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kiwigem_gw

Calling all Scandinavian design fans! Over-thinking alert.

Kiwigem
9 years ago

Ok GWers, I'm about to ask you the impossible: Know me better than I know myself even though you've never met me :-)

This is about our kitchen, but it's really a design question, so I'm posting here.

We are building a Scandinavian style house, with an overall palette of white, black, wood, stone, and metal. I know, not super original, but I've always loved what I'd call "elemental" homes. Anyway I've wanted soapstone counters my entire adult life. I've also become smitten with marble/quartzite in recent years, so I'm hoping to include both.
Here's the dilemma: I want the soapstone on the edge counters and the quartzite on the island because I think the way I use those areas will lend themselves to those surfaces. I had been planning to use white cabinets on the walls (only having lower cabinets) and walnut or other natural wood for the island. All seemed well and good until it occurred to me that all the white Scandinavian style kitchens I have seen and liked have either white or wood counters. Whenever I see the soapstone with the white cabinets it seems more formal/traditional than I think I want. So now I'm toying with what I thought was a winning combination.

Some ideas:

Have edge cabinets painted grey/black to match the soapstone.

Have a black toe kick with white cabinets and soapstone countertop to make it seem more furniture-ish. (see attached photo)

Stick with white cabinets and omit soapstone (ouch- my heart!) and just do quartzite everywhere.

Go back to the original plan. It's fine. Quit over thinking.

Help!

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