Went to Lowes looking at ideas of future home projects

While I'm not in a financial situation to even work on home improvement projects, I looked around Lowes at what they sell to give me ideas on future home projects.  So far, my main focus has been on a dream kitchen.  I looked at different cabinets.  I don't know what I might consider in the color & style of cabinets.  I did see some cabinets that would fit for a "Country Kitchen".  I believe the wood was cherry.  I don't remember, other than the finish was dark.  All I know is that I want something that looks like something that fits with todays' styles, but since I expect to live in a late 1800's to early 1900's house, I want something that'll keep some of the historic charm as well.  That would be a challenge.  

I already have my appliances chosen if I had my own house today.  Stainless steel finish will be what I want.  So far, the appliances will be from Whirlpool and be under the Whirlpool name.  The reason I want Whirlpool for the kitchen has to do with reliability.  While everything made today doesn't last as long as it did 20+ years ago, but Whirlpool still makes kitchen appliances that last.  The refrigerator will be a side by side with ince & water dispensers.  I want the conquest version of the Whirlpool because the ice maker is in a smaller space, & the bucket is in the door.  That way, it gives more shelf space.  Then there's the dishwaser.  While I don't like the idea that dishwasers have nearly eliminated the mechanical dial on them, & instead gone with all buttons & more circuit boards that wasn't as extensive in older models.  However, I like one feature that's exclusive to Whirlpool.  That is the silverware basket on the door.  Their Kitchenaid, Jenn-Air, & Maytag brands (yes, Whirlpool now owns Maytag) don't have that feature.  Kitchenaid has similar looks to Whirlpool, but their interior design is that from the days when the Hobart Corporation made Kitchenaid, before it was sold to Whirlpool in 1984.  Anyway, since most Whirlpool dishwashers have the silverware basket on the door, it gives a little extra room on the bottom rack for more dishes.  I'm still debating on whether to go with the traditional range, or what I really want, are double wall ovens & separate cooktop.  The traditional range fits in most kitchens & costs less.  Separate cooktops & wall ovens cost more than a range, but they offer some flexibility.  Wall ovens come in single & double ovens (I want double oven).  Wall ovens are usually electric (a few are gas, but much smaller & only single oven), which is unfortunate, but I prefer to have a wall oven if space allows it in my future kitchen.  Cooking separate food in both ovens at different tempuratures is an advantage that you have with a wall oven.  Some ranges offer the option to bake in separate ovens if it's a double oven, but you might not necessarily be able to bake a different tempuratures.  Cooktops come indifferent sizes too, but at least you have the option of going with gas, or electric.  I haven't decided if the model I want for a cooktop will offer a grill or leave that option out.  The microwave will also act as an overhead exhaust fan, & be a convection microwave.  But if my floor plan allows for a gas cooktop &  double wall oven, then I'll go that route, with the wall oven being a convection oven.  As I said, all appliances will bt Whirlpool.  If this would have happened in the early 90's, I would have gone with GE since they were reliable back then.  Unfortunately out of all manufacturers, GE's reliability is the worst.

Now onto countertops, I'm thinking about going with granite, but don't know what color I would get.  I don't know how much the color of the countertop matters when it comes to matching it up with the color of the appliances.  The appliances will have a stainless steel finish.  The main sink will be a double bowl stainless steel sink that goes under the countertop.  I'll have a garbage disposer on that sink.  There will also be a single sink that will be used just for rinsing off fruits & vegetables.

The tiles for the backsplash will also go with the countertop, unless that's supposed to be a different color.  If there's room for an island, I want to have an island in the kitchen, and if possible, allow seating on one or 2 sides of the island.  

As for the cabinets near the dining room, I want the kitchen to open up to the dining room, but the cabinet & countertop separating the 2 spaces.  I also would like to have seating up by the countertop between the dining room & kitchen.  The floor will either be hardwood or hard tiles.  I refuse to have linoleum in my future kitchen because it doesn't last when it comes to the abuse floors take. 

I have a basic idea of what kind of kitchen I want, but it doesn't mean I'll be able to follow my dream kitchen in its entirity.  That depends on the house I get, the floor layout, & costs.  

I normally wouldn't be thinking about this stuff, but for some reason, I sense that I'm gonna enter a new chapter in my life that might involve some of this.  I will say that I don't know shit when it actually comes to style.  I don't know the differnce between Contemporary, Modern, Traditional, Vintage, and any other style that's out there.  If there was a US version of the HGTV Canada show (now cancelled) called Design U (airs on Ion Life), I'd be guaranteed to get an "F" because I know nothing about style.  I don't really know how to blend in colors for the main color & texture.  Also, I wouldn't even know how to integrate fabrics into the colors on the wall.  So I would have to have an interior designer help me with that.  I never lived in a home with any real style.  Our family has always been poor that we were lucky to have a home and furniture to sleep on.  So style was never a priority.  That will probably change when I move out.  All I know is that this is just a dream, but could be reality.  My next blog will be on the bathroom.  I have a few ideas for that as well.