Great looking kitchen. I wouldn't say my opinion is worth too much, but I would go with something with less "frilliness" and details. I would think a simple rounded/oval shaped pull with no detail in it would be best. Again, thats just my opinion.

I like em. Although as I type this and see the knobs, I'm thinking zeppelins, which may be manly (but are still soft!) :)

Advertguy2, I'm sure that's my DH is going to say however that is a man's perspective and me being a girl I like a little frilliness :o) I had originally wanted a plain arc to mimic all the handles an the appliances but now I'm not so sure.

Fori, Zeppelins! HAHA I could plant that seed in DH head then they wouldn't seem so girly. I only need 5 of the zeppelins, the other 22 would be pulls.

A totally different direction you could go in to soften things up would be not to use a metal pull. Glass or ceramic would give a much softer look. Or you could add color with stone pulls.

But I really wouldn't make a final choice until at least the countertops were on. They'll really change the look of things.

Yes, you DO have to wait for counters to make a final choice of course. I like the slightly girly hardware you picked out though (but I'd love to see glass and ceramic knobs too). At this point, you just have a classic base. You can go totally bachelor modern or retro 20s-style, or anything in between. So...what IS the countertop plan?

I would worry about catching my clothes on the zeppelins though--I tend to hook my pockets on oval knobs.

Your kitchen is looking gorgeous so far, with a lovely simplicity, Blackeyedpeas, but the handles pictured really don't seem to work very well with it. The simple arc might be very nice, or you could bring in a little bit of an elegant curve with a more abstract style handle. Just think what a stem of orchids does for a rectangular stone vase... But regardless, I'd plan on using a few accessories to feminize it a bit. Green, like with a plant, would look very nice with your colors.

Thanks everybody, I shall wait on my handle selection. Thanks also for the very nice comments on my kitchen.

Now about the contertops, I'm almost afraid to say this because it is so seldom done with dark cabinets however I have been seduced by soapstone. Hubby and I are actually traveling to FL next weekend to pick them up the slabs from our dear FloridaJoshua. They are Black Venata, I can hardly wait to see them in our kitchen.

Rosie, I am intrigued by your suggestion. Can you point me in a certain direction? Possibly some examples?

Thank you so much,
Lisette

I have the opposite colour scheme with my cabs and knobs/pulls. My cabs are painted a creamy yellow and my knobs and pulls are black but I do have the same hardware as you are considering (although I never thought of the pulls as "zeppelins"--lol) and I too have a Shaker style so in case in helps for you to see how the hardware looks on that style, I'll post a photo. HTH.

I personally don't think that your cabinets look too masculine--in fact I think they look classy--but if you do, you will be able to soften the look with your choice of backsplash and accessories.

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Oh! They go vertical. That does sort of defeat the dirigible look! I like them even better after seeing many hats' set up.

I think soapstone will be nice and traditional and not too dark. It's soft (even if it isn't actually). I think you'll want to stay away from modern and go with girly. Not that those are all that girly...

No, no, no. Your lovely kitchen cabinets call for something simple like what I think is already on them.

But I* agree with everybody who says WAIT. After the backsplash, I think the handles are the last thing.

Those knobs are lovely in manyhats kitchen. In yours they are a complete no no. They are inappropriate in so many ways. The style is not in keeping with your kitchen, which is masculine...but in such a good way. It's a gorgeous kitchen so far! The shape is too soft for your hard shapes, and the detail is too fussy for your clean lines.

Oh I forgot to tell you I have a hard time not being honest....so let me continue ;oP

Here's a great example of what you would create with those knobs....it's my dining room in our temporary house while the real place is being finished:
(Ignore the fridge and radiator...they'll be removed when we remodel this place)

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My grandfather made that table...I love it. These chairs were in my husband's home in texas. Very expensive and they were very cool with his art piece table of stainless and glass. Together...they're HORRIBLE (but the only pieces not in storage for a couple of months). Honestly, this is the type of look you would create with knobs like that.

Ok so for options...you limited those with your design, but that's not a negative. Your kitchen is fabulous! Really gorgeous. So now you need personality in terms of knobs. And you need to do so with both the counter tops and the cabinets in mind as well as that stainless. You have chosen a pretty dark counter, so it's time to find some color in the kitchen as well as a quirk maybe that could make you feel the look is softer. Not softer like fuzzy and warm maybe, but softer as in a grin and a smile as you find the unexpected...

Ok so I found some great examples...but DS (2 years old) just woke and he's screaming...I'll be back!!!

