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Kitchen Cabinet Hardware, Rolling Door Progress, and My Piano

Not a day goes by without someone asking me the status of my kitchen. I’m still waiting for my replacement doors and drawer fronts. I can’t finish the kitchen without them. It’s a frustrating waiting game, but that’s the price you pay when you’re careless and leave your doors and drawer fronts out overnight and they get rained on.  *Sigh*  I haven’t quite gotten past the point where that doesn’t sting a little just thinking about it.

I did, however, get my cabinet hardware from Pottery Barn!!  I haven’t gotten it all installed yet.  Installing cabinet hardware is one of my least favorite things to do ever.  There’s so little margin for error, and it just makes me nervous drilling into freshly painted and polyurethaned cabinet doors.  But I’m getting it done little by little.

Pitted antique brass door pulls -- kitchen cabinet hardware from Pottery Barn

Everything is still covered in dust, and I’m creating even more as I drill through these doors, so kindly overlook that, please.  🙂

This isn’t the hardware I originally ordered.  The stuff I originally ordered had been on backorder for a month, and every time I checked my order online, the estimated delivery date was pushed back.  First it was September 3rd, then September 5th, then the 8th, then the 10th. 

I finally got so frustrated with the constant delays that I used their chat system online to talk with a customer service representative.  He checked the order and told me that my hardware was, in fact, on backorder until November 10th!!!  Not September 10th, as my online order said.  Not October 10th.  But November 10th!!

I was beyond irritated.  And disappointed.  So I called customer service and spoke with a wonderfully helpful woman named Mallory.  She checked all over for the hardware, and couldn’t find any available.  So finally I asked about cancelling that order and placing a new order for this different (and quit a bit more expensive) hardware. 

They had it all in stock, she gave me a discount so that the new more expensive hardware would cost me only $10 more than the original hardware, and she sent it to me overnight and didn’t charge me for shipping.  Now that’s good customer service right there!

These are the Pitted Antique Brass pulls and bin pulls.  I had originally ordered the Classic Antique Brass hardware.  I’m installing it little by little, but I still have quite a bit to go.

Pitted Antique Brass kitchen cabinet hardware from Pottery Barn

This kitchen remodel has taken so dang long, and has really been such a pain in my rear lately, that when it’s finally finished I’m going to drag the final before and after “taaadaaaaa” posts for an entire week.  Maybe two.  One post for every month I’ve been working on this room.  Ha!  Just kidding.  🙂

In other news…

Let’s talk about my rolling doors, shall we?  When I asked what y’all thought about the glass designs yesterday, soooooo many of you suggested that I just cut out the six panels and install glass.  It was even my mom’s favorite idea.  It would look like this…

That is certainly the idea that made the most sense.  Of all the designs, this is the one that would be the easiest and would keep the original look of the door intact.  There’s only one problem.  I just don’t like the way it looks.  🙁

Y’all have no idea how much I wanted to like it.  I almost just made myself do it anyway, because like I said, it makes the most sense.  But I just couldn’t do it.  There’s just something about the wood-to-glass ratio that seems “off” on that door. 

The center rails and stile just seem so heavy and dominant, while the glass looks so wimpy and insignificant.  It looks nothing like a French door to me.  Am I being crazy, or do others of you see that also?

Isn’t personal taste a strange an interesting thing?  One person can absolutely love something, while the next person doesn’t like it at all.  It’s what makes decorating (and so many other aspects of life!) so interesting.  We humans are funny creatures.

So I ended up taking my Dremel MultiMax to one of the doors, and cutting out the top section, just as I had planned.

DIY rolling door painted in two shades of yellow from Behr - jackfruit on the left and warm muffin on the right

And do you see what else I did?  I tested some actual colors on the door on the right.  These are two colors that I actually tested on my hallway doors a while back.  The one on the left is called Jackfruit, and the one on the right is Warm Muffin.  Both are Behr colors.  I don’t like Warm Muffin at all.  It looks muddy and dull.  But I’m really loving the Jackfruit color.

