Kitchen remodel advice

[mwhip]

We aren't doing anything major, repaint, granite counters, refinish hardwoods and new backsplash. I can not talk H into painting the cabinets.

The walls will be repainted a greige, because it opens to the living room, which will be a similar, or same shade of greige.

So I'm stuck with the damn golden oak cabinets, although the floors will be a darker color. I have no idea why H won't paint, he thinks it's too hard to keep clean, but he spends about 2% of his time in the kitchen compared to my 80%.

Ideas for color schemes? The appliances we're all purchased last summer so they aren't changing. Opposite ends of the kitchen, justoved a few steps
Ignore the trash bag, it's too cold and I'm still in my PJs so I don't want to take it out yet.

[slenle]

We have the same golden oak that we are likely stuck with too so I have a Pinterest board for dealing with them. Here are some of my favorites

[mwhip]

slenle yeah, the golden oak is killing my hopes of a white/grey granite, so some brown/tan has to be in the granite. What are your plans for the floor?

[flamingo]

We had maple cabinets at our last house that were about that color mwhip. We decided not to have them painted when we learned we'd be moving--they were in good shape and we just let the next owner decide how to proceed. Once we replaced the counters with granite and put up a new backsplash (off-white subway tile--it pulled a color from the counters) I actually grew to really like them!

I would change out your cabinet hardware, too, to either stainless/pewter or oil-rubbed bronze.

I like some of the stuff slenle suggested, particularly the warmer 'greige' tones. I wouldn't go too cool with your counters/tile b/c I think gray with too much 'blue' in it will kind of clash with the cabinetry since they are a very warm tone, if that makes sense?

I'll try and dig up some pics of our old kitchen. I like doing mostly neutral stuff and then using accents (rugs, window treatments, canister set, etc) to pull in color. Much easier and less expensive to change that kind of stuff than a colored backsplash!

[wineallthetime]

I like the 2nd picture Slenle posted! Those colors look nice.

I can't really see the hardware that well on the cabinets, but updating that could help as well!

[mwhip]

Yes! Hardware is definitely on the list and an easy change, will probably decide once we pick granite and backsplash. I'm pretty overwhelmed just with carpet so I'm sure the kitchen will be a long process!

I suck at adult decisions, especially when I have to live with them for years (unless H gets his way and we move in the next couple years).

[wineallthetime]

mwhip, I'm the same way. It takes me forever to make decisions, especially on stuff that isn't that easy to change like counters!

[slenle]

Mar 25, 2018 9:41:32 GMT -6 mwhip said:

slenle yeah, the golden oak is killing my hopes of a white/grey granite, so some brown/tan has to be in the granite. What are your plans for the floor?

I think we can still have grey, but like flamingo said, stick with warmer tones.

We have terrible linoleum flooring now and 4 other types of flooring on our main floor and I want to replace it all with hardwood someday. Something not too dark but not matching the cabinets- maybe like this

The only updating we’ve done so far is new hardware and it made a huge difference! We went with these www.menards.com/main/bath/bathroom-vanities-cabinets-mirrors/knobs-pulls/hickory-hardware-reg-rotterdam-collection-3-or-76mm-c-c-l-shaped-pull/p3113-obh/p-1444425066658.htm

[vino]

We have the same oak. For the cabinets I’m looking into refacing it and getting quotes this summer. They basically leave the same footprint and inner cabinets and replace the cabinet doors/drawers etc.

I had the backsplash and counters done in 2014.

This is my kitchen, I did greys, the counters a white/black.
Poof

[flamingo]

I love that wood floor color slenle. Ours were a couple shades darker than that and they were beautiful but it showed everything (esp. dog hair ) In our next house, if we have to put down or refinish hardwoods, I'd do something more in that family.

[mwhip]

We took measurements of the counter and backsplash. H said we are going to decide quick, because he knows how I am about these things.

He also suggested/wondered if home Depot has a service we can work with that could come into our house, we would tell them everything we want to do, and see where the cost ends up.

I have anxiety already.

[wedding]

Mar 25, 2018 10:41:41 GMT -6 mwhip said:

We took measurements of the counter and backsplash. H said we are going to decide quick, because he knows how I am about these things.

He also suggested/wondered if home Depot has a service we can work with that could come into our house, we would tell them everything we want to do, and see where the cost ends up.

I have anxiety already.

They do have that service. They were way more expensive than a general contractor though when we did ours in Boston. We did counters, backsplash and paint. We got a GC and she did the backsplash and paint then subbed the counters.

[flamingo]

Mar 25, 2018 10:59:19 GMT -6 wedding said:

Mar 25, 2018 10:41:41 GMT -6 mwhip said:

We took measurements of the counter and backsplash. H said we are going to decide quick, because he knows how I am about these things.

He also suggested/wondered if home Depot has a service we can work with that could come into our house, we would tell them everything we want to do, and see where the cost ends up.

I have anxiety already.

