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Kitchen Remodel
#1
This is probably not the first damn question I'm going to have for all of you so cluck, cluck, I decided to start my own thread. Dramaqueen

I haven't yet met with the designer but I got the following email from her today and I'm already paralyzed.

There is a ceaserstone product called desert limestone. It looks like real limestone and lends itself to the Tuscan look. Granite can work with the right color and movement but it is very limiting in what you do with your backsplash. Marble can work. but is an absolutely nightmare to care for. Check it out when/if you are in kitchen stores. I have used it many times and it continues to please. Your counters are one of the first things to think about. Make sure you love it.

It looks like this product is a quartz which I thought was the cheap stuff used in the 70's or something. Halp?

I just tried to compare them online (Granite/Quartz) and found this:

Which Counter Top Material is Better?
When considering all the pros and cons, most people--myself and most professionals included--agree that:

Granite is the best of all counter tops materials
Quartz is a very close second
A popular "Consumer" magazine rates quartz as the best surface, and that is fine, although they fail to include or compare repairs of each surface.


Apparently granite is easier to repair but that type of damage is unlikely. Hmmmm....
Commando Cunt Queen
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#2
Will granite survive the slamming of a harder skull onto its surface? When it happens and the granite cracks do you need to replace the entire slab?
He ain't heavy, he's my brother.
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#3
(10-17-2014, 11:55 AM)username Wrote: A popular "Consumer" magazine rates quartz as the best surface, and that is fine, although they fail to include or compare repairs of each surface.


I'm going to assume that the magazine they are referring to is Consumer Reports. I view that magazine as God and believe everything they state. They are working for you the consumer, and they take no advertising dollars so that their opinions remain pure and unbiased. This is only my opinion but if they are telling you that quartz is the best surface you can believe it.
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#4
I never thought about the backsplash until one day I knocked over a flower vase trying to catch a dish that fell out of the cupboard as I was reaching for a glass. The water was everywhere and I was glad it didn't go behind the counter. Nothing broke and I got away with cleaning it up before anyone noticed. I bought a lottery ticket that day but didn't win anything. luck is funny like that.
I did notice that when buying cabinets you have to be careful to get the ones that have a continuous shelf along the entire shelf wall. Today they sell these shelf compartments that come in boxes so when you put things in them they are separated by each wall of the compartment. Sometimes your better off getting a finish carpenter to frame the cabinets and then face them. A continuous shelf gives you more room to move things around in so you can organize the space better. I almost want to tear mine out and am kicking myself in the ass because I have less space in the same area now.
He ain't heavy, he's my brother.
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#5
Do you want a Tuscan look? You should go and look at both types in person. Go to some kitchen stores and HD and Lowes and decide what type of kitchen you want. Light wood, dark wood, are you changing the layout of your kitchen? Maybe make a rough sketch of the layout you would like. First decide what look you're going for. Then what budget are you working with? Do you need new appliances? Can you reuse your old cabinets and recace them or are they crap?

Get a binder and fill it with paper and tabs. Counter, cabinets, floor, appliances, wall color, ect. Make notes of what you want and don't want. Where you saw what you want and the price. The more work you do yourself, the less you have to pay the designer and more you have for actual product.
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#6
(10-17-2014, 12:14 PM)Maggot Wrote: I never thought about the backsplash until one day I knocked over a flower vase trying to catch a dish that fell out of the cupboard as I was reaching for a glass. The water was everywhere and I was glad it didn't go behind the counter. Nothing broke and I got away with cleaning it up before anyone noticed. I bought a lottery ticket that day but didn't win anything. luck is funny like that.
I did notice that when buying cabinets you have to be careful to get the ones that have a continuous shelf along the entire shelf wall. Today they sell these shelf compartments that come in boxes so when you put things in them they are separated by each wall of the compartment. Sometimes your better off getting a finish carpenter to frame the cabinets and then face them. A continuous shelf gives you more room to move things around in so you can organize the space better. I almost want to tear mine out and am kicking myself in the ass because I have less space in the same area now.

I've NEVER thought about back splashes either although I have noticed some pretty, decorative ones. But I don't recall seeing granite as a tall back splash so I guess what she's saying makes sense. Right now the ugly tile I have covers the wall between the range and range hood so, yeah, I guess I gotta think about that.

Good tip on the cabinetry. I did the opposite in my upstairs bathroom. I bought an inexpensive, pre-made vanity that has no vertical wood between the compartments. BUT, it's not one long shelf--it's a mix of drawers on either side with a center compartment. Bottom line, something from the center cupboard can fall behind or into one of the drawers and vice versa. Oops
Commando Cunt Queen
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#7
(10-17-2014, 12:15 PM)ramseycat Wrote: Do you want a Tuscan look? You should go and look at both types in person. Go to some kitchen stores and HD and Lowes and decide what type of kitchen you want. Light wood, dark wood, are you changing the layout of your kitchen? Maybe make a rough sketch of the layout you would like. First decide what look you're going for. Then what budget are you working with? Do you need new appliances? Can you reuse your old cabinets and recace them or are they crap?

Get a binder and fill it with paper and tabs. Counter, cabinets, floor, appliances, wall color, ect. Make notes of what you want and don't want. Where you saw what you want and the price. The more work you do yourself, the less you have to pay the designer and more you have for actual product.


The designer is a flat rate of $100/hr. (and I don't think the clock starts ticking until she comes out). What I'll end up with is a plan that I can take to a contractor, cabinet shop, appliance store etc. I absolutely plan to change the current design and basically gut everything. The only decent appliance I have right now is a Thermador double oven (and even that's 6-7 years old). Everything else will get replaced and I'm FINALLY going to move from an electric range to gas (hooray!!!).

