First: The kitchen before...it made me sad to be in here if we're being honest...
We bought the house sight unseen, just pictures and description from our realtors. Well, no one told us that they had basically destroyed the kitchen. They had put the white porcelain tile over a red formica countertop, but hadn't bothered to install any backing, just mortared it right to the old counter. It was chipped and very discolored. Didn't help that they also had seemingly drawn on the grout lines with crayon, there were different colored lined all over the place for no apparent reason. The dining room (the one with the large windows) had carpet that was so nasty I couldn't even look at it--it was the first thing to go, don't worry! So, we set to work making it ours (or at least something from this decade).
So, here's the final product, and I LOVE it! The slate floors took far too long, but I think we both got overwhelmed with the size of the project and got a bit apathetic about halfway through. They turned out beautiful though. The counters are black granite tile, which is really nice. Paired with the black granite sink and all new hardware, it's really a pretty combination. The pulls on the cabinets and drawers are river rock from Lake Michigan--found them on ebay and they fit perfectly with the natural theme! Of course my trusty Kitchenaid mixer has a prominent spot, along with the Soyabella. All in all, it's a great kitchen. I wish I could get my herbs to look more alive these days, not sure if I overwater (long history of this, unfortunately!), or what, but they're a little flaccid lately. So, I can now cook and feel good about it, and Justin is really proud of his work.
All in all, I think it's gorgeous!!!!
