i love AB but i agree bevangel, it's difficult to find. i really like the color in comparison to the ORB which seems so stark in comparison. i have to thank you for bringing it up. i've been inclined to go with ORB not because i'm in love with it, but because when our french doors appeared on our build the hinges were in the ORB finish. i'll have to speak with the GC about the possibility of changing them out. our windows are in but there is no hardware up yet. i suppose this would be the time to change if i were to do so! i can't remember if emtek has an AB finish? anyone know? athensmom: do you know what the emtek knobs are made from? trying to determine how they'll wear since i like the ORB finish MUCH more when it wears. the living finishes appeal to me more than the sealed. i've never seen or heard of ashley norton hardware so i'll have to check that out too! firsthouse: did you know i was thinking of using those latches on our mudroom bath? have that site bookmarked but was hoping to find a supplier in the US. i think they're FABULOUS. just one of those little details that really make a home! also was planning on using a shop bell for our secondary entrance as a doorbell but that's not quite working out with my husband's high tech alarm system. somehow he has talked me into the need to speak to whomever is ringing the bell before i actually open the door. i suppose it's a good idea in theory. (?) what pic are you talking about? i purchased our kitchen pendants from williams-sonoma home and posted a pic of them several times but they are not installed yet. maybe you're thinking of an inspiration pic? i'll post some progress shots soon. i need to get ready for trip next week so there are a BAZILLION other things that need doing right now! thanks so much for all the comments and direction. this is really an overwhelming project and it's just too easy to make regrettable decisions. i don't think i can go wrong with either the ORB or the AB though. they just seem too timeless to ever be considered a mistake.

Thank you for posting so many lovely, inspirational, and informative photos. I am extremely impressed by your kitchen, but actually, I was wondering if you could give me the paint colors you used for your exterior clapboards and trim--they look fantastic! tia, Alex indentured servant to an 1887 victorian, hoping to actually be done in 7 years.

Oh. my. These stoves in this thread are so gorgeous ! Circus! Is that your kitchen? I thought I'd seen pics of your kitchen and I don't remember it looking like that! That hood is awesome. Farmhouse... CHAMBERS IMPERIAL. ! What a beauty. The AGA, the... oh. Well, OP your lovely O'keefe certainly needs something beautiful up there. I have a mint green Chambers and I've kinda given up on the vintage-y range hood for both space and cost reasons (and because I like to change my mind about 40 times a day) but here is a pic of something similar to what I'm going to do but with an insert fan... Here is another one that I thought was nifty... is that an Ok&M stove?

Amanda, it all depends on the kind of spindle the knobs use. If it's the kind with screw threads on all 4 sides of the square shaft, you can probably cut it down with a hacksaw and use a large nut tightened on the back side, inside the door. You'd need to enlarge the knob hole in the cab with a drill. But if they're the kind with square spindles where the knob stays on with a screw through little holes on the shaft, I'm not sure how you'd do it. The knobs need to be set on the shaft with their set screws to stay put; unless you use some kind of super glue they won't stay on a simple dowel. Hmm. Photos?