beekeeperswife - Bianco Antico is such a gorgeous stone! I'm so jealous that you made a decision and I think that mandala tile will work great. But thanks for reinforcing that I'm headed in the right direction. Like you, I don't want to fight the movement of the granite and I am really loving those Tantrum tiles. I think a framed area with a bit 'o bling might be the ticket.

msackar - thanks for chiming in. I think (I sound so decisive, don't I?) I've decided against a stone tile - although I did check out that link you sent and the color might work. I'm anxious to look at a subway tile in a "bone" color. I just need to hit some different tile stores because the ones I went to didn't have what I was looking for. I'm having some trouble envisioning your description of your idea for your kitchen (my weakness!)but while I like the idea of stainless steel and no grout behind the cooktop (great!), it wouldn't work with my copper sink. Too many competing metals I think. Can't wait to see pictures of yours.

Here is a link that might be useful: Daltile Paraiso - color: Carmella.

I'd love to hear any thoughts - good and bad. Do you even like the tile? Thanks for your suggestions.

copper square - straight or on the diagonal?

don't pay attention to the 2 different accent pieces - we're using the more copper-y one.

my kitchen

First off give yourself a huge pat on the back, because
your kitchen elements are gorgeous. So keep that in mind
when you feel frustrated. You have a beautiful kitchen
coming together.

This feeling of frustration, being beleaguered and
overwhelmed is even more annoying when they won't lend out
tiles.
Not lend out tiles? Who do they think they are?
This adds to sleepless nights. But no worries even if you
chose the tile pattern your kids hate, your kitchen
would still be striking. So take a deep breath, trust
your natural instincts and know you can do this.

I posted a few pictures to give you some ideas,not to add
stress. You can easily do something creative, simple or
elegant like the pictures below. You have a natural
talent. And no more wishing you had white, because your
cream is wonderful.
~boxerpups

Subway just in a nice pattern plain and simple

Tina Fountain she added some gray tones no pink here

Here is some bling by cook top from Jeanne's kitchen GW

Here is a link that might be useful: The Picture of Jeannes Kitchen

Went to a highly recommended tile place yesterday and thought I finally had it figured out. Slept on it overnight and wasn't as sure so I brought my husband and we made some changes. However, this place does not lend out (even with a deposit) samples. They also don't let you take photos but I had my husband keep watch while I snapped a few! I don't know how I can make a final decision without having samples in my house and walk by them for a few days and live with them. Is that crazy?? Here are those stolen photos:

this photo makes everything look pinkish - the next picture is truer

just want to use the subway sized tiles

Here's some from another tile store where the people were so friendly but they didn't have the same tiles but I found these that I like. However, my kids absolutely hate them. I probably shouldn't listen to a 14 and a 11 yr. old but my confidence is severely shaken with this backsplash thing...

A paler porcelain tile with a wavy glass tile I thought was a little bit different...

How it looks in my kitchen:

close up of wavy tile (darker color are amber not green)

picture of my kitchen granite

close up of yellow river granite

The problem I'm having is that my cabinets definitely have a yellow tinge to them and it's been difficult to match. Some colors bring out a pink tone. I'm starting to wish I had gone with the white kitchen I originally wanted. I think if I find the right backsplash it will help pull the two elements together and make me fall in love with my kitchen again. I hope!

Appliances are all Thermador with exception of MW, which is GE, and DWs, which are Kitchenaid (there are two--one next to big sink and one next to prep sink). We really like the Thermador column fridge and freezer, though we have had the water in the ice dispenser go out twice. My new Therm ovens seem to bake really well.

My sinks are Kohler cast iron. I LOVE them. So far, they haven't marked up at all. The faucets are Moen and are from Lowe's.

Granite is Costa Esmerelda. I love it. The tile is Irongate by Meredith with a Jeffrey Court accent. Some people wanted closeups of this, so I included those.

Cabinets are custom made inset. I like them. The "feet" and inset doors take some getting used to. I did make the uppers deeper--15 inches. Highly recommend that.

I have a "hidden" pantry behind the doors next to the hutch. It is huge. Maybe I will take a picture of that at some point. It has been great.

I think that is it. Here are some pictures (the color is a bit washed out in most):

Hidden pantry behind these doors:

Thanks to all of you who answered my questions and gave suggestions. Gardenweb has been invaluable!!!!

