omg! truly stunning! i love it ...all of it! okay. i'm going to go rip out my kitchen and start over! i can't wait to see more.

Oooohhhh - and one more thing. Thank you for the sweet sweet words about my kiddos. They're the inspiration for everything, and they pretty much ROCK :)

WOW - you really just hit on all of the perfect inspiration pics and made everything work so beautifully!

Theater?

Where did you get the pendants. They are yummy.

Ha Beuhl - we do both have an entertainment/arts background :)

Cookie - they're Restoration Hardware's Royal Master Sealight Pendants - the 9" versions.

Here is a link that might be useful: Restoration Hardware Royal Master Sealight Pendants

Wow!! Beautiful. I love it. I love all the truly original creative touches. Those lights are incredible....

Oh my Lordy! This is ammmaaaazzzzzing! I love the shiplap siding, the window, the island, those pendants, and esp. those babies! That first pic you posted looks like a professional pic for an advertisement or something. I would so frame that and hang it in my kitchen!

Gorgeous! You did a wonderful job capturing you inspirational picture but included your own stamp on it.

Great kitchen! As an Alabama gal born, raised and still living not too far from Sylacauga I LOVE the marble! My parents used it for their main level flooring, window sills and MBath 26 years ago. Still looks marvelous!

Adorable children. :)

fyi, you may want to have something in place behind the range for final inspection. It shouldn't pass with the low stainless backsplash and wood background. It's suppose to be "so high" of a non-flammable material above the burners. We put up a temporary piece of SS flashing material (HVAC guys did it for me) since I hadn't selected tile yet.

Look forward to seeing it finished.

It looks like a kitchen in an old Edwardian mansion! Very, very lovely. I envy you.

White kitchens don't usually rock my boat, but yours has me careening all over the place! I love how the dark wood trim grounds everything. It's already stunning and you're not even finished... (Applause!)

Your kitchen is AMAZING... where did you get the butcher block?

Another 'Bama girl here and I too love the Alabama White. Someone on here was asking about white marble and I don't think you can get any that is any whiter, but it is pricy. I love the kiddos and the beautiful kitchen - it looks like you ahve been to Seaside - lovely classic choices.

Glorious!! I would have just thrown myself down with joy on that gorgeous island, seriously! I would have stayed in the kitchen staring at it all day, they'd have to drag me out.

What a masterpiece! Elegant and classic, but not stuffy. A fresh blend of textures that work perfectly together.

You're in the homestretch... hang in there!

What everyone said - about your beautiful children, your AMAZING kitchen, and the glimpses of your gorgeous home. I *love* every detail.

Can't wait to see it all come together!

Eliz

You have put together a truly beautiful and unique space! Enjoy it.

You're almost done!

Don't lose your mind! Don't lose your mind! Don't lose your mind!

Allison - how beautiful your parent's house must have been! I checked with my husband after seeing your point of concern. In our particular county, the inspectors defer to the manufacturer's recommended distance. Thermador deems their 12" backsplash to be off sufficient protection, so there we are. Thanks so much for the suggestion.

Cangelmd - I did visit Seaside LONG ago, and now that you mention it, I guess the coastal influence has stuck with me all these years ;) Alabama White is just a gorgeous stone, I can't say enough about it. We didn't find it to be terribly expensive though, it's just really hard to find!

Ajard - it's a boo's block, walnut end grain, 48x25. We had the cabinets specially cut to 46 inches wide so there would be an inch overhang on each side and we wouldn't have to special order. I just asked hubsters and he's coming up blank on remembering where we ordered it from, but I'm pretty sure it was whoever had the lowest price + free shipping four months ago!

Thank you everyone. It's so encouraging to hear all of the wonderful feedback. We took some risks with the trim and the backsplash and are still working out some kinks (like raising the butcher block to be even with the marble), but overall we're just thrilled. Now, if we can only figure out the mantle design in the gathering room. Who knew mantles were so stinking hard?

I am drooling! I absolutely love the island. Would you mind to show the dimensions of your kitchen? Or did I miss them?

Thanks for sharing!
Alicia

That's good to hear!

My parents still live in their home, and it is beautiful.

