We’re five weeks into our kitchen renovation and have taken this room down to the studs, jackhammered out the floor tile and the concrete slab in the eat-in area, put in a new wider window, rewired and replumbed the whole space (including fixing wacky findings like a working water spigot buried in our kitchen floor), added steel beams to resupport our sagging ceiling, spray foam insulated, muddled through two Nor’easters leaving us without power for days, and…. FINALLY we get to start putting this baby back together!
It might not look like much but #1 we are DONE with creating the incessant dust that’s been traveling all over our house on the daily (that’s huge!), #2 I’m pretty close to getting that washer and dryer back into place and hooked up (being without them for three weeks has been a challenge), and #3 I’m pumped to start putting everything back together and see my months of planning come to life! Ready to check out all of the pretties that are soon going into this space? (post includes affiliate links – full disclosure statement available {here})
Before we jump in, a huge thanks to the brands I’m partnering with on this renovation including MasterBrand, Monogram, Caesarstone, Blanco, and Serena & Lily. I researched all of my kitchen options to the nth degree and approached these brands after deciding they were the best fit for my space – the fact that they shared my vision for this kitchen remodel and were on board for collaborating is truly an honor. So with that, let’s kick things off with the big three – cabinets, countertops, and appliances:
Cabinets
I shared all of the details of my kitchen cabinets and design plan a few weeks back {here} but in case you missed it, I’m using MasterBrand Cabinets’ Diamond line in a simple Shaker style called “Montgomery”. My island cabinets are going to be a dark gray (“Moonstone”) and the rest of my cabinets will be white. Both the style of the cabinets and the colors that I chose will create the stylish yet clean-lined and timeless look that I love! And I’m just as excited about the features packed inside the cabinets as what’s on the outside – from the paper towel holder recessed above my pull-out trash can to the built-in vacuum and toekick drawer in my island, the iPad holder that swings down from an upper cabinet by my range, and the outlet tucked away in a drawer that will be perfect for a hidden charging station.
Appliances
I chose Monogram appliances for my kitchen and detailed the many reasons why in {this post} but the bottom line is that they’re the perfect combination of looks (their soon-to-be-mine range makes my heart skip a beat!) and functionality. A few of the features I’m most excited about include the built-in griddle and reversible burner grates of the range (for wok cooking), the drop-down tray and quick space shelf for flexible storage in the refrigerator, and the bottle jets in the dishwasher that are perfect for cleaning water bottles (which I will be SO glad to not have to hand wash anymore!). These beauties are scheduled to be delivered in just a little over a week and I seriously can’t wait!
Countertops
For years I had planned on going with marble countertops for my future kitchen renovation because they’re so incredibly gorgeous but after using them in the master bathroom renovation that we did in our old house, I quickly realized that they aren’t for me. With marble, marks and etchings occur over time and some people are totally fine with that but honestly it drove me a bit crazy. I didn’t want to have to baby my countertops and always be worried about my family doing something that might leave a permanent mark on them so I set out to find the best marble look-alike countertops in quartz to get the look that I love in a material that’s scratch & stain resistant and lower maintenance. These were my five final contenders including the one I decided to go with, Caesarstone’s Statuario Maximus:
Statuario Maximus has both light and dark gray veining in it that compliments my gray island cabinetry so beautifully. And looking at it side by side with true marble, I love it every bit as much so it’s a total win-win!
Flooring
I was all over the place when trying to figure out my flooring and considered several different options including tile, hardwoods, and engineered hardwood flooring. Our kitchen abuts both the dining room and the hallway by our home office which both have hardwood flooring that’s yellowed over time so I didn’t want to match it for our kitchen but did want to install something that complemented it. I ended up choosing Hallmark Floor’s Alta Vista flooring in Malibu which is a total stunner! There’s some variation in wood tone from piece to piece and it picks up just enough of the tones in our flooring abutting it to make it flow well even though it’s a totally different flooring look. My friend Sita Montgomery used this exact flooring in one of her recent design projects and I couldn’t love the look of it more (check out more images of Sita’s beautiful design project {here}):
Can you see why I’m totally smitten? We actually just got our floors installed right as I was wrapping up writing this post and I can’t help but give you all a little sneak peek:
Love! You can get more details about Hallmark’s Alta Vista flooring (including their other stain options) {here}.
