I think you could pull it off if you went for light counters. I love the look of marble or light colored counters with stained wood.
OTOH - we went with Ikea Applad cabinets, which are white and are not painted. They have a smooth finish and clean up like a dream. They would definitely work the cottage look if paired with the right elements and hardware.

Here's a link with a crazy amount of cottage decor pictures. Bedrooms, bathrooms, and some kitchen pictures...you get the idea!

Smaller home forum hosts many experts on cottage, cute, and cozy decor! These libraries of photos on GW are truly impressive. This is just one example.

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/decor/gal0407212710549.html?68

Here is a link that might be useful: Cottage Decor

look into alder-even knotty alder///it takes the stain colors accurately-doesn't shift yellow or reddish, as other woods do.

Kfagan, "cottage" has come to represent very different pictures to different people. Nevertheless, it might be helpful to consider the origin of the look for ideas/inspiration, or maybe just recognition of what you do not want.

Those real cottages were modest, low income homes built with locally available materials by local carpenters. This "local" factor is a giant one. Built-ins were constructed by those same carpenters, limited by their skills, artistry, inspiration, and available tools. They were then typically lived in by many, whose updates over the decades mainly consisted of new paint and new curtains--run up on their own sewing machines. All totally modest, but it is the coming together in a special synergy of these local, personal, custom, amateurish effects that creates their tremendous charm. They were also free to experiment since it was cheap and mistakes were easily fixed. Besides, they knew they weren't exactly creating the Sistine Chapel.

The big problem with making wood factory cabinets say "cottage" wouldn't be that they're stained wood, it'd be if they were clad with a bulletproof modern finish (and style of finish) that nobody had 80 years ago and can't just slap on with a paintbrush these days. Now, if you removed that finish and applied a couple coats of varnish, that could be cottage, especially after a decade or two of aging and yellowing. :)

Hope this helps...somehow. Most of us love tough-as-nails modern cabinets and floors and really don't want the old construct, just decorative details that suggest cottage. Like kitchy little hand-hooked rugs in an $80K Cape Cod kitchen.

BTW, have you thought of settling your cabinets in by adding some of the little shelves and trim boards, brackets and so on that those carpenters used to add around windows, etc.? A local carpenter could add them for very little if the finish were matchable...

gosh,
I forgot about the slate floor....

I know you say you did not like the white stain but did you look at any grey or green stained woods? I love grey stains and I think a light grey with the slate might work well. Another option might be an almost black stained cabs with some beadboard and add marble tops. It is the reverse of the white cab black counter cottage but will still provide the feel. Good luck

Maybe it is just me, but a lot of Boxer's pix are too large/grand to be consider cottage. They may be rustic of a sorts, but cottage kitchens to me say more modest and homey. No true cottage kitchen has a dedicated wine chiller fridge.

I used to love Cottage Living magazine and was so disappointed when it folded. The kitchen layouts were always maximized to make use of the modest spaces and while they may have cost a lot, they looked unassuming and cozy. You can have a little bigger and be "cottage", but it is harder to pull off. It really influenced our kitchen and how we tried to make it look comfortable and welcoming. I did not want anyone to think it was fancy by any means. I wanted to almost smell the coffee and baked goods when seeing a picture of it. Ours looks like something someone's grandma would have been been comfortable in although I have to admit it is pretty large by cottage standards. For that reason, we did not end up with white marble counters (despite my love for them). We put in a Marmoleun floor (have to admit that did not work out, but only structurally, it looks great) and did not have all matching appliances by design. We have a mix of white, black and stainless, all bought new for the new kitchen and a white & chrome vintage stove. I think the vintage stove is the largest element that says cottage to me.

I am completely overwhelmed by all of your helpful responses!! And, am now obsessed with this site!! I have some follow up questions, and I apologize in advance for my ignorance!! Boxerpups: what is a Sweeby test?? My inspiration is beachy, comfortable, cozy with a touch of rustic. I LOVE the pics you posted and am loving the Alder wood. Any idea how expensive it is in comparison to Maple or Birch? Roarah: I hadn't thought of a grey stain, but I have looked up some pictures and I think it's gorgeous! It would totally accomplish the look we are going for and would look great with our dark, reclaimed table. Now....I will have to try to convince my husband! Again, thank you all for your responsiveness and if it isn't too much trouble, keep the suggestions coming! I have never done this before and want it to be everything I am picturing in my head and don't know how to verbalize!!

