Today is an epic show-and-tell for all of those who have been following along on this project. It’s our farmhouse kitchen reveal, where after two years of ARCIFORM and I tweaking renderings, our Pinocchio has come to life. And I’m not lying, I love this real boy more than I thought possible. When we first walked into the kitchen two and a half months ago, after all the plastic was finally removed from painting, it was a super surreal feeling — like I’d been here before. I knew this kitchen so well, even though it had only existed on a computer screen. The emotional relationship with the room was deep and complicated. As all creatives know, after working on something for a long time (almost two years), when you are finally “done” and you put it out into the world, it’s really hard to know how good it is, or what “good” even means in this nutty universe full of endless images, extreme creativity, trends, and comparisons — especially when it comes to your home, a space so deeply personal. Anyone designing their home or creating a piece of art has such an intertwined history with the piece/room, an emotional relationship with every decision they made, and likely a fraught connection with their own creativity and confidence. Expectations are impossible to manage internally — and likely externally — throughout the process. So, I’m VERY, VERY, VERY excited to say that while I’m too close to it to know how “good” this kitchen is, it doesn’t matter — we love the hell out of this room and feel excited and proud to cook in here with our family for hours and hours each week. The colors. The materials. The light. The functionality. The soul. We really, really, really love it.
Before we get into the nitty gritty and all of the pretty photos, Brian shot a quick video tour of me in the kitchen so y’all can interact with the space. Just wait for the ad to play first then enjoy:)
Proof of our love (with some help from tickling our kids). I think the biggest challenge of this entire home was (and still is) figuring out how to lean in to “farmhouse” in a way that feels modern and “us,” something that isn’t too safe but also not taking a risk or going after any trend that I would get sick of. Finding that perfect spot between busy and boring, or timeless and on trend, takes more obsession and thought than you’d think. And for better or worse, I’ve become more and more conservative the older I get (public regrets will do that to you). The obsessing worked, and I’m happy to report that there are very few things I would tweak — and I have such love for all the details and materials. I gushed about every detail in the design post for this kitchen, but now that it’s fully installed and you can see how everything plays together, I’ll give you a quick (ha) rundown of why I think it works and any lessons you could possibly glean. I also want to shout out the ARCIFORM team – Anne and Stephyn for all the help with the renderings and orderings. But Jamie, the project lead, really killed it with the execution and installation of all the carpentry, details, cabinet and appliance install with the help of Taylor, Alex, Tourin and Steve. We love you Jamie!!!
The White Oak Custom Cabinetry
The cabinets from Unique Kitchens & Baths are just so stunning (and high quality). Laying out the cabinets and navigating the perfect functionality took time with the UKB and ARCIFORM teams (and it was so fun, documented here), but choosing the white oak shaker-style boxes and fronts was something we wanted almost from the beginning. For like five minutes we were nervous about mixing the white oak with the darker wood of the island, but Anne from ARCIFORM assured us early on that mixing awesome woods together always works, and she was right. We partnered with Unique Kitchens & Baths, who are FULL-SERVICE and incredibly experienced. You don’t need a designer — they will be your designer as part of their service, plus they do all the renderings, etc. (You still pick tile and lighting, but they’ll plug it in to the design. We didn’t go the renderings route because we didn’t want to show you their SketchUp drawings, since that would literally have given the whole kitchen away — they look so real!!) We wrote about it in this post, but I need you to know how high quality they are, how beautiful they are, how experienced they are — all of it. We are going to shoot the insides of the cabinets soon so you can see all the functionality. If you are in the market for custom cabinetry, they are also giving 10% off with the code “EH2022” and like I said, they’ll do a lot of the nitty-gritty rendering work and elevations for you so you can absolutely save on hiring a designer. Cabinets come as prebuilt boxes (which is the European style, rather than piece by piece), and they come packed in blankets, which they take back with them, i.e., no wasteful packaging (which was a really lovely perk we didn’t know about at the beginning).
The Vintage Island
As you know, we wanted a vintage island to bring in age and soul, but finding the right one proved to be very difficult…until one day it wasn’t. 🙂 Just when I was about to give up on the search, Britney from Aurora Mills texted me that she had just got this piece, and after going to visit it myself, we checked that box very enthusiastically. It was PERFECT.
Island (vintage)
It seems to be an old store counter, because its sheer size means that it must have been in something commercial (it’s more than 9′ long). The six drawers on the front side function pretty well — heavier and harder to open/close than new drawers, but they are actually really deep, so we store our colanders, Tupperware, and random cooking tools in there. (It’s a mess right now, TBH, but the org is coming soon.) It’s white oak with an old reddish stain that we actually love. It’s solid, adds so much soul, and feels casual but not too shabby-chic (nothing wrong with that, just not what we are going for in the kitchen). If you are wondering how they made the top bigger to have an overhang, stay tuned for a post on that.
The Lighting: Pendants, Sconces, Picture Lights (And One Semi-Flush)
Sconces | Picture Lights | Pendants | Pendant Bulbs
I love them so, so much. Very early on I knew that I wanted these cute little enamel shades with black trim. At first, everyone else thought they were too casual, not fancy enough for such a high-end house, but I was so sure that these were our lights because of that. This configuration does have a very utilitarian vibe — it’s casual and not glam at all or overly traditional, and yet it feels so pulled together and cohesive, and the hits of black make your eye dance around the room. It dresses down the formality of the tile and the hits of brass, in exactly the way that I wanted it to. We chose the Fairview Traditional 2-Light Sconce and paired it with the Carson Cord Pendant, with the Clyde picture lights flanking the range. I seriously couldn’t be happier. And remember that with Rejuvenation you have so many finish options (brushed brass, polished nickel, unlacquered brass, etc.) and shade options (glass, opaque glass, a lot of colored shades, copper, silver), so if you like the shape and style but wish it were a bit more traditional or less utilitarian then you can play on their website and configure them until you find what you want.
Also, Rejuvenation offers the best bulb for each fixture depending on which room it’s in, and they helped weigh in on all of our bulbs. I LOVE the big round porcelain (still LED) bulbs in the pendants — they made the disk pendants even more playful and fun. I want to write a whole post about this bulb-pairing process because I learned a ton. STAY TUNED! 🙂
Sconces | Picture Lights | Pendants | Pendant Bulbs
We had to swag the corded pendants from one junction box (in the middle of the ceiling, which is unfortunately NOT centered over the island because the architecture of the roofline didn’t allow for it). I don’t think we even took a photo of what the ceiling looks like with the cords, so stay tuned for that too (but it looks so good!).
You can see here the sconces work so well together. The Clyde is being discontinued, and I tried to switch out to one of the other picture lights that is not on its way out, but the J box was already cut into the paneling, and the circle was too big for the smaller art light canopy. (That happened in our L.A. living room, too, I just realized — I wish there were more standard sizes of J boxes for this exact purpose.) So if you are still renovating you have the opportunity to choose a more delicate picture light like the Ridgewood or the Cabinet Maker’s, but you need to tell your GC and electrician about the size of the canopy prior to cutting the drywall or paneling.
