SOME FAVORITE KITCHEN IDEAS

the ultimate French country kitchen

got to love that sink, those windows and the "bb" counters

(countryhome.com)

ridiculously beautiful with all of the windows and glass doors

(pointclickhome.com)

L O V E the color of this island

(westchestermagazine.com)

all around gorgeous!

(1805anita.com)

perfect, I especially love the backsplash!

(hawthornevillager.com)

so pretty...

(decorpad.com)

b e a u t i f u l

(maidsontime.net)

I have had such a blast getting to pick and choose all of the finishes and fixtures throughout the house... but the kitchen... wow... the kitchen has been quite the stumper. You see, I have always (ALWAYS) been drawn to "painted" white cabinets. I just love them! A casual glance at all of the magazine articles I have kept thru the years will confirm this within seconds. I knew I would be incorporating white cabinets with dark stained cabinets (I just love the feeling that you get from that strong contrast of color) the only question was... which ones would be on the walls and which on the island? And the answer to this question lied within 2 key components~

#1 The Butcher Block countertop for the island- I really, really, REALLY wanted the butcher block top and I just couldn't picture it on similarly shaded cabinetry.

#2 The Kitchen Sink- I really, really, REALLY wanted a white farmhouse-style apron sink and I just couldn't picture it on similarly shaded cabinetry. (btw... this sink which you now know played 50% of the role in choosing the cabinetry, is the same sink that was almost ditched from the plans just a few weeks ago on the account of it weighing as much as a new born elephant!)

Obviously I have some kind of addiction to high contrast objects. I just can't stand it when anything matches perfectly. Seriously it is a disorder... the kind of disorder that means I could never bring myself to buy a "bed in a bag," I could never (ever!) match paint swatches to anything else that was going to be anywhere in the same room, and I feel like I will become dizzy and perhaps even faint, if a fabric pattern is repeated more than once in any space! SERIOUSLY IT IS A DISORDER! And I think it goes hand in hand with my issues with symmetry. I really hate when things are completely symmetric. I like things balanced, but rarely ever symmetrical! I suppose it is some kind of passive aggressive issue with my "embrace imperfection" philosophy. I am not perfect, and I certainly don't want a house that makes me feel like I need to be :)

Anyhow, this is the reason that I ended up with dark stained cabinets on my walls (something that in the past, I would have never thought I would willingly choose for my own home) But I am so incredibly excited, it is all coming together just beautifully.