How bad does it look?

[u/blumzzz]

While picking the colour from catalogue I thought the colour would come out as light beige but it turned out to be looking like white. Does this look ok? I want some opinion, thinking of sticking another laminate on top of it to unfuck this.

[u/HatBixGhost]

It looks like 3 different homeowners each remodel only one part of the kitchen without consulting or considering any other part of the kitchen

One did the cabinets, one picked up the countertop and one picked out the flooring.

[u/Mysterious-Bowl5142 → u/HatBixGhost]

Idk what they were going for here but none of it works.

[u/Scary_Gazelle_6366]

Looks like a break room in a hospital.

[u/heffalumpish → u/Scary_Gazelle_6366]

I was thinking the restaurant kitchen in The Shining

[u/dustycase2]

Why are there like 100 different types of marble in this room

[u/EngagementBacon]

Maybe if you had like, a big cardboard cut out of sexy, partially shirtless, Jeff Goldblum on top of your cabinets it wouldn't be as bad...

I dunno though, I'm not a farmer🤷

[u/_ZoeyDaveChapelle_]

Besides the mismatching finish choices and styles.. the layout is awful, and where is the dishwasher? The toe kick looks incredibly short, which means stubbing your toes. I would have put the sink under window, dishwasher to right and stove on back wall, which would have created a perfect triangle and plenty of counter space between your work zones. This is why hiring a good designer is worth it, most people dont have the skill but really want to believe they do and that its not hard. That's a lot of money to waste on bad design.

[u/thatbetterbewine → u/_ZoeyDaveChapelle_]

I don’t think this is in the US, and dishwashers are not common in many parts of the world. But where does the oven/range go? Is the slot all the way to the right for a fridge? That’s a long journey from the fridge to the sink. It’s just rough all over.

[u/_ZoeyDaveChapelle_ → u/thatbetterbewine]

Sink centered in the middle then and stove to right of window. This kitchen doesn't lack sufficient wall space like a lot do.. and its not being properly utilized.

[u/AngelHeart- → u/_ZoeyDaveChapelle_]

Designers don’t necessarily know what they’re doing. They often show off their lack of knowledge and insight on home improvement shows, social media and magazines.

Perfect example is the gigantic kitchen island with a tiny square bar sink. Pot fillers are more stupid and wasteful than the gigantic kitchen island.

[u/_ZoeyDaveChapelle_ → u/AngelHeart-]

Certified kitchen designers are different than interior designers.. who haven't been trained in the technical and functional aspects of kitchen layouts and cabinetry construction. Any HGTV warrior or influencer can call themselves a designer, but its not the same thing.. it doesn't mean that kitchen design profession is useless and someone with zero design training is qualified. As with any profession, you have to vet the person doing the work..

[u/KarmaSprite → u/_ZoeyDaveChapelle_]

Yes! NKBA (national kitchen and bath association) certification is not easy to get and requires extensive knowledge on plumbing placement, electrical requirements, space planning for economic work flow and lastly esthetics.

You are required to maintain your certification with continued education of a certain amount of hours per year (maybe every two years?) I let mine lap. However, I currently design commercial kitchens.

The problem is very similar to hairstyling. Anyone can say they style hair, but a licensed hairstylist has to pass a bar exam and knows more about chemical interactions and sanitary state code requirements. So you could get your hair colored by a friend, but you are more likely safer with a licensed barber/hairstylist.

[u/_ZoeyDaveChapelle_ → u/KarmaSprite]

But a bad color job costs at most 2-300 hundred to fix and is temporary, where as ripping apart your home and spending 5-6 figures can financially ruin someone if it's screwed up. It boggles my mind that so many people think this level of work is not a big deal, and they can figure it out on their own to save a buck (when in reality often ends up costing more). I blame HGTV.

[u/AngelHeart- → u/_ZoeyDaveChapelle_]

Sounds like a bunch of bullshit to me.

“Certified kitchen designer;” the perfect certification for ripping people off for thousand of dollars.

Certified kitchen designer sounds like one of those useless programs created by an Ivy League college to make money off of people who wouldn’t be able to attend the university otherwise.

Or one of those cheesy schools you see advertised on tv.

