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White kitchen w/Venetian Gold granite anyone?

Oakley
13 years ago

I would love to see pictures of your white kitchen with venetian gold granite countertops.

I'm not feeling the love with mine. Below is a picture from last year after the remodel, accessories are different now. Something's missing. I wonder if I need something tall and brown/black sitting on the counter?

Also shown is the hutch which looks different now and I like it. It's just the main countertop areas I'm not feeling.

Comments (40)

  • caminnc
    13 years ago

    What a beautiful kitchen! The only think I might suggest is a little more color on the windows to draw the eye up. Something black in the corner might look nice but really what more could you ask for. Just lovely.

  • Sidney4
    13 years ago

    I think you have an awesome kitchen. I have to admit I wasn't too sure about my choice at first either. I had seen so many examples on line that I fell in love with but when my granite was first installed I was pretty disappointed. I have had about 3 months to get used to it and now I am very happy.What I really like about the white kitchen with venetian gold is it's versatility. There are so many colors that look great with it.I'm looking forward to decorating with lots of red and green this Christmas.


  • stu2900
    13 years ago

    Is that a blind over the sink? You could add more color there. Personally, I love your kitchen! It just needs some personalization. Find some accessories that you love in colors you love. That kitchen will accept almost any color.
    For me it would be more black and red. (I like drama), but use whatever color you like.

  • Oakley
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thank you Cam. In that corner I have an apothecary jar filled with dried flowers from my summer garden. I'm afraid if I put something dark there it will fade away.

    Sidney, we're like sisters with the same style of our cabinets and pulls! lol. I like the brown's you have in there. I decorate with a lot of greens and reds, so I'm getting very excited to bring out my Christmas decorations!

    On my window sill I have various planters for Spring/Summer decor, and on the shelves I have some tall, old apothecary bottles I found on the acre after heavy rains.

    You know what my problem really is and I wonder if anyone else has gone through the same thing? When we built on, it made the front part of our house very long. Nice, but long. The house went from a rectangle to an L shape.

    Now my kitchen is in the corner of the L, and I'm pretty far from the front door. Also, since we have a covered patio I no longer get the beautiful bright light I used to get.

    It's been over a year, but I'm still not used to it. Maybe I need a shrink instead? :)

  • Oakley
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Sjt, I still haven't gotten around to putting up some curtains over the blinds. I know it will make a world of difference. Thanks for the reminder, I'll start checking some out.

    Here's what the middle of the hutch looks like now since I added some shelf scarves. I have the matching table runner on my DR table next to the kitchen. It really makes a difference. Do you think I need to incorporate more of the homespun on the other countertops? I do have a new bowl that's red and white checked that I love. lol

    Sorry about the small picture.

  • denifitz
    13 years ago

    I know this isn't a helpful comment, but i just wanted to say I think the white cabinets with the Venetian Gold granite looks beautiful.

  • Oakley
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Before the remodel, I had a deep red bamboo shade. I really like these "old-fashioned" roller blinds, I have one on the large DR window and the back door window too.

    I'm leaning towards curtains to go over the blinds to keep with the "Farm" style of my kitchen. A deep rust might add the darkness I need to break up all the white above.

    But then again, a dark red bamboo would be pretty too! I just wish I had the accessorizing gene my mom had. She was a born designer and unfortunately her only daughter didn't pick it up. lol.

  • Sidney4
    13 years ago

    I agree with Fillagirl, bamboo shades that pulled in the color from the floor and and some of the darker elements from the granite would be stunning.I love your floors, BTW. Many of my inspiration photos had white cabinets with checkered floors.

  • tinam61
    13 years ago

    Sidney - your kitchen is beautiful. I like that your cabinets are not bright white. Are they glazed?

    Love the lanterns.

    tina

  • amysrq
    13 years ago

    Hey Oakley, be sure to look for a red that doesn't fight with the red in the wallpaper and sitting room. IOW, don't go too far over to Rust.

