It’s an exciting week over here at casa Bustamante because after much planning, our kitchen renovation is FINALLY beginning and we are set to start demo early next week!!! When we bought this house in January, we knew that we were going to renovate that space. We anticipated starting immediately, but then a lot happened to slow us down; in the end we wound up changing the plan completely and I am SO glad we waited. We are going to have the kitchen of our dreams, balancing budget items with splurges and creating a look that is unique to our home and will flow with what we have done so far throughout. Today I am going to share with you our modern, timeless & organic kitchen plans in full details. We are very thankful to our sponsors who have made this kitchen renovation a possibility, and you will find a comprehensive list at the end of this post. (This post also contains a couple of affiliate links).
Now, let’s get to the fun stuff! I have several drafts on file, but this past weekend I finally sat down and created “the final plan.”
I am going to be sharing much more about the layout when I write about the cabinets specifically, but today I want to focus on the aesthetics. I knew that I wanted a clean and simple white shaker cabinet, and was thrilled to see that Cabinets to Go offered exactly what I wanted. They actually offer a sleeker modern style as well that I considered, but after visiting my local store, I saw that the shaker was really what my heart desired.
The Malibu white of the shaker style has a nice flat finish and is the perfect shade of white. I am very fortunate that Cabinets to Go has agreed to partner with me on this kitchen makeover, and really excited to be working with them! They are a brand that is totally in line with my budget way of decorating, and I want to show you that you can have a gorgeous kitchen without the scary price tag. With the plan we had for our layout, they had every piece we needed, including pantry cabinets, apron sink bases, wide drawers instead of lower cabinets, and a trash can drawer. You can find all of the components they offer here, but I was more than impressed with the selection of pieces and sizes available. If you’d like to check out a stunning kitchen using these cabinets, check out my friend Kassina’s design below. (Click here to see more of this stunning kitchen. Please go to her post if you’d like to pin her work.)
As for the cabinet hardware, I’m going to make my final decision once I have the cabinets here. I am a huge fan of DLawless Hardware and have worked with the people there for years. They offer some of the best prices in hardware, and have some great modern pieces. I love these black finger pulls, but I really need to see the cabinets in person before I decide. They would be a contrast to the appliances which might be nice and they wouldn’t stick out as far which might be nice with a toddler. if I do the finger pulls on the drawers, I would have to find something else for the pantry doors I think. Secondly, I also love the classic gold bar pull which I think will blend with our appliances perfectly. What would you pick?
When it came to flooring, we chose red oak from Talon Direct hardwood, which is sold at Cabinets to Go retail stores. We currently have red oak in our dining room and our living room and the new flooring will go in the kitchen as well as our entry. Also, the hallway off the entry and all of the bedrooms on this level also have the same red oak wood floors. It’s original to the house so it has yellowed a bit over the years, but we wanted to go with the same type of wood so that eventually it would age and blend with the existing flooring to create cohesion.
The talon planks are a little wider, but they offer the 3/4″ thickness which is awesome! Our original flooring is that thick as well, and it’s so nice and solid. I was able to take home a sample of the Talon flooring from my local Cabinets to Go and was really happy with how hard and solid it is. It’s truly an awesome floor for the price, and it’s currently 20% off through the end of the month. Talon flooring is also a company I am proud to partner with because their products are formaldehyde free and harvested to FSC-Certification sustainability standards. Additionally, and speaking aesthetically, Talon hardwoods are going to bring warmth and an organic feel to our kitchen.
In a kitchen remodel, the biggest design choices are the cabinets, the floors, and the countertops. When we first moved in I thought I wanted white quartz with gray veining. I was sure of it! Since we didn’t immediately renovate, I had a lot of time to stew on this decision. While I love white quartz for its timelessness and durability, in the end I ended up choosing something completely different that will give the kitchen a bit of drama! Additionally, I was shocked at the 17k estimate for the quartz I loved most. With the classic choices of white shaker cabinetry and wood flooring, I ended up choosing Terrazzo from a North Carolina based company called Terrazzco. In case you aren’t sure what terrazzo is, it’s a material made from chips and chunks of marble, or stone, or glass, or even shell and other natural materials. It’s mixed with concrete then honed to a smooth finish and the look is unique and beautiful. It’s durable, and much more affordable. There are SOOOO many options available, and the lovely people of Terrazzco were kind enough to send me several samples. I am going to share more about that in a later post, but today I want to show you what my final decision is. I don’t have an image of it exactly since it will be a custom mix, but I loved the scale of the sample they sent me with larger aggregates, so I will be doing a mix of large aggregates in whites and grays, earth tones, and a bit of black. The scale will be similar to these two samples below, more like chunks rather than chips. I will actually be blending these two colors and adding a bit more white and a dash of black.
Oh, and I haven’t told you the most exciting part about the countertops… we are going to use the same mix in a terrazzo slab for our back splash! That is really why I wanted to larger scale aggregates… I wanted something with a fun pattern and a bit of contrast.
Now, let’s address the next largest item in this space, appliances. The existing kitchen, as you may recall from our house introduction, has stainless steel appliances. The refrigerator is the bane of our existence as the ice maker is constantly getting clogged and then dumping a ton of ice on the floor (I mean, the dogs love that feature). The dishwasher is just low quality, and the wall oven is SOOOOO small at only 24″ wide and is not large enough for a family of 5 unless that family doesn’t bake; we, however, love to bake. Lastly, the one nice appliance is a Bosch gas range, but since we are removing the wall oven, we are adding a free standing 30″ range. Oh, and I should add the microwave over the range is awkwardly way too low so forget trying to flip pancakes on that back burner.
