Pot Racks 01

Kitchen Remodeling Photos : Pot Racks 01

A PLASTIC-COATED WIRE GRID WITH HOOKS makes a fine pot rack.The black, red, and white tools and pans add color and texture to this bright kitchen.

THERE IS HARDLY A MORE GRATIFYING SIGHT to a cook than beautiful kitchen tools, and these hang from hooks on a stainless-steel pipe. It's tougher to keep them clean if they are hung in the open, but convenience and good looks win out over housekeeping any day.

Locating Cooking Appliances 04

Kitchen Remodeling Photos : Locating Cooking Appliances 04

THIS BIG, FABULOUS LA CANCHE TAKES CENTER STAGE in the kitchen of a cookbook author. The range has copious amounts of countertop space-green-tinted concrete on each side and granite on the 13-ft.island. Cabinets are veneered with micori,an African hardwood.

POSITIONING A COOKTOP AGAINST A WALL with plumbing possibilities allows for installation of a pot-filler faucet so that large pots can be filled at the cooktop. If only it were as easy to lug a boiling pot of pasta to the sink.

HOW DO YOU PROVIDE COUNTERTOPS FOR A PROFESSIONAL-STYLE RANGE in a 200-year-old house and still keep that Colonial flavor? Just line the insides of flip-down cabinet doors with stainless steel to make instant countertop landing space.The modest, thoroughly unmodern style and proportions of the flanking cabinets tone down the range and keep it from looking flamboyant.

Locating Cooking Appliances 03

Kitchen Remodeling Photos : Locating Cooking Appliances 03

SEPARATE COOKTOP AND WALL OVENS ARE SLEEK accompaniments to a contemporary kitchen. Going for wall ovens instead of a range allows ovens to be positioned at a more comfortable height.

POSITIONING THE RANGE IN AN ALCOVE helps direct theheat, moisture,and grease from the cooktop and oven to a range hood, making for more efficient venting. The arched soffit and flanking cabinets make this range the centerpiece of the kitchen,recalling the tremendous kitchen fireplaces in old manors.

Locating Cooking Appliances 02

Kitchen Remodeling Photos : Locating Cooking Appliances 02


LOCATING COOKTOPS AND OVENS affects how they work and how cooks function.A cooktop against the wall is much better for efficient venting by both hood and downdraft systems, plus you've got a great space to make an artful backsplash. If you do prefer an island cookiop, consider an 8-in. to 10-in. jump in countertop heights to provide a bit of a wall to send smoke and steam to a vent. For built-ins, consider stacking a convection oven,a microwave,and a warming oven all in one wall to consolidate heat.

A STRUCTURAL WALL WAS REMOVED and a fake beam added to make a symmetrical entry to this renovated kitchen. The cooktop and ventilation hood take center stage in the new design . A drop-in cooktop allows for a big, beautiful tumbled-stone tile backsplash to incorporate mosaics. Big drawers below hold pots and pans.

COOKTOP AND OVEN ARE NOT STACKED BUT ARE ClUSTERED in the cooking workspace of a kitchen in the Rocky Mountains. The masonry heater in the corner energizes a hot plate that can keep tea kettles and plates warm.

Locating Cooking Appliances 01

Kitchen Remodeling Photos : Locating Cooking Appliances 01


Cooking and cooling appliances are the kitchen equivalent of cars-big machines with lots of style. High performance plays a big part in choosing appliances, along withquiet motorsandease ofcleaning. Industrial-stylestainless-steel cookingand cooling machines are taking center stage, but close behind are appliances that are almost invisible, like smoothtop cooktops and fridges with integrated panels.

PRO-STYLE COOKTOPS DON'T HAVE TO TAKE OVER THE KITCHEN-this one is a standard 30in. wide.The stainless steel drawers were designed to fit the space under the cooktop, making it look like a range at first glance, but the ovens are in a wall across the kitchen.

THIS RANGE LOOKS AS IF IT IS TUCKED INTO AN ALCOVE but it's really an illusion created by the design of the stone hood. Rather than fussing over the fact that the range is deeper than the 2-ft .-deep cabinets, the designer accentuated the range front by applying wood "legs " to the sides.

