When your ship comes in, go with taupe cabinets and chocolate milkshake walls.

Why not both check and floral? You have a number of opportunities in your kitchen to decorate with fabric. Your kitchen would look fabulous with a mix of black and white toile and a small matching check. You can do cushions on your chairs and bar stools, maybe a runner on the table, your window seat cushion, with an accent pillow on it.

I could see something like this on your windows, with the back side being done in a matching check so that just a bit of it shows:





You could also do a simple cornice. I just helped my neighbor put cornice boards up on her windows, just fabric and batting over a wood frame and it was a really easy project to do.

Here is a link that might be useful: simplicity patterns

Jesemy, did you look at the topper patterns at Southern Living? They're wonderful.

Yes, I have seen some cute toppers--just not sure which would work well with a bay window since the center window is so much larger than the side ones.

I've also made so many decorating mistakes that I feel paralyzed when selecting a fabric--should I stick to golds/taupes, go back to blue, etc.?

I think it would be great to add some color. I have a pattern that I have used a few times, I just add to the middle section to enlarge it.

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On the left side, on the door, I actually hot glued it to the top of the blind valence. On the other windows I used clips. If you get a decorative curtain rod for your bay window and use clips the way I did on my kitchen windows it would be very easy to get a valence to fit the space. Penneys should sell bay window curtain rods.

As far as what fabric to use, I would just take the paint chip for your wall color and try to find a fabric that you fall in love with. I know the picture is big, but I wanted you to see the clips.

Patricia, I took your comment as very negative. The OP didn't ask for an opinion on the granite, just commented on 'why did she choose it?' Why did you not even OFFER an idea for the curtains? Why post a comment that could be mis-construed as negative? Why post at ALL?

Jesemy, how about something with red, sage, and gold~ don't concentrate on the countertop 'matching'. I love pattern, so that would be my suggestion. Since everything is solid in the room, a pattern would add interest and give more life to the ktchen. I have that exact window shape in my kitchen, and at one time had balloon style valances, with half sheers cause I liked more privacy~the sheers were on top/bottom rods, as in what would be used on a French door. With your cute little window seat, I would add a seat cushion and larger pillows to create a very cozy little eating nook. Your kitchen has a lot of potential!

Hi Patty,
Thanks for the suggestions. I'm not sure if that post was meant to be a sarcastic or abrasive reply, but oh well--sometimes it's hard to "read" into what people are thinking when you're not face to face.

That granite--why in the world did I pick it? Oh well, I'll have to live with it for awhile. The lighting in the pictures is not very good--the new beige on the walls does pull the taupe out of the stone so it is an improvement. I would like to make the area around the table warm and cozy with something pretty on the windows, lots of pillows and a large cushion on the seat. I posted a few weeks ago about a fabric for some wing back chairs I inherited and still haven't gotten any farther with that either. The room in those pictures is visible from the kitchen--guess that's why I am leaning toward beige/blue. I had some Cantonese china in the kitchen as well, but it just didn't seem to work well with that #$%@ granite!

Thanks again and am looking forward to more suggestions!

Nancy

Here is a link that might be useful: Wing Back Chair post

If your looking to go gold with the wing chairs in the living room, than maybe a gold like color for the curtains for the bay window area, something like this window treatment. if you like them they are from pottery barn
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Bay windows can look beautiful. Here are some bay window treatments from the Southern Living Patterns (www.patemeadows.com) site I suggested for you. Did you go look at it?

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There are many more there.

I did look at the Pate Meadows patterns--some great ideas! Also, thanks for the pictures of the bay windows.

Now I have to find some reasonably price fabric--suggestions?

I'd watch for fabric store sales in your area... maybe a January sale to reduce inventory? It's awfully hard to pick out fabric over the web being that monitors often don't show colors correcty.

Hi Nancy, people should re-read their post before hitting submit~I don't accept rude in any form.

