CHEZERBEY

Search Results for: cork floor

the cork test

According to the chezerbey master plan, the kitchen (and the rest of the main floor) is the project of 2010. The design is done and our goal for the next 6 months or so is to finalize materials, products, and all the nitty-gritty details that will ideally ensure a smooth(ish) construction process. One of the biggest considerations is what will replace the horrid linoleum in our current kitchen. We have been throwing around different ideas and at the top of our list is cork, though we have some concern about its durability when it comes to 96 lb. golden retrievers. So last week during our trip to Ecohaus, we picked up a bundle of Vida cork planks. It’s a pre-finished click together system (no glue or fasteners). We assembled three of the planks (1’x3′ each) and “installed” them in Bailey’s #1 lounge spot (we’ll probably install another test area in a spot that gets more foot traffic). It will be interesting to see how the cork holds up to both his paws and his shedding. I’ve heard that cork is great at camouflaging dirt and food particles so let’s hope the same is true for pet hair!

So far, he doesn’t seem to mind.

Sustainability

A significant goal throughout our remodel process has been to make the house as sustainable as possible while doing it ourselves and working with a small budget. Below is a rundown of what we’ve accomplished (and what we hope to accomplish in gray italics), organized by common environmental categories.

Site

• Chose a small house on a smallish lot in an urban location.
• Reduced the amount of impervious pavement – removed concrete from front yard planting strip, backyard driveway and apron and backyard sidewalk (concrete chunks were freecycled)
• Replaced the existing grass with low-maintenance, native plants that require no additional watering after established.
• Added a south-facing edible garden.
• Added foundation drains and tightlined to infiltration drains 10′ away from house.
• Added five new trees!

Energy

• Opted to keep the heating load low by reworking our small footprint rather than adding on.
• Replaced our ancient coal-turned-oil furnace with a high-efficiency gas furnace and had all new ductwork installed to reduce the potential for air leaks.
• Added a 7-day programmable thermostat.
• Replaced our old hot water tank with a tankless hot water heater.
• Insulated all of the walls with cotton batt insulation.
• Added r-30 polyiso rigid insulation to the loft and vaulted ceiling.
• The remaining attic space is filled with all the loose fill insulation (about 3′ deep) that was previously spread out over the whole attic space.
• Converted our crawl space into a conditioned “short basement.”
• Installed rigid insulation along the perimeter between the foundation wall and slab to prevent thermal bridging.
• Installed all new, double pane, low-E 4 windows.
• Caulked and sealed all joints throughout the house.
• No air-conditioning.
• Installed fans in the bedroom.
• Installed a fan in our stairwell that draws cooler air up through the basement while exhausting warmer air out through the operable roof window in the loft.
• Chose efficient appliances that minimize water and energy use.
• Might add an energy recovery ventilator, which would take the heat from warm exhaust air and use it to pre-heat the incoming air.
• Ran empty conduit from the basement to the roof with the intent of someday adding photovoltaic panels to our south-facing roof.
• Might add an air-source heat pump and convert our gas furnace into a backup-only system.
• Would love to have an energy monitoring system so we know which watts are going where and how we can further save.

Lighting

• Redesigned the lighting to be only where you need it, with controls that are intuitive to use (i.e. – no excuse to leave lights on unnecessarily).
• Experimenting with LEDs and other more efficient lighting.
• Installed new windows, 3 new skylights and one new roof window (you can really never have too much natural light in Seattle).
• Painted all of our walls white to better reflect light within the space.

Water

• Installed a low-flow, dual flush toilet.
• Installed a low-flow shower head.
• Chose an efficient dishwasher.
• Opted not to install a garbage disposal or an ice maker.
• Replaced our old tank water heater with an efficient tankless version.
• Updated all of the plumbing lines for more efficient runs.
• Added drought-tolerant landscaping that requires minimal irrigation after established.
• Replaced our washer and dryer with more efficient versions.
• Would like to Install rain barrels to collect roof run-off.

