Here it is, the big unveiling........ It's been so amazing working on this project, a dream come true.
I had a long wish list, it went something like this: locate kitchen in the center of the house, open to the living room and dining room, but enclosed so no one is unnecessarily walking through it, have a counter I can use for bigger project as well as function as a breakfast bar and evening drink area, have ready to cut on butcher block counter top, a compost chute, a baking area, an easy to clean, big, deep, sink with a fauset like the one I had at camp, open, hanging stainless steel storage, a good range hood, and a soft floor.
I love this sink. It couldn't be more perfect. I got to draw and erase and draw and erase and draw it out on a big piece of plywood that we then bought to stone soup concrete where Micheal made it all come to life. I was determined to have a compost chute, and I wanted to be able to reach it from the sink and the butcher block cutting area. So it was located right in the middle with some curvy lines to match the curved on the other counter. The compost just falls into the pull out trash drawer, into a big plastic container.
Steve from Valley Home Improvement, who happens to be the best carpenter in the Valley and possibly the world, could make anything I dreamed up happen. He helped me get everything just right. He taught me how to tile, convinced me to use black grout and never tired of caulk jokes and "name that hip-hop tune".
I really wanted a peninsula vs an island. I don't need to be able to walk all the way around it and this way I get an extra couple feet of counter space as well as storage underneath. I chose to have the counter top hang over all the way around, this way I could sit in the kitchen and look out while I worked, and sqeeze a few more seats in. I also wanted to have some of the drawers open from the outer side of the kitchen for things like pens and scissors and napkins. I really wanted to have the kitchen as open and as enclosed as possible. I am happy to say that I have achived that.
I love that grown-up and kids all love to sit at the counter and keep me company while I am in the kitchen. I love how easy it is to serve and clean up breakfast. I love that it's always the first seat anyone entering the house takes. I love that it's where home-work gets done. I love that it's where music gets played.
The lighting really brought it all together. My electrician helped me get it just right so that all the lights could be dimmed and that not a corner was left in the dark.
Well I think it's the coolest kitchen I've ever seen, stop by for a drink sometime.