Just chiming in to say "Wow"!
I absolutely love what you've done-the dark contrasts and the whitewashed backsplash....swooning.
Please keep the photos coming.
Your kids are adorable-she looks like she's a great big sister. Gerber Puffs are pretty special, too....
Congrats!
Katie

Camarodreamer, here are the cabinet plans. It looks like the long wall is 189, and the other wall is roughly 210, but then again, you do not want me playing with your numbers.

Katieob, sounds like know your infant/toddle fare :) Thank you for the sweet sweet words. We're having a blast.

Absolutely beautiful kitchen ... stylish, modern, and perfectly edited. I can hardly wait to see the finale!

Hooooooly. Freakin'. Cow. That is tremendously tremendous. Not very articulate, but I'm at a loss for words. When I saw the first pic I figured it was some inspiration shot out of a magazine with those stunning details and beautifully posed girls. How could you have been hiding something like that around here and not be busting to show it off? ;)

Great faucet. You can please share the model?

What color caesarstone is it, concrete ? pebble ?

Very interesting and beautiful kitchen !!

Zacsdaddy - I think the "perfectly edited" comment might be the most rewarding complement yet. Thank you!

Awe - thanks Breezygirl for the photo compliments. I actually teach moms how to take pictures of their kids. I don't want to spam at all, but we're a free site... just google "the momtographers" if you know a mommy who could use some photo love.

The faucet is a Brizo Venuto touch. No idea how or if the "touch" portion works yet!

Mitchdesj - I'd have to check again with our installer, but I'm pretty sure it's pebble. (Good call!) After awhile, all of the names sound familiar, and since that was ordered months ago, I wouldn't swear on anything. We chose it because we wanted something to complement our marble rather than try to be marble. I know it isn't concrete, because I kept describing wanting something that looked like concrete but a little more polished, but the "concrete" caesarstone color was actually the wrong undertones.

thanks for the info, I might pick Raven myself, but will need to look again at
Pebble, yours is amazing. I think Raven is the darkest grey, Pebble is the lightest, Concrete is the medium tone.

WOW - just wow! Glad I was sitting down when I saw that first picture. Beautiful. Can't wait to see more. The contrast is amazing.

LOVE IT!! What is the gray stone on your perimeter? Choosing my stone now and going with Vermont Danby - Mountain White- on the island and considering something different for the perimeter.

Hi Gloria - Danby is very similar to Alabama White - I know you'll love it!

The perimeter counters are Caesarstone Pebble. Wanted something durable for the perimeters since I have no idea how well the AW will hold up (though I'm told our statuaries are as hard as they come - let's cross our fingers!)

It is perfection. Without a doubt one of my favorite kitchens EVER! Love the juxtaposition of the wood and white on the island. It has the perfect "something" that you see yet can't quite put a finger on. Love love love it.

Thanks. I was thinking about the same thing with the perimeter for the very same reason! Have 2 young boys and don't want to worry about every surface in the room!

Your island has taken my breath away and inspired me to new heights in my own remodel. Just wondering, did you ever consider putting a prep sink in the island or did you think it would take away from its beauty.
Can't wait to see more pix!

I'm coming again to admire your gorgeous kitchen. I even caught DH pouring over them on the iPad one day. He's never done that before!

Can I ask another question? Have you figured out a way to join the wood and the marble? I am fixated on the idea of a wooden top for my island or at least part of it after seeing your kitchen, Carrie Eileen's, and Pirula's. My stone fabricator is against wood of any kind on a counter (of course, because it wouldn't be her stone!), so she won't be of any help on the joining issue for me. Thanks!

MFabbs - thank you! We did consider it, I think it could have been nice in the chopping block portion, but only for a moment. Honestly it had very little to do with aesthetics... it was a budget/practicality issue. We purchased this house that the builder abandoned and our budget was extraordinarily tight, so we went with the existing rough in. There was no water to the island, and the floor had already been laid. The floor had been without condition for nearly two years, and had they not been teak, we would have had to rip them all out. We just didn't want to take a chance by messing with them!

Breezy - yay! I'll have to ask my husband, as I really don't have an answer. I know they put a shim of sorts under the block to match the height exactly and then fastened it all somehow. I don't believe there is any caulk between the two.. Both pieces are extremely heavy, so I don't think they're going to move much.

We heard the same arguments about the wood, but we're going to give it a go. From what I understand, the end block is pretty durable, and just like anything other natural surface, will develop a patina over time (though I'm still going to use a board for meats, poultry and fish). We ordered it in one of their standard sizes and customized the cabinets to fit the block.

