Hi chaimama! This remodel was supposed to begin 2 years ago, so I certainly understand about delays. I hope you won't have to wait too long. I will definitely post some pics for you when I have them. I'm hoping the marble will be in by end of next week. The stainless steel counters won't go in until second week of March. It takes 3 weeks to fabricate them, and we're going on vacation soon in a few weeks, so they won't install till we get back. Oopsie, sorry for thread-jack, havnfun! Erika

Congratulations on your new home, Ritholtzes. Regarding the wood shutters, a fair number of people here weren't alive last time they were considered very desirable, and if they were in style now advice would be leaning a very different direction. Same shutters, different points on the trend graph. When I was young they were very highly thought of, quality throwbacks to the American colonial/revolutionary era that was very in style. That was our own new parents era and we could have afforded the sort of fine 18th century furniture being shown in decorating magazine pictures about as readily as the shutters on the windows beside it then. If they were mine, because I do like sunshine, if they could be folded back against the sides of the windows I'd do that. Otherwise, I'd just take down all that I didn't want to leave up now and clean, wrap, and store them. I personally would only paint any if that was right for the decor, and that kitchen makes me wonder about that. BTW, although I prefer very light kitchens, I also really like dark when it's done well--no wishy-washying around midway, rich and dark and luscious. That's your kitchen. It feels good to me too, and it going to be magnificent in the evening. I wouldn't want the floor a bit lighter, or the cabinets. I would prefer the hood vertical so art could be hung straight, like my hood and my art standing on its shelf, but oh well. :)

ctnewbie- I have the magazine you are talking about and I love the kitchen you mention. I've saved it as an inspiration picture, too. (I also like the green island on the cover and the copper sink on page 44). I'd call the cabinets medium rather than dark; I've seen much darker cherry cabinets. And, with the soapstone, it has the best of both worlds. I believe it falls in the "timeless category" pretty well except for maybe the largest slate tiles (of the various sizes) for the backsplash. I like the tiles and DH says "less grout". I figure if you're not designing your kitchen for resale, use what you like. I've seen lots of white kitchens here that I really like a lot, but I prefer wood for myself. But I do believe that white is timeless.

We went for a contrast, mostly because I wanted medium-dark wood cabinets and we wanted to keep the original light maple floors. I've always thought contrast is better. However, we just finished our laundry room which is monochromatic in its wood tones and I love it! We had the original fir floors and wanted to use Ikea cabinetry but felt very limited in finding a fit with our old farmhouse. We ended up with oak cabinets and a butcherblock top. When it came together I realized it was all pretty much the same tone and color (along with the trim around the window) and it feels very soothing to me. We have some white shelving in the room + white appliances which provide contrast, but as far as the wood, I like the way it came together as much as our kitchen with the contrasts. Based on these experiences (and from seeing finished kitchens on this site but sometimes a 2D image just isn't the same as standing in a room) I feel as though either can work well. The trim in our house is pretty much the same color as our kitchen cabinets (but I painted the kitchen trim white because I wanted to lighten up the room with our darkish cabinets and dark counters.)