AWESOME. SO AWESOME. Love the thickness, love the veining, love the sink!

I can't afford something like that, but it doesn't mean I don't enjoy seeing it in your house, so don't be afraid to share! I've gone through the guilt of having a kitchen so much better than most I know, but that's what we have. Others have things we don't. It's about choices and priorities, and the way life works.

You're going to use and enjoy this kitchen and you and your dh made the decisions that are right for you. Doesn't matter what anyone has or enjoys. Don't waste a second with that WONDERFUL marble by allowing any negative feelings about having it! :-D

Good thing we changed plans for this weekend, or I might somehow permanently attach myself to your counters and you'd have to decorate around me! lol

I have nothing new to add, but that is indeed totally stunning. You have excellent taste!

Love, love, love your marble. I would have loved to have at least had marble on my island, but couldn't for a variety of reasons. I enjoy looking at yours though.

I have gone through the guilt pangs myself. At about the same stage you are now. I started thinking I was being so ridiculous with what we had built. There was a feeling of embarrassment. But like Rhome said, we all make our choices and priorities in life plus some of us had some luck along the way.

My husband and I do not travel, nor do we go out to eat. We love our home, and we have saved for 15 years to finally renovate to our particular taste.

It is over the top now, but we lived well below our means for most of our lives to get here.

Stunning!! Your kitchen is just beautiful - so simple and elegant. Now comes the fun part of enjoying it and making memories in it :-)

Perfection. Looks stunning. Its not ostentatious at all- its so classy. Love.

The whole process of watching your new kitchen unfold has been so much fun.
This feels like the climax of the story:
your marble is some of the most beautiful I've ever seen
and suits your kitchen so well.
Your wood island top is going to look stunning paired with it.
Love your sink.
Bravo!

WOW - you did it girl! it is stunning, you have worked your bum off you and deserve every luscious piece of marble in there!!! really, really beautiful. i can't wait to see the final finished view but this was a good set of teaser shots!

congrats!

Wow! Really beautiful kitchen! The marble is gorgeous and I especially love your hood! Be proud and excited that you are getting your dream kitchen! Enjoy it!!

Breezy, does it feel so good though?! I mean...look at your kitchen and how fabulous it looks even unfinished!!! How exciting!! I feel like we're all sharing in this with you. I can't wait to see more!

Your hard work has paid off. I love everything about your kitchen...

GORGEOUS!!

Thanks for posting some pictures. I've been following your reno and the results so far are fantastic. I really, really love your counters. The marble is outstanding.

Breezy, two things. First, your marble counter tops are Breath Taking! Second, you posting them on the forum is not ostentatious! Everyone, may not be able to afford them, but that does not mean that they don't want to see them. I love living vicariously through others and seeing their design and material choices.

I'm new to this site! Beautiful kitchen! Timeless and classic...enjoy every second in it. I hope to achieve the same but am in panic mode. Can you please give me info on your cabinets? Love them... Maker? Style? Color? Help! Did you put a gloss on them? Any info will be greatly appreciated, thanks!

Breezy! I am drooling. You make me wish I'd done marble ... maybe in my next kitchen. It is very beautiful, and I agree with everyone above that says it's not too much to have something beautiful that makes your heart sing while you work in/on it. Your marble is absolutely stunning, magazine worthy and elegant, but it fits in your kitchen in a way that is functional and comfortable rather than ostentatious or over the top.

Is the finish line in sight for you?! I can't wait to see your finished pictures! It's coming together so nicely ... makes me feel like there might be hope for mine...

I'm drooling.

Being at the other side of this process, in the planning stages and (too) quickly approaching the demo stage, it is so encouraging to see your kitchen come together. Even if it is in bits and pieces with a few bumps in the road. Keep posting!

yay!!! and i have to tell you, your carrera looks a LOT better than the junk i was seeing here in NJ ...for like, three years. i have carrera in the kids' bathrooms but it's too muddy. yours in gorgeous!

YeeHaw! Well done girl. I hope it's a peaceful night at last. Congratulations.

Amazing marble! Your kitchen is so open and airy and BEAUTIFUL! And it's going to be even better with that walnut island top. And don't you dare start thinking you've gone over the top with this kitchen!!! You and DH worked hard to be able to do this reno--saving, planning, and GC'ing yourself. If your budget can handle it, don't give it a second thought. You and your family are going to be enjoying this space and creating many wonderful memories here--please, relax and enjoy the beautiful kitchen you've created!!! (And please keep posting more pics--I can never get enough!) ;)

Breezy, I am so happy for you! Such beautiful counters. They are are calling out for kneading bread on them. The metallic gray is perfect for your marble. It is a lovely sink, I liked it in the showroom. So glad to see all the progress in your kitchen this fall.

