Just want to make sure...are the pictures of the kitchen in the post your kitchen? The white cabinet, black granite, and oak floors? I'm not sure what is meant by "I wont' be doing this marble because I'm afraid of the variation...".

she means the marble backsplash.

Hi Meg! I've been wondering how things are going. Just relax and follow your heart. I think whatever you pick will look great. Rembember if you go simple with the backsplash you can add different touches and change the mood. You could make it elegant with marble pieces (big mortar & pestle sitting out), marble cheese board with a glass dome.

I think I like the idea of the simple white subway backsplash for you. It really will act as a neutral.

Of course--I can't give my opinion on the light ;)

(Did you see my shout out Thank You to you, btw? Because of you I ended up with my tile for the backsplash. I never would have known about it, and never have entered my kitchen in the contest. So, just in case you missed it, Thank You!)

-K

I see the marble now...I overlooked it the first time I read the post. It looks like your kitchen was fairly recently complete...everything looks new and fresh. In terms of adding more rustic elements I don't think it would work well. The elements in your kitchen are all pretty "clean". Straight lines, black and white, super clean and polished floor. I think keeping any new elements inline with the existing style would be the right way to go. I really like your kitchen! It's neat, clean, and pretty. White subway tile would be nice as a backslpash, or maybe some glass tile to add a little sparkle.

Hi there beekeeperswife! I was recently wondering if you got the backsplash installed.
Oh I haven't been on garden web as much as I used to be so I didn't see your shout out, but thank you and you're welcom! I'm pleased I could help someone out.
The chandy is lovely and I doubt that I'll change it, however it doesn't downcast light enough-not a huge problem as I've got plenty of lighting in my kitchen.
And you are right about the subway. My mom has great style and she keeps telling me "subway". I could just see her down the road "I told you subway but you said no".

I was just wondering if I could add some vintage decor to this style-not sure what it is. I think what I mean is those old white tin enamelware decor. Perhaps a "clean" sophisticated version of shabby chic.

andreadeg-thank you. I think you are right.

I know I keep posting my uncertainties but ever since we moved into this house I've been making expensive decorating mistakes.

Please feel free to keep the advise coming incase I've missed something-and I promise the next kitchen decor post I post will be a finished one!

I just want to say I love your kitchen! Absolutely beautiful. Not sure what to tell you to change because I like it so much the way it is!

I think shiny white subway tile would just exacerbate the somewhat clinical look that black and white can take on.

From what you've written about your style, I wonder if a rustic tile would work for your backspash, something along the lines of the tile and the design shown in the thread below (likely not that colour). I'm thinking toward the Mexican tile look, obviously with black and white in it, or a pattern incorporating black and white tiles, maybe as accents.

I think I'd avoid shiny on the backsplash, and if you do go with a subway or white tile, incorporate some set-in contrasting or co-ordinating tile, on the diagonal maybe.

Otherwise, why not wood? If it doesn't work out behind the faucet, you can always replace it. Also, it's way easier to change wood later to tile than it is to change tile!

KarinL

Here is a link that might be useful: Rustic tile with marble

The fisherman pendant looks like it was just made for the space. I would go with subway tiles too. They are a classic look and easy to care for. You seem to have an affinity for the Pottery Barn contemporary look. That is a good starting point. Plenty of room options to add personal touches to the room once the tile and pendant are in.

meg-don't foget that when I added my shades, the light really was aimed more downward, thus giving me more light on my island as well as accenting the crystals, truly makes a huge difference. I would get samples of both gloss & matte subways to try.

My tiles arrived 2 days ago, yay. However when they were loading the pallet, the bullnose pieces fell off and all broke. So they had to make more. It will be another 2 weeks before we get it done. We are going to NYC next weekend and our tile guy is going to Paris (he's a private pilot for a company). It's just torture to have the tile so close. I might do some duct taping this weekend, we are having a big storm and lots of indoor time.

I love that fixture and think it would look great in your kitchen. The more vintage things you add to it, the less polished it will be. I have some vintage tin canisters, and other items in my kitchen.

I also have white subway with some colors added to it. It's easy to clean and you don't have to worry about wood behind the sink.

This is an older picture, I've since changed accessories. I have a LOT of tins and enamelware, which you can buy in many colors.

The colors of the diamonds inserted in the subway are ruby red and pale yellow.

