I have gone round and round with the final color choices in our new kitchen and am getting dizzy! I've learned so much and already received help from several kind people out there, so I turn to you again for your advice....

The small kitchen in our small log cabin has one wall about 9 ft. long, connecting at the corner to another wall measuring about 6 ft. from the corner to the edge of the french doors leading to the 3-season porch.

I have always dreamed of getting some color into this "house of wood" and the new kitchen is my chance. My vision is antique-y blue cabinets on those 2 walls with soapstone counters, and glass in the upper cabs. to break it up a bit. In the center of the long wall will be my 30" BlueStar range with a custom-made (stained?) wood hood over it. On the far left of that wall will be a Liebherr 24" all-refrigerator (panel ready); on the short wall, panel ready F&P dishdrawers; upper and lower cabs. between all these appliances (I'm fitting a lot into a little space!)

4 ft. from this wall will be our island (wood stained base?), topped with a custom-made Ipe wood top and an inset cherry butcher block. (Ipe, if you're not familiar with it, has a rich chocolate brown color with some streaks of golden brown.) The sink (copper?) will be on a corner of the island.

My inexperience with color has me doubting whether this will all "gel" when it's installed, and hesitating to make final color choices. In the inspiration photos I have accumulated, it's the combination of blue with gold and rich wood colors that I love (and the cedar log walls in the rest of the house have that golden hue).

So, my questions for you color gurus is:

- Color of Bluestar? (only 190 choices!)

- Island base wood stain or painted?

- Range hood wood stain or painted?

- Cabinet paint treatment: glazing, color staining, etc.?

- Which shades of blue should I be looking for? I like the grey-blues but worry it will look too dark (the only natural light in the kitchen being through the french doors but the porch is shaded.)

-Will the reddish tones of butcher block and copper sink clash with blue cabinets?

That's a lot of questions, I know, but I will appreciate any little tips or words of encouragement or warnings to stop before it's too late!!! ;-) (or inspiration photos!)

Thanks in advance.