Advice on pullout and backsplash

16 years ago

My husband finally made my custom trash pull-out so there's no gaping hole in my island and my garbage and recycling are both right there-yay! But, as I feared, I'm not liking the asymmetry of the single panel door when all the rest are slab drawers. I decided to go with a knob in the corner because the other doors have corner knobs but that seems to stand out even more, especially since the other cabinets that you see when you'd be looking at the island also have drawers.

My options are (A) move the knob to the center, (B) put a pull in the center, or (C) redo the pullout box and replace the door front with two drawer fronts attached to a deeper (and wooden) drawer box so it looks like a solid bank of drawers. I photoshopped the options below. What's the opinion out there?

Here's the view from the sink side:

Here's the view from the island side:

I also need help with my backsplash (above). I love the "fire and ice" tile but I hate all those grout lines, especially behind a sink, and the Sienna Bordeaux counters are busy enough without adding a flashy backsplash. I also wanted something light and neutral so I have one less thing to match but I want some color in the kitchen too.

So...I was thinking of putting a single row of large tiles (for minimum grout lines) only in the section with the half wall behind the sink and painting the rest of the wall between the cabinets. My concern is that I only saw one kitchen in the gallery that didn't have a backsplash all along the counter. I thought about extending that row of tile along the entire counter but the outlets and switches would split it. Is there any reason why I need to have a backsplash all along the wall? There's no big gap in the granite that needs to be covered and it seems to me that the end of the bar section provides a natural break.

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Comments (10)

brickton
16 years ago
I would vote for option B in the drawer pull question. It looks the most natural to me.

And for the backsplash, I think that so long as the tile is closer in color/tone to the counters than to the wall, it won't be a big deal to cut it short. You could also consider just painting the wall and putting up some glass or even plexi if you don't want to have a different look behind the sink.
warmfridge
16 years ago
Another vote for ''B''. I really love your cabinets. No helpful ideas on the backsplash...do whatever you like, it's your kitchen.
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bcbungalow
16 years ago
I vote for B as well - it matches well with the drawer above it, as well as the other drawers on the island.
Buehl
16 years ago
Option "B"

Sorry, no help on the backsplash!
formerlyflorantha
16 years ago
I like B.
formerlyflorantha
16 years ago
Paint is fine. Massive backsplashes are a relatively recent phenomenon. If you have protected your wall, what more do you NEED (not WANT)? Important thing here is to make the areas sensible and not visually off kilter. Do a good job on the visuals and you are fine.
mdod
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks warmfridge. I really love my cabinets too! They are natural cherry and were a little anemic in the beginning but they're turning to a much richer color now.

Brickton: I never thought about putting glass behind the sink. It seems like it would get scratched/chipped easier than tile. I've got some glass sections in a coffee table that got scratched somehow. How do you attach it to the wall?

Hmmm...So all of you would choose B over replacing the door with two drawer fronts like "C"? Or are you saying you like B the best if I stayed with the existing door? My husband said he'd redo the pullout with the two slab drawers if I want. He fessed up that he put the top on upside down and it was bothering him. I knew something was up when he offered so easily.
jcoxmd
16 years ago
First of all...your husband is a (talented) saint. But I would have him make it look like the two drawer fronts. I love the way that one looks.
lowspark
16 years ago
I vote for B as well. The fact that all your other doors in the kitchen are not slab means that this is not "odd" or non matching. It fits in with the rest of the kitchen. Keep in mind that from where you'll normally be standing in the kitchen, you're seldom if ever going to look at that whole side of the island and study it. I would be willing to bet that after a week or two you'll have forgotten all about it not being a slab. It's just not something you're going to notice or think about on a daily basis.

HOWEVER! In your last post, it sounds to me like YOU really want C. In which case I say, who cares what we think, do what you want (esp. if hubby is so willing) because you're the one who will have to live with it!
marcy96
16 years ago
I like the single panel door with the pull in the middle of the door. With the slab drawers, it looks like too many handles to me and too much symmetry. I like how the door breaks up all the drawer fronts.