The 16-foot-long island is in proportion to the extra-tall ceilings. Johns installed a sink, a dishwasher, undercounter refrigerators, storage and seating space in the island. Two-inch-thick marble counters top the painted island cabinetry. The legs on the island make it look more like a piece of furniture than a built-in. Bar stools, table: Chris Lehrecke; chairs: Nakashima straight-back-chair reproduction; flooring: white oak, Carlisle Flooring
backsplash tiles and counters made of recycled glass reflect the light, add polish and contrast with the rough-hewn post and beam construction. A walnut cutting board relates back to the thick beams and barn wood. The kitchen does not have an oven or a range, but there is a grill and an Italian pizza oven just outside the barn doors on the terrace. Counters: Grey Amazon, Silestone; cabinet paint: Puritan Gray, Benjamin Moore; backsplash tile: Bisazza; cabinets: custom, Bischoff Custom Cabinets
A+B KASHA Designs SaveEmailHouzzLenz The couple chose their light palette for the walls and trim from Farrow & Ball. The different white shades draw attention to the home's clean lines and play with the natural light that floods the south-facing home. Wall paint: Wimborne White, Skimming Stone and Elephant's Breath, Farrow & Ball
Try track lighting instead of recessed lighting. Adding recessed lighting can become a bigger project than planned. Holes need to be cut into the ceiling, electrical wiring needs to be added, and there may be hidden costs in repairing the ceiling. The overall cost for a single recessed light is $100 to $150, including the costs for materials and an electrician. This can add up quickly. To keep costs down, think about track lighting. There are many styles, shapes and finishes. They give off plenty of light for tasks in the kitchen and, when placed on a dimmer, give off a nice ambient light.
Durable, low-maintenance flooring. As much as I am willing to put a little bit of work into maintaining my countertops, when it comes to the flooring material, fat chance. I want flooring that can really take a beating. That is why I am looking at concrete and porcelain tile. I know many folks experience joint paint if they stand on hard surfaces for long periods of time. I’ve managed to avoid this by donning a pair of (ugly!) orthopedic flip-flops when I’m on my feet for long periods of time in the kitchen. Tip: If you are considering a porcelain tile for your floor, go for a color-body or through-body product. This simply means the color you see on top goes all the way through the body of the tile, versus a glazed tile, for which the color is just a coating on top of the clay body. That way should you nick your floor, the chip won’t be as obvious.
Single-bowl granite composite sink in a dark color. Our current kitchen sports a white cast iron sink that is the bane of my existence. All it takes is one splash of coffee or red wine for it to become instantly stained. I’m tired of the work (and chemicals) required to keep it looking clean and bright, so I’m definitely ready to replace it with a darker, lower-maintenance gray or black granite composite sink, as shown here. I had one of these in a previous home and loved its durability and the minimal work required to keep it looking clean. I’m also a fan of the large single-bowl sink, as it can easily fit my largest pots and pans for soaking. Tip: Undermount your sink for easier kitchen cleanup.
. Drawers instead of doors. Given the choice I will always choose drawers over doors on my base cabinets. It’s so much easier to organize and find things when you can pull out a drawer instead of having to squat down to dig around deep inside the cabinet. Tip: Extra-deep drawers are great for storing dishes, pots and pans. I also try to fit as many wide (36-inch) cabinets in as I can, because these can hold all manner of items yet still be within easy reach.
The Container Store SaveEmail Wrap 'n Bag Organizer - $9.99 Reclaim some valuable drawer space. Check out everything that came out of your drawers and identify the space hogs. Organizers like these for plastic and aluminum wrap will save you an entire drawer.
Rubbermaid SaveEmail Slide Out Lid and Pan Organizer - $34.99 So, the next time you open a drawer or cabinet, take a few extra seconds to check out what's going on in there and scribble it on your sticky notes. Whether you're aiming for some fresh contact paper or a pot organizer, or you're ready to call the cabinetmaker, the assessing and planning you have simmering on the back burner now will help you attack the kitchen after the holidays.
Corral the lids. This clever Houzzer uses a magazine rack to keep lids organized. It also makes good use of the sides of the cabinets.
Low-hanging pendants help a kitchen feel cozy and also provide all-important task lighting. Select models that have a retro feel, with shades of seeded or frosted glass or brushed nickel. If you like, mix the pendants with vintage-inspired sconces and perhaps even a lamp or two to create a collected feel.
For flattering kitchen lighting, bulbs with a color output of 2,700 K for a sightly red cast are recommended.
Lighting choices can also take cues from transitional style, defined by clean lines and lighter finishes. “People have been looking at dark, heavy scrolls for so long that they are wanting something light and fresh,” Kilgore says.
Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery SaveEmail Another example: Highlight the silhouette of a cabinet with undercabinet and in-cabinet lighting. “I think that indirect lighting under and above the cabinets should be mandatory in modern lighting design,” Kilgore says. She suggests using tape lighting to achieve a subtle illuminated line of sight. “Xenon lighting is an affordable choice for indirect lighting and costs less than LED lighting,” she says.
Advantages: Granite is tough to beat when it comes to durability, due to its heat- and scratch-resistant qualities; it can bear up to 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit. Granite can also be stain and water resistant when it's properly sealed. Those seeking an unusual slab or a unique pattern will not be disappointed with the seemingly limitless choices. Disadvantages: Installation can get tricky due to granite's hefty nature. And if you choose some of the more exotic slabs, costs can quickly escalate.
Maintenance: Limit routine care to a soft cloth and warm water or cleansers made specifically for granite. You'll want to seal your slab every year or two with an impregnating water-based sealer made for granite.
