REALLY nice. Walnut is such a rich beautiful wood. Lucky you!!

Oh wow!!! I absolutely love them!!! I would have gone with rich color like this in my kitchen if DH would have agreed (he's the cook so he wins) but he wanted natual cherry (don't tell him...ours has a glaze...it's not natural lol) but I did get chocolate stain on my master bath. They're close in color (maybe abit darker?) to yours and I have to say.... I love love love the richness of the look!

I can't wait to see this kitchen finished. It' going to be fabulous!!! So what countertops??? Backsplash???? Sink??? Heh heh (I went with a tan marble in the master and copper sinks) If you haven't looked at copper sinks....do cuz they're gorgeous with the rich chocolate of your cabinets!!

The rest of the details are yet to be decided!! My DH and I might be the slower than mollasses to make decisions and agree. eventually I try to steer him towards my likes :) It felt like so many people (GC, DH, every relative...)were questioning the dark stain, but in this space (lots of natural light, open) I think it'll be great.

my plans are, but would love advice!!:
Sink: single bowl SS sink. I'd love copper igloochic, but I've blown this budget WAY out of the water! maybe i can switch out the sink sometime in the distant future.
Counters: looking at several quartzites and granites in the creamy/white tones (mother of pearl, oystershell, white moon/calacata).
backsplash: any suggestions? I love gglks' onyx. I think I'm gonna have to see which stone I pick for the counter first.
lighting: I really wanted 2 pretty chandeliers, but DH really hated that idea...must find something soon, the electrician wants them in 4 weeks!
knobs/pulls: maybe crytal/glass and ??

Thanks for all the advice. I'm just so bummed I didn't find all of you until after the design/cabs were ordered!

love the color and the detail!!!! i think dark is great if you have the light. i have never seen mother or pearl granite but was advised by my friend (who works for mick diguilio!!!!) to look at it. i couldn't find it anywhere in my area!!!!

i am going to throw this out there for lighting.....i really liked these but thought the mercury glass would look better in my space. they are cool and different and somewhat detailed so if you wanted a chandelier, you just might go for something like this. they also come in a few different finishes.....let me know what you think!!!!

ps....i agree that you should pick your stone before you pick your backsplash!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: beehive pendant light

yipee! another dark kitchen (we just ordered our dark cabs today). it looks wonderful. I can't wait to see it finished!

Drop dead gorgeous! Walnut is such a beautiful wood and you just can't beat its grain. Your kitchen is already so beautiful ....

I have to say I love the idea of a creamy countertop. When I was looking at your pictures at first my mind filled in the countertop area with like a pale limestone color. Have you seen edlakin's kitchen? His countertop would be beautiful in your space. And who else ...? Oh yes, sharb's island countertop; it's Caesarstone Jerusalem Sand.

As a marble-lover myself, I'd also love to see a creamy Calacatta (Oro) -- that could be incredible!

I also like the idea of chandeliers -- have you seen reno_fan's. They're pretty and petite. Do you think your husband might go for something like that? Although they might be too ornate for him .... Hmm.

Do you have any samples of knobs / pulls you like?

Okay, off to play with kiddos, but I just love what I see of your new kitchen! Enjoy.

gglks: that beehive pendant is so cool! Definitely an option-thank you!

rmkitchen: thank you for the reminders of all the wonderful counters and reno fans cute lights (I know DH won't go for those :( I actually think he might go for YOUR lights! I'll have to show him these suggestions tonight. Marble was my initial dream, but know that my anxious self would probably harm my poor children out of anger from etching.

I need to do a search on cabinet hardware...someone here had the nicest glass knobs...

ccoombs, igloochic, danielle: Thanks for the compliments. It means so much coming from you guys with your fabulous spaces and ideas!

keep the ideas coming :)
gotta run...naptime is over!

mairin,

glad you like them. i think i found them cheaper at onestoplighting?????? when i was looking. keep us posted!!! i love looking for lighting!!!!!!!!

Beautiful wood,just beautiful. I also love that furniture "leg" by the sink cab in the close up photo, and how the depths are slightly different. You've done a great job so far even without GW! Can't wait to see it all come together.

Just beautiful!

ooohhhh!!! Love it!!

Great cabinets. Glad you are so happy.

What about smokebell lanterns? They are everywhere--Pottery Barn has some called Hundi, I think. That look would look really good with your stuff too IMO. Keep the pictures coming.

I don't blame you for petting them...Gorgeous. Love the styling. Can't wait to see your finished kitchen.

Gorgeous. I'd be petting them too. I so love the look of dark, rich wood. Love the idea of a sparkly knob to go with them.

Those cabinets are so yummy!!

