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katieob_gw

Island color & stools~Help please....

katieob
14 years ago

Hi all.

We broke ground on our new home in December & things are rolling along to the finishing stage. Great news-except it is very easy & fun to "clip" posts and tear pages out of magazines. But, actually finalizing and executing it in your (hopefully forever) kitchen? Not so easy for me. So please chime in:

Plan: white, inset cabs with soapstone on the perimeter & walnut stained island ( 8 by 5 with four stools ) topped with 5cm honed calacatta marble.

I love "alliern's" kitchen & it was one of my inspirations. My kitchen set up is almost identical to hers & my cabinet maker is basically copying her island (Thanks alliern!)

I am a bit stumped as to what stools I would use? I was planning on black all wood with an "X" back. Too dark with the dark island?

img src

This got me to thinking about doing the island in a color rather than the walnut stain. Maybe a french grey? Slate blue? What stools then?

img src

Floors are 8 inch wide heart pine.

Stools must be all wood.

Help. I cannot even ask my husband's opinion on this. He really won't care either way. He just wants me to love the kitchen & stop asking him to look at pictures of islands :)

Thanks as always,

Katie

Comments (7)

  • erikanh
    14 years ago

    Katie, you're so right. All the countless little decisions that need to be made can be so overwhelming!

    I'm not sure that black would look good with dark brown. I almost purchased these counter stools from Overstock, dark mahogany with x back:

    I was going to use the tie-on seat cushions like the ones that stiles has. But in the end, I knew those cushions would need constant adjusting, so I went with easy-care dark brown leather stools with with very low backs that barely stick up above the countertop.

    I love the idea of a grey or slate blue island. But how much do you love it? If you're going to do a color, I'd lean toward something like this, but you said you want all wood:

    {{!gwi}}

  • katieob
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Hi Erika!

    Are those from Crate & Barrel? I've looked at those a dozen times! I say all wood stools due to the kiddos, but those would stand up to them too!

    I think I'm still leaning toward the dark walnut island (I seem to keep thinking of it as an "anchor" in our otherwise light/airy/open plan). Crazy talk? Maybe.

    I'm also considering getting my stools unfinished & staining them to match or just complement the island color.

    Thoughts?

    Thanks.

  • erikanh
    14 years ago

    Yup, those are the Crate & Barrel ones ... don't you love them?? I almost got them, but then I decided I already have so much "popping" in here that I'd go with something more subdued for the counter stools. I still love them though and if you get them I'll happily drool over them! =)

    My indecision about the color for the island held up my project for a longggg time. I kept vacillating between white, brown, and grey-blue. Although I ended up going with the dark brown stain, I realize now that any of those choices would have turned out lovely. I just don't think you can go wrong with any of the colors you mentioned. Sorry I can't be of more help LOL!

    Staining them might be a great idea ... I wish I knew how to do that. You could save a lot of money, and then if you get sick of them in a few years, you could change them out.

    Our tastes are so similar, I just know I'm going to adore your kitchen when it's done. So exciting!!

    Have a great weekend!

    Erika

  • boxerpups
    14 years ago

    Here are some pics that might help with the
    kitchen seating ideas.
    ~boxerpups


    Bungalo Bliss

    Erikanh suggested this kind and here it is in
    a kitchen. I like it. Google image
    {{!gwi}}

    jeanstofferdesigns


    Higherground.com


    {{!gwi}}

    wilsonart

    Live Aux
    {{!gwi}}

    I love these but this is my inspiration pic so I am
    a bit biased. HB

    covenantkitchens

    harmonyandhome peacockdesigns

    Another image of peacock designs
    {{!gwi}}

    vanwaycabiets
    {{!gwi}}

    Marinskitchendesigns
    {{!gwi}}

    icecreamandboysblog
    {{!gwi}}

  • katieob
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Boxerpups~

    You really are the MVP of kitchen images! Thank you!

    I ,too, LOVE LOVE that Chris Peacock kitchen & it's got me thinking that maybe I should go with a white island to match my perimeter & warm it up with espresso wood X back stools....

    Erika~

    I love those C & B stools, but I feel just like you whenever I revisit them. I'll have stainless appliances, quite the range hood(!) and polished nickel pendants- metal overload with those stools. Too bad, so cute.

    Any more opinions on island/stools?

    Thanks!

  • americancolleen
    14 years ago

    I'm going to end up with creamy parameter beaded inset cabs, soapstone counters on the params and a stained island/table with Imperial Danby marble (grey and brown veining) and the brown Henry Leather bar stools from Yankee Sturbridge. I ordered six of them plus two matching stools. I needed something that would clean up easily but would be comfortable for sitting.

    Very nice quality, sadly made in China though :-(

    I saw them in jbrodie's gorgeous kitchen and I had to have them - think they're still on sale but the shipping was expensive.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Henry leather stools

  • erikanh
    14 years ago

    Colleen, your stools are very nice and look a little bit like mine. I got mine from Overstock, so shipping was cheap and I had a 10% off coupon. They are comfortable. My DD has a tendency to throw herself into chairs and my DH is a big guy, so we'll see how long they hold up.

    {{!gwi}}

    Here is a link that might be useful: Manhattan Stools