Your kitchen and your marble are both gorgeous, but I don't think they are too much. You may be ahead of the curve in your neighborhood and no one else might chose marble over granite, but that doesn't make any of it too much. My marble cost less than my granite -- I just don't know anyone in this neighborhood who has it. I heard about some larger homes where the owners had marble taken out. ;-)

You are working hard to get more bang for your buck and things you love. Live with them and enjoy them. That's the payoff you deserve.

Breezy, wonderfully marbleicious! So glad to see it working out so beautifully after you have waited so long and planned so much.

Becky

It is lovely, I hope you enjoy it for many years to come.

Breezy,

I think most of us were looking forward to seeing your marble almost as much as you.... what fun to see it in place.

Congrats -- it really looks stunning.

Regarding being over the top -- no. I am so amazed at times by how beautiful certain European buildings/rooms/places are. Then, I stop to think about how this happens. I think if you live in a space long enough, you think of ways to improve it, time and again. Over many years, and generations... you end up with an optimal plan for a space (interior and exterior) and find the opportunity to incorporate beauty. Similarly, with GW -- with enough thought, a thorough education in what's available, and creative genius, mixed with some time.... the choices one makes are so much more inspired than what one would do on one's own. So, honestly, was it really so much more $$ that you spent or the time and thought you put into planning your new space that was 'over the top?' Time and energy spent doing something you love and which will reward you every time you look and use your kitchen.. is time truly well spent IMO.

Big smile at this end, definitely loving the marble! Best, Oldbat2be

Good heavens, Breezy that is gorgeous. It is just perfect. I'm just like oldbat2be, I was looking forward to this as much as you, well maybe. I'm going to have to find a thesaurus so I can stop saying gorgeous but every time you add something - beautiful cabs, stunning hood, perfect sink, impressive rangetop, and now that gorgeous marble - it just gets more gorgeous-er.
Pat yourself on the back, it is all coming together now thanks to all your planning, and looking perfect because you stayed true to your vision.
I guess I'm gushing but this is a gush-worthy kitchen. What will I say when it's done?

Really nice. Can't wait to see the floors revealed. Enjoy!

Wow Breezy, that is just beautiful! Thank you for deciding to share pictures with all of us. I am glad you did. I cannot wait to see the final product. Your wood island top is going to be gorgeous in your space. I can already see it in there!

It's just gorgeous. (Funny how we all came up with the same word to describe it, huh?) I realllllly like it.

It is looking so nice and restful, you're going to have so much fun. It is a beautiful creation.

Breezy, thanks for sharing your beautiful kitchen reno with us. It has been fun to go along and learn a lot from all you have been going through. Helpful and beautiful! It is gorgeous! I always love and enjoy the pictures you post!!!

That marble is fantastic!

Breezygirl, I have to tell you that I've been a mostly-lurker around here for a long time, and it's been so educational and fun for me to see your kitchen go all the way from plans to reality. I really appreciate you and others who post all the way through the whole process.

Breezy, it really looks fabulous! I'm breathing a sigh of relief (as I do anytime I see mass quantities of kitchen marble), since I'm planning on a center continent of calacatta.

And I ditto everyone here...your kitchen looks amazing, and you should have what you want! I'm a SAHM, too, and I want my kitchen to be a place I enjoy spending 90% of my time.

Love the silgranit, too. I debated but am going with SS instead.

~ MM

I literally started crying looking at those pictures. Entirely too beautiful! I don't think my husband would understand, so I confess it only to the TKO.

Breezy, your counters are stunning -- what gorgeous veins! Carrara slabs have so much variability that sometimes I think it is "wow" and sometimes "meh," but yours are really beautiful. I wish I had the nerve to use marble counters with little kids and messy guests (MIL insists on cooking when she stays with us and thinks nothing of spilling tomato sauce and balsamic vinegar on the counters and wiping up when she is done prepping -- 30 minutes later!)

Your fabulous vent hood, windows flanking the rangetop, marble counters and so many other details are adding up to a wonderful kitchen. Are you using SS or silgranit for the island sink?

The marble looks awesome. It looks honed on my monitor. Can you confirm that?

Wow! What a fabulous marble counter!!!! Definitely the nicest I've seen. It also looks as if it will patina beautifully. I love the gray sink too. Great job!

Breezy!!! it looks so great!!! just like all of your mock-ups/plans but oh so light and beautiful!!!! (and of course totally up MY alley!)
the marble is amazing!!!!
so glad this got bumped - i was looking all over for it! ;o)

LOVE it!!! cant wait to see it all done!
xo

Blfenton, Petra, Lisa, Beagles, Steph, Rhome, Jalsy, WRS, Laura, Briana, Francoise, Babushka, Epressler, Babs, Greenhouse, West, Sjmitch, Diva, Cat, Good, Belle, Kate, Aliris, Flwrs, Colorfast, Lascatx, Becky, Mabeldingeldine, Oldbat2be, Momo7, Dilly, Missy, Angie, Enduring, Gr8day, Dee, Mastiff, Anenemity, Kay, Wolfgang, Cheri, Celine-

Thank you for all the lovely comments. I appreciate everything you all said. I feel lucky to have found a community like this with so much support and understanding from complete strangers.