    Have you thought about doing something with the lighting? Upping the watts? Do you have any recessed lighting in that part of the house? It is not pretty but it is functional.

  • jlj48
    13 years ago

    Aahh. My dream kitchens. I would take either one. My cabinets are white and my floor is tan ceramic tile. But my counters are not nice looking laminate. These are the counters I want. Now let me just go back to my drooling and get myself a napkin.

  • gobruno
    13 years ago

    I love roller shades too and have them all over our house. How about adding an embellishment of some kind to the roller shade? Red grosgrain ribbon or colored tassels or fringe, etc. Also, may be you could try painting that section of wall over your sink a red or brown? I think it would help put some contrast in that sink area, where the light colored wall, the shelves, sink, tile, all kind of blend together. A contrasting wall color will make the shelves around your window "pop" as well as draw more attention to your window. It really is a lovely kitchen though. I completely understand about trying to feel happy with a space after spending so much time, energy, and money on it. Good luck!

  • natal
    13 years ago

    Now my kitchen is in the corner of the L, and I'm pretty far from the front door. Also, since we have a covered patio I no longer get the beautiful bright light I used to get.

    One of my criteria for the new kitchen was plenty of natural light, because the former kitchen was like a cave. I waited a few years before I hung any window treatments and the ones I chose only diffuse the light ... they don't block it like those roller shades. Looks like you also have them on the sliding doors. Maybe not the best choice for a room that doesn't get a lot of light?

    I think you have a beautiful kitchen.

  • Oakley
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks Natal. I don't have sliding doors, those are double windows. The shades are always up over half-way in the day time. Before we added the covered porch, we got a lot of light..too much really because it's a west wall and the heat coming in was awful.

    Now all of our Oak tree's are full grown which shades the west side of the house.

    Amy, the lighting is pretty good. I have under-cabinet lighting, a ceiling fixture, and a light above the sink. All take 100 w bulbs..except for the cab lighting.

    I know what you mean by keeping with the colors of the wallpaper and sitting room. I'm thinking about repainting the sitting room to the pastel green color you advised in the first place. LOL!!!

    The good thing is the depression glass, plates, etc., on the hutch "leads" into the colors of the DR and SR.

    I also like the idea of using ribbon on the shades to add color.

  • Sidney4
    13 years ago

    tina, thanks for the kind words. Yes my cabinets are vanilla with a glaze ( I can't remember the color but it might have been mocha). My lanterns are from Pottery Barn. I never like to buy anything unless it is on sale but I wanted these so badly that I made an exception. I plan to fill them with seasonal items to add a little color and interest.

    I want to say ditto to gobruno's suggestion of a contrasting wall color. It would be an attention grabber.

  • RoseAbbey
    13 years ago

    I agree with doing something different with window treatments. Besides being a similar color to your cabinets, the roller shades are also look like the same smooth texture as your cabinets. I think if you added either some color with a roman shade in a pretty fabric that compliments your decor or some bamboo shades for some texture and perhaps to pick up the color from the floor, I think it would look better. I really like your floor.

  • natal
    13 years ago

    Oakley, since the natural lighting has changed with the addition of the covered porch maybe it's time to rethink those light-blocking roller shades.

    I agree with Roseabbey that bamboo or fabric roman shades would bring color and/or texture into your white kitchen and might be just the answer to what you feel is missing.

    Maybe someone could Photoshop different window treatments for you.

  • busybee3
    13 years ago

    i think what's got you stuck is the venetian gold granite... i guess i don't see that as being a farm-house element. love the white cabs and the floor and the shade and the white appliances and sink, but i truly think the gold granite with it all is what's bothering you...even tho, alone, it's absolutely gorgeous. (ie: something like a soapstone might not have had you feeling so stuck...??)
    i agree, that if you hang woven wood shades (brown, not red) in the windows and try to pull some more earthy tones and textures(perhaps some gorgeous, old wooden farmhouse bowls, rollers, etc) throughout might help you with the "beautiful, but not quite right" feeling you have...

