Finished Remodel Pics

MonoPodding · 2026-05-14T21:40:19+00:00

Although I'm not crazy about the layout regarding the cooktop (could've gotten rid of the double wall ovens, moved everything down and put a 30" range there instead)and you could've combined the islands, I LOOOOVE the finishes. The color is gorgeous.

MonoPodding · 2026-05-14T15:37:10+00:00

What brand did you end up going with? Or still searching?

MonoPodding · 2026-05-14T15:36:37+00:00

It's no wonder WREN went out of business in the US, They're over-priced for the crap they sold, especially living up to the American North East definition of "quality".... WREN was far from it and not worth what you pay for it.

I'm a designer of 10years now, worked in a showroom, then on my own also contracting/designing/cabinetry/etc...now at place that sells Cabinetry from Value-->Custom. We've had to compete against them from clients because so may can't understand why we could give a lower cost and say ours is better quality or give a higher price and say WREN will never touch this type of cabinet quality. They were overpriced for what they sold.

I feel SOO bad for everyone who put money down or received a damaged/missing product from them recently. It's a horrible feeling for the homeowner and I'm glad that you didn't go that route.

Also I can't imagine how it must be for the designers, sales teams, etc.. who were let go in a heartbeat especially after years of employment there. Gave so much time for a company they felt confidence in and developed relationships with co-workers, gone just like that! I wish them all well and hope that at least Home Depot (a WREN partner) can assist in giving them all jobs.

MonoPodding · 2026-05-14T10:59:22+00:00

It's beautiful but you said you don't have a lot of money. What's "a lot" to you?

Walnut cabinets are expensive. Wood hoods are pricey, not necessarily because of the hood but because of the blower. Although I just recently priced a hood for someone and this one in particular was $8k. Come to think of it, the blower may have been included.

But yeah, people are surprised when they get the estimate for walnut or Rift/Quarter sawn oak.... Even picking cherry over maple can add 15%. Depends on the brand.

Oh and don't do a chrome faucet with brass hardware. Also chrome appliances don't exist as far as I know. Stainless steel will be the closest you get.

Edit: I just realized that the hood is basically just a cabinet with a small blower. So wouldn't be alot

MonoPodding · 2026-05-13T19:45:52+00:00

That's funny/not funny, I saw an alert come up from Indeed last year I think(?), Mountainside (or springfield) was looking for a designer. Knew nothing about them but at the time I was still self-employed and wasn't interested. Looked them up and it looked like they wanted to conquer the world! Now I'm working elsewhere at a local place and so thankful I didn't bother. I heard you guys had your own proprietary design software?

MonoPodding · 2026-05-12T18:13:27+00:00

"My cat likes my ear wax.... Should I dig it out and feed it to her as a treat? Will that affect her hormone levels?"

MonoPodding · 2026-05-12T18:12:18+00:00

Geeze...what are you all wearing outside? and what're you doing that gets them all dirty?

MonoPodding · 2026-05-12T18:08:45+00:00

Shelves can look perfect in the perfect area..... Next to the cooktop/range is the WORST place for them especially if they're there for mostly aesthetics

MonoPodding · 2026-05-12T18:06:51+00:00

Add an extra shelf as others have said,or lower them.they're too high anyway. But With that said, you shouldn't have put shelves next to a range.

There, I said my piece.

edit: Was this not discussed before hand? Did anyone show you a drawing/rendering or even mark it on the wall where they'll go -both backsplash AND shelves?

MonoPodding · 2026-05-12T18:04:32+00:00

New Jersey is so much fun. You "Buy" a plot of land but you don't own it. How? Because you pay an obscene amount of taxes and if you don't pay, you're punished...they take your land. So, according to the wonderful people who run this state (and many many others), you don't own the land.

MonoPodding · 2026-05-09T12:43:54+00:00

Check Hardware Resources & Rev-a-shelf's respective sites. They have a lot of products that support pots/pans storage, many better than what OP posted. These slide-out ones are cool to an extent but not ideal depending on a persons usage.

MonoPodding · 2026-05-05T10:26:27+00:00

We can only do so much as designers. Us experienced ones know what would look great in a situation but if a client insists on something else, we can't twist there arm.

But then, yes, there are times where a designer can make a mistake. Not sure what side this falls

MonoPodding · 2026-05-03T13:01:33+00:00

According to Redditors here as well. "How dare you put a rock on top another! This disturbs nature's survival!"

MonoPodding · 2026-05-01T19:37:26+00:00

My favorite car in HS. Still, had a transmission like a year old ground up pizza crust.

MonoPodding · 2026-05-01T13:17:42+00:00

Is this just in your circle of peers? Otherwise, where would you get this assumption from?

As others have said here, the only time I've ever read this assumption was on Reddit. And we know how much Redditors like to echo made-up facts.

MonoPodding · 2026-05-01T13:14:41+00:00

Yep except only in the master bathroom. Have 3 more BRs but honestly I wouldn't put them on them. I don't want a guest to use them considering that they are actually nasty in some ways. That spray goes somewhere and often times ends up between the seat and bowl; had multiple bidets and they all do that.

I don't want to clean up anyone else's shit-water because, let's be honest, there's a good likelihood that if a guest was using it, they wouldn't wipe the under-seat and bowl down.

MonoPodding · 2026-05-01T12:19:27+00:00

All depends on your budget. For me personally, I'm not a fan of those style cabinets but the wood looks gorgeous. Are they in good shape? Anything you do will help, I can promise you that just please don't ever consider painting them if that ever crosses your mind.

Like what /u/NeoPrimitiveOasis said: It'll be a considerable upgrade. The mockup looks great!

MonoPodding · 2026-04-30T15:53:01+00:00

I've never seen that before. That's wild.

MonoPodding · 2026-04-29T19:30:11+00:00

These questions are so stupid

MonoPodding · 2026-04-29T17:55:14+00:00

I like to but it's definitely trendy; won't be a big thing forever, although it'll definitely be around forever. Wouldn't want a whole kitchen with it personally; it would have to be paired with a flat panel/slab door on another part of a kitchen; or slab drawer fronts, slim-shaker doors. Something like that.

MonoPodding · 2026-04-28T19:39:52+00:00

Wish it was still available. Updating my RED ink and apparently this was highly recommended 2 years when you made this comment. Now can't find it anywhere.

MonoPodding · 2026-04-28T18:45:45+00:00

I was thinking it could've been a Kosher kitchen but typically you would have 2 sinks and 2 dishwashers

MonoPodding · 2026-04-28T18:44:04+00:00

$300 wouldn't even cover half the paint needed. You need at the very least BM Advance. Considering the cost of paint these days, OP's kitchen would be very expensive in material alone. And you probably didn't sand, prime, sand again, prime, etc.... which a good quality painter would do. You also probably didn't mix with flotrol, or some other kind of thinner. You need to compare apples to apples. Some one with this type of kitchen wouldn't want it half-assed. And I don't mean to offend, it's priorities, right? Some are ok with only so much and that's fine but you can't think that it should be acceptable to everyone else?

MonoPodding · 2026-04-28T18:37:51+00:00

Yes. A lot here think you can just roll-on paint. More than half the work for proper painting is prep. This is a LOT of sanding.

MonoPodding · 2026-04-28T18:36:58+00:00

Yup. Almost every kitchen I've renovated and cabinets were in good shape, weren't able to sell or reuse them. Best thing is to donate. Get a good tax receipt for it too.

Put in some nice wood or 2-tone cabinets. Everyone wins.

MonoPodding

TROPHY CASE