Redroze,

I really like the chrome hardware, and if it was me, I wouldn't change it. Having said that, I think the ORB would look lovely too. How long have you lived with the current hardware? If it's been a few weeks and your initial feeling hasn't gone away, perhaps a change is in order.

I really like the chrome in this case.

Two more photos to give you a closer look. Sorry the photos are so dark, our electrical needs to be fixed.

I think the orb might get lost on the wood cabs. I like the chrome as well.

I think the chrome looks great. ORB on the expresso cabs would come off looking dirty, IMO.

The chrome looks great. I agree that the ORB would get lost on the dark cabinets.

I have to tell you that I never thought that I would like chrome hardware until I saw the first pic of your kitchen. I think it looks incredibly sharp. It was the beginning of my happy envy of your design sense. So, you know my vote.

DItto ci lantro! Don't flame me people, because
I think that ORB looks good, but is a fad. Classic chrome or nickel will always be in fashion. I think that its akin to the antiqued brass hardware that our home used to have, now you never find it in an updated home!

Seriously? DH is laughing at my side now, as I just spent 10 minutes trying to convince him that we should switch to orb.

Any particular reason why you don't think it would work? Perhaps the kitchens with dark pulls/dark cabs in the post I mentioned have raised panel and more ornate cabinetry, which makes it work for them?

Well this makes life easier. I trust your instincts, especially since there wasn't one response for the orb. I think I'm just suffering from boredom of not making any choices lately. Haha... DH is very happy right now.

Thanks everyone!

Be at peace with this one redroze. You got it right the first time. The chrome looks really good on both your white and stained cabs. It's really a beautiful kitchen!

Uh Oh.....I sense the impending arrival of a case of PKRD....

Well for all of you waiting.....drum roll please...from the man's point of view...I agree with the majority go with the chrome and additionally FINALLY SOMEONE HAS SAID IT...Compumom is right on the button ORB is a fad and will join almond in the plumbing fixture hall of shame someday soon.
Richard

I love the look of chrome too. Remember that you don't have your kitchen set up yet so you are drawn to the chrome. If you really want to see how the ORB looks though you can always purchase one and see how it looks.

Another vote for chrome. ORB is nice and would great on the light cabinets, but I think it would get lost on the dark ones. You got it perfect the first time around.

I'm going to be the nay sayer here....sorry....I love the chrome on the white cabs.Why not leave the chrome on the white cabs and switch to ORB on the espresso finished cabs. I have espresso finished cabs in my bathroom and I felt nothing other than ORB looked good. JMHO

{{!gwi}}

Heh heh I LOVE Josie's cab above....And I have been thinking about how stainless pulls are just a fad...shows how out of touch I am!

Your kitchen will look great either way. I really do like the look of the ORB on dark cabinetry.

Faucetman - you would actually be the second man to respond, given that my husband was the first! He is actually a lurker on this site (given how much time I spend here) and wanted to do his first post addressed to "all the men on the forum"...I wasn't sure how many responses he'd get but I'll let him know that you're out there! I think you may hear from him soon, be sure to respond to his post so he's encouraged to post more. =)

Not a big fan of ORB in general, and after seeing the pix I vote with the chrome. Have you considered either satin or polished nickel? It has a slightly warmer feel than chrome. I'm guessing that you want something warm on your warm dark cabs.

This isn't like your kitchen, but I have the same pulls and oval knobs that you showed from RH, in ORB, in our little mtn condo kitchen. Not the best photo, but here they are together.

Hi Friend!

Hmm, I'm of bifurcated mind because I would absolutely KEEP the chrome on the kitchen side of the (stained) island (in your third photo), but I can kinda see what you're talking about on your pantry / built-in office area, how the chrome is more noticeable there (than ORB would be).

That being said, looking at it in photos is such a vacuum: it's impossible to get the complete feel.

Okay, you know what? I just talked myself out of the ORB for your pantry / built-in office, and this is why: your barstools will have chrome; your amazing pendants are nickel (so closer to chrome than ORB); I believe the table at which you're looking has a metal base (stainless?) with the wood top ... I fear that if you change the pantry / built-in office hardware to ORB it would be like that children's song "one of these things is not the like other, one of these things just doesn't belong" -- know what I mean? It's akin to why you didn't get the white leather barstools -- you don't want the eye to stop and say "hey, wait a minute!" I'm afraid if you had ORB hardware in just that area it might feel that way, as if the store ran out of chrome so you got these instead.

