Options for a kitchen design with no window over the sink.
SEE OUR FINISHED KITCHEN, HERE
Our kitchen design process has been like a presidential campaign: full of passionate idealism that evaporated in the face of reality.
Paul has been cast as John McCain… a man who was doing just fine until he saddled himself with a woman who could see Russia from her house.
And for the record, I CAN see Russia. It is giant. And suitably fancy. And populated by people who have a historical flair for hats and dictators.
огромные причудливые украшения!!
Not everyone is keen on the dictatorship part.
Especially when the dictator swans in and waves her hands and says—no, no, this is ALL wrong… Stop until further notice. I need to go lie down in total silence with the cat.
Please don’t bother me until the hats are delivered.
But if YOU are the dictator, congratulations!
If you have planned your dictatorship correctly, your subjects will be unable to rally support from outside sources/are powerless to overthrow you anytime soon/you can put whatever you want over your sink and no one can stop you.
HIGH FIVE!
If you look at the preliminary mockups for our kitchen remodel… you’ll see that originally, I thought I would come around to upper-cabinets on the sink wall.
They are practical and offer things like storage; which I hear people value in a kitchen.
But ultimately, I’ve decided I don’t like the idea of boxing out/bulking up that wall… I want to keep the sink wall as OPEN as possible.
At first, the solution seemed to be open shelving, possibly glass; to make them as unobtrusive as possible… and also because I fell MADLY IN LOVE with these shelving brackets.
However, my love will remain unrequited, because at nearly $1,000 PER UNIT, that is not happening.
Despite Self’s immediate and wholehearted embrace of bankruptcy-in-exchange-for-giant-fancy-things… those things must be OLD.
If I tried to convince Paul to spend that kind of money, it would be on something antique/complete crap. Not on something new and clean that functions well and serves a purpose.
I spent some time trying to find a substitute more inline with our budget… but ultimately decided that the LAST thing I need is to be cleaning a bunch of superlong glass shelves. No matter HOW MUCH I might love that hardware.
But how great is that mirror BEHIND the shelving? It brightens up the space SO MUCH, and totally guarantees that cleaning is even more of an utter nightmare!
So then I moved on to Carrera marble shelves… Because I’m practical like that.
Ok… I think I’ve lost control of this post.
You are probably not still reading.
Just look at the photos.
index of all kitchen remodel posts
9 million more kitchens on my pinterest board
November 4, 2015 @ 12:12 pm
Nice photos, nice shelves, nice kitchens — not a dog in the lot. Those brass shelves are the bomb, and I’ve been looking for those for years after first seeing them in Patisseries. So odd, that glass and brass shelving costs the same as a well-equipped Audi.
November 4, 2015 @ 12:16 pm
I lived in a rental for over three years – windowless kitchen sink and I did feel imprisoned until I stumbled over a salvage window frame just the size of the space above the sink. A talented friend enlarged a four-seasons series of photos taken from his kitchen sink (overlooking a rather splendid large garden!) and reglazed the window to include an easy to change out sliding ‘frame’ for my new ‘kitchen window view’. I made simple curtains, hung a small wreath at Christmas – that ‘window’ went a long way towards saving my sanity. Fooled several people and earned not a few compliments, too.
November 4, 2015 @ 2:17 pm
What a great idea! I love this. Thanks so much for the inspiration.
November 4, 2015 @ 12:29 pm
Am I being snarky when I posit that Kitchens that look that expensive are not used on a daily basis by the gorgeous homeowners who only dine on lettuce and fine wine-have to maintain ones beautiful slim body-doncha know. I’m glad for you and Paul and even Elvis that the whole Saga is winding toward its final denouement. I am sure that Elvis will be glad of the extra attention when the works all finished and Considering that a dust particle would die of loneliness in your immaculate manse I’m sure you and Paul will be overjoyed at a return to order. Of course we all know that won’t last for long with all the brain trolls and Self poking you and whispering in your ear of treasure not yet discovered. Looking forward to the next chapter.
November 4, 2015 @ 12:32 pm
Speaking from experience, you really do want your sink to face a window. You really do. Love, love, love your blog.
November 4, 2015 @ 12:43 pm
I had no idea McCain ran with Tina Fey, but I know without a shadow of a doubt that it is time for a GoFundMe or Kickstarter or some such thing to get you those brass cabinet thingees because MY GOD.
My. God.
I don’t have a window in my kitchen, period, let alone over the sink, so don’t you worry about that. You will get used to anything except Ugly, so please follow your heart and something that you will adore looking at.
November 4, 2015 @ 12:58 pm
Loving the photos but want to see YOUR kitchen. Where are you in this process? Cannot wait for the fantastic reveal.
November 4, 2015 @ 2:39 pm
PLEASE, I want to see the REAL kitchen too, no matter what condition.
Are you hiding it? All the pictures are nice, but as far as I can see none of us could afford anything you’ve showed us, other then as a tease. No room, No money.
