Gosh darn it, yes you can. Have you ever seen oldbat2b's gorgeous kitchen? She has a more traditional space, and then she has the KK and that backsplash

My mind immediately went to OB2B's beautiful kitchen. So yes you can!

Even without her kitchen as reference, I would say go for it. A faucet needs to be highly functional IMHO, regardless of what the kitchen look you're going for dictates. Being happy with your faucet is critical.

I have soapstone and the black Kohler Karbon. They go really well together. I think it would work.

Ditto from my end - OB2B's kitchen is amazing. Texas - I will have to go back and look at yours.

I have a wonderful Waterston but after seeing OB2B in real life - I think it would have worked better for DH and his bad back.

Absolutely! The Karbon, along with my Stages sink are the best purchases I made! OB2B's recommendation and her kitchen outcome influenced my decision and I could not be happier. The construction quality and functionality are superb. The stream reaches my entire 45" sink, hands free! I constantly think how many tasks would be hindered by a pull-down. I have traditional white cabinets, glass knobs, chrome pulls, marble and walnut counters. I love the transitional, light and bright look.

Do not hesitate. Go for it!

bbtrix - thanks for posting your kitchen. The karbon really doesn't look out of place at all, and in fact, looks really cool against your wood counters. (Beautiful wood counters!)

I'd seen oldbat's kitchen, but noticed that it was a bit eclectic (with the tile), which would be the reason her karbon fits in nicely, whereas my kitchen won't be eclectic. So that's why I was not sure whether her kitchen was a good 'basic traditional kitchen' to compare to. I think bbtrix's is closer to mine.

breezy, I agree with you 100% that the faucet really needs to be highly functional. That is why I've been having such trouble choosing one. The pretty, vintage ones all have some sort of function-gap that makes it impossible to pull the trigger on one.

After posting my initial post, I went to have a look at the Karbon in person. A couple of things to note, in case anybody finds this thread through googling:

1. If you grab the nozzle, you can position the faucet anywhere you want with ease; however, if you try to reverse the orientation of a bend--or 'unzig a zag'--that requires a bit of muscle with one hand. But my feeling is: how often am I going to do that? I would assume not very often, but it would be good to know from owners if they do this a lot.

2. the chrome version stays fingerprint-free because a lot of it is that carbon pipe stuff.

3. there is a heftiness to this faucet that the pull-outs don't have. It feels good to grab hold of the whole faucet to position it. It feels tough.

Anyway, I'm still thinking about it!

I want to emphasize what breezy said, and function is why I chose it. You get used to how to use it and it does loosen up a little bit. You figure out your fav positions and I find it easy to maneuver. It's nice to be able to fill a super large pot, even if you have a sink full of produce or dishes. I have the chrome and it is spot-free. I'd be happy to answer any questions.

This is a 10" stock pot. In its highest position, there is 30" from the spout to the bottom of my sink.

bbtrix, your walnut counter is making me swoon. It's simply breathtaking.

Just a comment about the stiffness - it comes with a tool that allows you to change the tension setting at each joint. you can make it stiffer or looser. I also love the 'position it anywhere' aspect of it. We purposefully set it in the corner of the sink so we could put tall pots on the counter to fill instead of in the sink.

So you're doing a white shaker kitchen with no backsplash tile? Are you sure the KK isn't a little much for you?

Consider one of the tamer Kohler faucets. This one's the Vinnata. It may mesh better with your taste. It's also half the price of the KK.

I agree with the other posters - plus I think that the Karbon breathes a bit of freshness and modernity to a traditional space (it is a little unexpected in a more traditional kitchen, which is one of the many reasons I love it).

We live in a 1920's Colonial and we moved our kitchen to another part of the house - I wanted the new space to blend with the rest of the home (same wood floors, baseboards, etc..) but I did not want a period kitchen by any means - so I brought in modern elements that I loved, A good compromise can respect the age of a house but also reflect your personal style. So I say if you love it, go for it - the faucet is crazy wonderful.

As EAM44 noted, there are many faucets with traditional styling -- like you, I detest the bulbous pulldown faucets. The Karbon is certainly not your only answer, but if it is what you want, it can work beautifully.

The Craftsman style is based upon honoring the simple beauty, honest materials, and fine workmanship. Square corners and pure lines abound. The kitchens shown in this thread are paired with square, beautifully proportioned sinks and sleek islands.

If you used such a faucet in a fussy, overly busy design, the results would not be nearly as pleasant, but if you stick with the Craftsman aesthetic, the results should be beautiful and appropriate.

Our KK is in the sink to the right and I have to admit that visually, I like how the Sin faucet looks in our 'main view'. To sbdesign's point, I don't think the KK would look as well. (Functionally is another matter- oh do I wish for the KK on this sink as well!).

laurainlincoln - loved seeing that peek of your kitchen.

bbtrix - oh that island and sink, wow!!!

a2gemini and eam44 - waving :)

breezygirl - OT - did you finish your built-in by the front door? Please post pictures!

Here's another KK in a more traditional kitchen. From LivingInColorWithSonu blog: