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May 27, 2009

Weeehooo!!!!! Time for a new kitchen!!!

~ Today is a DesignTies double-post day!! Check out Fifi Flowers Design Decor, where we prepare a table for Fifi in Provence… ~
I am SOOOOOOOO excited……. after living with our less-than-inspiring kitchen for 7-1/2 years, we’re finally making some changes!!!! Weeeehooooo!!!!!! Not a big re-do – just replacing the countertops and backsplash, and painting the cabinets. And we’ll need a new sink and faucet. Everything is staying where it is, so no major demo or reconfiguration.
Hubby and originally wanted a dark brown slate for the new countertops. But then we were steered in the direction of a gorgeous granite called Brown Cabernet:
CabernetBrown
The fantabulous Paul Anater at Kitchen & Residential Design made me an offer I couldn’t refuse… when my dream kitchen lost out to the egg kitchen in Paul’s dream kitchen contest a couple of months ago, Paul offered to advise me to my heart’s content about re-designing my kitchen. He said I could ask him anything, really. So… I did!!
The most important question was on behalf of hubby, who’s first consideration is always resale value. Ugh!! I say who cares about resale value, WE’RE the ones living in the house, WE have to like it!! And I DO NOT like our kitchen cabinets. I want to paint them. Hubby thinks painting over wood is a bad thing (MEN!!) But he said he might be willing to paint them IF an expert said it was a good idea… and our expert said…“that pickled oak colour you have now is awful... it needs to be covered and fast.” Yay, Paul!!!! Kelly 1, Hubby 0!!!!! ;-) Seriously, would you leave your cabinets looking like this:
cabinets
I want to keep the wall colour because I really like it, and also because I don’t want to re-paint – especially because the kitchen colour carries into the family room, and that’s just too much painting!! The walls are BM Tiramisu (5th from the left), and the colour looks good with the Brown Cabernet granite. The granite doesn’t actually have red in it, that’s my shirt reflecting in it. I think that’s also a tree reflection on the right — oops!!
granite
Paul suggested painting the cabinets either…
BM 1080 White OaksWhite Oaks(umm, Paul, are you SURE about this one?!)
OR
BM 1084 Lake Shore Traillake shore trail
To go with…
CC-486 TiramisuTiramisu-Beach House Beige
I have no idea what White Oaks and Lake Shore Trail look like in real life. Because here’s where we have a small problem — for some silly reason, BM USA and BM Canada don’t have the same numbers and names for their colours. Paul was able to find out from BM USA that CC-486 Tiramisu in Canada = 1083 Beach House Beige in the US. When I contacted BM Canada to ask what the two US colours are here, the answer was “we used to have those colours, but we don’t anymore”. Well, that’s a useless answer!! But I have a plan — I’ll be heading down to NY in about a week, and I found a store that sells BM paint in the town I’m going to. I’ll get the colour chips from there :-)
Paul also suggested this awesome mother-of-pearl tile for the backsplash from Mirage Glass Tiles
mother of pearl brown
Every time I go to a tile store here and ask if they have mother-of-pearl tiles, I get this really dazed look and “I have no idea what that is” response. So, Paul kindly offered to send me a sample, and I’m waiting VERY IMPATIENTLY for it to arrive!!! Come on, Canada Post!!!! (It’s here!! But it’s being held hostage at the post office till after 1:00PM tomorrow – GRRR!!!)
We’ve got two quotes on the granite, and we’re going back to talk to the first granite place to see if they can beat the second granite place’s quote. Then we’ll put in our order. Which means that we also have to choose a sink and faucet soon. Eeek!!! I really like the Silgranit sink from Blanco. Silgranit is 80% natural granite with acrylic bonds. It’s hard, doesn’t scratch or chip, and is heat resistant. And it looks great too…
silgranit sink
I think a Silgranit sink will work much better in our kitchen than a stainless steel sink, because we have so SS in the kitchen. Our appliances are black and the cabinet hardware is brushed copper. Silgranit sinks are available in these seven colours…
Silgranit colours
Unfortunately, Café isn’t the right shade of brown to work with the granite, otherwise that would have been my choice. Anthracite looks OK with the granite. I want to see how Cognac and Biscotti look, but I haven’t been able to find them in real life.
The undermount sinks come in these configurations…
Silgranit configs
Hmmmm, which configuration… one bowl or two?? I like Precis U 2, Precis U 1 3/4, and Precis U Maxi.
Oh, and a faucet!! I want a brushed copper or oil-rubbed bronze faucet. Something like one of these…
copper faucet bronze faucet bronze faucet 3 bronze faucet 2
I’d love to hear your thoughts on what we have planned for our kitchen. Especially the sink — feel free to share why you think a one-bowl or two-bowl sink is better :-)
As we move along, I’ll post updates of our kitchen progress. And of course, the final reveal when it’s all done :-)

14 comments:

Christy said...

