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Saw hammered copper counters at the place where we bought the DW last weekend. Amazing and beautiful. Still, I'm a cook and will probably go with a mix of soapstone, marble (for pastry) and stainless (yes, I know it "ages" poorly) for hygiene.
I liked the love love loved the look of those appliances in the showroom, but I wonder if those are the next "Harvest Gold"?
I'm sticking with a stainless commercial grade range (only because I can't afford an AGA in a great color! ) and will tuck everything else behind {gasp} matching custom white panels. I am doing a classic English white kitchen, because I live in a vintage Tudor Revival in the Midwest.
If I owned a Mediterranean-style house in the SW, I'd surely consider Tuscan-style, with mucho mucho rich wood. If I had a super-mod loft in Manhatten, I'd go Euro.
Hellllllloooooo? Why is the concept of location location location so hard for some people to grasp????
It seems that when I get a good client with a fabulous kitchen, they dont cook, whats up with that????? Makes me crazy, as I love to cook!
I understand why you feel that way about the oiled bronze, I thought that too, iniatially, but the color is nuetral enough that I feel it will stand the test of time.
You are sooooooo right about the location thing, I just dont understand what people are thinking sometimes.......
Saw hammered copper counters at the place where we bought the DW last weekend. Amazing and beautiful. Still, I'm a cook and will probably go with a mix of soapstone, marble (for pastry) and stainless (yes, I know it "ages" poorly) for hygiene.
I liked the love love loved the look of those appliances in the showroom, but I wonder if those are the next "Harvest Gold"?
I'm sticking with a stainless commercial grade range (only because I can't afford an AGA in a great color! ) and will tuck everything else behind {gasp} matching custom white panels. I am doing a classic English white kitchen, because I live in a vintage Tudor Revival in the Midwest.
If I owned a Mediterranean-style house in the SW, I'd surely consider Tuscan-style, with mucho mucho rich wood. If I had a super-mod loft in Manhatten, I'd go Euro.
Hellllllloooooo? Why is the concept of location location location so hard for some people to grasp????
I can't believe this thread is still going but....you're right about "location, location, location". And even more than that ARCHITECTURE. Nothing looks worse than a sleek modern loft with cherry cabinets and faux Tuscan tiles. Or it's like the house tour I went on of 19th century mansions that all had almost identical modern kitchens with black appliances and granite counters. Or the mid-century modern houses with the 1980's oak cabinets and dropped florescent ceilings. I could go on and on...I'm not a big fan of white cabinets but I think they will age better than a lot of others.
I think this discussion keeps going round and round because we have people living/working in completely diferent regions, price points in the market and demographics.
I am in Charleston, SC and white kitchens are perfectly fine here (and by white I am not talking 1992 white on white on white.) That idea house someone mentioned is actually one town over in Mt Pleasant but in an exceedingly nice, new-urbanist development. The high end here is just fine with white (that goes for downtown, Mt Pleasant, the resort islands- Kiawah/Seabrook, the beaches, and marsh/riverfront homes throughout the area.)
Those pointing out that white is not flying with track builders are correct from my observance of track houses (I do not work on them but have friends/aquaintances who live in them and have not seen a single white kitchen in a newer track house.)
I think the reason for this is that white can be unforgiving- you need nicer cabinets and hardware. And decent looking appliances that go with white are pricey. Nicer stainless applainces or the white Jenn-aire appliances with chrome pulls are what I consider baseline in appearance for this task. Most of the nicer white kitchens are done by about 2-3 cabinet shops, often field finished and outside most of our budgets. Also- most people no longer do all white but a mix of white and a lighter shade of a color. Wood floors and either tinted or trimmed/coffered/detailed cielings are also popular so a lot of the blandness people accuse white kitchens of having are negated by that.
I have no doubt white is a tough sell in some regions and with some buyers but trust me there are plenty of well designed and highly fashionable homes with white kitchens.
Coastal regions seem to see more of the white cabinets because of where they are, and you are correct in what you say about those types of kitchens being out of most folks budgets......what is inexusable is the Thermofoil wannabe imitators
I would NEVER encourage a client to do white cabinets, too cold and sterile. The kitchen is supposed to be the heart of the home, so one would want warm and cozy.
