If you go and look at some of the most recent appliances that the companies are putting out, many of them are putting out products that actually meld the stainless with both black and white porcelain surfaces. So, if you shop around you can probably find something that would have both the stainless and black surfaces on it, if you would be interested in that. If the fridge you want only comes in a pure stainless surface, since you have all those other "black" surfaces in your kitchen that you are going to keep, then if your other appliances had the combination, it all would still look fine together.

I actually think that if you stay with black for appliances, you may feel that there is too much black, and your gorgeous backsplash will not pop as much as it could with the stainless. Where SS appliances used to pop out years ago when they first became all the rage, I asctually think they don't stand out as much now and are more of a visual neutral. What they do accomplish, however, is making any level $$ kitchen look tastefully "finished". I have black in my higher-end home kitchen (done 8 yrs ago), and SS in a lower-end cottage kitchen (done this past year). I love both spaces, but I will change my black to SS, one appliance at a time as they need replacing over the coming years.
As far as your hardware and lighting are concerned (as you and other posters mentioned), I would personally get your backsplash and appliances in first. Those two changes alone will be such a major transformation, that you may feel differently [at that finished point] about which direction you want to go in with hardware/lights. After my own projects (huge kitchen reno and then recently building a coattage), it is fascinating how the "inspiration" pics I always first filed away evolved as the projects went along. And hardware and lights are fast/easy and fun fixes, much like adding jewelry and accessories to an outfit :)
Happy remodeling!

I think stainless show every smudge and finger print. Black shows food and dust. I'd go with basic white.

Downsizing and redoing the kitchen; bought black appliances that go very well with the granite counters (venetian gold). I will be painting the cabinets a light golden color which is in the counters. Store we purchased from said they are in process of changing some of their SS displays to black or black/SS combinations. One of their displays has a counter close to ours with maple cabinets and black appliances--beautiful. They said SS is becoming the 2000 color as in the 50/60's was the green, coppertone and gold appliances. I didn't want my kitchen to be like everyone else with SS. Can't really tell your counters and blacksplash from your photos. What are the cabinets? We did white in both our lake house and ocean house. Love them. The final decision is yours, you are the one looking at it everyday. You will make the best choice for you.

I agree an updated backsplash would be nice and start with that. I too have black appliances (although do have stainless accents) and am going to replace with stainless steel as replacement needs. Depending on your lifestyle and budget, I say take the $$$ you were going to pay for all stainless appliances and go to Hawaii!! Your black appliances will work nicely in the meantime. However, if everytime you walk in you wish you had stainless steel, and budget allows, then get the SS now!

Gmom70, the cabinets are a light golden cherry with a dark grey glaze to give an antique look. Your comment exactly is why I don't like the backsplash. It doesn't go we'll with the counter top which has black in the pattern. I like contrast and there is no contrast between the cabinets and the backsplash.

Does anyone have any comments about what color I should paint the kitchen? The color of the walls are gold and blend in with the cabinets. My adjoining dining room is painted red.

gharris8, you need to add some sparkle. Your shutters are gorgeous, and so are the cabinets and countertop. in order to make the rooms work you need to change first the backsplash, the wall color and the fixtures. Then you might find that the black appliances are not that bad. Of course if you want them, go for them, but in my humble opinion what is aging and dulling your kitchen is the elements that I mentioned earlier. with the colors and your style it would look fabulous to glam it up a bit. A backsplah that blends your dark colors of shutters and the gold while providing a light reflective surface such as a mosaic with gold and dark brown (I would not use black since it would be too much of a contrast. The fixtures I would choose in stainless or chrome

the tiles here are from american olean. I would also choose either stainless/chrome or black pulls in a very clean and contemporary line. As for wall color I would try finding a grey with beige undertones such as wish from BM. it would bring your space to a very sophisticated level and still retain the look of traditional with some contemporary. also I would go for a counter depth refrigerator that would make it less of a black elephant (or a stainless steel or white one). have fun your space is really nice and just needs some touches.