Lighting
The low ceilings in our kitchen (only about 7 1/2 feet) played a big role in my kitchen lighting choices since I wanted pendants over my kitchen island that are open and airy to keep your eye moving around the room. I ended up choosing two of these Darlana pendants (size small) in gilded iron that are available {here} or {here}:
These beauties aren’t exactly cheap – I kept going back and forth about whether to take the plunge or go with one of these three less expensive but very similar pendants:
Since the 1st alternative option doesn’t come in gold, the size of the second one is too large for my space, and the third has a curved detail to the candlestick base that I didn’t like quite as much, in the end I decided to spend more to get exactly what I wanted and went with my original choice.
While the Darlana pendants are the only light fixtures in the kitchen, my electrician installed the wiring for a pendant over our kitchen table in our nearby eat-in area too. I chose {this beautiful capiz pendant} that I’ve been eyeing forever:
I think it compliments my kitchen pendants so beautifully! And one last change – for the recessed lighting in my kitchen, my electrician switched out my old ginormous recessed lights for smaller new LED ones. And most importantly, he actually took the time to listen to my rant of how the LEDs I’ve tried so far are either too warm or too cool (do you guys think so too or is it just me?!) and he came up with a 3000 Kelvin option that is the Goldilocks of LEDs (not too warm or cool) so I’m totally loving that.
Sink
Our old kitchen had a teeny stainless sink that wasn’t big enough to wash things like cookie sheets so I was all about going big with the sink in our new kitchen. I decided on Blanco’s new Cerana II farmhouse sink available {here}. It’s a 33-incher which is about double the size of my old sink, is super durable, and has a reversible design with square corners on one end and rounded corners on the other so you can choose which style works best in your space.
Isn’t it beautiful! And I think it’s even big enough that I can start giving Hope her baths in here instead of bending over the bathtub which will be a nice change. You can check out more details about my future sink on Blanco’s site {here}
Faucet & Pot Filler
I’d love your advice on this one since I haven’t pulled the trigger on my faucet yet. I’ve fallen in love with {this Kohler bridge faucet} because it’s the perfect combination of classic and modern BUT I’m just not 100% sure about the two handle thing. My past kitchen faucets have always been single handle ones so I’m not sure whether switching to a two knob faucet is going to drive me a little nuts. For those of you who have tried a bridge faucet or other two-handled kitchen faucet, what do you think?
What I’m not questioning at all is my decision about a pot filler – I’m going with {this Kohler pot filler} that’s pretty much the cutest thing ever:
I’ve never had a pot filler and to be totally honest, I actually want it more for the way it looks than for the function of it. Just don’t tell my husband – he’s on a need to know basis for the purchase of that sucker. 🙂
Counterstools
I loved the bar seating we had in our old kitchen and can’t wait to have it back! Picking barstools was easy because I’ve been eyeing these beauties (the Riviera counter stools in Fog available {here}) for a long time – they ‘ll add warmth while also tying in the two cabinet colors – they couldn’t be more perfect!
Tile
Can you believe that I still haven’t made a final decision about my backsplash tile? I’m having the hardest time committing! I’m pretty sure that I’m going with a white subway tile for most of the backsplash – either a white ceramic or Thassos (pure white marble). But I’d like to add some decorative tile behind the range and there are so many pretty options – right now, Walker Zanger’s Villa D’Oro Granada is the front runner:
Beyond gorgeous and so me! I’m pretty sure this is “the one” but for some reason when I find exactly what I’m looking for right away, it seems too good to be true and I feel obligated to look a bit more just to be sure. #weirddesignhangup But you guys love it too, right?!
Accessories
And wrapping things up, we’ve got all of the fun accessories from the cabinet hardware, eat-in area artwork and pillows, kitchen hand towels, and all sorts of other goodies. I’m going to wait until the cabinets and countertops are in before making a lot of my final choices but these are a few of the accessories that I’m currently planning on:
I’m excited to keep this kitchen project moving along and see my design board come to life! It’s been so fun having you all to share my excitement with – thanks as always for following along and enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Update!!! My Kitchen Renovation is Done! Hop over to my kitchen reveal post {here} to see how it turned out!
One handle kitchen sink!!! Cannot stress enough. I kept burning my hands when I had 2 knobs. I will never go back, bath or kitchen. Everything looks really pretty.