The World’s Best Denim-Colored Tile
Oh, Pratt + Larson, how I LOVE YOU. I am so excited to say that this blue tile might be my favorite tile I’ve ever installed (tied with the sunroom and our bathroom…and the mudroom!!). Maybe it’s because trying to find that perfect blue/gray is so hard, and this one is PERFECT. We worked again with Pratt + Larson on all the tile in the house, locally made in Portland (we didn’t even have to ship it, which is just lovely for everyone). I brought my favorite Levi’s jeans to color-match and create our own custom color for the backsplash, but after looking at all of their colors, I realized that they actually had one already. While one of the best things about Pratt + Larson is their ability to color-match and create custom tile, they also have such a deep inventory of colors in different finishes that it didn’t really make sense to make a new color if what they had was already perfect. This one is called P-146 (in their parchment line), and it has the most perfect soft, almost watercolor-like variation of blues and grays.
I love how Level Plane (our installers) tile-wrapped the window jambs — with MASSIVE help from ARCIFORM’s design team (Stephyn!), as figuring out the math for what is internally called the “tile take-off” was a lot. As you can see (or maybe not) we needed finished endpieces for the jamb so that you don’t have to stare at an unfinished edge (like the rest of the wall tile is, although butted together).
The Marble Countertops
After MUCH DEBATE, we both agreed that real stone is the way to go in this house (although we love our quartz at the mountain house, too). My thoughts/feelings are that I love marble in older-style stones like this one, but you have to be ready for etchings and staining (we already have a few). We got ours from Bedrosians, and it’s a Carrara but with a lot of negative space and way less veining than usual.
Tall Vases (unavailable) | Black Vase (similar) | Ceramic Mortar & Pestle | Salt and Pepper Grinders | Glass Vinegar + Oil Cruet | Glass and Brass Cruet | Art (vintage) | Round Vase | Cookbook | Cookbook Stand | Cutting Board | Wooden Mini Bowl (unavailable) | Butter Dish | Spoon Rest
It’s super pretty but quiet (Brian doesn’t love a dramatic vein, and for this house, I totally agreed). We probably could have done a never-to-be-stained porcelain (there are some from Bedrosians that look like marble and are SO CONVINCING), but I love what we chose, and it just feels right. We decided not to do a bullnose or any sort of interesting lip on the front, mostly because we didn’t feel like we needed it, and it does cost more/take more time (although it’s nominal, maybe a couple hundred dollars more).
The Range Wall
Range | Dutch Oven | Kitchen Towel (similar) | Wood Board (similar) | Pitcher | Art (vintage)
I have a LOT to tell you about cooking with induction, which warrants a full post (already shot, coming at you soon, and spoiler — we love it). But this wall is clearly the statement wall, grounded by the Aga Elise from Build with Ferguson. We flanked the range with 4″ shelving (just enough for spices, oils, and art) and added some of my favorite things. The hood was a simple insert, which ARCIFORM clad in the paneling and painted out in Sherwin-Williams Extra White SW 7006. I mean, it’s the most beautiful range, and so far we are loving the induction cooking (with a learning curve that I’ll explain).
The Outlets, Light Switches, And Hardware
Cabinet and Drawer Knobs | Drawer Handles | Push-Button Switchplates | Outlet Switchplates
We went with unlacquered brass for everything (hardware, light switches), and the patina already looks wonderful. All of our outlets and light switches from Rejuvenation have a black finish for the actual outlet and the knobs (bottom is on and off, top is dimming). We are super happy with these light switches, by the way — they give a vintage/classic vibe, but they are pretty intuitive to use. You can get just on/off and add dimmers, like we did here, or combine USB outlets in with the light switches in other areas (they offer a million configurations).
Bridge Gooseneck Faucet + Pot Filler (And Sink)
Faucet with Rinse | Filter Tap | Sink
After much debate, we decided to go with unlacquered brass gooseneck faucets and ordered these from deVOL, because we loved the style, finish, and the cross handles. They are so pretty, but yes, we have to take care of them with a special wax product. We were willing to do it in the kitchen, but we decided against it in the bathrooms for maintenance reasons. I wrote a whole post about caring for unlacquered plumbing specifically (because of its exposure to water, it is harder to maintain), but the heart wants what the heart wants.
We also ordered a beautiful large farmhouse sink from Rejuvenation that has this pretty front apron detail — it’s special yet super classic:)
Pot Filler Tap | Faucet with Rinse | Filter Tap
The Natural Light (All Hail The Skylights And The Windows)
Double Hung Windows | Door | Picture Windows | Skylights
We really should just call the kitchen the “glass sunroom.” We were desperate for natural light in the previously very dark west-facing living room (now with a covered porch), and y’all, we got it by bringing it in through the kitchen. The kitchen has a full wall of windows (white oak, double-hung, from Sierra Pacific Windows), and we didn’t stop there — we added three Velux skylights that flood it with natural light overhead, even on the darkest days. On super sunny days, there is some harsh side light in the kitchen, but only for a couple of hours (around 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.), and only if you are sitting at the island (it’s fine when you are cooking). It does not bother us at all, since it’s something we predicted and planned around. It’s just wonderful. When it rains, you hear it louder in here, but it’s usually when I’m cooking up some soup and listening to a podcast, and it’s okay. (I can’t wait till the view out of the kitchen is landscaped. Fun fact: Windows bring in light, but you also see more of the outside obviously, so when it’s a construction zone…)
The Velux Skylights
Double Hung Windows | Door | Picture Windows | Skylights | Jars (vintage – similar) | White Handled Bowl | Light Blue Vase (unavailable)
I’m obsessed with that shot, seeing the skylights with the windows with the vaulted ceiling with the pendants — it came together so well! The skylights of course are solar-powered and have light-filtering shades that can be controlled via a remote. They are south-facing, with large trees blocking the views the second half of the day. We went with large skylights, and their lead time is always surprisingly fast (think weeks not months, but it varies, obviously), so if you are remodeling, it’s not too late to add them. 🙂 When integrated well into the design (and ARCIFORM did an amazing job facing out the insides with wood), I think they work well even in older homes like ours.
A quick callout to the paint color: Sherwin-Williams Extra White SW 7006. I love it in here so much with the warmth of the wood. It is a cooler white (which I don’t think I fully realized), so know that when choosing it, but if you are looking for a cool white (which looks great with natural light and blue tones), then Sherwin-Williams Extra White is excellent.
