Hi:
I read the kitchen cabinet brochures and I see it also. I think that these issues have to be considered.
1. Is this mixing idea a fad, will it say 2010 ten years from now
2. Is your kitchen large enough and high ceilinged enough to carry the mix off. If your kitchen is smaller it might come off a cluttered.

I think a painted finish would look beautiful. I have a small kitchen with several painted/stained finishes and I think it adds character and personality.
Mixing finishes is not trendy, been a round for centuries.

Pictures would help....

I can't remember the peninsula in your kitchen, but from the description, I definitely see why you're worried about patchwork. It's a bigger issue in this case than just trendines because you're talking about a separate area rather than an unfitted kitchen look.

I'm assuming that the table and chairs are similar in color to the peninsula since you didn't say differently. For just design in your space, rather than worrying about it's place in style history, think of what makes "sense" of your layout. That is, when you look at it, you can see what's what by the color. Currently you have stained island, peninsula and table, with a countertop on the peninsula and island, right? So that means that things in the middle of the floorspace are stained, and work surfaces have counters, where the eating surface doesn't.

Given that scheme, I wouldn't add stained cabinets, at least not matching ones, to the table area, because they won't fit that plan. If you want the table area to look like part of the kitchen, do the cabinetry and window seat to match the painted cupboards, or vary the outline but match the color. If you want to make the table area look bigger, make the cabinetry the same color as the walls.

If you want the cabinetry to really stand out, or to make the table area look very separate from the kitchen area (with a new table or tabletop (or cloth) as well), paint the cabinetry something exciting and contrasty. Something that stands out. You could go full on MacKenzie Childs, or a watercolor scene, colorstained and guilded, or anything else dramatic. That doesn't really carry on the serene effect of your kitchen, but maybe that's what you want for your eating area.

What I think will look patchworky is something that goes but is different, like the beach stone blue and sage green that most people would put with your kitchen. Either of them would look fine, but a bit higgledypiggledy.

Thanks everyone for your input so far. I didn't post photos with this thread because I figured I've already over posted photos of my kitchen, lol.

But I can see that I need to post them so that you can see what I have going so far. I'm not really worried about 10 years from now and what will be in or out. I just want it to mesh well together and not have anything stand out as being out of place. Just to reiterate, the kitchen table and chairs can be painted or changed as I work through my ideas, etc. The miscell. furniture in the dining area is just temporary. Oh, and please remember that we aren't done with the kitchen. So many odds and ends still need to be finished.

THIS IS THE STYLE CUPBOARD THAT I AM CONSIDERING (a pair of them flanking the bay window). One would have a cabinet on the bottom to house our stereo/turntable. The other would have drawers on the bottom for our table linens. I would want the legs to be a more simple style.

I'm thinking of having them painted white to match the kitchen cabinets, with a contrasting color for the bead board backing (I'm thinking of soft, pale pink for the backing). But I also like it stained with the white bead board. Painting them a completely different color has also crossed my mind, as plllog has suggested. But what color? I certainly don't want to end up with "higgledy piggledy". I'd never heard of that term before plllog, I had to look it up, lol. In the words of my daughter, the definition is a hot mess! NOT what I want : )

Oh, thanks for posting! I know I saw the chandelier, but not the whole dining room, and somehow I'd thought your walls were grayer! Memory is such a sorry thing...

I think a simplified version of that corner cupboard would be great! It would definitely continue that grew in place look.

What I like about this specific cabinet is the arch topped door, which goes well with the current table's oval shape. That helps define the separation of areas, but both fit well with the kitchen in general.

There is so much white woodwork in the dining area that I think continuing that on the cabinetry will look great. With the china cabinet style cupboard that you've pictured, there's no worry about distinguishing them from the actual kitchen cabinets. Making them white won't kitchenify them.

Regarding the bead, however, what is motivating the pink? I don't see an element that it's supposed to be picking up. If you want to emphasize the beads, you could paint a pale gray or the wall color in the cracks to make the shadows greater. Painted beads don't have the same kind of classic look as the rest of your space, though, and I'm worried that the pink will look too cutesy.

I say white cabinets for the window area... Will you have the table pulled up to the window seating?

Plllog you may be right about pink being too cutesy. I came up with this idea because I follow basic principles of Feng Shui and pink/red are good colors for that area since it is the marriage bagua of the house. Things in pairs are also good for this area so the pair of cupboards work great there! Anyway, I have seen white cupboards with pink bead board to show off pretty painted china. I have a beautiful set of english coalport china that is painted vibrant colors on a white background. Too bad the paint has lead in it. We can't use the china but I sure plan on displaying it! It would look very pretty against the right color pink background. If I do pink, I'm thinking of something along the lines of Benjamin Moore White Dogwood, which I used in my DD's bedroom.

But maybe you're right, painting the bead board the same color as the walls may be the ticket. I'm sure that would be a good back drop for the china also.

Joy I could, but I won't have to. It's deceiving, there is more room than the photo suggests. There is enough room for 8 chairs at that table, including one on each far end . . . plus a window seat. Because of cost, I'm probably going to get the cupboards first and then have a window seat built in. To do it all as once would be expensive, plus I don't think I want built in cupboards. I think I'd rather have them free standing so they look like furniture. I may also nix the built in window seat idea and go with a very, pretty bench instead.

Loving the idea of it being white to go with the woodwork. Seems like a classic look you already having going so well in the kitchen. I would like to see them look like part of the house in white, rather than furniture, which is what I think having them stained would do. Not sure of the pink, but I'm not into pink for such things anyway...I do like the gray suggestion.

From everyone's comments, I can see now that painting the cupboards to match the white kitchen cabinets is probably the right choice.

rhome, grey as in the wall color? Or grey as in a purer grey different than the walls?

I'm not very good with the details of feng shui (the general principles are basic good design, so are easier for me), but I'm thinking that pale pink doesn't have enough energy anyway. Do you need that big an expanse of red? I'd think that a few good shots of it would be adequate. I don't know what your Coleport looks like, but could you add to it? Or a little chinoiserie? Or, to be very classic, geraniums?

{{!gwi}}

plllog this is my coalport china. Yes, there are many elements that are red (or pink) that I can chose for the dining area as accents. That's why my chair pads are red and white check, my curtains have red flowers, and I have red candels, etc. BTW, when you follow Feng Shui principles it doesn't mean that you have to have Asian accents. I don't think they'd go with my particular kitchen anyway.

Well, it sounds like you have plenty of red and don't need to worry about it at all.

I suggested the chinoiserie just because it's often seen with Coalport (the teacup is Coalport). I agree that the cinnabar doesn't look right with it at all! The geraniums would go, however. :)

Your dish is very pretty!

Wow, that's a Coalport pattern? I would have never guessed, so different than my delicate floral! I really do love my "Junetime" pattern. I've never been able to display it properly . . . can't wait!

Gray: Same as the wall or a little darker.