Thanks so much for your input Maureen!
Lovely! Where did you place your microwave? We currently have ours over the stove and I’m rethinking that location. Any suggestions? My kitchen is small. Thank you!
I bought a Monogram microwave drawer that’s going in my island!
Your design is SO GOOD! Im loving the tile you chose for behind your range. Stunning!
We put in a 2-handled bridge faucet when we remodeled (much to my hubby’s chagrin as he insisted on a 1-handled faucet for practicality reasons). It ended up working out just fine and I don’t fine it annoying or inconvenient at all. In case you’re wondering, we went with the Moen Waterhill faucet with the sprayer. Love!
Thanks Julie! That’s great to know! I actually like having a separate sprayer rather than one that comes from the faucet head so that’s one reason why I’m considering it! Love the one you chose!
Can I suggest a two stove wall oven? I have one in my renovated kitchen and love it. The top part is microwave and convection oven. This way I can cook two different things at different temperatures. It’s a clean look with the regular oven and microwave as one unit.
Love all your picks! It’s going to be soooo good once it’s finished and you can sit back and stare at all the beauty.
Thanks Joanna! That’s what I had before our renovation and I totally agree – now I don’t think I could ever live without a second oven! Luckily my new range has two and then we’ll have our microwave in the island.
OMG!! Kris, the special back splash tile is gorgeous. Yes, yes, yes, use it!
I’m veeeery excited to watch your new kitchen come together.
Thanks Lynn! That’s how I feel about that tile too 🙂
Love, love, love that tile. Where did you find it? We are in the middle of a kitchen remodel and I have to have it!
Hi Morgan – it’s from Walker Zanger – you can find a dealer location near you on their website!
Did you go with that backsplash? I LOVE it but am concerned about clean up? I want to put it though out the kitchen backsplash not just above the range. What are your thoughts?
Yes I did! You can see my kitchen reveal here: https://www.drivenbydecor.com/gray-white-kitchen-remodel/ I simply sealed the backsplash with the same sealer that I sealed my grout with!
Everything that you have chosen looks so so good. Concerning that faucet, it’s a beauty! I bet you will love it. I know it is not the same thing but I have separate faucets in my bathtub and I like that the hot water heats up fast but I only use it when I clean the bathtub, ha!
That’s a good point actually! I have two handles in our bathroom faucet and honestly that doesn’t bother me a bit!
Everything, I just love everything!! The Dalarna Pendant has been a favorite of mine, forever so I think you made the right choice! 😉 You will love the Toe Kick drawers as I have them for my less often used things and find that they help my kitchen to be so much more efficient!! Regarding the faucet, every time my hands are messy, I’m so thankful for my easy single lever that I can adjust with my wrist or elbow. Just something to think about. And your 33” sink, yep, it’ll be a life changer!! #itsthelittlethings
So good to hear that you have and love the toe kick drawers! And that’s for your input on the faucet – i’m still so torn!
Yes, the 2 handles would drive you crazy!
Thanks for weighing in!
Yes to that accent tile!! LOVE
It’s gorgeous isn’t it – I think it’s “the one”!
Kris,
What great choices! I love the look of the bridge faucets, and they’re certainly the favorite everywhere online, but I agree, the single handle faucet seems so easy. I have a good friend that just redid her kitchen and selected the faucet that you just touch some part of it to turn it on. Last report was it as taking some getting used to!
I know you’ll select well, you have such good research skills and patience. It looks to be fabulous based on your latest report. 🙂
xo,
Karen
Karen thanks so much – you’re the sweetest!
Love everything you chose. I have the Darlana and love it! I also have a bridge faucet by Perrin and Rowe and love it. Doesn’t annoy me at all. Actually I get annoyed washing dishes at houses with one faucet Bc I can never figure out way to turn faucet to get hot/cold. Plus love the look of a bridge faucet. Love the tile for the range area to break up classic subway. It’s going to look amazing! Good luck! Can’t wait to see the final result!
It’s funny you say that because even on my own one handle kitchen faucet, I still mix up which way to turn it! Thanks so much for your input!
Ahhhhh I love this post and everything you’ve chosen! It’s all going to be beautiful together, I can’t wait to see the progression!!
Thanks so much Lisa!!
This is a masterfully presented post – so well done. Your kitchen idea photos are a real inspiration. I love the blending of warm and gray. Best wishes for a smooth running project
Can you provide more information about the drawer pulls?