Jars (vintage – similar) | Light Blue Dish Towel (similar) | Cookbook | Dark Blue Dish Towel (similar) | Round Vase | Black Pitcher | Double Hung Windows
The Sierra Pacific Windows are white oak on the inside (aluminum clad on the outside) and add so much warmth in a really simple way. We did a classic two-over-two grid on the top, with clear on the bottom. Of course, we didn’t just stop there…
Light Blue Vase (unavailable) | Cutting Board (vintage – similar) | Door | Picture Windows
We also have these three non-operable windows in the corner and on the east side behind the bar — big picture windows that let in a lot of light and give views of what will someday be pretty trees and landscaping. (I actually had to buy plants to put near the window on the outside so you couldn’t see so clearly some of the construction that was ruining the photos.) The windows are simulated divided lites (which means there are three-dimensional grids on both the inside and outside of the double-paned glass, with a “shadow bar” in between to look like true divided lite windows), with white oak grids and frames. My goodness, I love them.
The Kitchen Entry “Bench/Table”
For those of you following closely, you know about my mudroom woes, and I’m still firmly against this area being treated as the mudroom. However, the landscaping is still far from done, so right now no one can get into the mudroom from the backyard until there is a hardscape path to it (it’s a mud walk right now). So this is where we come in and out of half the time (the other half being through the front entrance). We debated about installing this at bench height (to sit down easier and put on shoes) or a low table height (to charge devices on and hold more underneath), and ultimately the lower bench just looked better. Of course with two big plants there isn’t much room to sit, but only one of them is staying there (the low wide one is now in the sunroom and was there to distract from the construction outside).
Low Basket | Ceramic Tray | Blue Planter | Mirror (vintage – similar) | Tall Basket (vintage – similar) | Rug (vintage) | Shoe Tray (similar)
It is a great backpack and grocery drop zone also because it’s deep enough (almost 24″) to really provide a lot of space. We are moving the charging zone to the bar and pantry areas (adding more USB charging plugs there), and then I might add a little wall-mounted shelf for the side of the fridge to put phones or watches in while charging (we have no joke like 10+ devices to charge, not including laptops or iPads: headphones x 2, my flashlight beanie, Apple Watch x 2, Kindles, Gabb watches, our phones — so much). I might even hang that mirror on the side of the fridge with the shelf below it (that holds keys as well). Stay tuned on that.
Our Beautiful Wood Flooring
How beautiful is this flooring?! It’s Oregon white oak, born and raised (and milled) here at Zena Forest Products, a family mill that’s 30 minutes away. If you are in the market for stunning flooring that is not crazy expensive, I highly recommend this one. It is real wood, but engineered onto a tongue-and-groove backing (which we really wanted, as our mountain house flooring is real wood and has splintered, gapped, and buckled, as did our real wood flooring in L.A.). We love it so much.
The Bar Area
Fridge Column | Freezer Column | Appliance Pulls | Cupboard Latch
On the other side of the BlueStar fridge and freezer columns, which we LOVE (more info to come on those), we have the bar…
Brass Spindle Gallery Shelf Rail
Top Self: Serving Bowl (similar) | Candlesticks (vintage – similar) | Art (unavailable) | Colander | Pitcher
Middle Self: Amber Bowls (vintage – similar) | Ceramic Planter (similar) | Wooden Bowl (vintage – similar) | Pink Coups (vintage – similar) | Flute Glasses | Tall Coups | Wine Glasses
Bottom Shelf: Copper Mugs | Tall Glasses | Short Glasses | Beer Glasses | Tall Pitcher | Blue Glasses
This area is meant to serve all things drinks and cold snacks. We always intended to put a window here with the shelves in front of it with mostly glassware on them — and it worked. We got the brass rails from Pepe & Carols, which they sell by the foot and with individual rod brackets. Jamie and the ARCIFORM team built and installed the shelves wall to wall (through some carpentry magic), and they are 12″ deep. If you’re curious why one side of the bar has a toe-kick and the other side doesn’t, it’s because we did a toe-kick throughout the whole kitchen. However, for this section, since the fridge drawers and the pebble ice machine both need venting you can’t put a toe-kick there. Whoops. So we should have done furniture-style legs for the drawers on the left. I actually didn’t notice until I saw the photo!
Lamp (vintage – similar) | Tray | Glass Straws | Copper Cocktail Shaker (similar) | Mirror (vintage –similar) | Blue Planter | Small Plate (similar)
What you can’t see YET is where our actual food is. We have a pantry to the left of the bar that isn’t ready to be shot yet, but hopefully soon.
The Vintage Rug
Rug (vintage)
I truly hadn’t thought about going down the Persian rug route, but then I received this as a genuine gift from District Loom (in collaboration with Unique Kitchens & Baths) and couldn’t believe how perfect it was (they had schemed behind my back to find the one they knew would work). And now I’m back on the vintage Persian rug train because, my goodness, they are so durable and forgiving (you can’t see ONE piece of dirt, and trust me, there are a lot).
The Counter Stools
I couldn’t be happier with the stools from Fernweh. They are so sculptural and sturdy — heirloom pieces that we are so glad we invested in. And I love how the black talks to the black accents in the lighting. They come in other wood tones and heights as well (dining chairs and barstools).
WE LOVE IT SO MUCH
The layout and function absolutely works for us, and I’m back to cooking most nights when I can because chopping, souping, and listening to podcasts is how I shift from work to mom at the end of the day. I love being in here so much. Chopping on the island while someone else sits at the counter and chats with me is my favorite time of day. I truly had no idea how much joy I’d get from cooking till the past couple of years, and now I see why people obsess about the function and warmth of a kitchen.
So much more to tell you that didn’t fit in this post: everything about the appliances, all things “induction range,” all my favorite kitchen accessories (some seen, some not), a full pantry tour, and even inside all our cabinets. But mostly it just works so well for our family and feels so “us.” In case you missed it above, a huge thanks to ARCIFORM – Anne, Stephyn, Adam and our hero Jamie – for the years of drawings, measuring, and making sure it all actually came together. And then big thanks to our partners who are all linked up below. That’s it for today’s show-and-tell. I hope you like it. 🙂
Kitchen Resources:
Cabinetry: Unique Kitchens & Baths
Countertops: Bedrosians Tile & Stone
White Oak Windows and Doors: Sierra Pacific Windows
Skylights: Velux
Tile: Pratt + Larson
Appliances (sans Fridge and Freezer): Build with Ferguson
Fridge and Freezer: BlueStar
Flooring: Zena Forest Products(Oregon grown and milled)
Lighting, Switches, Outlets, and Sink: Rejuvenation
Wall Color: Sherwin Williams, “Extra White” .
Faucets: deVOL Kitchens
Vintage Island: Aurora Mills
Counter Stools: Fernweh Woodworking
Rug – District Loom
Brass Gallery Rods: Pepe and Carols
*Design by Emily Henderson and ARCIFORM
*Photos by Kaitlin Green
It is, without doubt, the best kitchen I’ve ever seen. It is the Taj Mahal of kitchens!
