Kitchen Remodel

[fendergirl]

HEY STRANGERS!

Thought I’d stop by and get your opinions on something… Planning a kitchen remodel for the spring (knock on wood)… I could use some opinions on appliances… This kitchen is being done on a small budget, so keep that in mind.

I’m re-using my oak cabinets, though i will be doing some reconfiguring and adding 2 cabinets to the kitchen (i found a store that sells my exact cabinets). They are like a honey oak color.

currently the appliances are bisque. Bisque looks great with the oak, but it’s very niche… As part of my remodel i at least need a new stove and will be putting in a dishwasher. I could keep with bisque, but the options are small… it’s slim pickins!

If i go with a different color, I’m going to wind up replacing all of the appliances… I’m not a giant fan of stainless steel, i feel like it looks too industrial and I have a very homey kitchen… I also don’t think the silver looks that great with honey oak. I think black looks nice in the store, but when you put black appliances in an oak kitchen i feel like they look like black blobs next to the bright wood… I also think it makes the room look smaller, and I have a small enough kitchen as it is (10x13 feet, eat in kitchen) I am leaning towards white, as it’s light in color like the wood is and i think it goes best.

I googled some pictures of other kitchens…

Stainless Steel - https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/eb/4c/99/eb4c99d8b75235cfa04dfcd12c432340.jpg

Black - http://aeparker.net/img/2014/4/730_2_kitchen-color-ideas-with-oak-cabinets-light-oak-exciting-kitchen-cab-ets-kitchen.jpg

White - https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/85/e9/36/85e93685d024d5d20c5c6e97d7ecabcf.jpg

what do you guys think?

Regardless of the color, i’m looking at a convection range w/ 5 burners on top (probably Samsung), with the matching microwave and dishwasher. The fridge I like best is whirlpool.

[thumper1]

Are you getting your kitchen redone?? Do tell??

[movemetoo]

I want one.

[fendergirl]

sorry thumper, I bumped a button and it submitted my post too soon! I went back and edited it.

[fendergirl]

i’m also going to put in granite countertops, a tile backsplash and tile the floor in 12x24 inch tiles. I also have to rip out a radiator to make this all happen. I’m looking to start this work sometime in the spring… though first thing is the stove, as mine is temperamental and cannot wait. I’m probably going to order that within the next week or so, one i decide on the darn appliance color.

[zipyourlips]

I prefer stainless, but you should get what you like! Have you followed coralbrook’s house flipping threads? She has found some great deals on appliances at Sears Outlet.

[fendergirl]

I haven’t looked at her thread yet, haven’t been around here for awhile. That being said, I won’t shop at sears out of principle. Long story. But my boycott has been going on for over 6 years and I don’t intend to end it any time soon.

[thumper1]

We “redid” our kitchen…sort of. We also kept the oak cabinets. I actually like them, even though folks say the are dated. The next owner can deal,with those! I’m a big fan of doing what you like!!

We got new granite counters and we love them. We went with white appliances. I’m not a fan of stainless, and neither is my husband. We like the nice white look. Our sink is a white solid surface under ount sink. We love it. Faucet is brushed nickel. Our floors are hardwood. Just had those refinished. Last step is painting the walls which is happening in February.

We like the arrangement of our kitchen just fine.maybe if we stay here, we will get the cabinets refaced someday…but not soon.

[Joblue]

Are you at all concerned with resale value?

[AboutTheSame]

I love the “white” picture. Looks almost exactly like my kitchen, except I have a sink and double window where the range is. We have a stainless steel refrigerator (actually, faux so it’s still magnetic) and it goes well with the granite counters. Our dishwasher has the oak front to match the cabinets (I did not design it, just bought it) and I plan to go stainless there when it finally breaks. The wall oven and microwave are behind you when you face the main counter (with the fridge on your left as in that picture), and they’re black – which picks up a different aspect of the granite. We have black and stainless appliances on the counter tops, and it all ties together.

We’ve been here for 10+ years, and I still miss my old kitchen (as small as it was), which I designed and a friend built. We used square Mexican pavers on the floor, and they were beautiful.

[zipyourlips]

OK on the Sears no-go! I was just trying to be helpful since you mentioned budget, but I am a fan of adhering to principle and I wish you well finding some appliances you like while staying within your budget. Good luck on your project.

