I've seen some really cool great looking sheet glass backsplashes on this forum. You could think about that instead of tile, since you are going contemporary/modern, hate seams and will have lots of brick mortar lines competing with tile grout lines... the clean unbroken look of sheet glass might be nice. Can't comment on Corian in a kitchen, but we've had it on our main bath vanity counter for about 12 years. It is a light color and we've had no problems with it in the bath. I know someone will comment here who does have it in the kitchen. Your kitchen plans sound very interesting with the brick wall and the shelf just above countertop height. Good luck with your planning!

There are alot of things in that kitchen that are not attractive and that makes the attractive things not stand out. Our eyes tend to skip on things that somehow stick out and do not seem pleasant. So the goal is to eliminate what does not work before you make it better. Agree with much of what has been said. as you agree, the ceiling fan has to go. I also agree that wood valance has to go. black light has to go. Take everything off the counter and only put up one thing that is really lovely. The pictures are hung in a way that when I first saw them, I went "huh". I would take them out of the room entirely first. You also need to lose the pot hanging rack that has not so attractive acoutrement of cooking. If you want a pot rack, fill it completely full of really useful cooking utensils so that it says "we love to cook here". Another option is to only put up nice looking pots and pans only. Right now, it does not add but only detracts from the decor. I feel the same about the pendant lights. If you want to spend only a little money, get something that is completely neutral so they blend in. The potrack and the lights do not complment the room well. Your ceiling accentuates that you have not so good quality dry wall job. You either need to make sure you have a better paint job or pick a color that does not show the uneveness as much. This again makes my eyes see blemishes first before the beautiful things. A part of this is the picture you posted. But if it shows like this in real person, it may be contribute to the blah. Why do you have a chair rail on one wall but not the rest of the dining room? Again, it is off kilter a bit unfinished feeling. If you have chair rails, this is a great way to bring in a second color to the room, thus giving a contrasting color for visual interest. This is what I would do, take everything off/out that does not quite work. Then start adding one thing at a time and see if it works before adding another accent etc. Painting takes alot of work and is expensive. I think the paint color is doable as is. If you don't mind painting, I would go lighter. At Cambria website, they give you coordinaing BM color for each quartz color. Start from there. You have lovely cabinets and counterop. I think you will pull it together. With a little work, it will look beautiful. Good luck. Here is a link that might be useful: color match with cambria

Thank you! They are Conestoga cabs, the blue is SW Commodore (they go off the SW colors), they really are not *that* bright. :) I'm from NY too Audrey! When it came time for the backsplash I waived the white flag financially and decision making-wise. I love the water jet cut tiles a la Ann Sacks and such. I think they would look lovely with what you are talking about. Light blue or green are pretty. If you want to stick with white maybe milk white glass in a staggered brick pattern (not subway tile, they are different sized rectangles, I think I saw them at Tile Bar) But I do love me some subway tile. ;)

@K W @rita831 @HU-840964565 We ended up going with Kraftmaid Moonshine cabinets with the Sandgate. We’ll know how we did in a few months!