yor counters to make sure they are smooth
  
  
  • Check surrounding walls & cabinets for damage

Miscellaneous Information:

• More than all the above and below, though, is to be present for both the templating as well as having the templates placed on your slabs at the fabricator's
  If you canot be there, then have a lengthy conversation about seam placement, ways to match the movement, and ways to color-match the counters that will be joined at the seam


• Find a fabricator who is a member of the SFA


• When they polish your stone for you don't let them wax it. It will look terrible in 2 months when the wax wears off.


• Don't use the Magic Eraser on granite--especially AB


• Any slab with more fill (resin) than stone is certainly a no-no!!


• When you do check for scratches, have overhead lighting shining down so scratches are easier to see


• Don't let them do cutouts in place (granite dust becomes a major issue)


• Granite dust can be a problem...some have heard of SS appliances & hoods damaged by the dust, others have heard of drawer glides being ruined by the dust


• If you have wood floors--especially if you're in the process of staining or finishing them--make sure that they don't spill or drip granite sealer on the wood floors. Apparently the sealer interferes with the stain or finish process.


• Suggested Prep for Installation:
  
  • Remove any drawers and pullouts beneath any sections that will be cut or drilled onsite, e.g., sink cutouts and/or faucet, soap dispenser, air gap, instant hot etc. holes, cooktop cutouts.
  
  
  • Then just cover the glides themselves with a few layers of blue painter's tape (or some combo of plastic wrap and tape)
  
  
  • If you make sure to cover the top of the glides and attach some of the tape to the cab wall as well (to form sort of a seal)and cover the rest of the glides completely with tape, you should be fine.
  
  
  • Usually the fabricators will have someone holding a vacuum hose right at the spot where they are drilling or cutting, so very little granite dust should be landing on the glides. What little dust escapes the vacuum will be blocked by the layer(s) of tape.
  
  
  • When done w/installation, remove the tape and use a DustBuster (or similar) on all the cabinets and glides
  
  
• Countertop Support:


• If your granite is 2 cm thick, then there can be no more then 6" of of unsupported span with a 5/8" subtop


• If your granite is 3 cm thick, then there can be no more then 10" of unsupported span - no subtop required


• If you need support, the to determine your corbel dimensions:


• Thickness of Stone - Dimension of Unsupported Span = Corbel Dimensino


• i.e., an 18" total overhang in 2 cm would require a 12" corbe; the same overhang in 3 cm would require an 8" corbel

The renovation started 2 days after Christmas and lasted approximately 5 months. In addition to the kitchen, we gutted 3 bathrooms, including dormering out the master bathroom to get a few more feet across the back of the house. It was an almost perfect project from start to finish (barring the things that were revealed during the demolition that didn't meet current code and needed to be fixed). Amazing contractor, amazing crew, amazing husband and kids to live in the mess that we had for so long. Well, living in a 55 degree house for most of the winter wasn't ideal, but I got used to wearing my down jacket inside all day long. Thank goodness for Trader Joe's and a good microwave! And a big THANK YOU to all of the wonderful ideas I got in this forum. I tend to research things to death and this site was my addiction for the past year.

I have a 1960s cape cod house in New England -- boxy rooms and bad flow. We took down the wall between the family room (which is the room you enter the house through) and the kitchen; also the wall between the kitchen and the dining room, but we added cabinetry there to give the feeling of separation while still allowing light to flow between the front of the house (DR) and the back (kitchen). There was an open front porch in front of the family room that we enclosed to make a mudroom. (Hallelujah for mudrooms and boys!!)

Here are some "oldies" of our original 1960s cape cod kitchen:

Range wall -- behind this wall was the laundry room, which we moved to the basement so we could incorporate the space into the kitchen ;

Wall between kitchen and dining room:

Original double oven, at the end of the wall between the kitchen and dining room

I don't miss this cooktop!

We replaced this small window to get more light:

Dining room with door to kitchen. This wall was removed.

Looking from the kitchen to the family room.

The original laundry room, now part of the kitchen:

And the finished product!

Taken from the family room:

Taken looking into the family room (still unfurnished!)

Looking from the kitchen window into the dining room:

The island is 10 feet long.

New Ticor sink -- thanks garden webbers!!

Kenmore elite induction range:

4-drawer recycling -- a must in a town with no trash collection (we haul our own to the dump) -- I guess I could have at least emptied the trash before taking a picture!

We wanted these to look like furniture, with feet and a matching cherry top:

Still have to dig up the crystal and other things to put in here:

Do you think I need new dining room chairs??

