I tend to feel, and I say tend cause it's not a hard and fast rule; that one thing looks good with contrast but not so much when both contrast. For instance, if you use a contrasting color on the island cabs, keep the stone top the same. OR... use the same color on all the base cabs, but use a contrasting countertop. FWIW... we have extremely hard water down here and my soapstone suffers no harm whatsoever. I guess I'd be a little more concerned about the wood around water then sealed marble; but that's not based on experience. There are posters on our forum that have prep sinks that do fine in wood. I just tend to rinse large items while I'm cooking/baking and set them on a towel on my counter to get them out of my way if I'm in a cooking/baking frenzy.

I agree that you typically should use the same cabinets or the same stone to tie things together. Are you going to post the potential new layout?

Thanks...I don't really have a layout yet, just a rough idea. I'd like to have a basic L-shape, with the fridge and sink on one wall and the range on the other. This main area would have the blue arborite I love, since it's so easy to maintain. I still have the same tile and countertop inspiration pictures :)
{{gwi:1517742}}From Lavender Lass farmhouse pictures
{{gwi:1517743}}From Lavender Lass farmhouse pictures

On the back wall (opposite the sink) I'd like to have a small pantry, the oven/microwave and a counter, with prep sink on the end. Hopefully there will be room for a small work table/island for extra prep.

I'd like to use marble and wood in these two locations, but I'm going back and forth. Here's a prep sink picture (mainly for washing veggies) I really like, with wood counter and the 'It's Complicated' kitchen, with marble work table. But...I don't know if it would be more practical to have the marble with the prep sink and the wood top, on the work table. {{gwi:1517744}}From Lavender Lass farmhouse pictures
{{gwi:1517745}}From Lavender Lass farmhouse pictures

I'm glad you asked this b/c I have the same question : )

I think we'll use marble and wood and wondered which should go where when it comes to cooking and water! I thought wood might be better for island b/c that's where I'll do almost all prep (don't think I'm doing a sink there) and that is where I'll have the lemon juice, OJ, tomatoes, other acids. (BTW- even a sliced banana etched my sealed marble sample on my counter today)...

Anyway, figured wood might be better with that stuff and the marble could go on the perimeter-- then there's always the stove and water from sink I wondered about?

Fishies- Check out Breezy's kitchen. I believe all her perimeter countertops are marble, with wood on the island.

I have stained perimeter cabinets with gray Silestone. I used the same gray color for the island cabinet. The island has a more dramatic granite. Cabinet style is the same throughout. I'm no designer, but I figured it was a safe bet to link the island and perimeter with color. I like the result.

lavender- Yes! nini's too : )

lavender- Did Breezy post pics of her island? I saw her marble in November but didn't see the island yet.

I let function be my guide. I wanted tile counters. There is nothing more functional or beautiful in my opinion (I don't do sanded grout and have no cleaning problems). My island sink is shaped weirdly, though (keyhole shape) and I didn't want to drop it in on top of the tiles. That would have meant having the tiles custom made to fit the sink. Not worth it! Instead, I got soapstone, in a dark green to go with my green tile perimeter. I only considered doing the soapstone on the perimeter when there were issues getting some of my tiles. It would have made my kitchen much much darker.

Then came the eating surface. It's on brackets so that it can be lowered since it sticks into the walkway (not that I do, but I can if I need to). It can take up to 200 pounds, but soapstone really wasn't going to cut it. My cabinet fronts are bamboo, which would look silly with the inch wide stripes as a horizontal amid all the verticals. Since I needed another kind of board, I went for one I'd seen and fallen in love with--sunflower seed husk board. The sample I had had larger husks and had more of a beige look to it. The boards that came in had smaller husks and therefore more of a brown look. Not what I had in mind. But it was pretty even though an extra color, and I was tired of shopping, plus didn't want to figure out how to dispose of the slabs I had, so I went with the brown. It's also on the counter in the butler's pantry.

All were function motivated and practical. I think it looks nice, but I didn't get separate types for the looks.

Plllog- That's exactly what I was thinking...I want it to look nice, but function is important, too. I don't know if it would be more practical to have the wood around the prep sink or on the work table/island. I also want to have marble for a baking area.

I like the different countertops, but that's because I've always been more drawn to unfitted kitchens, where each surface serves a purpose. My grandmother always had a big cutting board for one counter, but I don't want wood for the entire kitchen. The arborite will probably hold up best for dishes sitting on the counter overnight (yes it happens, but not all the time LOL) and I'd like some marble for rolling out candy and other uses. Plus, I like the 'french vibe' that I get, with the marble work table and wrought iron legs. I guess it would be the 'unexpected' element, in the kitchen :)

Fishies- I don't think Breezy's posted pics, but I know the island was supposed to be in, soon. Maybe you can start a thread and ask her...I know a lot of people want to see her progress!

lavender- Have you thought any more about this?

My plan (which seems to keep changing!) Is to have marble on the perimeter and walnut for the island. I'm wondering if I should break up the wood on the one level island with some marble, but being the reason I'm not putting marble on the island is b/c that's where I'll be prepping foods that are more damaging to marble that doesn't seem to work...