And as you can see, I have a large cabinet door on the outside. I call it my "2-car garage" because my kitchen-aid mixer and my bread maker can sit side x side in it! :)

My beadboard Peninsula:

Here are some photos: The first one is the flat toe kick molding which just ends with the cut side showing. No other molding seems to come standard to finish it off. The kitchen guy suggested using the touch up paint.

The second is really a question. Right now the cabinets are not perfectly flush with the wall. I know that no walls are perfectly straight but the guy installing them said there are probably corner finish moldings. I don't think so and from the pictures I've looked through here on GW it seems most just have their cabinets flush against the wall. Does this look typical or is this guy doing a sloppy job and assuming corner moldings will cover his mistakes?

Lastly (at least for now), on the island there are decorative floor molding pieces only for the outside 2 sides of the island. The side facing the sink and underneath the base cabinet are flat toe kicks. That's fine but the way they have put the two together looks terrible. The toe kick is flat and the molding is curved and they just stuck them together. Some of it will be covered a bit by the granite as I plan to have it overhang for stools.

Am I expecting too much? I just feel like I paid alot of money for these cabinets and 1)I'm annoyed that Medallion doesn't provide some of this stuff like molding for all the way around the island and something to finish off the ends of the cabinets. I paid extra for the decorative ends but I guess that doesn't include the toe kick?? and 2)I feel like the guys doing the installation (they are part of the crew doing a large main floor addition/renovation) are not careful and sloppy with their work. I'd love to hear your opinions.

I love kitchens too. I do not have the budget So I guess,
I am living vicariously through all the GWebers who need
visuals. I am a visual kind of girl. I enjoy looking at
magazines, scaning or saving favorites in my Photobucket
account. When someone needs an obscure combination of
lights or window or color or floor I have this uncanny
ability to remember a photo or magazine I saw. I enjoy
doing this which might drive some on GW nuts.

I believe you can just go to Photobucket and search
kitchens. You do not need my password or account as there
are many on PBucket who bookmark kitchens too.

Here is a link http://photobucket.com/images/Kitchen%20Marble/

Let me know if this helps. Another place I visit is Google
search or HGTV or House Beautiful. There are amazing
kitchens on there too. I also scan from books and this
may be why some on my site are not found other places.

Hope that helps.
~boxerpups

What they look like when turned on, mine are on a dimmer so I can adjust the brightness.

Kat :)

Call between 8:00-8:30am M-F and you will be able to talk to Jacob. If you can not call between those hours, they have a message line. The only challenge in working with them is that you will really need your own designer. They do not have a designer or anything like that. And their "showroom" is on their farm. However, like I said - their cabinets are great. A local builder uses them exclusively, which is how I found them.

Oxford Cabinet Shop
120 Quarry Road
Oxford, PA 19363

Phone: 717-529-0949 (use this number between 8:00-8:30am)
Message line: 610-932-3770

I did also finally find a designer that I love. If you live close to Philly - check out her site. I am planning on working with her as well.
http://www.kirstenskitchens.com/

Good luck in your search for a cabinet maker!

Here is a link that might be useful: Kirsten's Kitchens Designs

Note the front edge of the cabinet box above the MW should have been 14 7/16" from the wall for a nice flush fit. Obviously ours isn't. Grrrr. It isn't required to be this way for the door to open.

The underside.

We are very happy with ours, but I must say I am not a microwave cook, more of a reheater.

We had a problem with our first one. Sharp's customer service was excellent and the unit was replaced. We would buy it again.

Right now I am paralyzed with indecision. The only hold up at this point is my insecurity about if these choices will turn out gorgeous or be a flop. I think I need somebody to say it's going to work...or not. If not, what can I do to improve it?

Heaps and heaps of gratitude to you all in advance for taking the time to help me get out of this indecision rut!

Here is my rough rendering:

This will be my hood (not white, stained same as rest of perimeter):

My sink base will be this with a white fireclay apron sink, and I am thinking about angling the side posts so they don't create an edge to bump my hip on (thoughts?):

The arch you see in my rendering will have white columns like the ones in this photo - only not as large and stately - fitted to the scale of my kitchen, and the island will have post detail like this one, that matches the sink base detail:

The floor will be either wood as in the top pic, which is Margieb2's kitchen, and is my all-time favorite inspiration picture and totally the look I am going for, OR the tile in the pattern of the below pic, in either of those color families (I like the grey/earth tones better, but I'd have to change my backsplash plans, and I think the backsplash is more of a priority to me):

The backsplash will be either all mosiac like you see here (I would use the same stuff margieb2 used, the second pic - I have a chipboard of it and it's beautiful!)

