Get the look for less — "Castle Chic" Kitchen

This room is meant to highlight the new GE Café series, but what really got my attention was the luscious look of the kitchen itself. (Click on photo for a larger view)

So that got me thinking . . . how could a spectacular kitchen like this be done on a budget?

Here are some ideas:

— Ceiling: You’ve got to punch the ceiling up to the roofline to get this look. You’d be surprised how many flat ceilings are hiding an unused attic space. If you have a second story above, fuggetaboutit.
— Beams: These look like expensive wood beams, but you can get lightweight, inexpensive foam or polyurethane beams that give the same look.
— Flooring I think this wide-plank floor is bold, rather than costly. If you have the courage, blend light and dark pieces in this manner.
— Rock wall: For wealthy people who want nothing but the best, this wall will be real cut stone. For this rest of us, Cultured Stone by Owens Corning or another brand will be a reasonable and handsome alternative.
— Breakfast nook: This is the most appealing part of the room. And it looks to me like it might have been a service porch at one time. Relocating the washer and dryer to a closet or space nearer to the bedrooms makes more sense anyway.
— View of a Tuscan village: Sorry, can't help with that.

Any more ideas ideas on getting this look on the cheap?

(Photo: Courtesy of GE)

Comments

[D Wood]

I was wondering why people buy highend woods (like cherry or maple) then paint them white? Why not use a cheaper wood?

[Grant Anderson]

Re. Castle Chic on the cheap: Most people would be surprised how simple it is to completely change the look of their existing cabinets. If you have modular cabinets that were individually constructed and then installed without extending all the way to the ceiling then you can achieve a more eclectic furniture look with a screw gun, some paint and moldings. Remove and re-mount a couple of the cabinets, say above the stove or fridge, at a few inches higher elevation than the others. Add crown molding to the tops of the cabinets. Add pairs of ready made furniture feet at a few logical locations in the toe kick area. Mix a simple paint/glaze mixture and wipe on/wipe off to accent the cabinets details and add age and depth.

(By the way, higher end painted cabinets are made of quality woods because their construction lasts longer and they hold paint well.)

[D Wood]

Thanks Grant- that makes sense. It just seems a shame to cover cherrywood in paint, though I like the look of the cabinets pictured.