Country Kitchen gets City Style

Everyone knows that the kitchen is the heart of the home and that a beautifully designed kitchen can sell a house.  But sometimes it takes a while before you can actually dive into the production that is a major kitchen renovation. I've been working with a lovely professional couple that has been waiting to renovate their kitchen for 10 years. While raising 2 boys, now 10 and 13, and with busy careers, their home has not been updated in over 15 years.  They don't have the time or the know-how to get it all going...so that's where I come in.

Here's what we're starting with: 

dated cabinetry, laminate counters, linoleum flooring, 80's lighting, furniture and window treatments

 ...all going Bye Bye!

Starting with the floor plan, I gave them a much better flow, lots of drawers, cabinets with inserts and a huge 8 foot island with attached 4 foot table for a 12 foot run all together ... insert birds singing here!

They knew they wanted dark cabinetry, light counter tops, new hardwood floors throughout the main floor and a large island that would replace the kitchen table -- beyond that it was up to me to bring the colour palette to life and options were fairly open.  Here's one of the inspiration photos I showed them.

via 

I knew they preferred dark wood for furniture throughout the main floor so this was a consideration when choosing flooring.  We wanted a high contrast floor so I suggested instead of the typical brown palette that we go with a light gray hardwood floor and they were immediately intrigued.  "We don't know anyone with a gray hardwood floor" was their first reaction, but they loved the look of gray stone and, since we were redoing the floors on the entire main floor, the idea of continuity throughout made them happy.  So when I found this kitchen by Candice Olson, they were sold on the sophisticated look of the dark wood cabinetry against the gray floors.

We're going with dark chocolate cabinets (about 70% cocoa, more would be too dark) and a white/gray island with aqua blue accents for our colour scheme - very elegant and sophisticated but not overly precious.  So I went out looking for a white counter top.  I checked out granite and quartz options but fell in love with this gorgeous piece called Sky White Quartzite - love it!  The pattern in it looks like waves instead of the veins typically seen in marble (also gorgeous but they didn't want marble).

For the back splash, the only wish from the husband was to get the look of stone (or actual stone) for both the kitchen and in the adjacent family room for the fireplace wall.  Since our counter top has a very soft tone-on-tone pattern, we can afford to have a bit of drama in the back splash.
No worries because we have some beauties to choose from.    

These are from Saltillo Imports:

This one is called Waterfall

This last one is what the client had originally liked, but I'm going to show them these other two to see how they feel about them (maybe after I check to see if they are in the budget?!).  There are also some stunning glass and stone combination tiles that could take this kitchen to another level!

Here's a peek at the colour board

Still scoping out options for the hardware
brushed nickle?
oil rubbed bronze?
old world zinc?
vintage blue glass?

I'm planning to carry the blue accents throughout the main floor in varying shades.
I would love to see one of these beauties from Curry & Co in the dining room... but that's for another post.

 Feeling the chicness of the blue?