As soon as I painted that color and then stepped away to look at it from the front door (so I could see my living room with it also), it made me realize that my house is missing warm colors.  It needs an injection of warm colors to balance out the greens and blues I’m using.

To be honest, I’m really struggling with finding that middle line to walk in this house regarding colors.  I don’t want to go back to the overly bright and fun (and somewhat juvenile) palette I used in the condo.  I do want this house to be more refined and grown up.  But at the same time, I don’t want to completely abandon my love of bright and saturated colors.  Finding that balance is difficult for me.

So I’m not sure if I’ll stick with this, or if I’ll try another color, or if I’ll end up with black, or even if I’ll do so something more like an aged Restoration Hardware-type finish.  And since I really don’t have any firm decorating plans for the music room just yet, I’m kind of flexible.  The only thing is that whatever I choose has to look good with both the green kitchen and the dark teal living room, so that makes it a bit more challenging.

The only definite plan for the music room is that it will house my piano.  I don’t have a picture of it, and I haven’t actually seen it in about eight years (it’s in storage somewhere in east Texas), but if my memory serves me correctly, it looks very similar to this piano both in style and in color.

piano similar to mine

I love that piano.  My grandparents bought it when my mom was in the seventh grade.  She learned to play on it, and then I learned to play on it when I was a young girl.  I can’t wait to get it here and start playing again.  I also play the guitar, but don’t have one at the moment.  So perhaps my music room will also include a new guitar in the near future.

So that’s really the only thing I need to decorate around in my music room.  Other than that, I have no definite decorating plans for that room just yet.

And one last thing… (wow, I’m really in a chatty mood today!) 😀

I know lots of people were concerned with that first door in yesterday’s post looking either too institutional/commercial (I was concerned about that, too), or looking like an exterior door.  The exterior door thing doesn’t bother me at all.  They’ll just look reclaimed and repurposed, and I actually love that.  But as far as them looking too commercial, I wanted to see if that was a bad thing, so I went in search of inspiration.

As soon as I saw this mockup that Layla at The Lettered Cottage did for her upstairs hallway, I knew that the “commercial” look was something that I could most certainly deal with if my doors had this much amazing character.

Mock up of old office door used as an interior door, via The Lettered Cottage

I could certainly deal with a few commercial-looking doors in my house if they looked like that.  🙂

I also came across this antique door from Knick Of Time Interiors.  This is an exterior door, but with that beautiful detail, I’d use it inside in a heartbeat.

Antique exterior door with glass on top, via Knick Of Time Interiors blog

So the bottom line is that I’m okay with the commercial look and/or the exterior door look, but I’ll probably end up adding some pretty details to my doors so that they don’t look quite so plain.

Well, that was kind of rambling and long.  I guess I had a lot on my mind today.  🙂

Update: 

Well, as you’ve probably come to expect from me, I changed my mind once again.  This afternoon, I took my Dremel MultiMax to the bottom part of my door also, and now it looks like this…

door with whole center panel cut out

The good thing is that I’m no longer confused about the direction I’m going with this.  I have a very definite plan.  It’ll be a bit unexpected, but it’ll go very well with my kitchen.  Nothing rustic, or country, or farmhouse, or cottage style.  At least that’s the plan for now, but I could very well change my mind again by tomorrow.  🙂

Update #2

To see the next step in my rolling barn door-style French door project, you can see that here…

Update #3:

My rolling barn-style doors are finished! Here’s a peek at how they turned out…

You can see more pictures of the finished doors here…

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54 Comments

  1. LOVE the hardware! Like the door. Will probably LOVE it when you are done. LOL (You have a way of finishing your projects that I always love. I just don’t see the possibilities until you show me.) I do like the Jack Fruit color on the door. But I am still drawn to the black. I just love that combination with the trim. The Jack Fruit color would be beautiful on upholstery or painted furniture. Just loving how this is coming along. And you can post pictures of the finished kitchen everyday for a year and I would drool on my computer!
    Sheila

  2. That last picture you showed of the white door from “knick of time” could you paint your “new/old” doors black and add some of that pretty trim in that jackfruit color? Or vise versa? Just an idea!!

