I love the Bianco Antico counters so much that I am now thinking of considering this granite. I love your hardware on the doors, love the new faucets, new appliances, simple but elegant and peaceful backsplash, and your stunning island. Thanks for sharing.

stephanj - yup, DIY projects will certainly test a marriage! ;) Another decision change here: since those two upper cabs over micro/fridge are on the opposite side of the kitchen and separate from my planned white cabs by the sink/window, I think I'm going to have those stained, too. That way, if I decide to do a full white on that accent wall, the stained cabinets may provide some nice contrast...just more thinking out loud. Re: BS, thankfully, we'd be adding only 12 sq ft by extending it to the top. Does that still qualify it as giant? :) Maybe the space just looks larger in the photo. I did my nerd thing last night, actually. :) Know what? It's a necessary step to take, and I promise it'll make you feel much less overwhelmed -- I know I do. Are you getting new cabinets or just reorganizing where things will go? If the former, here's another super, super helpful thread just on the topic of drawers. Scroll down about halfway, til you get to: This was such an eye opener for me, as up to now, I was applying vertical storage concepts only to pizza pans and cookie sheets. I was up and down out of my chair all night, measuring all my glass baking pans, casseroles, etc. Now I have to go weigh items (that I plan on storing in the same drawer) to see if I'll need to upgrade the drawer hardware -- knowing me, I will, just to be on the safe side. And absolutely LOVING this: Can you smell another DIY around the corner?! Because of the current configuration of my island and the way the downdraft ducting and electrical is set up down there, I'm going to end up with a (get this!) space in the left/front that measures 30" high x 24 wide x 12" deep. Goofy/Wasted space (I think) to put a stack of drawers there (each one would have, what, about 10" front-to-back length of usable space?). I wanna hang one of these across the top of the space (so, sitting just under the granite top), and hang my everyday skilles, pots, etc. off here. I wonder if these hooks are on a sliding rail: how cool would THAT be, to accommodate pans/pots of varying heights?!

it's a good open kitchen which will stand the test of time with island and your ss appliances. Personally, I would do almost anything but thermofoil. In looking at the Thomasville Nouveau choices I would pick the bamboo wafer or something similar...skip the two-tone struggle....and get a more quality material than white thermofoil. It's an open kitchen ...edges and texture , sheen, grain--- everything shows....... don't do thermofoil.

That's not a good gray - way too dark and "somber". I have a gray kitchen and I love it. It's SW Repose Gray and it's a lovely light color that pops with white woodwork. You're talking about spend a lot of money on a kitchen that has its issues. Can you actually open the door of the refrigerator all the way - the one up against the door? Believe me, I understand about wanting to make it better when one can't afford to gut it. I did that TWICE before I finally got my new kitchen 32 years later!!! No two-tone in this kitchen. You want to keep it neutral and calm. You don't really want to draw attention to anything part of it at this point, so keep it very simple. And don't spend too much on it. It's a functioning kitchen - just save and save until you can get what you want.