Materials

• Used zero-VOC interior paint.
• Installed non-toxic recycled denim insulation.
• Installed renewable cork flooring with a natural wax finish.
• Refinished our fir floor in the bedroom and finished it with a natural hard wax oil.
• Very limited amounts of carpet, and where we do, it’s responsibly made Flor carpet tiles.
• Have largely reduced or limited the use of PVC plastic or vinyl.
• Used long-lasting, durable wood (cedar and ipe) for the exterior.
• Opted for a longer-lasting 30-year roof.
• Chose rapidly renewable Lyptus for our island butcher block.
• Chose durable, long-lasting composite quartz counters instead of solid stone.
• Used FSC wood when available.
• By reducing the size of our space, we have less stuff in general.
• Restored our 100-year old cedar siding and exposed and refinished our ceiling joists in the living area.

Indoor Air Quality

• Selected mostly hard surfaces and have very little carpet.
• All carpet is cleanable Flor tiles or natural fiber rugs.
• Chose a natural, wax finish for the floors and zero-VOC paint.
• Installed new exhaust fans for the bathroom and kitchen and added new operable windows for cross-ventilation.
• Installed formaldehyde-free cabinets.
• Added a continuous ridge vent and soffit vents in the roof.
• Installed a vapor retarder on the inside face of all exterior walls to mitigate moisture-related problems.
• Converted our front porch into a mudroom, which serves as a buffer zone between the heated house and outside.
• Thanks to the new mudroom, we implemented a “no shoes” policy so dirt and other contaminants don’t get tracked into the house (though we can’t quite get Bailey on board with that one).

In conclusion, even though we would like to do more, we think this list represents how small and thoughtful moves can add up over time. It also emphasizes the importance of holistic thinking and that sustainability is truly a component of good design.

zerbebe nursery: two directions

Ok, so we already showed you what we have in mind for the basic nursery layout, but over the last several months I’ve been thinking more and more about specifics like colors, patterns and furniture. Pregnancy can be pretty overwhelming (so much to learn! so many decisions to make!), but the nursery – well, this is something I know how to do. Although we don’t have a lot of baby experience (most of our friends don’t have kids yet), I feel like I’ve read enough blogs and heard enough advice to be able to form my own opinions about what the nursery should be and what makes the most sense for our lifestyle. Now, I’ll be the first to admit that the nursery is mostly for us (or me…as Kyle has stated he only cares about the little munchkin we put in the nursery…that, and a comfy chair). I know the baby isn’t going to care about a particular theme or color palette (we still have a few more years before I get to put the kibosh on her Disney Princess desires), but I do believe that putting together the space helps new parents feel more prepared and well, let’s be honest…it’s fun.

Just like the other rooms in our house, we have the same basic objectives for the nursery: we want it to be functional and reflective of who we are and what we like. We want to invest in smart pieces that are versatile and will last for many years while also getting creative where we can. We don’t want to spend a lot of money, but we also don’t want to buy things that will quickly fall apart.

With those thoughts in mind, we’ve come up with two design directions for our baby girl’s room. They are both based on a collection of images, products and ideas that have been swimming around my head, but they are not a shopping list. Unfortunately, many items are just too expensive (imagine that?), but in our experience it’s best to start with what you want and then employ some creative problem solving skills to achieve a more affordable version.

A general note about color: regardless of the gender, I’ve always imagined the nursery with dark blue-gray walls with layers of gray and yellow. A few weeks ago (right after we found out that we’re having a girl), ModFruGal, Morgan and I were having a little back-and-forth on Twitter about nursery implications and how I could pull off a girl’s room that’s not too girly. Morgan made the below comment about colors. I wasn’t expecting it to, but her words really stuck with me and the more I thought about it, the more I realized that this lady is obviously a genius.

Although I love yellow and gray as much as the next person, I knew the nursery would need something else, something more. I kept churning this palette around in my head and this weekend I finally spent some quality time with Photoshop to see how it could all come together. I don’t know if I’m bold enough to go with hot pink, but Kyle and I have talked about a particular coral/pink color that we both like (seen in this quilt that my mom made for me last year)…and an inky blue-gray could mesh well with the other colors and pick up on the subtle dark navy thread in the chevron rug. It’s a palette that’s feminine and sweet without screaming “BABIES” and will work with the rest of our house (keeping in mind that the nursery will be quite visible). 

