I like the exposed vent, I think I would tile the whole wall and I like the metal shelves you posted.

I don't know how expensive it is to tile the wall, but except from the point of view of you standing at the kitchen sink, you will not be able to see it because of the narrowness of the galley. So if it's at all costly there's no point in continuing it up the wall. If the price is negligible, then do what you would like to see. If you really like that tile (all that grout does not interest me) you may just want to put a stainless steel backsplash ( easy to clean) behind the stove and tile the sink wall instead, because that wall is long and flat and will be visible from most of the adjoining room. As to the vent I would be sure and read what your stove says about spacing requirements between the cook top and the cabinets on the side of the stove as well as the vent above. I don't mind a hood that is visible or one that is hidden, they can be done well either way, but I do have a problem with these glass hoods as I think the glass just collects copious amounts of grease and dust and it is noticeable because they are supposed to be clear.

I think you need the storage of a vent + cabinet above the range. If your duct work is slim (ours was a thin rectangle) it still leaves quite a bit of storage there. Also, in a small space I think a cabinet is a cleaner look. With an exposed vent you lose storage and visually there'd be too much going on on that fridge/range wall.

We did a backsplash like that in 2006 when it was very on-trend--I think that style preceded the subway tile trend--and by the time we sold that house last year I hated that backsplash. Too busy for something I looked at all day every day.

If you love that backsplash and you've wanted one like that for years, I think you should absolutely get it. However, if that kind of backsplash is a new idea and a new want for you, I'd reconsider it.

"I don't know how expensive it is to tile the wall, but except from the point of view of you standing at the kitchen sink, you will not be able to see it because of the narrowness of the galley."

Yes, a lot of the details under discussion are always seen fairly close up, and usually at an angle. The only long views are really from either entrance to the kitchen. Since I'm poor at visualizing things, this causes me lots of problems since idea photos are always taken far back from walls, with the camera looking directly on. But I have no vantage point like that at any point in our kitchen. We're always on the slant.

We may do just a half wall on one of the entry walls (a suggestion made here), which would make the long wall more visible from the dining room.

"I think you need the storage of a vent + cabinet above the range."

Oh, I'll still be able to fit things in the cabinet? OK, that sells it!

"I do have a problem with these glass hoods as I think the glass just collects copious amounts of grease and dust."

Yes, that worries me. This is probably also a great reason for me to be afraid of a lot of tile: grout, grout, grout.

"We did a backsplash like that in 2006 when it was very on-trend--I think that style preceded the subway tile trend--and by the time we sold that house last year I hated that backsplash."

Thanks for this perspective on the backsplash. I did wonder if this pattern is too busy, at least over a large area. It's interesting to know that it started to annoy you after a while.

I'm not really sold on the pattern, and didn't like it initially. I'm more attached to the colors used, and the fact that there are a combination of textures and colors involved. When my husband talked me out of my preferred color cabinets, we found a different counter and then this tile, which tied the look together for me.

It also switched my perspective a little bit. I had wanted gray cabinets, and maybe some white subway tile. What I like about the brown cabinets, black counters, and some richer colors is that it feels bit cozier and intimate to me.

If anyone has suggestions for what style might work well (this one or another one), I'm all ears. I think I'd like to add a little energy for texture without the effect getting frantic. I feel like the brown-red cabinet and dark counters could use a third element to complete the look. But I'm not sure what it should be.

Do you think the subway tile fad is a good development?

Agree about the style of the backsplash. If you love it, go with it but I do think it's trendy if that is of concern to you. Love your idea of gray cabs with subway but I am one who never gets tired of the subway tile look. And I think those metal shelves would look really cool with the subway.

I wonder if some kind of larger tile in a green hue would play off the reddish-brown cabinets and the dark counters.

Anyway, some things to think about.

I love the green tile cluelessincolorado posted. Fireclay tile has lots of lovely colors and interesting shapes. They are pricey though--handmade in California.

Given the narrowness of your kitchen I would consider the least obtrusive vent possible--have you looked at slide outs?

This slide out vent hood can be paneled.

If you go with subways, tile the whole wall or as much of it as you can afford. If it's a mosaic like the one you posted keep it low profile or it will be too busy.

I agree that the mosaic tile, while pretty, may overwhelm. I almost bought a busy backsplash tile. I am so glad that fell through. Of course now, I'm still ABB (all but backsplash)!

Those fire clay tile cluelessinColorado posted have been calling me in my dreams. (Crl, I am thinking you are to thank for that!)

Anyways they may be out of your budget, like me? I had saved up, but then DH decided we should put $ towards our "cabin" which will be income for us instead. Then, later, we might afford those tiles to finish my house??? He better be right! ;-)

Wow, never seen that slide out vent hood...awesome!

Btw, I think I'm the one who suggested the half wall on the one side. I'm still liking that idea if it works. ;-)

Rebunky, yes, you suggested the half-wall. :) We're leaning toward this idea. I think it would solve some potential issues with the other options I have. If I leave that side wide open, I can't help but feel like there are two many weird views of the side of the kitchen. But if I close it up, I just know that when we're cooking, we're going to be bending backward or turning a lot when trying to talk to someone seated at the dining table.

