Kitchen-remodeling tips
We asked a few remodeling experts to provide more tips that homeowners should keep in mind when facing a kitchen redo.
Our experts are Debra Shababy of Studio 76 Kitchens and Baths in Twinsburg; interior designer Robin Storie; Kathy Masterson of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry Greater Cleveland; Ron LoGrasso, owner of Kitchens by LoGrasso in Bedford Heights; and Timothy Dick of Timothy Frank Dick Inc. home-design firm in Mentor.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- If you hit the lottery and suddenly landed in the upper 1 percent, what fabulous items could you afford for a fabulous kitchen? Imagine countertops made of gemstones, custom cabinets and appliances that probably cost more than your first car.
Here are some items for the kitchen of your dreams -- and price tags for how much those dreams will cost. Go to the companies' websites to find local dealers.
Countertops Don't even think about granite from just any old quarry. Real luxury calls for exotic, rare granite from Italy or Brazil. A one-of-a-kind piece could cost $80-$125 per square foot.
Imagine chopping onions on countertops made from semiprecious or precious stones. CaesarStone's Concetto line of precious stone surfaces features stones embedded by hand and includes gray agate, rose quartz and white quartz. Think $300 to $400 per square foot, installed.
The Italian company Antolini Luigi, an industry leader in stone for luxury homes, has countertops made of gemstone, shell stone and precious stone.
Custom cabinets Custom cabinets with extras -- such as lighting inside, glass shelving, pullout spice racks, recycling centers and pop-up electric mixers -- could cost between $40,000 and $65,000. (We're basing that price on a 500-square-foot kitchen).
Mouser Custom Cabinetry, a top maker of custom cabinets, combines fine hand-detailing with state-of-the-art technology, timeless designs and fine craftsmanship, according to the company's website. Draper DBS Inc. and Neff are other top makers of custom cabinets.
Appliances Thermador, the luxury kitchen-appliance pioneer, unveiled last month its Freedom Induction Cooktop. This $5,000 cooktop allows home chefs to place cookware anywhere on the cooking surface and has a color touchscreen display that recognizes pot shape and controls cooking time.
Viking Range Corp. appliances are in that same price range: $4,600 for a burner range and $7,600 for a side-by-side refrigerator-freezer with a "true flush" design that allows it to fit flush into a 24-inch-deep installation cutout.
View full sizeSpecial to The Plain DealerNo plain old granite will do for our fantasy kitchen. CaesarStone's gray agate countertop makes a statement -- and a dent in the wallet -- at $425 per square foot, installed. (CaesarStone)Also worth considering: Sub-Zero, Dacor Kitchen Appliances and GE Monogram Appliances.
Backsplash A mosaic tile backsplash, made of glass or stone tile, can cost around $80 per square foot, including materials and labor. Shellshock Design makes backsplashes out of natural freshwater mother-of-pearl and cultured pearls on 7-millimeter toughened glass.
Sinks and fixtures A banged-up sink will look out of place in our deluxe kitchen. We want a Franke Sinks and Faucets double-basin fire-clay kitchen sink ($2,000) or a German Grohe AG double-handle kitchen faucet with side spray ($900 to $1,200).
Also worth a look: Blanco's finely crafted sinks and faucets, and Delta's fashion-forward Brizo line.
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