So anyway, DESIGN TIME! Oh, one more thing first – I would like to note that I’m intentionally not choosing a theme. I want our little girl’s room to grow with her, so I’m focusing instead on creating a room that is modern, cozy and feminine.

Scheme 1: (In both schemes, we’ll be using the West Elm chevron rug and IKEA PAX wardrobe that we already own. I’m also showing the Artemide Tolomeo floor lamp, but we’ll likely go with something smaller and oh…not $1K.) During a trip to IKEA a few months ago, I was excited to see the new SUNDVIK crib in gray-brown. At $119, it made me feel less sad about the price tag on the Oeuf cribs. In my head, I’d been imagining incorporating some gray hues with our dark brown cork floors and this seemed like the perfect solution to help tie everything together. The Ryder Rocking Chair is from West Elm and although it’s not inexpensive ($599) I was immediately smitten with the design (it’s comfy too!). Like many new parents, our goal is to find a dresser that can double as a changing table. Ideally I’d like to find something vintage (see Scheme 2) but as a backup the IKEA Hemnes seems like an affordable alternative (unlike many of their pieces, it’s mostly made from solid wood and we could easily swap out the knobs for something else). The birch plywood bench/cubbies is from Offi, but at $500-$600 this is something that we’ll DIY (we’d also like to do a floating shelf or two from the same cabinet-grade plywood above the dresser). As we mentioned in our last nursery post, we plan on installing a ceiling-mounted (i.e. secure) curtain in lieu of cabinet doors on the wardrobe. I’ve been drooling over the Coqo pattern from Anthropologie (available in rugs too) for a while now and could definitely see it as a way to add a punch of color and pattern in the nursery. (I also like that they’re feminine, but in a timeless way.) The gray pouf is from CB2 and the mobile is from Petit Collage.

Now, a quick reminder that this is just one direction and of course does not include the various accessories or other small items that we’ll likely add. We actually plan on incorporating some pink into the room (that’s what the coral-colored band on the left represents), but in small and subtle ways. We also realize that baby stuff is colorful, so we don’t need a lot of brightly colored furniture or textiles to compete. Also, by choosing timeless pieces we can reuse them for any future zerbebes. Finally, I started this palette out with my beloved inky blue-gray wall color in mind. (Even though we’ve painted every other surface in our house bright white (“super white” to be exact), I’ve always thought the nursery could go darker without feeling like a cave.) However, once I added the darker color things quickly got muddy and the grays and browns no longer seemed to work together.

Which brings us to scheme 2.

Scheme 2: I knew that part of the challenge with the first scheme was the gray-brown color of the crib and dresser. For this scheme, I found myself gravitating back towards a birch crib (by the way, are you surprised that we’re going birch instead of fir?). Oh hello, Oeuf Sparrow crib. You’ve weaseled your way back into my life. Ok, I love this crib. I love that it is well-crafted and responsibly made (minus the fact that it’s coming from Europe) and that it’s modern without being austere. I do not love that it is $730. My practical side is telling me that the IKEA Gulliver is similar and $600 cheaper, but there’s something that doesn’t quite click with me. (I do wish that the Sundvik came in birch though, that would certainly help my dilemma.) In my fantasy world I would also love to find a used Oeuf, but after months of trolling Craigslist I’m guessing that people who buy these cribs really do hold onto them or pass them on to their closest and dearest friends. On that note, I would also love to find a sturdy and clean-lined vintage dresser that is in need of some TLC (the example above is from a previously sold piece on Midcentury Modern Finds, the same people we bought our Eames fiberglass shells from). I’ve seen so many posts about people picking up versions of these for $30-$50 but I’ve been stalking Craigslist with absolutely no luck. Anyway, let’s move on to an equally depressing topic: gliders. Kyle has had an eye on the Monte Grano glider, but I have never been on board because to be quite frank, I thought it looked like something from Star Trek. But then, then…I saw the Luca. It’s not super modern, but if you’ve spent anytime researching gliders, this is pretty much the best thing out there. I love the charcoal fabric option and after seeing it in person, I was impressed that it was comfy without being oversized. (It also seems like more bang for your buck than the $600 West Elm rocker. Funny how you can rationalize an extra $400, huh?) The problem of course is that it’s expensive. Just under $1000 for the chair and another $400 or so if you want the ottoman. Although I know this chair would get some serious action and has received stellar reviews, it’s hard (ok, impossible) to justify shelling out that kind of cash for a glider. (Again, a perfect opportunity to buy a used version but they too seem to be nonexistent.) Yes, I also know that gliders/rockers are not a necessity but we really don’t have an equivalent piece of furniture that could serve as a substitute. 

