Kitchen MOODY BOARD

In the year of planning that led up the final plunge into extension-building, there was one kitchen in particular that i absolutely fell in love with:

http://deepthoughtsbycynthia.blogspot.ch/2012/01/kitchen-remodel-part-4.html

The kitchen is the result of a remodel only finished at the beginning of this year (2012) - and the design itself based on another kitchen, in the home of a woman obsessed with turquoise. STUNNING kitchens the both of them - and absolute dream kitchens for me.. 

(http://www.houseofturquoise.com/2011/06/day-three-dream-home-tour.html)

BUT both of these very chic kitchen are in deepest darkest America, and while i have no problem with online shopping - my confidence in that field doesn't really extend to kitchens. Mainly because i have limited talent with measuring tape results actually fitting.. Something i really should get on to.  

The second BUT, is that both of these kitchens, are possibly worth in the field of; the entire budget of my extension. I know that oven lady, i've seen that oven from afar, and $30,000 for a cooktop just ain't happening (seriously, no). 

So what is it that i fell in love with about these kitchens:

- beautiful wooden joinery

- light airy feeling

- tiled splash back in turquoise

- carerra marble benchtops 

- breakfast bar

- stand-alone cooker love!

- classic look, i suppose?

And how to get that into my little extension with a lot less money and a lot more Ikea? That is the challenge.

Here's the shopping list so far: 

Benchtop in American Oak (Armstrong.com) - will hopefully work as a lighter compliment with the jarrah floorboards in the original part of the house. Benchtop's being made at Moulded Timber Products in O'Connor (Perth, WA) - they've made a bench top for me before - great quality wood and top workmanship. 

My oven.. Is arriving in three weeks. I shopped around. A LOT. After reading 600 reviews of all the different standalone ovens, comparing:

- price

- parts available in Australia?

- consistency of temperature inside the oven

- quality of build

I didn't think i would have to leave the house to buy it either, appliancesonline.com.au had exactly the model and range hood that i was after - but they were a touch expensive anyway. My assumption, having shopped around before for other appliances, was that the appliancesonline.com.au price was going to be the cheapest. They deliver. Take away the old appliance. Generally 10/10

I dropped into Kitchen Headquarters in Osbourne Park (least favourite suburb in the universe), assuming the car-salesman-attitude of those type of Harvey Norman places would put me off, and the prices would be much higher. I could definitely feel the quality of the Ilve was much better. Online i saw too many reviews saying the service for Falcon ovens was terrible and as the parts had to come from the UK - lengthy as well. Siemens nearly made me sway from standalone to wall-oven - they are verrrry nice ovens - owned by same company as Gaggenau - *dream*

I ended up ordered the oven and range together from Kitchen Headquarters and saved $1200 compared to the online price, with warranty and 55$ for delivery.. Bonza. 

Light fittings - thanks be to Barn Light Electrics - they really had exactly what i was after. http://www.barnlightelectric.com/pendant-lighting/?gclid=CKPriLKoo7ICFYO9zAodaUEA-A even with delivery to Australia - still reasonable. A WORD OF ADVICE:

I say many reproductions of these available quite cheaply in Australia, i bought two bigs ones from a salvage yard (made in England - very very old - for the laundry) and i saw a bunch on Ebay. NOTHING compares to the solid quality of the american made Barn Lights. They are heavy, have ceramic - not plastic- fittings - and did everything to fit my Australian ways. They are so beautiful i can't wait to see them hanging!

From my kitchen-pinterest board..  http://pinterest.com/kathyleefreo/extensione-kitchen/

Theres a few other pictures on there. Kitchen now confirmed - and it's all on. Delivered and installed next week, i won't even see it go in. Kinda sad. Kinda happy. Mostly too nervous to sleep.