What a difference two weeks makes. The Silestone countertops from Lowe’s have been installed, and we nearly have a functional kitchen, friends.

Silestone Countertops from Lowe’s

I am not going to waste your time chit chatting. I will get right to the photos. The counter arrived in three pieces. I did not stick around to watch the installation process. As much as I would enjoy parking a chair in the corner and watching, I think most people who work on houses want to be able to work without the homeowner breathing down their neck.

When they slipped outside for supplies, I darted in to take these two progress pictures:

The color we chose for our Silestone countertops from Lowe’s is Marengo. It is a dark grey with the tiniest flecks of light grey and black. Silestone is a composite material made from quartz and other raw materials.

Originally, I wanted honed marble, which would have blended beautifully with the aesthetic of BHH. However, the price point of marble was out of the question, and to be honest, we are probably not responsible enough to take care of it properly. Marble requires careful clean-up and maintenance. We have four kids and a dog. That is enough high maintenance for us. We hope that Silestone will be a nearly-indestructible surface for our hard-working kitchen.

Two hours after the installers arrived, the countertop were complete.

We chose a worry-free stainless steel under mount sink with a no-fuss faucet. The sink was installed at the same time as the countertops.

The very next day, our original work crew showed up to install the dishwasher and garbage disposal. Unfortunately, the hole for the garbage disposal button was cut too small so that project is still on hold. However, look at this beauty.

It is like modern times around here. The dishwasher is up and running, and it is easily my most favorite thing in the kitchen. Washing dishes by hand for over two years has made me nearly weep for joy over this shiny appliance. Sure, people handwash dishes all the time with no end in sight, but I have become spoiled over the years. I do not want to live like Ma Ingalls. (Pioneer Side Note: BHH did not have any laundry hookups either when we moved in. Dorothy did her wash at the laundromat, and then she hung them on a clothesline under the small balcony off of our master bedroom. Can you imagine?)

The Top of the Island

A little secret I had been keeping was what we planned to put on the island. If you have read the other kitchen posts, you will know that the island is really important to me. I fought for exactly what I wanted in the kitchen island, and I had a clear vision of what I wanted it to look like as well.

Because almost everything in the kitchen is white and grey, I wanted a warm wood countertop to balance the coolness. The island is a custom size of 33″X57″, so I hit a few dead ends when I was searching for pre-made materials. Lowe’s sells butcher block, but it was too narrow, and it was not quite what I wanted. It was the right idea, but I had my heart set on a plank top. My search led me to Craft-Art. Craft-Art is a wonderful source for wood surfaces. I was all set to order from their website when our contractor Matt recommended a local resource. My interest was instantly piqued.

Blake Hill House was built by local craftsman in the 1880s. I loved the idea of bridging the old and new by using a local piece in our kitchen. However, I was afraid it would be out of our price range. Matt called the workshop for a quote. I was floored. It was less expensive than anything I had found so far. Because I know nothing about wood, I travelled 30 minutes to the shop to meet Floyd.

Floyd works with all kinds of wood, and he creates mostly custom products. The day I visited, I was choosing between Maple and Sapele for our wood countertop. I had been leaning towards Sapele because of its natural warm red tone. Maple is a very light-colored wood. If I chose Maple, I intended to stain it a darker color. Once I saw the two side by side, Sapele was the easy choice. Floyd reinforced my decision by telling me that Maple does not stain well without blotchiness. I was sold on Sapele.

The price was right, and I was shocked again when he told me that he could have it done in less than a week. I placed the order on a Tuesday, and on Thursday, he called to tell me that it was ready for pick-up. Talk about speedy service! I drove away with all sorts of future wood projects for Floyd swirling through my head.

Protecting the Plank Top

I am currently still curing the plank top with Waterlox, but here are some progress pictures.

1 Layer of Waterlox Sanded:

2 Layers of Waterlox Sanded:

3 Layers of Waterlox Unsanded:

The rich red color blends beautifully with the darkest tones in the hardwood floors.

We are getting down to the punch list of this kitchen renovation, and it feels so good. The crew will be back here tomorrow to try to complete most of the work that remains on their contract. Then, it will be up to Andy and I do to some final woodwork and painting. We’ve got this.

If you just started reading here, you may enjoy getting caught up with our Lowe’s kitchen project by reading these additional posts:

The Kitchen :: Getting Started :: Layout Planning :: Site Visit & Layout Changes :: Final Estimate & Finishes :: Week 1: Demo :: Weeks 2-4 :: Cabinets and Replica Hardware
We are not being compensated by Lowe’s, but I am covering the entire process from concept to completion in order to help others who might be considering a Lowe’s project of their own.