The Kitchen Dishwashers Remodeling Photos

Kitchen Remodeling Photos : The Kitchen Dishwashers Remodeling Photos


IT'S RARE TO FIND A KITCHEN WITHOUT A DISHWASHER and increasingly common to find a kitchen with two dishwashers. Two dishwashers can take the form of dishwasher drawers stacked or flanking the sink, or two full-size dishwashers flanking the sink or taking up residence at two separate sinks. Most new dishwashers are significantly quieter than older models, but as a rule, money will buy a bit more peace and quiet.

THE DISHWASHER,SINK,AND DISH CABINET make a tight trio in this kitchen , but there's enough space to load and unload the dishwasher comfortably. Awood countertop is gentle on dishes, although most dishes head straight into the glass-door cabinets.

MOST DISHWASHERS SIT DIRECTLY ON THE FLOOR, but if a dishwasher is positioned on a l5-in .-high platform,it's much easier to load and unload.The countertop is, of course, higher than the standard 36 in., but not so high that it can't be used for many kitchen tasks.

The Kitchen Sink Remodeling Photos 06

Kitchen Remodeling Photos : The Kitchen Sink Remodeling Photos 06

THE ARCHITECT/HOMEOWNER CHOSE THIS CHICAGO FAUCET for its industrial heft. The double jointed spout can be positioned wherever it's needed in the sink. The faucet escutcheon affixes to the glass-tile backsplash, making a neat back edge to the sink.

THE ARCHITECT/OWNERS OF THIS KITCHEN CHOSE SLATE for both sink and countertop, citing its subtle, soft color and affinity with their Craftsman-style house. A bonus is that they've found this type of slate to be practically maintenance free, as its soft, mottled appearance hides dirt and it does not require sealing.

The Kitchen Sink Remodeling Photos 05

Kitchen Remodeling Photos : The Kitchen Sink Remodeling Photos 05

A HAND-PAINTED FARM HOUSE SINK PROVIDES A FOCUS IN this bright kitchen.while a stainless-steel undermount sink adds prep space.The elegant goose neck faucet clusters hot, cold, and purified water,while a separate sprayer provides supplemental rinsing power.

THIS SPACE IS A MODERN SCULLERY NEXT TO THE MAIN KITCHEN area and accessible by the opening visible in the background at the left. A small dishwasher is positioned so that glassware and dishes can be easily put away, and a wood countertop allows for a soft landing for fragile dishes. The commercial faucet makes it fun to wash up in the slate sink.

The Kitchen Sink Remodeling Photos 04

Kitchen Remodeling Photos : The Kitchen Sink Remodeling Photos 04

USING GRANITE FOR COUNTERTOPS AND SINKS LETS the material's pattern take center stage in this kitchen.The countertops overlap the sinks to create visual interest with a shadow and to make the sinks easier to install.

SOAPSTONE COUNTERS AND SINK, ARE WARM-LOOKING, durable, and relatively soft, and hence more forgiving to glassware than granite.This custom-madesink is 33in. by 22 in, with 11/4-in. sides and a 13/4-in . bottom. The drain is offset to allow room for a pull-out waste bin below.The sink's apron is chiseled with a Latin inscription meaning "Hunger, the best seasoning," the nightly answer to kids who say,"I'm starving!"

The Kitchen Sink Remodeling Photos 03

Kitchen Remodeling Photos : The Kitchen Sink Remodeling Photos 03

TO THE RIGHT OF THE SOAPSTONE SINK,THE COUNTERTOP is grooved to provide a subtle drainboard. The porous soapstone makes a perfect surface for countertop and backsplash around the sink.To make a softer landing for dishes coming out of the two flanking dishwashers, countertops there are wood. The graceful gooseneck faucet is supplemented by a sprayer and a separate tap for hot water.

THIS STAINLESS -STEEL, APRON STYLE SINK HAS A RAILED RACK for soaps and an extended ledge for holding the faucet, hot water tap, and sprayer.

The Kitchen Sink Remodeling Photos 02

Kitchen Remodeling Photos : The Kitchen Sink Remodeling Photos 02

AN ENAMELED CAST-IRON SINK LOOKS RIGHT at home in this bright kitchen. A rubberized pad over the sink's dividing dam makes it less likely for the family scullery crew to breakdishes.A pull-outsprayer and easy-to-use looped lever aid in wash-up chores.

A STAINLESS-STEEL BAR SINK FINDS THE PERFECT SITUATION at the edge of th is workspace, across from the refrigerator and easily accessed from the informal eating space.