EEK. thank you so much!!! What a lovely first comment to read while I sip my coffee, wait for the kids to wake up with more than a little bit of anxiety about the reveal. So thank you 🙂
Oh my days! It is soooo beautiful – congratulations and well done Emily and team, this is the best kitchen you’ve ever done. I am speechless at how perfect it is – the light! the counter! the floors! The tile! and It looks like its always been there – bravo – I am really happy for you and just a teeny weeny bit jel you get to actually live in this fabulous kitchen – who cares what the rest of the house looks like 🙂
Im glad you are so happy with it after all your hard work. To be honest it feels a little flat to me.`1Lovely light and windows, wood too, but kinda boring. basically white counters, lots of wood and Emily’s blue in tile.
Did you watch the video? It’s not flat. I get everyone is entitled to their opinions but I don’t understand the point of saying all this out loud.
The whole place makes more sense to me if I stop trying to see it as a farmhouse or even farmhouse style. To me, it’s giving more northern maritime with the brass rails, darker wood, copious shiplap, and styling (hello dramatic kitsch seascapes!).
I agree Julia! I live in Maine where cottage meets farmhouse is quite typical here – and we often see hints of sailboat elements in our homes by the water here. I grew up in a true farmhouse here and can tell you that they’re pretty basic/simple when authentic. However, I also see farmhouse style as a bit of mindset in life – gardening, animal caretaking, etc. can be woven into practically any home style when I think of it that way.
So you say everyone is entitled to their opinion, but then seem to want to deny this person expressing theirs because you don’t agree with it?
Love the blue tile so much and the Rejuvenation sconces!
I know everything old is coming back into fashion, but I’m not quite ready for the orangey wood cabinetry and all the dark wood myself — but I know it’s very pnw.
I like the warm wood island with the blue-gray tiles – it’s refreshing to see more wood tones outside of white oak.
But that’s just me 🙂
It’s very “coastal” here in Maine also – a hint of nautical and cottage for us.
I just want to say (first of all, so much beautiful light and SPACE 😍😍 love and congratulations!! Also, yes to chopping and souping and podcasts 🥰🥰) in defense of orangish wood, I know it’s your job as a designer to be tasteful and all the things, but I find people’s objections to 70’s-era orange stains so … privileged?? Like: “it’s beautiful, it’s old, it’s functional, and it supports me mentally physically and emotionally.” I never see a problem there! (Also, I GET when something doesn’t feel beautiful to an individual. Totally respect individual taste.) Whenever I am around almost any piece of wooden furniture, something in me relaxes. Bring on whatever finish you want! I’ll be curling into the swirls and burls and gratitude. To sum: that island is the bomb. The gorgeous smooth cabinets and floors are the cherries on top.
I hear you on the idea of privilege. Opinions on fashion always are. But in gentle defense of those of us whose formative years were the 80s consider the impact of decades of harsh rejection of 60s/70s designs, when orange/dark turned to grey/light oak. It takes time and effort to unlearn that. Someday you may find yourself staring a young blogger’s enthusiasm for Ikea, or laminate or vinyl rolled flooring (all of which I can make a case for BTW) and at that moment I hope you remember this one. Accepting old is new again, once you are of a certain age, requires more self-change than it does when you are young and you can project any story you want to on “old” things. For those reading this who can relate, I am typing this in an office completely lined with “quality” knotty pine that’s as orange as it gets so I get a LOT of practice in thinking about this very topic. Do I paint it like decades of magazines conditioned me to? Or embrace it as vintage charm (so far). Anyway, I read the comments to get all kinds of points of view to challenge my own. (Apologies… Read more »
It’s absolutely gorgeous! Well done everyone. I know that it is sponsored but I’m pretty curious – if you paid retail is this a $100k kitchen? $150k? Useful for setting more realistic personal renovation expectations!
I suspect it is quite a bit higher than that.
It is stunning! With the integrated appliances, custom built ins, custom tiling around the windows, custom cabinets, skylights, new windows, new floors, high-end contractors, etc. I would guess closer to $300k (or more). But well worth it, it’s beautiful! And if you’re designing your own space, you can pick and choose to include what’s important to you- maybe you don’t need integrated appliances, but you want skylights, etc. That’s the fun of a post like this showcasing so many great features!
I would love to see a breakdown of the costs.
Our semi-custom kitchen cost roughly $86k in material costs alone (cabinets, finishes, fixtures, appliances). I’d say it’s nicer than big-box finishes but definitely not as custom as Emily’s, though similar in size. With her appliances, I could see materials running $150-200k.
Interesting, we also opted for skylights in our dining area (Emily totally convinced us with the repeated gushing about Velux!) and the cost of the material is not as much as we would have thought – $900 for one fixed skylight. I can’t break down labor though, since we are doing one major remodel.
Recently redid our kitchen in a HCOL area. I would bet with labor and materials a kitchen like this in an area where labor is paid well would run $300,000-$500,000. All these custom pieces are no joke and the customization also costs more to install in labor!
Hey Rachel, I don’t know to cost right now and i’m not trying to keep it a secret, I PROMISE, but it the labor (which is the majority of the cost) was wrapped up in the whole renovation and not itemized per room. But you guys aren’t wrong – it was a lot. Over 100k for sure, but no where near 300K but I haven’t done the math (which is an obvious privilege). And remember that sponsored does not mean free, it means that some items are traded or discounted in exchange for my PR, social and photography services which costs a lot of money and time to produce (thus my wonderful team). So it’s really really hard to break down the numbers and offset them against production costs. I wanted to address your question but I’m sorry that I don’t know the answer. Give me some time and i’ll try to pull it together as i fully recognize that its valuable information that could be helpful. xx
Thank you!!! That would be wonderful x
The $300K+ figures seem high to me. I recently remodeled my kitchen in the tri-state area (high labor costs) using similar materials (deVOL cabinets, marble counters, lacanche range, integrated appliances, hand painted tile). My kitchen is a bit smaller, but it was definitely less than $200K.
Think WAAAAYYYY more than that. I have an 850 sq foot house. 5 total rooms. So very small kitchen. Current bids, to gut my kitchen, run $70,000-$95,000. In the Kansas CIty area for reference. About $15,000 of this is moving my furnace and water heater, to gain about 15 square feet of kitchen space. The cabinets ran from $15M-$30,000. Which includes a banquet seating, with pull out drawers. Continuing hardwoods into the kitchen. Quartz countertops, non-fancy tile probably from The Tile Shop. Moving my kitchen table light, adding around 6-8 can lights. 30″ push in induction stove, cabinet depth fridge, and regular old dishwasher. So nothing too fancy. my big splurge is moving the furnace and water heater, continuing my hardwoods, plus the wall of pantry cabinets. HGTV isn’t realistic about remodeling pricing. I assume the channel subsidizes some of the cost?
I love it Emily, how stunning! The wood cabinets are beautiful and the whole design is so classic yet warm and original. The accessories are fab, too. Happy cooking!
This, by far, is my favorite kitchen you have done. Such a beautiful balance between old and new as well as function. The materials scream quality and yet remain modest in their shape (i.e. simple pendants, no fancy lip on the marble). There is a lovely sense of light filled calm and no need to glam it up as the products speak for themselves. I really feel that this kitchen has been designed for you and your family without fretting too much about what your followers think – and it works.
