I do not know how the oil rubbed bronze finish will be affected. Our has the dark brown patina finish as you can see but the outside of the sink will probably never change in color because no water or other juices touch it. The inside of our sink can get black rings if we leave dishes or pots and pans in it overnight where it is wet or if there were food juices in the sink. But, that goes away after 2-3 days. We love the sink and it is soooo easy to keep clean. Basically rinse it out or put dish soap in it. You can also basically 'seal' the sink with wax...that would also limit the 'patina-ing' of your sink. Good luck and if you have any questions, let me know. And for louisianaPurchase--the antiqued countertop is very easy to keep clean. Fingerprints don't show up anywhere near as much as I thought. In fact, hardly at all unless someone has very greasy fingers. It is just a quick wipedown...the antiqued quality has probably made all the difference with that.

vwhippiechick - Thanks. I remember it being a paint that I can't get here, but it reminds me of BM Woodstock Tan which I used in an entryway. It's brown, but I see green at times so it sounds similar to yours. blue67 - Have you looked at the Finished Kitchen Blog for ideas? You can do a search for kitchens with white cabinets. Laurie Here is a link that might be useful: Finished Kitchen Blog

Can you put wood into your kitchen, or does it have to be tile? As for the honed granite. I had it in my pre-renovation kitchen and it was no where near as difficult as some say. I have four little ones and found it no harder to keep clean than other surfaces. It did not hide dirt, but a quick spritz and wipe would clean all my mess. So don't rule out black if you love it. That said, I am going with a light granite in my new kitchen and looked at Kashmire White (I chose Bianco Romano) and think it looks lovely. I am going with a wood floor in my kitchen, but if I wasn't I would definitely go with a darker tile, set in a quiet pattern, on the floor. Let the white cabs and counters take the eye and attention. Good luck!

I think the granite looks great: very classic and a big improvement over the tile! I'd definitely look into undercabinet lights. Before, the white counters reflected the ceiling light back up under the cabinets. The dark granite holds onto the light and makes the undercabinet areas a little cave-like. Lighting will make a big difference. I think the previous suggestions are excellent: painting the wall in the kitchen, along with finding some colorful accessories. I had a small galley kitchen similar to this one, and I was amazed at the difference a bright blue rag rug and a few blue dishtowels over the stove handle made.