Sigh. Ok, let’s talk about something else. I love the yellow and white chevron shower curtain that Benita of Chez Larsson made from fabric she purchased off Etsy. It’s cheery and fun without being all rainbows and butterflies. I’ve also got an idea stewing about air plants in small glass orbs (like these from West Elm).

Finally, wall color. Yesterday I stopped by our local Benjamin Moore store and picked up a dozen or so different shades of dark blue-gray. We used BM’s “soot” on the exterior of our house and I’ve always loved how people have used it and similar shades indoors. The color above most closely resembles “abyss”, but I’m also liking “raccoon fur”, “gravel gray” and “baby black seal”. (If you’re raising an eyebrow and need convincing, check out some of the dark-walled nurseries I’ve pinned recently.) 

The blue color is “lakeside cabin” and is what we used on the nursery sliding doors. We could always paint them (or even just the backside) but I’m thinking this color might work fine. The mustardy yellow and coral-pink swatches just represent how we might incorporate those colors through textiles, art, etc.

So what do you think? (You guys have been coming up with some great ideas and tweaks for our other projects, so I am open to all suggestions, especially from people who have “been there, done that”.) Right now, Kyle and I both like Scheme 2 better but of course it’s more expensive. But rather than wallow in my “champagne taste, beer budget” dilemma, I see it as a challenge to achieve the same look without breaking the bank. We have not set a specific budget number for this project (we actually never do, for us it’s easier to just do the best job we can while being financially responsible), so I don’t have a magic number in my head. The important thing is that I now have a vision and direction that I’m happy with and can spend the next few months scoping out thrift stores, online sales and the un-mined creative corners of my brain. (In fact, it’s the same strategy that I plan to use with our baby registry…a topic that is not directly design-related, but might be worth a blog post of its own.)

Finally, this weekend marks the halfway point in baby-growing! I still don’t look very pregnant yet, which I’m a little bummed about but I know that might also be a blessing in disguise. (I’m sure in a few months I’ll want to punch my 20-week self for having such thoughts.)

Seriously Bailey, must you photo-bomb every picture I take?

eames shell chairs

After writing about our mustard yellow fiberglass shells, the quest for dowel bases officially began. Our preference was maple and zinc, but we knew that might be tough to find.

Or maybe not.

Our shells post generated a lot of positive feedback for reproduction company Modern Conscience. Kyle contacted the company and was pleasantly surprised to learn that 1) they’re located in Seattle and 2) they had 6 maple and zinc wide-mount bases. Let’s call that fate.

So early last week we headed down to their studio, a rad work/live loft in South Seattle.

The owners, Amanda and Brian (both trained as architects), were super nice and helpful.  Amanda was even able to tell us that, based on the plastics factory stamp on the bottom of the shells, our chairs were likely reproduced in the early 60’s.

The legs are maple and have a tung oil finish that will likely darken a bit with time. They also have plastic protectors at the foot of each leg, which seem to work well with our cork floors.

Fortunately, the offset bracket at the top means that the bases can be used for our wide-mount configuration (the shells originally had a stacking base). [Not sure what the difference is? This handy graphic explains it well.] This was good news for us since we really didn’t want to mess with removing and remounting the shocks (which seem to be in pretty good condition).

Felix volunteered to QC the job.

To attach the bases, Kyle simply installed a screw through a washer and lock washer, paying careful attention not to drive the screw too far (which could cause the shock to pop off). The lock washer compresses between the bracket and the regular washer as you drive the screw in, creating a nice solid connection. The bases definitely “settled” the first time we sat in them, so we’re keeping a screwdriver handy to adjust them if needed after a week or so of use.

