You kitchen is beautiful. Your accessories seem to be all the same color as your backsplash...I see a red paper towel holder...how about a red container for your stove utensils and the ones in the corner. Also how about painting your bread box black (to go with your black stools and faucets) and when you get your valance, have some red and black in it. I would take off the things you have on your window sill and put nothing there or maybe a small ivy plant that trails.

Very pretty kitchen! I have that same rooster paper towel holder. Also, I have a red cast iron rooster trivet hanging on the wall in my kitchen. I do love the red, so I'm not the best person to answer your question.

Not having much counter space in our kitchen limits what lives there. Only everyday items like the toaster, knife block and blender. Not much in the way of decorative stuff on the counters here.

Oakleyok, I was one of the people who responded to last year's post. I also have white cabs with VG and have had similar struggles with how to make the golds browns and black of the VG transition well to the white cabinets. I finally picked a back splash that I hope will pull the two together. You may recall that I have lots of browns and bronze accessories so I guess my biased opinion is to pull those colors into your kitchen via accessories. I really don't think accessories in those colors will make the room seem dark in fact they will stand out against your white back splash. Those colors will also play well with stools and your floor colors.

It's funny you should ask about the shelves. I thought about posting a similar question today regarding my kitchen shelves. I have hodge podge of stoneware bowls in mine now but I'm considering collecting additional bowls so that they all fit into a common theme. I'm trying to decide between white ironstone, brown salt glazed stoneware or a collection of tan yellow ware bowls. I have a couple of each but not enough to fill all the shelves. I love your teapots but perhaps you could add to the collection with teapots that are the same color as the decor you choose for the counters.

Suggestions: copper bowls with cool blues as accessories. The copper would be great on the counter and add another texture and blue is the complementary colour of red and works well with browns. I also see forest greens as working but just don't go into Christmasy too much.

You have a gorgeous kitchen! I have barely off-white cabinets and Venetian Gold granite (and hickory floors) and think we both have a blank slate to decorate with. Really! I see the combination as so neutral, just about anything goes.

I don't have any current photos, but I have a bunch of blue stuff that works well. I have a green, old fashioned scale on the counter that mixes in with everything else. I have used orange in the fall and it works. And I think your red would look great!

Grandma, most of those accessories you see in the picture are gone. I gave my DIL the breadbox since we keep the bread in a cabinet. The utensils are in a drawer because we have way too many to keep on the counter.

Sidney, maybe it was your picture that made me think of browns/blacks? Can you post it again?

I have all Watt pottery on the shelves to the far right and thought about filling up the shelves by the sink with Watt also, if I have pieces that will be tall enough. And narrow.

Copper and blue? Now I never would have thought about those colors! I do have some copper and blue things scattered about the house, so I'll get those colors out and see how they go with the kitchen.

I'm not fond of the color of the bar stools, we had them before we remodeled. But dh would kill me if I even mentioned replacing them. lol. I like them, but wish they weren't in black. They're used a lot, which is good.

I love your kitchen - one my favorite parts is the floor. I can't tell in pictures how reddish parts of the floor are (or terracotta?) but that may be what is throwing a curve into your ideas. I think your current accessories look great with the cabinets, counters and the floor. You are likely not to ever get a brown and / or black look going if the floor is truly in the reds. It wants to belong to the rest of your kitchen which is why your red accessories look great (and cheery).

We have the same granite, but walnut travertine floor and knotty alder cabinets that are rather dark.

I remember your photos of the totally empty kitchen - it turned out great.

Lovely, lovely kitchen! White is still and always my favorite color for cabinets :) I think your accessory problem is that you have too much out on your counters. Your counters are busy, so in order for anything to stand out, it must be a bold single color and rather large and solid. That said, why put any large, solid color thing on your countertops that will compete with what is clearly the star of that show (the granite)? I would vote for sweeping everything off the counter and letting the beauty of that natural pattern show to its best advantage.

My monitor shows your floor as brown and tan. I agree with lv r golden, if the floor runs more to the reds than maybe you could find things that work with that color family. What color is the diamond in your back splash? Is it a cherry red or more muted? I know you wanted to do the valance last but would it be easier to find a valance that integrates the existing colors in the room and then you can take your cues from that for your accessories?

Sidney, you did a fantastic job with your kitchen! We have a lot of similarities, the top of my hutch is like the top of your cabs over your range.

My floors are on the red side, but do show up brown on the monitor. Right now I have braided rugs in front of the stove and sink which makes the floor look a lot better and not as busy.

Here's what I have to keep on my countertops and I'll give the color of each item.

Coffee pot - white

Compost jar - Red

Paper towel holder - Red....BUT...is there a better place to put it? We have the compost jar to the left of the sink for easy access.

To the right of the sink I have a smallish cream wire basket wich holds Dawn, hand soap, lotion. I don't want to have to keep bending over getting those things out from under the sink. lol The do look good in their grouping.

Graniteware Pitcher - Red. I use that thing several times a day.

So that's five things that must stay. Oh, on the far right side of the counter is where I keep milkbones. I have a cabinet under the area for dog food, but I get tired of bending over a couple of times a day to pass out their treats. I keep putting them up, then I just leave the box on the counter. Lazy, I know.

What is everyone else's must-haves for your countertops?

Oakley and Sidney: You both have the kitchens that I'm trying to plan and execute! They are both gorgeous! May I ask what color both of your cabinets are, if you had them painted?

As for accessories, I think you've done a lovely job, Oakley. The tea pots are perfect on the shelves and your counters have just the right amount on them. As for the tops of the cabs, it looks to me like there isn't a lot of space. Have you considered adding some up lights and leaving it at that? I think that would be a beautiful addition to an already gorgeous kitchen!

Both your kitchens are beautiful! My antique white cabinets are on order, and VG is on my list of posiblities, and since seeing your pictures has moved up on the list. Do you know the difference between VG and NVG? Your accessaries are great. I like the buff colored tiles you used too. What color (type of wood) are the floors?
ilene

ilene

@sidney4- what ais the color of your cabinets?

@Ac Lb - It’s an eggshell color with Taupe glaze. I think the cabinet company ( Haas) called the color “ silk” but I would call it eggshell. Thanks for asking.