I haven't finished my first cup of coffee yet so I'm having a little trouble understanding. Would the fisherman's pendant replace the chandy over the sink? While I love the chandy I think the fisherman's pendant would steer your kitchen towards the look you are after. Then add some vintage looking accessories on the counters. Some minimal wt like a simple roman shade would soften the edges.You could hang it high so as not to cover any of that beautiful light filled window.

Love the chandy over the sink, so I am a little disappointed it might be moving. The fisherman's pendant is nice, but I would rather see something in a silver tone instead of the all white. Something a little industrial like in the link below, but not that price, lol! I love Brooke's kitchen also. She recently started moving from a romantic vintage to a more vintage industrial look if that makes sense. I also love Heather Bullard's kitchen. http://heatherbullard.typepad.com/heather_bullard_collectio/home_garden/page/3/

Here is a link that might be useful: dome pendant

arapaho-thank you!
karinl-thank you for your suggestion, unfortunately I brought some rustic stone home a while ago and it seemed too rustic for the other elements in this room. Not too mention I'm a plain jane gal but would like to bring something more interesting to the space.

beekeeper-how easily I forget-I think you mentioned the shades downcasting the light better in a previous post. I will have to order them from somewhere as I don't live near any "cool" stores. So sorry to hear about the breakage. Have fun in NYC.

artlover-you got that right about the pendant location. You wrote just what I was thinking...I will be adding a roman shade installed high above the window. You can see I have some swatches dangling from my window area.

oakleyok-your kitchen looks lovely and I love the shelving next to your window. That is something I wish I could've done but then I wouldn't have been able to reach my cabinets as well. I also love the shape of your shade at the bottom. Thank you for sharing and the advise.

Thanks ya'll

One thing about the marble and its variations: if you allowed these variations to happen, the kitchen would be less 'polished' without getting too rustic, because its still marble. The variations would take away from the slickness of the black and white and also lessen the feeling that everything is 'just so'.

I'm going to be the one who is odd man out but I think the tiles should be a very muted warm light beige to give the room some edge. Right now it's gorgeous but a teeny bit chilly (sorry). The light tan would solve that along with the same tone in the window treatment. I'd like to see the tiles in a horizontal pattern to offset the verticals that are dominating. Do subways come in colors? I'd also add a nice living plant on your gorgeous countertop that is closest to the door on the left. Something like a jade plant in a black or tan vessel. It's a wonderful kitchen that just needs to warm up a bit.

Thanks for the compliment Meg! I've been debating with myself on whether to add curtains over the shade. We have the same one's in the dining room also. But we've gotten used to the shade and we use it every day, so I'm thinking about not using curtains after all!

Oh my yes, stone would be too rustic! I was really thinking more like a terra cotta tile - a matte finish, single colour, with some accent. Maybe even as subtle was what Yayagal suggests, which I think would harmonize nicely with the floor.

For me a subway tile, both the shape and the shine, and especially in white, would aggravate what you say you aren't liking about your kitchen. Subway is, after all, an industrial-type look.

Maybe you're in that space where you're used to picking certain types of things but not liking the end effect any more - it can be hard to get your eye accustomed to picking out different things. Bring home more samples!

I think the new light fixture would be an excellent start. It's a warmer, cozier look than what you have now.

KarinL

I agree with karinl. I think the shiny tile is not a good idea, something more muted. Textures make a room warmer.

This thread is of interest to me because I'm also considering ways to warm up and finish off our new kitchen with a vintage spin. I have found that the more textiles I add, the more I'm liking it. A cranberry red seems to be "the" color in my kitchen anyway to add warmth. So far, I've put up window valences in our bay window, and cloth tablecloths at our main table and small table. I bought cranberry checked seat cushions. And I bought a runner for our island, which looks pretty but isn't practical when cooking. Anyway, maybe what you need are splashes of color in textiles? And what about a hooked, or braided accent rug or two?

Have you considered an ORB fixture? I love that fisherman's light, but I don't think a white fixture will add enough contrast or look nearly as good as ORB. Besides, your beautiful ORB hardware would love company : )

I'm also wrestling with my backsplash choice. I have travertine floors and soapstone counters. I'd LOVE to do a marble backsplash but I don't think it will go with the travertine floors. I'm considering doing a back splash like this one.

