Kitchen Products and Sources: Where I Saved & Splurged

I'm so grateful for all of the positive feedback on my kitchen renovation!  You know who you are, so thank you!  One reader asked for a list of products I used, and although none of the materials and finishes are out-of-this-world, I'd love to share what made this kitchen come together.

Where I Saved:

Appliances - its so hard to pinpoint a budget for appliances because there is such a vast range of options available.  I knew I wanted stainless steel, but I certainly didn't have the budget for "professional style" models.  Enter ApplianceSmart.  This is a great place to find rock-bottom deals on quality appliances, but the key is to check often because the selection is constantly changing due to factory close-outs, last year's models, etc.  They also carry brand new, but I scored big because I bought previous year's models on all of my appliances.  The gas range is a Jenn-Air, similar to this one and the fridge is an Electrolux Icon.  I'm not going to talk too much about specific prices in this post, but I will divulge this one little steal--that fridge is a pro-style appliance, originally priced at $3000.  We got it for $900 as a floor model that they were getting rid of!  I felt like I won the lottery that day.  All in all, it took us about 6 months to "hunt" for these deals and get what we wanted, but it was completely worth it.

Floor Plan/Layout - I worked hard to make the new space functional and open, but knew I wanted to maintain all of the existing plumbing and appliance locations in order to save on labor costs.  By keeping the gas lines, plumbing and ventilation in the same spots, we saved significantly over what it would have cost to move everything and start from scratch.  Also, when we took down the wall between the dining room and kitchen, we discovered a large plumbing stack running to the second floor.  Instead of moving it, we enclosed it, and the resulting "wall" looks planned (in the photo below), and like it was part of the design from the beginning.

Backsplash Tile - this was a bit of a last-minute splurge for me, but still a major save.  I'd orginally planned on doing simple white ceramic subway tiles with a dark gray grout, but after the countertops went in, I thought everything was looking too static and needed some visual texture.  These 2 x 8 Carrara marble tiles were the perfect choice, and at under $10/square foot, they didn't break the bank.  The impact is just what I was after.

 Lighting - I waffled over lighting choices for so long--I needed some pendants that were smaller in scale, but I still wanted something cool.  The ones I chose are "just fine", but I consider them stand-ins until I find what I'm really after.  They're from Home Depot ($45 each), and will suit the space until I pull the trigger and get something nicer......like this little favorite from Quoizel:

Moveable Island - One of my favorite finds.  I was frustrated at the cost of having one custom built, so I started searching IKEA for some "small space solutions", and couldn't have found a better piece.  To make it look a bit more unique, I found a small Venatino Marble remnant at a countertop fabricator, and had it cut to size for this piece.
TIP:  Many stone fabricators have remnant yards with various sized pieces available at a fraction of the slab price.  You can often find exotic and unique stones, and if you have a small area to cover, it can be worth it to look through remnant selections--you never know what you'll find!

Fixtures and Hardware - I found great deals online for plumbing fixtures, and chose this pull out spray faucet by Delta in polished chrome:

I chose cabinet hardware in a polished nickel finish, and love the look and feel of these pieces from Amerock's Highland Ridge collection:

 Okay, now for Where I Splurged:

Custom cabinetry - I'm calling this a splurge because its "custom built" to exactly fit my kitchen, however, the cabinet costs were actually very reasonable.  Custom cabinetry can range in price greatly from shop to shop, and the bells, whistles, and extra features are what often drive costs.  I wanted a unique door style with a shallow panel profile and wide stiles and rails, and I got what I wanted through a custom cabinet maker.  I also wanted some specific details, like the pilasters that come down to the floor, which were also a custom touch.  The real splurge here is the white painted finish--as a general rule, painted cabinetry is usually going to come in at a higher price point than a stained wood (unless its an exotic wood, which in that case, the sky is the limit).  The color I used is also a custom match, but is very close to Benjamin Moore's Oxford White.

Granite countertops - Mr.CottageModern and I had some debate over what should be done here.  With my love of white Carrara, of course I wanted that surface to be everywhere.  We'd had it in our previous home in the new bathroom, and I can't get enough of this beautiful material.  However, he was the one who dutifully cleaned that bathroom (for which I'm very grateful), and hated the maintenance.  I don't necessarily agree with him there (see this post for my thoughts on marble), but I knew that compromise would be the best option.  We went with Absolute Black granite, and had the surface honed to give it a matte look.  I was warned that this would be a greasy fingerprint nightmare, but I haven't had any issues at all.  I actually find that the reduced shine camouflages a ton of stuff, which is great when we "forget" to wipe up at the end of the day.  I'm happy with silky smooth nature of these tops, and think they are a great contrast to my collection of many white things :)

So those are the saves and splurges.  Here are a few miscellaneous other colors and finishes:

Walls - Pale Silver by Restoration Hardware
Trim - Dune White by Benjamin Moore
Floors - Again, a custom mix based on trying to achieve a dark brown without any red or muddy undertones.  We were fortunate to have hardwood in the rest of the house, so we added it in the kitchen, and then sanded and refinished everything to match.  I'm not sure of the exact ratio, but this mix is a chestnut brown-type color with a dash of black added to deepen the tone.  We also water-popped the floors to open up the grain for maximum stain absorbtion.

Oh, and one more thing.....the little "doll" in the last kitchen makeover photo came from these two people (my handsome brother and gorgeous sister-in-law who is pregnant with my niece in this photo)......its no wonder she's such a beauty :)

Hope this helps answer some questions.....have a great weekend everyone!