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Currently all cabinets have been stained this darker shade of Spanish Oak except the top portion with glass doors. Have not decided whether I should stain this dark as well or keep it light or even something entirely different?

This bottom cabinet is also where I would like to add some interesting pulls/knobs. Have purchased some from Restoration Hardware as well as Anthropologie but cannot decide what to use. I will get pics up of those and maybe I could get some opinions on that as well?

It's almost difficult to see the difference in the original lighter stain and new darker in pics. In person the new stain color is significantly darker.

Another view of the room. So anxious to get hardware on cabinetry and all sockets covered.

By far my favorite thing in the re-do.
I have covered that switch by the way. Frightening for awhile with 2 teenage girls running the disposal. They were scolding me everyday until I finally put a boring cover on it.

I like the difference in the wood color, near your face is lighter which is nice...

Also I would stain the mullion doors darker to separate them from the rest of the cabinetry look.
If you have both colors of wood supported in your furniture then it makes sense. IF you do not have any of that lighter wood in your home, then it might be good to just stain it all one color.

To me it is more interesting in the two tones of wood, perhaps more liming on the lighter wood to lighten it even more?

Beautiful kitchen and decor!

I painted fridge surround this dark brown/olive years ago as a contrast to the lighter cabs. This is why I think I should do something different with the glass cabinet section.
These corbels had to be added when I had the bar widened. They are currently primer white. Not sure what I should do with this entire section.

Taking this all in.... So, just the doors darker? That is interesting. Had never thought of that. I do have the lighter wood in a very large built-in in living room adjacent to kitchen.

I did attempt to lighten the cabinet with some pickling/white wash gel stain and just did not like the look it gave me. However, it may have just been the product.

I have yet another ?......Does my island look peculiar? I was desperate to get a little more surface area and came up with the somewhat odd design of the granite. The installers laughed themselves silly calling it "pork"? Guess the thought it was shaped like a pig layed out. Anyways, it almost appears as if I need to add feet or legs or something?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: my2gals,

very nice

Beautiful kitchen. Love what you have done. Great job!!

I like your island....will the corner granite break easily? If so, maybe some small corbels under the corner peices to add stability.

my2gals,
The island...I like it the way it is, just match the all the twists (columns or pilasters) to the whole kitchen. It is a small island and I don't think you need to make it pop, letting it fade into the other cabinets is nice for a small island.

And by doors darker, I meant ONLY the mullion (with glass that you can see into) doors. That will help them to stand out but still fit into the kitchen coloring.

If you want to get a good photo of the island, take a lamp, take the shade off and put it on the floor (not where the camera can see it) so that the area is lit. IT is really hard to see that island style except that the twist on the corner shows. I think it is find the way it is from what I can make out. If you do 'feet' or like corner legs, you will stub your toe all the time (I am a barefoot girl and wear flip flops here in Florida mostly all year round) so toes catch easily on legs. And you walk all around that island where you can catch your toes on any legs you would add.

LOVE your chandys and the light fixture over the island!!!

Your corbels would be nice in the color of the kitchen, but then is too much of a change to the white on the panel in front of that Peninsula. Too much contrast, the rest of your kitchen is not about contrast or 'pop'. Is there a way that can become like the lighter color in the kitchen (lighter wood) actually the darker color could be on the stiles and rails and the corbels and the lighter in the flat panel area to tie in with kitchen.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mary Ruth,

Thank you for the compliments.

May, I asked the same thing about the corners on the island and was told they did not need any support. Let's home this to be the case!

Mary Ruth, Great points! There is a certain 16 year old that has hit her hip on one of the corners on the island a couple of times. Wrecking the feet as well would not make me very popular.
If I am understanding properly, you are suggesting that I use the darker stain over the woodwork including corbels on peninsula and leaving the panels as is or painted lighter? I'm so anxious to get it finished.

Here is a before pic of kitchen. Funny how only cosmetic changes has made it feel so different.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: my2gals,

Lovely kitchen and so love the rectangular chandy over the island and what you have on ledge above sink. Great job

Beautiful kitchen!

Can't see the adjacent room and its built-ins but looks like you have a terrific f/p. Have you considered the corbels and area under the b-bar within the context of that room?

