It looks so cool!! I love the blue and green, especially if your on the beach like your name suggests. You did a fantastic job, wish I had the guts to order colored cabs.

Thanks for sharing and enjoy!

Yes Chinet but where did you get them and how much?

There are a lot of things in this kitchen that are not my taste (which is probably a compliment in itself) but I think it is really lovely. I believe the photos are not doing the colour any favour but nonetheless (as someone doing an off white kitchen) it is nice to see a less common colour and the layout is very nice and streamlined - the moulding is great. I have to say marble in white kitchens is just too sterile for me but with the contrast with your cupboard colour the marble really holds a lot more visual interest than in a white kitchen - you really see it in your kitchen, it has impact. I love the period feel juxtaposed with the edgier colour.

I might switch out the pendants but I'm not much of a risk taker. Congratulations.

LOVE it!! I am so jealous of your marble and wood top......I tried so hard to make wood work for my island and I just couldn't. ENJOY!!!
Kara

Beachbum, I love your kitchen---especially the way you've managed to frame the veining in the marble backsplash over the cooktop and sink. Very nice!
Could you comment on:
a) how you find living with marble (is it holding up to spills?)
b) how you like the microwave drawer?
c) where'd you find that great floral rug?
Thanks for posting the pictures!

Yeah, I'd have to agree with Caryscott on the pendants:) Who knew there were so many uses for paper plates????? Seriously though, what pendants are you putting in? Do you have pictures of them?

I think your kitchen is very pretty! I adore mustard in real life so I love the color of your cabs. The marble is to die for as is the walnut. That is now my most coveted wood. Simply gorgeous! Great job! Although the paper plate lights are very creative.....

It's a gorgeous kitchen !! unique.

are you beachbum from homeportfolio and great impressions years ago ? If so, I remember when you were just building the house.

That looks like a great kitchen for a family to live in. Terrific! I love seeing people using color and only wish we could see exactly what you have. But it's wonderful anyway. Congratulations on successfully creating a place you love to be.

I love it! It's so nice to see a bold, personal kitchen. You did a wonderful job-- enjoy!

SQUEEEEEEAAAAAALLLLLL!!!! I looooove itl!!!!!

I've clipped pictures of my favorite kitchens here for years - don't ask me why, we just redid our kitchen 3 years ago - and they are all white or grey muted colours. Despite that, I think yours is my all time favourite. I just love, love, love it. Did I mention I like your kitchen?

I bet you smile every time you walk in, don't you?

positano-thanks for the compliments. we do live at the beach and I use a lot of those colors in my home. i realize it doesn't work for everyone, but we love it.

Caryscot- Well even if you don't really like my kitchen I'm glad to know that you can appreciate the concept of the juxtposition. It is exactly what I wanted to achieve and it makes me feel good to feel like it works. So thanks :)

halbert
I don't know about the marble yet. We have been babying it and haven't had a real mess yet. Time will tell I guess :)

The microwave drawer isn't one. It is a electrolux speed cook oven. It microwaves and uses convection and halogen heat to cook like an oven. I would say it is more oven than microwave. So far we've really enjoyed using it, but it is very menu based so inconvenient being under the counter.

The rug is from pottery barn. It is in stores now (and on sale :))

karalouise-thanks for the compliments. I just love the wood top too. I wanted something that would be a work horse, but I just can't bare to abuse it (yet).
I'm open to suggestions on the pendants. I almost ordered some classic school house lights, but have been having second thoughts. Now I'm thinking some fabric drum shades might be nice.

mustbenuts-thanks for the compliments

mitchdesj-what a good memory you have. Yes, it's stil me. :) I don't really lurk or post to decorating websites anymore...just when I have a big project going on.

Rosie-ah yes. No one wishes those colors would come through more than me. :) I almost didn't post because of it, but then I thought what the heck.

morton5-thanks for the kudos. You are right--in that it is "personal". We started out thinking we were going to do a white on white kitchen. But in the end DH and I both knew I'd be trying to pop some color in there...We can always paint it white later :)

budge1--I got a squeal? Really? Oh that makes me so happy :) Thanks for the enthusiasm. Even though I love my kitchen it just feels good to know that someone else likes it too.

I think you did a terrific job. I love to see COLOR! But my absolute favorite is your spectacular black walnut counter. I love the way you have chosen traditional elements and put your own spin on it. Very creative and original. Yours might be a good kitchen to add more color in glass pendant lights if you can find a compatible shade.

Hey, I had those same pendants for awhile! ;-) They helped me position my schoolhouse lights and decide how long they should be. Very helpful little tools.

