Kitchen designer pros please save me!
Hi! I posted last week about installing copious amounts of Giallo Verona in my brand new kitchen. I had no idea it would look like a 2005 spec home. Nightmare! Here are some photos. Designers: Do I just ride it out for the next 5-10 years then update? I never imagined it would be so distracting to work on either. I'm not a big fan of subway tile, so that's why I did the full granite back splash. I didn't want to see seams so this is why I chose Giallo Verano. Ugh. Is it as bad as I think it is? Lit up at night it's actually nice. During the day I want to scream. It reads more gray in the photos, but it actually works nicely with the cream cabinets. It just looks soooo dated. Obviously, I lost my mind during construction. Help please!
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Comments (59)Hi all I'm Carolyn from Brampton, Ontario. It's nice to read the bios and meet everyone who is so committed to décor and design. I studied Interior Decorating at Sheridan College about 30 years ago - yikes, I think I was 10 - a real prodigy :-) Kidding aside, it's a wonderful time to be in this field with all of the new technology, resources and product available to us. Like Keitha I started when my children were small. I remember having to design and water colour render a 2500 square foot house for our final project and now it's almost all done on the computer. A "Diva" I'm not. For me my job is about helping my clients create spaces that reflect them, who they are, where they have been and how they live. Helping them to define what they want and show them how to achieve it. The process is a collaboration and usually involves a team of contractors, trades and suppliers who all value the same commitment to providing exceptional, professional and timely service, whether it be a small or large budget. I guess it stands to reason that since my second passion is cooking my favourite spaces to design are kitchens. Creating a kitchen that not only looks good, but works and is a pleasure to be in is a great sense of accomplishment. I don't profess to know everything there is about design but I do know where to find the answers and am definitely a pit bull when it comes to a challenge. Not sure if it’s a blessing or a curse, but my mind doesn't stop exploring the possibilities until we find the best possible solution. It's definitely a profession where you are always learning, revaluating, exploring new possibilities and ideas and growing. I feel privileged to have worked with so many wonderful people over the years, as clients and associates and have made many lifelong friends through the process. My clients range from Baby Boomers who are downsizing and starting on a new path in their lives to young urban professionals who are just starting their lives and families. I look forward to learning and seeing all of the new projects here on Houzz and wish you all well. I'd also like to thank OnePlan for starting the post. It's a pleasure to meet so many like minded people....See MoreHelp design my kitchen layout before my builder and husband kill me!
Comments (15)OK, I normally do gardens, but here's my take..... You kitchen is very similar to ours, which we've lived with for a few years now. Based on our experience, I'd move the sink to be opposite the cooker, with dishwasher adjacent and a ready-use plate rack over/adjacent (most people use dishwashers these days, so having the food preparation area by the window is more meaningful). You might also want to think about swapping the sink and cooker sides, since the route for dirty plates is from the dining table to the peninsula, to the dishwasher/sink. The peninsula is too narrow - this is where everything gets "dumped", so more surface area, creeping round the corner, will be much more useful: also, instead of a rounded end, a square end with cutlery drawers etc. would fit with the route of flow from kitchen to table. Agree with Ash that moving the door to the utility would work better - clear route of flow from dining area to the door without going into the more confined kitchen space. If you have an american style fridge-freezer along the bottom wall, say, you might want a second, under-unit fridge near the food prep area, for things you use all the time (thus preserving the traditional "work triangle"). Oh, and make sure you have a little spice cupboard right next to the cooker!...See MoreIdeas for kitchen design, please
Comments (32)Hi. That door doesn't actually seem to let in much light and the current worktop and units aren't bouncing a lot of light so I'm wondering if you need a window once the wall is down? What if you extended the FF run to the end of that run adjacent to the oven and had mirrored backed shelves within a cabinet? (Hope that makes sense!)I think the light units will make a huge difference anyway and you can add a large mirror opposite the patio doors. I agree with the earlier comment re extending the peninsula under the 2nd window. I love banquettes so might lose the sofa in favour of! Here's a link. It's a way off but as you have so many doors I'd paint them all in the wall colour so they blend in. I'd also integrate all the appliances if possible http://www.angelandboho.com/dining-banquettes--chairs-305-c.asp...See MoreDog-savvy design pros needed for editorial gardens story
Comments (0)Please drop me a line at kate.burt@houzz.com if you are a designer who could share some great tips on dogs and small garden design for an editorial story I'm putting together. Thank you!...See More
ecasta
3 years agolast modified: 3 years ago
PROecasta thanked BeverlyFLADezinerartistsharonva
3 years agoKitchen looks fine as is, so far.
I agree with the others the granite back splash looks busy with the matching counter top; however it may balance out once things are put on the counters.
That's the easiest fix. I would try that for a few weeks.
Maybe it is just the photo, but the ceiling height looks lower than it actually is with the matching ceiling crown coming down onto the top of the cabinets, which makes the illusion of lower ceilings.
Something to consider to give the illusion of height is a matte white on the ceiling.
It will also bounce more white at the cabinets & brighten them up.
The crown to match cabinets , if needed. ( do a test strip, hard to match cabinet factory finishes or get crown from cabinet supplier)
Glaze cabinets pick up the color around them due to the satin reflection glaze.
Beautiful floors. They are bouncing some yellow, warm browns into the base cabinets. Not bad, just explaining.
The Beige ceiling is bouncing beige on to the wall cabinets.
Lighting may help. Try changing light bulbs before painting (easier)
Different light bulbs put off different hue colors in light.
https://blog.1000bulbs.com/home/how-to-choose-lighting-for-paint-colors
If the backsplash doesn't blend in enough to your liking, by the above suggestions:Then consider the following:
I did a couple of rough drafts for visual comparing.
big tiles with matching grout. Matching grout will decrease the tile lines.
If want to go more modern, consider stainless steel backsplash.
I don't know if it's possible to do panels over the installed granite to save costs. They'll have to somehow deal with the electrical sockets. A Pro is suggested on tackling the redo, if redo is chosen. The backsplash granite will probably need to be removed. That was probably costly installing in beginning & will be costly adjusting.
So, the kitchen overall looks pretty good. IMO, It does not look dated.Give it a few weeks to see if it works itself out. If it still bothers later, then invest in some changes.
Hope that helps.
ecasta thanked artistsharonvaecasta
3 years agoSammie J
2 years agoI am saddened by the way the world is blowing through natural resources, so I'd try to make it work before taking it out. Have you styled the countertops? Right now, everything is hard and shiny, so some softness would help. Here are some ideas for using neutral colors and items with little pattern to help to break up the granite...
A bit of natural wood, white/cream ceramics, green plants will do wonders for brightening up the space. Then, try a large textured rug - these might not be the right color tone, but will give you some ideas...
If these fails, then I'd replace the backsplash. There are many more options than a simple subway tile.rainyseason
2 years ago
2ManyDiversions
2 years ago
Cheryl Hannebauer
2 years ago
Beth H. :