Following feedback, I've reaffirmed our decision to keep the vent tucked away. That slide out is an interesting twist on the idea...

CluelessinColorado, that is a wonderful green. Do you know what product it is!?

I feel like the red-brown cabinets and soft-black counter ideas could benefit from a third element or color. Maybe a soft green like that would balance them out and introduce extra some color without being too aggressive.

I think you were planning the stove on the other side before? Hmm, let me sleep on that thought. Good you are walking through the whole scene of cooking. How on earth did people design kitchens before GW? That is the question.....lol

Indeed, our first layout had the stove and sink on the opposite sides to where we have them now.

Without GW, I don't know! The feedback has been so helpful to us. Danke!

Oh, on the green tile, here's the answer from the Q&A for the photo:

They're "Ogawa Green."

There's also this follow-up comment: "Is this beautiful backsplash made of all Ogawa Green tiles, or is it a
random mix of Ogawa Green and a second lighter color? I am trying to
replicate this look. FYI, I was at the Heath showroom yesterday and
they no longer make Ogawa Green; there is a New Ogawa Green, which is
quite a bit darker."

Heath makes tile in some fascinating colors.

'by the time we sold that house last year I hated that backsplash. Too busy for something I looked at all day every day.'

yes, it's too busy for me and the space posted here is small. How is it for cleaning? I looked at all those little horizontal rows and think 'no way am I cleaning all of that down'. just too much for me.

I also wonder if the different levels (rows) of it and changes in color will make the space look even smaller (closed in) than it would with larger tiles all of 1 color? That's something I don't really know but think it would. Others here who do kitchens on a regular basis will have a better idea of it.

Thanks for the further feedback on the mosaic. It's helpful to know it strikes people as busy. I find visualizing things on walls so hard. I'm a bit thrown off by how much I like some things on a 12" by 12" sample, but then am not sure what'll happen when it's on a large area next to other elements. I'll try to find some competing ideas and see where that gets me.

Since a lot of people have the Ikea Adel Brown (now Grimslov brown) cabinets, there are many pictures online of what folks have tried to pair with it, often with darkish counters.

We're thinking of ceasarstone's Belgian Moon, which seems not to be on their current webpage (phased out?), but is available through Ikea:

Unfortunately, we have no idea about the floors yet, but my somewhat more color savvy husband would like to get a concrete gray or black or slate-colored floor tile. This may or may not happen, depending on whether we invest in the flooring or I just DIY a floating floor.

Here are some examples I found over coffee this morning of the cabinets with tile ... interesting to see what people have tried doing ...

Gray - which I want to like more than I do, because it's one of my favorite colors. Am I wrong?

Bright white for a contrast - Is it too much? My gut response is happy, esp. after all the matchy gray photos.

Green ... or colors I think are green ... I think I like this too:

Beige:

I think that dark brown cabinets with dark countertops and stainless appliances will be quite dark in a small galley kitchen... unless you've got great lighting, light wall paint, a light backsplash, and even flooring that isn't too dark.

What do you think of the white backsplash? Would it help?

White would brighten things up. I tend to avoid bright whites (my white cabinets are creamy) because I find them to be stark & boring. Perhaps get some samples in light grey/tan/beige/cream & see how they look with your other finishes.

I guess one way to tie a white or off-white in with the color scheme would be to use a dark grout:

Heath tile is awesome. I took the factory tour. And I actually have a heath tile backsplash--thanks to the seconds and overstock discount room. I also went to the fireclay showroom. Fireclay has a bigger selection of colors. And they are super helpful and offer free samples.

(Rebunky, sorry about the fireclay obsession. ;-). )

I have that slide out hood, btw. Here's a snapshot showing it with the heath tiles (sorry about the breakfast and school lunch making debris)

Do you have pets? If so, what color fur do they shed? Mine shed copious amounts of white fur and it would show up within seconds on a darker floor. I would be nuts to go in that direction. I'm with Carrie B, I think you might be going too dark. Her point about not using stark white is well taken.

Black longhaired dachshund. A furry one that catches debris from outside the drags it in like the cleaning mat. And his sidekick, the toddler.

Our current laminate floors, besides buckling every time a drop of water descends in their direction, show every bit of dirt.

But of course, so will white.

My only hope is to (1) surrender all hope in advance, or (2) hope beige or gray hides dirt slightly better than stark white or chocolate.

Mid tone floors with some sort of pattern show dirt the least. Our last house had medium color wood floors, no problem. This one has dark stained wood floors that show every single speck of dust (and golden retriever hair). They look great for five seconds after I clean them. And terrible the rest of the time.

Yes, the color of the current laminate is more or less expresso with some lighter streaks. 5 seconds is about right!

It seemed like such a nice idea when we were house shopping, and on tour, sipping coffee.

If you go with the mosaic, I would consider tiling only up to the window trim over the sink, all the way across. So, 4" or so.

