Willinak, interesting that you want less contrast. I'm guessing that a lot of people here are putting in a plug one way or another for clearly delineated color contrasts if you're going to do it. I think I agree with that if there is sharp horizontal linearity going on. But I liked that 2-toned wood kitchen with just slightly darker wood around the range too. that was an exception, though, with vertical color lines. And Janelle Millers kitchen was different, too, with playful color changes in the drawer fronts; ditto cooks46. Fun!
plllog -- I'm not so sure that the success of the countertop color is linked to its being the same as the uppers as that it be similar to either upper or lowers -- that is, if there's horizontal linearity, stick with fewer rather than more color contrasts. I think dark counters matching dark bottoms works when there isn't too much contrast between them. I think the thing is, having that strong horizontal line created by cabinet-color difference is a really strong statement and you use up your ability to do much more with color. I think echoing the contrast up top in the molding (thinly) is about all your color budget might be able to hold at that point. A colorful line of counter *also* may just fizz the whole thing.
Which might be a bummer for my idea of green-veined soapstone.... In any event, I take your point that doing this might make the selection of countertop more important than ordinarily (though you'd probably say it is *always* super-important! It just isn't, like all these myriad other decisions, anything I'd ever considered at all hard enough).
Look at that corner island sink, rayle: bingo. Thanks! I like the molding in that picture too, though I'd want one a little simpler.
plllog -- I'm wondering now whether you're right, and the countertop linked to the uppers is preferentially important. I think it nestles the whole countertop space with the uppers and makes a cozy connected space. It pulls the lower and uppers together that would otherwise be disconnected by color-line. When instead you relegate the counter to the bottom in terms of color, the horizontal lines don't get tied together and it's all less of a piece.
But that's mostly possible with painted cabinets. How could one mimic that in 2-toned wood stains? Except go with wooden counters which I wouldn't want to do? At the least, I suppose, keep any BS lines long and the same lighter color as the uppers. Don't know if that would accomplish the tieing-together though.
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Slab drawers in old house
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