We have just about zero wall space. I put b&w photos my daughter (a jr. in high school at the time) took during our first family overseas trip (to Italy)on the sides of some tall cabinetry. I love the look and the memories (dd is about to grad. from college.) We also have small family photos (also from trips) on little shelves in the kitchen.

Oh, whoops...were you the one who asked me that before? Sorry!!! It's called Wood Skein by Sherwin-Williams. I used their Duration Matte finish. I know many people prefer semi-gloss in the kitchen for washability's sake, but I think this stuff has held up great (two years and counting!). :) Sarah

Donnakay, I've been reading that analog watches are actually back in style with younger folks, as a fashion statement (maybe not high school kids yet, but with younger professionals). It's the only mechanical thing in their lives and is therefore "retro" cool. Swatch reported its sales of analog watches was up this year as well. So maybe they're all relearning how to tell time! Here is a link that might be useful: Watches back in style

Hi lascatx, thanks for responding! Yes, that helps a lot! Wow, that's cool that you worked out a color to go with both blue and a red brick fireplace! I'm having Cambria Bristol Blue counters, so am trying to balance a color that won't clash with that dark bluish-gray, and not make the kitchen seem too 'cold'. Here's what I'm mulling through: - The trim in the dining room next to the kitchen is Benjamin Moore White Dove at 150% (color matched by the local Ben Moore store as that trim is its current color). - So, I'm thinking of having all the casings/trim in the kitchen be that same White Dove, just to make that decision easier. - The White Dove seems pretty close to the Brookhaven Nordic White cabinets, so I'm looking for a shade that'll go with both that white shade and the Bristol Blue countertops. I like the idea of having a warm tone on the walls, as long as it doesn't clash with the cooler whites of the cabinets and trim. (And then of course is considering the light in the room, both the window light during the day and then the electric at night). Over the weekend, I looked at some varied color strips from the paint store and liked: - Ylang Ylang (on the more yellow side) - Mayonnaise - White Blush (next to Mayonnaise on the color strip) - Vapor (which is a little grayer than the White Blush) Our dining room has one wall that's Linen White with the White Dove trim, which looks ok there, but the Linen White looks a little too cold when it's up against my Bristol Blue sample. Ah, decisions decisions! There are just so many colors available. The Cambria site actually gives some Ben Moore color suggestions for their counters. For Bristol Blue, they suggest Refined, but that seems too gray in the room. (It's a northwest-facing kitchen.) Thanks so much for describing your paint color--it helps a lot to hear that a color towards the yellows would work out. --Lee