My bad~I didn't realize you wanted to use blue. Your FR is beautiful and I would definitely keep the same color in the kitchen, but maybe add *another* color?? Maybe a bright gold? With the heavy metal chandlier, metal bakers rack, and pot rack with copper pots, you're already got a nice European look started, sort of Italian.

Cindy posted some great valances~I think my fav is the 1st one. Add simple panels in the FR in the same fabric from the kitchen. Do you have a Home Fabrics in your area? Their fabric prices are as low as wholesale prices. Jo Ann's has sales where you can get 50% off, but you'll need the coupon from the Sunday paper. They have a pretty good selection. Have you looked on any of the on-line sites? You'll know it when you see it!

Jesemy, you've mentioned twice that you want to warm up the space. Your tile and counters are cool colours ... very similar to my old kitchen. I had butter squash walls and multi-coloured fabric for my curtains. The fabric had lots of red, some taupe and blue in it. I would suggest adding red to give you the warmth you're looking for. Look for fabric that incorporates your other colours in the kitchen and I think you'll be happy.

Hi Patty, I'm with you on the bad manners--guess there are some folks who like to provoke. Guess I was trying to give the benefit of the doubt.

I don't necessarily want to stick with blue--jeez, how I hate that granite! It's so dominant, that I don't know if red would look out of place.

Thanks for the suggestions, Dawn--guess I'll keep looking for something with all the colors!

Jesemy, you're wise to give the benefit of the doubt. I thought Patricia was just responding to your statement about what you would want to get rid of when your ship comes in.

Anyway, lovely room! I think if you get something like Dawn is suggesting you might not even notice the granite. Really!!

I thought Patricia was indicating that when your ship comes in, instead of getting rid of the granite, you could paint the cabinets and the walls, keeping the countertop. I didn't take it as a rude comment at all!

I'm no good at choosing patterned fabric, so I will not make any suggestions there.

I would try to do the window treatment as one continuous sweep, like the examples, rather than three chopped up ieces.

You say go back to blue could we see your old treatments?

Lovely kitchen, BTW.

I simply must chime in to say that I love your cabinets, backsplash, wall color and yes your granite choice! I think it is lovely. I would go with something simple, possibly one or two color choices in the window treatment, and I think it should be one continuous soft treatment, with fabrics on the window seat to coordinate. I made something for a bay window in a previous home of mine. I picked out fabric that I love, hung hooks between the windows and on the ends, swagged the fabric loosely through, folded up the ends and pinned in the creases and stuffed with a little tissue paper here and there. It was a red and soft tan/yellow pin striped very nice fabric that I got on clearance. It really looked fabulous. Then my sweet mother made me a table cloth to match. Maybe you could do something similiar with a dusty gray/blue? The ideas are endless. I would love to have granite, and would love to have a window seat. Enjoy your great kitchen.

I happen to really like your kitchen and that includes your Granite and BS. It's very neutral. Once you add color, I think you will change your mind.

I would suggest starting with sample fabrics from Calico Corners or Joannes if they are near your home. Don't be afraid to use fabrics with a black, brown, or gray background. Try to find one that contains a color similar to the wall color in the pattern. It does not have to be exact. Actually, it would be more interesting if it isn't exact.

I had valances in my last kitchen which had a black background and lots of colors. I was able to pull in an assortment of colors through the rest of the kitchen whether it be dishes, bowls, pictures, or placemats etc. because of the fabric in the valance. It was a more traditional kitchen than I have now and very eclectic.

Once you find a fabric you like, then you can decide what style valance would work. Tape the fabric onto the wall and look at it for a couple of days.

Jesemy
I really like your kitchen. As for window treatments, in teh post by oceanna, I can see the second and fourth ones very happily in your kitchen. They happen to be solid colors, but I do think that florals and or checks could do very nicely~ your idea of a taupe I think would do fine, but I would make sure that there were some other splashes of color (like red-orange-cranbury range).