your budget isn't huge (i know that dosen't sound right...given you can buy a car for that amount of money...but cabs are dear) so first off i think you need to think about priorities for the spaces and your design hopes. if blue granite is your dream...you're going to need to go with a simple and pretty basic cabinet to keep your costs down. inset doors for instance...they're about an average 20% upcharge...paint, ditto that. but if you want formica, or a less expensivee granite say prefab from china, you can do more with your cabs. keeping your door styles simple saves a lot on the budget. my son's bathroom cabs were rediculously expensive...but thats because i fell in love with a very expensive finish and door style...thank god he dsen't have many cabs! personally i went with the best built cabs i could afford. i like the look of those simple consoe sinks, but is there enough storage in a kids bth with those? an idea to keep some costs down are to use unusual items for your vanety...like an antique dresser or other cabinet. its an easy retrofit to a pretty oak piece to make it work well...add either a well finished top, or a simple marble top...and you have a lovely piece.

Alabamamommy - It was a long and more complicated process than I expected. I expected picking stone counters would be difficult, paint colors are always a challenge but hardware? One thing to keep in mind that if you pick a standard size - I think that 3.5" or 4" center to center are common measurements - you can always change them (especially if you have not spent a fortune.) I definitely recommend going to a local hardware store and picking up a few - different finishes, different styles - to start to narrow down what you are attracted to. We also put the samples on the doors (we used that adhesive tacky putty but the tape mentioned above may work better.) You may get lucky and find one you love, but if not you will have a better idea of the style or finish that works for you. Then you can order samples - from one of the online knob sites, a local restoration hardware (they don't charge you shipping if you order from the store - I even ordered on the phone via the store so I didn't even have to go to the mall :) or other store that carries hardware. We have a great local hardware store that carries all kinds, BUT each manufacturer charges shipping so it stinks for samples (versus the online consolidators that will charge you one fee even if you order from different manufacturers.) I also found some online stores that specialized in more period hardware, even some more simple (www.whitechaple-ltd.com, wwww.houseofantiquehardware.com and www.horton-brasses.com.) The surprising thing was to me some handles looked good in some finishes but not in others. Additionally, finishes look different for each manufacturer - some lacquer, some don't, some times there is a "grain" on a brushed knob or pull that goes in a certain direction. Some knobs have an orientation. OK - maybe I have freaked you out more at this point. I surprised myself in the process - I originally wanted a silver color but not polished (actually loved the pewter but everything was either rustic or super expensive.) BUT - I ended up with polished nickle because it really complimented my natural birch cabinets AND I used ORB on my white island and cabinets AND used glass knobs and satin nickle on my desk/hutch. Oh yeah AND two different handle styles AND knobs. I also wanted something that was a little old (we have a turn of the century house) at the same time contemporary. I went with Restoration hardware bistro pulls - but almost went with the House of Antique Hardware's "Classic Early 20th Century Pull" (and don't even look at Sun Valley bronze unless you have an "unlimited budge" - they are beautiful :) Regarding you kitchen - I love ORB with white, but you have to decide do you want hardware to stand out as ORB does with your walnut accents. I became attached to PN because it actually reflects what is there and therefore doesn't stand out as much as an ORB but give a lightness and glow that I didn't expect. Chrome is "cooler" looking than PN to me. Satin nickle (stainless has a similar look but is more expensive) would be more "modern" and does look really nice on the white as well. There is also antique brass (sort of a dulled almost browned brass - not shiny) that would give you more of a classic feel and may be a nice compliment to walnut but based on what I read this may not be your cup of tea (I have just warmed to it recently.) Obviously I still have some hardware baggage based on my long post - I wish you luck and hope that some of this helps.

We matched the color of white trim we had throughout the house (SW Dover White) because I had lived with the white for years and still loved it. By going with the trim color, I was a little more confident that the cabs would like they belonged with the rest of the house. If you love the color of your white trim, that could be an easy answer to a very tough question. Our walls are SW Honied White and I like how the white trim pops just a bit against the walls but the low contrast makes it look unified and airy.

Thanks, everyone, for your input and kind words!! :) It sounds like folks fall on both sides of the debate - polished nickel vs. dark hardware. Keep the opinions coming! If you have any recs of a different type of pull, feel free to share! amyfgib - Thanks! It's hard to tell in the pics, but it’s oiled walnut. mrsshayne - Thanks! I really need to learn how to do mock-ups like that! Attached is a crude sketch of what I had in mind regarding placement of knobs and pulls. I was thinking two knobs on each of the three 36"-wide drawers b/c I tend to like that look (and it’s cheaper), but I also like the pulls that mrsshayne put there. I was thinking 6" pulls for the 18" drawers and trash pull-out and either 6” or 3” pulls hung vertically on the lower pantry doors, but am open to other suggestions! Thanks again!