  3. The hardware looks absolutely amazing! And I bet I’m not nearly as excited to see it finished as you are!!! I love Pottery Barn – nothing but good experiences for me.

  4. I saw that a lot of people loved that door with the panels cut out and windows inserted and I hated it. I couldn’t articulate why, so I didn’t comment on it yesterday. I think that what you said about the glass-to-wood ratio is spot on. It doesn’t work for me personally for that reason. It will be interesting to see what you come up with.

  5. Where did you buy the replacement cabinet doors and fronts? Home Depot? I have some stock Home Depot cabinets that need modifying and thus new doors.

    1. I just googled “replacement cabinet doors” and found several places online that sell just cabinet doors and drawer fronts. I searched until I found an online store that had the style I needed. At all of those places, you can order custom sizes in the styles that they carry.

  6. So glad you are liking the solid glass insert, it was my first choice too. You found some really good inspiration photos. Also that kitchen hardware is amazing on your cabinets, love it.

  7. I prefer the top panel all glass like you chose to do, something simple and not so cluttered about it. And I am crazy in love with the rolling barn door effect. But I keep staring. Did you use two different size doors together? That would bother the heck out of me. I can even see a difference in the pictures. I know I could never get used to that.

    1. Nope, the doors are the exact same size. Well, actually one of them is 1/8-inch wider. 🙂 Not sure why they look different. Maybe because of the angle? Or maybe because one of them has the center cut out and the other doesn’t? Hmmm…not sure.

  8. Great call on the door. I bought an old door exactly like Layla has except mine is missing the glass. We are going to do something very similar to ours. In terms of glass. I believe it will look fantabulous in your home!
    As far as the hardware, LOVE IT!
    Have a blessed day, Hope

  9. So glad you chose the door style you did. It will look wonderful.

    I am not sure I agree with you that bright colors are juvenile, it only matters if you like the look. It isn’t like you are going to paint the music room pepto pink or lime green. Trust in yourself that you have a great eye, and that you and Matt are really the people who have to like the colors you choose.

  10. I love the door in this post with the lettering. Lettering would obscure the view without blocking the view like frosted glass wood and have so much character. You could choose somewhat whimsical words to add a bit of fun. and do the lettering in a color that would complement the rooms and the areas in the house that would have a view of the doors. Having another color to work with on the doors also might give you a few more option in choosing the actual color for the wood on the doors and the two colors together could add the warmth and some character to the room. Just my two cents.

  11. Oh, I forgot to ask… the next time you feel chatty would you mind sharing links to some of the sites you use most for inspiration? We all need a dose of that again and again. I just know you have a fabulous list! Thanks.

    1. Actually, my list is quite short. My first stop is always houzz.com. I love that you can search for just about any house-related term, and find related inspiration pictures. My second stop is just Google Images. The results aren’t quite as spot on as they are with Houzz, but I can generally find what I’m looking for. And finally, I head to Pinterest. Pinterest is kind of like Houzz in that you can search just about any home-related term and find inspiration. My only issue with Pinterest is that most of the pins don’t go back to the original sources, and I almost always want to visit the original sources for more information on whatever it is that I’m searching for.

      1. Thanks for replying. I will check out houzz.com for sure. I’m already quite familiar with google search and sometimes feel like I live on Pinterest. I’ve been following your progress for about a year now and am always in awe of your woodworking skills and interior design talent. You rock!
        Thanks,

  12. I love the idea of some sort of antiqued or aged looking finish on the doors. I think that’s why the Layla mock up and this last white door have so much appeal. I also seemed to see it with some frosted glass in my minds eye. I loved the molded detail at the bottom of the glass on the last door as well. But you have such a clear vision for what you are doing that I hesitate to put my $0.02. I love watching your progress.