Sacapuntaslioz, I love the light with the black shade. It is gorgeous!!! Where can I purchase it? Is it a pendant light or a chandelier? Also, I thought about a glass mosaic but thought it it would make my kitchen too busy because the counter top has a lot of pattern. I attached a picture of my countertop. Thanks so much for your ideas. I do plan on purchasing a counter depth French door SS fridge.

that came from lampsplus, but I bet you can find it just about anywhere http://www.lampsplus.com/products/artcraft-claremont-black-23-inch-wide-oval-nickel-chandelier__h2914.html or http://www.lightinguniverse.com/collections/Artcraft-Lighting-Claremont_c17759.html?ppc=38&af=38&s_kwcid=artcraft%20claremont%7C7527638667%7Cp%7Cg&gclid=CIKM3cai3bICFUmd4AodOCwAbw
also if you go to lampsplus try first the open box. great stuff just returned. They also have a smaller version. as for the countertop and glass I have a very busy granite when you look closely (copper dunes) but looked from a distance it looks like a solid color. irisdicents glass provides just a bit of sparkle. A black arabesque will be far, far more busy, take it from me that took out an arabesque floor which in itself was fine but in large surfaes was unbearable. irisdiscent glass is just a bit of shine.

oh it is a chandelier.

I don't see anything wrong with black appliances. I have them, and I love them. I despise SS - everyone has it in their kitchen now... it's everywhere you look! When SS is no longer the 'it' color I may consider something else, but for now my black appliances look beautiful with my cabinetry and brightly colored walls. :)

KEEPING IN THE BRUSHED STAINLESS MODE: the cup pull and matching knob gives you both traditional and contemporary feel; the well-priced and interesting pendants would work;

Personally, I have a strong dislike of stainless steel appliances in residential kitchens. They look very commercial and are difficult to clean. Too many fingerprints and you are always working at trying to remove them. I don't want to buy another job for myself! I have black appliances and love them. If your kitchen was mine, I would lose the pendant lighting over the breakfast bar. Gives the appearance of clutter. Frosted (or creamy) shades don't provide much light. Have you considered a halogen fixtures, perhaps a black task bar over the breakfast bar? It would provide lots of light, and is highly economical.
I would also repaint both the kitchen and your dining room. Too many colors break up the area, giving it a "busy" appearance, rather than allowing the areas to flow, one room into the other. The present colors are making your kitchen area seem smaller and crowded. Light and neutral would be a good paint choice, perhaps a beige or very pale yellow or cream. The lightness of color also would provide a nice contrast to your black appliances, if you keep them.

Personally, I have a strong dislike of stainless steel appliances in residential kitchens. They look very commercial and are difficult to clean. Too many fingerprints and you are always working at trying to remove them. I don't want to buy another job for myself! I have black appliances and love them. If your kitchen was mine, I would lose the pendant lighting over the breakfast bar. Gives the appearance of clutter. Frosted (or creamy) shades don't provide much light. Have you considered a halogen fixtures, perhaps a black task bar over the breakfast bar? It would provide lots of light, and is highly economical.
I would also repaint both the kitchen and your dining room. Too many colors break up the area, giving it a "busy" appearance, rather than allowing the areas to flow, one room into the other. The present colors are making your kitchen area seem smaller and crowded. Light and neutral would be a good paint choice, perhaps a beige or very pale yellow or cream. The lightness of color also would provide a nice contrast to your black appliances, if you keep them.

You might consider a tile mural with lots of colors. I have found several on eBay that have good prices and they can actually make them from several kinds of tiles and any size you like. Looking at your pictures I would suggest the side the fridge is on.

Stainless is popular, but it's got a lot of drawbacks and I can't imagine that it will stay in style that much longer (I hope!). I don't like it at all, probably because I grew up in a house that had stainless steel counter tops which scratched easily and showed every fingerprint. It looks too commercial to me. My son has stainless appliances and they always look grubby, despite lots of time every day cleaning them. Your black looks fine, if you had a backsplash with more contrast (maybe a glass/stone mosaic racing stripe or even the entire backsplash out of a mosaic -- one with black, warm gold similar to the cabinets, and a contrast color). White appliances would also look nice, but your current appliances look like they are almost new, so that would be a lot of wasted cost for no additional functionality. I too would change the pendants for black track lights, and pick a light neutral for the paint. Use towels, small objects, and pictures on the wall to add a splash of strong contrast color.

