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jem199

Newbie here - freaking out just a little

jem199
14 years ago

Hello, I'm remodeling my kitchen and have found this forum extremely helpful in making my choices, so thank you all!

My home was built in 1974 and the kitchen was somewhat of a dream kitchen for that time. When we bought the house, we knew we'd redo it eventually. The look of it has held up better than many kitchens from the 1970s since they picked white formica and a very plain maple cabinet (the formica was bright yellow, green and orange elsewhere in the house so we started in those rooms first lol). I started 'looking around' at kitchen designs 3 years ago. I move pretty slow when the price tag is high. I started with the cabinets. So we had them designed when I got a call a few weeks ago from the cabinet maker - they lowered my quote by 20% if I'd get them into production now since they had a work lag. My contractor had room as well, so we ordered the cabinets. Now, all the pretty things I've been looking at, well, I have the make every decision within 3 weeks and it's a bit overwhelming. I can pick all kinds of things individually, but keep second guessing myself about how they will fit together. I'm even second guessing the cabinets (recessed vs full overlay) and it's too late to change that decision.

It just seems like too many decisions! I bought a gas cooktop, kitchen sink, kitchen faucet and finalized all the cabinet options this week and I'm all decided out. I still have to decide on the granite, bar sink and faucet, backsplash and cabinet hardware. I think the hardware is the only thing that I can put off. We're using our old fridge and dishwasher for now too. They are plain white and will look fine so we'll get new appliances next year after we've paid off the rest of the kitchen.

Anyway, just wondering if this overwhelmed feeling would have happened even if I wasn't jumpin in sooner than expected. I'm really stuck on the bar sink and faucet. I wanted to do something really special there, but now I'm not sure about the bronze with the granite. Is this something any of you can related to?

Janet

Comments (9)

  • sue_b
    14 years ago

    I definitely can relate. You are probably saving major dollars not having a kitchen designer, and you are getting exactly what you want. It's so stressful. Someone posted on here that she kept repeating to herself "it's only a kitchen...it's only a kitchen..." It's worth the pain and the time you are putting in to it. After you've been in the new kitchen a short time you will definitely forget this pain and suffering. I suggest get the granite and backsplash picked out, printing out pix from the Finished Kitchens Blog (google it) Finished Backsplash Slideshow with you when you go shopping. Try to stick to one or two inspiration photos. That helped me so much to show stores what I was looking for, and I was less distracted by other stuff once I had my inspiration photos with me.
    Try Google Images searching for key words like bronze sink granite & you'll get a couple pix of kitchens with that combo to see which granites & hardware look good.

    You could carve up your 3 biggest questions and make each separate discussion question topic here....like "Any granite ideas for bronze sink?" & someone might give you a great suggestion. Good luck. We are rooting for you.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Finished Backsplashes Slideshow in FKB

  • desertsteph
    14 years ago

    I'd decide on the granite next. that would depend on the color of cabs, floor and the look you want in your kitchen.

    have you researched bronze sinks? asked here for pics? how people like them? is it difficult to clean them?

    then the faucet

    then the BS - that can usually wait.

  • jsweenc
    14 years ago

    Welcome to GW! I'm a relative newbie myself, but this is a great place to be for kitchen friends!

    Yes, I am absolutely, totally relating here! We had many decisions made beforehand and I have ended up changing several midstream, or at least worrying and obsessing until it is too late to change my mind again.

    Go ahead and put your questions out here and let people help you figure things out. Mostly, what you have left is a personal choice, but if you can narrow it down and post pictures, you will get some good input.

    To start with, look at the Read Me thread to see if anything there would be helpful, even though you are past the layout stage. From there, compile your questions and fire away. Pictures are always helpful. There is an explanation in Read Me about embedding them in your posts. It's easy to do once you know how.

    There are some good online companies that will deliver sinks, faucets and other items in a matter of days at competitive prices and often with free shipping.

    Maybe it will be a good thing to have only 3 weeks to decide, if in fact there is no flexibility in that timeline. No time to continue to 2nd guess! : )

  • doraville
    14 years ago

    I SO know how you feel. I second guessed myself the whole way through! I thought it would be so much fun and it ended up to be much more stressful than I thought. I remember getting upset with my contractor who wanted me to make a decision on the undercabinet lighting! I thought that was his job. It ended up that wasn't in his bid! Hang in there. I choose the cabs first, followed by the countertops, and then the flooring. If you already have the flooring, the countertops will need to be near the end, followed by the backsplash.

  • jem199
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks for the support! You will see me here a lot in the next few weeks.

  • donnakay2009
    14 years ago

    Welcome!! Fear not---this is a great place for help. You've been really wise so far, it seems. Be sure to look through the FKB and print off a few photos of kitchens that "sing to your heart." For me, it was Redroze's kitchen. I also loved Willowdecor's ideas, even though we didn't end up with marble. And if you post something really specific, like, "What color granite would go best with my cabinet color?" and then include a photo, you'll get all kinds of quick help. And Boxerpups is a whiz at finding the exact look you're worrying over. (Boxer, it's not that I'm trying to give you more work...but I've been a real fan for a long time).
    People have asked, "Which knobs/pulls would look best with my granite?" and gotten immediate ideas from others. My kitchen's been done for six or seven months and I still love looking here. I'm always inspired by others' questions and feedback.

  • gillycat
    14 years ago

    just a note on second guessing yourself. That will go on and on with EVERYTHING until the decision can not be changed and invariably (I have found) you will be thrilled when you see it.
    a very exciting but frightening time but use the forums. The people here are unbelievably generous with their time and ideas and also see things like a normal person vs designer.
    ie function but also the look

  • padola07
    14 years ago

    This sounds like my life right now. YOu get to a a point where every decision depends on the other decision. The backsplash depends on the counter top which depends on the paint and the hardware finish somehow must figure in the mix.

    Now its like which do I lock in first. For example you may love this backsplash but it really doesn't go with white quartz which you really wanted. Now multiply that to the nth dimension and thats where I am at. Every decision has consequencies down the line that I'm not ready to deal with.

    The thing is you only get to do a kitchen of your dreams once or if you lucky you get a second shot. We want everything to be PERFECT however they must also go together for the room to be perfect but for each individual decision its so hard to not pick your dream blank because it doesn't go with your dream blank that you already picked

  • countrygal_905
    14 years ago

    Yes, I can so relate. Isn't it wonderful that you found GW? It has been such a help to me. I made a spreadsheet called kitchen decisions and checked off as I went. It at least made it seem like I was accomplishing something.

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