Kitchens on the Cheap: Where to Splurge?
Yesterday’s Parlor Kitchen post got us thinking about doing kitchens on the cheap. Based on our own rather limited experience, the one word of advice we’d throw out there for a more budget-consious reno would be to splurge a little where it’s really going to count. For example, in our kitchen, which hopefully will be…
Yesterday’s Parlor Kitchen post got us thinking about doing kitchens on the cheap. Based on our own rather limited experience, the one word of advice we’d throw out there for a more budget-consious reno would be to splurge a little where it’s really going to count. For example, in our kitchen, which hopefully will be temporary (we’re hoping to move it from the rear of the second floor to the parlor when our ship comes in), we used Ikea cabinets but salvaged some incredible old white marble that we spent about $2,000 having custom cut and finished. In our opinion, it really pulls the kitchen together and dresses up the cabinets, which cost a total of a few hundred bucks from Ikea (photo on the jump). To be fair, we also didn’t really cut corners on the appliances either, reasoning rationalizing that we could keep those if/when we moved the kitchen. Other thoughts about where to drop a few extra bucks in an otherwise penny-pinching reno?
3:28: “Brooklyn upbringing I suppose.”
Wow, that’s both rude and not funny — no matter what your intent was. I guess all us native Brooklynites are just collateral damage in your lame flame war.
“12:49 PM ..dual fuel convection ranges are fabulous for roasting, and much faster than gas, has nothing to do with prestige”
Everything I’ve read is gas is better for roasting(the electric for baking). You are only proving the point that prestige has everything to do with it.
You maybe referring to convection as benefit to roasting.
But if you really research -differences between electric/gas oven is very minor and you’d really have to be a frequent pastry chef to make even the slightest differnce to. For a homeowner it is all prestige and one upmanship.
We installed new marble in our kitchen. 17 linear feet with 4″ backsplash was 3k installed. We picked out slab at stone yard. It’s honed and sealed so it’s not glossy and so far, no stains.
3:18:
My goodness how rude. Brooklyn upbringing I suppose.
Anyway darling I’m not going anywhere.
hey Midred Pierce- maybe you’re not funny and just sound like a stuck up bitch?
you won’t be missed.
As a lady of a certain age, I keep forgetting that the median age of the posters on this blog is twelve. Children have no seense of humor. My comments are often somewhat tongue-in-cheek.
My guess is you do not even know who Midred Pierce is.
buh-bye
wow. what a great find (the marble) at build-it-green! how did you know who to get to cut and refinish it? i have fallen in love with the look of marble and want to use it in my kitchen — but have been afraid of rumored problems with staining and upkeep. btw, thanks for sharing all this information. i’m re-doing my kitchen, feel very overwhelmed with decisions and budget considerations, etc. seeing what other people have done and how it has worked for them has been very helpful. just sorry some people enjoy giving negative feedback (like the above “how gross” — who cares what Mildred Pierce thinks?) anyway, i’d love to hear if people have experience to share about floors.
Marble from the mens room?
In your kitchen?
euh!!
How gross.
Do not tell your guests OK?
Tell them it comes from an old French Bistro or something.
euh!!
1) Range is Bluestar
2) we salvaged the marble for a total of $400 from Build It Green in LIC–there were two 4’x8′ slabs that had come out the men’s room of the old Arthur Miller theater in Manhattan. we’ve had no problem with it and love the fact that it has an aged patina rather than something too shiny and new.
3) as far as opening cabinets, we sorta forgot to put hinges on the top cabs and it’s worked fine just pulling them open from underneath…that said, it’s probably on the long list of things mrs. b wants us to do!