But in general – LOVE. The maple, zinc and yellow work well together and with the rest of our home.  The smaller size and more delicate proportions are a much better solution for the space. If anything, the table feels a bit too blond now, but we’ve got our own plans for that.  =)

Like some people mentioned, the seat height is a bit lower than a standard chair, but they still work fine. For the future dining room table, we’ll probably make it a smidge shorter. Although the chairs don’t necessarily look comfortable, they really are. The dining table is also our impromptu office, so I’ve spent a good many hours in them already.

Bailey didn’t seem to have an opinion…

…but Felix did. Our old upholstered chairs were a favorite napping spot for the kitten so he’s not too thrilled with the replacements. Good thing we don’t base design decisions around cats. [Although as a consolation prize of sorts, he did finally discover the loft ladder.]

Although it looks more saturated in the photo above (left), the color is more of a muted yellow in real life.

In addition to our chair acquisition we’ve also been tweaking our furniture layout. Although we were loving our flex room redo, we eventually grew tired of the Aerobed and decided to move our older couch back up from the basement. On a whim, we then decided to move the coffee table into the flex room…

…and you know what? It works so much better in there! This whole time we’ve known that something wasn’t quite right about the living area but chalked it up to its modest size. (We’ve even been toying with the idea of doing a future bump-out addition for that space.) But with the coffee table gone, the space feels more inviting and functional. In the flex room (aka TV room), we finally have a place to set drinks and store our half-dozen remote controls…which means I no longer have to hold my glass of wine through an entire episode of Dexter. A win-win for me and our wool carpet. 

The other radical thing we did was shorten and rotate the table 90 degrees. We originally designed the space so the table could work in a number of configurations depending on the event or our mood. When we first brought it back into the room last year it was right before my big 30th birthday party, so we must have decided to add the leaf back in, which meant orienting it parallel to the long direction of the house.  Over a year later, it finally dawned on us that we certainly didn’t need the larger configuration on a day-to-day basis and by shortening and rotating it, we could free up a bit more space for the living area.

[Also, we need an orchid whisperer. After one watering mishap, all of the flowers fell off but the plant itself still looks healthy. I’ve just continued to water it, hoping it will remedy itself, but I’m growing weary of that strategy. Orchid experts, advice?]

Anyway, scooting the couch a bit closer to the kitchen also gives us more room for chairs at the other end, which we’ve found is critical when we have people over. Although it was important for us to get six chairs, we’re keeping two in the living area for the time being.  The jumble of audio equipment behind is also on the to-do list for this fall/winter. Last year we came up with this design for a media cabinet. While we’re still envisioning a long, low-slung piece, we’re tweaking the design to work with the revised furniture layout (and our growing record collection!).

There are still several things on our to-do list for this space, but the chairs are a giant step in the right direction. And, they make us happy.

 

[P.S. – thank you for all of your thoughtful and encouraging comments last week! You guys are the best.]

kitchen follow-up

It’s been just about 8 months since we finished (and revealed) our new kitchen, so we thought it was a good time to report back and let you know how we like it.

(Don’t remember the horror that it was before? Click here.)

Before we picked up a sledgehammer, we spent a lot of time designing the space and researching various fixtures, appliances, materials, etc. Below is the final materials palette that we assembled in May 2010 which represents the actual products used. For a complete list of everything we chose, check out the resources page. 

Cabinets

Starting out, we were a little skeptical about the quality and durability of IKEA cabinets. But after reading a number of good reviews we decided to just go for it and so far, we’ve been very impressed. Granted, custom cabinets would have been better crafted and more durable, but for us this was an area where we could save a substantial amount of money without sacrificing function or our overall design ideas. We also came up with a layout that uses IKEA components but doesn’t scream “hey there, I’m an IKEA kitchen!”.

So far, we have had no issues with the functionality of the cabinets. (There is a slight squeak when you turn the carousel in the lazy susan cabinet, but I haven’t been motivated/annoyed enough yet to take everything out and remedy the problem.) Aesthetically, one minor issue to keep in mind is if you’re using white frames and a darker cabinet/drawer face, you can sometimes see a bit of the white behind if the faces don’t precisely line-up (and they often don’t). At first we were concerned and even corrected the issue on one cabinet by adding a piece of black electrical tape over the frame edge to create a “reveal” of sorts. It worked fine but we never got around to doing it on the other cabinets and unless you’re standing directly in front of the gap and crouched down, you never really notice.