I agree, I absolutely love this – it’s incredibly special but feels restrained and pared down in a beautiful, wabi-sabi way – not packed with “stuff” or ornate finishes but happy, functional, and so so pretty. Can’t wait to see the rest of the house now! (But no pressure- just curious, not judging!)
thank you thank you thank you 🙂 xx
I’m still thinking about this kitchen and what strikes me is how every detail that adds to its visual appeal is functional in some way. Feels so organic, and so well-articulated.
Yes! And all the little details make so much difference.
Yes!! It obviously looks NICE but not in a way you are afraid to touch.
I totally agree with all of Bea’s comments above – the balance between old and new, quality materials without being modern glam. I think the kitchen fits the feel of the house and property. The kitchen looks current but timeless and grounded at the same time. I see longevity in this kitchen and it totally suits Emily and her family. This kitchen has soul.
You did it! That’s the most Henderson kitchen of all the kitchens!
This is completely magical. Agree that it looks organic to the house…just wonderful. Congratulations and well done.
Please can you show us how it looks at different times of day or weather? Am sure this is tough to photograph well, but would love to see how the light changes.
I agree! I’d love to see how it looks in the evening as well. I suspect warm and cozy and sparkly.
EEEEEEEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I haven’t even read the post yet, but had to scroll down here to say I am SO excited for this post! I’ve been dying to see this kitchen! Okay, scrolling back up to actually read it. I’ll be back with my thoughts.
Okay. this is just STUNNING. i love everything about it.
AH, thank you!!!
Beautiful kitchen and is quite similar to my own I just remodeled (so you know I really do love all the elements)! However, as a designer, I can’t help but comment on the paint color. I know it’s something you’ve struggled with in this house, so I’m hoping this comment is helpful (not hurtful – the kitchen is near perfection!). I feel like the white is too stark next to all the organic, earthy colors and sticks out like a sore thumb. I would pull the lightest of the light blues from the tile and go tonal with the painted surfaces. I’m hoping the beams and edges of the walls provide a good stopping point so it doesn’t have to carry into the living room. In any case, it’s easy for me to say… love the content and appreciate all that you do!
I am not normally a fan of white paint, but I think it works perfectly here in the kitchen. I think it helps it stayed grounded and “farm house” and really bounces the light around. I agree though that I think it would be a good idea to make the walls in the living area painted a color rather than white.
Yeah, I agree, the white shiplap is very bright and a different vibe from the vintage island.
Hmm. I disagree. The white paint spotlights that incredible blue tile. Having blue paint on the walls would lessen the impact of the tile. And all the wood warms up the white. I think Emily has achieved the perfect balance here.
the white could be warmer, I agree (next time i would do pure white by SW) but i like it and am not going to change it 🙂 Admittedly I love a crisp white, probably more than most people (remember the glendale house and the mountain house?).
If you love it, that’s truly what counts! Get it!
I really like SW Extra White paint color with the blue tile and the warm wood tones. Even though SW Extra White is cool it does have a nice depth to it. I use SW Extra White a lot in projects and I specifically like it with warm wood. But I find it works best if there are some cool tones in the space, i.e, blue tile. So in Emily’s kitchen I think it’s perfect. SW Pure White is also pretty but depending on the lighting and finishes in an interior space the warm undertone (yellow) can pop out and in some low light situations it can gray out a little. So from what I could see from the photos the SW Extra White works great – it holds it’s own with all the warmer wood tones and enhances the tile.
That’s what it is. I’m looking at the kitchen, which is overall so lovely, but the bright white doesn’t marry as well with the other elements.
I love the white paint and how it speaks to the marble countertops! It’s the perfect level of vibrancy that will look stunning on sunny days but won’t get drab on the typical PNW overcast days. It’s definitely more important here to lean on the side of brightness with a white paint, especially with so many windows and skylights that will impact the tone depending on weather.
I’m a big fan of white walls but as a 15+ year PNW resident (first Seattle, then Portland, now Seattle again) and having lived with multiple whites here — it has to be the right white. The light here has a really different quality than in the LA area, especially in the winter (even when it’s sunny like today!) that I think makes cool whites go really cold and depressing. Emily, if you keep feeling maybe SAD, consider repainting a very slightly warmer white — repainting (from one white to another very very slightly warmer white) made a huge difference for my mental state a few years ago.
I already left a gushing comment about how I think the materials all work together SO WELL…and this comment doesn’t change that. But I do agree with Sr. Crow that the white paint might be more harmonious in a warmer hue. I think it’s a common, if not often talked about (although maybe among designers it IS talked about?) that people tend to fall into one of two camps when it comes to whites: either a loves cool whites ONLY, or loves warm whites ONLY. I’m in the warm camp myself, but I notice that people tend to stick to one or the other, recreating the same whites, in their preferred warm or cool tones, again and again, regardless of what other colors they tend to like. I also love blues, but they tend to be green-blues, but in both warm and cool versions, for example. All choices are unique to the homeowners of course and there’s no right answer, it’s just an interesting thing to notice. Thank you for coming to my Ted talk about um, warm vs. cool white paint choices, ahem!
agreed. Stunning stunning kitchen congrats. But, for me too, the first thing that jumped out was ythe white is too bright with the warmer wood tones.
Lovely, seems like the bar area could be a natural charging site. Plugs and a surface that won’t get used that much.
I would not hold out ANY hope for anyone coming from the car to go all the way around the house to enter in via the official mud room. Just get used to having coats and shoes piled on and around the bench! Maybe some command hooks for coats on the side of the fridge someday?
Why the negativity? Also, command hooks? You must be new here 😉
Emily built a stunning and purposeful mudroom largely to manage her family’s coats and belongings. Why try to cause anxiety and worry by making clueless and baseless pronouncements about her kids’ future habits?
I agree! Not so much a comment on the kitchen design per we, but overall house layout – this to me the flow from outside to inside/side of the house is one of the biggest question marks w overall design of the farmhouse… Walking around seems unrealistic
Beautiful ❤️
Love the oak cabinets and the marble worktop! I’m dying for a practicality update on the marble as I need to make a decision on whether or not to go with marble worktops soon – did you seal it and what with? What caused the marks you say it’s already got? Did you feel terrified sitting on it in case it scratched or does it feel robust enough for that? Have you dropped red wine/turmeric/lemon on it yet and what happens when you do? Please please could you write about that?
Also, that is one of the best examples of a built-in fridge-freezer I’ve seen – I love that you don’t have a pointless open box shelf above the freezer, where nobody can reach it, and I like how the vents are treated. Reminds me of DeVOL, which is basically the highest praise.