Oh i love your kitchen! I actually dreamed about it last night lol.. my DH thinks i've gone off the deep end and i have.
we had a flood a few weeks ago. The downstairs is now gutted and we are living in the mudroom! I've wanted to do the kitchen for awhile but always got scared off and never really envisioned anything. BUT .. now im completely inspired by your kitchen.
I've been researching and getting ideas but while most have had months to plan for this, it's spontaneous for me. :oP
All i know is it's gonna be white.
so...
what are the dimensions of your island?

your island legs? too gorgeous and i can find nothing with that fat, subtle curvy look! do you know the catalog/company name?
and a stain color if you remember?
thanks! And LOVE IT ALL!!!!

Thanks for the info. I'd love it if you could ask your DH about the seam. The problem with me putting a wood top on my island is that it's a big island. I wouldn't be able to use end grain like you did on my whole island. AND I have a prep sink there too. Water and wood don't mix, but I think the wood could be protected.

Where did you get the block? Sorry if I missed that in one of your earlier posts.

Celineike - I'm so sorry to hear about your flood! How devastating. I suppose if there has to be a silver lining, this is as good as any, no? I honestly don't remember how long our island is, but it is 48" wide. Maybe 11 feet long? I'll be happy to measure it for you next time I get by (we live quite a bit away from our new home).

Our cabinet maker ordered our legs... i saw the stamp, but cannot remember! I'm so sorry. It was a cajun name if that helps at all. If I have a chance to ask our cabinetmaker, I will. They are 8" wide.

The stain is just Minwax Dark Walnut.

Breezy - I got the details. They didn't do any sort of joining at all, they just butted the slab and the block against each other and affixed them to their respective lower cabinets. I'm going to make an assumption that those lower cabinets are somehow attached to each other.

I'm sorry there have been too many other decisions since we ordered the boos block in the fall, so we don't remember where we ordered it from, but it's a American Black Walnut End Grain 4" deep 48"x27". I'm certain it came from whoever had the lowest price + free shipping :)

Just a note - we had to have the island cabinets speced to 46" wide and 26 deep so there would be an room for an inch overhand on all three sides of the block. We ended up having to cut the marble slightly wider because of those darn 8" legs, so the marble extends a touch beyond the block on either side, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to fit counter stools on the end.

I can't wait to see pictures of your progress!!

Beautiful kitchen, and full of original decisions and choices. You really did your homework and assembled many different details so you knew exactly what you wanted. But you were still open to serendipity, such as when your mother stopped the painters after the primer. It is thrilling to see how you took that big empty space and made it into a gorgeous and truly unique kitchen. Enjoy!

Wow your kitchen is just to die for!!!! Amazingly beautiful and love the oversized scale. Gorgeous, hope to see more

I am ga-ga over your kitchen. I can only hope my design comes together as nicely.

Who makes that great window?! Did I miss that tidbit? This is what we're looking for also!

Love Roma... I'm so sorry, I don't know. When we purchased the house, the windows were already in and there are no identifying markers. If I find out, I will let you know!

Thanks to you Alabamamommy....I've redesigned my island to include some SEXY legs! You're awesome!

As my best friend from Savannah used to say, "DIVINE!" Your kitchen is heavenly, such a scrumptious mix of materials and creative elements. You should be a kitchen designer! Your layout looks great, too, and I love how your kitchen opens up to the family room. Your kitchen is one of the most gorgeous ever I've seen, and you're really kind to share photos and sources.

Oh, and your two daughters are too cute for words!

Congrats on your project, and **please** keep the photos coming!!

Boylanite - can't wait to see those legs!

jmcgowan... wow, thank you. Let's wait and see how it works after we move in and use it - I'm almost certain no one want me designing their kitchen!

I so missed this post due to being off in babyland! Is there an updated thread? LOVE THIS!

"I so missed this post due to being off in babyland!"

Me too, LOL!

Where are the pix of the final kitchen???

You mean I have to post finished pictures??? :) With or without the highchairs, formula containers on the counter, massive spread of drying out bottles and my 5-year-old's art display?

Just kidding... sorta.

I'm thrilled with how it turned out, but we moved in while I was 6 months pregnant, and with a 3-month-old, I don't know that I've ever gotten it to picture taking condition. Still futzing around with decorative elements and what should or shouldn't go in the glass cabs :)