Okay, now that you've explained all that, I think I understand. I live in a open plan and everyone still crowds into the kitchen! I am a believer that function comes first and form should follow. You'll end up with a hybrid look, but it will be better for living I am sure. I was also thinking how nice it is that the sink and DW will be right there. We have a similar set-up from the patio, we can pass dishes through a sliding window right onto the sink deck. It's great. Getting back to your original questions...I don't know a lot about soapstone, but I think if you can find a "clean" one it will be okay. You mean for in the kitchen, right? I was thinking about wood for the bar surface. Then as I read back, I think you have already considered that. Don't rule out quartz, btw. Not sure why you don't like granite...maybe just because you love soapstone! Also, do get a quote on custom (not the brand...the concept!) because it might price out better than you think and you'll get exactly what you want. Maybe you can make a trade-off somewhere. Contractors in some areas are slow with the decline in the market. People I know have been getting fast service and better prices. I think the biggie is finding fridge panels and slab doors that really look nice with your DR furniture. Counter material is less important IMO. I don't like the white as much as I like the Custom doors...wood with black, especially for the fridge. Mixing in some painted black units could give you the unfitted look suggested above. And maybe you could even find frameless cabs to paint black to go with whatever you have to do to get the black/wood look on some of them. (Yes, leave it to me to make things as difficult as possible!) Have you thought about color? I know Allison's F&B French Gray appeals to you. Maybe there is a color in the Bird of P fabric you could use, a dark gray/green or something. Often, one way to ease a style transition is through color. Like even when the style is different (a less formal kitchen) if there is a color connection, it makes sense to the eye/brain on a deeper level. I do it all over my house...because I have no style! ;-) One last thing to think about... I am a huge fan of frameless cabs and will never "go back" if I don't have to. But, I also find that I can get along fine with very little in the kitchen in the way of food and equipment. I have satellite storage (pantry shelves in the nearby laundry room and a linen closet I borrowed for seldom used dishes, candles, napkins, etc.) and find I really only need about 20-30% of what I have (equipment and food) on a daily basis. Just something to think about...aesthetics vs. storage. Which matters the most, etc...

I've seen it done with transition painting. HTH Here is a link that might be useful: Ben Moore

Family room wall shared with kitchen wall. Planning on gray for family room. Kitchen has Maple 'toffee' colored cabinets. Will eventually paint kitchen, but not sure if family room paint should stop or carry through into kitchen. Hate having a straight line dividing the two. Any ideas, or what color would compliment kitchen cabinets with the gray. Will also be painting all trim/doors work to white. .

I agree that's what needs to be done. I'm a little embarassed to admit it, but that's exactly the way the wall used to be. We had matching wainscoting on both sides of that large doorway. Then, when they came to install our countertops, the wainscoting stuck out too far for the edge of the countertop to be flush against the wall. That's when some dummy (ME) came up with the idea to pull it all out and just extend the tile all the way over. Could kick myself..... I think I will just recreate what was there, before. (see picture) Thanks so much for the advice.