We're using black appliances. DH really wanted them. Despite the fact that he doesn't have the best design sense I agreed. He so rarely has a strong opinion that it's nice to accomodate so I worked around him. We will be having black perimeter cabinets and a red island (all primitive style) which might make a difference. Still I think you can make it work if it's important enough.

Here's one of the first photos that popped up when I googled:

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I might be the wrong one to ask, since I don't like stainless steel appliances, and I got all black appliances for our recent remodel, (and I'm a guy. :-)

But, if done well, I think maple + black appliances + soapstone, could be quite striking and beautiful.

Here are pics of my Medium oak + black appliances + dark granite.

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What's up with these men that really love black appliances? .

Bob, your kitchen looks really nice. I really really love the medium oak. I wish I had picked something similar. I am trying to picture your kitchen, with lighter, yellower cabinets and darker counters. I'm so afraid I'm going to end up with something like this:http://il.tenant.com/images/listings/102539_1.jpg

Yikes that pretty bad. Although after changing the colors in my kitchen image the results aren't nearly so bad.

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and of course I know what I'm talking about when it comes to ugly yellow kitchens given that this was my original kitchen. :-)

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Black appliances and maple will look great together! We're doing black appliances and cherry. It will look stunning with the soapstone too. If you're afraid it's going to be too strong, lighten up with your wall color.

Black will never clash with anything! I love my black appliances with my (dark) maple cabinets and dark peacock green granite (see picture below). They do show lots of fingerpints, but even after 5 months I still get perverse pleasure in wiping and shining them! I know lighter colored countertops would not show as much, but they tend to be more prone to staining. I was not into stainless steel because it can yellow over time and if it gets a ding or dent, there is no fixing it. It's also trendy. I was afraid stainless today will become as outdated as the harvest gold or pea green appliance colors of the 70's. Black is a perrenial and is as acceptable today as it was in the 90's, 80's, 70's, etc...

Organic materials such as wood and soapstone are neutral and will never clash. It's not like we're talking purples and oranges! Good luck and go for the mood you want, dark and dramatic or light and airy, or something in-between. Just don't get hung up on worrying about clashing. Enjoy the process!!

Maple cabs, black counters and appliances is a definitely go-together, actually--I could show you dozens of kitchens from around here (PNW) like that, most with something like slate or quartzite backsplashes...would that interest you? Add a bit of sparkle in the background? It's a perfectly wonderful look.

Here is a link that might be useful: look at the closeup..just one idea

You all crack me up. Bob, your before kitchen wasn't that bad, I love the retro-ness of it. Okay, so dh gets to keep his black stuff, and I'll cope by painting the walls a light cream color.

I so wish I had taken more time with cabinet finish selection, though. Oh well, next kitchen!

I think black looks good w/ just about anything. We had black w/ the same color of cabinets. We later went to stainless, but we were upgrading brands anyway - so that's why we went to stainless. But I can tell you this after 5 years of stainless, the black was a lot easier to keep clean & looking good.