Was thinking you may wish to minimize contrast to keep the attention on that room's focal point, i.e. the f/p. Don't know if that means retaining the white or using the orangish(?) color. Or, something that blends into your counter, e.g. grey(?).

Also can't tell if the f.r. and kitchen wood tones match - not that they must, BTW. The under b-bar area may provide a nice transition to the kitchen so you might prefer keeping it painted and essentially having it disappear.

Again, great job and thanks for sharing the pix -

This message has been edited. Last edited by: AguaBella,

my2gals,
OH MY that counter top change and the darker color was genius! You kicked up the class in that kitchen to whole new level of classy.

I see about the pig look of the top on the island but I think it is darling, adds so much character to the island that it didn't have before.
Yes the peninsula...I can see the wall color (looks like an Italian plaster treatment, very beautiful) and you say have built in with the lighter wood tones in it. The peninsula corbels are primer so they are ready to paint. I am not sure how much white you have to support all that white looking at it from the other room (as mentioned in post above) but it is a huge change from the kitchen. Since the stools carry the 'kitchen' flavor with the dark wood, and the counter is light, I think the lighter wood tone on the inside panels and the darker wood on the 'frame' parts, wrapping around to the cabinet because it looks like a separate entity. The wood tones will enrich that peninsula and tie it all in. The corbels will be part of that color scheme too (darker color with the lime like the twists).

You girls are good! Always interesting to hear other's point of view. I took a few more photos (poor quality on this dreary Texas day)thinking it may give you a better view. I am reluctant to apply stain to the painted portions of the peninsula for fear of getting yet another faux finish look in a house that desperately needs to lose some faux. I painted the corbels the same color as the trim and it does fall flat to say the least. I do not like the combo of the faux paint in the flat panels and the trim color although unfortunately it is repeated all over my home! It looks very different depending on the lighting of each area. All of my trim throughout the house is this color as well as my shutters everywhere except in breakfast area.

After reviewing the pics I took this morning to help support my case that maybe the colors should remain the same on peninsula, I have come to a disturbing realization. The pumpkin colored walls must go!

It certainly won't hurt to try the suggestions of staining the painted portions dark. It can be painted back rather easily. I really appreciate the input given!

Kitchen shutters in original white washed stain.
Notice directly above shutters are the two finishes that are on peninsula.

I love your kitchen!!!!!

photo I meant to post...

A lot of pumpkin to tackle!!! Excuse my poor home in it's current state...after Christmas explosion of gifts still stacked in corners and kiddos home from school with blankets strewn about.

The peninsula makes sense now, but somehow kitchen is separate.

I think somehow something got started and it is snowballing into other areas.

I like the wall finish in the breakfast area and the shutters are wonderful, I love that finish on them! I like the dark table too.

I guess the white is what is in question, if it matches the trim it is OK, just need to balance where white is, the kitchen is all dark so that is why I thought the white was too stark on the Peninsula.

Think it through about what colors go where before getting rid of another color on your walls, or the snowball effect will start to unbalance the other side of the house that also interacts with the pumpkin color.

Thank you
I got all my Christmas decor down yesterday and I plan to just be still in the space. Battling a sinus infection so being still is easy!

I'm thinking of painting out dining and living light and staining large built in dark. The only light stain remaining will be breakfast room shutters and glass cabinet.

I like the ambient/somewhat unusual lighting; creates an awesome mood

CJO No special lighting, just my poor photo taking.

my2gals,
Your photography is good with that natural lighting, gives us the real picture of the mood in your home. Don't change that!

When pictures are done with big flash, all detail and shadows are washed out so the picture is more flat. Yours are interesting and inviting as your space is!

Your next plan sounds good, if you are going to get rid of the lighter wood, then the whole kitchen should be dark accordingly. No your house will NOT be boring if you have only one dark woodtone. Even if you painted everything white, your house would not be boring, you have great textures going on and interesting shapes and it has a cozy style and feel.

Thanks for sharing photos of your home with us!

You do have a wonderful kitchen! Love the ideas you have incorporated.

Gorgeous kitchen.

You have a beautiful kitchen.

Darn it you people with your new kitchens! Now I want a new one

Love it! Thanks for sharing.