The Kitchen Sink Remodeling Photos 01

Kitchen Remodeling Photos : The Kitchen Sink Remodeling Photos 01

DON'T SKIMP ON SINK SIZE, especially not the prime sink in a much used kitchen. A big sink accommodates big pots and pans, whereas the old standard (two bowls of the same size) doesn't suit heavy-duty cooking. A two-bowl setup with one large sink-big enough for a roasting pan or cookie sheet-and an adjacent 15-in. bowl makes sense if you like to keep a dish drainer in the second bowl rather than on the counter. Consider the divider between a multi bowl sink,too. If it's lower than the rim, there's less chance of overflow-not that you would ever leave the faucet running.

Sinks can be mounted under the counter (underrnount), integral with the countertop, or drop in (the farmhouse sink, with its exposed apron, is in a class by itself). Drop-in sinks are generally less expensive than undermount sinks, but undermounts have a cleaner look and make it easy to brush crumbs into the sink.

THIS SALVAGED APRON SINK WAS MEANT TO BE UNDERMOUNTED on the sides, but the designer/owner liked the look of the rounded corners so he butted the concrete countertop to the sink. The nickelplated brass plate for the faucet includes a centered air switch for the garbage disposal.

THIS RECLAIMED CERAMIC SURGEON'S SINK FINDS a new home as a second sink in a new hutch that was built to look old. White subway tiles make a handy ledge. Countertops are soapstone.

Countertops and Backsplashes Remodeling Photos 25

Kitchen Remodeling Photos : Countertops and Backsplashes Remodeling Photos 25


The Versatility of Concrete

CONCRETE HAS LONG INTRIGUED DESIGNERS and builders, and recently homeowners have become enamored of this chameleon-like material. Colors are infinite and can be integral or applied, finishes can be glossy, satin, or matte, and edges are just as varied. But this miracle countertop has some caveats. First,concrete must be sealed for food use, either with a topical sealer (better at protecting against stains but vulnerable to scratches and heat) or a penetrating sealer (easy to apply and reapply, more natural looking, and not damaged by scratches or hot pots, but susceptible to staining or etching by acids).

Second-and more critical-the quality of the finished work is directly related to the skill of the artisans, although an amateur with patience and a love for concrete can make a beautiful countertop. Paradoxically, this makes concrete one of the most accessible and one of the hardest to perfect of all countertop materials.

THIS CONCRETE COUNTERTOP LOOKS CHUNKY but is in fact only about '1/2,-in. thick across the countertop.lts thickened edge was formed by a 2-in.-diameter PVC piperipped into thirds.Unhappy with commercial staining products, the owner/architect rubbed his coffee into the raw concrete , liked it, and applied several additional coats. He sealed the stain with a water-based floor sealer.

Countertops and Backsplashes Remodeling Photos 24

Kitchen Remodeling Photos : Countertops and Backsplashes Remodeling Photos 24


CONCRETE

IN A ROWHOUSE KITCHEN, charcoal-tinted concrete counters were wisely precast after the sink was purchased and measured. The front of the sink was cast with joints to preclude cracks. Periodic waxing reduces the porosity of the countertop.

CONCRETE HAS A LIGHTER SIDE, AS SEEN IN THIS lively family kitchen.Countertops for the raised bar and the base cabinets were precast with a square edge. The warm tint blends with the warm-tone woods,floor,copper pendants, and bright tile accents in the backsplash.

THIS THICK, GREEN-TINTED CONCRETE COUNTERTOP WAS PRECAST on site and lifted into placeon cabinets original to this 1920S bungalow. Concrete gives way to a lowered butcherblock counter next to the restored 1940S range.

Countertops and Backsplashes Remodeling Photos 23

Kitchen Remodeling Photos : Countertops and Backsplashes Remodeling Photos 23


About Composite Materials

COMPOSITE MATERIALS HAVE THE LOOK OF STONE but they are man-made from minerals or stone and polymers (solid-surfacing is a composite, but it has a big enough following to be in its own category). Fiber-cement countertops, such as the well-known Fireslate (one of several types used for lab counters), are strong and resistant to heat but not always resistant to staining, so they must be sealed periodically.

