Katiee, I totally get that sense of (fear and dread?) That 'What did I do?' feeling. When I opened that first cabinet box after my great room was filled with boxes, I was in a total state of panic. I thought, "Did I order these too light?" I didn't. They're beautiful, but that thought nagged at me until my floors went in. Once your counters are in and you're able to pick out your other surfaces, your whole vision will come back together.

When all the elements aren't in yet, it's too soon to judge. Plus, you're tired and looking for it to do things it can't...Like look 'perfect' under your scrutiny, which is really of yourself and your choices. :-) So many people have panicked early on. Things are out of balance before all of the parts, pieces, colors, etc. are in to form the whole vision. Light changes throughout the day, and it will look different at all of those different times. You will appreciate different parts and pieces as you work. The love will come. Trust the decisions you made along the way!

You guys are the absolute best!! Thank you.

I will add that I typed a really long, heartfelt reply here and my post was rejected....... oh for Pete's sake. haha I think that is my cue to go to bed, get a good nights sleep and come back and hit the message boards tomorrow. Thanks again. It really does help :)

katiee, I suspect many, if not most, of us have those moments of sheer panic -- "What was I THINKING???" We're just weeks from moving in to our new house and I can't tell you how many moments I've had . . . including the most important one: What were we thinking building a house on a MOUNTAIN?? It isn't really a mountain -- it's a ridge -- but some of the problems we've encountered make it seem that way.

Everyone above is right: Take a deep breath, watch the elements come together, and give it some time.

And, Anita, I'm so glad to hear you're in love again!!

I'm right there now with my bathroom. It is a complete roll of the dice. It's either going to be great or it's going to be horrific. I'm stealing your advice.

Just wanted to chime in - while I'm enjoying our kitchen project, it reminds me a lot of making chili or soup - if I make it myself, I can 'taste' each discreet ingredient - and after tasting the whole time it's been cooking, the finished product is underwhelming. But if someone ELSE makes the chili (or soup!) then it tastes like a delicious complete dish!

I think it's so easy to focus on each element when we've spent so much time picking out the details, considering the alternatives, etc. That, plus the rather large budgets (after the actual house and cars, I can't think of many things we've spent this much $$ on!) make it a little nerve wracking and easily second guessed!

Keep us updated!

It's so easy for anyone here to compare their own kitchen, especially a not-quite-finished one, to the many gorgeous kitchens here (especially the ones with twice the square footage and triple the budget). The granite will make an enormous difference, as will the floor. Don't despair.

Blue

I think my middle name should have been
SECOND GUESS GIRL.
I am always second guessing, rethinking, analyzing,
worrying, dissecting, and constantly churning
my concerns about a project in my brain.

Take a deep breath, go for a walk, remind yourself
that you have many wonderful things around you and
in your life. And in time this kitchen will unfold
to be a kitchen you love. Because dream kitchens
can turn into the dream we never catch.

~Boxerpups

I did the same thing -- my kitchen is so brown! My faucet is too huge! The counter is too plain! But when the whole thing came together it was exactly what I wanted and it looks great and more importantly it functions well for our family. Floors and granite will make a huge difference, you'll see. :)

I'll chime in and repeat what others have posted - once it is more complete, you'll feel better! I regularly have - oh no! thoughts, and it is funny how things can actually look worse at the mid-way stage. Also, since the change is new, you're noticing it very much.

I freaked part way thru the backsplash installing. And secretly thought, why on earth did I install a piece of granite behind the cooktop?? But now that everything is grouted, I look at my kitchen and smile - looks great.

Sorry, boxerpups, you can't have that name, it's mine and I've copyrighted it! =D

Katie, I can so totally sympathize with how you feel. As my cabinets arrived and the kitchen was being put together, I started having these knots in my stomach and feeling a little sick. I agonized about little mistakes I was worried I had made here and there.

Two months later, and we're still not done, but getting close, and I am so so so happy with my kitchen. It's not perfect, but it's what I really wanted, and I'm hugely grateful. I'm sure your kitchen is going to turn out exactly that way too!

Relax and enjoy yourself in your lovely and still-evolving new space!

Erika

Oh Katie, I know how you feel. When we went to Lowes last weekend I made the mistake of picking up a magazine featuring design trends in kitchens and held it up to my husband and said "see I knew I should have picked grey/green cabinets!" He just shook his head and kept walking!! LOL

For 12 years I've been clipping pictures of white kitchens, I think I even had a few dreams involving my beloved white kitchen, but now with just a few days to go before the cabinets are installed I'm wondering...will I love my new white kitchen or will I long for something else!

I think anytime you put so much of yourself into something, spend so much money, and think about it for so long before doing it, you're bound to have a little bit of what I like to call "buyer's remorse."