November 4, 2015 @ 1:12 pm
I’m all practicality (retired graphic/package designer and kitchen designer by trade) so let me just get down to it. Lived for just three years with no window over my sink and don’t recall being traumatized by it. However, LOVE having a beautiful, south facing, high up, window now. Since there’s never been any consideration re moving or shrinking either of your windows, how about swapping your sink and range? Like 3rd and 8th photo. At least then you could look to your right outside and have that natural light near your sink. It would also mean simply venting your range directly outside. In that same warehouse conversion I once lived in (1995 ish) I was ahead of trends with open shelving UNDER my shorter, closed cabinets placed higher up. I LOVED IT and would do it again given the chance! Just store often used items there and ugly or less used items inside. So many ideas…
November 4, 2015 @ 1:37 pm
How many of us stopped reading your post mid thought in order to google translate “огромные причудливые украшения”? I did! Hahahahaha. I love you and your blog! PS the Carrera marble idea is fantastic. Run with that. You could find ALL kinds of salvaged marble on craigslist or at local places. That is what I was told to do when I needed some smaller pieces for nightstands.
November 4, 2015 @ 1:51 pm
Victoria,
I had a kitchen with a window that looked into the living room when living in Texas. I do love looking outside while at the sink, but as long as there is plenty of natural light I’d say you’ll survive. I absolutely love a few of these kitchens.
xo,
Karen
November 4, 2015 @ 1:56 pm
When your new posts show up…….I can’t wait to read them! Just sayin!
Thanks for the smiles!
Michelle
November 4, 2015 @ 2:52 pm
Dahling, You are now on the way. Love the window seat as termination of the kitchen casework and transition to the other room(wink), Loooorve (oprah pronounciation) the navy lowers, and the pale gray lowers ..
Over the sink . . . with the windows flanking, I first will state the practical – put the open shelf high enough OR shallow enough that you can’t bump your head when you bend over the sink scrubbing (you are a tall people, dictator and subject) AND . . with your high ceiling, I like the balance of a combo like the photo under country living – closed smaller cabinet at top and shelving that descends. This makes it easy to make the shelf finish the same as the cabinet since they are “connected” (though not literally connected by the sides works better for me so you get natural light washing sideways into them) . .
Mirror right above the shelves, wonderful. Mirror below .. nope . . Use some lovely tile . though I was struck by HOW MUCH I loved the christopher peacock backsplash and range splash combos of tile and stone, and the echo of the arched antique sink backsplash done in soapstone / black in the last photo of betty lou . .
November 4, 2015 @ 2:54 pm
Could you tell me more abut the fabulous hanging pot rack?
November 4, 2015 @ 2:58 pm
Love your pictures. And yes, I believe all problems can be solved by spending time with a cat.
November 4, 2015 @ 3:18 pm
Well I did mirror my kitchen and I love it. On one wall there are three Metro chrome shelves. The mirror adds sparkle. In front of a large window that looks out to the garden that wall is mirrored and three Metro shelves are there. My collection of stainless cookware hangs from the top shelf and functions as a “valance” and below the window are shelves for more cookware (I’ve been collecting for over 40 years!) The mirror is easy to clean, looks great and I love it.
November 4, 2015 @ 3:32 pm
I simply love ALL of the above photos respective kitchens. Give me any of the and I will never complain again!
I do however have a serious problem with marble. All of my marble furniture I had and have, used and saw, were – with no exception – highly sensible to water marks. My troubles began when I stayed several times in French B&Bs with old furniture and marble wash stands. All I did was drying off the thing all the time. Have two bistro tables and God forbid that I put a bottle with cold wine on it. A ring which doesn’t come off is the result – I could send you photos of how bad they look now. Same thing with the marble benches over the heaters. One vase which ‘sweated’ a bit and a permanent ring which doesn’t come off is the result. I often hear that you can treat the marble so that it does repell humidity. I can’t understand it as in Italy and elsewhere I saw many fountains etc with no damage. But these are my experiences.
November 4, 2015 @ 4:25 pm
Haven’t you found a smaller Kingdom mirror to complete your kitchen sink area? Then you can bask in your loveliness while toiling in said sink! Here’s a link to do it yourself corbels: Paul could create some out of walnut to lovingly grasp your marble shelves! ?
http://scavengerchic.com/2015/11/02/design-and-build-your-own-corbel/
November 4, 2015 @ 4:31 pm
…and now I want those $1000 shelf supports with glass shelves, even tho I have no place to put them.
November 5, 2015 @ 8:23 am
Me too Lisa!
November 4, 2015 @ 6:19 pm
Victoria:
As a Goddess Of All GFTs, you know in your heart of hearts, regardless of what various Trolls and Self whisper to you, that Elvis has the answers to all of life’s foibles. Spend more time with the cat, and hopefully we will see your completed kitchen in all its splendor and glory second only to yours.
November 4, 2015 @ 6:52 pm
Lovely photos – but I could never live with open shelving, as I can only imagine how much dust etc. would accumulate since I am a slob who never dusts.
November 4, 2015 @ 7:39 pm
When I was a little kid my sister and I were dancing on our marble coffee table and it broke in half! Just saying…