The pull-out pantry has been a lifesaver for storing food in a small kitchen (we also use one of the island drawers for snack food items).

The “soft close” hardware? Totally worth it. Totally awesome.

Another great thing about IKEA is that, contrary to popular belief, you’re not limited to small drawers and cabinets. The unit to the right of the range is 36″ wide and deep enough to store the food processor, large baking sheets and the toaster (I know, a little weird, but the toaster is ugly and must be hidden from view at all times).

For the three upper cabinets, we installed the special hinges that allow the doors to stay open and then softly close with a slight tap when you’re done. Again, a must-have for cabinets at this height.  Kyle made the two open shelves and wine rack out of fir plywood (with a fir edge band). At first we were apprehensive about the open shelving from a dust standpoint (aesthetically though, two thumbs up), but because these are our “everyday” dishes they aren’t on the shelf long enough to get dusty. The wine glasses are an exception, especially since we like to drink almost everything out of the smaller tumblers on the right. So we might shuffle those around one of these days.

We’ve noticed a slight discoloration on the wood where the stacks of dishes are, but it doesn’t bother us and you won’t be able to see the discrepancy unless we rearrange.

The steel drawer pulls were a splurge, but we know they’ll last forever. The only minor complaint I have is that they can act as a mini-shelf for crumbs, especially at the island where most of the food prep happens.

Plumbing Fixtures

We purchased (and still own) three kitchen sinks. The first was a double-basin that we foolishly bought several years ago. After nearly four frustrated years of our double-basin Sears Roebuck sink (seriously, did people not have pots and pans back in the day??), we were single-basin converts. The second sink was a cheaper single-basin that we picked up at a shady location in South Seattle. It was ok, but we were concerned about the quality (the brand was unknown). Finally we found this Kraus sink on Craigslist. I love this sink. It’s clean and modern, but the slight radius of the inside corners means there’s no place for gunk to collect. At first I was indifferent to the rack that sits on the bottom, but have since found that it keeps the bottom of the sink from getting scratched and allows air to circulate around dishes that get left in the sink overnight (or for a few days). Oh, and undermount vs. self-rimming – this is not even a discussion worth having with yourself.

The Grohe Minta faucet was another splurge (although we did get it at a discounted price), but it was worth it. It is incredibly durable and we haven’t had a single issue with the retractable pull-out sprayer (when you turn the faucet off, it pulls the sprayer hose back into the faucet). Oh, and it’s pretty.

The adjacent soap pump has been a great way to free up counter space and even though we initially planned on a separate water filter, we eventually nixed the idea. The modern filter faucets were almost as expensive as the main faucet and after drinking out of our bathroom sink for a few months we decided that the water quality was actually pretty good. Problem solved, money saved.

Countertops

For the countertops we mainly wanted something that was durable and would reflect light. We collected a bunch of different samples and ultimately ended up with Silestone composite quartz in “white north”. By purchasing the countertops through IKEA we got a discount. By sweet-talking the dealer into an architect discount, we saved a little more. (Sadly, we could not talk them into a “double architect” discount. Damn. Why does the double architect discount never work??) Anyhow, the quartz is very durable and easy to clean. The seam at the corner is nearly invisible and I generally have to show people where it is for them to notice.  Silestone was not the cheapest option out there, but knowing that the counters would be one of the most abused surfaces in the house we knew it would be a good investment.

For the island, we opted for butcherblock for a few different reasons. First, a solid piece of Silestone that size would have been crazy expensive. (Aesthetically, I think our kitchen proves that you don’t have to have matching countertops or matching cabinets to make it feel cohesive.) We also liked the idea of the island being a true work surface and a place where people could gather to help prep a meal. We looked at several different butcherblock options (including IKEA), but ultimately decided on Lyptus, which had a coloring similar to the surrounding fir wood and was surprisingly affordable. (To save on costs, we bought one 12′ counter depth piece, cut it in half and biscuited the two panels together.) Even though the intention was to use it as a giant chopping block, it was so new and pretty that I’m still pulling out the cutting boards. Over time I’m sure we’ll eventually transition to cutting directly on it, but at least we know we can always sand it down and refinish it (with a food-grade finish) if we want it to look all pretty and new again.