  13. I love the rolling doors, and I’m partial to the door with the lettered glass. A touch of whimsy never hurts, and it still looks classy. I also like the added trim to the last door shown.

  14. Just a thought about putting on all the handles. Have you tried making a template so you don’t have to keep measuring.? Love that exterior door.

  15. I love the bug single cut out of the door and I love the idea of adding the “jackfruit” color to your home. its warm and will blend well with the cool tone colors and touches of black in your home. I can not wait to see how the doors look when they are done!! (I am going to try it too!!) Also the hardware looks lovely!!

    1. I also follow her blog and immediately thought of her hallway door when you started questioning how to finish off yours but you are using two doors vs. her one. How would you incorporate wording on the glass for two doors? Would you do one big design and split it, or do two of the same or two different designs? Or maybe you’re not even thinking of putting anything on the glass and are just going to incorporate some wood details? I can’t wait to see what you decide- I already love the idea of the sliding doors! 🙂

      1. I’ve actually abandoned this idea and moved on to something else. LOL. I swear, I change my mind more than anyone else I know. 😀 I’m fortunate to have a laid back husband who just rolls with it, because I could easily drive most people crazy with my mind-changing.

  16. There’s nothing more glamorous and refined than black! Black doors with pops of color via art, pillows, accessories would be my choice. I had to laugh about your comment on being nervous in adding the hardware. With all the complicated projects you’ve tackled (and so very successfully done), how can you be anything other than confident 🙂

  17. Wow, do I ever love that yellow on the door. That would make me happy every time I looked at it. Love your blog and look forward to reading your progress. You are inspiring.

  18. I did like the panels in glass, but the one I liked was Alta’s first link she shared with the stained frame and beveled glass. The beveling made the huge difference for me. Whatever you come up with is going to be lovely because you have such vision and talent. Love being along for the ride.

  19. My preference for the door would be to cut out all panels and use ribbed glass. I love ribbed glass though. Also, the max amount of light would still be allowed into the room. My color choice would be black- it pops and is more cohesive.

    1. Stained glass is one of those things that I always love the idea of it, but when it comes to the actual stuff, I’ve never seen any stained glass that I actually like the look of. I guess I’m just not a stained glass kind of person.

  20. I love the finish on the hardware. It works so well with the cabinets and isn’t at all “shiny bright”.
    As for the door choices, I like the ones you posted today much better. Even though the first one has a business title on the door, it still doesn’t look too commercial but simply appears to be an up-cycled antique door. The problem I had with the choices from yesterday for the top glass design was that #1 did look commercial, though a little design within the frosting could take care of that. #2, to me, didn’t look too cottage like because it is a design frequently used on many styles of traditional homes but that also makes it a little too unoriginal for you. I know most of the comments favored choice #3 but something seemed a little ‘off’ to me. I figured out why last night when paging through a magazine. That door design is found many homes that are Prairie style which, of course, isn’t even close to your vision for your home. Sorry, can’t get my system to activate an inserted link. I did a google search on “prairie style windows and clicked on the photo collage.
    Given your examples today, I think you have hit the nail on the head. By your choice of added trim and/or frosting design, you can make it reflect any style you want.
    Once you are ready for the final Before & After, go ahead and post one area at a time. You’ve certainly earned a reprieve.

  21. The rolling doors are so cool. I wonder if you could find a salvaged glass insert? Also- I thought all your doors were going to be black.
    OK, I gotta ask- isn’t your piano going to suffer from being in storage so long?

