I am sorry you will have to leave such a beautiful kitchen. I hope that this is what sells your home quickly!

it is so beautiful. sorry to hear that you have to move soon. Hopefully your gorgeous kitchen will help sell the home for a great price:)

It's gorgeous and will appeal to your buyers. Can you tell us about your hardware? I love your drawer pulls!

Sorry about all the stress you've been under. I do agree with the others, though: seeing your kitchen would definitely push me towards buying your house. Good Luck, and keep us posted.

Beautiful kitchen!!

Just want to tell you that I feel your pain. Same thing happened to me except I moved out before the kitchen was complete (it was close). I came back to meet the movers I got to cook in my kitchen once!

I still own the house and am renting it for now - it has broken my heart though. I still hang out here on the board, just 'cause I miss it so much!

I am so sorry - that sounds so stressful :( It's a beautiful kitchen though. I love the cabinets. Good luck with everything!

It's very beautiful. Love the hardware you chose. Do you have a closeup of the range backsplash?

Thank you, all, for you kind words. This kitchen would not have been possible without the knowledge, support and encouragement of the members of this forum, for which I am eternally grateful.

Here is the info: the handles are by Belwith. Here is a link, except mine are brushed nickel: http://www.kitchen-cabinet-hardware.com/pulls-handles/pull-128-mm-c-c-_WLP3012-14.php

I selected the cabinets before I knew that we would be moving so now I fear that the dark, espresso finish may not appeal to many potential buyers. However most other selections, except for appliances were made to appeal to a wider ranger of tastes hence the rather plain vanilla granite (Giallo Ornamentale) and tumbled marble backsplash in Chiaro from Home Depot with Dark Brown Emperador mosaic inserts. Here is a close up of the backsplash above the range:

{{!gwi}}

Lovely space! How frustrating that you have to leave it behind. I agree with others, this kitchen would definitely push me to make an offer ahead of other homes. Having just gone through the selling/buying process and seeing what crud is out there, you should be way ahead of the curve! Good Luck!

I think the espresso cabinets are gorgeous!! But even if that wouldn't be someone's first choice in personal preference, I agree that your kitchen is so far ahead of what buyers will normally see when househunting that anyone who'd turn down your house on account of the kitchen would have to be CRAZY!!! And your granite and backsplash, which you purposely made more neutral for the sale, is totally beautiful and far from bland. Is that a removeable tray on the range backsplash? It looks like there are handles on it.

That beautiful, elegant kitchen will sell your house! How do I know? We had to sell our place last year. We had just redone the kitchen. The second couple that came through with the realtor bought the house for close to the asking amount. The kitchen sold it.

Meanwhile, throw a party and try to enjoy that great space.

I am sorry to hear about the pending sale. The kitchen should be a major selling point, if that's any consolation. Several cabinet companies are coming out with espresso finishes, new for 2008, so you may be on the cutting edge of a trend. In any case, good luck.

It's beautiful.. and I KNOW how you feel! We built our dream home and moved in the end of 2006 - only to move out 7½ months later! House is still for sale... market is terrible.. best wishes!

Your kitchen is stunning! Don't worry about the dark cabinets with potential buyers. I'm putting in cream cabinets in my kitchen, but if I was looking to buy your home your kitchen would cinch the deal for me! I think most people will appreciate your kitchen. However, I understand if you feel sad leaving it. Good luck!
Barb

It's beautiful. Good luck to you and may your next kitchen be even better!

PS Is that a computer monitor or TV screen in your backsplash?

I am sooooooooo sorry you will have to leave your gorgeous new kitchen. I absolutely LOVE it!! I actually prefer your dark cabinets to any other...the kitchen is just stunning and it will definitely sell your house.

The shiny reflective surface above the stove (although I wish it were a TV or a computer monitor) is a decorative, mirror-lined tray with handles with a French-bistro inspired inscription. I placed it above the stove, partially to detract from the "squareness" of the backsplash design above the stove, as well as to follow one of feng shui practices, whereby a mirror above the stove is supposed to double the energy and prosperity in the home. Although a hard-core pragmatic and sceptic about all of this new-age mumbo jumbo, nevertheless, I hope that the mirror trick will work as I need all the prosperity that I can muster after underwriting the huge cost of the kitchen remodel in this ever-declining real estate market. I will keep you posted on how effective this prosperity-doubling technique is.

I am so sorry to hear about your unexpected move, but your kitchen should sell the house for you. It is different, functional, and beautiful!

Beautiful!

I love it! If I were in the market and saw something that beautiful, it would make all the difference.

It's just gorgeous. I think the espresso is very up-to-the-minute. It wouldn't surprise me if the kitchen turns out to be the major selling point of the house.

In the meantime, cook up a storm!

BTW, can you give me details about your hood?

Beautiful kitchen. Hopefully the new owner will be someone that will appreciate it.

Very nice, love the floor. Do you mind sharing the details of it!

Stunning color combination. I think the ebony finish is very stylish and will not be a negative for resale. So sorry you're having to sell so soon, but I think the kitchen will be a big plus for you. Enjoy it while you can and good luck!

Absolutely stunning!! I love it! Such a shame that you have to move, but hopefully having such a beautiful kitchen will help you sell in this market.