Trash

You know how excited I was about our fancy waste organization system. 8 months in it’s still doing its job. We knew summer would be the real challenge though – right around this time of year we start to get fruit flies and of course they love to hang out in the compost container. Our temporary solution? We converted the cookie jar to a countertop compost container. It doesn’t have a charcoal filter or any of that fancy-ness, but as long as we empty it every couple of days, we’re ok. For larger items (pizza boxes, egg cartons, etc.) we just take them straight to our yard waste/compost container.

Appliances

It’s hard to find something to dislike about our range, mainly because it was a huge upgrade from every other cheapo electric range we’ve had in the past. We purchased a scratch & dent GE Cafe dual fuel (convection oven with gas range). It has the professional styling w/o the crazy expensive price tag and the flaw was on the side of the appliance and not visible. Cooking with gas has been great and the only downside is that the cooktop surface is harder to clean than the glass-top electric varieties.

After living with our stupid, non-functional (and brown!) range hood, we made it a priority to find the best hood we could afford. We purchased a simple and modern model from Vent-A-Hood. At an equivalent 900 CFM’s, it is certainly powerful. The only negative? It’s loud. This probably has more to do with the way it’s ducted, but at least I don’t have to fear high temperature cooking anymore. (You don’t want to see what Bailey does when the smoke alarm goes off.) 

Even though we briefly considered not having a microwave, I’m glad we found a way to incorporate one in without it being all in your face. The location works well and even though it’s lower than counter height, it hasn’t been a problem to use.

(Note: our fridge and dishwasher were purchased in 2006 when we moved in.)

And what does Bailey think about his custom dog bowl station? Well, he doesn’t really care as long as we put food in there twice a day. Storing the food within an arm’s reach under the sink was a good move, especially when Bailey wakes me up at 5:30 every morning. Does he wake me up to go to the bathroom? No. He wants to eat. So every morning I make him go outside first, then stumble bleary-eyed to the kitchen and feed him before going back to bed.

Lighting

Lighting has been one of the areas that we were most nervous about (so expensive! so many options!) but that we’re really pleased with. Almost all of our fixtures are made by different companies but everything meshes together while also serving its intended purpose.

The Bruck linear chandelier over the island provides good task lighting and is elegant enough that it doesn’t overwhelm the space. The two wall-mounted reach lights above the kitchen window provide additional task lighting and are only used if we’re cooking at night. The undercabinet LED lights also don’t get used all of the time, but serve as additional lighting and sometimes as a nightlight when we have guests staying with us.

Flooring

I know this is probably the product people were the most skeptical about: the cork flooring. So here’s what we like about it: the color, the texture, the easy maintenance and the slight cushion underfoot. What don’t we like? Here’s a clue:

To back up just a little bit, we ordered our cork tiles prefinished with a hardwax oil. For whatever reason, they didn’t come that way so the dealer and manufacturer ended up splitting the cost to have a floor company come out and apply a wax finish over the installed tiles. We chose a wax finish over a polyurethane one because it could be spot repaired and since the cork was throughout most of the house, we thought that would be a good thing. We also thought that even though we have a dog, he isn’t the type that runs in circles around the house (in other words, he’s kinda lazy). The thing we didn’t completely realize? He likes to lay “froggy style” and as a result his back claws tend to scratch the floor every time he scrambles to his feet. You can see a little bit of that here:

So what to do? Fortunately, the scratches are just in the wax and not the cork itself.  I haven’t tried to do a true spot repair yet but it’s on the list. Since wax is a “buildable” finish, adding more layers will increase the life of the flooring and this might be the strategy we need to put in place. We’ve also though about scrapping the wax and going with a poly finish but this would mean emptying out the house and most likely hiring the work out. We’re going to live with the flooring and try a few spot repairs for now, but if we’re still not happy in a year or two we’ll weigh the different options.

So all in all, we feel like our research has paid off. The space functions well, is comfortable, easy to clean and is a bazillion times better than the shameful 5-doored room that was our old kitchen.

Want to read through all of our kitchen-related posts? Pour yourself some coffee and click here.