While yes, the ORB would (visually) recede more than the chrome, they won't completely disappear (nor would you want them to! you want your guests to be able to open the pantry doors, for example [I know this from my own ridiculous hardware embellishments on the foot-pedal trash, on the false drawers on the pantries ...]).

josie's vanity is gorgeous, but her knobs aren't the only ORB in there (it looks as if her lotion dispenser is, too).

Okay, that's my input. I check back here every few days to see if you've posted your finished kitchen -- you're so close!

Segbrown - Love your kitchen and your pulls, and your tin backsplash! Wish I could do another kitchen with cabinets like yours just so I could do the orb pulls. =)

Josie - I really do like the look of the orb on the dark cabinetry, good for you for being brave to post your pretty cabinets and hardware despite the "orb is dead" posts, which are completely fair and I love when people state their opinions with resonance!! I think the white counters break it up though, whereas my desk/pantry area is a sea of dark with nothing to break it up. What I forgot though is that when I put things in the open shelf and even right on the desk counter, the things pop like nobody's business which is great and makes the chrome hardware stand out less.

Case in point....the green apples, silver clock and pink grapes. I love how they pop:

RM - Articulate and savvy RM! Good point about all the other metal that we have in there. Did I tell you we had trouble finding the table? So we're still stuck on what time of table to get. Glass would work so well, yet it's not fun to eat off of glass. I'd prefer a wood top for sure. My finished kitchen photos will come one day...I'm glad our uppers are up. The backsplash will be in in no time, along with the crown molding. there was an issue with the chair fabric so we may have to wait until mid-Feb to get them. The drapery fabric is also on backorder I believe - who knew it was so hard to get fabric??? I may do an "80%" post just for you though...

Okay, I am content with the chrome pulls again. Had a momentary bout of insanity. I also don't want my kitchen to be done, I have too much fun on this forum!!! None of you hang out at home decorating, just a few of you on bathrooms. I should start a new post - Which forum do you visit after your kitchen renovatin is over???

Bluekit - you're right, something warm like polished nickel would have worked well for the espresso cabs. I like the coolness of the chrome with the white cabinets though, it goes well with the white of Chantilly Lace.

NO....your kitchen is absolutely perfect the way it is!!!!!!!!!!

Haha...hey Gglks! Any new progress on your kitchen? Is your basketweave backsplash in yet?

My backsplash tiles are sitting in boxes now, with the white unsanded grout sitting beside it. I wish I could tile myself...it kills me that they're just sitting there!

I am glad you are keeping them as is because I think it looks great! Can't wait to see your finished kitchen!

I agree with everyone else - it's a little hard to tell with the photos, but I think the ORB *might* have been a bit too dark on your cabinets and that the chrome looks fine and quite sharp on the espresso. I think it gives the space a nice transitional look, which goes along with the recessed panel style of your cabinetry (and the style of the hardware itself). My preference would also be to keep the hardware the same on both.

Your kitchen is going to be beautiful. I really like the choice of the granite and how it brings the white and espresso together. I LOVE those bell jar lanterns - they were a perfect choice!

Thanks for the extra thumbs up, Sarah! I can't wait to see the finished kitchen either! =) The demo was in mid-May and I just want to enjoy it already.

Eastcoastmom - You don't know how much I love that you said it's looking transitional!! I was super worried that I had too many major traditional elements, especially with the vintage bell jar lanterns (which I love and couldn't give up). I kept trying to steer left (modern) as I felt everything was going too far right (traditional), but if you're getting an overall impression of transitional with the recessed panel doors and hardware then GREAT!!!!

I vote for the chrome-it gives your dark cabs a richer look than the orb knobs would.

redrose,

my basketweave tile is up i LOVE it. in fact, i would say my kitchen is official done (other than some paint touch up!) i will get pics out this weekend...promise. i would be DYING if i were you....when will your tile go up? what are they waiting for????? don't they understand the agony they are putting you through?????????????

No, they don't understand how anxious I am!!! I don't know when...whenever they're free. Since the delays, they've been working in our kitchen whenever they have time.

Amazing, I cannnot WAIT to see your finished kitchen photos!!! I have something to look forward to next week!!! Yay for you.