With the modern look of what we are going for, I decided to splurge on appliances and use the matte white with gold handled Cafe appliances. Now, as I mentioned these were a total splurge, and after I hit the “complete order” button, I had a moment of panic that maybe I should have chosen something else that was more within reach. However, often with design it’s those big ticket items that really elevate a space and I think these appliances are going to blend perfectly which is what I wanted… I wanted them to blend with the white of the cabinetry but also have a little edge and glam to them. And for what it’s worth, their simple modern hood is actually really inexpensive. Additionally, we chose the refrigerator without the door ice and water dispenser because Chris and I honestly don’t like them, and it saves money.
Now, let’s talk about that brass elephant in the room, shall we? Did you even know that a brass apron sink was a thing, because I didn’t before perusing Thompson Traders’ website! I was referred to Thompson Traders by my friend Amber who is a local kitchen designer. They are a local company based here in Greensboro but do most of their sales through shipping and through wholesale. I spoke with Clifford and he agreed to partner with me on this project and even let me come down to their office so I could see the display they typically use at home shows. I was fairly certain after seeing the Lucca brass sink online that it was “the one,” but I was thrilled for the opportunity to see it in person. Wilder also got a chance to check it out and he approves… big enough for him to bathe in!
To give you an idea of what you are looking at, the sink on top has been preserved in its original state, and the sink below shows what will happen over time with use… I love that patina it gets and that’s exactly the look I want for mine. I fell in love with this sink because it will make a bold statement and will tie into the appliances beautifully. Additionally, I’ve not yet known anyone to use a brass sink in their kitchen and that really appeals to me. I am grateful for the opportunity to show it off!
Now, with a sink like this I had to find the perfect faucet. I had my eye out for the perfect matte black faucet which would be perfect in juxtaposition to this sink. In my search, I came across this stunning black and gold modern pull down faucet at Quality Bath. I loved the modern lines, the finish, and the pull down feature and knew it was meant to go with that sink. I reached out to Quality Bath and am thrilled that they are joining me as a partner on this project.
Just as with the sink and faucet, I wanted the lighting to mix both matte black and gold. We’re not doing any upper cabinetry aside from the cabinet above the refrigerator, and are opting for lots of open shelving. I am a huge fan of open shelving because it makes a space feel more open and it honestly helps keep me in check. Also, I like to be able to see all of my pretty things! Along all of the outer walls above the open shelving and the sink window, we’re using Sazerac Stitches matte black Loa sconce, which is a beautiful modern sconce. They were exactly the finish and style I was looking for. Every room needs a bit of black and these sconces are just the thing!
I also love partnering with “mom & pop” type of brands like Sazerac Stitches. They are a young married couple and make everything themselves. I absolutely LOVE that!
In addition to adding sconces, we have an overhead light that we need to replace. I wanted something simple, flushmount or semi flush mount and in gold. We’ve been thrilled with our hall and entry lighting by My Mitzi, a great affordable source for modern lighting. When I saw their Livvy, I knew it would complement my sconces fabulously. The simple shape is just perfect, and the gold brings a great touch of contrast.
As I mentioned, we will be doing lots of open shelving in this kitchen, and I plan to store cookbooks, canisters, dish ware, and some cookware. Chris and I have had most of our cookware since before we were married and it was not the best quality to begin with. I wanted to replace it with something that would last a long time, be super useful to us, and (most importantly- ha!) look beautiful on our shelving. I reached out to Cuisinart, (a brand we have represented plenty in our kitchen and love) and they were happy to join me as a partner. We’ll be receiving their 10 piece Elements pro induction nonstick cookware set. I absolutely love that it’s black and white!!! I do have a lot of that in this house, as you have seen.
I also requested a couple of other large stock pots in white. This 12 quart stock pot with steamer insert is going to be so handy when I make applesauce this fall. In the past, I’ve had to use a slotted spoon to get apples out of a huge pot, but the steamer insert will allow me to just lift that out and drain any water.
For special occasions and recipes, I will be getting the 20 quart stock pot with steamer insert and cover. You might wonder why on earth I would need a pot this large, but it all boils down to traditions. See what I did there? 😉 Our family has a long standing tradition of Christmas Eve lobster, and you can’t steam a lobster without a large pot. My parents would always have to lug their pot to our house, but now we’ll have one here which is great since they will have a lot farther to travel these days. The last pot I am getting from Cuisinart is the 12 quart stock pot, and I wanted this because every fall through winter, we are big soup eaters here. We love to make butternut squash soup, this sweet potato soup, italian wedding soup, and many others. I love throwing things in the stock pot and letting them simmer for a while… the house smells great and feels cozy, and now even my pot will look great!
As far as items go, I finally just want to mention a couple of the other items I placed on my design plan…. I already picked up this dinosaur & french press art when I was in Asheville. We own these gray ikea dishes (I love their cement color!) and they don’t have very good reviews, but we really love them. These canisters are from CB2 and I love the matte finish and colors, or maybe lack of color. 😉
Lastly, I want to say thank you to my contractor, who I have been talking with since January. Obviously, he’s a very patient man. He has been wonderful to work with so far and I can’t wait to see his work in my home. I will do my best to keep you updated as we begin this renovation journey, and also will be sharing more details on several of these elements. Stay tuned and wish me serenity! Thank goodness Chris works for Zoe’s… I might be having him bring home dinner every night. 😉
And one more thing…. A huge thank you to all of my sponsors who have made this renovation happen. I am honored to work with each of you and can’t wait to share your beautiful products!
