desertsteph ~ Yep, I did them on-site. This was the second time I've re-laminated them in 10 years. Our original choice turned out to be (ahem) less-than-expected, to say the least. At the time they were delivered for installation, DH said that I should "live with them for a while" and if, in a few years, I still didn't like them I could replace them. After three looong years I decided it was time but I didn't want to rip out a perfectly good countertop/base or pay the $$$ when they were only three years old. That's when I decided to tackle the job. After much research and speaking to people in the trades is when I took the plunge. I have to say the first time it was definitely nerve wracking but the seconfd time was much less stressful. The first time I re-did them I chose a solid laminate from Wilsonart called, aptly, "Port". Here's a pic mid-process. Notice the fugly original counters to the right of the stove. Definitely not what I ecpected them to look like. I admit the mistake was mine because there's no way anyone can tell what a whole counter will look like when all you jhave is a tiny little sample chip. Duh. The problem with the red counters was twofold ~ because they were a solid with no texture or pattern, they showed every scratch. Because they were red, they faded quite quickly in the bright sun. So that's my story ;o) My experience has been that, unless the countertop is very light, I would stay away from a solid color laminate countertop with no pattern or texture. Tannatonk ~ Thank you for the compliments. We love our little piece of heaven.

White paint was too expensive except for the best parts of the house. The inventories for the neighborhood houses (1830s-40s) list a (cheaper) trim color called stone or buff, that was probably a warm light grey, and this is supported by some of the lowest layers of paint on my woodwork. (On the third floor) The hidden portion of my pocket shutters was an ochery light gold kind of color, and it appeared to be a single layer of paint. However, since this surface was hidden when open and faced out when covering the windows it lends credence to the theory that they may have been white and this is how the 170 year old paint oxidized. I did pick a dark charcoal grey as one of my cabinet colors, but more to match the black&gold marble fireplaces than to be "period". So while I do agree that a second color may be good for the unfitted look, maybe not something as strong as black necessarily. As far as the baseboards go, a paint analysis of Lemon Hill, a Federal house here, indicated that there was a dark brown band painted around the entire perimeter of the room corresponding with the lower portion of the baseboard, the doors and their surrounds and the mantlepieces, as if a level line had been painted around the entire room without regard to what detail it was going on. This was apparently done because the floors were mopped or swept with sand and the dark band camouflaged spatter.

I, too, am pondering the same! Soapstone and marble are on my wish list. We have maple cabinets with a cherry stain, & I wonder if the soapstone would be too dark on the perimeter, yet that is where it would work best functionally, i.e., wouldn't have to worry about staining, can put hot items directly on counter, etc. Yet would it be too dark? Perhaps a lot of under cabinet lighting would help, along with a light backsplash. A designer friend told me soapstone is too dark for my space; would work fine if I had white cabinets (which I can't justify since our current ones are in great shape). Yet I still pine for soapstone; I want to find a place for it (right now I have a soapstone spoon rest :). The soapstone on just the island could work, then marble or quartzite on the perimeter. I just don't know, and today I have soapstone samples on the counters trying to imagine it. I may look for a dark sheet or tablecloth to put on the counters to try and get a better feel for the look. I love the brown marbles, but I've read that etching is more noticeable with darker marbles, so something to consider. For now, I am hunting for a remnant to put on the small island; then I could figure out the perimeters later. Not ideal, but that would be a good "test" for us on the marble/soapstone. If it didn't work, we would repurpose it for vanity counters. With white cabinets, you have more options. I will be following this thread with much interest! Good luck! wags

I'm totally forgetting about trying to create a modern aesthetic. This kitchen will be what it is. We're quirky and I guess it'll be the same. We ordered this light fixture for over the seating island: Fireclay sent me samples of Tusk and Gardenia tile and Supernova, Cotton, Vintage Blue, and Snow brick samples earlier this week. I love the brick! It's thicker than regular tile. I'm guessing that it's ~ 1/2" thick. I'm not sure if that's a concern or not. As with anything I'm sure there are pros and cons. My Fireclay rep offered to send me a full sized brick and was gracious enough to agree to send me two, one in Cotton and the other in Silk. FYI: Brick is 2.5" x 8" Cotton: With its hazy fine-spun finish infused with the slightest hint of gray, Cotton offers a soft and cloudy white. Silk: A creamy white glaze is infused with a warm ivory undertone for a soft and inviting backdrop, flecked with hints of texture. Here is an inspiration pic from their site where they mixed Cotton and Snow. Cotton has gray tones and the Snow is on the whiter end of the spectrum, so I thought maybe bringing in the warmer, creamy white of the Silk instead of Snow would be a good move. I'm unsure about the two-toned look, but thought I'd get input from you all. Other considerations are using Ceres and Silk. Ceres: Named for an asteroid barely visible from earth, this milky white glaze resonates with the same subtle beauty. So, two-toned look yay or nay? If yay, which two? If nay, which one? Because of townlakecakes' collages, we're going to revisit the color options for the LVP. Our GC sent out an email connecting us with his flooring guy this morning. Hopefully we'll be able to meet in the next few days to look at other options. Taken this morning: the rough plumbing is in. The window is boarded up for now. Starting to think I may have gone a tad too big with that window.