Building a new house - kitchen help please

12 years ago

Hi there, we are building a new house in the deep South of New Zealand and I am trying to work out what to do with my kitchen. I have the layout etc worked out, it is just the benchtops and colours I am trying to decide on. I love white kitchens but I am wanting my bench to be wooden and the island bench to be engineered stone. I was going to go white for the stone island bench but I honestly change my mind every day thinking maybe a black top there with white underneath... or white top with black underneath and white under the wooden top. I have attached a photo of our polished concrete floor which is predominantly black stone with a sprinkling of white. I am pretty sure I will have white subway tiles with dark grout on the wall as a splashback. Stainless steel appliances. I have also attached photos of what I want our butlers pantry to look like (IKEA catalogue) and my original inspiration for the kitchen. Do you think with the concrete floor, stone benchtop, wooden benchtop that having white cupboards and black cupboards would be too much? Maybe just white? Any ideas would be great.

Featured Answer

leewest

12 years ago

Hi Rachel,
I think your polished concrete floor is beautiful. I was recently watching an old episode of Grand Designs and they used the same polished concrete on their benchtop as on their floor - it looked amazing. I would like to see it over white cupboards. Good luck.

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Comments (40)

mefor
12 years ago
I love the mix of colors for the cabinets, go for it :)
If you're truly worried about the contrast of the black, go for a nice dark gray.
ebz5
12 years ago
WOW! thats amazing! i think you can do that. an island bench can be different to the rest, as long as it has something similar to the rest of the kitchen! like your picture, the bench tops are both the same. personally, i would go less black in the kitchen, as your flooring is dark. you dont want it all to be too dark! maybe white cupboards but then your island bench could have black cupboards? just my personal suggestions :)
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mefor
12 years ago
Something like this
Sherwin williams iron ore.
If you tell me what paint you would use where you are in New Zealand, I can find you a close match in that company's line. :)
Rachel D
Original Author
12 years ago
I am just thinking I will have too much going on - concrete, engineered stone, wood, black and white.... hmm. I don't want it too dark, you are right Ebz5, but don't want it too light either, have a double skylight above the island bench and a window above some of the bench, as well as sliding doors by the dining, which is open plan. Will find a house plan and try and attach that so you have more of an idea.
Rachel D
Original Author
12 years ago
mforr - I think I have to pick a colour from the range from the kitchen company for the cupboards? Or wonder if I can get cabinets that can be painted? I think I pick a laminate type stuff that they are made from?
mefor
12 years ago
Do they do any deep gray colors that you can use on the island ? What's the name of the cabinet company and the line you're purchasing?
Rachel D
Original Author
12 years ago
There are a lot of colours to choose from. I will go and get some samples in a few days. Ezykitchens.
mefor
12 years ago
This is a pic from their website, I think that's a great deep gray.
ebz5
12 years ago
that is excellent! its not too light, and its not too dark! the white walls def make it light, but then the dark cupboards look great with the floors. so long as it goes with your flooring, i'd say choose a grey:)
Rachel D
Original Author
12 years ago
This is a pic of what kitchen will be like. We can't work out what to do about the fridge either. It is just in the middle of the bench between the kitchen and office area. They aren't keen to do cabinets above the bench. I at least want open shelves.
Rachel D
Original Author
12 years ago
Sorry for the sideways photo, and the crinkles in it!
Rachel D
Original Author
12 years ago
Looking at that I think an all white island bench is too much... Maybe the black or dark grey under island bench and white under the wood?
Rachel D
Original Author
12 years ago
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Rachel D
Original Author
12 years ago
Leewest - my husband last night was asking last night why we aren't having a concrete benchtop. I think engineered stone is hardier though - all sorts of things could go wrong ith a concrete benchtop - am I right? I should look into it more. We have three small boys too so need something heavy duty - and under guarantee!
auntiebuzzybee
12 years ago
I think I'd skip a stone top. It might look too "sleek" because of stone floor. If I was to use a stone top, I'd use SOAPSTONE. It simply has a treasured look about. I'd consider using a stainless top which will gracefully get some scratches and an aged patina plus it will connect an element from the pantry. You said you dont want too dark or too light so you can go neutral with the stainless top (s). The butcher block is perfectly timeless.
Rachel D
Original Author
12 years ago
Like this bsellers?
Rachel D
Original Author
12 years ago
This is a quite good article - sounds like concrete is quite high maintenance so probably not for us. Saying that, wood is too, but I really want the wood!
PRO
Durham Designs & Consulting, LLC
12 years ago
All of your choices sound great in any combination except one....never, never, ever use black ground with your white subway tile. Use bright white grout that is the best quality with a sealant and decent quality tile! White cabinets and black tops never go out of style. Try a honed granite or soapstone that is oiled for a contrast with the shiny white backsplash, stainless appliances and you will love your kitchen forever.