Engineered stone is a new composite countertop material that mixes go-pluspercent ground-up quartz or granite with a resin binder. These countertops are nonporous, like solid-surface, but heat resistant, scratch resistant, and supremely durable, like solid stone. Many colors and patterns are available and the finish can be polished, honed, or sandblasted. Engineered-stone countertops have the look of stone to a large extent, but expect uniformity in this composite material, unlike solid stone, which often differs from slab to slab.

A NEW HOUSE IN NEW MEXICO HAS AN OLD-WORLD CHARM, thanks to a combination of new and old materials.The soft green countertops are Fireslate, a composite stone used in laboratories. To provide stain resistance, they're given a coat of tung oil twice a year.The pot rack is an old gate hung from the ceiling, and the island cabinetry is a Japanese tansu chest.

Countertops and Backsplashes Remodeling Photos 22

Kitchen Remodeling Photos : Countertops and Backsplashes Remodeling Photos 22

SOAPSTONE IS RELATIVELY SOFT AND CAN BE EASILY CUT and shaped on site, as these countertops were. In keeping with the traditional aspect of the soapstone, Douglas-fir wall cabinets have hand-blown seeded glass, which provides an old-world character.

THIS COZY KITCHEN HAS AN APPEALING TWO-TONE SCHEME, with chunky soapstone countertops a top dark cabinets fitted with black hardware. The soapstone farmhouse sink is for food preparation, while an undermount stainless-steel sink takes on cleanups.

HONED SLATE MAKES A COOL -TONED BACKSPLASH and countertop material in this kitchen filled with contrasting warm-toned cabinetry.The piece behind the range has a wilder figure than the backsplash slabs on either side, creating a focal point.

Countertops and Backsplashes Remodeling Photos 21

Kitchen Remodeling Photos : Countertops and Backsplashes Remodeling Photos 21

EVEN IF THE SECOND BOWL IS TINY, A TWO-BOWL SINK allows washing dishes and rinsing vegetables to be separated. This stainless -steel sink is undermounted in a granite countertop, making it easy to sweep water or crumbs into the sink.

THIS CUSTOM-DESIGNED STAINLESS STEEL SINKhas two layers for two level food preparation.The granite strip in front of the sink is a separate piece seamed to the countertop on eitherside; though the sink could be cut from a single piece of granite, the chance of breakage at these fragile joints would be high.

Countertops and Backsplashes Remodeling Photos 20

Kitchen Remodeling Photos : Countertops and Backsplashes Remodeling Photos 20

AS A NOD TO TEXAS GEOLOGY, COUNTERTOPS IN THIS Houston house are slab limestone. The raised and curved bar shields kitchen debris from diners. The countertop to the left of the cooktop drops to make a computer niche.

A CENTER ISLAND IS IDEAL FOR A STONE COUNTERTOP.as it's not only a visual centerpiece but it's close to both sink and cooktop. This piece of stone is generous but not so big it needs a seam.

Countertops and Backsplashes Remodeling Photos 19

Kitchen Remodeling Photos : Countertops and Backsplashes Remodeling Photos 19


STONE

THIS WESTERN KITCHEN HIGHLIGHTS ROUGH TEXTURES, from the coarse-edged stone-slab countertops to the tumbled stone-tile backsplash. Cutting boards on such a rough countertop are essential.

THE GRANITE COUNTERTOPS AT LEFT AND ONTHE ISLAND HAVE thin, eased nosings and a high-gloss finish, but they still look at home with rough-hewn posts and beams.The surface surrounding the cooktops is honed black granite.

Countertops and Backsplashes Remodeling Photos 18

Kitchen Remodeling Photos : Countertops and Backsplashes Remodeling Photos 18

TO GIVE THE LOOK WITHOUT THE OF SOLID SLATE EXPENSE slate tiles are laid with same color cement grout and finished with self-edge and slate-tile backsplash.

THE RED CEMENT BASED GROUT USED IN THIS KITCHEN NOT ONLY hides dirt better than white grout but also gives these red tiles a softer, more monolithic look-a handysome contrast to the highly figured granite countertop.

Countertops and Backsplashes Remodeling Photos 17

Kitchen Remodeling Photos : Countertops and Backsplashes Remodeling Photos 17


TILE'S GREATEST ASSETS are its looks and flexibility. It can take on practically any shape, color, and size, and just a few tiles can add spice to a kitchen. Tile is also resistant to heat and hence makes a great backsplash behind a cooktop.Glazed tile and glass tile are nonabsorbent, so they resist staining and water (stone tile often needs a sealer to be nonabsorbent).

