@mrscollie why did you end up with a second table if you dont mind me asking? I just read through the other thread and was just getting ready to do rubio at your original ratio. Or I might sand it back to the pine and bleach it and then stain it. After 6 years Im over the plastic. 😂

Thank you sprtphntc...gorgeous color cabinets-kitchen. In your 1st photo,(upclose) the hardware looks totally pewter or matt silver though not ORB...Can you explain...As I need rich very dark (but not black)ORB matte real iron/metal. I initially though matte black to go with our handmade black custom potrack, wroight iron stair wells etc..and not be matchy matchy with hardware but the black didn't look good with my sample wood and so I'll have no contrast but go with dark ORB. LOVE the look. I am so thankful I found this page/thread..Apparently I'm not doing what is the trend but I go with what I love which tends to be timeless IMHO, traditional with rustic leanings.

epressler, sorry I didn't realize the pulls I posted didn't come in the smaller sizes :( I just learned how to post pics from websites other than photobucket, here is the link to show you how: http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/pepper/2002072150000611.html Here is a hardware website that has a very good search feature where you can specify the length you are looking for: http://www.atgstores.com/pulls-atg_676.html Lastly, I took another look at your pictures. What you really have to think about is what you want the star of your kitchen to be. Where do you want eyes to be drawn to?If you want the star to be your granite, I really think the ORB looks better IMHO. It brings out the warmth in your cabinets and the granite, without competing with the granite. The silver hardware competes with your granite and just looks cold to me. I take back what I said about using a shiny silver, I definitely think it is too much. You have a beautiful kitchen and it is YOUR kitchen! So regardless of what anyone says, go with your gut and pick something you love...so that every time you walk in your kitchen you say "I LOVE MY KITCHEN!!" and NOT "What was I thinking??" Best wishes!

Got my 75% strength Swiss Coffee. The color is perfect. I had to go to the hardware store twice. The first time they mixed it, the guy never did a 75% strength. He found where to enter the strength and double checked it was 25% lighter (75% strength). I got home and it was pure white looking. Went back a few days later and got someone more knowledgable. He pulled up the original formula, and sure enough, the other guy made it 25% strength. They remixed it and now looks perfect. I really like the color. I'm painting my entire new lake house in this color. Hard to see in this picture, there are 4 color patches. Left to right: 75% Swiss Coffee, full strength Swiss Coffee, Cloud White, 75% Swiss Coffee Walls 75% Swiss Coffee, ceiling bright white ceiling paint.