Another nod for Restoration Hardware. I just installed mine last night along with RH sconces and I couldn't be happier. Excellent quality, very sturdy construction. A warning about your plan. I considered the same idea for the framelass glass medicine cabinet in my other bathroom. It's nearly flush with the wall sticking out only the thickness of the door. If you slap a frame around the door, it can't open because the hinge is flush with the wall and the frame on that side would hit the wall. Part or all of your frame would have to be mounted to the wall to make this work. It can be done, but takes some planning and likely some fine woodworking skills. Joe

I could have written waterdamage's post. Add to the fact that DH has been white-kitchen-hesitant. So darker counters make more sense to me now. And now that I look through the kitchens that I feel the most warmth and comfort from. I knew I didn't want a country-vintage vibe. I want light yet comfortable. Yet I want something to be grounded in a way. As I went through the HUNDREDS of photos I'd saved...yes, hundreds, I also noticed that the ones I liked the most had either darker counters or dark perimeters and a light island top. So that's where I am. I'm heading to slab yards this weekend. If I see a light slab that knocks my socks off, then I'll go that route. If not, it's dark all around. I'm not stressing about it until I start looking in person. Like you, my inspiration comes from a combination of kitchens, not just one. Here are my most loved and why. This may help you... 1) Katieob's kitchen. I like the light island top and outer dark perimeter. And although she has an industrial hood (I'm doing a white arched hood), her white cabinets and polished nickel hardware and the overall feel are really nice: 2) The cabs don't go to the ceiling as mine will not. But I can picture how my hood will look extended to the ceiling even though this one isn't configured as mine is. I like the fel of this kitchenn as well. The window that comes low to the sink, the white hood, darker countertops... 3) Again, darker counters. This one made me realize I wanted polished nickel hardware as the dark wasn't my taste. I saved this one as our range is a little offset like that so we're doing a similar thing with our glass cabinetry and flanking the range with solid on each side to create symmetry by the range. Another low window by the sink. 4) This one has a nice feel to it because of the warmth brought by the dark top of the island. I could imagine the perimeter being dark also. The backsplash was nice. 5) There are elements I've always really liked about this kitchen though it's darker overall than I ultimately want to go with my own (the hood and the island, etc.) But it's stunning and I do refer to it. 6) More country/vintage than I prefer but I like the dark perimeter with the light island countertop as well as the polished nickel hardware on the perimeter. I like that she did ORB for the lighting accents. It seems to work here and I may or may not look at doing that. We're flanking our 6 foot window with glass cabinets. I love this window treatment (though the kitchen itself has a different feel than the above b/c of the different floor, etc): Misc (counters, lights): Anyway, my purpose wasn't to give you inspiration photos but to show you what you can take away from photos. Like I said, I started with tons. And one day, I sat down with them all (online, magazines, printouts, etc) and started eliminating based on initial reactions. I started realizing the super light, white ones were too stark for us. Once I got a feel down, I then could get nitpicky about other things...hardware (polished nickel and not ORB), etc. I have several photos which may be too many for some. For me it works because I've taken elements from them that I look to. But I'm very visual and like that reference. Others may get confused with a wide scope. If you have lots and need to narrow it down to three, then do so. But it doesn't have to be just one.

She thought the style was too boxy to pair with the drexel chair and that it didn't bring in enough of the french curves she knows I like. The more I think about the whole room, I think these are a better pairing for the rustic quasi-elegant look I am shooting for though. I wish I could see it in other fabrics/finishes.. I am having a hard time picturing it in something other than the striped cheetah (BTW Drexel Heritage has a great program to allow you to change the fabrics/finishes.. this is Hickory White though). I also wish I could sit in them.. they are not on the showroom floor. I do know that I want exposed wood on the fireplace chairs-- but other than that, I am all over the place still. More reason to wait on that decision. I am also thinking that I could use the Drexel chair elsewhere-- dining room or bedroom-- but the new CL chair will likely go to one of those spots (or my office).

Thank you again for your support. I am so excited that everyone is liking my final choices! It means so much to me as I am so bad at these things. Good things to think about - currently not much out on my countertop and hoping to keep it that way - but things have a tendency to expand to all available space! I was planning on one run of accent but could do 2 or maybe just a bit of accent under the sink window. Badger - at least I have some copper so we can still be "sole mates" . The next few weeks are going to be crazy at work - so might not be living on GW as much - but will try to read even if I can't respond (I have a rule - no GW blogging while at work) Thanks again and hope to order the tile this week.