[imagineblueskies]

Image Title: Adel Beech & Tida Black Kitchen Remodel in Planning (1 of 5 in set)
Description: Have been reworking the space a thousand times to get everything I want in there. Is it too much? Not enough? I am a serious (formerly professional) cook and want lots of usable work space. Can't use the Ikea planner because it doesn't run on a Mac, so am improvising with another program. would love any and all feedback. thanks.

[Tigratrus]

So this is where it changes from Adel to Tidaholm?

And what are you planning on for the counter?

James

[imagineblueskies]

Hi,
I realized after I posted that the pix aren't as clear as I thought they would be. The image above is actually my attempt to render the Avsikt glass doors (1-30" and 1-39") on either side of the sink.

The island is comprised of the Tidaholm black, with the dark cover panels on the Adel Beech sides.

I'll try to find a way to post something that will show the actual cabinets, rather than just blocks of color.

Thanks for replying.

[imagineblueskies]

The counters will be either a dark natural or engineered stone for the perimeter, and something very light for the island, but I'm open to suggestion. My husband (an artist) keeps telling me he wants thick, fused glass on all the counters - I keep telling him he needs to win the lottery! Not that I'm crazy about buying industrial sized Windex for the rest of my life.

[Tigratrus]

Have you tried Google sketchup? There are some useful tips around here for using it with IKEA cabinets, and many AKURUM objects have been built. If you haven't played with it yet take a look at Help with sketchup please!, there's some good info there, and zeuss (the resident sketchup queen) chimes in with links to her articles on using it.

As far as the counters are concerned, well your husband has *excellent*, though expensive, taste! Though I'm sure you know that much better then us . Have you looked at alkemi • recycled surface material No idea what the price is, but they use recycled metal (aluminum/copper etc) in a resin matrix, pretty stunning stuff. They need some better closeup pictures on their site though.

James

[imagineblueskies]

I have tried Sketchup before, but ending up using another Mac program called Punch Home Design. I've gotten the hang of it now, but I'll give Sketchup another try.

I've looked at a number of recycled material countertops - Environglas (here in Dallas), Paperstone, and a number of others; haven't found anything I love yet, and with my husband begging for the $300 a sq ft. glass, I'm trying to find an attractive, practical compromise. I looked at the Alkemi - you're right - they need better closeups! I found one material, Brionne, that claims to emit therapeutic long infrared rays from its countertop; now THAT''S what I need! A therapeutic countertop!

[kelly]

You could always use good old soapy water and a vinegar rinse- no windex needed! And there's the squeegee aspect as well. I mean, $300 a square foot- you're going to need to cut costs on maintenance, right?

[Tigratrus]

Heh. Aren't you glad John doesn't want 300/ft2 features?

Though I suppose some of the more esoteric art paraphernalia might get up there

Kelly's DH is an artist too, but he's so not into expensive stuff.

James

[imagineblueskies]

lol - my husband generally doesn't have expensive taste - he's just into things that shine (wants light to come through the glass counters) I stumbled on a site called thinkglass.com and now he's smitten. He also likes to set things on fire for his artwork/photography, so I suppose I should be grateful that he's not proposing something more dangerous...

[kelly]

Oh, my husband would like that, too! He likes light. He found this paper thin neon that's powered by a battery and bought a bunch of it to "find uses for." My husband soaks his paintings in oil eating bacteria to destroy them.

I'd say that McGuyver is digital. He either spends absolutely no money or he just buys it. Whatever that might be. $300 giant sea sponge? Oh yes. It's cool. And it goes with the baby shark in formaldehyde. But why don't you have a pair of pants that don't have holes in them?

It's the way they are.