Oyster Gray Grout
We’re making steady progress in the kitchen, step by step. The contractors are doing the bulk of the work, while I supervise, make decisions, and occasionally change my mind as they go—which they find charming. Today I’ll share a quick update on recent progress.
The grout went in for the subway tile yesterday, and I’m very pleased with the color. It’s still early—the cabinets and trim aren’t painted and there are many small finishing touches left—so the final look will evolve. Even so, it’s encouraging to see things coming together without any major missteps.
I’ve received a few questions about the grout color, so here’s the scoop since we just had it installed. I wanted a subtle gray tone—nothing cold or too dark. We chose Oyster Gray #386 from Polyblend. I prefer narrow grout lines because they look cleaner and are easier on the eye. Oyster Gray gives just a touch of texture and a slightly aged look, which suits the style I’m aiming for. The shade is a pleasant gray that reminds me a bit of my Studio Taupe wall color.
If you’re worried about grout getting dirty in a kitchen, there’s no need to panic. A narrow grout line, a color other than bright white, and a good grout sealer largely prevent visible staining. Even white grout can be kept clean without too much trouble when sealed and maintained.
Danze Faucet
Yesterday we also had the faucet installed. I love it. The faucet is by Danze and the quality feels solid. I’m still waiting for a separate stainless faucet for the water filter, which isn’t shown in the photos. There’s a small component to the right of the faucet related to the dishwasher that I hadn’t encountered before—new things pop up in renovations! The dishwasher itself couldn’t be installed because of a broken hose, so that’s delayed for now.
The Danze faucet doesn’t feel as heavy-duty as the Rohl unit I had in my previous house, but the cost savings made this a sensible choice. I’ll share more about mixing finishes in the kitchen in a future post. For now, the faucet is chrome because I wanted a brighter, shinier look at the sink. My other appliances are stainless and remain in place for budget reasons. I considered nickel, which is my personal favorite, but chose chrome to keep costs down. You don’t have to pick every single item as your absolute favorite to create a cohesive, satisfying space—compromise in a few places helps keep the overall project on budget.
Zephyr Hood
The vent hood installation is partially complete. The protective white film is still on the hood in the photo, so it appears lighter than it will when finished—it’s stainless steel and will not have wires exposed. The decorative cover around the duct hasn’t been installed yet; this is just a progress shot. The electricians will hook it up soon so it will be functional.
We selected a Zephyr hood, the same brand I used before. This unit is a 30-inch model, slightly smaller than my previous hood because the cooktop here is smaller and I wanted to avoid extra ceiling or wall penetrations. It’s important to size a hood appropriately for your range—don’t undersize it to save money, because it won’t perform well in the long run.
I like the low profile of this hood. Even though it’s exposed rather than enclosed in cabinetry, it doesn’t overwhelm the tile wall. It has an industrial feel without being oversized. I’m keeping that tile wall clean and uncluttered for now—no additional fixtures or shelves—so the space reads simple and open. Accessories can always be added later once the room is complete.
Tomorrow the vent work should be finished, and hopefully the dishwasher will be installed this week. After that I’ll be waiting on a painter. There are still many finishing tasks to tackle: cabinet painting, hardware selection and installation, window shades, wall paint, the pantry, flooring work, a freestanding island, sconces, and additional updates in the family room.
It still feels like the finish line is a ways off, but the kitchen is close to functioning again with a sink, stove, and soon a dishwasher. I’m looking forward to the finishing details—they’re the most fun part of the process.
I’ll be back soon with more updates. Right now I’m finalizing the cabinet paint color and deciding on hardware, and I’ll share those choices in another post. Thanks for following along!
*UPDATE* See the reveal (and all sources) of this finished kitchen in the original project post. Preview above.
Also: see the white kitchen reveal from my newer house in Seattle in a later post.