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The "caesarstone" link doesn't work unless you spell it correctly--"ae," not "ea."

It looks like a very efficient space. I do get more of the "newness" feel, rather than a "nice warm 'lived-in'" feel.

I work in the kitchen a lot and it looks like I'd have a lot of stubbed toes and how does anyone get those cabinets or drawers open in a hurry? The handles look tiny.

Unfortunately the clincher is that electric stove. Gas is essential for anything that's actually going to make food.

And again, lots of cool surfaces, no warmth or personality. I want something out of place, some texture, a story. This kitchen has a lot of potential.

(Maxwell, it looks like somewhere in the post is lacking a closed )

Sara,

Some people don't get to choose whether they get gas or electric. Believe it or not, I have never lived in a place where gas has been an option. (Yes, I know it's supposed to be much better.) I don't think it's fair to make sort of condescending comments when the person may not even be able to have gas as an option. I'd love to try a gas stove, but it's just not going to happen anytime soon.

Just saying.

Cheers,
Fiona

Stunning! Looks worthy of a spread in Dwell. I love the drop ceiling with the recessed lighting, as well as the small (amber?) pendant lights and the tripod floor lamp. It's fantastic, too, that you have so much natural light! (That's the beauty of living in San Francisco Peninsula area, the climate.) And caesarstone rocks. That's what I've got in my kitchen, and I love it. Nice touch with the red pouf and bent-plywood nesting trays on the floor. And hooray for the tabletop accents (planter box with wheatgrass, lovely vase and primitive bowl)! Don't listen to the detractors. Your kitchen has loads of personality and texture. I grew up in an Eichler home in San Mateo, so I'm partial to kitchens with this type of floorplan, using these materials. (We had wood simple wood cabinets, terazzo floors and a wall of glass in our kitchen.) It seems like your home is very characteristic of many homes in the Bay Area, but you've been able to update it while respecting the it's "bones" (I'm assuming post-war, mid-century era, yes?) I've noticed that the ongoing warm/cool debate surrounding this contest has been somewhat polarized along gender lines. The more modern entries appealing a little more to the males. The cozier ones appealing a little more the females... Uh-oh, there I go, opening up a whole 'nother can of worms! Seriously, not a judgement at all, merely an observation. Maybe I'm wrong here?

Hmmm, possibly a gender thing. What I've noticed about my own responses is that they're more emotional, rather than about whether the kitchen will work well or not. What this kitchen makes me think of (and this is not an objective judgment, just my own reaction) is a magazine spread, and those always make me feel threatened.

I don't know about gender lines. I tend to like the more modern, though I also liked some of the "cozy," retro ones. I think this is a warm-looking kitchen because of the wood tones, but that's just my opinion.

John--
Really nicely done, beautifully shot.

sara a--
I don't agree AT ALL that this "has no warmth or personality". This kitchen does not "have potential". It's ready, done, excellent and lovely as is. I also disagree it "needs texture, a story". Has texture, and the before and after shots, to me, tell QUITE a story.

John, you could do my kitchen any day.

Everyone, I'm sorry if my comments offended, and there was absolutely no condescention intended. It is just my opinion.

MGR has "explain yourself" if I don't like it, so I did. Really, it is just a matter of taste, nothing is right or wrong. Gas is just essential to me, do I have to apologise for my opinion?

I am in the minority, but I don't like these design centered kitchens, I like more texture. I like seeing everyone's kitchens, is it so bad that I have a different perspective?

No, it's not bad at all.
Nor is it bad when others have a different opinion about yours.

I would also add (as stated in a reaction to Enrique's, I think) is that the scale of texture and beauty in a modern or minimal or spare kitchen is really not generally well-represented by the typical "room shot". I think the "scale of the beauty" in this kitchen is probably really apparent to the user-- seeing where metal meets wood, where stone catches the light, how the amber pendants converse with the setting sun outside.

It's kinda like the beauty of the Everglades. From the speeding car, it looks like a big flat swamp. When you get out into it, on foot, its beauty is remarkable.

This is stunning. Hey, if had a kitchen (or apt.) that looked like this I wouldn't care whether it had a gas or electric stove. I've always had a gas one, but I'll be flexible.

Very nice, but this Manhattanite is getting a wee bit peeved at the abundance of kitchens in this contest that resemble those in glossy magazines. Am much more interested in ingenuity prompted by space/budget constraints. Necessity is the mother of invention, after all, and for most of us, money does not grow on trees (and even if it did, we wouldn't have the space in our Lilliputian dwellings to plant them...).

It's lovely, but it's huge! Is this kichen in an apartment?

For me, the clincher in deciding whether the kitchen is usable and user-friendly or just design-y will be this highly meaningful but apparently arbitrary question-- does the household use the wheatgrass there on the counter (either for healthy eating/drinking or for kitties), or is it just for decoration?

Wait, so we can only use edible decoration now? Wow, it's getting harder to keep up with these rules! ;)

I could easily imagine whipping up a gourmet feast here. It looks well laid out, like everything's at arm's reach. It's really beautiful and for those of us living in small apartments, drool-worthy. What I think is interesting in the comments on all these kitchens is how people react to stuff--or lack of stuff. Personally I'm turned off by pictures of rooms that have no evidence of life. That's the problem with most decor/design mags. You can't imagine anyone living there.

But it's tough balance to strike, since one person's "signs of life" is another's clutter.

I love home features that look like they're off a design mag. This is one great kitchen that I would LOVE to have- got to put mirrors on my narrow one just to make it SEEM bigger..
really like that island table.

Soul-less kitchen fan,
Hajar

Hi everyone! First off, thanks for all the yeas and the nays...nice to see that democracy is at work at apartmenttherapy. To Patrick and Enrique, what can I say, you guys took the words out of my mouth. Thanks!

My favorite. I think the materials and the incredible light make this a very warm kitchen. The lines and textures and the way they contrast give it a lot of personality, in my opinion. I also appreciate the before shots (reminds me of when Jerry's cabinet guy blocked off his living room on Seinfeld).


I am also going to need a vent like that when I buy a new stove - I was afraid of it before I saw how good yours looks.

my favorite for sure.
are the cabinets custom?
brand? color? where can i get them.
s in nyc

Was this a contest for an apartment kitchen or a house kitchen??? John's is NOT an apartment kitchen.

jeez...could this be any closer to an expo display. no originality

John,
I live in SF. Where can I get cabinets like yours? Did I understand you to mean you got them at IKEA?
Alka

Hi

I just want to say that I love this kitchen.
I'm renovating a kitchen and deciding between granite and Caesarstone for the countertops and thought I'd decided on the Coffee Bean color 6310. However my granite guy swears I would regret choosing Caesarstone because it only looks good for a short time before the shine wears off. Help, I can't decide what to do. Has anyone bought CaesarStone and regretted it?

Thank you

I love it! I've definately decided to use Caesarstone - either concrete or lagos blue. Would like to use the honed finish and wonder how you like it, John? Harder to maintain?