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New construction kitchen -- need help w/ countertop & island

15 years ago

Hello, I am new to Gardenweb, though I have used it as a resource for months and have found great pics, points of view, etc. I need help with a kitchen dilemma and I'm hoping some of you would offer opinions. We're building a house and the kitchen will be basically a 14 x 13 square. I'm basically trying to emulate one of the Christopher Peacock ads with a mantle hood and windows on either side and a 7.5 foot island in front of the stove. I'm definitely putting in dark wood floors, and antique white cabinets along the perimeter with Okite countertops (Arabescato Verde - a marble-look quartz in cream/brownish/greenish). Here's the question (and I've seen this kitchen done three ways):

1. Island with same combo (white cabinets/light countertop)

2. Dark wood island (with the dark wood floors) and same light countertop as perimeter.

3. Antique white island with a dark espresso brown quartz countertop (can't be wood like some I've seen).

Any thoughts would be helpful!

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Comments (5)

Buehl
15 years ago
Personally, I like the white cabs/dark counter on the perimeter and dark cabs/light counter on the island combination...but that's not one of your options.

Generally, I like contrasting cabinets b/w perimeter & island; plus, as someone just pointed out on another thread, if you have seating at the island you really don't want anything too light b/c of scuff marks, etc. So, I guess that puts me in the #2 camp.

2. Dark wood island (with the dark wood floors) and same light countertop as perimeter.
rhome410
15 years ago
Would the dark island be the same color as the floors?

I'm usually a woman with a heart for mixing materials, but I like your option 1 to let other details of your kitchen stand out...So people see past what's happening with the island and appreciate the whole vision. I've also noticed I'm drawn lately to color schemes with a softer touch, rather than the more jarring and customary contrasts of dark with light and light with dark.

But I'm really betting any of your options will be gorgeous.
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remodelfla
15 years ago
Another option that looks really nice is to do the perimeter with the contrasting woods and the island light. You could do the cabs flanking the range and the hood in the darker wood and the island light like the rest of the perimeter cabs. I do love to look at kitchens with the darker islands but personally tend to prefer lighter feeling kitchens. Really... neither option is wrong, all a matter of personal preference.
carolinesmom
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks so much everyone; I appreciate your time and feedback. If I did a darker island base, it would be a similar finish to the wood floors. One one hand, I thought that it might provide better transition to the adjacent family/hearth room, but I do worry about either a dark island or dark island countertop looking like a "black hole" in the middle of the room, if that makes sense. Lightness is a good thing, as both front and back porches will result is not a lot of direct sunlight. Plus, like I said, I'm going with a quartz and while I like the furniture look of a wood topped island, I don't know if the espresso brown quartz countertop would give me the same effect. Again, thanks so much! I look forward to sharing progress in the coming months.
rhome410
15 years ago
Hadn't thought about a transition to another room. In that case, I could also like the dark island with the counter matching the perimeter counters.

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