[thumper1]

The white kitchen looks a lot like mine. We did get a French door fridge. I like it. Husband hates it.

I like that look…I just like white.

I would not get bisque. We have bisque in one of our bathrooms…and i wish I could replace it all with white.

[conmama]

I like the stainless the best. I think it stands out the least…but this is truly a case of what is your favorite. From the other comments, it seems the black isn’t a favorite. My thoughts if you do white, get a granite that has a lot of white in it…I think it would tie it all together better and the whiteappliances won’t stand out so much.

[anon94785555]

We redid the kitchen in the house we bought a few years ago (time flies). Old house had honey oak cabinets and white appliances- over 20 years ago. Chose white because I also did not want the more industrial seeming steel appearance and smudges.

This house came with mismatched appliances but an excellent stainless steel stove and microwave. Black dishwasher, that bisque/cream refrigerator. Chose honey spice maple cabinets (sure better than all that PINK laminate cupboards and cabinets- plus all of the other pink in the house). When I decided to replace appliances I disliked I went with stainless steel in the kitchen for two reason. One- to match the stove. Two- the refrigerators I like only come in stainless steel.

I dislike black appliances- prefer stainless because black darkens the mood. The stainless works just fine. I do have different brands- chose according to the brand that best fit for the appliance. No need to be matchy-matchy, much better to be happy with the function of each. Put white in the laundry room- small space and lighter/brighter best.

If you may sell within a few years the go-to color for younger buyers seems to be stainless. If you want to be up-to-date go with the stainless. If you like white- go for it. You have to live with it daily. Black is depressing.

[LoveTheBard]

I’m not a big fan of white appliances. I previously would go with either stainless or black or a combination of the two.

The previous owners of my house put in maple cabinets and black appliances and I’m fine with the look; I think black looks good with oak too. When I remodeled our previous home’s kitchen, I went with cherry cabinets and stainless appliances.

I think that stainless and black can be combined to good effect also (we have a stainless sink black refrigerator; I’ve seen no shortage of ranges with black/stainless combinations, and there are even quite a number of refrigerators that are black with stainless handles).

Here’s an article about mixing the two:

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/black-stainless-appliances-together-83687.html

[lookingforward]

I have a similar stump on appliance colors. Have white appliances but I’m toying with bisque (not almond!) because the cabinets are a sort of ivory. A friend matched ivory and bisque and the look was stunning. Today, I ran into a kitchen design friend and he rolled his eyes.

I think whether white or SS depends on how large your kitchen is, and how open, how much natural light. The kids are angling for SS. But like black, it can break up the visual look and my kitchen is on the small side. So it depends.

Btw, not every city is still into SS for resale. Nor granite. You might want to wander into a showroom and ask. Keep us posted.

Adding, I’m not a fan of black. But re: mixing, if you are getting a beaut’ of a range, it could be SS and leave the other appliances as is. You can find pics of this sort of mix in mags and online. Again, depends on your kitchen and also what’s where.

[katliamom]

If you don’t think you’ll be selling anytime soon, go with what you like and what’s cheapest. That said, I hear that granite is now considered passe (people are opting for quartzite or quartz – for an inexpensive counter top look for faux corian) , and the smaller, rectangular backsplash glass tiles are very, very trendy (and EVERYWHERE.)

[OspreyCV22]

MY SIL lives in an area that requires radon alarms in new houses. Her next door neighbors’ kept going off. They found out their granite counter tops were emitting radon! Quartz for me. Next kitchen will have quartz that looks like Carrera marble. I don’t like the yawing black hole appliances. If I can’t see dirt it doesn’t get wiped.

[BunsenBurner]

I am with thumper! I love white. Sadly, our white appliances are dying out after being in use for 16 years, and Mr. wants the stainless look. I would never do black - they are depressing and show every fingerprint!

Is there a specialized appliance store nearby? They might have some store display stuff significantly discounted… January is furniture sales month, so maybe appliance stores will have some specials as well!

[fendergirl]

I don’t intend to sell anytime soon and I’m doing the remodel for me - not for the future. The granite i’m leaning towards has blackish brown, yellow and like an off white in it.

zip - thanks for the recommendation i did see the stove i’m looking at is available at the sears outlet for like 200 less than at other stores… but I just can’t do it.