Oh bruinjen, I'm so excited. Just read your reply re dimensions and it is literally the same as mine. 12x24 for both kitchen proper and eating area. Must be fate! I just printed off a "proof sheet" with all of your beautiful photos so I can take it to my architect and say "I want THIS" ;-) Hope you don't mind! I've been struggling with whether or not I can have a white/cream kitchen with a fairly open layout that incorporates richer colors in the family/dining areas. Our color schemes are virtually identical down to the wall and upholstory colors. The only difference being that we don't really have any white in the family room where you do use some for the entertainment center. But I think it will still be okay. Thanks so much for reading my mind and doing such a beautiful job!

Thanks for all of the nice comments! No, my black pearl granite does not look green at all -- just a mottled black ranging from pure black to a charcoal. As for the crema marfil subways, the only place we could find them at the time was Best Tile in Rockville. I bet Ann Sacks and Waterworks and Georgetown both carry the a nice crema marfil in a 3x6. I'm redoing our bathrooms now in marble subway, and I remember that the pricing at AS and WW was lower than I had expected (although I can't remember exactly what it was per sq/ft). Hope that helps!

Hi Tearose21 -- how are those marble counter tops holding up one year down the line? I love the look but have heard that marble will stain and etch (and I'm no diligent housekeeper, so I'm not going to kid myself into believing that I'll be wiping them up every second)and that I'd be better off with a white and grey granite. Granite just doesn't have the same movement as your counter tops, so I'm just askin'.... P.S. -- LOVE LOVE LOVE your kitchen!! Lola B

Did you also DIY the vault in your ceiling? If you hired someone would you share the approx cost in your area? I know, it's nosy. I have a vaulted FR, 8 ft ceilings everywhere else and for some reason they dropped the kitchen ceiling to 7 ft. That's the first thing I'd like to change but I'm scared to even think about the cost! Really inspiring job you two did. I'd be in there all the time if it were mine!