But to be honest with you . . . I'D DO A MARBLE BACKSPLASH IN YOUR KITCHEN IN A HEARTBEAT. I agree that it will bring it more in the direction you've described. I also must admit that I love the crystal chandelier (from what I can see). And I think it would look stunning with a window valence behind it to make it pop more. Maybe you could wait and replace the chandy if you still think it needs to move after you've made other changes? You may be surprised at how gorgeous the whole look becomes if you go with a marble splash and keep the chandy!

In my kitchen I have several patterns of china, stoneware and pottery that give a vintage feel. My china includes an antique floral pattern that I've collected over the years and a berry pattern tea set. Our everyday includes an old style Dutch pattern and also a plain white, heavy dish with scalloped edges that I got from Fishs Eddy (great online and instore shop for old patterns), I also have pottery bowls and garlic keeper that I bought from local artisans. It helps that we have mostly glass front cabinet uppers, so you can see the dishes. But maybe you would get more of the feel you're looking for if you display some key pieces? How about a vintage bowl as your fruit bowl? Maybe a plate rack?

Your kitchen is really beautiful. Have fun playing with these final details. The main thing is you have lovely bones to work with.

Since you're not feeling the carrara backsplash, I took some inspiration from the pretty blue tea kettle and found this pic! The bamboo shades add some warmth too!
{{!gwi}}

Your kitchen is lovely! I think some added texture in a rug and like someone said a woven wood shade will help. And are your walls white? Adding a subtle color would warm the room up and make it easier to transition to a more relaxed look. Instead of buying repros from China, check out your local antique store for kitchen items. Antiques are very reasonable right now.

I just wanted to say that I find painted bead board backsplash behind the faucet easy to care for. And I have had my fair share of splashes and messes. Just so you don't cross it off your list for the wrong reason!

Thank you everyone for the suggestions and compliments. I really appreciate the feedback.
Judydel, I recently came across a garden webber who has stone floor white cabinets and soapstone counters with marble subway backsplash. Unfortunately I can't remember who it is. The backsplash you've shown is very pretty. Thank you for the suggestions on pieces to display. I think I understand now how to incorporate that look. And thank you for the name of the store. My only hang up on the marble is ordering it only to find that it is more varied than my pretty sample board. I have some loose samples of their current lot and there is QUITE a variation. The fisherman's light does come in black, as well as stainless steel and red.

Jilljohn-I was thinking wooden roman shades but thought mabey a fabric would give me that warmth and texture my kitchen need. Not that the samples below are "warm" necessarily.

Putting my pics on here and reading the feedback helps me to realise what I truely like and don't like so thank you once more.

I am wondering if these fabric choices would work for shades and chair. Perhaps a little blah?
linen spa

I think white subway tile perhaps with the crackle finish would be beautiful. Love that white pendant light too. And I don,t think it is sterile at all. Textiles will avoid that from happening in my opinion. Great kitchen!

I don't find subway to be an industrial look at all.

All the beautiful pictures here of fellow poster's homes is what got me to use subway, because it looks warm and clean, and kind of country. Look at the blue subway above, it looks like a beach house and not at all industrial.

Kmcg, that is ONE gorgeous kitchen! I love the sky blue tile. Wow!

Hi Megpie -

I also love Brooke's kitchen. Loved it before but love it even better now. Vintage bus less country.

I don't see subway tile as country but not especially industrial either. If you love Brooke's kitchen, I think it would be easy to bring in a few of her elements. The main difference is going to be your dark countertops. To get her look, I'd paint your kitchen in a soft goldish/tan color. One thing Brooke does is bring in lots of natural elements like baskets, wood and plants. She uses soft tones. Use baskets, old breadboards, wood signs and lots of plants (not just sitting in a windowsill but around the kitchen) to bring in the same feel. I can't remember what kind of window treatments Brooke used in her kitchen but I can see the bamboo shades working with that look. I'm thinking she used some chrome elements also.

Have you seen her master bathroom? I love it - so much light. And I adore her redone den - that painting is a wonderful focal point.

For those of you who haven't seen Brooke and her husband's amazing talents, the blog is Velvet and Linen. I'm on my husband's laptop, so don't have the link, but google it or her name. She has a lovely home.

tina

There are some really amazing vintage/farmhouse style backsplashes and kitchens here. Looks like they have both horizontal and vertical beadboard, lots of subway tile (in white and colored glass), and some other materials you may not have considered. It would at least be another inspiration site for you to look at.