Hi Dori! Sure – if you look at the end of the post under “Accessories”, you can click any of those images (including the hardware) and it will take you directly to the source!
One thing to consider with white tile is if the tile is sealed against staining! My family went with a smooth marble tile, and turned out it hadn’t been sealed, so it soaked up stains in only a year. Had to be totally replaced. 🙁
Ugh! That must have been so frustrating! I appreciate the heads up!
Your new kitchen will be gorgeous! I just (last week) moved into our new house and I used the knobs from Anthropologie in my M. bath. They are stunning and I get so many compliments on them, however; last week i was in Hobby Lobby and found the same knob (on their 50% off sale) for $5!!! Just thought I would give you the heads up on that one!
Thanks Sheri! I’ve seen those and the only issue is that they were a little smaller – that might be just fine for my kitchen though. I’ll have to take another look at them – thank you!!
This is so exciting!! Love all your choices, Kris.
Thank you! I’m so excited to finish it up!
Wow, beautiful. Very classy and comfortable looking. Made me want to take a nap.
I love that you looked at many options and shared them all, it gives me the ability to see your process and what you were considering. Thanks for sharing your ideas.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the post! Thank you!!
I’ve forgotten how I found your blog ( On Sutton Place?), but I feel like you are inside my head!! I have so enjoyed reading about your kitchen remodel. My husband and I have decided to finally build our ranch house. (Gulp!!) Never done this before. But you had me hooked when you were discussing quartz countertops that look like marble- exactly what I want. Can’t wait to see how wonderful your kitchen looks!!
I love Ann from On Sutton Place – she’s great! I’m glad you’re enjoying following along and hope you get some inspiration for your new home! I’m jealous you’re doing a new build!
I would go with a one handle faucet in your kitchen. I have two handle faucets in my bathroom and they can drive me crazy!
Thanks so much for your input Nancy!
Love your choices all except the 2 handle faucet. It looks lovely but totally impractical for a kitchen, especially as you have kids. I wouldn’t like marble for the same reasons you stated and I’d hate to constantly wipe those handles as I’m a neat freak. Growing up we had those faucets in the bathroom and as kids we were drilled to turn the cold on first, then the hot so we wouldn’t scald ourselves. Stick with one handle, you’ll stay sane.
Thanks so much for your input Sarah!
I LOVE your new kitchen! I recently did my kitchen over & am still not finished decorating it. Like you, I’ll know it when I see it, but it’s been loads of fun doing it. My do-over has been a long time coming, so I don’t want to rush into anything. Enjoy your beautiful new kitchen! It will be finished before you know it! And definitely worth the wait!
It’s definitely a process isn’t it?! I feel the same that I want to take my time and do it right!
I would highly recommend a Grohe kitchen faucet single handle. We’ve had ours for almost 15 years and have never had a problem.
Thanks for your input Rose!
Paper towels hidden is a great idea, but in reality opening nd cosing he pull out cabinet
Actually the paper towel roll isn’t hidden or covered – it’s accessible without opening the lower cabinet.
i love the backsplash tile. And man i picked the wrong profession – so amazing to get so much of your kitchen for free.
Thanks Diane – I’m glad you like the tile because I finally pulled the trigger on it this week! I’m definitely lucky to have a job that I love and that allows me to work with the brands I love but there’s seven years of endless hours of work (the first three of which I was working a second job) and thousands of dollars on blog hosting, photography equipment, etc. to get to the point that I’m at today.
It is looking AMAZING!, I knew you when…..
Okay, DYING over that tile you’re considering for behind the range!!! It is amazing and I truly hope it is the chosen one! All of your selections are so you and so perfect! You are incredibly talented my friend!
Thanks Jen – I’ve got all the heart eyes for that tile too!!!
Your kitchen is amazing! I love all your choices! I wanted to ask a question about the LED recessed lighting you chose. What brand/model/size did you end up going with? Also, are they dimmable? (I read somewhere that not all LED’s are.) I am replacing all recessed lights in my kitchen and adding some too. Thanks so much!! (I think I’ll use the Benjamin Moore ceiling paint you recommended too.)
Hi Elizabeth! They’re from the Philips Lightolier series and they are dimmable (you’re right that a lot of LEDs are not!)