Hi--I thought this post had sort of dribbled away but it seems to have revived itself. I was thinking of posting a followup anyway--so here it is: I have decided to just get what I like. Connie, you and I are thinking alike and I hope we're right! The black will go with the counter and be a neutral, the copper is just itself and is beautiful, and ditto the nickel and it also goes with the stainless steel. And to really confuse things I am getting hand-rubbed brass fixtures for the family room. I went to the store and saw them in person and they were too warm and beautiful to resist. I have decided that the Victorians did not have the luxury of ten finishes to choose from--things would have come one way (and I think iron knobs, brass lights, nickel kitchen fixtures and copper hoods were all actual Victorian choices) and so what I am doing is sort of authentic :) can you tell that I'm at the point in the reno where I just don't care anymore?? ;) thank you everyone for the patina suggestions--will let you know how that goes. Holly

nancy_east -- thanks for your nice words! How exciting about your kitchen -- this will be fun to watch develop! The widest walkway we have is 36 1/2" (countertop to countertop), with it going down to 34 1/2" where our apron front sink "jumps" out. From our cooktop to the widest point of the bowed island countertop is 35 3/4". The only times (or rather, areas) our aisles feel tight are when the dishwasher door is open and there's only 12" of clearance (between the open door and the island cabinetry). But so far, no barked shins! We're careful and aware. The other area is our refrigerator (which is 30" wide, all refrigerator so it's a wide door): when it's open the only one who can sidle by (and then it's just barely) is our two year-old. But neither of those conditions are permanent (meaning, the dishwasher is mostly closed and the refrigerator door is mostly closed as well). While 36" for an aisle isn't "ideal," for us it's working out fine. Our only alternative would've been to give up the island and that wasn't an option! We need the storage space. Your aisles will work out fine; if it there's an impediment in the 36" aisle (like a dishwasher), then you all will learn the same careful two-step we and many others have as well! Good luck with your kitchen-in-progress! (and whole house, too!)

Oh, I like that a lot in both sizes. It's nice to see they didn't squash the glass funny when they enlarged it. There's gold highlight like my chandelier does. It's funny, I never thought of those lights as farmhouse until you mentioned it. I can see that now. I now realize I have more than one picture of farmhouse style in my mind with some I like better than others. I'll search more tomorrow too. Oh, have to tell you - I was emailing back and forth with Lightingdirect about lights (obviously) and the same guy asked me in two different, replying, emails about the same lights,"What's the project you're working on?" The first time I answered saying they were a possibility for over an island. He sent me an email with additional info I requested and I replied saying thanks. I then got another email saying your welcome and asking, again, what project I was working on. Any idea what's up with that? They've been helpful with any questions I've asked. This was the first person to do that, and I just found it strange. Maybe I'm missing something.

Third vote for the running bond tile installation. It will absolutely work with the paper - and not steal the show. It’s a background player. This is all looking very lovely.