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Where Do You Start When Designing a Kitchen?

This post is in partnership with Elkay®. We’re sharing how we started designing the kitchens at the Two Flat – and what items kicked off the process.

Small kitchen inspiration: Black base cabinets with floating shelves above a white countertop, polished chrome Elkay faucet and stainless steel sink. | via Yellow Brick Home

Where Do You Start When Designing a Kitchen?

This is a question I’ve asked myself many times, and for every kitchen we’ve designed and executed, the answer has been different. Is it the cabinetry? (Yes, it can be.) Or the tile backsplash? (Sure!) Maybe it’s a piece of art? (Why not!) And while all those things can be true, for us, we fell in love with a faucet. So much so, that we installed it in both Two Flat kitchens, and we designed the rooms around them.


You can also watch the video directly on YouTube right here.

Unit 1 Kitchen

Elkay Explore bridge faucet with a Quartz Luxe apron front sink in a caviar finish, wood-toned cabinetry and black countertop | via Yellow Brick Home

I Fell In Love with a Bridge Faucet.

As soon as I saw the Elkay Explore Bridge Faucet, I knew. Imagine me, my eyes having locked with the faucet, and then imagine a cloud of ideas, color palettes and textures – poof! Just like that. I’ve always loved a bridge faucet, but in my mind, I chalked them up as too fussy – but why? I’ve since learned that this bridge faucet is anything but. It has a pull-down spray(!) and solid brass waterways for long-term durability. And when function meets form, I can always get Scott on board!

Elkay Explore bridge faucet with a Quartz Luxe apron front sink in a caviar finish, wood-toned cabinetry and black countertop | via Yellow Brick Home

The Explore Bridge has subtle detailing that kicks it up a notch, while still maintaining traditional charm. Fresh meets modern, we think. We opted for the polished chrome finish (you’re not surprised, are you?), a classic finish that will never, ever go out of style.

Close-up details of the Elkay Quartz Luxe sink and Explore bridge faucet | via Yellow Brick Home

A Sink with Shimmer

In Unit 1, we paired it with the Elkay Quartz Luxe Sink in the Unit 1 Kitchen and chose a caviar finish, which has the smallest hint of shimmer. It’s heat-safe, impact and stain resistant, and the 36” farmhouse bowl is a showstopper. Although it’s made from non-porous high performance resins (that’s an important mouthful!), we were sure to add the complementary stainless steel grid to keep it looking its best for years to come.

Elkay Explore bridge faucet with a Quartz Luxe apron front sink in a caviar finish, wood-toned cabinetry and black countertop | via Yellow Brick Home

Unit 2 Kitchen

Elkay Explore bridge faucet with Crosstown stainless steel sink underneath a window | via Yellow Brick Home

A Modern Take On Stainless

Upstairs in Unit 2, we chose the Elkay Crosstown Stainless Steel sink kit – which comes complete with its own grid! Because this kitchen was a tighter squeeze for cabinet space, we went with a 24″ under mount sink. Any worries I might’ve had about the smaller size went straight out that big, beautiful window; the straight sidewalls and flat bottom provide so much usable space while still being easy to clean, and the deep bowl feels extra roomy!

Elkay Explore bridge faucet with Crosstown stainless steel sink | via Yellow Brick Home

Celebrating 100 Years

This year, Elkay is celebrating their 100 year anniversary. Hip, hip! As an American owned and operated brand, they’ve been creating innovative products and fresh designs since 1920. We’re honored to have several pieces of that history in a home that is now a part of our history.

Small kitchen inspiration: Black base cabinets with floating shelves above a white countertop, polished chrome Elkay faucet and stainless steel sink. | via Yellow Brick Home

Where Do You Start?

Although the faucet and quartz sink gave me all the heart-eyes I needed to dive into our kitchen design, we know there are so many routes you can take. Where do you start when designing a kitchen? Perhaps you fell for a faucet, too? Share your thoughts to this popular question in the comments below, and let’s dig into those details that make a space stand out from the rest.


Thank you to Elkay for supporting our vision, and thank you for supporting our sponsors! Unit 1 has the Elkay Explore Bridge Faucet and Quartz Luxe apron front sink in a Caviar finish, and Unit 2 has the same faucet with the Crosstown Stainless Steel sink kit. See what Elkay has to offer (including the variety of sink colors!) right here.

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  • Lori11.12.20 - 8:33 AM

    Very pretty. Can you please share (or reference a previous post that describes) how you clean/maintain your chrome fixtures?ReplyCancel

    • Kim11.12.20 - 8:59 AM

      We use nothing more than a clean microfiber cloth and water. They shine right up instantly!ReplyCancel

  • Cici Haus11.13.20 - 10:41 AM

    We started with a sink too! In three houses I’ve had a white porcelain sink, stainless steel and white ceramic. Hated all three! So I was dead set on a black granite sink, which meant black counters, which led the whole design. We’re in the middle of the renovation now – kitchen should go in next week!ReplyCancel

    • Kim11.13.20 - 11:06 AM

      Sounds like the same path we took! :DReplyCancel

  • Staci11.16.20 - 12:27 PM

    The finishes in this space work so well together, I am . Can I ask how you decided on the placement of your knobs (for your flat panel doors)? How far from the corner did you place them? I have a whole kitchens’ worth of new cabinets, I have pulls, and the template, but I am 100% paralyzed on drilling holes for my knobs because I know I only have one shot! ReplyCancel

    • Scott11.16.20 - 1:47 PM

      Hi Staci! Knob placement is literally all preference. For this kitchen, we came down 1.5″ and in 1.5″. Even after drilling through dozens and dozens of cabinet doors, the first one is always a little nerve-racking, but you’ll get the hang of it! Maybe practice on a spare piece of plywood first? Hope this helps!ReplyCancel

      • Staci11.16.20 - 5:50 PM

        Thank you so much, Scott! I like the idea of practicing on a scrap – I think I’ll do that. I just reread my comment and it looks like my keyboard ate half of it. Anyway, just wanted to reiterate how great BOTH of your two flat kitchens turned out. ReplyCancel

  • Ava | HIREtrades11.20.20 - 1:18 AM

    Can I just say, I super love your sink and faucet! Hope you create a kitchen interior design tour ReplyCancel

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