My kitchen is finished!

[Robb]

With the pulling off of the last of the blue masking tape, this sucker is done.



Finally, the chef's kitchen I've been designing in my mind for years. It works perfectly, everything where I need it, tons of space, easy to clean, and social enough to cook for my friends while they drink my wine.

I tell ya. I'm fortunate to have enough experience building stuff, and could do all the gas and water piping myself, I made it actually affordable. The kitchen has always been the hearth in my house, and now it's a working hearth.

...So what do I make for dinner? :)

[nini]

1. I'm jealous...

looks fantastic! I love the dark granite top..

[eyesroll]

2. Oooh...that's a beauty!

I don't know if you're a meat eater or not, but that kitchen screams out to me: Steaks, seared on a very hot cast-iron skillet and finished up in the oven. Maybe something seasonal on the side (tomato & fresh basil? corn?). Big, hearty read wine in oversized glasses.

[radwriter0555]

3. Marry me?

please?

Although I don't look good in red. Can we do a different finish on that wall that flatters my skin a bit more?

I love you.

[radwriter0555]

17. Did I mention I CAN COOK? No, I mean COOK... Anything, specializing

in mexican and italian cuisines... and baking. Good old-fashioned cakes, cookies, souffles...

I can melt yer chocolate baby...

[flamingyouth]

4. I'll do the dishes

And I'll bring whatever you want to cook!

Oh, please, please, please, just let me run my hands over that granite countertop!

[GOPisEvil]

5. Damn!!! That is one fine kitchen!

I'm jealous! Envious, too!

[wtmusic]

6. You rock Robb

Starting mine next Wednesday.

You got the granite going...cool. Is that a Jenn-Air cooktop? Looks like the one we're getting.

Oven? Fridge?

[Robb]

7. On granite...

It's got these little flecks in it that reflect blue. The granite was one thing where I sorta wish I hadn't said "I'll help".... I'd never seen it done before. Basically, the guy came out once, did a ton of measurements (and made me promise not to move the base cabinets), and came back later with three big finished slabs in the back of a F350 truck.

Heaviest thing I've ever lifted. And there's little in construction stinkier than the epoxy you use to join it together.

Appliances are all GE, all last year's floor models, so they're nicer than I had intended originally. Except I knew I wanted to splurge on the cooktop... the big center burner puts out wok-level heat, and the simmer... oh, the simmer. I can put a chunk of chocolate on a piece of paper, set it the burner, and melt the chocolate without burning up the paper. I simmered a Cuban bean thingy yesterday for about seven hours.

The greatest thing about almost being a third generation plumber is fearlessness. Gas pipe is the easiest thing in the world to put together (especially if you get Home Despot to thread it for you). And the downdraft behind the cooktop is totally James Bond. A button hidden under the counter raises it and turns it on at a single push. Of course, running that big rectangular ducting down the cabinets and into the space behind the toekick meant by the time I was done, there was more hole than cabinet, so I had to reinforce the poor old things.

...I'm this gushing about a kitchen, lord help those around me when I have children.

[wtmusic]

14. LOL

Good for you man. I wish I was that handy.

I'm not really helping out except with demo. This kitchen we have now...the stove has to be lit with a charcoal lighter, the oven door falls off, and the microwave SPARKS!! Great for company. I will thoroughly enjoy getting primal with a sledgehammer.

I love to cook too. Really looking forward to appliances that work.

[Don_G]

8. Beautiful Work

Looks like you put a lot of time and effort in both the design and the work.

[Lorien]

9. Beautiful! Now can you

come over and do something with my kitchen? it hasn't changed since 1945! ;-)

Really top notch work-it looks like a magazine spread! Now for dinner; maybe some pasta with pesto, grilled chicken and vegatables?

:toast:

[caledesi]

10. What a gorgeour kitchen. I am so jealous.

If there is one thing I love, it's a nice kitchen. Yours is a lot like my dream kitchen. Love the red on the wall and the plain windows. What color appliances? Stainless? I see you have the beautiful stainless cooktop.

[trof]

11. Rowdyboy has 20 lbs. of mushrooms.

Maybe y'all can get together and come up with something?
Beautiful kitchen.
How many meals did you have to eat out before it was finished?

[Xithras]

12. What did it cost?

First, let me congratulate you...that's a gorgeous kitchen. I'm thinking about doing a remodel myself, but I'm not sure about the overall costs. My construction experience is limited to framing, drywall, and electrical, so I'm sure I'd have to contract out a bit more than you did, but I'd be curious to know how much it cost you to put that all together.

[trof]

13. Especially the countertop?

How many feet & how much $?

[catpower2000]

15. It's absolutely GORGEOUS...

Great job! I vote for a huge salad and pasta with a lightly sauteed vegetable sauce. You'll have fun chopping all those veggies on that countertop!

Cat

[Robb]

16. NEVER cut on stone!

The granite will be fine, but your knives! Ach! One carrot and you might as well flip the knife over and cut with the other side!

I think my stone guy was something like $16/foot, although it was something of a sweetheart deal (our wives work together), and I know I saved him money on paying some kid to break his back bringing it all in! We haven't done a total yet, but I think the biggest things were the appliances (which is good, I hear) and the stone. If anyone wants to know the best places to get cabs and cab doors, PM me, I researched the heck out of it and cut the cost in half from my first estimate.

Went with stainless, because I know from the restaurant it's easy to keep clean (and sanitary). And so far it's been true -- and boy, have I made messes! The deep sink is great because it'll hold so many dishes, walk five feet away and they're out of sight!

Happy to say we ate no meals out because of the kitchen disaster area... actually, my big coup was that we only were without a kitchen sink for a single day, thanks to a few 2x4s and some outlandish plumbing solutions. Actually, I had several inspired moments that saved money and hassle -- and clearly, I'm proud as punch. :)