Thanks Breezy! It means a lot coming from you since I tend to respect and agree with so many of your opinions and design opinions! I love your vent hood - wish I'd thought of or seen something like that when I was looking! I was just thinking earlier that I can't wait to see your finished kitchen! I know I will love it. Unfortunately, I do not remember the stain I used on the floors. I know it was a combination of two darker stains - one might have had a coffeeish name. They painted samples on our floors and I picked based on those, so didn't really pay much attention to the names! The cabinets came painted white. It was the brighter white that Holiday cabinets offered. This is the reason that my kitchen is STILL just almost finished. The paint job on the doors is AWFUL! You can't see it in pics, but where the stiles meet on the doors is splitting on just about every door and drawer front. Not just a line, but splitting apart. This is on top of numerous mars, dents, and nicks on teh doors in various places. We are getting all new drawer fronts and doors that the KD is ordering from a different cabinet company (Downsview), but he has TOTALLY been dragging his feet on it. Besides the doors, he STILL hasn't put in the little fillers around my appliance cabinet. I'm so mad - he has lied to us over and over again about whether or not he ordered it and why it was delayed - blah blah blah. Luckily, I have our builder who uses this KD A LOT and owes him a big check for another job. Essentially, he is not paying the KD until he shows him the proof of order for my new cabinet door/drawer fronts. I also am FINALLY getting all of my drawer inserts and organizers a week from today. I do have my shades, but b/c of the issues above I still have no glass in the top of my cabinets and don't feel fully done! I WILL post pictures when all is done. Thanks again Breezy!

Joan, I just saw your kitchen again on a paint request post. I want to thank you for posting your photos, as they were a huge influence on MY kitchen! I knew I wanted light cabinets, countertops, and backsplash but not in bright white. I also wanted to see examples of DIY crown with color matched paint, which I believe you did as well. Your photos and information were very informative! I hope you're enjoying your new kitchen as much as I'm enjoying mine! Thanks again! Here is a link that might be useful: DreamItCanBe Kitchen

Hi, these types of granites are intrusive formations which showcase the myriadal ways the veining can occur. No two slabs are ever the same with many variances from one slab to the next even when cut from the same block. More importantly is to choose a granite you like and can live with as a central feature in your home. The grade and quality of finishing from the slab processor should be your foremost concern followed by the worksmanship of your selected fabricator/installer, rather than proper name classification. Moreso, because the stone industry suppliers and fabricators rename the stones to create an aura of exclusivity for the consumer and confusion for their competitors. Hope this helps! info@rmstoneworks.ca

Can you use the granite for the backsplash, too? That's what I'm doing with my traditional cherry cabinets. In general, people recommend using something very plain as a backsplash when your granite has that much movement. Before I decided on the granite bs, I was considering things like matte finish 4 x 4's, with maybe a glass tile or listello accent over the cooktop, or subway tiles. You definitely want to keep the bs from being too busy. If you find something, you can post a picture, and people will give their honest opinions. On the Finished Kitchens Blog there's a backsplash slideshow. You can also ask boxerpups if she has any inspiration pictures for you of vyara kitchens. She's amazing. I realize my answer isn't that much help to you, but it will bump this back to the first page.