Malnar Kitchen Remodel

Ryan and Amanda are remodeling their kitchen- and because I love them both and don't want them to have a hideous kitchen- and because hideous kitchen's don't cost much less than beautiful ones... I feel so inclined to share some ideas!! (whether they like it or not!)

Husband and I want to move to Texas (specifically the metroplex) after we are done with this Utah period of life, so naturally I've been looking at real estate all around the place...and can I say "GROSS!" I can't tell you how many dark stained cabinets and stair railings and wild and crazy granite I've seen... come on people! A little cherry wall paper for your walls? or maybe some magnolias?!?!?

I kid you not- I found a listing that had (no joke) floor to ceiling tile on the walls... IN THE KITCHEN! (no excuses, this house was build in 2004)

Moving on, here are the pictures I've saved up for my dream kitchen:

Let's start with option for counters- because counters are a pretty dang big deal.


Soap stone is my personal favorite- it is a softer than granite so it gets marks on it- but I love that. It ages, pretty awesome stuff. This kitchen is in the "octagon house" the breakfast room of this house has brick flooring and in my breakfast room post- I love this house. I have pictures of the whole thing via Cote de Texas.

This is an example of oiled soap stone- love it. This kitchen also has a wooden island, and island sink. My favorite parts of this kitchen: sub zero fridge, decorative hood, range facet and industrial lighting.

Same kitchen- This kitchen really doesn't have much natural lighting- but they do use enough fixtures and leave the floor plan open enough to compensate. (how about that farm sink?)


Concrete countertops are typically pretty modern but, I like them here in this cottage style kitchen.

Can't really tell what these counters look like- but I do like the butcher block island, and I really like a sink in the island too. so much light- this is nice.

This is another example of a butcher block island (with absolutely beautiful bar stools) but look at the marble! It's lovely. This kitchen also has an awesome office nook off to the left, and I really appreciate that. It would help reduce clutter around the kitchen.

This pictures shows the marble really well, I love the subway tiles behind the range, and love this hood. Decorative hoods are really in right now- this is another example of a kitchen that does not have bleach white cabinets but I love anyway.

OK, so husband isn't particularly interested in a bleach white kitchen, which- is kinda my thing, so I found this one- that is not bleach white, it's white with accents. The cabinets have some darker accents (probably glaze) but for some reason this kitchen he likes. So do I. Also very cool about this kitchen- the lighting, more on that ...

Now... Lighting. A central theme in all of the pictures that I've posted is lighting. They all have fabulous natural light- and wonderful lighting fixtures. Some have cans, but all of them have a beautiful fixture that attracts attention.


This kitchen has wonderful windows- they don't look like metal windows- but they are thin like metal windows... I love them. The countertop for this island is really awesome- it looks like a great place to start a morning.


Doors in a breakfast nook are one of my new favorite features- what could be better than eating breakfast in the semi-outdoors? I love the chandelier over the breakfast table, even in this casual kitchen that has children's art on the fridge, and black and white tiled floors (one of the few I chose that doesn't have wood) the chandelier still works-

This kitchen...ahhhh. The subzero fridge, the range top, lights, double ovens, windows on three walls, the fantastic hood... what about these floors! I love this place- I could die in this kitchen. What do you think about the lack of cabinetry? This kitchen happens to have a sweet pantry to the right- it's huge and can make up for anything lost by leaving out the upper cabinetry. I love this feature- I love how open it makes these kitchens feel.



This last two kitchens are in my top three, I love these! I absolutely love them- the first picture I posted (from the octagon house) rounds off my top three. The kitchen below has won multiple awards this year (I learned from Things that Inspire). Ok, Malnars...food for thought!


How about the microwave down there on the left? Accident waiting to happen, or genius in hiding an ugly appliance?

as an aside- these pictures probably all came from Things that Inspire, Velvet and Linen or Cote de Texas... because those are my current obsessions. Buuut, I don't actually remember for sure.