Kitchen details and sources

When I posted about the kitchen awhile back, I said I was going to add a source list. Well, I never did, and I also missed a few details I wanted to explain for those of you planning your own future kitchen.

The cement tile is from Cement Tile Shop, and it’s in custom colors (gold and white). The cool thing about Cement Tile Shop is that you don’t pay extra for custom color combos; since they make batches to order, you can get whatever colors you want without an upcharge. I did order samples before placing my order, and I would recommend you do the same. Also, because our order was delayed, the company reduced our bill by 40 percent without me even asking—great customer service.

We sealed the tile before it was installed and afterwards too. Cement is super porous, so regular sealing is important. So far it’s still looking good as new.

Hollyhock art by my sister

One thing I really like about our tile wall is that there aren’t any outlets to interrupt the look visually. Instead of having them in the wall, our electrician mounted them inside the bottom of our floating shelves. We have one outlet on either side of the sink (I’ve circled one in the photo below), and you really can’t see them unless you look hard. These outlets cost more, but they are worth the extra cost if you want a seamless backsplash.

If you want a very clean look for your cabinets, select inset drawer and doors. That means the door fits inside the opening in the cabinet box, rather than sitting on front of the box when closed. We added feet to the cabinets so they’d feel like furniture, and I wanted very simple pulls, so we ordered these black porcelain knobs from Restoration Hardware (now discontinued).

The brick is an old chimney. The original stove vented to this chimney, and once we liberated the brick from the old wall, we definitely wanted to leave it exposed.

The countertops are called venato quartz, and they clean up like a dream. They don’t etch or stain like marble and provide a similar look. But one drawback is that you can’t put hot pots or even Crock-Pots on top because the counters can crack. Hence my Crock-Pot is on top of my stove.

I already mentioned the Frigidaire Professional appliances, and now that I’ve really been cooking and baking, I cannot say enough good things about them. All my baked foods are turning out better than ever—rolls, breadsticks, cookies, you name it. Everything is evenly cooked, and my family is actually eating what I make. Score.

The trim on the hood is deep enough for frames or this tray (that’s a bit too small, but I love it, so oh well), and the hood itself got a subtle plaster finish. To be honest, it’s a bit too subtle to justify the cost, so I’d skip it if I did the project over.

We chose butcher block for the island, and I highly recommend it. The kitchen feels so much warmer with that big expanse of wood. For a more custom look, our contractor recommended butcher-block ends (see how the short end has a piece of wood running the opposite direction?), and he was right. It looks good.

In other news, I’ve purchased a boatload of foam, and we are getting ready to make cushions for the breakfast nook. Here are the fabric swatches I’m considering (which one do you like best?):

Any questions? Let me know. •

Source list

Tile: Atlas II in gold and white

Sconces: Wayfair Hancock wall sconce

Pendants: Rejuvenation Baldwin 6″

Countertops: Venato quartz

Appliances: Frigidaire Professional

Hardware: Rejuvenation (discontinued)

Faucet: Kohler Simplice in matte black

Cabinet color: Benjamin Moore Acadia White

Wall color: Sherwin-Williams Alabaster

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