We have been in our house since 2004. In 2004, crazy patterned granite was actually the norm. And, people, besides us, installed the same crazy granite as a backsplash.
Earlier this year, we started planning to banish the backsplash and the whole broken-down kitchen. Houzz is a source of endless inspiration and a kitchen designed by Hommemaker Founder Orlando Soria was the best match for my vision. After the busy, patterned granite, I wanted a sleek white kitchen. White, wooden cabinets with simple fronts and white quartz countertops were easy decisions. And, I was bored with the silver/stainless and white combination. Our appliances are all GE Stainless, so the cabinet pulls and faucet were a real chance to add a new, metallic dimension. The golden/bronze option was a real winner.
One visit to Ferguson in the Gables and I had the farm sink, bronze faucet, and two versions of a bronze cabinet pull. I went with a small knob for the cabinets and a 10-inch pull for the drawers. While we have loads of natural light in our place, we added under- cabinet and in-cabinet lighting. Glass fronts for one section of the upper cabinets lightened up the project as well–and serves as a constant reminder to not let the interiors of the cabinet get too disordered.
Open shelving is very on trend, so placing three on the wall between our pantry and the refrigerator was an easy decision. Beyond the overall feel of the Orlando Soria kitchen, the backsplash tile Chaine Homme was a stunner. Made by Fireclay Tile, the interlocking “H” pattern in shiny white, adds more visual interest than a standard tile without distracting from the sleek look we wanted. Fireclay is an interesting company, making each batch of tiles to order with attention to sustainability.
Overall, the kitchen is much more organized. Pull out shelves in the pantry, drawers throughout, and a cabinet with slots for baking pans have added tremendous order to our space. Now, baking activities and other cooking projects are such a pleasure.
Yay, a new kitchen!