I was thinking of something like a sheet of zinc or tin tiles for your kitchen, but couldn't find any good pics on the internet. But that might be another idea to consider.

I have painted beadboard as a backsplash and I haven't had any problems with it. Behind the sink, we have a bar counter, so there's only about 2 or 3" of wood back there (the height difference between the bar counter and the regular counter where the sink is) and it gets wet a lot - I have little kids who splash when they wash their hands- but the wood is in fine shape and cleans right up. So I don't think you have anything to worry about re: the beadboard.

I love your kitchen so far but agree that the chandy is too formal for the "farmhouse" look you want. I do think that just by changing the lighting, the backsplash, and maybe adding some antique or industrial accents (stools, accessories, chairs), you could change the whole look from refined to cottage to vintage to farmhouse. I love the fisherman lights and think they'd be a good start to getting the look you want, though like another poster above, I think they might look better in a silver/metal tone to avoid washing out with the rest of the white cabinets. Good luck!

That is a lovely kitchen on the Velvet and Linen blog. It's quite true as Tina mentions above that there is no black and in fact no strong contrast in it at all, and as such I think the main thing you would need to do to move toward the look is to mitigate the strong contrasts you have. I don't think bringing in more black or white will achieve this effect. Rather, perhaps you need something between black and white to mitigate the difference between them into a gradation, and not a sudden jump, and - this is where my understanding is too amateur to be certain - maybe one method would be to use things that have both black and white in them, like the chair or a variegated marble. I do think too that more wood would help.

The other thing that might be worth considering is to change your knobs and handles to something that doesn't contrast quite so much. I think the green transparent pulls in the blog have a lot to do with the overall softness of the look. Maybe grey would have a nice effect for you. In terms of softening the counter contrast, one advantage that you have is that your counter is soapstone and not shiny granite or marble, which I think would be much harder to soften. Thanks for mentioning that, by the way, I wondered what it was and I really like it.

Regarding the beadboard, I also have wood that gets wet often but is in fine shape. It all depends on how you finish it. We did our wood floors with a water-based clear coat, and that is definitely harmed by water - a mistake in our kitchen and bathroom. However, we did our bathroom window sill and our wood kitchen cabinets with diluted paint - I think it both cases it was oil-based but might have been latex in the bathroom. That window sill is right next to the tub and has gotten wet every day for 16 years and looks like new.

And to repeat something I've said elsewhere, mocking up ideas is often not that hard. You could put coloured tape or fabric on your pulls and knobs to see how that would look, or put a few pieces of coloured paper on the backsplash. I find I can often rule out certain things really quickly doing stuff like that.

KarinL

"My only hang up on the marble is ordering it only to find that it is more varied than my pretty sample board. I have some loose samples of their current lot and there is QUITE a variation."

Check the return policy of your supplier. Many places allow you to order more than you need, pick the tiles you prefer and return the ones you don't like (usually ordering twice as much is more than enough to find the tiles you prefer).

IK, I'm sitting here drooling over the CL kitchen page! It gives me quite a few ideas. I get the mag but never look at their website. Thanks!

I think your kitchen would look beautiful, refined, and elegant with the marble backsplash and the current chandelier -- but it doesn't sound like that's the feel you're going for. Have you considered tin ceiling tiles, either in a metal or white? There are a ton of patterns available nowadays, from simple graphics to elaborate florals, so I'm sure you could find something you liked.

I love that fisherman's light -- could you tell me the manufacturer or retailer, please? Thanks.

Have you considered either a glass or marble mini square mosaic? Maybe a glass mosaic that has a few different "colors" or shades in it. I tend to think this size takes on a more "rustic" appearance. A step down from the polished, refined look you're going for. I think the horizontal beadboard is a very nice idea. I've considered that myself as well. I love the texture that it provides and it's also a different look from tile. I also understand about maybe wanting to avoid the high contrast with the black counter. I too have a black counter and have always envisioned a white tile, but am having a hard time with the contrast between the 2.

I LOVE your kitchen, and the new light. I love the look of natural fibers and vintage-style pieces in rooms like yours. Here is a beadedboard kitchen that I really like.

I'm just back to thank everyone for your suggestion's and kind words.
I'm still unsure what to do. I think I'll come back to this post a few times and see what really "sits" with me.
Thanks again!