WRS--we're like you. We've lived below our means for many years waiting for the day we could re-do the whole house to one that suits us better. Never thought we'd actually get there!

Colorfast--I kneaded biscuits on the counter at our temporary house tonight and thought of your comment. Next time, I'll be kneading on marble. Wah who!

Oldbat2be--you just put into much more eloquent words what I've been thinking for a long time. Very well said.

Rhome--I'd be happy to decorate around you! Hopefully we can see each others kitchens soon.

Kay--I took the walnut sample from the wood worker and held it to my metallic gray silgranit cleanup sink. It looked good to me so I'm going with that for the prep sink. I had thought another color might look better, but didn't want to introduce another color or material. I like that both sinks will be the same. The simpler the better for me!

Wolfgang--you are correct. The Carrara is honed. The slabs were honed when I reserved them.

Cat--I forgot to answer your questions. The cabinets were made by a local custom cabinetmaker in Washington state. The door style is called Shaker. The cabinets are full overlay, meaning the drawer and door fronts cover almost all of face frame of the cabinet boxes. They are sprayed in Benjamin Moore's waterborne satin impervo so they are a little shiny, but not much. I think of them as glowing. :) The color is BM Simply White. I love the color!

Shaker cabs are very popular here. I chose them for their simplicity and clean lines. Let me know if you need more info.

breezygirl, I just finished a deadline so I finally got to respond and I am in love with your cabinets (love the color, style, so many drawers, etc), the size of your kitchen, your gorgeous marble counters with the beautiful veins keeping that light and airy as well as gorgeous feel in your kitchen, I love the range top and hood, all the windows bringing in so much natural light, and the recessed lighting.

What hardware do you plan to use? Are your floors in being covered? What are you using got your floors.

Yes, like you I lived without for many years until I could afford on my own my home and now I am saving to buy a kitchen. I have a few quotes but I really wish I had a cabinet guy like you to give me exactly what I want but that would take saving for a longer time. I am very happy for you and your husband to finally have saved enough to get what will make you happy and that is what is most important.

Hi Lynn. I'm stuck on hardware. I had planned on using the RH Aubrey pulls in polished nickel until DH said he didn't like the exposed screws. Reminded him of garage workshop pulls.

After much looking around (again), I found an Amerock pull I think is OK. Highland Ridge.

We're still debating. The Highland Ridge has that tapering of the handle I really don't like. It's very pretty otherwise. Both feel nice in the hand, though the Aubrey is a heavier pull.

My oak floors are protected by RAM board. It's like a thin cardboard. Really cool stuff--scratch and water resistant. It's been worth it's weight so far. My floors look like this underneath.

Simply gorgeous!! You should be thrilled -- can't wait to see the finished product!

Legallin--thanks very much! I can't wait to see it finished either. ;)

Breezygirl, if the first pull did not have the exposed screws, that is the one I like but with the exposed screws, I like the new one you chose better. Your floors are so nice. Your kitchen is coming out beautiful. I am still trying to make a decision within my budget today what I want to do or save and wait another year.

Wow. Beautiful! Can't wait to see it finished. Can you tell me more about your floor - what exactly is it - what wood? what stain? Thanks!

Thanks, Lafacia!

The floor is 3" white oak planks stained with a mix of 75% Jacobean and 25% coffee brown (sometimes called Dark Walnut depending on the manufacturer). I was aiming for a rich brown without gold undertones.

Breezy.......Beautiful kitchen!!!!! I have the same Shaker style cabinets in cherry and the same sink in antracite....I love...love....love my sink !!!!!!...hope you get much enjoyment from your efforts!!

Breezy, it's so beautiful. I love that color of the cabinets with the marble. Are your walls as shown the color you're going with? If so, can you tell me what color it is? I am seriously considering an eleventh-hour change of mind from granite to carrara marble!! :-)

Congratulations, your kitchen is wonderful.

Hi BDL.

The walls are just primed in those photos. They are actually painted with colors now, except in the kitchen proper where they are still just primed. I still don't have light fixtures, stools, or pulls though. ((sigh))

I have taken more photos, but STILL can't upload and share them as DH has STILL not hooked up the internet for me. I'm going to tell you how ticked I am about that. ;)

I always planned on going with granite, but just couldn't pull the trigger on the one (Bianco Antico) I really liked. Something was holding me back. When I found the Carrara, I knew it was the one. I love the cool, refined elegance it brought to the kitchen. The grays are soothing to me, compared to the yellowy-browns of so many granites. Good luck with your decision! Listen to your gut instinct.

Breezy, I see your marble install was in October. Can you post pix now or let us know how it's wearing? How much etching/staining/scratching, if any? Thanks!