The topic du jour over on Facebook has been Favorite Rooms and I thought I would share mine: my kitchen.
Because we built our home recently I was able to pick out all of the finishes of the kitchen as well as tweak the builder's plans a bit to better suite our preferences. From the start my husband and I knew we would be putting wood laminate flooring over the entire first floor. With three little boys, a big dog, and a slightly muddy backyard there was no way carpeting could survive the main walkways of the house. The laminate is a durable, easy to clean option for us and should hold up well when the Army eventually moves us and we have to rent our home as well.
I had originally intended to have white cabinetry but was advised quite strongly by the showroom sales crew that it would be a horrible idea with my three little kids. If I remember correctly he said something along the lines of "one of them gets a sharpie one time and your cabinets are ruined." Point taken. I had to completely reevaluate the kitchen design after that (which sent me into a nervous mess for about a week-I don't handle major decisions very well.) In the end we decided to go with the darkest cabinets of the builder's standard grade. I love the crown molding at the top and opted not to add pulls or handles.
With the dark floors and dark cabinets I wanted a lighter granite color and we decided on Giallo Ornamental. I also was dead-set from the beginning on having glossy white subway tile as my backsplash and I'm just in love with it. You can see we added in the gas range as well. We had not had a gas range in any of our rentals since we lived in Italy 6 years ago and I'm so in love with my range I could write a whole post about that alone!!
Another big change we made in the kitchen was the configuration and placement of the kitchen island. The original plan had a tiered island with breakfast bar and it was about 15" closer to the opposite counter than ours. The way it was set up made it feel like a galley kitchen to me and the breakfast bar left a major deficiency of counter space. I insisted to my husband that we needed the island all one level...he was skeptical until I asked him where I was supposed to roll out dough to bake or assemble large meals. (Threaten the food and they always come around!) I think it was well worth it because it gave the kitchen so much more usable space. We did hit a HUGE road-bump at our final walk-through with the kitchen though-they misplaced the island during construction and it was even closer to the opposite counter than the original plans! It was so tight I couldn't even walk around the dishwasher without bumping my shins. We had to have the builder come in and rip out the island down to the slab and move the entire thing (after we were moved in of course). Not the most pleasant experience ever but totally worth it in the end.
I love that the kitchen is open to the rest of the main living area. I can cook dinner while watching the kids play in the living room or draw at the dining table. I can see them playing in the backyard from the wall of windows. It's bright and sunny on all but the most gloomy of days. I love that everything about it reflects my taste-its just so....me. It has also given me the opportunity to do some great projects like my Faux Ceramic Vases that decorate above the cabinetry, the revamped kitchen stools, and the $10 upgraded builder lights.
So that about wraps it up, I hope you enjoyed my kitchen tour...what is your favorite room in your home?
Jessi @ Practically Functional says
I just LOVE that giant island! My biggest complaint about our current kitchen is that it is so separate from the rest of the apartment and when I'm cooking I'm pretty isolated. If I could design my own kitchen it would look a lot like this 🙂 Thanks for sharing at The Fun In Functional!
Brandi says
Your kitchen looks great. I love your dark cabinets.
Stacey says
Your kitchen is gorgeous!
I would love of you stopped by my party to link it up - the paty is happening now!
Stacey of Embracing Change
Jenn says
What a gorgeous kitchen!
Krystle @ Color Transformed Family says
Your kitchen is beautiful! I would have never know those were builder grade cabinets. They really fool you because they are so dark and elegant looking. We are getting to redo our kitchen and I am planning on using glossy white subway tile as well. Visiting via- Tatertots and Jello
Caitlin @ Desert Domicile says
Your kitchen is gorgeous! It's nice to know that I'm not the only one out there who has dark cabinets since it seems like everyone and their brother has white ones haha
Bek says
Question: how do you like having the sink in the island? Do you feel your counter is cluttered? Also, what is the final distance from the island to the back cabinets. Kitchen is gorgeous!
Heidi @CarolinaDreamz says
Your kitchen is fabulous. We rent where we are, outside Charleston, right now, and I have a small galley kitchen, and no dining room, as the kitchen should have been extended onto where the patio is.... whoever designed this house is nuts. LOL (our bathroom light switches are on the outside of the bathroom) I mean nuts.
Anyway, I thought I'd let you know, in my crafts, I remove Sharpie with alcohol everyday. I miss my last house, in Florida with the drop cabinets like yours. Ours, here, are just wasted space.
You take care. I found you through pinterest with your milk glass post.
~Heidi
Renee says
BEAUTIFUL! There's only one thing missing. ..handles and/or knobs on your cabinets...we put them on ours....and oh my goodness....what a difference it made in the kitchen! Just a thought...but it really makes your kitchen alive. ..an added bonus. ..you don't have a bunch of smudge marks from little fingers or big fingers!
Lyndzi Price says
i love your kitchen. Can you tell me what your wall paint color is?!
Inessa Moore says
Hi Melissa! I love your blog, thanks for your insight! I and my husband have had our countertops for 3 years. 2 months ago the area next to the sink begun dimming. Definitely it's due to a sealer which was utilized by company which installed the countertops. I want to reseal countertops but I do not know just how to do that correctly. Moreover, should I do that or perhaps it's far better that installing company do that. I have actually currently read online forums and blog sites seeking granite sealer.
Donna says
Love your kitchen! Would love to know the paint color please. Thank you.
Melissa Riker says
Sorry for the late reply, I am 99% certain it was Sherwin Williams Believable Buff...it has been about 8 years and 3 houses ago since we built that house!