Posted by
Elana Safronsky, Managing Editor
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 12:35 PM EDT
Glen Peloso is our Design Dilemma man! As you may have gathered from our interview at his pristinely put-together home, he is a fountain of design knowledge. Really. His down-to-earth, practical approach to aesthetics means take-home, tailored advice for each and every one of you whose dilemma was selected for a feature.
Today we kick off with a refreshingly decadent project: a dream home kitchen. Traditionally, a 'dilemma' ensues when wants/needs run into lack of funds/resources. Well, not for lucky Diana and hubby of BC...
From Diana G.: "Hi!
We're in the process of breaking ground on our dream home, and my husband and I have had the same vision for our Colonial from the start, however... when we imagine our kitchen... we have two different ideas. I see it as a country/antiqued white kitchen overlooking our acreage, and he imagines more of a dark wood, slightly more sophisticated... the only thing we agree on is accents of green ... whether it be the island stain or somewhere else...and the big white sink.
The rest of the house has been compromizeable (is that a word?)... but this kitchen has thrown us for a loop. Thanks so much for your feedback... any ideas or next steps would be wonderful.
Cheers!"
Glen suggests:
via artstudiowork.com; CornerStone Construction
Hey Diana,
Sounds like the house and the property are going to be spectacular - congratulations! It's funny when design questions put me in the middle of a couple's strife, and even though I don't like choosing sides (Dr. Phil I am not!), I think we can take what you are describing (your idea) as a jumping off point. I like the idea of a painted kitchen in the description of what you are trying to build -- stylistically, BUT, there still might be a good compromise:
- I would suggest that you paint the cabinets with a Benjamin Moore colour HC 27, called "Monterey White" -- an off white with a vanilla tone to it. I would personally take it easy on the antique finish – I think you will grow tired of it. If you love the idea, be sure to do it with some sense of reserve -- lightly antiqued.
- Your antique feel can come mainly from the island. Build the island in a medium toned wood stain – like a walnut, for example -- and detail it to look like a piece of furniture. This may or may not be what you are picturing, but you can take cue from the the examples shown above. On the left is a more traditional look, while the right shows how traditional can be treated in a slightly more contemporary way.
- Add the green tone that you are both interested in the stone counter tops. The lighter one pictured on the right is called Verta Cote Green, and has a light moss colour when polished. When it comes to granite counter tops, it is certainly worth a trip to a place that sells granite slabs. You will find a great selection and each stone has a personality of its own, like an impressionist painting. Feel free to mix two stones if you like – one for the island and a second for the rest of the space.
I believe this look will be brilliant in your new space and incidentally, both of you will have 'won', in a way! Have fun with the construction and I hope you love it when it is all finished -- husband, wife and kids alike!
Glen Peloso
Any other ideas as to how Diane can get some green into her kitchen? What would your dream kitchen look like?