Soapstone vs. Granite

Last week I started to price out the counter materials for the kitchen once more. I must have already done this about 400 times, but I just wanted to get some more options. Having almost settled on black granite I started to wonder about soapstone. I mean, look at these pictures of Brooklyn Limestone's kitchen:

Gorgeous!

Calling around for pricing was a little discouraging as the first places I called did not sell to homeowner's, just suppliers. I finally got an answer of $80/square foot from Grantops in Fredricksburg, MD. The bad news there is that is was for a green soapstone and that's not really what I want.

Compared to the quote of $45 for absolute black granite (this included measuring and installing), the soapstone was coming in at about double the cost. The good news is that I budgeted a lot for counters. I don't know what I was thinking, but I budgeted for $100/square foot. Maybe I just thought I had more space?

I guess we'll have to see what other parts of the kitchen go over budget before we can see if the soapstone is in our future.

Friday Finds

Ceramic Pears: under $12!

Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies

Here is my e-mail correspondence with the IKEA contractor regarding the cabinet height:

Me:

Thank you for taking the time to help me with my kitchen layout yesterday. We discussed my idea of having an open shelf at 54" and then a 39" cabinet 10-12 inches above that. I know you mentioned this wasn't "code" but I figure it would be like if I did open shelving in the whole kitchen. I am just doing it for the first part. Either way, I have attached the picture of the kitchen I am using as inspiration as an example, as well as a picture of my current kitchen. Do you think this is possible? Thanks

His reply:

It would be up to you as far as the height of the cabinets to be placed at, but if a licensed contractor did the install like I was saying there is a code height for the install, but if you all do it, it will be what you want it to be. In looking at the picture- the picture is a display picture for a few different reasons, but the most important thing that I see and please do not do it, the shelf above the stove not only is it a code problem but it does not let the range hood do the job that it was designed to do and that is for grease,heat, and steam, and the two lights that go with the unit is not funtional, due to the stove. but over all good luck with the kitchen install.

This guy is obsessed with "code".

The truth and nothing but the truth

Thank you to all who suggested I contact a local inspector. I did just that. Here is our e-mail exchange:

My original e-mail:

I would like to do this in my kitchen: http://dcrowhouse.blogspot.com/2009/02/my-heart-on-shelf.html The "open shelf" is mounted at the standard height with a cabinet about that. Essentially, the open shelf serves at the "first shelf" in the kitchen and the rest are enclosed. Recently a contractor informed me this would not be "code", and the cabinets have to be mounted at 54" from the ground. My argument is the open shelf will be at the 54" line and thus is still within "regulation". It would be as if I choose to put all open shelving in my kitchen - just the top shelves have doors. Can you help?

The glorious reply I got was this:

When you say “contractor,” you mean the ikea kitchen designer, I’m not sure where they got that information. There is a requirement above ranges because of the potential for fire due to the heat generated, but not in any other cabinet space. Some municipalities may have a requirement because of issues specific to their jurisdiction, but DC is not one of them. I asked around last night and there isn’t a requirement by the IRC or ICC because I had never heard of this before. I suspect that maybe their design software doesn’t have the option for a shelf.

The level of joy I got from reading this was probably not normal.

My Experience with IKEA Cabinets: Part II

Open the IKEA Kitchen Catalog.

Go to page 52. . .

Interesting. Isn't it?

My Experience with IKEA Cabinets: Part I

A while back, I talked some smack about IKEA cabinets. The first time (about a year ago) I checked out the kitchens in IKEA they seemed pretty flimsy and . . . yucky. I just hated everything about them. I also have an extreme love - hate relationship with Ikea. Somethings are really diamonds in the rough and others are just crap.

After looking at all the models, I picked out a style I liked and headed to the design section to see if I could take a closer look. The place was mobbed and I barely got to grab a price sheet before someone toting a big yellow IKEA bag knocked me out of the way to get to a drawer pull display. It was a fight or flight situation and I choose flight.

Back at home, I re-measured the kitchen space and began planning out a design. I soon learned IKEA cabinets do not have all the sizes that say Kraftsmaid does and it gets a little more difficult to plan out a space. After a few days of playing with different styles, I headed down to the store.

This time, I was smarter. I did not go on a Saturday afternoon and instead choose a time during the week to head down there. This made a HUGE difference. About a minute after stepping into the kitchen design section, I was greeted by an IKEA kitchen contractor and set up on a computer to start my design. A few questions about the dimensions of my kitchen and I was clicking and placing cabinets into my design.

Then this happened:

I explained how the plan was to set an open shelf the standard cabinet height (54" above the ground) and then start the closed cabinets about that to go to the ceiling.

Contractor: You can't do that. The cabinets would be too high.

Me: Well, see the open shelf would be like the base of the wall cabinet - just no door.

Contractor: It's too high. It wouldn't meet code.

Me: Well... but, see, it's like the shelf would be like the wall cabinets. But, but. . .

Contractor: No licensed contractor would do that. It's not code.

Me: So, what? I would get a fine or something?

Contractor: Yes. It wouldn't pass inspection.

Me: AugjakjhGAKJYkjhkngknnf. Fine. You win.


to be continued. . .

Too much?

Do you think these drawer pulls are too much? I don't want them to overwhelm the space . . .