I can speak to this, as a person with Carrara in my bathroom and also a designer who guided clients through counter choices for 10 years! Basically: the first few months, you’ll notice the imperfections, because there are so few of them. But they soften and layer over time, and the headache is REALLY over-emphasized in my opinion. Example: etching is really only noticeable if you have a polished counter top – if it’s already honed, you’re unlikely to even see it. Color stains usually need a while to set in, so if you wipe things up within half an hour or so, it’s unlikely to stain, and can get scrubbed with a little baking soda if it does. I dye my hair red on my bathroom counters! Nary a mark to be seen. I really believe marble is only high-maintenance if you want it to stay absolutely pristine. Go to any bar or restaurant and check out their marble bar; it will take about a week in a busy bar to take the kind of abuse a home kitchen might take in a year, so you can see the patina easily. I personally LOVE that quiet evidence of life.… Read more »
Thank you so much for this! It’s incredibly useful. I wondered about the problems being overstated – I have had a wood worktop in the past and I never minded the occasional scratches or marks as it was part of the character, yet I have also seen people online say that wood is a terrible choice as it marks badly and stains around the sink – mine didn’t (iroko not oak though) and I didn’t mind oiling it, so I don’t think I’ll be upset by similar marks on marble. And thanks re the scratches comment too! I will avoid using it behind the cooker, which is good to know! I don’t think there’s much iron in the water locally either, as it’s mains water.
I got so anxious about etching that I did a Very Bad Thing, which was to fill a spray bottle with vinegar, spray my marble, and wipe it down. It gives such a uniform etched pattern that future etches aren’t going to be obvious, and now that the worst is already over with, I no longer stress about it. Buy a cheap marble pastry board from World Market or Williams Sonoma and test it and see how you feel. I left one on my countertop without a sealer on it under my coffee making station for a year and purposely let drips and spills sit on it to see what would happen. I’m completely confident in my choice of marble now.
I’m not even in the market for countertops right now and I found this comment helpful! :+) Filing away for future.
Oh I forgot scratches, which you asked about! Very few stones are soft enough to scratch from sitting on it (it would only be from the metal rivets on jeans). Soapstone is the softest, and scratches easily. But also it scratches often enough that after a month or two, everything gets lovely and soft and you don’t see every mark. Carrara and other marbles are harder and would only scratch with pretty major instigation. Granite and natural quartzites are much harder and less porous, and perform almost exactly like an engineered stone (for scratching and staining alike).
The only stone I think does not work at all for kitchens is limestone. It is very porous. It works fine in bathrooms but I think it would be a real bummer in a kitchen.
Meredith is pretty spot on (haha). Our stains are from a pot lid that had marinara on the rim, and I think oil that we didn’t wipe up quickly enough. Our marble is honed and sealed (not sure with what). They will soften over time for sure. I think if you have a more traditional house a real stone or marble (even with the etchings and aging) is a great choice, but if you have a more midcentury or contemporary style home and you are worried about it at all then go with a simpler quartz. Also you have to really love the stone. I know its hard to see in the photos but the veining is really really really pretty and “worth it”. I could have gone bolder (which would make it even more worth it) but Brian liked it quieter. I do NOT regret this choice at all for this home, but again its a personal preference! I’m glad its not on the island TBH where we do the bulk of the cooking and the wood is holding up SO WELL, even though its only been a couple months – it takes a beating and a wiping so… Read more »
Thanks, Emily! This is also super helpful – I am leaning marble as I don’t have children and always use a chopping board anyway.
I have marble in a kitchen that was finished ~3 months ago. So far, love it. It just has this very REAL feel that I don’t think I’d get from quartz in my 100ish year old home. Also, kneading bread dough on it is the simple pleasure I didn’t realize I needed in my life. It’s perfect. I do notice some etching where I leave wet dishes all the time and have one tiny stain by the sink, but only if I look really closely/tilt to see it in the light. Mostly it just looks gorgeous from normal standing height. For the sealing, most people use regular industrial chemicals which I hear work great! But I didn’t want PFAS chemicals being reapplied in my kitchen all the time so I have been using the ‘soapstone sealer’ from Milk Paint Co. That has been working really well! Had a party with drinks everywhere and not one mark left over. So, if you’re interested in a natural sealer, that’s an option that’s good to know about that was difficult to find! Last thing – for the decision making, I found it really helpful to go get a marble scrap from a stone… Read more »
We have had marble countertops for 15 years, and never had a stain! Etching and chips, yes! The key is a great sealer that you redo every 6 months to a year. We used Bulletproof, The Gold Hive blog has a lot of info on sealers. At first we sealed regularly every 6 months ( it’s literally just wiping it on and off) now it’s just when we remember.
We’ve had carrara marble for 7 years in the kitchen, and its much more beat up than anything I’ve seen on the internet. We have huge stains from water, our soap dispenser, something mysterious and red, etc. and massive chips at the edges and around the sink. I wonder if either we got an especially soft slab and if everyone else is sealing more than we are (we are pretty lazy about sealing). I still like it, but I’m torn about whether I would do it all over again or not, bc its so incredibly beat up in a non-charming way.
I’m so sorry your slab weathered like this! I did have one client whose Carrara sounds similar (we were adding onto their existing kitchen, trying to match some counters that another reno/designer had installed years before), especially with the chipping. It was almost sort of crumbly along the sink edges? I have never seen it before or since, but it was legit. I think you’re onto something with the particular slab composition- something literally felt different about that one stone, which was a huge bummer for them, since no one could have known ahead of time. Quarries are weird once you learn about them; the names are a little subjective so the same basin of stone might produce three or four different varieties as it gets pulled out, as the minerals shift and colors change and they have to decide that this section is more like Calacata Gold but this is more like Calacata Violetta and this part is Statuario… it makes sense that occasionally the Carrara hits a pocket with a higher percentage of some mineral that just wears poorly. If anyone with clever mineral knowledge has insights on how to avoid it, enlighten us all! But anecdotally in… Read more »
Aww, thanks for the kind thoughts! And the info.
Hi Elle, I have a postmodern house and installed dolomite, which is marble’s cousin. Slightly more durable. I knew I wanted something natural and I thought I wanted just pure white with as little veining as possible but when I went to the yard I fell in love with this particular piece. It actually has dolomite and quartz and a very little bit of amethyst, I think it’s gorg! I’m careful but I don’t treat it like it’s too precious. It has not stained so far and I believe if you wipe up spills within a minute or two, it really is fine. I think they hype up how it holds up because companies do need to let people that it will weather. Honestly, over the past couple of years i really like how it is ageing and I agree that it is actually easy to take care of!
