I don't have good pictures yet, and it's very very hard to take good pictures of the natural bamboo. The flash makes it go amber and daylight makes it go beige. It's really a soft yellow. In pictures, especailly ones that have been reduced in size, the texture is also heightened. It does look stripy, but not nearly as stripy as it appears in the pictures. I found that the full sheets were true to the four inch samples. Mine is the kind with bamboo stacked crosswise in the core, so it's very strong. It's either zero or ultra low VOC, including the varnish.

Now, this is just my own personal opinion with my own bias and absolutely nothing to back it up. But, the brazilian cherry wood is a beautiful, gorgeous floor which I have always thought of, because of its deep and variegated reds, as a focal point in and of itself. The bamboo because of its wood grain pattern, to me, is also a focal point. To me, they both shout "Look at me, Look at me". I'd be afraid of too much going on in the room with both those woods in it. LIke I said - in my opinion.

Sorry I don't have a pic, but my former boss did a kitchen two years ago in Bamboo. Very modern and beautiful! They look almost textural IRL. But, like Byronroad, I'm not sure they would look good with cherry floors.

They're right, of course, about the grains, but that's a particular aesthetic. One way to combat busy is with busy. That is, if you want sleek and modern, one "star" is a highlight and focal point. If you're digging the Victorian, Rococo, or Baroque, or just your own style, you can set a flowing pattern (B. cherry) against a linear pattern (bamboo) and they'll dance together and kind of neutralize each other.

Ask your cabinetmaker to get a sample sheet of the bamboo if you're serious, and put it against some of your flooring and see how you like them together. It could be really wonderful.

One way I neutralized the busyness of my bamboo forest is with even busier tile and a blingy hood. The cherry floor wouldn't be nearly as busy as my backsplash!!

Thank you guys for keeping me grounded:)) The caramelized, vertical grain does not look as busy as the blond bamboo, but still a lot of grain. It actually brings out the lighter areas of the floor. I think the maple, with the correct stain would probably be best. Just LOVE the bamboo! But, I would never have the nerve to tell hubby that we need to change floors in the house in order to get it. What are your thoughts on the maple byronroad?

Warning: I have maple floors. I love maple, I like it's clean grain and it takes a stain really well. Maple and Bamboo, to me, are at the opposite ends of the spectrum for the business of their grains. Have you considered a natural maple with your brazilian cherry wood floors? It would be striking, having said that I don't know what your vision for your space is.
So that you don't later second guess your decision, I would still try to find a larger sample of the bamboo and samples of the maple. If you have any flooring places near you, borrow a sample of the bamboo floor if they have one - it might be bigger than the cabinet sample you were sent.

My cousin recently redid her kitchen in the caramelized bamboo but the floors are tile. I actually don't think it would look bad with brazillian cherry.

I think it would look spectacular with Brazilian cherry floors. I didn't do a kitchen but the back wall of my bedroom is bamboo and my floors are ipe(Brazilian walnut).

cpartist, do you have pics? we did our deck in Ipe and it is fabulous. I've never seen it indoors though! must be amazing!

Plllog, is that a Modern Aire hood? It's gorgeous.

Thanks, Ideagirl. Yes, it is. Right now it needs to be polished, however. ;)

Are these cabinets veneer?? and if they are..are they over an mdf product??

Thanks...

Designer888, Thanks for posting pics! It appears that bamboo takes stain well. My cabinet maker said he could apply stain to get more of the color I wanted, but I did not know how the stain would look... your cabs. look great! May I ask where or what state you are in? We are in Central Virginia. I am not finding many Cabinet Makers familiar with Bamboo here.

Thanks again for the pictures, please post more!

PSFW, we had the opposite in our previous kitchen - carbonized bamboo floors with cherry cabinets. Our cabinets were lightly stained, so the grain was noticeable, but not dramatic. I don't think it conflicted with the bamboo. That said, I think the bamboo pattern is more subtle on the floor than as a cabinet at eye level.

Psfw, We are in NY. I'll post the pictures after installing counter and handles. Where in Virginia, near Charlottesville?

