Sorry, I don't have any tips. Just wanted to say your kitchen is gorgeous and I'd love to see more!

Thanks mpsmps, I promise to post some more pics soon. I did a brief sneak peak of pics on GW a while back when we had just finished but didn't really show the whole room. We did a lot and opened up a large space and I was waiting until I got some new furniture. Then I got that and was waiting for something else. I guess you never totally finish. I will post a truly finished post soon. Thanks so much!

Symmetry is really important in cabinetry. When there are cabinest flanking a large focal point (such as the hood, range, sink), the adjacent cabinets need to be symmetric. The eye notices asymmetric sizes in way that gives a negative feel.

e4849,
Totally agree with your point on symmetry. I got 3 full design presentations for my kitchen and all 3 had uneven uppers flanking the sink and each i had to tell that it doesn't look very good. They were all able to even it out.

And on the outlets on backsplashes. I am one of the few that doesn't like to put them horizontally. I feel like when you look at a kitchen everything is standing upright and then you see the outlet lying down. I think you're more apt to notice an outlet when its aligned in such a way that your eyes aren't used to seeing it in. But I also don't find outlets to be that unsightedly. I think its an integral part of a functional kitchen.

mounting the outlets horizontally allows each of the two outlets to be accessed more easily and prevents sideways pulling on the plug. It is more likely that you will use two appliances side by side than one in front and one in back. Not sure if aesthetics is a consideration here.

I don't really agree with symmetry being critical. I have seen some gorgeous, asymmetric kitchens and other interiors. But the asymmetry has to be purposeful. A symmetric layout is much more formal, and then I agree small asymmetries can really throw off the aesthetic. But especially for a more informal space an asymmetric layout can be very interesting. I think they also tend to have a more upbeat or energetic feel, but like so many other design and decorating decisions a lot comes back to personal preference.

I think another advantage of horizontal and lower outlets is that plugs and cords are hidden more and not likely to be an eyesore. Its not so much the outlets that look bad as the cords hanging down if you like to keep things plugged in. I was always unplugging things in my old kitchen because of how it looked.

I think symmetrical layouts can look very balanced and nice, but I wouldn't give up function just to get the symmetrical look. In my kitchen, I didn't have the luxury of having enough space to get the perfect symmetrical look next to my range. My range hood is built in and has symmetrical uppers on each side but the lowers are not symmetrical because they were more functional if they were not. I think it works fine. I didn't want to be symmetrical just for the sake of it.

Don't pick colors in the paint store. Take home all the chips you can find and test them with your samples.

You can mix metals in your kitchen, just as long as the styles are similar.

Symmetry is less important than balance.

Jettisoning the little 4" backsplash piece and tiling or painting backsplash straight down to the counter makes your small kitchen look twice as big.

Windows on a second small row of cabinets near the ceiling (instead of 1970's-style soffits) makes your low kitchen ceiling look much taller.

After you have narrowed your paint selection down via the paint chips, buy a quart/sample of your top three and paint them onto a sample board (drywall scrap). Check them out in varying locations/light/time of day before you pull the trigger.

> You can mix metals in your kitchen, just as long as the styles are similar.

I just came home from shopping for faucets. Can I mix styles (Delta Pilar and one of those industrial looking goose-neck like one with the coil wrapping) if the finishes are the same?

there are no rules.

I asked a decorator once how do you know if something is too BIG (decorating wise) and her answer was "If it doesn't fit". I was decorating the top of a cabinet.