Stainless steel & granite kitchens

It's interesting - my wife and I are just now looking to do a very high end kitchen gut job in our Village condo. Although I think that SS + granite will always be a reasonably safe bet, I do agree that in reviewing alot of recent high end kitchen designs, there does seem to be a move away from that look towards an 'all-white' sensibility, but not your mother's all-white look. The new 'all-white' includes the use of very luxurious materials such as 3" - 4" thick granite/stone/marble counters which wrap around the sides of conters, backlit glass backsplashes, cabinets finished in a reflective solid white glass (or other glossy) material with no knobs and hidden hardware that open with a gentle touch, self closing drawers, undercounter refrigerator/freezer drawers (no more big hulking refrigerator/freezer combos), and it even seems that the metal and opaque clear glass fronted hanging cabinets so popular recently are also losing favor as well....but that's fahion for you. I think if you're living in your place long enough, you just have to commit to the look you love best, and go with it. No matter how you renovate, over time, it will be alternatively in and out of style, and eventually have to be redone, regardless.

If you intend to use your kitchen (and I mean not only the microwave to re-heat take-away) ss&g remain the best materials. Easy to clean and resisting serious cooking. Why do you think that professional kitchen are all in ss?

Why was my comment on this forum purged? I thought I was contributing to the discussion by saying that ss was a decent choice, and different than avocado colored appliances.

That's interesting. I thought this was a website mostly frequented by adults with full-time, well paying jobs that enabled them with the skills of civility and tact. Obviously I was somewhat mistaken.

well it doesn't help if you tell the person off with expletives and they say he can't afford stainless steel.

I'm the original poster & I'm disappointed to see such inanity. You like ss&g, great, but childish name calling??? Ss&g just seems to be soooo over used but I also realize that I like a country/homey kitchen & all that stainless just seems cold...and overdone. Now I HAVE seen some beautiful ss&g kitchens but must they ALL be so?

I am doing my kitchen and I am sick of stainless/granite/subzero. After researching, I found out that quartz or corian countertops are less porous (don't stain as easily). Also, I found that subzeros tend to be more repair prone. I feet that it is a bit of a risk but I am going with less expensive but more reliable appliances. I am also not doing granite. I will use either quartz or corian. Finally, the only stainless still that I will have showing will be the stove and microwave. I am ready for something different. Something warmer.

I bought my co-op a few months back and I am doing a total renovation. The appliances left by the former owner were all white and basically in great shape therefore it seemed to be a waste to start over again.

I thought I would always love SS but now I am starting to see the real value in a never-out-of-style white kitchen. I even went as far as getting an undermount sink in white cast iron. I think it looks so classic.

Granite is a sore subject. Everyone seems to think that is the end-all to countertops. My problem is that I couldn't find a pattern that was not busy. So I went with Silestone Quartz surface. Basically as expensive but more color choices and stronger, less mantenance than granite.

Finish it off with great undermount lights, dark cherry cabinets and the place looks great now and I am going to bet and hope also in 15 years from now!

De gustibus non est desputandum! (side note to streeteasy this is not profane, so should not be deleted - it is Latin)

Okay, latin scholar, that means: You can't argue with personal taste? (Maybe, from my Spanish)

Sic vis pacem, para bellum

dura lex, sed lex

I am very serious.

Often is it just best to clean out and start fresh with a complete gut renovation.

This thread is two years old. Granite and stainless are back in.

http://www.oveninfo.com/Features/Is-Stainless-Still-King-of-the-Kitchen.htm?

As far as I'm concerned, avocado never went out of style.

Regarding men's apparel, you're absolutely right. Kitchen decor, not so much.

I'm having a hell of a time finding appliances in either avocado or harvest gold these days ...

What's wrong with the appliances you already have?

Coppertone is Hot again

Granite and stainless steel kitchens are indeed back and are quite popular today. These look beautiful.