New slider to mudroom, which used to be an open front porch:

New mantle -- still trying to decide what to cover the old brick with:

Just for fun: old powder room:

New powder room:

Some details:

Cabinetry: Plain & Fancy shaker style (I don't think that's the actual model name...) with Heirloom finish
Counters: Cambrian Black granite with antique leather finish
Sink: Ticor from garden web -- the 32" long with zero radius corners
Appliances: all Kenmore elite (I know, many people don't like the "all one brand appliance" thing, but it just worked out that way). I LOVE my new induction range!! I've always been a gas girl, but that was not a great option in this house, and I have been really happy with induction.
Faucet: Kohler simplice
Backsplash: Grazia "Rixi" in a color that I'm drawing a blank on and am too lazy to run to the garage to check the box... if anyone is interested you can check another posting of mine where I sing its praises
Pendants in kitchen and dining room: pottery barn

If anyone wants more specific details, let me know and I'll supply.

Cheap lighting upgrade. For more tips on kitchen lighting, see Designing Efficient and Effective Kitchen Lighting.

Visit a tile store or even go on line to AnnSacks to get
some fun ideas.

Meanwhile here are few to think about to go with your
cherry cabs, AB counter and creamy floors.

This is not Nordic or AB but it is a dark black with
a lovely tumbled BS

Super easy to maintain. I love my wood floors.

This pic is before the trim installation and paint.

Here is a link that might be useful: FKB

Here is a link that might be useful: http://s291.photobucket.com/albums/ll286/sharaz_02/?action=view&current=Picture362.jpg

Here's a picture

From April 2009

I think your colors work very well together.

In the 2nd picture you can see the cable outlet. My husband hid the electric outlet (to plug it into) up in the corner cabinet, which is nice. He offered to move the cable outlet, too, but there was SO MUCH to do, I told him he didn't have to do that. Now I wish I would have... and I think I will have him do that *one of these days*!!! ;o)

Here's the TV down, but off.

Here it is on, with the screen swiveled. It says it swivels "270 degrees".

And one last one:

And yes, we have under-cabinet lighting. We specifically chose lighting that would allow enough space for the TV! I really enjoy the TV (and the radio) when I am alone and cooking or cleaning up.

Hope this helps!

Lynn

Dining room walls: SW Ivoire, velvet finish.

Crown molding and trim (both rooms): SW semi-gloss white.
Ceiling (both rooms): SW basic flat white.

You savvy GW'ers will no doubt notice that we reused the hardware from the old kitchen. ;o) We bought it not too long ago when we gave the old kitchen a little "face-lift", with full intention to re-use it when we remodeled.

I LOVE the under-cabinet molding (trim) on the wall cabinets... I think it's my favorite "small detail". Really made a HUGE difference in looking "finished". Some of the best $200 we spent in the whole project!!! ;o)

Here you can see our under-cabinet TV/DVD/CD/radio mounted under the corner wall cabinet. (The little TV screen pulls down and swivels.) LOVE that when cleaning up!

I love the seeded glass in the corner wall cabinet!

LOVE the little "bun" feet!

We ADORE the granite... I honestly think it's our favorite thing. It has so much *depth* and so many "layers" of color and interest. It has lots of garnet in it, and what looks like mother-of-pearl, and oh-so-many-beautiful sparkles... not to mention the rich and varied creams, browns, grays, taupes, and even some black. Would choose it again in a HEARTBEAT!

LOVE the Gel-Pro mat, color: Truffle.

I was a little worried about upkeep on the SS top of the range... but I shouldn't have been! It is a DREAM to clean. I would wholeheartedly recommend it!

Both top drawers feature double cutlery dividers, with full-extension, blu-motion whisper glide closures.

Also, you can see the spice rack/pull-out and the super-susan (in the corner) to the left of the range.

Looking into the dining room. LOVE the open-ness!!!

A fun (and practical!) feature of the pantry cabinet is that it opens on both sides.

I stenciled this mouse by the cat's dish, just because it makes me smile!

The under-cabinet lighting:

From the dining room side:

One main reason why we chose this particular design is because of the storage under the bar on the dining room side. TONS of it! And the granite is supported by the cabinets, so there was no need for a half wall, which saved having any "dead space"... all space is fully utilized for cabinets/storage.

We added the crown molding to the dining room when we put it in the kitchen. While we were at it, we put it in the living toom, too. (And yeeeeeessss, that's a drinking fountain for the cat that you see under the window!)

And just for fun, dining room into living room:

From hall into kitchen:

If you have any questions, please let me know.

I hope you enjoyed this... I know I have enjoyed so much looking at all of your beautiful finished kitchens. You were all an inspiration to me!

Thank you for looking!

Lynn

A cherry in the lighter brown shade