    1. Well, as of this very hour, I’m back to painting these doors black. Of course, as often as I change my mind, that could very easily change within the next hour. Your guess is as good as mine as to what color these doors will actually end up being. 😀

      Honestly, I’m not sure about the piano. I’m hoping and praying that everything is okay with it. When Matt and I moved into our tiny condo, my sister took the piano. Then they sold their house and put everything in storage, including the piano. I’m really hoping that the most it’ll need is a good tuning.

  22. Oh my goodness! I totally understand what you are going through trying to sort out which and how many colors to include in your home decor but still keeping it grown-up (and in my case, not psychotic crazy-lady). Being a newlywed, I currently have a zero dollar home decorating budget, so that part isn’t so fun. But I just recently launched a handmade painted lace jewelry business called Standy Uppy Hugs on Etsy. I use it as my place where I can go *ABSOLUTELY BONKERS* with color.

    And I know it’s probably not much consolation, but seeing someone as capable and talented as you leave those cabinet doors out in the rain made me feel better about my life. If someone as cool as you has those unfortunate oversights, I guess I should lighten up about mine a little bit!

  23. LOVE the new hardware for your kitchen! It goes so beautifully with the sconces and the leafing on your cabinets. I’m so glad you cut that whole top part out on your door! It’s going to get you on the path to the look you love. And I adore that door from Knick of Time Interiors. I can totally see you doing something awesome like that on yours. Can’t wait to see your color choice. I liked them all 🙂

  24. Like the final door choice. Have you considered frosting the glass with a pattern? I’ve seen this done in historic districts and it can be stunning. The one I’ve always loved is clear around the edges but kind of a chevron pattern in the middle…similar to your kitchen tile pattern.

  25. Your cabinets look wonderful with the new hardware! I’m also really glad you chose the upper door only for glass, looks more homey that way! I remember my Grandmother had the same doors and I dearly loved them! Thanks for bringing that memory to mind!

  26. I do love that antique door you shared in your post, Kristi! We actually have 2 of them that were give to us. One of them, we installed on our shed that we converted into a guest house – you can see it here – http://knickoftime.net/2014/06/guest-cottage-room-reveal-in-an-old-farmhouse-shed.html.

    I still haven’t decided what I’ll do with the other one, but it may end up in my bedroom, as soon as we start that remodel!

    I totally love that door of Layla’s too, and I vote do it in that style!

  27. I don’t know if you have settled on a color at this point but my suggestion would be a rich chocolate brown. It would go with the green, be a warm color and have some of the darkness of black. Or you could just go polar opposite of black and do white!

  28. Hi…love the hardware and the sliding door idea (both the hardware and totally cutting out all the panels). Just an idea to share for thought: glass door knobs for these sliding doors. Thanks

  29. I love the last cut out door and the things you can do to shadow the glass or let it show some light through are endless. Instead of black doors how about a deep deep dark navy/almost black, yet not? I think it would look elegant with the kitchen colors. I’ve been matching shirts at our shop all day putting them out and putting deep navy next to teal and I love the two together ………given the new handles and colors in the kitchen I sure would try it ……….you can always change your mind! 😉

  30. I am seeing either a stained glass design or frosted glass design as the glass inserts for the doors. Still pretty and decorative, with a touch of cover for privacy. But that is just me.

  31. You make such brave changes; I just couldn’t do it. The door as it is now scares me. I liked the solid door and the one your Mom liked with the 6 glass panes. But it’s your house! Plus your finished projects always amaze me. So I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next in the sliding door saga.

  32. Love Love Love the hardware! Rolling doors are looking awesome. I think black is the way to go…but whatever you do will turn out beautifully. Really enjoy your blog..thank you for sharing with us all.

  33. I just love the exterior doors inside the house, I am particularly in love with the white door, I looks exactly like the doors in my grandparents (former) house. They just don’t make houses with that much character anymore. And the new pulls are lovely. .

  34. I am behind on your posts and catching back up so this may be a moot point because you do move fast! I think the Jackfruit color would look good with your kitchen and amazing with the teal.