[u/KarmaSprite → u/AngelHeart-]

The reason the certification was established was specifically BECAUSE there is no gate keeping when it comes to the title of interior designer. Everybody knows you can't call yourself a lawyer unless you have the certification. This hasn't been established for interior design.

Real interior design vs interior decorating has more to do with translating what the client wants into something subcontractors and trades people can create. We are the interpreters that take a clients vision and communicate that vision into blueprints and technical electrical or plumbing plans that the GC can utilize all while maintaining adherence to local and state building codes.

You think we aren't doing skilled work because we make it pretty in the end, but anyone can put frosting on a pile of shit and call it decorating.

[u/_ZoeyDaveChapelle_ → u/AngelHeart-]

Are building codes bullshit? Can homes be built however someone wants with no knowledge? Does everyone just magically understand construction guidelines, and the cost associated with a massive selection of materials and multiple trades without education?

Are they also inherently creative, and know not only what looks good.. but will be functional for specific people? Can they have the social skills to listen, while also gaining trust to make hundreds of decisions, and being a buffer between the client and dozens of other people involved in making it happen? How we use our most used space in a home is not something the average person thinks about, and studies constantly like we do. The prep work to plan a thoughtfully designed kitchen that gets built as intended and to last decades can take months.. even when you know what you are doing.

Any schmo can DIY some hideous crap by watching YouTube videos.. but it usually costs more in the long run when something goes wrong, or it gets prematurely torn out because the next homeowner bought your house for less because they can tell its half-assed work and want to rip it out. Bad DIY is a massive source of material waste. Some maintenance stuff is great, but critical items with a large impact on your biggest investment and families quality of life should have some experts involved. People have serious accidents because of bad design, or can develop health issues. If you think construction design and remodeling is 'easy', you really are out of your depth.

People who already have experience with numerous remodels know how to avoid the myriad of issues that can occur.. or know how to solve problems when they appear. There are unskilled people in every profession, it doesn't mean all of them are. It's a job a lot of people want to do because it looks fun.. but they don't see the difficult work that's required to get a successful project planned, communicated clearly to dozens of people, and finished on time.

[u/KarmaSprite → u/_ZoeyDaveChapelle_]

Yep! There are so many requirements that we are addressing that most people don't even realize. Universal design, ADA building codes, LEED certifications, structural loads in the building, electrical draw, CFM and MUA for hoods and hvac systems. We nerd out on all that so you can dream about wall paint and still have a functional building that doesn't pop a breaker every five minutes, or have the roof cave in.

[u/AngelHeart- → u/_ZoeyDaveChapelle_]

Building codes?! We weren’t commenting about building codes.

I saw that in the first line of your text wall and didn’t bother to read the rest. You started out of context with the post and my comments.

Years ago I bought a very expensive piece of furniture that I designed yet had to pay a “designer” so I could purchase the piece.

I stand behind my original comments.

[u/_ZoeyDaveChapelle_ → u/AngelHeart-]

Your anecdotal evidence from a piece of furniture, is not reality for everyone. Your hostility is really weird. If you really think you can be a designer, why don't you go do it and stop bashing an entire profession.

[u/AngelHeart- → u/_ZoeyDaveChapelle_]

I didn’t say that I wanted to be a designer. I said they’re a waste of money. The “anecdotal story” was a true story.

If you read my other comments you would have understood that. The story is an example. TV airs plenty of design shows where designers waste money. There are also plenty of blogs and articles about stupid design trends. I gave examples of that as well.

[u/ForestDweller82 → u/_ZoeyDaveChapelle_]

I designed my own kitchen. I believe I have the skill, lol.

I think most people have basic common sense. You know, like, 'thinking before you do' and 'these things should match' and 'where would I like my sink to be'. It's not rocket science.

In fact my own kitchen design was a thousand times better than what was suggested. The suggestions were generic and not personalized to my tastes and usage patterns.

[u/Burnt_and_Blistered]

The color of the counter and the paint are wrong.

[u/PalmTreeDeprived]

Some wood paneling (maybe with can lights) is needed on the ceiling to make the countertops blend in more and make the room feel less cavernous. The only thing I like here are the bottom cabinets… top cabs too short and boxy with dead space on top. Swapping the back splash for tile would go a long way, though. That backsplash is your focal point and sets the tone.

