Designing Acres: The Kitchen

Perhaps the space that I spent the most time designing as we built this home was the kitchen. I spent hours pouring through magazines and the Internet to find my inspiration. Everything kept coming back to three ideas. I wanted creamy white cabinets with a darker island, something with carrara marble, and counters that showed some contrast. So here is a closer look:

This is the island with a farmhouse sink. It is so nice to have the deep basin to wash and rinse everything. You can't see it in the photo, but the dishwasher is to the left. The cabinets are cherry with an ember glazed finish. The countertop is Caesarstone quartz - color is nougat. I so wanted a cararra marble counter, but realized I was not the type that would be able to handle how easily it scratched or stained. I love the choice we made - no regrets - it is very durable! Here's a closer look:

This is another angle of the island looking towards the breakfast nook. We love to sit here with morning coffee and watch the occasional deer that come out to visit:)

Above is a look at a spice rack and wine storage. There were so many choices to pack into this island. We also have a trash bin and sets of drawers.

This is a look at the countertop over the perimeter cabinets. Same quartz surface, but the color is called "Raven". Below you can see the cabinets, and they are a creamy white with an antique pewter glaze.

Just another example of the neat storage options that are out there - who says plates always have to go on shelves?

Not the greatest photo, but you can see where I was able to sneak in that carrara marble - the backsplash doesn't get as much wear as a countertop, so it seemed like the perfect compromise to me. It's a subway marble tile. The basketweave tile frames the potfiller, which I have to say, is great to use. Contractors loved to pick on me for this one, seeing that the sink is just behind the cooktop. But hey, it sure comes in handy when things get busy in the kitchen!

These double ovens are great. The top is a convection oven/microwave and the bottom is another wall oven. That door to the right is a pantry. Can I tell you how happy that makes me? I never had a pantry before and I can store a lot in there - not showing that photo - that's a good project to organize for another day.