  • kimberlyrkb
    13 years ago

    I think your kitchen is really pretty! I agree with Sidney that new venetian gold is versatile - you can put any colors with it. The items you have look nice, however, they blend in - at least in the photos - so maybe that is what is not sitting quite right with you? If you like the red shelf scarves and the homespun items with your white/new venetian gold, try carrying it throughout the other parts of the kitchen. Adding some red or other stronger color to the other stretches of your countertop will help a lot.

    Here is mine....we just finished it recently. I still need to find some fabric for a shade over the window. Once I have that, it will help dictate what colors we use in the kitchen, but I gravitate toward blue and green, so chances are my fabric will go in that direction.






  • Oakley
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Busy, I like the idea of wooden bowls, but I already have quite a few bowls in the kitchen already. I do think brown is what's missing in my kitchen.

    What I need to do is take a picture of what I have there now, but I don't have the time.

    Natal, the shades will stay because of privacy at night. Although we live in the country, we don't want anyone seeing in our house at night...if that were to happen. We've had strangers appear at our door several times over the years, both at night and in the day time. Call me paranoid. :)

    I would love it if someone could photoshop a Roman shade for me. This is embarrassing, but I really don't know what one is! The bamboo shades I used to have had a built in top that hung over about a foot. Is that considered a roman shade? Or are they just a piece of material hanging at top of a window? I've seen those and it looks like the rest of the window treatments are missing. lol

    What about panels? I love the ones at Country Curtains. Just simple panels that hang straight down, no tiebacks. I had cafe curtains with tie backs in the DR before the remodel. I hated them, they were such dust collectors! Panels I could handle. Of course the shades would be pulled up during the day. I'd get matching one's for the kitchen and DR.

    Kimberly, beautiful kitchen! The items you see in the pictures are different now, or moved around with other things on the counter. I like your scales. I have some similar to it but mine are white. No more white!

    The white breadbox you see on the counter is now in the utility room. What do you all think if I sprayed it a different color and brought it back to the kitchen? If so, what color would you recommend? It's a great breadbox though.

  • Sheeisback_GW
    13 years ago

    Oakley your kitchen is so pretty.

    I really think adding some more dark accents would help tie your floor in nice.

    This is a really poor mockup but maybe it will give you an idea. This doesn't really show the proper folds like it would IRL.
    {{!gwi}}
    "The bamboo shades I used to have had a built in top that hung over about a foot. "
    Most times they come with a 6 or 9 (forget which) valance that's attached at the top. Instead of rolling under they have folds when they're raised up. When they're fully extended they look like flat. I'm not explaining this very well!

  • kristinekr
    13 years ago

    Oakley, sidney, and kimberly--love all your kitchens!

    Kimberly, could you share the specifics of your hardwood floor--its beautiful!

    thanks, Kristine

  • kimberlyrkb
    13 years ago

    Kristine - our floor is 3" wide hickory. I don't know a lot about flooring, so I'm not sure what other info you might like, but I am happy to happy any other questions you might have. It's from Chelsea Plank Flooring in Chelsea, MI. We love it, and it was VERY reasonably priced to boot - under $6/sq ft.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Chelsea Plank Flooring

  • Oakley
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    How ironic Shee. Thanks btw! That is EXACTLY what I had on the windows in a deep red color before the remodel! And I threw them away. LOL.

    Oh well. Live and learn. :)

  • Sidney4
    13 years ago

    Wow. Bring on the brown! I think that the blinds that Sheesharee photoshopped in would be a perfect addition. If you took that theme and brought in some other brown accessories , I think it would really complete the look.Painting the white bread box brown is a great idea. You could still bring in the touches of red that you love.

    Kimberly, love your kitchen. Please tell me about your island.

  • Sheeisback_GW
    13 years ago

    Oh no! You threw them out. :( You're welcome.

    The ones in the picture are from Home Depot.