I'll take a picture of my master bath for you this evening and then find the cord to put it online LOL (We're just back from a trip). Now you made me laugh...you want onyx...but can't afford copper :oP Have you priced onyx yet? And as long as we're spending the moon...have you seen geodite chocolate onyx? I almost bought a slab for my chocolate cabs. It looks like a geodite sliced open in cholate, vanilla and latte. Yummy! Thank god they wouldn't ship it to alaska...it was a budget killer!

Anyhoo, the stainless would work...it's very neutral. I'd keep the other items in a similar neutral, ie go chrome instead of ORB for the fixtures (faucets etc). Or go my route and buy a copper sink (mine were CHEAP through mexicoppe on ebay and it's great quality). I went with creamy counters but it's a bathroom...you'd have to ask the marble folks how well the ivory's hold up in a kitchen. If you go ivory on the counters with a quartz like product, I'd personally go with ORB, Copper and antique gold items. If you go with a white or other cool color, I'd go with stainless, chrome and pewter finishes.

Either way...it's obviously going to be gorgeous :) I'll post some idea pics later!

Ooh, I like the dark cabinets! And walnut is a nice wood, I'm sure you'll love them. I loved your comment about dust on the lens, too - my camera was always picking up little floating dust motes in the air or on the lens in all my construction pictures.

Oh, I know, igloochic! my ability to keep the budget in check for this house is not representative of my usual frugal self. How can I justify quartzite and onyx ($$$$) and then say, "oh i'll just go with stainless". building has made nuts with all these decisions. Thanks for all of your suggestions - the chocolate onyx sounds like I'd want to lick it (I apparently am getting very 'touchy-feely' with materials!) can't wait to see your bathroom!

I also think you need a copper sink: It's only another hundred, or so....

Gorgeous! Choose the sink after you choose your counter tops so you are sure it goes with them and the backsplash. Yellow River granite would be gorgeous in there!

Your cabinets are fantastic. You are going to have one stunner of a kitchen. What color are you planning for your floor?

budget friendly: Juparana Persian (granite tho- not marble or quartz)
Also was going to suggest gglks's pendants; I've been coveting them for days now! Might want to check out victoriajane's choices on her 'final pendant decison' thread.

"You done good!"

I love walnut and those are some of the most beautiful cabinets I have ever seen.

Stunning! I had dark cabinets for 25 years and went as far as I could away from them, just for the sake of change . . . but, boy, yours could woo me back! They're just beautiful. Walnut is such an incredible wood. I can't wait to see your next step!

Arlene

Ok it's not complete yet....the doors were installed backwards so I haven't completed knob install. The trim is still in progress as well. The cabinet glass was blown for us by a local glass artist. They appear to be easy to see into, but thats the camera flash talking. They're actually pretty thick and chunky so you can't see the toilet paper and early pregnancy tests quite this well LOL

{{!gwi}}

A close up of a small drawer with a gold pull. They're all sea shells of one type or another.
{{!gwi}}

The sink (notice how well orange goes in this color scheme):{{gwi:1393270}}

How brave are you? My brown tiles come in a fabulous ivory tone...they'd be WONDERFUL with granite counters, or the quartz in a cream tone:
{{gwi:1386889}}

Everyone says the tiles look like leather in person. The ivory and tabac (my brown) are both lickable delicious in person, and they'd actually be great budget back splash tiles at 12.50 sq ft (they come in 24x24 tiles).

I think this shows the wall finish pretty well. I was trying to mimic the travertine, but not an exact copy.
{{!gwi}}

We have so much visual texture in the room that I kept the "Stuff" fairly basic staying with chocolate, latte, cream and white.
This is a construction pic so the tiles are dusty as heck, but you can see them better here than on the tub deck...they look like leather (croc):

I'm going to use the ivory in a kitchen someday for a BS.
And for fun...honey onyx. What? You can't see the onyx? Ya we don't either. The baby, dog and cats all prefer it be covered with pillows so they can sleep and play up there!
{{!gwi}}

i-chic I love that frog!

Once again you've given me an idea. Those cabs all the way down to the counter in your MBR are a stroke of genius. Of course we're still a ways from that project but I like to plan early.

thanks, igloochic! those pictures are great and give me lots of inspiration. those brown 'leather' tiles are so cool. they look fantastic. and you guys are right, that copper sink would look so good.

btw, you son is to-die-for cute. I've got 2 little girls that would go nuts over him :)

thanks everyone for the suggestions. must find a babysitter so I can trek out to all the granite yards....

of course hit 'submit message' too soon..

morton5: the floors are Cumaru (brazilian teak) and we intend to just put clear coats down. Once the dust is cleared the wood is actually pretty rich in color with lots of variation, so didn't want to add too much of a stain.

I would love to see white marble counters. it would be a classic look. my mom had custom walnut cabinets made 30 years ago for her kitchen. they still look brand new.