If a client is undecided, I take them to my favorite cabinet shop, (they treat me like family there, great relationship!) and we look at woods, styles of cabinets, how they need that kitchen to function, and last but not least, resale.
What I am seeing as trends here in the market in Florida are still medium toned cherries and maples, always classic, leaning towards the more traditional, after all, this markets median age is 46.7, they know what they like.
Granite and stainless are OUT!!!!!!!! I am doing a kitchen with copper counters, (its ravishing) one with zinc counters, (very French) and a redo of a bungalow in the historic section of town with soapstone.
In the case of the first 2 kitchens, we are doing Jenn-Air oiled bronze appliances, and custom wood fronts to match the cabinets in the bungalow.
Desertsun41, what are you seeing in your neck of the woods?
Copper countertops? Wow. I wonder how that comes out. Interesting you say granite is out. I dont think I am seeing that though more people are asking to look at alternatives. Since granite has come down so much in price people seem to be choosing it because it is so cheap. 2 years ago everyoe was selling granite for $50 and up per SF and today it is selling for as little as $21 which is the cheapest I see. And that is not Chinese granite either. Today granite is cheaper then laminate. Who would have thunk it?
The biggest change I am seeing is shaker style doors are being requested from the very first sales call and when they come in that is the only door they want to look at. Toffee or mocha color maple shaker doors amount for half our sales. Before the beginning of the summer when this shaker liking started I would have to go back years and years before I can say I sold just a couple of them.
Back to that copper countertop. One time I was selected to design one of the 8 kitchens in a Parade of Homes competition. They gave me this gay guy to help who was supposed to be the queen of style. I was so very uncomfortable even being next to him. He was so butt ugly and fit every stereotype of a way over the top gay man. He insisted I put stainless toe kicks throughout and he wanted the toe to be 10" high rather then the 4.5" high. We fought like crazy about this. Then when he started to make comments about us stupid straight people know nothing about style so I quit. Now if I ever made a comment about gay people I would have been thrown in jail for a hate crime. Good riddance. I already have a big name, I dont need those clowns to promote me. Idiots.
Good to see those in the know are steering people from the hospital room white cabinets. Damn they are ugly.
Coastal regions seem to see more of the white cabinets because of where they are, and you are correct in what you say about those types of kitchens being out of most folks budgets......what is inexusable is the Thermofoil wannabe imitators
Unusual point to make though. The theromfoil white cabinets are quite a bit more expensive then baked enamal white or any kind of white finish. The laminate white is the real cheap stuff. They are mostly all slab doors of soft PB material.
Desertsun41, will have to post some pix of the copper countertops when the house is done....... its in slab pouring stage right now, I think the kitchen is going to turn out fabulous, cant wait!
In this neck of the woods, granite is so common that my clients DONT want it, all their neighbors and friends have it, so they want unique alternatives......which I am happy to help them with!
Desertsun41, will have to post some pix of the copper countertops when the house is done....... its in slab pouring stage right now, I think the kitchen is going to turn out fabulous, cant wait!
In this neck of the woods, granite is so common that my clients DONT want it, all their neighbors and friends have it, so they want unique alternatives......which I am happy to help them with!
You are welcome to post those pics. But I am warning you. I was begged to post pics so many times and I really did not want to. Then I gave in some time ago and posted a couple things including a furniture piece I did for Celine Dion and I got slamed for it. So no more pics from me. I have about 3500 photos but they will stay hanging on my wall and in their envelops.
You are welcome to post those pics. But I am warning you. I was begged to post pics so many times and I really did not want to. Then I gave in some time ago and posted a couple things including a furniture piece I did for Celine Dion and I got slamed for it. So no more pics from me. I have about 3500 photos but they will stay hanging on my wall and in their envelops.
That why you don't like my floors I don't have the bucks like Celine Dion. Guess what my house ain't a muliti million dollar home either. I will paint them and post pictures afterwards
I also use recycled paint. I ain't throwing out perfectly good flooring. I also buy at yards sales.
What you do in your own home is completely your own business, I would NEVER have the bad taste to bash your personal choices, but you have respect desertsun41 for the consummate professional that he is.
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