The compromise that pleases no one – redux

The kitchen counter tops have just been installed and while I’m stoked, Annie is underwhelmed and is rueful of an opportunity missed.

You see, the stone top that we chose – Crystallite – was neither something we truly desired nor something that we didn’t have to pay an add-on for. Although not a top shelf option, Crystallite was nevertheless a $3300 upgrade.

Annie had wanted Caesarstone’s Empira White, a truly luxurious choice that Eden Brae’s kitchen supplier didn’t even offer. We only had a choice of Essastone counter tops to choose from. Not that this was the reason why we didn’t pick a marble-like quartz counter top. At the end of the day, a marble look was beyond our budget and we wanted to keep our powder for another battle.

Meanwhile, the tiler is working hard on all of our wet areas. He’s completed the kitchen splash back, two alfresco areas, the laundry floor, our master ensuite and is now working his way through the other four bathrooms. By himself! Not that I’m complaining because his handiwork is pretty neat and tidy and I really cannot complain about the quality being delivered.

A few weeks ago, we had to choose another subway tile because our initial selection was no longer in production. The image below shows our initial selection on top, and our compromise below. You can see that the initial selection was shorter, had a beveled edge and also was a shade lighter.

Being informed that what we originally selected was no longer available was yet another micro-disappointment for Annie in regards to our kitchen. I could see the upside: our second choice is less busy with no beveled edge and a longer profile, it means a less busy splash back. Also, being one or two shades darker means more visual contrast on a wall of white – white cabinets and white counter top.

That is not to say that it wasn’t annoying to not get what we initially wanted. The emotional energy you expend when making all your selections is not immaterial. Plus we had to head back out to Castle Hill to choose another tile. But in the end, I think the splash back looks fine.

What I think we need to keep reminding ourselves of is to benchmark our home not against the emotional energy expended to get to this point, but rather against our (realistic) expectations of what a nice home should be.

If I walked into an open house inspection of this kitchen, would I not say to myself that this was a great kitchen where we could share many happy memories as a family? I think I would.