My current kitchen is U shaped. If you open the refrigerator, nobody can get behind you because the counter is right behind your ass. It's gotta be reconfigured.

I'm leaning towards a light to medium wood but then again, of all the areas in my house, my kitchen gets the most day light so I could potentially go dark on the cabinetry but...I don't think so. I don't know! The possibilities are endless. Panic

I am compiling pics I like but they vary widely in cabinet colors and such. The only common denominator that I've found is warm, warm, warm. I like warm, natural colors.
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#8
Some cabinet shops will take the square footage and design one for you for free. They usually have lots of prints from past jobs and are more than happy to give you 3-4 different scenarios without costing a dime. I do lots of HVAC layouts for free just for the chance to land a job.
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#9
(10-17-2014, 12:02 PM)Duchess Wrote:
(10-17-2014, 11:55 AM)username Wrote: A popular "Consumer" magazine rates quartz as the best surface, and that is fine, although they fail to include or compare repairs of each surface.


I'm going to assume that the magazine they are referring to is Consumer Reports. I view that magazine as God and believe everything they state. They are working for you the consumer, and they take no advertising dollars so that their opinions remain pure and unbiased. This is only my opinion but if they are telling you that quartz is the best surface you can believe it.

I'm going to go see some of the counter tops. I gather ceasarstone comes in limited colors but this is kind of pretty...right? lol. While apparently sealing granite isn't that big of a deal and not all granite needs to be sealed (I'm learning this as a type), one of the benefits of the quartz is it doesn't require even that maintenance and you can use a little SoftScrub on it or whatever without damage.


[Image: 9350-05_960_zpsb29bce74.jpg]
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#10
I like the countertops that has a "lip" along the edge so if anything spills it has a better chance of staying on the counter and off the floor. It only takes a very slight tilt to make liquid go where you want it to go. Tubs have a tilt towards the drain but you don't see it.
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#11
(10-17-2014, 12:59 PM)username Wrote: I'm going to go see some of the counter tops. I gather ceasarstone comes in limited colors but this is kind of pretty...right? lol. While apparently sealing granite isn't that big of a deal and not all granite needs to be sealed (I'm learning this as a type), one of the benefits of the quartz is it doesn't require even that maintenance and you can use a little SoftScrub on it or whatever without damage.


You're going to have so much fun choosing your new kitchen. Smiley_emoticons_smile

I do think that's pretty, I'm drawn to earth tones, they are my favorite.

Sealing the granite & caring for it properly is not a big deal, it's as simple as using any spray cleaner. I have a can each of the cleaner & sealer and I use them as needed.

I made some mistakes in my kitchen but they are things I've learned to live with. I no longer care for my floor and I don't like the butcher block on the island other than that I'm okay with growing old with the rest of it.
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#12
My granite counter tops are similar looking to what you posted above. You should ask her about the ones that don't need sealing because apparently that's what I have. I've never sealed them and I don't even use a special cleaner, just dish soap and water. They look as new and shiny as they did when I had them put in 5 years ago.

[Image: 53a35dd7-75f8-4270-9d98-2dc584b2a541_zpsae8e0606.jpg]
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#13
I'm glad you posted that. Your kitchen has the colors I'm leaning towards. What are your cabinets made of and what is the stain? What'd you do for back splashes? Huh?

More pics, please.

ETA: where's your cabinet hardware? I want some pretty drawer pulls and shit.
Commando Cunt Queen
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#14
The reason I didn't get the lip along the edges is because I use to clean for an old bitch that made me clean them with a tooth brush. I guess it brought back bad memories.
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#15
I don't like the flat backsplash on the granite tops. I would think that if they can cut a molded shape into the edge of the granite countertop they could make a radius cut into the backsplash and rabbit it into the granite top. The thought of any moisture getting into that corner kinda bugs me. Any crack or seam is a place where mold could begin to form along the wall behind it, no matter how much caulking you put behind it.
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#16
The cabinets are maple and the stain is toffee. The back splash is granite. I didn't want the cabinets too dark or light so that's why I went with the maple. But I've seen some kitchens in magazines that make me wish I would have gone with cherry wood instead.
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#17
It never fails, You look and shop and try to get the perfect thing going on and when its all done there is always something that you bite your lip over doing wrong. I might be wrong but most women go with the stain and the colors never looking at the grain pattern to see if its even the correct wood for the color. A maple cabinet stained cherry might go unnoticed to the woman's eye and most men actually.
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#18
(10-17-2014, 12:58 PM)Maggot Wrote: Some cabinet shops will take the square footage and design one for you for free. They usually have lots of prints from past jobs and are more than happy to give you 3-4 different scenarios without costing a dime. I do lots of HVAC layouts for free just for the chance to land a job.

I originally went to a custom kitchen/cabinet store but after trading a few phone calls we never connected. They probably would have done that but I like the fact that this woman I'm using doesn't make a dime more if I choose the top of the line, best of everything or decide to pinch pennies here and there. She gets no benefit for upselling me.

If I were more edumucated on the subject I probably wouldn't need that but I'm a sucker ready to be plucked.

Cluck, cluck.
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#19
No your not, you just think you are.
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#20
(10-17-2014, 01:41 PM)sally Wrote: The cabinets are maple and the stain is toffee. The back splash is granite. I didn't want the cabinets too dark or light so that's why I went with the maple. But I've seen some kitchens in magazines that make me wish I would have gone with cherry wood instead.

Do you have a taller backsplash between your range and hood?

More pics, please. Nag, nag, nag.
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