It is grout that makes tile less than perfect, as grout can stain easily. Stain resistant additives and color can be incorporated into cement-based grout to improve its performance, or grout can be sealed. Epoxy grout is more expensive than cement-based grout, tends to yellow, and is a bearto work with, but it is harder and more resist to staining and mildew.

Because the joint is the vulnerable part of a tile countertop, it makes sense to go for the narrowest joint possible, but before assuming you can go with hairline joints, consider the regularity of your tile-handmade will be more variable, stone tile more precise. The larger the tile and smaller the joint, the more even the surface will be, a consideration If stemware is set on the counter. In any case, equip a tile countertop with cutting boards.

The cost of tile ranges from economical -forthe handy homeowner with discount tile-to expensive, with glass and handpainted art tile at the peak. Glass tile, the new darling of kitchen design, has a wonderful, luminous look, but if tile is translucent throughout, the setting bed must be perfect.

THIS BACKSPLASH IS TUMBLED MARBLE WITH INSET ceramic tiles, each with a charming bas-relief face . Contrasting mosaic stone tile fills and frames the arched recess over the downdraft ventlbacksplash. The countertop is honed "Absolute Black" granite with a Dupont profile.

Countertops and Backsplashes Remodeling Photos 16

Kitchen Remodeling Photos : Countertops and Backsplashes Remodeling Photos 16

THESE SATIN-FINISH. ETCHED-GLASS TILES WERE CHOSEN after the owners ran a test on different glass finishes.They sprayed a nonstick spray to each sample tile, then cleaned it with glass cleaner to see if there was streaking or residue.They found that glossy glass tiles showed more streaks and sandblasted tiles retained residue.

Countertops and Backsplashes Remodeling Photos 15

Kitchen Remodeling Photos : Countertops and Backsplashes Remodeling Photos 15


TILE

THESE BRIGHT GLASS TILES MAKE A CHEERFUL, STYLISH BACKSPLASH in a colorful kitchen, while the solid-surface countertop is a calming presence. Wood trim hides the joint between countertop and backsplash.

TILE WITH A METALLIC GLAZE AND UNEVEN TEXTURE makes a decorative backsplash that complements the more traditional crackleglazed beadboard paneling in this eclectic kitchen.

Countertops and Backsplashes Remodeling Photos 14

Kitchen Remodeling Photos : Countertops and Backsplashes Remodeling Photos 14

ORIGINAL TO AN EARLY-20TH-CENTURY BOSTON HOUSE. this kitchen cabinet has a new stainless-steel countertop,and the cabinet received fresh paint and pulls made from stock molding painted black.Don't look for a dishwasher,as the owner / architect opted for washing dishes by hand.

SQUARE -EDGED COPPER MAKES AN OUT-OF-THE ORDINARY countertop material that's at home in a traditionally styled kitchen with white tile and a soapstone farmer's sink.

Countertops and Backsplashes Remodeling Photos 13

Kitchen Remodeling Photos : Countertops and Backsplashes Remodeling Photos 13


Stainless Steel and Other Metals

THE ULTIMATE IN RESISTANCE to water, staining, and heat is, of course, stainless steel, the countertop of choice in restaurants everywhere. It can be shaped and seamed to provide an integral nosing, as well as an integral backsplash and sink. Stainless steel has a long, long life, and after the first few months, when every fingerprint and scratch shows up, it will develop a patina that hides minor scratches.

The strongest stainless-steel countertops are 16 gauge to 14 gauge (the lower the number, the thicker the steel). Whatever the gauge, a stainless-steel countertop should be set or formed around plywood or medium-density fiberboard (3/4 in. is recommended) to add strength and mute the sound.

Other metals making their way into today's kitchens include copper and zinc, although these are softer and more prone to staining, unlike stainless steel. These materials are ideal for a backsplash, which doesn't see the action that a countertop does.

ALL OF THESE COUNTERTOPS ARE STAINLESS STEEL, but they've all received different edge treatments to suit the task. The sink and food-prep countertops have a marine edge, which is both strong and helpful in preventing drips.Around therangethe countertop has a square edge.The backsplash helps redirect steam and grease into the center downdraft vent.