Thanks for all the advice y'all! Breezy, the counters are stainless steel and "Bardiglio" marble (same slab as backsplash). I'm not happy with the marble counter edge as it's huge and doesn't go but we had to have a thick edge to cover some supports and I had to go froufrou to avoid an obvious seam. Looks like something you'd lay a corpse out on, but I hope it'll be fine once I get some junk back on it. I wasn't always planning on moving but a very similar slightly larger house on a much better lot on a less busy street in our subdivision came on the market so we just went for it. Not completely baked, but we like the neighborhood. :) So. Paint and light fixtures and knobs. (The lights aren't quite as blinding in person--they photograph badly.) Pinchme, I know things will get changed. I guess I just don't want to scare anyone! I'm hoping they don't notice all the drawers. People think it's weird if they notice. Peanut's avocado green mixer. You know I want it. Artemis--that's interesting about the fridge. I'll check with a RE agent. When I moved here the sellers offered to leave their large appliances for a low price and we accepted since you DO leave washer/dryer/fridge where I was. And the new place I made SURE the sellers wouldn't be leaving any appliances. The street is a little busy and sidewalk smarmy with pedestrians but not a bad view. Probably opening the blinds or removing and something nice over the top would do. (Note to self: measure windows in new house built by same company same year 3 blocks away.) (I'm really cheap, aren't I?) It's not a first-time homebuyer area so I guess people might be picky. Becky--those are all wonderful! What are you doing this weekend? Wanna come shopping? :) Alku, a leave the paint vote? I do gravitate toward the easiest option. Although, technically, I need a permit to change a light fixture, and technically, it would have to be fluorescent... Good tips, Mtnredux. I will research! The windows do open into a covered porch but do get a decent amount of light. Privacy not so much, but nobody will notice that. :) Thanks, IC. Li'lsmokie, you must be right, right? Swap 'n' stage. I mean, that marble counter is seriously morbid all naked like that. Honorbilt, thanks--the blinds definitely need to be up at minimum. As far as the cabinets, well, next ones will be even better, right? --although I'm not sure the cabinet guy would be stupid enough to work with me again! hehe. Stacy, yeah, it's induction, and it's a brand with no recognition. If it were a Miele or something, at least it would have THAT, but it's a Windcrest which has perfectly respectable performance on paper but what the heck is a Windcrest!? Kathy, thanks for pointing out that it doesn't matter what it looks like in person, it's how bad it looks on a computer! Now I'm totally in agreement with paint. It wasn't quite the right shade anyway. :( I could probably do the tape on the blinds. It does snazz them up. I bought these blinds even before the moving truck brought my stuff to this house because the previous owners had left the windows empty (with a valance) to sell the place. But at night it's like being on a big screen TV in that kitchen. (I have started walking the dog at night to spy on my neighbors' kitchens for ideas. If they don't pull the blinds, I learn a lot!) I have that jar! It has dog food. I can change that. Thanks for the book recommendation--I'll get it. LWOak, good points. A subdued sagey green (is that still trendy?) might work. I do have the blue ceiling to keep in mind. So a nice enameled pot instead of and 80 year old cast iron Dutch oven that is so scary I use it as a Halloween prop? OK. I see where you're coming from. Will accentuating the baking area make it too obvious that the oven is a cheap 27" non-convection single? I really do very much appreciate all this. Thanks so much!