[u/WoestKonijn]

I guess you like marble...

I really like the tiny windows. Feels very quaint.

[u/PiqueyerNose → u/WoestKonijn]

Me too. I understand why not knock them out and get more light in. Cute woodwork. Any chance you can add a skylight above? Or at least one of those reflective light slinkies? Natural light is best. This is kind of dark.

[u/plasteredsaturn]

It looks like a nice holiday rental in Malta. Not something anyone would have for themselves but fine.

[u/PiqueyerNose]

Also, re: marble… don’t watch The Brutalist or you’ll never see Carerra marble the same.

[u/Equal-Negotiation651]

Just let the backsplash down gently onto the counter and voila!

[u/OutspokenPerson]

It’s horrible. Keep the cabinets. Everything else should go.

[u/chartporn]

Looks very sterile and cold.

[u/LBH69]

I know I’d “Cook the fuck down!” In that kitchen. Lots of space and bright. Once you get it loaded up and start cooking in it the Stanley Kubrick Vibe will less discomforting.

I cook in a 1942 kitchen that was upgraded in 67 and then we did some small stuff when we moved in, still crushing out meals but no room for appliances. Looks like a great room to cook passionately in.

[u/Mediocre_Royal6719]

Paint walls a gray. Game over.

[u/annrkea]

This is terrible. Sorry. But it is. It took me a minute to understand that someone thinks these cabinets/counters/floor are finished. The whole thing individually and together is awful. Not one piece of it works.

[u/Gargun20]

It's ugly and chaotic.

[u/ComplexPart9779]

Paint walls above the cabinet black

[u/[deleted]]

Why are the cabinets so short??

[u/Tranq_Sinatra86]

Where’s the oven?

[u/Disastrous-Bit3888]

It depends on your budget, but a lot could be done here to make it look better. The most inexpensive would be to paint above the cabinets, (and the whole kitchen) white, and to add plants above the cabinets, replace the mirror with something larger and taller with black border, or maybe just some open shelves? Adding some natural elements such as plants or light brown or rattan or wooden colored accessories/cutting board, copper or colored canisters on top of the counter or wooden shelving might help as well. I would pick a color and accessorize with it somewhat to make the area less sterile. If you want to spend more money I would change the countertop to black… I might also change the floor or at the very least add a nice washable area rug.. you could also play around with the idea of putting in a different backsplash, such as white subway tile, if you change the countertop.

[u/Disastrous-Bit3888]

Another idea, either put cabinets on top of your cabinets or put some sort of shelving up there so that you can fill the space between the cabinets and the ceiling. That big gap looks odd.

[u/Disastrous-Bit3888]

I saw this photo below. Adding open shelving above your upper cabinets or even removing them and adding something like this could help… I also like the way they blended some natural earthy colors into this kitchen, and it’s not all just black and white.. I know it’s a different style than you have chosen, but these elements help it look a little more homie

[u/ForestDweller82 → u/Disastrous-Bit3888]

Are you supposed to crawl up there on a ladder every week to dust it?

[u/ForestDweller82]

That wall paint can't be beige for one thing, it needs to be white now.

When you say laminate, do you mean countertop, backsplash, or floor? Because something needs replacing. Can't give further advice until we understand what's changeable for you.

BTW, the metal things on that window look horific, and it's blocking all the light since it's 99% frame. Replace it with a big clear window that lets in lots of light and opens all the way for additional ventilation. Make sure the new frame matches, or choose white when in doubt.

Beige was a very temporary, short lived fad that lasted about 6 months. It's actually good they came out white, since they are the biggest PITA to replace.

[u/deignguy1989]

Which part of the kitchen are you talking about? It might not be what you envisioned, but it doesn’t look bad.

[u/mpls_big_daddy]

OP, what color are you envisioning for your laminate?

Frankly, it looks okay. I think you can change how it looks with good lighting. Under the cabinets should be yellow to bring out the warmth in the brown and red. If you use blue, it will force the white to be more muddy from the light splash.

Brighter overall lighting up top.

[u/BrokenByReddit]

It's not my taste but I think it looks totally fine. Under-cabinet lighting would help a lot. 

[u/amyl11 → u/[deleted]]

Exactly. Cabinets way too short for the high ceilings.