Also, as I was looking through the photos I was really loving the style of your cabinet doors, then realized they're the same as mine! I guess we both chose well. :-)

Mostly, I'm drooling over your island. (Is it green or gray?) The styling is so wonderful and that walnut top is ...So great I don't really even have a word for it.

Congratulations to another who loves color in her kitchen. It's a masterpiece.

I know school house pendants seem to be done to death, but I really see them in your space. Can't really picture the drums (even tho I love them, just not in your space). What about school house with a band of colour in the white shade?

What about bentley or old dominion?

Here is a link that might be useful: Schoolhouse electric lighting

WOW HOW BEAUTIFUL! I really like it even if the color on the monitor is not true! The corner cabinet is great too.

beachbum, I also only frequent these forums ; 6 years ago we had just built our house, now that house is sold, and I have a large condo which I am just finishing up.
I do have a good memory for certain things, that's for sure; you always had interesting decors, that may be why I remembered your screen name.

once again, congrats on a super cool kitchen. I wil be sharing my new kitchen pictures soon.

I love everything about your space. Colors and marble and wood..you have done a fantastic job ! Not a squeal...but a nice slow clap....you have got a GREAT kitchen ! c

I love your kitchen -- I'm a color person too and while I love the look of white on white kitchens -- it wouldn't be me either. Who made your cabinets? I like their nice crisp lines -- it all really works together nicely in your space.

As for your pendants -- I also was thinking the schoolhouse with the stripe. I wouldn't do drum -- art glass? or is that too off for the rest of your house???

Thanks for sharing

Those marble and walnut counters are gorgeous!
lovely kitchen...

I am so glad you shared. I love it. I love that you did color on your cabinets. Great job all around.

Wow! How fun! You've done a terrific job. The marble is fabulous. This looks like a kitchen for a family to use and enjoy. Did you paint your own cabinets? If you have time, I'd love to hear more about that.

Pam

Oooh, I really love it. I love it all! The cabinet colors, both your counter choices. So glad you are happy with the new set-up!! I think your carrara is quite "fancy"! And I am going to have to borrow your chinette idea to check on my pendant length which I have been trying to eyeball. Great idea!!! Congratulations.

Beautiful!!! Nothing else to say.

I love the schoolhouse pendant with the stripe too.....perfect!

The first thing I thought when I saw your pictures was that I love the cabinet color. I don't know what they're really like, but they photograph beautifully. I agree that you got a beautiful piece of Carrara. Did you pick it out yourself? It's exciting to see, because I'm making my own cabinets (first one started today!) and we'll have a similar sink and counter situation.

How refreshing to see someone use color so fearlessly! After my own heart!

On a functional level, I love that your kitchen works like a galley, the most practical kitchen design IMO, but incorporates the island/bar for the kiddos. Brava!

Really, really nice job! Love it all, especially the island. My temporary pendants were balloons...an idea I got from this forum.

Ha! Amy took my words away! I was going to say "a girl after my own heart!" That color is much like the Devine Ginko I have in my laundry room -- I love it! What a brilliant use of it, with uber-classic walnut and marble, and crystal knobs. Also really love the corner cabinet--a beautiful influence on flow and energy. That's my special favorite :)

GREAT Kitchen. I am so glad to see color. I would love to do red cabinets, but my husband thinks I'm crazy. I am in the planning stage and this forum is fantastic.

WOW! Beautiful kitchen - a real inspiration. Thanks for sharing!

Well, I have a new favorite kitchen now...

I LOVE everything about it. Just everything. Spectacular use of color, glass knobs, carrera, walnut--all of my favorite things in one small space. What a GREAT job.

I was on the Restoration Hardware site yesterday and their lamps are ON SALE! I think the Sawyer or the Optic would be great in your gorgeous kitchen. Check them out!

Here is a link that might be useful: Restoration Hardware Pendants

Absolutely gorgeous! Love everything about it. WOW!

This is my favorite kind of kitchen...personal and unique!
Congrats on a beautiful space!
vic

beachbum... love the name as I am one myself! I was never a painted cab fan but there is something so very charming about your kitchen that i am drawn to keep coming back to look at it. Each time I do I find some small touch that I love. Brilliant use of color! I really admire how you bucked tradition and created such a lovely space that must be so gratifying to work in. What really helps me most though is the layout. I've been STRUGGLING with trying to come up with a layout for a proposed remodel of a home we own but don't live in. IT's a quirky space. I've been inundated with fabulous pics of glorious HUGE kitchens that I think on some level has impacted my ability to find satisfaction with something that'll work for a small space meant for two people heading toward retirement. (man... that makes me feel so old to say that!) Seeing your kitchen has helped me realize how one of my proposed layouts would look in real life... and I CAN see myself being happy in that space. It just so happens that this kind of layout would be the least expensive to create and the one that my DH would be most receptive too.
Thank you for posting your pic. You have really created a beautiful and unique kitchen that I know you must be very proud of.