Francoise47 - I know what you mean about the white but at this point I feel like I'm going to leave it be and then when/if I paint again, it'll probably be gray just to keep it all consistent. I just can't find the right place to add white anywhere else - no matter how hard I try to imagine a good place. I think it would look even stranger. I might eventually add something lighter to the ceiling, we'll see. I do love the speakers, thanks! Mitchdesj - thanks - that's probably what I'll do (eventually paint the ceiling white or something lighter). Or, because the upper cabs are near the window, their being gray isn't as dark as that wall of gray is so it'll probably be fine if I go back to gray there eventually - fresh and happy as the white looks. I just keep adding white where I can and that helps (white bowl on island for example). Thanks! Bmorepanic - you nailed it, I think. I'll leave 'em white for a while just cause I'm taking that badly-needed break now that the guys are finally gone, and if I do any more painting in the future it'll most likely be to make the uppers the gray again. It just looks more balanced and consistent and period-appropriate, yada yada. But it doesn't look *bad* for now at all - especially to those who aren't looking at it the way we all do here! ;) Thanks! Liriodendron - wow - thanks for that uplifting, positive juju feedback! :) I'm keeping them white for now and I see what you mean. That's such a nice way of looking at it! I had a huge Easter brunch that we do with our neighbors every year and the little changes resulted in some big compliments that day. Everyone seemed to notice the changes and loved them (not sure if it was adding more white or adding polished nickel hardware or giving our kitchen island a makeover or what but people were so great about the kitchen that day. Loved having the in-ceiling speakers in there too, for the party. SO glad I did that! Thanks again. Athomeinva - thanks for your honest opinion! I had it all white for soooo long (and then had just those lowers gray as you said, for what felt like so long) that I really felt i needed something new. I agree that nothing cheers up that kitchen better than some white but I just can't go back to all that white after how long it took to get where I finally am. I also agree that it would balance things out better that way than this way, hence my original post. There's happy snappy white then there's sultry sophisticated gray and the gray's working fine...but if anything the white that is there is a bit odd now so might go back to gray eventually. When it's all gray, it's interesting how much the white marble, the white sink, the white hood/stove and the white light shades POP though - so that'll be something anyway. I"ve always been a white kitchen girl - I'm right there with you in spirit - but it's just been too many years of having a white kichen, you know? As for the 80's colonial look, I know what you mean sort of but not really...I remember in the 80's a bunch of ridiculous ducks and lots of blue in kitchens but I don't remember this so much. I remember people painted the insides of their cab door panels different colors from the frames. That I remember! What I have going on (and what admittedly is the current trend which I'll probably tire of pretty quickly) is the imitation of woodwork being unpainted, with lighter walls, only it's painted darker, with lighter walls. That's very craftsman (and possibly also victorian, I'm not sure). There was a resurgence I think during the 40's or 50's too, wasn't there? Anyway, blah blah, sorry. I like to hear myself talk. Blech! ;) Thanks! hlove - have always considered a light blue ceiling. Not sure if adding a third color might not be a bit too much for this kitchen though, but I've thought a lot about doing just that and i'll still keep it in mind, thanks! Thanks for understanding the narcissism comment, too! ;) Linelle - thank you! Duly noted! I hear you - it's been a tough transition, having all that darkness. But I'm just too tired by it all to redo that much. Maybe later! That kitchen's pretty dark no matter what. But yeah there's no denying it's a lot darker looking that when it was all white! Jessicaml - thanks - I totally agree about your contrast-throws-us-off comment re. the white cabs being the only white. I think both your thoughts make a lot of sense. Either all gray, or all white except for the lowers which could stay the gray (as I had it)! So for now, I just wait and see how I feel and then at some point in the future I can re-paint either a little, or a lot! Re. the comment about renovation addiction, I agree with you that I don't think I have it like some people have it. I deal with the kitchen for a while, then let it go cause I don't have the time or money to deal with it, then I pick it up again every so often...never doing so because I'm fussing over something that can never be right but rather cause it never got done in the first place! E.g. the window was painted with just white primer for the longest time and it's only after I finally painted it that things became clearer re. the whole picture. I just couldn't tell till I got that far. Truth be told, I really like to get things done and then be done with it. This kitchen's been going on forever and a day - it's been pretty ridiculous! But I do like updating in little ways every so often e.g. with new kitchen towels or art or what have you! Anyway, thanks for the reassuring comment (that I'm not losing my marbles - haha)!

I too am very disappointed, having the same issues with my Shaw; chips, hairline type cracks under(crazing) and doesnt drain properly. One section of the sink creates a little pool that keeps the water from draining, although the sink is level. We have a metal grid, but chips were developing even with that. I rarely use it now because it is too difficult to get the water and debris from under it. Bar keepers Friend is helpful. I occasionally make a little paste and let it sit a few minutes before wiping-I find the powder and liquid to be great. Also Mr. Clean Magic eraser is very helpful especially on the grey surface cracks and around drain. Love the look, but this has been frustrating. I've had it since around 2009 I got no help from the manufacturer.

Not a solution for the OP-this is how I usually do them. Pictured is a 15" frameless. I aim for 15-18", 21 max.I rarely allow a 9" cabinet into a design but have done these at 12" For semi custom brands ordering is a hack, talk with your KD and get detailed drawing and order info. Should be something like- door shipped loose (or deleted and separate door ordered) one standard RO, one tall RO or drawer box (8" high). Method for field install of door depends on door style-options include : 6" tall narrow angle brackets on sides, "L" bracket on top of bottom box, ply attached to door, sometimes can just attach the door to the bottom box-depends. From mid range and up can just be ordered. I disable the soft close on the bottom RO often to cut down on stress when opening and no the bottles don't fall over. We used to do this a little differently so I don't have current photo just rendering but the cut away side helps clarify (have a few installing currently and will get pix once they are loaded).