The cabinets we have ordered are also a dark cherry, though not quite as dark as yours. From time to time I have been worrying too about the dark color, partly because I keep seeing so many beautiful kitchens here with light cabinets. But I have to say that seeing your kitchen has made me feel great again about ordering dark cabinets, and even wondering if ours will be dark enough! So thank you for posting such an inspirational kitchen! I hope you will post it on the FKB. I think that even if a potential buyer had imagined they wanted a kitchen with light cabinets, seeing yours would change their mind. It just looks so stylish. More details please!

I was sorry to hear what a terrible time you have had with this remodel. Hopefully now, with that mirror in place, your luck will have changed. Please keep us posted on how things go. I'm very interested to hear. Best of luck!

I'd buy a house with that kitchen in a heartbeat! We just ordered our cabinets, and all our base cabinets are a dark walnut. I love the look. Your kitchen is beautiful, functional and elegant. That being said, you must be heartsick. I can only hope you are moving because of a better job or some such positive reason.

WOW, I love it! Good job. I hope you are able to enjoy it before you have to move. Here's wishing you a quick and painless sale and move.

Two questions, please: what paint color is on the walls, and what are the details on your beautiful cabinets (maker, wood species, stain, etc.)? I love the glass shelves.

What a gorgeous kitchen! I am a white kitchen fan, but I wouldn't be one bit deterred in buying your home based on your cabinet/color choices. In fact, it's sort of the flip side of the white cab/soapstone counters look. It has that same classic, crisp feel - at least, to my eye. Just beautiful - congrats on the great job, and good luck with your sale!

Thank you all for the compliments and words of encouragement. Here are the details of this project:

Cabinets: Luxor (custom cabinetmaker from Canada)in birch in a "cabernet" (although looks more like espresso finish, 48 inches (too long, I think) with mdf boxes and blum motion drawers (love, the self-closing feature!). We had many problems both with the cabinets (some boxes had bowed sides and had to be replaced) and the kitchen cabinet "designer," who measured wrong and ordered wrong cabinet sizes. Took over three months to get the right cabinets.

The floor is travertine in ivory pearl in a Versailles pattern. Love it! It looks good, doesn't show dirt that much, is easy to keep clean once you seal it, and feels warm and silky in the winter and cool in the summer. We have installed it all throughout the first floor of our house and our lanai and are very glad that we did.

The range is Cavaliere purchased from Overstock

http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Cavaliere-Euro-30-inch-Wall-Mount-Range-Hood/2589645/product.html?

We went with a 36" width and feel it was smart to pair it with a 30 inch range. The only negative is that the hood lights are installed very close to the rear wall and do not provide enough lighting function.

The kitchen designer recommended to offset the base cabinets by three inches thus deepening the countertop space. Although the extra counter space is nice, the offset placement of the range away from the back wall makes the hood ineffective when cooking on the front burners of the range as some steam and exhaust escapes above next to the hood and cannot be captured.

This same offset of base cabinets also created a need for a smaller sized super susan cabinets. We had to downgrade from 36 to 33 inches. Having used and loved a 36 inch super susan in my previous kitchen, I find the shrunk version of the cabinet rather inefficient and difficult to move my pots and pan in and out of them.

I also am not too happy with the corner wall cabinets. Although providing an easy reach, I find the door closing functions very incovenient as I have to remember which door has the handle attached to it and should be closed last.

Another decision that I regret is the zero radius sink. Although it looks sleek and cool, it does not drain well enough all of the food particles and its corners get gunky and are difficult to keep clean.

I like the danze parma faucet (preferred the Grohe in my previous kitchen) and it was reasonably priced. Being mindful of having gone over the budget, I bought a couple of gallons of similarly shaded Oops paint which I mixed together and painted on the walls, hence I am unable to give you specs on the paint except state that it is truly a custom shade.

Thank you so much for your kind words and support!

I would love to see more pictures!

I am sorry you have to move so soon- and won't get to really enjoy the fruits of your labour. But, not knowing what your previous kitchen looked like, perhaps this gorgeous reno will be what clinches a fast sale! DH and I were just talking about this yesterday (no sale in our forseeable future), and though we would be sorry to sell so quickly after putting in so much work, but we really feel our unrenovated house would be so much more difficult to market!

I like seeing your glass doors with glass shelves- one of the things we are waiting for from our carpenter are the glass fronted doors, I hadn't even thought of doing glass shelves...ummm....

We always seemed to fix things up nice right before moving/selling. Enjoy it while you're there and take your knowledge to do it even better next time! The kitchen is absolutely stunning.

We did a kitchen remodel in our last home and then moved when it was barely done. It was so hard to leave it after all of that work, but the house sold within 10 days in a very slow market due to the kitchen. Now, we are busy with our next kitchen remodel (and I insisted that the new home would already have the perfect kitchen, but you know how that is). You did a beautiful job and someone will buy your home and love your kitchen. Just watch out with the next house....your days on the GW kitchens forum might be continuing!!! Good luck.

Espresso is all the rage right now. Armstrong just added that color to their line. Your kitchen will defiitely help you sell your house and for a good price. Don't be upset. Remember, everything happens for the best. This new kitchen will fetch you top dollar for your house.

I am sorry you have to move though.

Wow! Some lucky house hunter will be getting a stunning kitchen. I have been tossing between the extremes - light creamy cabinets (with a dark island) or reverse. I had seen dark cabinets similar to yours in a kitchen showroom and loved it but my DH and sister thought it was way too dark. And there seem to be so many more creamy kitchens I was starting to be swayed that way. Now, after seeing your kitchen - I'm swaying the other way!!!! Stunning!!!

Good luck with everything and that kitchen will sell your house!