Project Post - Full Kitchen

[Craig Thompson]

Here is a kitchen that I finished up last month... The customer graciously sent me pictures of the 'complete' kitchen once they moved everything in... Wish all customers did this, The only pictures I ever take are of empty finished projects. It's nice to see the 'lived in' look.

Details:
Birch Boxes. Hard Maple Fronts and Trim. Store bought Corbels.. sorry I cheaped out.
Finish:
Stained with Valspar, Clear Laquer, Pigmented Solid Lacquer, Distressing, 3 more Lacquer coats

[Mark Hulette]

Very nice, Craig!

It does look nice with all the "stuff" in place. My family is in the process of building a new house so I gravitate to any kitchen threads to get ideas and inspiration (trying to talk my wife into "letting" me do the cabinets for our kitchen but I'm not the fastest gun if you know what I mean).

You mentioned using birch for the boxes, have you done a kitchen or other cabinets with a stained birch? I haven't used it but think it would look good for what we're looking to do.

Nice HW flooring, too. There's some wide boards in there!

Thanks for sharing!

[Craig Thompson]

Mark,

I have in fact used Birch for a a cabinet set.... Only because the Customer wanted it. Pricing was very similar to 'soft maple'...

It took stain nicely, I can look up pictures later if you really want them... throw me a PM

[Steve Clardy]

Looks great Craig!!

[Jay Brewer]

Nice kitchen Craig, looks like you used the space very well.

[Dan Stuewe]

Looks very nice! That isn't too far off from what I've imagined doing in our kitchen. Thanks for the pictures.

[Larry Fox]

Very nice Craig - very nice!

[John Schreiber]

Great job. Customer must be pleased. Is the "distressing" often asked for? I can't imagine paying big money for a custom kitchen then trying to make it look like it's old and beat up. I also think it would be hard to distress work that I've done.

[Jim Becker]

Very nice work!

[Jeffrey Makiel]

Very, very nice!
-Jeff :)

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Great job Craig! You must be proud.

[Craig Thompson]

Great job. Customer must be pleased. Is the "distressing" often asked for? I can't imagine paying big money for a custom kitchen then trying to make it look like it's old and beat up. I also think it would be hard to distress work that I've done.

John,

Don't know why, but 3 out of my last 4 deliveries have been "distressed".. The one that always gets me is.... "Painting" wood (solid pigment lacquer), what a waste of hard maple... which was what this particular job was made from.

[Art Mulder]

John,

Don't know why, but 3 out of my last 4 deliveries have been "distressed".. The one that always gets me is.... "Painting" wood (solid pigment lacquer), what a waste of hard maple... which was what this particular job was made from.

Years ago I remember looking at a baby crib at a garage sale. I thought it was overpriced for a garage sale. The lady was not interested in dropping the price, and was going on about how it was "solid maple". I was polite, and just said no-thanks and left, but inside I was ranting "Who cares if it is maple, it is painted white!"

Distressing is another one of those things that I just don't get. In part, it is because if I just pour my heart into making something beautiful, I can't understand the thought of bashing it up on purpose. In part it just seems like being dishonest - trying to fake the appearance (and value!) of age.

Oh well, this is one of those times when you remember that "No, the customer is not always right. But the customer is always the customer." :D

Craig, it's a lovely kitchen, despite the distressing. :rolleyes: Do they have a lot of boys (I saw the sign up high above the sink.) ? I find the attached table to be an interesting touch. I think I'd grow to like it a lot. I'm not fond of the colour inset panels on each side of the stove, but that's just their taste, I guess.

But the best part, is that this kitchen really seems to blend in with the rest of the house - the plank ceiling, the wooden floor, and so on. There's a lot of thought there to make sure it works.

Good job!

[Craig Thompson]

Craig, it's a lovely kitchen, despite the distressing. :rolleyes: Do they have a lot of boys (I saw the sign up high above the sink.) ? I find the attached table to be an interesting touch. I think I'd grow to like it a lot. I'm not fond of the colour inset panels on each side of the stove, but that's just their taste, I guess.

Art, I agree with your thoughts.... and FYI... The 'colour inset panels'... are actually 'Pasta Drawers'. A glass drawer front with a 2" pocket behind it. They ended up filling them with, Pasta, licourice, etc....:)