I think it's absolutely charming and would look wonderful. I love the unexpected. You could pull that lovely color in it over to the table and the counter top to make the eye travel. I'd love to see something round on the table to offset the square. You have a lovely kitchen.

The gate is wonderful -- you'll find another use for it.
The radiator is what it is. Trying to cover it with something else only makes it twice as bad (unless, of course, someone comes up with a truly fab solution). You might try painting the outside trim of it the same color as either the wall or the radiator color, instead of white. Can the cover be replaced by a nicer one? I can't tell from the picture. If not, keep it as clean as you can. Maybe a metal-fabrication shop might help you.

I would either leave it as is, or paint it the color of the trim-- don't the think the gate "flows" with the rest of your kitchen. I think putting up the gate would actually draw more attention to the radiator. Beautiful kitchen! Love your dining chairs and cabinets-- just gorgeous!

I believe that the to-die-for gate would work wonderfully on that wall. It picks up the darkness from your dining set and the black from the register.

Another thought is to paint the register your wall color; however, with the gate I don't think that would be necessary.

I also LOVE your wall color.

I think it will be wonderful!

Leave it black -- or if you want; sand off some the edges to expose more of the raw wood. THEN take dark brown shoe polish (the kind in the flat tin) on a slightly dam paper towel and rub it into the exposed wood to "age" it.

Jan

I would just keep the radiator black. Black is a color that recedes and the radiator won't draw attention to itself. No one will notice it.

The screen is a nice idea but this one is too tall. The wall color will show through the top half and the bottom half will be a deep gloomy hole. I don't think it will look right.

Thanks everyone for your wonderful suggestions and compliments! The black you see on the radiator is actually the radiator! It is not covered, but recessed in to the wall. The cabinet directly to the right of it is a beverage fridge and we need the clearance to open it hence no cover on the radiator. I know, poor design, however, we did not figure in the placement of the radiator in the design phase and that was the only place it could go. Painting the trim black or the wall color is a good thought, as is painting the radator the wall color itself. Hmmm...

dilly dally, we were posting at the same time. The bottom half of the gate is also see through, however I have it leaning against the radiator so it appers solid black.

Donna214-just wanted to say your kitchen is GORGEOUS! Been meaning to tell you since you first posted, but I was too lazy! :)

I think you should paint the radiator the trim color. If you paint it the same color as the wall it will disappear.

Then,, you're going to have a hole in your baseboard.

Also, with the darker color of your walls by painting it white will help bring out the true hue of your paint.

Beautiful kitchen!

WOW, that's wonderful, must stop drooling to comment.....

Your kitchen is just gorgeous, and the color is very rich.

I agree with those who have suggested painting that white trim the color of the wall, because right now, it acts as a highlight.

And this may be an odd suggestion, but how would it look if you mounted the gate right ABOVE the radiator, so it almost looks as if it's a solid piece? Wouldn't the radiator disappear that way as well, without the more obvious "i'm trying to hide something" effect?

OK, here is a different idea. Could you find a piece of art - a landscape with golds, rusts, browns, greens - perhaps to hang on the wall. The gates would be hung as doors that can close upon the art work or be opened as shutters to each side of the art. I would paint that white trim of the vent either the wall color or black.

The gates themselves would look great on the wall.

Donna214, Sorry I guess I was confused. I thought that was a vent for a forced air heating system. Cold return vents are that large. I still think you should leave it black for aesthetic reasons AND the fact that you are not suppose to paint radiators at all. It reduces the efficiency by coating them with paint.

Also the expansion and contraction of the metal radiator will cause the paint to eventually peel even if you use the paint made to function for hot items. The hot radiator will cause outgassing of toxic chemicals if you use the wrong paint. There is a lot of debate about "to paint/not paint" radiators. What are yours made of?

Here is a link that might be useful: Painting Radiators Tips

Love threedgrad's idea to hang the gate directly above the radiator. Visually it would seem like the gate continued to the floor and that the bottom half was solid, especially if you painted the frame of the raditor black. Does that make sense?

I agree with whoever said it is what it is. I would just leave it black, but hang a good size piece of art on the wall above it to draw attention up, about the same size as the radiator. In other words, not too small.
Great kitchen!

I would paint everything above the baseboard the color of the wall, including the trim around it. Everything at baseboard height the color of the trim.

Then hang the doors on the wall above.

Great kitchen!

I would leave the radiator black (fresh coat). I think if it were to be white, it would stick out more.

I would leave the radiator black. I would hang the gate above it as planned. I would pull in a lighter color of some sort of natural element, maybe a thin wreath of a light - pussy willows, some sort of white bark, something minimilistic and hang it off the hung gate to draw attention to the beautiful gate and lighten up the whole area. Beautiful kitchen!

Whoever said to put some wall art above the radiator to draw attention upward is RIGHT ON. I think that's a GREAT idea!!!!!!!!!!

Well, thank you for all of your comments and advice! What I have decided to do is give the radiator a fresh coat of black paint and the thin trim around it will also be painted black. The gate will then be hung above it at a height to be determined. I also like the idea of some art above it or something natural hung from it. I will post some pictures when it done.

I'd love to know what the name of your paint color is. I love it! Thank you.

Thanks! The paint color is BM Potters Clay.

How about a black shelf beneath the gates to look like a window sill? And place some hanging greenery in urns or pots on the shelf.

i think it is spectacular and if you don't use it i will