Stainless is neutral and not trendy. I would go with stainless.

You mean like white?
Stainless is a trend. It will go just as it came, likely after everyone has replaced their appliances!
We have already seen that with avacado, harvest gold, turquoise, and almond. New colors come and go all the time with appliances. It's a marketing gimic.

I picked out a beautiful mosaic that coordinated perfect with my cabinets and granite. I decided not to use it because I was concerned about a "busy" look. Then I decided to go with a solid color and I chose black. The mosaic I once considered is attached.....what do you all think?

Good choice to have taken a pass on this one. You're right. It would have made a "busy" area even busier.

I like it -- maybe not as the entire backsplash though unless it is a small area. It would look good as a racing stripe with a neutral color that blends with one of the lighter colors, with maybe a larger area under the stove. There are a couple of idea pics on Houzz that have done that and it looks great.

Stainless does need to be cleaned but so do black or white appliances. It is a matter of taste. The easiest and best way to clean stainless is plain soap and water. Dry it with a clean cloth and that's it. You would do the same with other finishes.

Go with the Stainless, it is a neutral, the black looks so heavy. Also get the counter depth refrigerator, you'll be amazed at how much roomier your kitchen will appear.

Stainless steel is not the "hot" thing in the appliance world anymore according to an article I saw on Yahoo and a friend of mine who works at an appliance store. Black and white ice are the latest in appliances.

you really should check out the white ice appliances. if my stainless wasn't new, that's how i would go. White ice appliances with the black features you're planning would be dramatic.

gharris8, love the mosaic.

Thanks all for your ideas...I decided to purchase all SS appliances. I love the look and have been wanting it for awhile.

Good for you, the worse part is over you made the decision. FYI-not all fridges have chilled water diespenser if that is important to you, was to me. After buying 3 of them in the last yr learned a lot. Hope your kitchen comes out as you are dreaming it will. Post pictures so we can all see how beautiful it is.

gharris8, here is the pictures from my kitchen. of course busy-ness is in the eye of the beholder, but it will give you an idea of a busy granite with a glass and stone mosaic, much busier than the one you liked.

Sacapuntaslapioz, I love your kitchen. It is so pretty! The mosaic looks very nice! You are making me think twice about the mosaic I like. If I mention that again to my husband, I think he will faint!!! He thinks I made a final decision on the tile....lol.

DON'T DO STAINLESS - Spend your money on Panel Ready Appliances! You change out the panels when ever you want.They will be timeless! So many options, cabinet door panels, Glass, wallpaper or paint the back of the glass, stainless panels, decorative wood panels, chalkboard painted panel, cork. Panel ready will withstand trends as you can create your own look when ever you want!

Wow...awesome idea, Kelli! Wish I had thought of that last year when we replaced our complete kitchen appliances. We bought black, btw, for the second time.

That is a good idea Kelli! I didn't know this option was available. Do all brands offer this?

gharris8- we brought a sample of the mosaic tile you like home, too. (lowe's or HD, right?) it did look great with our countertop, too. I was really surprised. I actually loved it except I was going for a more "white" look, while you are going for a more "black" look. also, we have a granite backsplash a few inches up, all around our kitchen, and with the mosaic on top, it was too busy. BUT- your backsplash will come all the way down. I think it would look nice! (and you could keep your black appliances). Seems like if you do go with the all black backsplash you will need to change out your appliances. I, too, love those drum chandeliers posted above. Would be great over your table if not in your kitchen! Good luck!

Hi bcreaytiv. The mosaic came from a local specialty tile shop. I do have a sample of it at home but it is small. It is not enough for me to get a feel for how busy it will look. I can order an entire box and it is very expensive. It took me awhile to get over the fact I wasn't going to use it because I loved it....I am just afraid of it not looking right after spending over $2000.00 to purchase it not including labor.

