Counter Top Vent

14 years ago

Ugh..I'm going to get plywood for my counter tops and call it a day. I am beyond frustrated in my search.

First, the KD comes up with a beautiful island design. She comments that we should not use a piece of granite that is smaller than the island because it will have a seam and that wouldn't look great. My vent with her is that she obviously hasn't been to a stone yard in a long time. My island is 129x72. Yes, it's big. Most stone doesn't come that big. Her response...hmmmm....what the heck am I paying her for????

Then I found a perimeter stone that I love. But of course the stone yard only has one slab. But wait they say....we're getting more at the end of August. Well guess what....it's the beg of Sept and the granite isn't here. I ask if it's coming...now they say No. Would I like AB Polished instead...ummm, no thank you!

I decided to go with a cherry wood top for the island. But now I don't know what to do about the perimeter. I'm so frustrated with this process.

Thanks for listening!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

willtv
14 years ago
OK, first calm down.
I know that's easy to say, but you're not going to solve anything to your satisfaction until you do.
Concerning the island, if it were me, I'd call the KD and tell her it is her job to find a satisfactory slab.
If she can't, she needs to know that you'll be deducting a few thousand from her fee so that you can fix the problem yourself.
As for the perimiter stone, I don't know where you're located, but there must be more than one stoneyard around.
So, take a few days and walk a few acres of granite and you're bound to find something you like.
williamsem
14 years ago
Seems like if she was smart she would have made the island the size of a large slab and designed things so that looked perfect. Could you make one end a butcher block? Or marble for baking?
Related Professionals
Montgomery Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · St. Louis Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Lynchburg Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Plattsburgh Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Dodge City Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Chambersburg Kitchen Remodelers · Durango Kitchen Remodelers · Cape Coral Custom Countertops · Crestview Custom Countertops · Brunswick Custom Countertops · Aiken Custom Countertops · South Bend Custom Countertops · Chula Vista Custom Countertops · Portland Custom Countertops · Cornwall Custom Countertops
mrspete
14 years ago
Could you alter the height of a portion of the countertop so that you'd have a reason to use two different pieces of stone? I ask because I am very short, and I would like to have a small lower island portion that'd be comfortable for me to knead bread, etc. I often walk over to my kitchen table to do these things just because it's a good 8-10 inches shorter.

By the way, I understand where you're coming from about the KD. If you're going to fight your own battles, going to stress over the small stuff like this . . . then why are you paying her? Okay, the counter top isn't small stuff, but go with me here.
localeater
14 years ago
Funny. I thought you wanted to put a vent in your countertop. I couldn't wait to find out why. I figured it was some new- fangled gadget I was all excited to read about.
Sorry for your angst.
breezygirl
14 years ago
Like localeater, I thought you had some new kitchen gadget to show us. That would be better news that what you're facing.

Have you thought about book-matching the island stone? Most recently, Beaglesdoitbetter has shown off a book-matched island. I'll link a thread with some pics of how others have done it. Beagles' finished island isn't in this thread, but you can do a search for it.

Deep breath! And wine? Beer? Cocktail? I think you need something for all your trouble. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Book-match
Jumpilotmdm
14 years ago
I'm missing something. "pc. of granite that is smaller than the island?" What? Of course not.
And don't be so overly concerned about a seam. Tell the fabricator you want it perfect, or as close to that as is humanly possible. Make that clear to everyone, including that "overpaid" designer.
Recent experience with a beautiful basement remodel job where the customer selected a size of island/pc. of stone that would not go down the steps. The fab. put in a beautiful seam as a fix.
flevy
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks everyone for replying to my rant. I'm off to go look at a new stone yard today. I'll see what I can find.

I like the idea of a vent in the counter top---not sure what it would be used for or how it would work, but it sounds interesting!

I hadn't thought of a book matched seam. It's something to think about.
andreak100
14 years ago
bahahaha - like several of the others on here, I thought the title of your post was some new gadget that was going to make us all ooohhh and aaahhh and say "gosh, why didn't I think to put that in my kitchen" . But now, I see that's not the case. Sorry for your counter troubles - hope it gets sorted soon and to your satisfaction.