oh yea...still need window treatments too!

Wow! Terrific transformation! Love the rich color, and those pendants are Gorgeous!

great update! love the pendants - did you get them in AZ?

I love it. The wrought iron is beautiful.I love that you left the walls white. It has a stucco vibe. It really doesn't "need" more. Your style reminds me of the tile I have around my woodstove . The simplicity is refreshing and as much I as love the TB, your cabs are a scene stealer. The wood is stunning! What are the details on them?

Here is a link that might be useful: Montagna Cortina by Marazzi

Thanks everyone! :)

ptamom: actually the walls are Desert Sand by Valspar (Lowes brand) At least I think that was the color. Can't find the info. now.
The cabs are Kraftmaid, in cognac stain, on oak.

desertsteph:I found the pendants on-line, here: http://thesouthweststore.com/CCPEM1_series.html
Lots of nice stuff!

Nice job!!!

I love how much better it looks now! The white walls with white cabs were too much in this instance. Your new cabs and counter are a rich counterbalance to the white walls.
It looks like it belongs now....

Wow, the light and vaults just make that wood glow. I wouldn't go crazy on the backsplash. You don't want to minimize these cabinets.

Love the richness of the colours. The TB goes so well in there, those pendants are gorgeous, everything!
Question: where did you get your stools?

Wow....That's beautiful! Do you need someone to stay there when you're living at your main house? I'm available anytime! Lake Havasu.....isn't that where they put up a London Bridge????

Thank you all so much for your nice words.

LOL boylanite. Yes, the London Bridge is there. It's a wonderful little lake community. As I'm a teacher, I get to stay there quite a bit, in the summer. I love it, even though it can get up to 120 degrees! During the school year, my DH and I go out about every other weekend. It's a 5 hour drive, that we've gotten very used to.

sjmitch: The stools are from JC Penny. Funny story about those... The 29" were too tall, and the 24" too short. My DH cut down the 29", by 3". Now there perfect! :)

So happy to hear nice things about the cabinets. After reading a lot on GW, I felt like oak might be out of style, but we love them.

Guess my camera isn't very good, as those walls are NOT white, in person. Or maybe I should paint them again, a little darker?

Great job! Must have been difficult planning and executing this from a distance. Enjoy the rest of the summer there!

I just looked again and can see the walls are not white.
I was also surprised to see the cabs were oak because the cognac stain gives them a different look. I had gone straight to pix and not read all the details first. I bet that anyone who comes here asking what to do to their honey oak cabs will be directed to your kitchen. Adding that stain transforms the oak from normal to special ;)
No matter the details, this is a very pretty kitchen! I love the warmth and how the vaulted ceiling looks with your cabs.

Beautiful job! The granite looks amazing and so do the cabs!

Hopefully, this isn't a double post, as my computer froze, when I tried to post it before.

Thanks, Breezy and ONU! Yes, I'm sure the distance added to those sleepless nights! I was able to take a few vacation days, so I was there during the cabinet and then the granite install. We also had a wonderful neighbor, who let people in and out.

Dianalo, Wow, thanks! I probably wouldn't have gone with oak, had Lowes not had this exact stain, on oak, in their showroom. I made the salesman double check that it really was oak! We have those honey oak cabinets, in our 25 year old kitchen, here at home. Can't wait to do somthing about that, but it will be a couple of year now.

I love the warmth of wood! Oak with the right stain is beautiful!!!You certainly chose a wonderful stain to compliment the grain of the oak! Enjoy your warm kitchen!