Renovating a kitchen is similar to piecing together a puzzle. Each element, from the cabinets to the countertops, must work together seamlessly to create a cohesive and inviting space. As we have renovated our kitchen, it wasn’t just about refreshing the old. It was about infusing our regular, suburban kitchen with the warmth, and character of the English country style.
We feel like pairing sage green cabinets with butcher block countertops helped us achieve this goal. This combination isn't just beautiful; it mimics a classic expression of English style.
Join us as we share the inspiration behind this design choice, the challenges faced, the budget breakdown, and the results it brought to our kitchen.
Finding Countertops for our Sage Green Cabinets
Selecting the right countertop is more than practicality; it’s a balance between functionality and style. We love the vintage shade of sage green on the lower cabinets and knew it needed a touch of rustic charm to create the look we were going for. Time and again I was drawn to pictures in my favorite design books featuring sage green cabinets with butcher block countertops. This made butcher block an obvious choice for us. We did, however, love the elegance of quartz with subtle veining. Solution: a mix of the two. For this phase, we decided to go for the butcher block countertop on the back wall and add the quartz to the island in a later phase.
The idea of mixing countertops came to me from British interior designer, Rita Konig. Her thought is that by mixing your worktops you gain a more personal customized look vs. an off-the-shelf builder grade standard look. Mixed countertops also a chance to play with the budget by choosing worktop options from both the high and low end of the material options.
Choosing Butcher Block Countertops
We chose butcher block because it adds that rustic cottagey charm that keeps the kitchen from becoming too “done” and fancy. When pairing the butcher block with our sage green cabinets, the butcher block not only enhanced the color but also brought the natural warmth of wood back into the kitchen in a much better way than the floor to ceiling honey oak cabinetry we had before. These natural wood tones were echoed in the bamboo blinds we've chosen for the kitchen window as well.
Shopping and Installation Experience
We traveled to a local builder’s supply store to find our butcher block countertops. One of the benefits of using this type of countertop is its affordability. We were able to get the piece we needed for just over $300. This is a considerable savings over many other countertop materials.
After purchasing our desired butcher block, it was time to seal and install it. But, as with many DIY projects, it wasn’t without its challenges. Initially, we opted for a mineral oil finish. It seemed ideal at first, but to our dismay, it left water spots. The finish looked great when first applied, but we had doubts about its durability. Our suspicions were confirmed after a couple of weeks when the water spots only got worse.
After some research, our next choice was a polyurethane finish. But here's the twist: polyurethane doesn’t adhere well to oily surfaces. Mineral oil doesn’t dry, making it impossible for the poly to stick. We learned that there is a product called dewaxed shellac that can stick to oily surfaces (or just about anything for that matter). Once the shellac settled, we applied the polyurethane, and the results were amazing giving us exactly the finish we were looking for.
Pairing sage green cabinets with butcher block countertops: The Overall Impact
The warmth of the butcher block, with its detailed grain and natural look, pairs perfectly with the sage green cabinets, and ties in with the bamboo blinds on the kitchen window and in the dining room. The echoing of wood tones through the kitchen, dining room, and living room creates a continuity that feels intentional. With every design decision in a home, it's important to consider how each choice affects the overall design you're going for.
The next phase
The kitchen renovation has been exciting so far! We’ve learned a lot and developed our English country with each phase. In the next phase, we will add a backsplash and several other cottage-style layers!
I hope this phase has inspired, encouraged, and better equipped you to explore and implement your unique English country cottage style in your home. See you in the next episode!