    Here is a link that might be useful: DesignView

  • kimberlyrkb
    13 years ago

    Thanks, Sidney. Even though we could use the storage space, I decided I didn't want an island made out of cabinetry, so looked for something different. I finally found this old work table in an antique shop. It originally had planks as a top, but we replaced those with a birch butcher block counter top from IKEA. (Would have loved granite, but no room left in the budget.) By the way, we do have counter stools, but I removed them so I could get a better photo of the island.

    Once we have a color direction for this kitchen, I may paint the island legs a different color, but for now, it's the same as when I purchased it this summer. I've attached a close up; the second photo is from still in the store, before I bought it. We added the towel bar on the right end and I'm still figuring out how to accessorize down below so that it provides storage space AND looks nice. I need color down there!

    We recently refinanced our house and when the appraiser was here, he told me that it looked like it belonged in his garage shop. Oy! Now I'm wondering if everyone who walks into our house will think the same thing but tell me how "interesting" it is. ;)



    In the Shop

  • Sidney4
    13 years ago

    Kimberly, Interesting? Yes, but also very cool , IMO. I think every room should have at least one thing that is kind of unexpected and out of the ordinary. Not to hijack this thread but when I saw your island/ retrofit workbench, I thought of all kinds of different ways I might use it in my own house.

  • natal
    13 years ago

    Shee, that sure makes a big difference. Could you try the Natural Kiawah just for the heck of it?

    Here is a link that might be useful: Natural Kiawah

  • Sheeisback_GW
    13 years ago

    Here's the Natural Kiawah.
    {{!gwi}}
    Oakley these are the ones I have up on my patio doors and Natal has on her porch. I think the light wood appears more yellow IRL than in the mock up. There's a good bit of darker variation in them.

  • natal
    13 years ago

    You're right, that mock-up doesn't do them justice. The true colors are more like her granite countertop.

    Thanks anyways!

  • Sheeisback_GW
    13 years ago

    "The true colors are more like her granite countertop."
    They do. Good comparison!

  • Oakley
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    So I had Roman Shades for almost 30 years and didn't know it. How weird is THAT? Mine were identical to the one's above but they were the color of the red in the floor.

    Therefore, I can't use them because I got sick of them. I really want cloth panels over the shades. They'll look pretty with the shades pulled halfway up.

    I'm thinking a small window pane check so it won't be too obvious and fight with the wallpaper in the adjoining room. Thankfully the wallpaper has a LOT of colors on it so I have a lot of options!

    But ixnay on the roman shades. Sorry. :(

  • kristinekr
    13 years ago

    thanks for the info on your floor Kimberly. I have liked hickory samples in the store, but havenot seen a whole floor done in it--it looks great!

  • kimberlyrkb
    13 years ago

    Kristine - thanks! I was worried about the variation in color - thought it might be a bit much but I actually really love that. A lot of the pictures I've seen in flooring catalogs and online (to to Google images and search on "hickory floor") showed large patches of color. I asked our flooring guy to mix it up a bit more so we have dark and light mixed throughout for a more mottled effect. It took a bit longer to do that way, but I think it's worth it.

    Sorry for the hijack, Oakley!

  • Sheeisback_GW
    13 years ago

    "I really want cloth panels over the shades."

    I'm thinking a small window pane check so it won't be too obvious and fight with the wallpaper in the adjoining room."

    Huh? Do you mean like a short cafe (is that what they're called) curtain in a check pattern?

  • Sidney4
    13 years ago

    I'm wondering if a cloth valance may be what Oakley is talking about.

  • Oakley
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Not cafe or valance. Plain old kitchen curtains. lol.

    Here's an example from Country Curtains. They're technically called Rod Pocket Curtains, but mine don't need a tieback and the two panels don't need to "meet" at the top like they do in this picture.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Curtains

  • Sheeisback_GW
    13 years ago

    Oh I gotcha. With the roller blind underneather. That will still help to add some more color to that area. Maybe a curtain with red.