Rachel D
Original Author
12 years ago
Awww.... why never, never, never? I love the photos of the dark grout - will find some for you.
Rachel D
Original Author
12 years ago
I just love love that look!
auntiebuzzybee
12 years ago
So, do the wood, for heaven's sake! Get what you want and enjoy it. Do it for you, not for others. The wood is timeless and warm. I'd start off with a light shade of wood though. It will darken with time. I have not heard of maintenance issues with concrete. As far as a stone top? Yes, I love the soapstone as above. Gorgeous, isn't it? It has some minor maintenance issues but most things do. Terrific looking pantry in the photo. What about a wheat colour then? I'm pulling it from specs in your floor. Softly contrast the wheat against the greys you've already got going there.
Rachel D
Original Author
12 years ago
I am definitely doing the wood, and a light one too. Love the photo I have above with the wood top but not as the island bench as the kids will be doing homework etc at it and I don't want pen scratches etc in it. I don't think I would want a wheat colour, though thanks for the suggestion. I do want the black/white/wood combo, just how to do it is my issue.
auntiebuzzybee
12 years ago
Ok, white cabinets around then. The photos you post are white cabs so that must be what you gravitate towards. They will look nice against your darker floor.
Rachel D thanked auntiebuzzybee
auntiebuzzybee
12 years ago
Doesn't look like you have a good plan for your fridge. Putting it where you have it is going to be a problem. I know your question was about cabinets but that bothers me. Have you met with a kitchen designer? Are you saying you want cabinets/shelving over your island?
auntiebuzzybee
12 years ago
BTW, Rachel, I adore your flooring :-)
Rachel D
Original Author
12 years ago
It was the kitchen designer who put it there! He has no clue where to put it! The question is not just about cabinets, all aspects of it are up for discussion! No, not shelving over the island, it is in the middle of the room, was meaning on the wall above the bench so it wasn't
just an empty space. The thing is though that I don't need extra shelving, I have a massive butlers pantry going in too.
Rachel D
Original Author
12 years ago
Actually, we have changed the windows now to one longer, lower window more to the left so we may be able to put the fridge over to the right. It would be right by the sliding door to the butlers pantry though so need to make sure the fridge door would open ok.
auntiebuzzybee
12 years ago
I think we are having "lingo" differences! LOL! I keep looking for something to sit on and I reread your post. Your bench means lower cabinets? You said you have the layout worked out. Clearly, you need another designer. There's too much at stake.
Rachel D
Original Author
12 years ago
Ha! Sorry, we just call what you call a countertop a benchtop or a bench! But I get it now that you are meaning a bench seat?
mefor
12 years ago
I like the idea of the wood "countertops" over white perimeter cabinets and the white stone countertop over dark grey cabinets for the island. Will you do stainless steel shelves over the perimeter cabinets? I like the colors in the pic #53 Owner, but with a more open industrial feel, like the ikea pic you posted earlier :)
mefor
12 years ago
Sort of like this with wood counters over the white cabinets and stainless steel shelves instead of upper cabinets, unless you do one section of upper cabinets for display rather than storage?
mefor
12 years ago
:)
mefor
12 years ago
This looks good too, but they've reversed the counter to wood on the island. You could do that if you used very hard wood for counters, the kids couldn't muck it up too much. What do you think of the blue gray color for the island? Looks great here, though I'm still a fan of the dark gray island cabinets. But this kitchen has the feel I was talking about, even has the stainless shelves :)
auntiebuzzybee
12 years ago
Great work, mforr. I'm crazy for the first white cabinets. I was going to ask if Rachel was using any glass front cupboards. Having a huge pantry, it will be easy to keep those tidy and gorgeous. Also, I do like the dark gray colour for the island. It's not as stark of a contrast. I adore that kitchen. Check out those sconces. Oh so sweet!
mefor
12 years ago
I think her kitchen will be gorgeous, love the open, bright and accessible feel to these kitchens. Those sconces ARE sweet, very cool detail :)
Rachel D
Original Author
12 years ago
I love those kitchens, they are gorgeous. I will have a better look later, have to go to a big trade type show today, hope to get some more ideas. Thanks everyone, loving your suggestions.
Rachel D
Original Author
12 years ago
We got the IKEA shelves that are pictured in the butlers pantry photo I posted when we were on holiday in Melbourne, Australia. We don't have IKEA here in New Zealand! Hubby is going back over in May/June so will get him to get more of that sort of thing when there. We would pay about 4x the price for that sort of thing here in NZ. I need to work out what I will do now where the fridge was and there is the angle change (does that make sense?).
Rachel D
Original Author
12 years ago
Here is a pic of the floor plan of kitchen and butlers pantry. I'm not sure why it looks like the oven/cooktop is in the office area but it will actually be closer to the butlers pantry. You can see the outlines of the skylights over the island bench. Island bench is 3 metres long and I think 1 metre wide.
PRO
Durham Designs & Consulting, LLC
12 years ago
The color of the grout is a blue toned medium gray so it doesn't Stand out harshly as a black grout would. A more subtle contrast I'll ensure that you'll not grow weary of the look and that the next homeowner will not feel it needs to be ripped out.