If we all knew exactly what we wanted, knew we'd love the finished product, and that everyone else would love it too, there would no need for GW!

Can't wait to see your pictures!

Kat :)

Good Morning! Can I just state again that you guys here are all the absolute, very, very best!! I appreciate all the advice and encouragement, it matters to me.

Last night was a gut wrenching OMG moment and I automatically came here to sob out my misery to the board and you did not disappoint :)

To put it in perspective, it basically looks like a cotton ball exploded in my kitchen. The ceiling is white and brand new since it was raised a foot. The DR walls were opened up so I have more light in the kitchen and they are a freshly primed white. My old medium oak cabinets were painted..... white! Our old floor has risen fron the dust and is finely covered in white from the spraying of the bottom cabinets. My old appliances are (you guessed it) white. My brand new recessed lighting gives off a heck of a lot of light as opposed to the lovely flourescent big box it replaced (the electrician is coming back to put in dimmers) and all that white is really startling to me.

Granite goes in on Thursday then floors can be selected, which I know will help. I just had a real brain freezing moment last night and all that I have learned here just flew out of my head.

As many have experienced and stated here as the planner, designer, whatever we call ourself, most times we are too, too close to the intimate details and we imagine all who see our choices must be thinking "whoa, what the heck was she THINKING??"

DH came home and really thought it all looked great. He didn't want me to paint his solid wood cabinets and I was so certain he would regret letting me have my way. I think he likes it more than I do! We now have crown moulding from keeping old, shorter cabinets and that is an adjustment to see open space. Oh so many other things I can beat myself up about in the moment, so I better stop.

I told DH at least I have digital pictures of what was.... so I can look back and remember why we wanted this change.

Back to the boards, so many pesky details I haven't dealt with yet and I need inspiration that I find here so often.

*Deep breath and pulling up my big girl pants*
Time to get back to work! Thanks again, this has helped more than you can know :)

Can you post in-progress pictures? Sometimes we need our girlfriends to chime in to realize how wonderful things are. Like when you get a haircut, and you think it's okay, but maybe not, and then you have lunch with friends and they can't stop raving about your hair?!@??!

bestyears - I have to take some updated pics of my "white explosion" but I will try to get them on here today. I didn't want to post I guess for two reasons... the fear that someone will point out a mistake that I won't be able to change (trust me, I find quite a few on my own) and I wasn't sure how interested anyone would be in my in progress photos :) Thanks for asking!

I'd love to see your in-progress photos too. And I bet that you will love it when everything comes together. You can always swap out your white appliances to SS or black sometime down the road if you still think it's too much white. I just repainted my cabinets white and I love them. I almost had a last minute panic attack and wanted to change them to a cream color but I'm glad I stuck with the white. It's timeless and classic and clean. I'm sure your granite and floors will be beautiful.

Thanks nekothecat - I saw your comment on my newer thread, so you have seen the pictures. Do you have yours posted here?? I am so drawn to white kitchens and seeing other ones calms me down and confirms the choices I made.

Here is a link that might be useful: my 'White Explosion' in progress pics, as requested

It took me about a year to really learn to love my new kitchen. I had to keep telling myself, "it may not be perfect, but it will be great". I still have some details left to take care of (window treatments, paint color for my island) but I'm in no hurry and enjoying being in the "possibilities" stage.

I still have trouble seeing some of the other finished kitchens here because they all seem better than mine. Its a feeling I'm learning to realize is not envy, but just recognizing that I'm mourning the loss of being in the planning stages. Wondering about the road not traveled, you know? I think white kitchens are beautiful, but just having a white painted freestanding island, I know I couldn't deal with the smudges and paint chips that come with a white kitchen.

There is a reason you chose what you did, just keep reminding yourself of the whys.

Thanks for the encouragement lightlystarched! I have calmed down since my initial post and I'm better now...LOL

Of course, I have spent the entire day on this board when I am supposed to be cleaning before the next sub gets here. :)

I love white. But I know when it's not all put together it can look wrong. Wait till it's done. It's so easy to second guess ourselves along the way. And then it comes together. I don't know how but it does. And it will for you, too. I love this forum. It really helps when you're having doubts about EVERYTHING. Hang in there. I know the feeling! ;-)

I remember when the GC was putting the floor down. "How does it look?" asks my DH. "I don't think I like it" I whimpered.
"I'm sure you'll like it when it's all complete - you had a vision of how it would look, and you need to wait until it's all done"

He was spot on! Hold on to your vision of what it will be, and don't make up your mind until it's finished. And as has been said already: once you're actually cooking in it, you'll realise how great it is (your photos look great incidentally)
Hang in there!