WOW! Thank you all for the kind comments! I'm feeling warm all over:) Carecooks, good luck and have fun with your remodel: It's great to be able to make a place your own. I'm kind of envious that you are just starting...WAIT what AM I saying?! The cabinets are from a local cabinet maker, natural cherry. The copper is NO care, but I like the patina. Definitely not a surface for people who don't want drips and splotches to show. Circuspeanut (funny!) the paint is Sherwin Williams, Fireweed and Blonde. I decided to try matte paint this time around because I didn't want the sheen to interfere with what I saw. DH thought it looked a little third world, but, I believe, is used to it now. Boysrus2, I promise more island photos tomorrow evening. There are drawers, a sink with a lot of stuff jammed into it, an oven, and a small wine rack. Oh, and a secret place. I'll try to get some representative photos tomorrow. Thanks for your patience. It's only a slightly better mess tonight (a week's accumulation), but I'll spiff it up and shoot it. oh yeah, and mustbnuts, it's verde fuoco on the island. Thanks again, you guys are making my day!

I am still in the ABB club but making progress. Our kitchen started out contemporary/modern but ended up transitional. Initially, I really wanted back painted glass but just could not get the glass to talk to the countertop. I did not want subway (reminds me of elementary school or an old hospital - sorry) Tile is Grazia Rixi Crema and the inset is called Beach - from Tile-shop.com (not tileshop.com) This is the tile and inset we are going to order - working on shipping arrangements as has to go to a business or the shipping costs as much as the tile!! Plan on one layer of 5x5, then the inset, and then diagonal above. These are all different color tiles as I only have one sample of the color. I might put a few small medallions above the cooktop (see Chitown - not sure she posted) L-shaped section of the kitchen (there bake zone is on the opposite side) but might give you an idea of at the style.

Love love love this topic. Your kitchens are amazing. Looking for pics of stainless; particularly of stainless with white cabinets and beadboard backsplash... Have you ever seen this combo? Any ideas would be awesome. Again truly amazing kitchens!!

My 4 sons, I die for beaded inset cabinets, but I really love the bead on the edges of your overlay cabs! Really a nice detail. Angelazuill, I'd love to see a close up of your cabs. I love hickory's grain, and with a darker stain... Wow! I started out with a painted kitchen (not white). Love love love it, but I got into stripping some reuse center, beaded inset cabinets and OMG. Changed my life. Ok, just my kitchen, but it's important. I am now in love with my perfect, weathered oak finish. (Ask me. You can do it, too, without it looking like someone did a bad white wash finish.) Unfortunately, I also stripped some cherry down to chocolate brown, so I have a very different, (used to be called "mismatched" but now it's "eclectic" or "bespoke") ... environment. I also made maple butcher block counters, so what a ... variety ... of woods. :) Be warned about the Finished Kitchens blog. It'll suck you in like Pinterest and Houzz. I suggest Pinning everything in one place, though. It helps with sanity not to have to run all over to find that "one" picture.