Sorry--here's the photos--my cat was attacking me(dinnertime) and I posted the link incorrectly.

I like it! Your floor will bring in a lot of nice, neutral colors to choose from...and the two-tone kitchen is very pretty. I've been thinking about mixing finishes, too :)

Hi LL.
I'm thinking polar white for uppers as opposed to soft white. I want to keep the uppers as light as possible since the floor & bases will be darker.
You've obviously been reading the same posts as I have :) Some people dislike mixing finishes but I keep on going back to the same photos...It's such a small space overall(livingroom/kitchen are essentially one room) that I can't stand the idea of rows of cabinets lined up. I find too many cabinets in all different corners claustrophobic. Hopefully I can keep it open with glass cabinets, open shelving and open shallow wall pantry.

Here is a link that might be useful: shiloh

I think we are reading the same posts! LOL

My favorite kitchens have few solid upper cabinets (mainly around the range, for spices) with lots of glass uppers, plate racks, mug hooks, some open shelves, etc.

While I like white kitchens, I do miss the warmth of wood...so I like mixing them. It's fun to mix countertops, too :)

I'm glad you found something that inspires you ~ I love those "AHA!" moments! Mixing white and wood is in our plans as well, though I'm still figuring out the exact configuration.

Best of luck to you and I hope the estimate is a pleasant (lower than you expect) surprise!

I like! I was just looking at a slate floor thinking how great it would look somewhere, not sure about my kitchen though. I really like those cabinets too. Isn't it nice when you know what direction you want to go with your plans?

I'm seeing this:
EatRealFood:
"You've obviously been reading the same posts as I have :) Some people dislike mixing finishes but I keep on going back to the same photos."

Of course you do. Beause that is what you like. Unless you are about to sell your house, or take out a big mortgage on it based on some assessor's valuation of your house, I'd be doing exactly what I wish in my own house. That was the most outstanding part of owning my OWN HOME when I moved into MoccasinLanding. For the first time in my life, I could do exactly what I wanted, and not worry about it. So in that case, I spent $5000 on a kitchen remodel, and it looked GREAT. That was in 1987 though.

Love your floor, wood or slate. And I can see the natural wood base cabs with the uppers painted just as a natural progression of layers of style in your kitchen. Just like some folks have an island which is different on the top from regular counters elsewhere, or the base is painted differently than the other cabs...maybe even, like in MamaGoose's kitchen, a big ole table with a great shelf beneath it.

If the estimate is a little higher than you anticipate, I'm sure you have some thoughts on what you can modify that will bring it within your comfort zone. Like me, I have a little bit more "mad money" stashed, couldn't think of a better way to spend it than to go OVER for a nice faucet or a garden window, or the counter top that is the one I want.

We're anticipating a happy dance soon, EatRealFood.

I guess that's why some folks are designers, and others (like me) aren't. That kitchen looks fantastic! I normally 1) Don't like stained cabinets, and 2) Don't like excessively warm whites. But in that picture- it works! I would never have thought to paint the uppers and stain the lowers. Wait and see; it will probably become the 'in' thing at some point in the future. I think the warm white complements the wood; I'm not sure how a cool white would work. To me, the uppers look like built-ins, while the lowers look like furniture. Hmmm... I may have to re-think the all-white kitchen...

Hi guys,
Thank you for your support and encouragement/helpful comments. I've narrowed down the layout except for a few changes and will post tomorrow or Tuesday(I only have hard copy at the moment). I will also give the estimate price(:() which might help others.
Suffice it to say it was a PITA for me to get there(no car no mobile phone). I left at 2pm and got home at 8pm(it's a 30 min car ride). My train got in 5 min. after the bus left so I had to take a (ridiculously expensive) cab.
I'm really dedicated to get this done , ya think ? The cherry samples didn't look anything like this photo. Does anyone have any ideas what this is ? Rustic Cherry ? I'm in dangerous uncovered territory as far as stains/woods.
thanks.

I am certainly no expert, but it looks like a rustic or Arts and Crafts cherry to me...but I have no idea what they'd call it at the store. Maybe check on the kitchen forum?

I don't think I usually care for the split look but i really do like it in the pic you posted above. I can certainly understand you not wanting the over bearing look of so much wood in one area when the area is small!

if you like it, go for it!

I swooned the first time someone posted that on Kitchens. *swoon* again.

I love the look of that creamy white with the warm tones of the wood! The look is very complementary. I would be worried about a stark white looking too... stark, and the tones fighting each other.