Kfagan113,

Here is a link to the sweeby test. Not everyone on GW
likes it but I personally find that it can help with
a direction to think about for your space.

Alder, May be cheaper than Maple. NOt positive.
And another idea is to mix white and wood together to
add a dash of cottage and yet rustic with the wood.

Sweeby is a GW member who is amazing. Anyway... you
want the test. the links below can help.
Oh, and I will definitely post more pictures but I need
a better feel for what you want to see otherwise I will
just confuse you or worse take up good space for others
to chime in.

In case I forgot to say this... WELCOME to GW kitchens.
This is a great forum.
~boxerpups

a few more links....

From Rubyfig
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg061853545307.html

GW New To Kitchens? Posting Pics? Read Me!
http://forums.thathomesite.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0814234329014.html?67

Here is a link that might be useful: The Sweeby test

Ok, so I think I did the Sweeby test (although I am still working on my "mission statement"). The words that describe what I want are: cool, tranquil, calm, happy, cozy, light/bright, beachy with a little rustic, casual, simple, weathered and homey. I'm so happy I found this forum before I felt pressured to make an uninformed decision!!

Have you considered using reclaimed wood for your cabinets? Keri Russell's kitchen was in a recent Elle Decor. I think the wood she used is wonderful. Link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Reclaimed Wood Cabinetry

Here is a link to Sarah Richardson's cottage. It's a summer home on a little island and I think it may be your style. Be sure to check out the photo galleries and there's a link to the episodes, if you want more details. Hope this helps :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Sarah's summer cottage

If you haven't yet, check out the Sep/Oct issue (out now, I bought a copy last night) of Cottages & Bungalows magazine. It's the "kitchen edition", and while I think there were mostly painted cabinets, you might find some other inspiring ideas. My copy is at work...I'll try to come back and share if I find anything particularly inspiring!

Painted cabinets need not all be white to be "light". A mix of greys, greens, creams, yellows, blues, lavenders, and even the return of "whitewashed wood" all say light bright and beachy. Wood stained a light grey to resemble driftwood would work. Mix in some painted sagey green or blue grey as well as white tile and wood countertops, and you've got exactly what you described. Things to avoid would be dark intense colors. No medium to dark toned wood. No shiny formal finishes. No formal anything.

The light alder is beautiful! Also Beaglesdoitbetter just posted her blue stained cabs. They might be a darker blue than you are looking for but they are very nice. they are not kitchen cabs but they give you an idea of stain vs paint with colors. good luck filtering thru all your options.

Here is a link that might be useful: beagles blue cabs.

I think with cottage (recognizing the enormous potential for use of the word) you have to watch out for too much elegance and glamour. I'm not saying you can't spend just as much or more money! I'm working on finding my inspiration photos and Sweebey test and "cottage" is kind of in there, but maybe vintage/eclectic.

I think the counter choices are important for cottage, and so as you think through the overall concept, think of how you would combine elements and not just the cabinets. Most of the granites posted here, for example, don't, IMO, go with cottage. (Although, I still have Costa Esmeralda as a possibility for me!) So I think wood, soapstone, marble, tile--but also Formica and others--I think the unifying theme is not too much movement and glam. Something that looks right as a background for baskets or bowls of vegetables or pitcher of wildflowers.

One of the reasons I focus on countertops is that I tend to think of vintage or vintage-look accessories and slightly distressed or worn items, rustic, and nature/natural items with cottage--not necessarily using every cliche accessory out there, but a few items--and most of those look out of place on a very striking shiny granite. As one of the above posters noted, if everything in your kitchen looks brand-new, it's hard to look cottage. So if you have a type or collection of things that say "cottage" to you, whether it's ironstone, or wire, or worn wood, or Tole, or whatever, you can start to think what would be the appropriate background.

That's just an example, but if you look at enough photos, you may get the sense of which few selected elements "evoke" cottage for you the most and give you enough of that feel but still combine with more modern amenities or materials that you want in your kitchen.

You might want to find a copy of "Country Living 500 Kitchen Ideas: Style, Function & Charm," which is full of photos of informal kitchens, certainly fitting your warm happy informal weathered homey description. It leans more country/cottage than cottage/beach-y, but maybe one or two of those 500 ideas might resonate with you.