They do have that service. They were way more expensive than a general contractor though when we did ours in Boston. 

Agree with this. You're definitely paying for the convenience, they basically act as the middleman and mark everything up. We did the granite in our entire kitchen for just slightly more than what they quoted for just our bathroom countertop (single piece with 2 sinks). 

We ended up not using a contractor, with my background I felt like I could handle things and it was pretty straight-forward. We went to a fabricator, they came out and measured and gave us the estimate, then we went to a granite yard and picked our material. We wrote one check to the fabricator and they paid the granite people. Bought our sink and gave it to the fabricator so they could pre-cut for that. Then we just hired a tile guy to do our backsplash and had a plumber come out to install the sink/faucet. 

[slenle]

mwhip, we are general contracting our basement project ourselves and I just hope we don’t miss anything! I sometimes wish we would’ve hired someone to take care of it, but dh is sure we can handle it.

[mwhip]

Feels like we were at HD forever...we paid for our carpet and grabbed these granite samples. I have my favorite and H has his. What do you all think against the golden?
Once we decide on granite, then we will pick backsplash.

[klong11]

Of the 3 I would say the middle one. I don't like the large splotches on the first one.

[slenle]

I like the coloring of the first one the best but am don’t love the dark spots. What’s the name of it? I’m curious what it looks like as a large slab

[mwhip]

Mar 25, 2018 16:44:24 GMT -6 slenle said:

I like the coloring of the first one the best but am don’t love the dark spots. What’s the name of it? I’m curious what it looks like as a large slab

That's a good idea...I actually like the more 'imperfections.' So that was my favorite. H originally liked the last one best, but he know likes the middle best. The first and second are $15 per square foot different, which works out to $700.

[vino]

I vote #3, the black and white allow for change in the future in the cabinets, backsplash etc

[mwhip]

vino I think the last one is too white against the golden? If that makes sense. I'm really interested to see what everyone thinks.

slenle I googled both the first and second to see full slabs. Here they are next to each other.

[klong11]

Seeing full slabs I like the first one now.

[trtlcrzy]

I like the 2nd one

[wedding]

3rd. I see we are going to be a huge help!

[lfig]

I like the 3rd also.

[slenle]

Hmm I’m torn. I think I like the second better now. The first seems like it could darken the kitchen too much and it’s very busy.

[SweetPotato]

I like the 2nd better.

We have similar cabinets in our old house and we had green walls in there.

Of course, now we have white cabinets in the kitchen and we still have green walls, so...

[mwhip]

Thanks for all the input! I also sent the pictures to my mom and MIL for their input. MIL didn't like all the gold in the top large slab pic. My mom liked the gold, but said in all the new builds and remodels she's in showing houses, the more simple, the better. Plus the second large slab is the cheaper of all the options, so that's what we'll go with. Now we will have to pick out backsplash.

I'm going to contact someone about refinishing the hardwood floors. We had discussed doing new floor, but that seems like a waste, since the wood all appears to be in good condition, just needs refinished. I'm hoping a professional can come in and tell us what color to finish to compliment the cabinets, but not be so matchy.

[trtlcrzy]

Mar 26, 2018 6:54:44 GMT -6 mwhip said:

Thanks for all the input! I also sent the pictures to my mom and MIL for their input. MIL didn't like all the gold in the top large slab pic. My mom liked the gold, but said in all the new builds and remodels she's in showing houses, the more simple, the better. Plus the second large slab is the cheaper of all the options, so that's what we'll go with. Now we will have to pick out backsplash.

I'm going to contact someone about refinishing the hardwood floors. We had discussed doing new floor, but that seems like a waste, since the wood all appears to be in good condition, just needs refinished. I'm hoping a professional can come in and tell us what color to finish to compliment the cabinets, but not be so matchy.

Don’t forget to take before and after pics for us!

[mwhip]

Mar 26, 2018 6:57:33 GMT -6 trtlcrzy said:

Mar 26, 2018 6:54:44 GMT -6 mwhip said:

Thanks for all the input! I also sent the pictures to my mom and MIL for their input. MIL didn't like all the gold in the top large slab pic. My mom liked the gold, but said in all the new builds and remodels she's in showing houses, the more simple, the better. Plus the second large slab is the cheaper of all the options, so that's what we'll go with. Now we will have to pick out backsplash.

I'm going to contact someone about refinishing the hardwood floors. We had discussed doing new floor, but that seems like a waste, since the wood all appears to be in good condition, just needs refinished. I'm hoping a professional can come in and tell us what color to finish to compliment the cabinets, but not be so matchy.

Don’t forget to take before and after pics for us!

Will do!  I'll take the trash out next time!  Or at least shove it in the laundry room!  Although a bag of trash, next to the trash can, is a very normal look in my house!

[vino]

Great idea to refinish the floors! That’s the nice thing about having real hardwood. It’s way cheaper than getting a complete redo, and you probably dont have to take off the baseboards which is also another huge plus.