I tend to prefer something simpler myself blackeyedpeas. I like the look of these. Knobs, I dunno..not my favourite, but I do like the pulls

Here is a link that might be useful: Try these

I agree with the posters here; something like a simple round knob would add the curves and enhance the clean lines of these cabinets.

I love the style/color of the cabs!!

Ok I went knob shopping (did I mention I'm a knobaholic??)

I think for interest you could look to an asian type knob keeping the form clean and neat:
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Funky modern shapes would be great (color was not my focus but I'd stay to silver tones)
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Totally modern and clean lined with mixed materials:
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A softer knob that's unexpected but would look great:
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Funky style to pop in occasionally:
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And favorites of mine, color and style that would pop in the darker kitchen:
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I think I would like the Swirlz type knobs and pull by amerock. They have soft curves and are slightly raised, like your appliance handles. I would not choose until after it is almost done though. Makes it easier to make some choices.

But I love your kitchen and I don't think it's necessarily masculine because of its clean lines?! I'm thinking '20s art deco or asian inspired...I would "de-frill" the hardware, keep it simple straight or curved. (Igloochic, I like your samples, you are incredibly helpful..)

I've got the swirlz knobs. In fact, I was just looking at one and comparing it to the back splash tiles I'm trying to decide on. We didn't get the Swirlz pulls, though as we didn't like them. We went with a simple stainless steel bow by the same company.

The think I really like about them is how they feel. Very solid and smooth and rich.

I like igloochic's ideas of the hand-forged look or the Asian look or that leaf knob (wish I'd seen that one before we ordered ours).

When glass was mentions, these came to mind....

Here is a link that might be useful: cup pulls

How about the Diva from Lee Valley. (in the silver)

I think its an Ann at home design.

I can't wait to see pics with the soapstone. I'm in such a quandary myself over what color cabs to use with soapstone counters. DH wants dark wood (obviously) and I want soapstone, and its not what I most commonly see. Although I see lots of black granite with dark cabs, so I suppose it works.

I like the hardware, but I'm not certain I'd like it with the soapstone. And I don't think your pics look too masculine.

I love the look of your cabinets. I don't think they look too masculine. I think they look very classy. Can I ask what kind of cabinets they are?

BTW igloochic - wow! ... will you be my KD? :)

wow...blackeyedpeas, your cabinet stain color is almost identical to mine...but I am goin for a very different color palette...:-)

Here are some pics of teeny tiny kitchen...the cabinets are still being installed so ignore the dust. Not sure why the wall looks so yellow...in reality it is lighter...guess it is the flash.

Love the idea of soapstone with dark cabinets...I considered it but then rejected it as I have a lot going on already...:-)

BEP,

I love the look of your cabinets and how the kitchen is turning out. I think the masculine/modern looks is perfect. You can 'soften' it later by what you place on the counters. Adding rounded, cutesy knobs or handles will clash with the simple lines of your kitchen.

A bowl of colorful fruit will take care of the linearity that you may dreading.

I recommend full length stainless bar pulls.

Here I am! Thrilled with everybody's feedback. My DH hijacked the computer last night and stayed on until after I fell asleep :o( so I couldn't respond but I'm baaack.

Igloochick, That visual did the trick, you are of course correct. Those two styles while great looking and appropriate when paired with "their own kind" are way better off segregated from each other. Some forms of eclectic just don't work. HAHA
I do like some of the knobs you posted, love the leaf and the colored glass ones. Problem is I only need 5 knobs, I have 22 drawers which I definitely want pulls for. IMO the asian theme would not work for us, we are smack dab in the middle of 60 wooded acres in South Ga and have a 7 year old and a almost 3, which reminds me of your table and chairs, kinda don't go together.
Thank you for all the suggestions, they give me a lot of food for thought.

Lascatx,
Those glass cup pulls are quite nice, I like them!

Raehelen, Those are very attractive as well, might be a hair chunky though. The space between the rails on a few of my shallow drawers might be to small for those. Have to check!

Sammi2, I hereby solemnly promise to post pictures of the countertops when they are done. I can hardly wait to see them myself!

Aussies, as in from down under or the canine kind?? My first came in '86 and my current boy is 11.
We had the cabinets built by a local guy.

Jayav, Well, your cabinets and mine must be siblings, they do look the same. Nice job! I originally was going with a lighter granite but the soapstone won out. I think I can get away with it because we only have 1 upper, a big window, vaulted ceilings and the kitchen is open to the great room and dining room so there is plenty of light. Can't wait to see your finished product, please post pics when your done.

Pharoah, pbrisjar, clax66, footballmom & everybody else, Thank you for your comments and suggestions. It helps me a lot, my eyes have been opened.
It took me 45 minutes to write this response, between my 3 year old blessing and ninja kitty I've had to get up 1600 times for various reasons and here she comes again...
TTYL, Lisette

OK eyes, what about these?