I installed carrara marble in my kitchen about 6 years ago after much agonizing, so I can relate! Here’s my experience: Like Meredith says, you can seal it with standard stone sealer, available at Home Depot or anywhere similar. It’s easy and quick. Sometimes a little stinky while it’s going on, but the smell clears up quickly. What causes etching: anything acidic. Vinegar, citrus fruits, etc. I am a full-contact cook 🙂 who does not baby my kitchen, and there are plenty of etches on my counter. It shows less with a honed finish, but they’re never invisible. That said, you can mostly only see them if you lean down so your head is by the counter and look along it. What causes stains: deep colored things, like red wine, smushed raspberries, blueberry syrup, wet coffee grounds, etc. As long as the marble is sealed, these things only stain if they sit on there for a while. Most stains can be removed with a baking soda poultice. What causes scratches: heavy jagged things dragged along it 🙂 I have one visible scratch on my countertop and I’m not sure what it came from, but I’m guessing someone dragged a heavy… Read more »
I’ll echo what everyone else said – yes etching will happen with anything acidic, yes you will notice it even on a honed countertop but only from certain angles/lighting, no staining isn’t a problem unless it sits for a while, etc… Etching is really easy to remove if it’s bothersome to you with etch remover products (I use the one by Lustro Italiano, but there are lots of products on the market). It’s like a gritty paste you rub on the spot for a few minutes and poof! All gone. You just need to be sure to reseal after using the products. I use Bulletproof sealer by Stonetech. It’s also easy to use, just “paint” it on, let it sit for a bit, and then wipe it off. You just need to be sure to buff it out really well so there are no streaks, especially on a backsplash. Since I reseal once or twice a year, I’ll usually buff out any of the large etches before resealing. Otherwise the little spots and sprays from things like squeezing a lemon don’t bother me. I found this post by Ashley of the Gold Hive super helpful: https://www.thegoldhive.com/blog/2021/3/1/how-to-seal-marble-countertops I do have marble… Read more »
Wow! The skylights, the stunning wood, the finishes, I’m in heaven! What a contemporary yet also timeless and traditional kitchen. From the tile to the mixing of wood tones, to the brass, you knocked this out of the park! Enjoy that gorgeous induction range Emily, and WELL DONE!!
thank you!!
Perfection.
It really is impressively and impactfully beautiful. All the hard work more than paid off!
Superb kitchen! Thank you so much for sharing your process because it so helpful. The drop zone bench write-up is particularly useful for me as inspiration for the configuration of my new porch. I live in Yorkshire in the UK and the issues are similar to the PNW, so the in-out mud, shoe/paw issue is real!
You may already know this, but if you put beeswax on the runners of the drawers in the island it might help them glide much more smoothly. I did this recently on all of my vintage wood pieces and it was a game-changer.
OOH good suggestion re the drawers. thank you! (and thank you for your nice words). xx
Mohawk also makes a lubricant product for drawers, doors, etc. called Slideez. It has been a godsend on some of my older Danish modern wood dressers that just have a wood dowel slides.
I rub an old, utilitarian candle along mine and that works.😊
You can also use a bar of regular soap!
I knew someone would come up with a genius solution, or three, for those sticky drawers!
AMAZING! What a fantastically beautiful, yet highly functional kitchen. One thought for the heavy island drawers – apply bowling island wax to all the parts of the drawers and cabinets that slide against each other. It’s really helpful to ease the stick with heavy drawers.
How I have waited for this. What a triumph! It exudes warmth and longevity. Such an inspiration.
Seriously wonderful job. I want to live in this kitchen. Also: If this was in my home, I would have SO MANY plants in the kitchen with that great light. Orchids galore!
Gorgeous! Those windows! That bar! That tile! Love it all. Quick FYI, and I know you might already know this, but my husband found a silicone grease (clear) at Home Depot that has worked WONDERS on our big old heavy drawers. We have a lot of them – built ins – in our old house and he put a bead on the bottom of each drawer and voila! they move back and forth so easy. No mess and it lasts forever. Might help with the drawers on your bee-u-tee-ful island.
Ok i’m going to do this – so many good suggestions and I haven’t even thought of this. thank you!
My favorite part is all the light streaming in! Imagine how bright it will be with fresh snowfall outside?! You will need sunglasses 🙂 Great job and I’m so glad it fits your family to a T!
It’s absolutely stunning and feels so EMILY HENDERSON in the best best way. Our new kitchen has a very similar layout so I love seeing what you’ve done (though sadly even though we started construction at the same time as you, ours is still a few months behind). You can just feel how much soul you’ve poured into it and I’m sure all the subtleties of those special special materials are even more magical in real life. It’s clearly functional on top of being beautiful which is sometimes lost and I love that you’ve leaned into and come home to what’s most important to you over time. Have loved following this journey and huge congrats on the gorgeousness but more so the memories that will be baked into this incredible space!
thank you 🙂 we feel very very very lucky 🙂
I don’t know if it’s “good”….but it sure is gorgeous & fabulous!! I just can’t get over all the windows & skylights!
It’s a triumph! I could pretty much leave it there and I’d be satisfied that saying ‘it’s a triumph’ covers it all. I think it’s the best I’ve seen throughout the years.
The elements that stand out as big wins for me are the tiled window wall – the tile colour is sublime; the flooring – gorgeous; and vintage island – a beauty. All the other details – like the trio of pendants, the little ‘I-I’ vents above your fridge/freezer, the rug, those three over window shelves – just bring everything to life. Speaking of vents – could you not vent your toe-kick beneath the ice machine? I’ve never seen it done, but if it can be done the there’s no better woman than you to get it done! Little ‘I-I’ maybe?
As we say in Ireland, well wear 😊
Absolutely beautiful! It doesn’t read “farmhouse” to me—more California seaside with the white shiplap, skylights, and blue tile—but I don’t think that’s a bad thing. It’s true to your style over the years and super gorgeous. The bar in front of the window and the plant shelf are my favorite touches.
Holy smokes – gorgeous from every angle. Love the thought given to flow of work (kitchens HAVE to work!) and not just being a pretty face. I’m not a blue person at all and even I love that tile but my favorite part is the stove wall. The shelves, hood, tile, art, lights are just perfection. And the little gallery on the shelves – swoon.
very beautiful and calm kitchen.
I have two practical questions: first, it looks like the refrigerators can’t take toe kicks, and I’m curious how you accounted for the transitions between them?
second, as a cook who used their island non stop for cutting and out island is often damp, can the island be used for that? the heavy drawers were mentioned but not the functionality of the top surface, so I’m curious
HI! Ok to answer your questions: Versatile (a local cabinet and window making company) retrofitted the top and stained/sealed it. Whatever they used works SO WELL. I usually chop that a big cutting board of course, but this wipes up perfectly. its likely going to age over time of course, but I am very impressed with how well it wipes. Re the refrigeration, one thing I didn’t catch is the toe-kick on the bar side (I think I added this info in the post but just in case). Under the ice machine and the fridge drawers you have to have venting (no toe kick) so I should have done that bar side with more furniture style legs under the two drawers. it doesn’t really bother me, but wanted to call that out if thats what you are talking about. xx
I’d add that it’s possible to put a toe kick under the fridge (and you could possibly retrofit it?). You just need to put a ventilation grill into the toe kick itself (I’m sure there are some pretty brass ones that would match). I know – as that’s what I have in my kitchen. And I should add that as it’s low to the ground and slightly inset it’s doesn’t scream or interrupt the lines too much.