The contractor I used did a bamboo kitchen last spring. These are custom cabinets.

http://redapplerenovations.com/site/index.php?option=com_joomgallery&func=viewcategory&catid=30&Itemid=53

Here is a link that might be useful: Bamboo Cabinets

Designer888, yes we are just west of Charlottesville, Greenwood. There are many great cabinet guys here, just not craftsmen used to doing contemporary. If you know of anyone, please pass the word. Thanks:)

Howdy neighbor,

I live just a few miles north of you near White Hall. I know what you mean about "craftsmen not used to doing contemporary". When I was first starting my kitchen remodel a few years back, I knew going in that I wanted frameless cabinets, but all of the cabinet guys I'd talk to would either get a blank look or say "Yes we can do full-overlay as well as the standard partial-overlay"

I'm sorry that I don't have any recommendations for cabinets guys or contractors in the area. I ended up going the DIY route for nearly everything. I did end up with a granite guy that I really liked.

I do think that Bamboo cabinets could look quite good with a Brazilian cherry floor, but agree that you should get samples of the actual materials/colors to see how well they go together.

-Bob

Howdy back to you!! White Hall is so beautiful! Yes, I know that "blank look" you're speaking of, lol. I do love the bamboo and will get more samples. Maple would be fine, stained correctly, but not really anything different. Did your granite guy have any quartzite or marble? Is he local, in Palmyra by any chance?

Best, psfw

My granite guy (Albermarle Countertops) was just a fabricator, for selecting your slabs he directs you to a Granite and Marble yard outside Richmond. The price through him was about 55% of the quote I received from the place in Palmyra.

Based on reading some of your other threads our houses might be similar: sort-of comtemporary with lots of window.

{{gwi:1596168}}

Thanks for the info. I have been to marva marble, etc. in Ricmond. I will check out Albermarle for the fabrication. Thanks again! I spoke with a guy in Portland today, he is sending larger samples of bamboo. Is that an induction cooktop I see??? If so, how do you like it? Yes, I think our houses are simular. Contemporary/Transitional.

Yes that is an induction cooktop. Since getting it I have decided that I _love_ induction cooking, and have also since then used a couple of different high-end gas ranges and that has further confirmed my preference for induction cooking.

However I wouldn't recommend the particular brand and model that I purchased (Kenmore 36") because of the layout of the cooking elements and the way the controls work.

My specific complaints are:

1) the cooktop has the two largest elements (and the one medium sized element) at the front of the unit, and the two smallest elements at the back. However if you have several things cooking at the same time, and are wanting to make a sauce (for instance) you'll be reaching over the large pots in front to try to stir and tend the small sauce pan on the back burner.

2) the "touch" controls would be better termed "press-slowly-firmly-and-deliberately" controls, and when you turn an element on the only two options are the lowest possible setting or the highest possible setting, and if you want a "medium" setting of "5" you have to either turn it on to highest setting (which can then lower the setting on another burner) and then firmly and deliberately press the down button 7 times, or turn it on at its lowest setting, and press the up button 8 times.

It seems clear that it was designed by someone who has never actually cooked anything.

If you want to see the unit in action or test drive the controls of a functioning unit, contact me via e-mail.

Thank you Bob for all your info. I plan on stopping by Albemarle Countertops today. I have a wolf gas rangetop that I purchased while planning for this kitchen. I moved too quickly. Now I really want the induction, so will probably go with wolf. Need to sell rangetop, if you know of anyone that needs one. Do you know anything about the wolf induction units? Thanks again for your help! Your kitchen looks very nice. I think you did a really nice job with it. Makes me want to take a carpentry class...just joking.

Regards,

Psfw

psfw, Don't know any cabinet guys in your area. Will post the new pictures. old user name (designer888) dosn't work.

I don't know anything about the Wolf unit, except for what is available via the following URL. The Induction Site They have detailed info about induction in general, and info about pretty much all available units. From that site it look like the Wolf unit is near the top end of all units in terms of price (which doesn't suprise me), but I think the layout of the heating elements looks better than on my Kenmore unit, and looks like it addresses my one specific complaint about layout, and furthermore it looks like the controls for the unit might also be better than on my Kenmore unit and also address my control-usability complaints.

Good luck at the countertop place. They were great to work with and they did a fantastic job.

-Bob