We love to cook and entertain and this house was made for that. After months and months of planning, obsessing and reviewing our kitchen layouts over and over, we were ready to get this going. We had temp kitchen layouts taped out in our apartment to ensure our cooking flow would work in the new space using the current space as a guide.

Could J use the cooktop while I prepped or cleaned? Could I use the oven while J was using the cooktop? How would putting away groceries flow? What about making a late-night snack? Would guest feel like they were in the way? Could all dinnerware, serveware and appliances be stored and retrieved easily?

We finally landed on a layout that worked for the space and us. We opted for Ikea kitchen cabinetry using their newest line called Sektion after a successful kitchen install in our last home (PhillyRowHomeReno.com) using the then-current cabinetry called Akurum.

Our contractor and his team (sjbuildit.com) did a great job with the kitchen install–even with a last minute layout-flip of all the tall cabinets–love their modular design! High gloss white cabinetry. Steel Grey granite, after much deliberation between granite, quartz and marble. We also debated polished vs honed countertops and determined that honed would be less forgiving, so we opted for polished granite.

Stumbled upon this Refrigerator/Freezer from Electrolux while on an endless online click-trip and coupled with the trim kit gave it that built-in look. A Thermador rangetop since all burners are the same BTUs – a requirement. Futuro Futuro modern rectangular vent hood.

There are a few splurges here and there, but one of the ultimate ones?

A carbonator for sparkling water / seltzer on tap. The Everpure Exubera sits under the sink and makes chilled still and carbonated water — ready all the time. Bye, bye Sodastream. Filtered water goes in the Exubera and 3 lines run out of it: Chilled Still and Chilled Sparkling to their faucet & Ambient Still to the freezer ice maker. No water-through-the-door needed on the refrigerator/freezer!