Now that wood is on the island I'm going to keep the island cabinetry off white/ivory like my cabs... And for one section on the opposite side of the kitchen I'm going to do espresso cabinetry with the marble on there like a baking station.

What's your plan? : )

Hi, Fishies :)

My kitchen plan has changed a bit, thanks to Summerfield. Here's the design... {{gwi:1517754}}From Lavender Lass farmhouse pictures

With the peninsula, I'd like to do marble, but I'm not sure what I want for the other side. I found out the Blue Arborite was discontinued, as of September this year. Maybe they'll have some on clearance!

Yay! first post for me! hello world.

I love mixing and matching. Big time. I searched wood countertops and found all these great examples.

{{!gwi}} source www.Craft-Art.com

{{!gwi}} source www.materialsandsources.com

{{!gwi}}source www.Craft-Art.com

{{!gwi}}source www.Craft-Art.com

Side note - I am pretty excited that my one HTML code class came in handy. I actually knew how to insert a pic!

LOL, secondcup! Can't wait 'til you learn how to use color and other enhancements!

lavender, :)

Here is a link that might be useful: fun stuff with text

plllog I'd love to see a photo of what you mentioned, it sounds unusual:

--sunflower seed husk board. The sample I had had larger husks and had more of a beige look to it. The boards that came in had smaller husks and therefore more of a brown look.

BT

I have pewter counters in my dish storage cabinet run. Hand hewn cherry around my sink and on another, topless cabinet run. Marble on an island and to the right of my free standing range (really just a remnant I placed on the integrated stainless work top.) And a zinc topped, patched worktable.

A lot of different materials, plus don't get me started on hardware ... but no color and no pattens, so I think it works.

Lavender, I know you've seen my kitchen (probably too many times) but I did want to chime in about having a wood counter with a sink. Our main and only sink in the kitchen is antique pine. DH just went over it with fine steel wool and Good Stuff For Wood for only the 3rd time since we built 6.5 years ago. (There is a second, small sink in the black hutch - coffee station - but we literally never use it.)

No, we don't leave wet towels or sponges overnight. Or dirty dishes and glasses. I'm a clean as I go girl and DH is pretty good to get his things in the sink if not to the dish drawers.

I do not regret in any way, shape or form getting wood counters. The coffee station has pine (new). Honed Golden Leaf granite is used on either side of the range and pine hutch. It's also used in the laundry room, which is off the hallway where the black hutch is located.

In all, we have three counter materials, three painted finishes and one stain. (Not including the laundry room cabinets, but they are similar in color to the fridge section.) You don't have to stick with solid counters if you use more than one counter. It can be done, but has to be carefully planned.

Have you ever seen wood-look concrete counters ? I am in love with them! If only I lived near New Jersey!

We have soapstone except for the space just under our kitchen windows which we did in 63 inches of Ikea Numerar oak. It's saddled on both sides by the soapstone and centered under the window. It's a bit thicker than the soapstone so it sits "proud" and serves as a fun little feature. We like it. Others might not.

{{!gwi}}

Ne

I don't really have anything to add except OMG...those bunny tiles!!! I.want.them. My favorite animal and those tikes are so beautiful. Love!

Plan changed slightly...and I like the mudroom placement much better!
{{gwi:1585859}}From Courtyard Garden album

Just too excited and wanted to share. LOL

But now, my question is...if I have the blue arborite (or something similar) in the main area (between fridge/range/main sink) and marble on the peninsula...with wood raised counter for stools...what should I put in the 'butler's pantry'?

The narrow area, between the dining room and the oven/microwave will be like a butler's pantry, with a 12" deep counter...and I can't decide if I should do this in the arborite or wood. I don't want to do marble, since this may end up getting dishes stacked on it a lot...but I am doing a little piece of marble, for the pass through, to the dining room.

I don't plan to use the 'pass through' for dishes, since the door is right there...but I would like to put some plants there and still be able to see into the dining room and get that extra light into the kitchen space. Any ideas? Thanks in advance :)

Lavender,
I love it.
~boxer

Thank you, Boxer :)

Any ideas as to what I should use on the countertop, in the little 'butler's pantry' area. I only call it that, because most of the everyday dishes will be stored in those upper cabinets. I'm leaning towards the wood, but that would mean the blue arborite would only be in the main work area, of the kitchen...and all on one side. Maybe if I paint the back of the glass uppers the same blue...in the butler's pantry?

I'm thinking about trying to find some of the blue arborite (that's being discontinued) and order enough for the kitchen and utility room.

So, anyone want to weigh in on what would be best for the 'butler's pantry' countertop? Would wood work? Any opinions on the blue wall, for the glass uppers? Where's Beagles, when I need her? LOL

I like wood for the butler's pantry countertop. I think it would carry over nicely with the peninsula's wood raised eating surface. Otherwise you only have the wood in the one spot, correct? And it's not a big one. The other choice would be marble but you mentioned not wanting to put marble there which makes sense.

You already have a big area of blue and a good size of marble so I think wood would look great there and would work well proportianately : ) HTH

Thanks, Fishies. It helps a lot, because I was thinking the same thing! LOL You're right, the wood countertop would be a good way tie in the other wood. Thanks :)