Yeah Bob - DISCOUNTS??? Seems like I prefer the underdog, thats ok, more for me! It does not get quite as cold here in MD as it does in zone 5. Where at in zone five are ya? So far Banned in boston is doing well here. You see why it got its name. It dosen't like the cold in Boston. Just kidding, don't know why its named that, but it makes sense, it dosen't do well in cold climates. They are all beautiful Bob, you are good at what you do! -Jessica

Color. You need color. The paint samples are all nice but they won't do anything to cheer up/brighten up that kitchen. If you don't want color on the walls, then use your lightest Warm Neutral, brighten up the space with accessories and doodads in a bright cheerful color... and I myself would paint the dining set a matching bright cherry color. (Meant to say cheery, but Cherry sounds pretty good!)

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I just learned about a company that makes a product for staining brick that I thought you might like to know about. The company is called Masonry Cosmetics and you can buy a DIY kit for just $119 that looks like it is enough to do the front of your home. The guy emphasizes it's not a paint, so you're not going to experience any cracking or fading or peeling like you could if you whitewashed or painted the brick. What got my notice is you can lighten the brick, not just darken it! Click on their name for some before and afters. It still looks like brick - not painted brick. All the natural variations in the brick are still there! Also, to answer your question above - if your windows or wooden, they can be painted. Many houses have vinyl windows that cannot be painted - those are typically white or cream.

It is a beautiful kitchen. Someone invested a lot of $ into it. The kitchen is so dark even in the day the last photos posted. Does it look as dark at night with all the lights on? If you are going to keep it as is for now, experiment with different light bulbs. I would save up for a future remodel since modern is preferred, but if it's too far out for the remodel, then... 1st-get bright lights then choose color changes. Bring samples home to see with new lighting, daytime & night time. Not enough, then Paint walls light color, if not enough,then remove backsplash (maybe leave under hood area & trim area. You may want to save $ for tile backsplash for your future modern remodel. So, high quality paint that is washable will do. , leave perimeter cabinets top, & just do island countertop. (Less stone= less $) may be able to get a remanent. If still not enough, light color stone on perimeter base cabinets. Leave island as is, or The problem with doing it in stages to bandaid here & there is -later when doing remodel for modern, usually end up paying twice for repeating. But sometimes immediate fixes help get people through the current kitchen until they can do a complete remodel. I agree painting the cabinets is not worth it in this situation, because it's not the true style preferred. Plus, too many posts on painted cabinet projects gone array. Hope that helps;)