Final decisions for transitional kitchen

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

I'd love feedback and advice on the final decisions I'm making for a full kitchen renovation in our Chicago 1890s "workman's cottage." The front areas of our house are traditional & back is more modern so I'm aiming for transitional style kitchen. Would like to make decisions that will make kitchen an asset in potential future house sale.

Already decided:

Cabinets: Ikea boxes/Semihandmade DIY Shaker fronts.

Appliances: SS (GE Cafe/Bosch)

Counters: Walnut butcher block and marble-like quartz or quartzite

Things in flux:

Cabinet colors: Had been thinking of grey lower and white uppers, but now reading blogs that "grey is out." So maybe blue and white?

Sink: is central kitchen feature in island. Was planning on Sinkology Adams Copper Farmhouse (http://www.sinkology.com/kitchen-sink/adams-farmhouse-kitchen-copper-sink/), but would welcome feedback on this! Is this too individual/quirky?

Faucet: Maybe brass/antique brass/bronze with perhaps a living finish? I've looked at lots of pictures of copper sinks and I'm not a fan of the ORB fixtures. Not sure what is reasonable to spend on a mid-range renovation. Was thinking perhaps of the Delta Trinsic in Champagne Bronze (https://www.deltafaucet.com/kitchen/product/9159-CZ-DST), but not sure how this will look with copper sink and didn't love the plastic feel of the pull out on this faucet. But I'm also not sure if it is worth it to pay 2x or 3x or 4x the price for California Faucet's Corsano in living brass or forever brass (https://www.efaucets.com/detail-v3.asp?product_id=K51-100-FB-PBU), or Newport Brass East Linear in living or forever brass, or perhaps something even more pricy and funky from Waterstone or Watermark, or maybe the more traditional Perrin and Rowe (https://www.supply.com/shop?nid=658041&d=1446-450&wmh_cid=236648182&wmh_aid=14658639502&wmh_kid=301538332976&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlLDNyMmT1gIVA7nACh2gewueEAkYAiABEgJFB_D_BwE) in Inca Brass. Thoughts on mixing copper and brass tones? Thoughts on whether the faucet is something to really invest a chunk of change in? Thoughts on Living vs PVD finishes?

Pendant lights: traditional style schoolhouse lights like this one https://www.wayfair.com/Alcott-Hill-Belgrave-Falls-1-Light-Mini-Pendant-ALCT4698.html?piid=16375876%2C16375874

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Comments (2)

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Anglophilia
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Forget that "living finish". That's a PC way to say "It WILL tarnish and look like hell!" I got pulls in my kitchen that are polished, solid brass with no lacquer, i.e. a "living finish". I had intended to have them lacquered locally before putting them on the cabinets but got talked into leaving them as they were, and they did look lovely and not as "plastiky". BIG mistake! They have deeply tarnished (unevenly, depending on where they are in the kitchen). Next summer, I will take them all off before I go on vacation and take them to the brass guy who will now charge me more and they must first be polished.

It's not just like keeping display silver/brass/copper polished as these are affixed to other things and polish might harm them and rinsing is impossible.

As for grey being "out" - well, does it work best with the rest of your house? It does in mine. I didn't choose it because it was a trend - I chose it because I liked it and white would not work and I don't like cream or wood cabinets. Stay away from blogs - lots of hot air from people who know nothing about design.
Marg Lad thanked Anglophilia
herbflavor
9 years ago
Don't know enough but Chicago "cottage" feel or whatever??? I'd stick with quartersawn oak and more basic things than walnut/marble/2-tone painted...Just put some glass doors/maybe open shelves....best thing is show plan and pics. Are you not w the arts/crafts bug a bit over there in Chicago w this?
Marg Lad thanked herbflavor
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