I love them!!!!

Malhgold, Me too!

I found a couple of other looks, what about these?
Pewter, rustic

Satin nickle, elegant, artistic

I like the blend of your reeded hardware with the dark mahogany finish cabinets. It's a very sophisticated European look, like Viennese Art Nouveau. The satin finish is perfect.
Casey

Casey,
Sorry to sound clueless here although I do have 2 kids and it is a fact that your brain cells diminish with pregnancy ;o) but which ones are the reeded ones?

I like the satin nickle 'artsy' ones just above. Very elegant, minimal and unexpected.

But I absolutely second the advice to WAIT! Your countertops will change the look yet again. And lighting?

Any pendants or visible fixtures?

Oh sweeby, light fixtures, yes well I let DH choose the fixtures over the sink. Do I like them? NO, I will take a picture later today when I am over there. They can and probably will be changed. There is a line of 3 pendants with simple frosted glass shades where the island will be, the rest is recessed.
The accent color is a little darker than an apple green, this is the pantry door

I am new here but I like the curvy satin nickle ones above as well. I think the pewter one is really stunning, but I am not sure if it will go with your kitchen. At first look I thought no way but now I think it could possibly go really nicely with the soapstone. sorry if I am not much help. I also did like the first ones you posted above that everyone else seems to think would be very wrong.

jayav & blackeyedpeas - I love both of your floors. Are they travertine or tile?

Laurie

Laurie,
Mine are travertine 18" sqaures layed in a brick or running bond pattern.

I was leaning toward your elegant artistic ones until I saw your photo of the stove area. Now I have to rethink my choice because that says "girly" "antique" to me. Is your potfiller black or bronze? What is your sink faucet?

flowerchild,
The pot filler is ORB and matches the cabinet color perfectly. The sink faucet on the other side of the room is brushed nickle. The orb color would just fade into the cabinets so I don't want to do that but I do like it behind the stove since the one and only wall cabinet is right next to it and it picks up that color.
Yes, that is very "girly" "antique" looking, like I said we jumped the gun on that decision. ARG! Too many choices when your building a whole house and many of those choices have hinged on what is readily available and budget, budget, budget. We have thrown away $$ on other choices that didn't pan out, this may be another one of those...

My cabs are similar to yours. I chose hardware to match the arc of my applicances.

I wouldn't "throw away" the tin backsplash behind the range so quickly. I am a big fan of mixing styles and maybe that will help to tone down the masculinity you are concerned about. I also think the soapstone may bridge the gap between the tin and the cabinets. Maybe just a plain slightly curved nickel handle would be nice. One that doesn't necessarily scream a "style". But you should wait until the counters are in, get a bunch of samples and see which one clicks.

hey blackeyedpeas, what is your paint color?

msrose, mine is my a rustic looking chiseled edge travertine. The look of the tile is very old world looking.

Okay, after seeing the backsplash I agree the smooth artsy curve isn't the ticket. How about, instead, doing bringing in the curve in a vine or twig-inspired handle? Same idea, very different mood and style that would connect to the world outside your windows. I've seen some nice ones, but--sorry--I've never learned to copy and post pictures.

Check these out:
http://www.kitchensource.com/cabinet-hardware/nh-nhk-169.htm?utm_id=1101

They would infuse the green of your inspirational door and they are quite compatible in theme (olive branches w/fruit).

I LOVE the glass cup pulls that Lascatx posted. I love them so much I think I need to redo my bathroom just so I can use them. lol

I really like the first pull in your picture. I think it's very elegant and classy, not too trendy, and would be the perfect compliment to your cabinets.

rucnmom,
Those knobs and pulls are gorgeous and I would love to have them but I think DH would faint if I told him I was going to spend $693 on hardware for the kitchen!

jersey girl,
I like those as well, they look great on your cabinets, I wonder how much peanut butter and jelly they could hold before I would need to take them off and soak them. LOL

Rosie,
I saw some like that, I'll post them and see what everybody else thinks. Igloochic got me thinking about whimsy with her knobs and I think I might like that.

Jayav,
The paint is Behr "Stable Hay" an ever changing color depending on the light, from a soft creamy butter to more of a gold. It is in our whole great room area as well.

Thanks again for everyones opinions and suggestions, they are highly valued by me. I suppose I'll try and be patient and wait until the soapstone is in. It is getting harder to be patient since we are in year 4 of this build and it is getting so close to the end that I can just taste it.

Lisette

OK here is a whimsical, organic, twig, pull and knob set as per Rosie's idea.