Terrific kitchen, beachbum! Your island conversion makes so much more sense as does your pantry.

I'd love to see a single chandelier, with a drum shade over crystals ideally but classic or fun fabric, or even a capiz drum world be wonderful, centered on the island with recessed lighting on either side. Sometimes smaller pendants seem too busy and very predictable, so consider whether you'd enjoy the impact of one beautiful chandelier before ordering your lighting.

Terrific job! Love the color choices, the corner hutch piece and the pantry wall. The wood and marble counters are beautiful. It all looks fabulous! Congratulations and enjoy!

astridh-You know, I've thought about colored glass pendants too but I just haven't found any possibilities. I do think the right ones would work--but I also think it would be an easy way to go terribly wrong.

rhome-thank you. I'm really happy with the door style too. I think of it as a modified shaker. It's just a bit softer and takes away any inclination to make it modern. The island is really more blue than anything...it's blueish with green and gray undertones. Oddly the color is called artichoke and it looks nothing like one!

budge1- I've strongly considered those schoolhouse lights with the band of color. They are so pretty! But I guess you just have to take the plunge and have them shipped. I don't know how else to get a good look at the color, do you?

borngrace and pfmastif- The cabinets were custom and painted in their shop. The color gave those poor guys fits! It was a really tricky one to match.

egganddart-Making your own cabinets? Impressive! I hunted for quite some time to find the "right" slabs. I just couldn't afford any of the other types of marble.

amysrq-thanks. that is just how I'm feeling now too. Everything is convenient for me, but I can talk to my family and they can feel included with out being in my way or in danger.

mustbenuts-thanks for the RH link. I've looked there, but I've got a tricky situation and those wont work for me. What you can't see in my pics is that the ceiling vaults over the island so the last pendant will need to be really long and on a swivel/bend to hang straight.

remodelfla- I'm so glad that something I posted can help you with your project. As much as I love the pats on the back, the real value of the forum is sharing ideas and helping each other make the best of what we have to work with

abundantblessings- I hadn't thought of one chandelier. That is a interesting idea that I will have to kick around a bit. I'm already wired for 3, but I can always cap them. Thanks for the idea.

For those of you who spotted the corner cabinet--I'm laughing. I purposely tried not to take a picture of it because it is so messy! Obviously with those open shelves it is meant for display, but I've got all kinds of strange things up there now...dishsoap, stainless steel cleaner, dust rags etc. It really is a nice use of space and breaks up the solid area of the pantry near it. I tried to tie it into the hood by using bead board on both. It also has columns that reflect the sink base. Perhaps when I get more organized I;ll post another pic of it.

Thanks for all the positive feedback everyone! It really makes my day! I know it shouldn't matter, because I love my space--but it does of course :)

I'm sorry if I missed anyone.

It's beautiful and that marble is fabulous!! Great job.

beachbum - really beautiful kitchen! I LOVE the use of colour. We're also painting our cabs and island, in shades of green, and I'm now struggling with the right colour for the wall - and it will be a *definite* colour. So as you can see I'm a huge fan of use of colour and your kitchen colours are fabulous.

I echo what others have said about the walnut island. That gorgeous slab of wood is a wonderful focal point and such a nice complement to all the other elements you have.

I really like abundantblessing's idea of a single chandelier. Check out the Tracy Porter web site (link below) - she has a video that talks about unusual ways to use lighting. Click on chandeliers and the video will load. Plus, they have 40% off selected lighting and free shipping - bonus! Her stuff is a neat combination of traditional and quirky - just like your kitchen. Igloochic's chicken chandelier is from Tracy Porter.

GREAT JOB! You must be so happy...

Eliz

Here is a link that might be useful: Tracy Porter

hi - I echo everyone's sentiment that this is a creative use of color done with a lot of taste! Upon looking at the photos a second time, it seems to me that you are an incredibly detail-oriented person, as all colors in the kitchen show up in the floor rug :). I must ask you - how did you get a switch plate that exactly matches the color of your island?? Was it customized?

beachbum - Is the backsplash 3/4" marble?

Beautiful kitchen!