Really there’s not much to say except this kitchen is practically perfect in every way. 🙂
I recently got a Velux skylight in my attic with the solar panel. The attic isn’t finished yet, so I cant comment on the skylight itself, but you can get a federal tax deduction for part of the cost if its solar. Just wanted to give a heads up!
So so beautiful. I can’t believe I’m being “that person” asking for maybe the one thing that isn’t linked, but would love to know the source for the large wood cutting board (with the steak remnants). It’s gorgeous. Thank you!!
I don’t remember! I’ve had it forever … we are doing a whole post about all the accessories as most of mine are vintage or i’ve had them for a while, but while shopping for this kitchen I found SO MANY things that i loved and figured it would be a fun/organic gift guide for kitchen/design lovers. So stay tuned, but we’ll be sure to link up a similar one (if not THE one – i don’t think it was vintage … ).
Hi Emily, would you also include a link to the kitchen stool your daughter Birdie is standing on. It would work very well right here! I will echo all the positive comments about your kitchen! I have been following you ever since rooting for you to be the Design Star so many years ago. You have earned every bit of your following and good fortune. Many more years of continued success.
I think it’s the Hearth & Hand Wood Kitchen Step Stool from Target: https://www.target.com/p/wood-kitchen-step-stool-natural-hearth-38-hand-8482-with-magnolia/-/A-84826262 (but I didn’t see it linked it Emily’s Target Storefront https://www.target.com/creators/em_henderson). Currently sold out online but a few are available in stores by me so check near you.
Catherine, I can’t tell what is stamped on the corner of that board but I know that you can get boards like that from Boos Boards and from Sauder Wood Cutting Boards. I don’t have a Boos board bc it was just too expensive, but I do have a Sauder board with the inset handles, juice ditch(?), and silicone feet at the corners just like the one in the picture. I really like it & I’ve had it for 2 years now. I use it almost daily and it barely shows the wear. Sauder is in L.A. and uses wood from sustainable forests. I do use Boos oil and conditioner for my cutting board and those products are also fantastic. I think you can also get thick cutting boards from Food52.com. Hope this helps and you find one you like!
Alllll the planning, designing, rethinking and dreaming have paid off. It’s spectacular. It’s luxe, chic, farm-y, looks like it’s always been there but so masterful. Organic, interesting, restrained. ❤️ Congrats!
ah, thank you!
I want to live in this kitchen. It makes me so happy. Bravo!
Wow! As an OG reader, it’s so fun to see a space that I can say, “That’s got to be Emily’s house.” It’s been a while and it’s gorgeous. Well done!
If this isn’t what it’s all about: “I love being in here so much. Chopping on the island while someone else sits at the counter and chats with me is my favorite time of day.” Love this sentiment and love this kitchen so much — great work to you and the full team!
Damn. It’s so good. I didn’t think you’d top your primary bathroom tile in terms of the perfect stunning/understated mix but this is right up there. I don’t see you ever getting even slightly tired of this space. Congratulations!!
Brava! Utterly exquisite. You noted that your style has become more conservative over time as a result of public design regrets. But this actually looks more like aesthetic confidence than aesthetic conservatism to me–the work of a designer who has grown more comfortable with her instincts and, as a result, less prone to chase after trends and clicks and zeitgeist. I see that in your personal style as well.
So eloquently put.
I really love it so, so much. I’ve been so excited to see the reveal after the peeks you’ve given us, and it did not disappoint! There are so many high points, but I’m most obsessed with the beautiful windows and the way they brighten the whole space. I LOVE the fridge wall with the bar and the bench. The tlle is perfectly you, and I adore the brass rails and plumbing. I could spend hours looking at the styling with your vintage and abstract paintings, the interesting decanters, the plants, the vases… It’s just so lovingly done. Congratulations on making your dream kitchen come true!
It’s the light! The light! The light! That’s the most magical here. The windows and Velux are just stunning. And the tile work around the windows is perfect.
Ditto, ditto, ditto! the light entrances everything.
What an absolutely beautiful kitchen! It’s the kitchen I’ll definitely come back to over and over for inspiration!
This is stunning! The light in the kitchen, those gorgeous cabinets, the lovely brass accents, the tile… It’s a great blending of old and new!
Soo beautiful. The inset cabinets are *chefs kiss*. Can’t wait to hear how you like the induction Aga!
“We really, really, really love it.” This says it all, Emily and Team! Thank you for bringing us along!
Wow, LOVE this kitchen! My favorite part is definitely that amazing vintage center island! And everything else is just perfection! May you make many wonderful memories there and completely enjoy your beautiful creation!!
This is beautiful! And in a way like I feel like I haven’t seen it all before. Congrats!
Nothing to say but perfection.
I have not liked wood-“colored” cabinets since the 80s in my childhood kitchen, but you have made me fall in love with your white oak cabinetry. I have stared at these photos for so long…each detail is made better by your cabinets. I now feel like I could give it a try- no plans in the works, but my goodness these are gorgeous. Also, your tile- I’d never have done it, but once again, it is my perfection. Your green accents coming through…. Earth and sky combo going on. Since green and blue are my favorite colors, I am seriously so drawn to your kitchen and appreciate that it really could be in almost any setting/style. I’m just kind of utterly impressed right now. Thank you for this mental candy on my Monday morning!
ah, thank you! And the benefit of wood cabinetry (which we learned at the mountain house) is no chipped paint. Wood can dent but its hard to see dents with the grain, so I feel like even when its beat up it looks good. the mountain house kitchen (granted only 4 years old) get SO MUCH wear and tear and still looks fresh I think because of the wood grain hiding the bumps and dents. Thats my pitch for these. But i agree that if not done right (shiny maple) it can ring a bit dated. Unique Kitchens and bath did an incredible job. The grain, finish and execution make it just look like natural pretty white oak. anyway, thank you 🙂
I agree the cabinets look very pretty and natural. Can you share the finish they used on the cabinets? Wax or oil, etc?
Fellow Oregonian here, with quarter-sawn white oak kitchen. And it is SO FORGIVING. The harder I use it, the prettier it is.
I’m not personally a fan of wood cabinets, white shiplap or blue of any sort, and I still dig how this all looks together! I think you nailed the “could-have-been-original,” utilitarian but cozy, farmhouse but not “farmhouse” vibe!
It is SO BEAUTIFUL!! I loved it and then it kept going and going to show one more cool thing (bench! Built in fridge! Bar!!) after another. The tiling around the windows might be my favorite detail, though. Congrats – and I can’t wait for alllll the details of the follow up posts.
Really beautiful! Thoroughly enjoyed this reveal and even watched the video which I never do. It’s lovely and the light is just beautiful. It’s a very comfortable kitchen as well as being lovely to look at. I adore the windows.
I’m with those who would be interested in knowing what something like this might cost, if that’s not too intrusive.