Wow! I wasn’t sure what I was going to be looking at when I opened your post. That is incredible. I am fascinated how this giant rock is so close to your window!! I don’t have any advice, but would love to see mock ups by the pros.

That needs an accent? I don't think so hon. Leave the rock alone.If you want to notice the rock yet more? Lose the multiple colors in the kitchen for SOFT NEUTRALS. Whites, pale grays, stone etc. And ditch as much clutter as you possibly can in that room. Clear every inch of counter top and island to the minimum.

THEN the rock...............will be the thing you really see. Ditch the pots and pans in front of that window too.

Wow. I love the rock ! Leave the ceiling natural.

If you love looking at the beautiful rock so much (which I don't blame you) why would you block the view with all those pans! I would remove that "busy" window and put in a large - one piece of glass (if not do a large window in the middle and 1 smaller one each side).

As suggested, declutter and paint neutrals.

What a lovely view! If the grid can be removed then I would do so. I would add molding around the outside of the window to mimic a picture frame and paint the molding black.

Ilikefriday, molding is a cool idea! Thanks, all! We aren't able to remove the window grid, unfortunately; it is (partly) a security feature in South Africa. Warm neutrals or cool neutrals? I absolutely hate the yellow tile.

Ceiling should stay? I gathered folks on here didn't like pine ceilings, haha!

Here are some of the paints I currently have--we're on a budget. Do you think any of these would work on the walls, and/or cupboards? These are all significantly paler than they appear in the swatches. "Antique Petal" is white with a very subtle pink-orange undertone. "Resplendent" is a warm pale grey with a yellow-green undertone. "Salt Pebble" is a white with a subtle red undertone. "Geneva Morn" is a relatively cool, slightly purple-grey. "Auberge" is a brown-black. "Chaps" and "Safari Tan" are tans and "Bleached Meadow" is the color of the living room--more like a very pale sage. Fluid White is on the front of the house and is a white with a blue undertone.

I don't have access to SW or BM paints here.

That's what you call a rock garden !

Jan Moyer and lindahambleton, you don't think the wood ceiling looks too heavy?

the blue cabinets are throwing me off vs the wall color (as it looks on my computer) - I wonder if changing that out will unify everything - maybe repaint the cabinets a granite grey -even a deep purple kinda an eggplant color- then brighten the walls- i like the texture of the ceiling

Keep the ceiling for sure.

Besides adding black moulding around the window, I would do the following:

1. Paint the cabinet base the same color as the doors. I like the blue and would keep that color.
2. Add black pulls to the cabinet doors
3. Paint the walls the same exact color as the tiles. If you dont like the tiles then paint them. If you paint the tiles, paint them the same color as the cabinet doors.
4. Paint the base of the island black.
5. Remove the hanging pots and pans
6. Remove everthing from the countertops

Netherwood, that's questionable advice.

You may be right Eve. That’s one spectacular rock. What a great view! Enjoy!

How about some landscape lighting outside to illuminate the rock at night?

Do NOT mess with the rock !!

Paint out the ceiling if you like........lose the blue cabinetry. Try Edgecomb ( Ben Moore ) on walls, with white cabinetry.

In the meantime, lose all the clutter, pot, pans counter, stool, and post another pic in full dayliight WITH THE LIGHTS ON. All of them : ) Show other angles and the entire kitchen...and the beyond the kitchen area.

When a museum hangs a piece of art, they do not put things in front of it. Try this for a new photo: Move the pots and pans off the pole, then put everything else on the island or side counter while you take the photo. Your window goes all the way down to the countertop, so the full view of the rock is obscured by things on the countertop.

If you want advice on how to keep counters clear, on decluttering, or on organizing your cabinets to fit more in, just ask in a new post, you'll probably get some excellent helpful comments.

Thanks! I will try posting a better pic. This is all very helpful.

Disregarding the clutter for a moment (I have a torn ACL ligament and can't clean as easily), what material do you guys think the countertops and kitchen island should be if we can redo them? Currently it's a hideous mottled sand-colored laminate. Would a sandstone or slate be too harsh?

If we want to keep the wooden ceiling, what undertones should we be going for in our neutral paint colors?

I would not paint the ceiling either. I brings nature indoors, along with the rock view. I would paint cabinet frame and doors the same color. Take down the pots and pans hanging in front of window. They take away from the rock view.

The walls are yellower than Edgecomb Gray, but not that far from it. I find it hideous which is why I was looking at whites with pink/pinky-orange, blue or taupe undertones and NOT creamy yellow.

I do not like greige. In a vacuum my favorite shades are silver, cool gray, muted teal, dusty pink, grape purple, fuchsia, dark brown, gold, lime, cool pink, orange and lapis blue. Husband has a s***load of red and orange in the rest of the home.

Thanks, allison! What shade would you paint the cabinets and wall?

I have no advice to give, and sorry about your injury. I just have to say, that rock is really cool.

WOW, love the boulder! Keep the wood ceiling. Of the paint colors you posted I really like the Green Glass for the cabinetry as it seems to relate to the flooring (very subtle). Add some exterior soft "wash lighting" of the rock to accentuate it after dark.

After looking at your new color mock-up, I like the existing warm wall color better. I like the wood ceiling as well. Would not fool around with changing that. The element that you can't change on a buget is the tile floor. So make sure you pick a color that goes with it. I would look at greens and grays. Definitely paint the fronts and the base of the cabinet the same color. Good luck.

I would definitely do some low voltage light to accent the rock at night.

If I read it correctly, the rock is lit up at night, so no need for interior lights. Perhaps I misinterpreted the poster.

Do not paint the ceiling. The window and the ceiling are this kitchen's best features.

Clearly you need more storage. Until you find it, or downsize your cooking utensils, the rock is destined to be obscured by clutter.

Rock is lit up at night. I will try to get a pic this evening.

- groveraxle--would you repaint the wall around the rock window and the cabinets?

I'd replace the window with one that has no grid--just one big pane of glass. Then I'd perhaps get some outdoor landscape uplights to "wash" the rock in light. Set them on a timer to go on at sunset. It will feel like you're at a resort. P.S. Don't paint the rock. You could do color filters on the lights instead, but not necessary. Like these:

Pensacola, FL · More Info

Rockweld Feature Wall & Lighting · More Info

Paint cabinets all one color:

Update: painted the walls a whiter color and took down the painting rail. My partner says it looks “clinical.” (Still going to repaint cabinets.) Is my white too pink? Or can this come together with the cabinets?

I still like the stools in flaming colors, TBH ... we like color.

Looks so much better. Yes the paint looks a little pink on my monitor. You can always

re-do later. Do like the added colors (stools etc).