Oh I can't wait to see the after pix! Love all your choices, and how nice that the expert agreed to painting the cabinets!

I would definitely get a one bowl sink. After having both, I can say one bowl just makes sense. If you have an extra bowl, it just gets gross. And it's always too small. But if you have one giant sink, you can wash all types of stuff in it. Dishes. Dogs. Etc. I'm sure others will disagree, but in my family, we're a one bowl kitchen sink all the way!

Tiaa @ EYInteriors said...

Great picks! I can't wait to see the results. Did you say you will be in New York next week? I live nearby maybe we can do lunch or dinner?

Kat said...

This is going to be beautiful! I love the granite, and that backsplash material is to die for. I love the big giant sink (the Precis U Maxi) When we redid our kitchen, we were supposed to get one large sink. When the installer came in hubby told him it was the wrong sink - the man said "no, this is right one", hubby said "uno bowl", not dos - the little man said "uh oh" - they had already cut the quartz! At that point I'd been washing dishes in the bathtub for 6 weeks, so I told DH that "dos" was going to have to do - but I still wish I had the single sink! I think I would like either the biscotti or anthracite based on what my monitor is showing. Good luck with the paint hunt, can't wait to see this when it's done. Kathy

Lynn said...

oooooo my favorite color palate!
I have always had double sinks but when we redid the counter I wanted to change to one big sink and I am so happy I did!

Fifi Flowers said...

Ho FAB to have Paul advise you! I LOVE that glass backsplash tile... my home construction has been done for 4 years and I still have not found the backsplash for my kitchen... who know I might never add one... it doesn't need one but I think I want one... this one has me worrying AGAIN!!!
ENJOY your design consultation!
See you tomorrow in a lavender field!
Fifi

janet said...

CONGRATS KELLI, I KNOW YOU HAVE WANTED THIS KITCHEN DONE FOR A LONG TIME, GOOD GOING GIRL.
HUGS
JANET

Gayle said...

Oh my gosh, it is going to be amazing! I used to have a double sink in our old house and loved it. Here I have a big single sink and I think I like the large single bowl better. I hope you post the entire process of the re-do!

mrsben said...

Kelly, this is going to be fab! Love your choices. As it is difficult to tell from computer generated images,I think I wud be trying to match up the color of the sink with a prominent color in the MoP backsplash.

Regarding your cupboards, I too have solid Oak that I'm contemplating on painting however my concern is achieving a professional finish due to the (open/texture)grain of the wood. The alternative option will be; stripping them down and restain them as they are still in excellent condition. I have not yet spoken to 'the experts' so this task is on the back-burner. :)

Looking forward to seeing your finished project.
Have a super time in New York. -Brenda-

Maya@Completely Coastal said...

Uh, I'm guilty of first considering resale value too! We plan to have our new kitchen in before Christmas, we just want to enjoy the summer without projects. I love your choices, the sinks sounds very interesting.

donna said...

I am experiencing kitchen envy just looking at all your swatches and colors. I love the granite...I am definitely on board with the color. Its just divine. Looking forward to seeing it all come together
-d :-)

Unknown said...

Hi Kelly - i look forward to see your final choices - especially the mother-of-pearl tiles look awsome. Are those protected so that they are not too delicate to clean? I absolutely love mother-of-pearl in any colour and form.
Greetings, Petra

Brillante Interiors said...

It will be faboulous Kelly, with one sink or two, no matter. If I may say it two sinks are more practical (washing vegetables in one, rinsing glasses in another etc., one is more hip. It depends on how much you use the kitchen...

Maria Killam said...

Kelly, Have you not read my 'kitchen cabinets' post? If you haven't get your husband to read it, then he'll be even more convinced although it does sound like he's on board at this point!

Anonymous said...

Oh, Kelly, PLEEEEEAZZZE write me ATverizonNET because I love your mother-of-pearl tile and am strongly considering it for a backsplash behind my stove top.

Do you find it hard to keep pretty and clean?

Do you have a post showing your completed kitchen? I truly am smitten with your granite and tile choices here. Sink? I say single bowl, but I'm sure you're done by now. I'm new to your blog and so need guidance in finding your follow-up post.

Beautiful!

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