OR a strip of mosaic set in travertine or marble subway tiles like:

Or else go in a totally different direction like these tiles that remind me of pillows,and that I love, love, love as much as margie's tile, and hopefully I can still put margie's tile somewhere in there - maybe as the main field tile????

I am totally open in any direction for the granite? Any suggestions? Light? Dark?

So for all you designer types out there, what do you think? Where can I improve?

Thank you all sooo much!

The granite is yellow river.

Island:

Sink seam:

cooktop seam:

Island again:

copper sink:

pretty end:

My installer finally called me back and told me "those units are in there really tight. You really needed a bit more than 24" for them to fit flush" That's about as specific as he would get. He did offer to speak to the kitchen place but I'm not sure how scientific "a bit" is and if that will convince anyone they are in the wrong. He also said he would come back but didn't think he could really get them to look much better and again told me they are in as far as they can go.

The kitchen guy has been very good to deal with through this whole process. However, when we were trying to figure out the cabinet fronts for the units he really struggled with how to figure it out. At one point suggesting to just put a flat panel on them and add molding on site. I had to send him photos I found here on GW and I also contacted Medallion directly before a solution was found. Obviously, he had no experience designing a kitchen with these units.

He told me he checked the specs and it called for 24" depth. I called Thermador and checked the specs myself. yes, it needs 24" for the unit but the picture then shows the door sticking out past that. I couldn't find any written info saying you need to add a certain # of inches for a door panel. The woman at Thermador wasn't very helpful either. I want to be able to call my kitchen guy and point to something and tell him it was his mistake and he needs to fix it. Right now I feel it is sort of a he said/she said thing. Any suggestions? Do you agree that it was a cabinet issue? Thanks for any help or tips.

fridge side

freezer column - sticks out even more than fridge probably due to water line

Finally finished a mostly DIY remodel.

Details:
Cabinets: Medallion Calistoga in Cherry Pecan finish
Granite: Russian Sable (similar to Tan Brown in color but less chunky and a little more movement)
Backsplash: Tumbled marble in Alexandria 4x4 on diagonal and 2x2 straight separated by a border of scroll liner villagio tile.
Floors: natural white oak engineered planks
Appliances:
Viking 30" Induction cooktop
Kobe range hood
KitchenAid Counterdepth side by side refrigerator
Kitchenaid double ovens
GE spacemaker microwave
Sink: Blanco silgranite double bowl (antracite)
Faucet: Price Pfister Marielle (soon to be replaced)
Undercabinet lights: Kichler Xenon

Got rid of soffit on cooktop wall, changed fridge wall to look more built in, took out old flourecent fixtures and replaced with cans, moved sink, replace garden window, removed window and relaced it with a door to outside. added double ovens.

Thanks for looking and for the Kitchen forum for being so helpful and informative.

Here is a link that might be useful: kitchen album before and after

Bottom line - go with what you like. Sometimes you have to dig deep to uncover that little voice, but its in there somewhere!

Here is my kitchen so far (taken at night and I don't have any lights in there yet)...

Here's one I got from a local kitchen place's website perimetersli.com (the yellow comes out more in this one). I think this is a truer representation of the color:

I have oyster vintage in the Georgetown style from Schuler. This picture is the best I can share for the moment. I have not uploaded all my pics to photobucket and my daughter mistakenly took my camera home yesterday.

I would describe the color as creamy yellow with the emphasis on cream- very much like french vanilla ice cream. It has a very soft look. If you have any other questions regarding these cabs, I would be happy to discuss with you.

marcy - I had horrible sapwood in my wheat cabinets. I do not recommend the wheat without the glaze. The wheat is a very light, almost natural stain, the sapwood is very pronounced. You can see how light they were in this photo:

You can really see the sapwood once the wood darkens:
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The wheat has settled into a nice brownish red, but we had to replace all of the doors above (except the left door above the fridge - I kinda liked that one) due to sapwood.

The finish is not really as dark as showing in a couple of these photos ....I didn't use a flash on the last two.

This one is Medallion Brookhill Maple with Harvest Bronze glaze. (Going with Maple would be less than cherry).