Maintenance: The surface requires no sealants or waxes (either initially or for ongoing upkeep). Routine cleanup is a breeze with soap and water.
ros: Engineered quartz has many bragging rights. Thanks to the quartz content, it's tough like granite, and the resin makes the material malleable and impact resistant. Both materials offer stout durability. Engineered quartz is also nonporous, making it resistant to stains and scratches. And this material has a leg up on natural stone when it comes to large installations: Because it can flex, engineered quartz can be fabricated in larger pieces and with fewer joints. Cons: The resin content isn't heat tolerant, so keep your trivets nearby.
Going Big Lastly, to really make a statement, consider an extra-long treatment that stretches across a wide swath of cabinetry. If you go this route, choose a tall enough faucet that it won’t get lost visually, and let the bold farmhouse style anchor your stylish home!
Madison Taylor SaveEmail Having a pullout or pull-down function of some form is very important with a large, square sink like this one, so the restaurant-style faucet is also very practical for serious chefs.
In this kitchen a small barn door covered in chalkboard paint slides to hide a storage area.
Stainless steel. Farmhouse sinks are now available in a wider variety of materials, including stainless steel. Stainless steel is affordable, durable and easy to clean and maintain. Stainless steel adds a contemporary twist to a sink that is typically associated with traditional- and country-style kitchens.
Materials White farmhouse sinks are most commonly made of fireclay or porcelain. Fireclay. Fireclay sinks are made of clay, which is heated to an extremely high temperature that makes the sink hard and durable. It also gives the sink its beautiful high shine. The durability of fireclay means that it is resistant to scratches and chips and is easy to clean. Porcelain. Porcelain sinks are a ceramic material, again heated to high temperatures, although not quite as high as fireclay. They look similar to fireclay sinks but are less expensive. Porcelain sinks are not quite as durable as fireclay and are more prone to chipping and discoloration.
Kitchen Capital WA SaveEmail Fixtures Farmhouse sinks add a feeling of nostalgia to a kitchen and bring a sense of rustic character that enhances country- and traditional-style kitchens. Complete the look by pairing your white porcelain farmhouse sink with a beautiful traditional-style tap, many of which are available with matching white porcelain handles, as shown here. Typical farmhouse sinks do not have a hole for the faucet, so the tap needs to be positioned in the counter or in the wall behind.
Solid slabs. The opposite of a tile pattern, a single slab is a popular choice for contemporary backsplashes. Although typically more of an investment than patterned tile, a slab can be an excellent choice for compact kitchens where not much material is required. It achieves a very open look and can be created with one single material piece cut to form a matching backsplash and counter. For a budget-friendlier option, you can also look for off-cut slab pieces to create a short backsplash in a luxe stone, and use a less expensive material for the counter that picks up on the veining tones to coordinate beautifully.
Mahogany Builders SaveEmail Herringbone A herringbone pattern is achieved by laying tiles at right angles into zigzag formations or by a preformed mosaic. Either way, the look is sophisticated and has high-end appeal, even with a simple material. However, this pattern will inevitably require additional cutting of tiles at the borders, so it can create some extra material waste.
Mosaics are more common for accent areas (rather than full-height walls), because they require more grout. This means they can require more maintenance if exposed to heavy soil or moisture, which can be an issue in mildew-prone bathrooms. However, they can create a rich and subtle multi-tonal effect that has the appeal of luxe stone without the luxe cost, making them a popular backsplash option.
Wall-mounted faucets. Take care when placing a wall-mounted faucet to make sure it will work together with your sink. The distance the water spout projects will determine whether the two will be compatible. This can be more of an issue with a double sink.
A step up in cost and longevity is dovetail construction: Small pieces on the ends are routed out to key into one another, making a connection that is very difficult to dislodge.
Manufacturers of semicustom and mass-market cabinets tend to have better/best or good/better/best options for their cabinet boxes, which may consist of one or a combination of all three materials. Custom shops tend to stick with plywood and MDF, or just plywood, for construction, because of its strength and performance.
MDF is also less expensive than plywood; it has a more uniform surface than particleboard. MDF is often used for paint-grade panels, rather than thinly milled solid wood, because it’s such an easily paintable material.
Boxes They look just like they sound: rectangular and ready to be filled up with shelving and drawers. Boxes are typically built in one of three ways: with plywood, particleboard or MDF (medium-density fiberboard) and a base that is later covered with a finish piece called a toe kick. There are pros and cons to each of these materials.
Consider cherry cabinets, like the ones in this photo. They could be Shaker style, with consistent grain and color on the rails and stiles (the frames of the cabinet faces), and with a center panel that has a grain pattern nearly identical to all of the adjacent panels … Contemporary Kitchen by Ventana Construction LLC Ventana Construction LLC SaveEmail … or they could be flat doors and drawers with a nearly identical grain pattern from floor to ceiling, repeated every 6 to 12 inches or so (called slip matching), as shown here.
Scribes. These are also known as filler pieces and are made out of the same wood species or painted the same as the rest of the cabinet. Scribes are used to provide a little wiggle room where the cabinets come together and where they meet the walls. They are cut to size and fit tight to adjacent walls, cabinets and some appliances to create a truly built-in look.
The 16-foot-long island is in proportion to the extra-tall ceilings. Johns installed a sink, a dishwasher, undercounter refrigerators, storage and seating space in the island. Two-inch-thick marble counters top the painted island cabinetry. The legs on the island make it look more like a piece of furniture than a built-in.
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