I love the idea of SS and the solid black backsplash. I would change out the lights like mentioned above. My one piece of advice is to measure where your refrig is going and make sure you have plenty of room for the bottom freezer drawer. I could not tell from your picture how much room you have but some of those drawers come out further than you think. You want to make sure that you can stand at the end of the drawer and not hit the countertop behind you.

I second the idea of panel-ready appliances. If you got panel-ready appliances you could change them at will, when the new "21st century trend" becomes some other color or material.

The stainless steel appliances in our rental house show every smudge and finger print, and look disgusting 5 minutes after you've cleaned them. However, they would indeed break up all the black in your kitchen, so if you're up for doing the work to keep them clean, SS appliances are a decent second choice.

(Just as an aside, there were people in the 1970s telling others to "get with the times" and purchase avocado and harvest gold appliances. We all know what happened to that trend. Timeless is best, in any application.)

Not all appliances are panel ready - google on line and you can do a lot of research from home. There is a company that makes panels for exisitng appliances - http://www.kitchensource.com/kau/frigofridge.htm I will be using this company in my design for a homeowner on the DIY show I Hate My Kitchen - In another design for the show I am having the contractor glue a panel to the front of a dishwasher, appliance works great but color is off - why not!!! I am actually going to do this with my second fridge, the doors must have square flat fronts, the removing the handles, secure handles to new wood flat slab and then nail glue the door to the fridge!

G: Re; Paint color for kitchen. From your ideabook I have an idea of the rich, warm, dramatic look you are going for. One question, what color is the ceiling in your kitchen? Your cabinets are reading very red in tone to me, personally I would look in the taupe family, lightish gray-brown. I would look at your granite and find a shade like that in it, perhaps something like SW7030, Anew gray, or perhaps a bit lighter, SW7050 Useful Gray or SW7029 Agreeable Gray. These suggestions aren't as warm as your gold, but I think it will complement all of the colors you have including the red in the other room.

The following pics give you an idea of how the colors would work together:
[houzz=][houzz=]

crazylife, the ceiling is white. Great suggestions for paint color! Are the color numbers from Benjamin Moore..I like using BM paint.

I love the black shutters!!!! I don't have a problem with the black appliances. I recently just read that stainless steal appliances are no longer the most popular...they are fading out. If keeping up with trends is important that might help make up your mind.

Kelli, when will your show air on HGTV? I would love to see it!

Kelli, when will your show air on HGTV? I would love to see it!

I have 2 airing this Sunday HGTV 10/7/12 at 7am & 7:30am central on I Hate My Kitchen, Fully Functioning Kitchen (traditional, mission style) and From Ugly to Uber Contemporary (very modern). If your interested in innovative new products, I used leather backsplash, epoxy resin lab countertops, custom artisan tiles - just to name just a few. Hope you can check it out - to say the least, I love my job!!

Congrats on picking stainless! You are the one who will be in there looking at it every day for the next 5 years so it is good to see you went with something it sounds like you really wanted. Share pictures when it is done!

That is awesome Kelli!!!! I can't wait to see it. I love HGTV!!

I need to "update" kitchen in a home but in 1991.. White tile countertops still and white dbl sink...white fridge...golden tone oak wood cabinets, and black
glass dbl ovens...black D/W, NOW... need to replace D/W... thinking black...maybe doing black granite/irridescent flecks counters... I am sick of Stainless & think they are gettin boring ... later if we need new ovens...wd consider combination of stainless & black.

Any suggestions? I just do not want to buy new appliances and still look like c we are getting to look "dated" again!!

Barbara, i liked Kelli Kaufer Designs comment above. Here's her quote :"DON'T DO STAINLESS - Spend your money on Panel Ready Appliances! You change out the panels when ever you want.They will be timeless! So many options, cabinet door panels, Glass, wallpaper or paint the back of the glass, stainless panels, decorative wood panels, chalkboard painted panel, cork. Panel ready will withstand trends as you can create your own look when ever you want!"