Our New Kitchen

Our kitchen is finally finished! I can't tell you how pleased I am with how it turned out. Our contractor, Robert Shotlander, was so patient and went above and beyond to make sure the smallest detail was perfect.

The extension Robert built is perfect and we've eaten every meal there since it was installed. I found the stools at Tuesday Morning. They look identical to the ones I almost ordered for Wisteria, and they were half the price.

I love our new undermount sink and faucet. We were in desperate need of a new sink and faucet, and it's the little things that make all the difference.

 

Stone Interiors installed the marble countertops and they were so professional and easy to work with. I highly recommend using them!

What a before and after! I keep pinching myself when I realize this is our kitchen. Of course, we did it all on a budget. We kept our old appliances and didn't have any major changes to the cabinets, other than painting them and adding the extension. It was worth every penny since this is where we spend most of our time.

Oh, and I have to add...to see what our kitchen really looks like, you can come by any day of the week and see tons of toys on the floor—and bright colored sippy cups and baby food everywhere! All quickly stored away in the pantry for my silly little photo shoot!

Kitchen Stools

Last week it was marble—this week it's the accessories. I've been looking for our kitchen stools and still trying to make a final decision. Our space is limited (40" total width to be exact), so I need something small and compact. Each stool can't be wider than 17" each.

Three design options keep coming back to me:

1) This Industrial Iron Swivel Stool from Wisteria

I do love the idea of adding a simple skirt to the stool. My good friend Shannon Cook has great taste and I always leave her house jealous inspired with ideas for mine. She has similar stools in her kitchen and I've always admired them. See her kitchen below.

2) I also love this slipcover look. The kitchen below, designed by Molly Frey, is one of favorites.

These stools below are from Ballard Designs and are a whopping $349 each, which I find pretty ridiculous for what it is.

These below are much more affordable from Pottery Barn—and I like them better too...

3) I've also thought about using these simple stools from Ballard...

And my mom has these stools and I love them too...

Hmmm...so many options to choose from. But no matter what, I keep coming back to the simple industrial stools from Wisteria. That's probably what I'll end up purchasing, but still not 100% so any suggestions are welcomed.

If I had a bigger space I'd think about something bolder with a comfortable back like these...

And like everything, they're a million ways to do it and they all could work and look great...hopefully!

Carrara Marble

Today is all about Carrara marble. I am in search for the perfect slab—which is easier said than done. I decided I want to use white carrara marble in our kitchen, and since we're currently living in a construction zone, I need to make a decision soon. We traveled to Triton, Alabama last Saturday to see the slabs at the Triton Stone Group. I've heard you know when you find the one, but I'm still not sure if I know. One of the slabs was a little too gray for me, and the other had a large darker gray area.

possibly too gray?

 

I know these are natural stones, but I'm still not crazy about the contrast on the left.

When we got there the cute sales rep/designer said, "Hi, I'm Hadley." I said, "I'm Hadley!" We had so much in common it was beginning to get weird. She was so helpful and said we possibly could avoid the dark gray area and make a large "run" on the island from the section I like. The fabricator is coming out today to do an official template of the kitchen, so we shall see...

 

Carrara marble has rich history.  It has been used in construction and sculptures for centuries.  The Pantheon and Trajan's Column in Rome are constructed out of it.  Michelangelo's David, was carved from Carrara marble. For Michelangelo, Carrara marble was valued above all other stone. 

Above is a picture of the Carrara quarry in Italy.

And since marble is softer than granite, it will scratch and stain easier.  I know I want my marble honed and it is essential to SEAL your marble.

Thankfully while we were there I picked out my white subway tile and grout. One more thing checked off the list. I also picked out our sink and faucet, so now I need to figure out this marble slab. Wish me luck! 

Oh, and in case you want to learn more about marble, I found this blog post and this blog post very helpful.

Kitchen Design - Round 1

Happy Wednesday everyone. To incorporate my "Wednesday Words of Wisdom" posts, I'm featuring  this signed print my mom gave me a few years ago. She had interior designer Suzanne Kasler sign a page from her book Inspired Interiors, and she wrote, "Hadley, Design makes a difference." click here to read more.

I've always loved this and have it hanging next to my desk, along with my favorite John Derian plate and a small abstract painting from the very talented Sarah Otts.

SO...that being said, on to my kitchen! All-things kitchen related have consumed my mind lately. We're in the process of slightly remodeling our kitchen. I've been dreaming about doing this for years, and our changes are minimal but will make a huge impact. Here's what we want to do:

1) Paint cabinets (probably Benjamin Moore Linen White since it's what I used for my desk cabinets in the kitchen, and I love it)

2) New Countertops

3) New sink/fixtures

4) Subway tile backsplash

5) Add a small island/extension with two stools so that people can sit in the kitchen (and so I can sit with Calder and feed her in her high chair)

Here are some kitchens I keep coming back to. I carry pics of these in my little binder and many of these kitchens I've loved for a  l o n g  time.

 

You'll notice a theme here. I love white kitchens and I love carrara marble. It's what I've always been drawn to and have envisioned in our kitchen someday.  However, I'm still open to suggestions because I am a little worried about the maintenance of marble. BUT, I've also heard (and read) many people say the maintenance is not as bad you'd think and they'd buy carrara marble again. 

I've also researched great marble alternatives (such as Cambria quartz counters in torquay). See this post and picture below for more details. But, I have some slabs in my kitchen, and the marble still takes the cake. we shall see...

Any suggestions and comments are welcomed. I'll definitely post pics as we begin and hope to make some progress soon!