Photo Essay: My New Kitchen

If my readers remember I had major work done on our house last summer, the bulk being a completely remodeled kitchen.  I had promised to show pictures, and I finally got around to taking them.  Since I’ve lived with this for six months now, I can tell you what I’m pleased with and what I have some mild regrets.

Let’s start with the floor tile.  I have to take responsibility for choosing them.  I’ve gone back and forth since they’ve been laid in as to whether it was a good choice or not.  I got the large 18 inch tiles, and they have a rough non-slip surface.  Somehow though they looked prettier in the store when I convinced my wife to select them.  In the store they seem to have a sheen that has worn off.  I have to say they hide dirt well, and that’s a big plus.  Our previous floor tile was snow white and it showed every speck.  Interestingly, these tiles are not cold to the bare feet; I’m not sure why.

Here are the cabinets.  We went with a light stain.  I think they are a little darker in real life than the picture shows.  The flash must blanch them out a little.  But you get the idea.  These are the complete opposite of the dark stained cabinets that were there before.  The big reconstruction to the kitchen involved switching the location of the oven with that of the refrigerator.  The oven used to be on the left of this picture, against an outside wall, and now you can see it’s along an inside wall.  My wife suggested this to be more functional.  There really wasn’t counter space near the oven in the previous location to prepare food.  The sink was in between the counter space and the oven.  Now you can see there is plenty of counter space near the oven for convenient food prep.  Backsplash was my wife’s selection, and it goes well with everything, but I think it’s a little too busy if you ask me.  But don’t go by me; everyone else thinks it perfect.

The oven is the same as before, and the almond color is similar to that of the cabinets.  The microwave above it and the dishwasher beside the sink are new.

On the far end by the refrigerator we had a cupboard built in, and I really like that.  You can see the sink and faucet we chose, and the sink is located where it was previously, beneath the kitchen window.  The refrigerator is the same, and those are roses I gave my wife for St. Valentine’s Day.  Wall paint color is also similar to the cabinets, though I think there is a little more contrast in person that the picture washes out.

Now the crowning achievement of the kitchen has to be our granite counter top.  Both my wife and I loved it immediately, so there was no dispute on this, and it really has made our kitchen.  It’s grain is called Crema Bourdeaux, and there is literally something new to see in it every time you look.  Here are a few of pictures up close. 

I’m not sure the pictures really do it justice.

We had recessed lights put in to go with our ceiling fan fixture.  Now here I’m going to get to my one real disappointment.  The recessed lights are wonderful, but placement is not ideal.  There are two rows of recessed light fixtures, one over the counter, which is fine, and one down the center of the kitchen.  I just don’t understand why the electrician didn’t shift them further to the opposite wall to balance the lighting in the room.  In addition, the rows of recessed lights are are not spread apart far enough so that when the ceiling fan is circulating, the blades pass under the recessed lights.  The shadows from the blades make it feel like helicopter blades are swirling overhead.  Anyway, I’m exaggerating; it’s not that bad, but still it irks me.  I wish I had been there the day the electrician put the light fixtures in.

Finally on opposite wall from the window, we have a “closet” space for a washer and dryer.  We closed that off with French type doors.

Don’t mind all my nitpick complaints.  Overall, it really came out very nice.