Here is a link that might be useful: Country Living's 500 Kitchen Ideas

My husband also loved the gray cabinets!! I'm so excited, it will look amazing!!! Now the next dilemmas: counters and sink. I love the look of the Carrara marble, my hubs doesn't. He would like a darker granite. We have a slate tile floor that we aren't replacing, so I'm just afraid a dark granite will be too dark for my cool, light, cottage/beachy theme. Any thoughts on this?? Also, we LOVE the look of a white farm sink, but do not want porcelain because of chipping, staining, etc. Does anyone know of an alternative that would hold up better to abuse? Thanks again, everybody!!

After you pick your shade of grey stain you can bring samples of counter top material choices with a sample of your cabs and put everything together near your floors and something will just feel right. I do love marble but it is not for everyone...I also think butcherblock works well with cottage decor and would look nice with grey as well.
There are also beautiful zinc, pewter and stainless counters to consider and so many quartz, granite, soapstones, quartzites and laminate too.
As far as sinks, farmhouse sinks come in all shapes and sizes:) I love nickel farmhouse sinks but stainless is another option too. Have fun shopping!!

Here is a link that might be useful: nickel farmhouse sink

We got Corian counters in the Rain Cloud option and it is evocative of marble, but not made to fool anyone. It is white with gray swooshes and tiny flecks of black and some very subtle taupe spots. I almost did not get it because of the very minimal taupe spots, but now I hardly see them and also think they look nice with the hardwood floors on the other side of the island and peninsula. I like it because it does not look as grand as real marble and is a softer surface when you touch it (not soft as in bouncy, but it feels silky and warm instead of cold and hard). While I drool over marble and used it on our master bath counter, I wanted the kitchen to look more simple and homey. People compliment the Corian all the time and run their hands over it. We also hear the "it does not look like the kind of Corian I have ever seen" line a lot, lol. If you used it with gray cabs, that would look great. It is a soft look.
This pic shows it a little more overall white than it is IRL:

Boxerpups- You always post the most beautiful pictures! I think the Garrity Designs picture looks very cottage like...and now it's saved in my picture folder :)

Hi Again,
You listed :
cool, tranquil, calm, happy, cozy, light/bright, beachy
with a little rustic, casual, simple, weathered and homey
and then lets top this off with DH loves the Gray.
But does not like Marble. Too bad you can not convince
him as Marble would be perfect.

Okay here are a few more ideas....keep in mind that these
can fit one or some of your words. So to keep in simple
I have mostly put in gray cabinets. This will give you
a chance to create your own kitchen. It will be fantastic.

Not cottage but makes me think of a cool beach house

See how lovely gray looks with marble

Notice the ceiling? The beadboard adds a touch of cottage
with a twist of cool, weathered, casual, cozy....

Cottage

Thank you so much for posting these!! It's so much easier to visualize now that I can see so many examples. It also makes me realize that I need to push my husband a little harder on the marble counter tops!! :)

Have you seen the cover of July/August House beautiful? It features a cottage kitchen with wood cabinets. I've never liked wood, but it made me swoon. It was still very light and bright. The article was called Living Large in Small Spaces.

I ordered my cabinets today!! SO excited! The grey stain will be beautiful, but I've had no luck changing my husband's mind on the cararra marble. I have no experience with granite or quartz at all. I would love opinions on what color would look great with the light grey stain. I think we will have to compromise on a medium shade. I don't want too dark and he doesn't want too light. I'm terrified of darkening the room!

I think the previous suggestion of costa esmerelda would be nice.

Your husband needs to look at all these photos from boxerpups. Then spend some time in a stone yard and bring a door sample with you. Take pix (and post them here).

Also, there are several quartzites that are more durable than marble but with a similar look. Ask about them at the stone yard.

Your gray stain is going to be gorgeous and is a great organizing principal to take you where you want to go. Hopefully you'll find a pale, functional stone that'll look great.

I'm pretty sure you've briefly considered and set aside (as I did), composite quartz materials such as Silestone and Caesarstone, but they make truly excellent counters, as bulletproof and chef-worthy as any can be. And, of course, they come in a very large number of whites and grays.

I personally love, love, love white marbles, especially honed. They are my dream material. I have never wanted a look of newness or perfection in my decor; however, I came to realize the etching problem is so bad, and so ugly to me in glass-shape circles, etc., I just couldn't have marble counters in my kitchen, where all counters get heavy use and lemon juice is much more of a staple than flour. I just counted out of curiosity, and I currently have 8 different vinegars, also used all the time.

In any case, I don't know the configuration of your kitchen, but would it lend itself to a mixture of materials? Marble perhaps for a select, mostly decorative position, including an exquisite backsplash perhaps, and stainless steel or a composite material elsewhere?