<p>Agree about the “slate” appliances. And as you can see it gives that wood-wood-metal-wood look rather than a continuous line of one surface. Of course, most people who want wood cabinets can’t afford the custom covers that make the appliances blend in.</p>
<p>Onward, you should take a look at butcher block. I would only recommend it if you also have a section that is heat-resistant (tile, marble, etc.), but it is extremely low-maintenance and IMO looks fresh and modern, especially with white or colored (not wood-grain) cabinets. My BB counters are from IKEA and were very inexpensive. I love them.</p>
<p>That is so funny. When I remodeled my tiny kitchen in my early mid-century modern house, I downsized to a cabinet-depth, 24-inch-wide Barbie-sized refrigerator so I could accommodate an equally Barbie-sized 18-inch dishwasher. It is fine even with three people who eat at home a lot. We do shop several times a week, but there is FAR less food going to waste than in one of those big refrigerators where you can’t see what’s in the back.</p>
<p>When I was growing up my parents had a pink fridge and stove. Dad still has that pink fridge it’s up at his cabin now. It over 50 years old still running fine. I don’t see that color coming back either.</p>
<p>I like black. Our kitchen has all black appliances, black countertops, and wood everything else.
The kitchen in my apartment is gold and avocado. No, I don’t think it’s been updated in 60-some years. When we moved into my house, it had been a rental for decades and the kitchen had clearly not be remodeled since the 60s. Ugly colors! Ugly colors EVERYWHERE! :p</p>
<p>Love stainless and white. Have had that combo in our home forever and it suits us well. Black shows too much dust and gunk for our tastes and seems tougher to maintain than plain black.</p>
<p>That white ice idea is smart marketing - it allows folks to blend in with existing stainless appliances. </p>
<p>Personally I have not jumped on the stainless bandwagon. I have not ruled it out somebody. But when the white fridge (that I really liked) died, we bough black. It looks fine with the white/black stove (with white microwave… #3 in this house) and black dw. However someday we’ll need to make a real decision. I’ll be following this thread ;)</p>
<p>We might take the prize for vintage - our sink and surrounding base cabinet is metal, made by “Youngstown Kitchens by Mullins.” I love the sink - it has built in drain boards on either side - but 50 years later the metal is rusty underneath and now that we’ve passed our tuition bearing years, the kitchen will get some attention. I have painted the cabinets but they’re just nasty inside so it’s become a storage area for caustic chemicals and spray paint. I sometimes see the same sink on t.v., in a Bohemian kitchen - like on the set of Gilmore Girls. I’m really conflicted about replacing it - I know that whatever choice we make starts the design clock ticking. You reach a point where you get a “pass” on style and it’s hard to classify yourself again. In a perfect world, I’d have a white sink (with built in drains) and a periwinkle blue stove. I think the French make a blue stove and it probably costs as much as an economy car. Then again, I do have all that spray paint…</p>
<p>lefthandofdog, you should look into whether you can have it powder-coated or replated at an industrial place that does that kind of thing. I had an antique faucet restored this way and it looked brand-new. Didn’t cost much, either.</p>
<p>I found a company in chicago that re-enamels sinks (as that would also need to be done) but the shipping is expensive and the reviews were spotty. I hadn’t thought there was any hope formthe cabinet so thanks for the tip</p>
<p>White is brighter, more cheerful than stainless or black and doesn’t need the same cleaning to look good all of the time. Ultrawhite will be dated just like every other trendy color- creamy, offwhites are good choices to me. A light granite was my choice for its qualities, quartz has some better qualities but more monotonous when I was recently choosing. Formica and Corian both are much less durable. Practicality rules for me. I see why the previous owner did a cream refrigerator- stainless would have had a black side facing the entrance and would be depressing, the black dishwasher goes with the black surfaced stainless electric range (top of the line consumer grade likely only came in stainless).</p>
<p>" Formica and Corian both are much less durable." - I have to disagree about the formica. Our 20 year old formical still looks great. </p>
<p>It is blue/grey speckled - many of your 1993 houses have the same. We spent an extra $100 (?) to get a wood bevel edge, and it really makes for a nice look. I love the fact there is zerio maintenance, other than keeping it clean. If you love the look of granite, go for it. But ya can’t knocl formica on durability. </p>
<p>Yea, yea… I know you can damage formica. It happened to our island while the house was being built. The builder arranged for another sheet to be installed over - easy cheap fix. Granite is harder, but lot hard to fix if needed.</p>
<p>We built our house in 1994 and also had that wood beveled edge in our kitchen. It yelled “1994” at me every time I walked in the kitchen. Our counters and the wood edge were in excellent condition when we had them replaced 16 months ago…but I don’t miss them one bit. Ours were the same speckle…but they were sand color. We have the blue speckle in a bathroom! (blue stone graffix…or something like that). I love it in the bathroom…no wooden edge!</p>
<p>Just goes to show you…we have such varying tastes! Nothing wrong with any of them…different strokes for different folks!</p>
<p>There is the stainless of 10 years ago and there is the ‘stainless’ of today. We have a 13 year old side by side fridge. It has real, replaceable stainless panels. I recently looked at a french door option in ‘stainless’. The stuff marketed as ‘stainless’ today is what Pergo is to real hardwood. It is flimsy and plastic in feel, it may not show finger prints but it dents like cheap tin. Maybe it’s not white that’s coming back…but the faux stainless that is out of favor.</p>
<p>I put a wood beveled edge into my 1992 kitchen. It may look dated, but I really liked it when I put it in (couldn’t afford granite) and still liked it when we moved out. Now I’m living with a kitchen with the brown edged formica because the owners were too cheap to at least make a nice edge. I *will *do this kitchen one day, but still living in indecision land.</p>
<p>Dislike the wood bevel- sharp versus rounded edge (opted for rounded granite edges). Our Formica was cut several times, and burned. Replaced before selling house- could see wear even in a year or two. Won’t happen with granite or quartz. There advantages and disadvantages with every surface- Formica is much softer and quieter, but not as durable as hard stone. Neighbor’s Corian kitchen sink has horrible cracks from too hot water, great for bathrooms though. Undermounted or formed sink so much better than trying to push water over a sink lip.</p>
<p>colorado_mom, I have the same blue grey formica, and still love it. Nice color still, just a bit of wear. I redid this kitchen in 1992 and have oak beveled edges. I like the more forgiving surface of formica, as well as the price for dishes and so on, if coupled with lots of cutting boards for hot pans and food prep.</p>
It may look dated, but I really liked it when I put it in (couldn’t afford granite) and still liked it when we moved out. Now I’m living with a kitchen with the brown edged formica because the owners were too cheap to at least make a nice edge. I *will *do this kitchen one day, but still living in indecision land.</p>