Just my two pennies.

After looking again at the whites I'm leaning towards soft white. The soft white will probably look lighter when viewed next to the soapstone & tiles. If I can't find anything like that reddish/rustic cherry at Shiloh I'll just pick a medium stained cherry. I think the white inset on the uppers will bring me close enough to the feeling I would like the area to have. (Crownpoint--beautiful-- has pics of really nice rustic cherry cabs on the website).
I think I'm going in the right direction...I love my floor:)

EatRealFood, I love that inspiration photo and I think your idea of mixing the woods will look great! My kitchen is similarly sized as yours and only a little bit bigger since my kitchen is 10 X 14 but one wall has a sliding door so can't have kitchen cabinets and the other is open to the family room.

I love Shiloh Cabinets. I have a showroom near me that has the style door you are choosing in the Polar White and I fell in love. I like both the Polar White and the Soft White and I also love the Cherry.

It has been a few months since I have been obsessing about kitchens and when I saw the final price of everything, I had to put the decision off until my busy season ended and my grief over loosing my little Maltese (Passed away on 12-30-11) lessened.

Thank you for sharing. I am so excited for you!

P.S. I love your floors also! That is the style pattern I will be doing with my tiles also.

HI Lynn
sorry about your dog--that can be so tough, really. And for you to deal with that in the midst of classes, work and figuring out the kitchen is a lot of stress.

Thank you for helping me feel like I made the right decision. I knew I didn't want 100% white or 100% stained. Also I searched for information on a few cabinet lines and Shiloh seemed the best in my price range.

Thank you Eatrealfood for your caring words. I really was bonded with my little Skeeter who had a lot of special needs. He was only 12.75 years when he passed away and I am still missing him so much.

I can't wait to see your kitchen when it is finished! I love the quality and look of Shiloh's cabinets, especially their inset cabinets.

I'm sorry too lynn. We lost our last dog to cancer a couple of years ago and I am just now ready to consider another.

OT
marti8a & Lynn
I have a book written by Dr. Martin Goldstein--The Nature of Animal Healing. Please read the section regarding losing a pet--it's beautiful. I never buy books but I made an exception for this book and Andi Brown's book The Whole Pet Diet.

Eatrealfood, I haven't seen Andi Brown's book, but I started researching when our last dog got cancer. When she died, she was the 5th dog on our street that I knew of who had died of cancer. I wondered if it was the heartworm pills, the flea & tick medication, or even the dog food. Or all of it. That's one reason I didn't want to get another dog. And as long as dh & I aren't in agreement over it, I don't want to get another dog.

I do have the cat. *sigh* He has become such a picky eater.

I'm going to check out that diet book - I don't trust any dog food really. I'm feeding puppy Beneful until I find something better. Going to start giving her carrots and spinach with it.

My girl loved carrots - at the end she didn't even want those.

I'm hoping when I get settled to mix pup up a batch of carrots, spinach, barley (or rice) etc to mix in with some dry food for her. Don't know yet what else I'll put in it. Probably some chicken broth and pieces.

I'm also hoping (with counter space) I'll be able to eat more that way myself (minus the dry dog food).

and I deleted this photo by mistake !

Just beautiful the inspiration picture!

Lovely!

I've saved a few variations on that theme.

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

Young- Those are very nice! Are you doing wood and white, in your kitchen?

EAT- Pinch me posted this link, on the Old Homes forum...I thought you might like the mix of wood and white :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Link to 'French baker's kitchen' in Portland

I like the look of beadboard backsplash in the one above. I'm not doing a period kitchen, but I have beadboard in the bathrooms and I'd like the bar in the kithen and the backsplash on the opposite side from the cooking center, to have some beadboard. Plus a bit of the IKEA cab doors which echo beadboard if I do not add it to the backsplash. I won't have any backsplash behind the sink, the window will be what I call an "infinity" window, countertop extending into the garden style window bay. I need enough room to set a real pot, even if it is small. I have tiny ones now in the kitchen.

Gorgeous inspiration pictures.

Hi Young gardener & Lavender
That first photo(from GW) is so so beautiful & the French baker's kitchen ? What's not to like (about the whole house). Ok when do I win lotto and when can I move ? and I love "old style" even if it's shabby...

We are total suckers for two tone cabinetry here at the painted nest. Wonderful pictures that were shared here. (I really like the beadboard in the open cabinet unit...hmmm, ideas are stirring)