Kitchen Reveal

kitchen sink is to left / back kitchen is to right / upper cabinet door on left was replaced after I took this photo due to the corner separating

This post is long overdue and isn't everything I wanted it to be. I am so proud of this kitchen. It is everything I wanted it to be (and more!), so I've been hoping to truly do it justice by going all out with the styling and maybe even hiring a professional photographer to photograph it. None of that has happened in the almost two years since we finished it. So, I figured it was time to share a bit of a reveal, knowing I can always share more later.

You can find the before photos here, along with a detailed discussion of the plans here, and finish selections here.

My husband's only request was that it be open concept and I did not (and still do not) want an open concept kitchen. So, I did the most not to draw attention to it or the parts that tend to be the messiest. Nevertheless, I still wanted the kitchen to be beautiful. I think I accomplished my goals. It's quite possible if this were a closed-concept kitchen that I would've designed an entirely different kitchen. Or at least, gone with a bolder cabinet color, a statement stone on the countertop or a louder backsplash. But, this kitchen feels like it belongs. It's beautiful and functional. It feels like the house version of a white button down and denim. Chic, but not trendy or loud. I love it so much that I don't mind that it's open concept as much as I thought I might (I think hiding the sink was a key factor).

This is the primary view of the kitchen when looking straight on as it's located beyond our dining room in what was a porch.

My big splurge for the kitchen was our hardware, and I have to say I love that decision on a daily basis. We primarily used knobs except on the drawers flanking the stove. Given their size and every day use, I went with pulls. I could dedicate an entire post to hardware (and will one day) because I have lots to say on the topic. But, I do not like finials or sharp edges on pulls (you bump up against them and finials get stuck on pants) and I prefer knobs to pulls. I'll link everything we used below.

this wall separates the dining room from the kitchen and the sink is centered under the window here to the right, shown below.

the sink and the mess that tends to congregate around it is hidden by the wall pictured above

fridge/freezer combo, bar sink is to the right just out of the photo

the "back kitchen" / there's a wine fridge plus two beverage fridges here with bar sink to left, pantry to the right.

From a functionality standpoint, some things that work really well and I think are worth considering if you're renovating:

• Zones. We are never in each other's way. If I'm cooking and someone wants a snack, they can access the pantry, bar sink/fridge, and main fridge without stepping into my work area. We ended up putting the trash in the island which I was nervous about but has worked out really well as it's easily accessible from pretty much everywhere and further promotes keeping people out of the cook's way.

• Using Lower Cabinet Space. This is a U shaped kitchen with island but given the amount of windows, there's not much upper cabinet or wall space. This limited our ability to do a column fridge and freezer or a wall oven. But, we have lots of lower cabinet space. We made use of that space by adding the double fridge drawers, wine fridge, plus a speed oven that can be used as an oven or microwave (housed in our island). These have all functioned extremely well for us, so it doesn't feel like we're missing anything.

• Dishwasher location. Our architect originally had the dishwasher to the right of the sink. Moving it to the left allowed us to center the sink under the window and perhaps more importantly, easily access the upper cabinets when the dishwasher is open. I've seen a lot of dishwashers in less than ideal locations, so I recommend thinking through that. It might be that it will limit cabinet access when open no matter where you put it, but put it on the side that will be the least inconvenient. You don't want to have to walk around it or open and close the door to put away the dishes.

A few notes on aesthetics

• I asked the electrician to put a strip of electrical outlets under the cabinets instead of putting all required outlets in the backsplash. For ease of use, we kept corner outlets in backsplash.

• Picture Lights as Sconces. They come in different sizes and given that they are horizontal, they fill more visual space than a typical sconce does. I think the one picture light is great alternative to two sconces. Bonus, it only requires one outlet box which means you save on electrical. Note it does require a smaller than standard outlet box, so make sure to note for your electrician.

• Paneled appliances are worth it.

• Hardwoods in the kitchen are the right choice. My husband was not keen on this, but I was steadfast that I wanted continuous flooring. I also find hardwoods so much easier to clean than tile (no grout lines). Not long after the kitchen was complete, our dishwasher leaked (drain got disconnected). The hardwoods did warp, but they were able to sand and re-stain that section. My husband thought this proved his point that you should put tile in the kitchen. I still think hardwoods were the right decision.

Happy to answer any questions you might have! You can shop lighting, hardware, and accessories here. All appliances are GE Monogram except the wine fridge which is Marvel.

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