I agree with CarrieB that things are getting dark. Do you like the mood of your current dining room? It reads dark, without much ambient lighting. It could just be the photo. From the few pix you've posted, it appears you have medium wood doors and stair rail. Are your stair treads and risers wood? I'm trying to get the feel for the style of the home. Do you have any exposed brick? What is the style of your living room furniture? You've added contemporary lighting and it sounds like you lean toward contemporary. Transitional is safe, and the decisions you are making now will drive your future choices for wall and accent colors and furniture. If you go with timeless neutrals you'll be able to decorate with color rather than rip out a backsplash when your taste changes. I'm concerned with your choices of light absorbing products when I thought you were trying to brighten your space. It will work if you do skylights and have a multi-level light plan. Counter and backsplash choices that reflect light rather than absorb will help tremendously.

Have you decided what you are doing with the opening to the DR? It's my guess that it's doable to extend the opening to the left. I would leave the right as is to bring more openness and light to the DR. Here is another idea for the exposed side of the cabinet

IKEA mod

I guess I'm just looking at the big picture you talked about in your early threads of having a long range plan with many phases. This first phase will set the foundation for what what you do in the future. Do any of the pics you posted speak to you as your inspiration? what you want the mood to be now and in the future? Or do you want a neutral base that you can change color, lighting, furniture, and accessories to change that mood?

Have you started any mood boards with your favorites? Sorry for all the questions.

Morton5 has the Adel Medium Brown in a portion of the kitchen and has lots of great info and ideas. Morton5's Reveal Pics and Morton5's Reveal Post

“Do you have any exposed brick?”

All of the brick is covered in plaster, but I
would seriously consider exposing a brick wall.

“Are
your stair treads and risers wood?”

No; carpet. But a future project will almost
certainly be removing the dark laminate floors and replacing them with a
lighter hardwood. When that happens, I suspect we’ll also remove the carpet
from the stairs and install hardwood rises and treads.

“Do you like the mood of your
current dining room? It reads dark, without much ambient lighting.”

Yes and no. I like the colors in the dining room – green paint, some original
red-brown wood on the door and stair rail, white trim, and black cabinet
(painted white inside).

We have similar colors in the living room –
the same green paint, white trim, reclaimed wood shelves supported by cast iron
brackets, and a new (modern-ish) stained glass transom window over the door. There
is a casual slipcover couch, that is white. The former fireplace, that is now a
built-in bookcase, is also white. Red-brown piano.

What we don’t like: the dining room is still a little dark, although new track lighting and brigher lights in center of the room have helped a lot. In some places the space in and between the rooms flows oddly.

So I guess my overall inclination is to try to embrace some of the things that seem warm or quirky about the house - but open up the space, improve lighting, etc.

“Have
you decided what you are doing with the opening to the DR?”

The plan right now is employ Rebunky’s idea. To
cut away some of the left hand entry – the deep side – and infill the right
wall only as deep and high as is necessary to cover the sides of the new
cabinets. That keeps the space open for light to pass through, and it prevents
any new visual barriers from hampering conversations between people in the
kitchen and dining area.

We have also tentatively decided on the
skylight, and additional lights in the kitchen. There is a single overhead light in
the kitchen now, so while the ceiling is out we’ll put in a series of new
lights.

“If you go with timeless neutrals you'll be
able to decorate with color rather than rip out a backsplash when your taste
changes.”

This is very good point. And it sounds like everyone agrees that in trying to match the warmth and colors of the current house, we're getting too dark. I'm going to step back from the backsplash idea and try to think about what might keep the look a little more light or open.

My original idea - gray and white - would certainly have been airier. We could, of course, still chose this. Then again, my husband likes the red-brown cabinets, and they do fit the setting. So maybe what I should think about is how to complement and balance the choice, rather than trying to layer on elements that dark or rich.

This statement "What we don’t like: the dining room is still a little dark, although new track lighting and brighter lights in center of the room have helped a lot" tells me you need to look at lighter, light-reflecting finishes rather than dark, light-absorbing ones. Even with skylights, night and cloudy days will still mean the rooms will tend dark. Unless you want to be dependent on using lighting to brighten things, which should be a part of the plan but not something you're dependent upon, imho, you should trend lighter.

Also, I've read many times here at GW folks with dark counters complaining that it's hard to see crumbs and spills and know if the counters are clean. And that dust shows up. I think streaks, too? Dunno...never had dark counters but it's something you might explore more before deciding.

I think your original gray and white really speaks to the style you'd like to move toward. I think it would blend fabulously in your rowhouse, especially if you think toward using wood and textures in your accent pieces. The accents would add the warmth you want, especially if you do tear down plaster to expose some brick and add other contemporary elements. You could have a nice contemporary/rustic bland in keeping with the style of the home. You might also seriously think about lightening up your wall colors. Although it is a very pretty color, a lighter shade leaning more toward Grey might really help with the light situation. Take a look at colors like SW colonnade gray. It has a greenish cast and picks up the colors in the room. Or pick a lighter shade of the same color and keep one of your current as an accent wall. You might try using the Sherwin-Williams color visualizer where you can input a picture from your space and play with color. It's a good way to see how it affects the mood.

"...SW colonnade gray..."

There's no reason we couldn't repaint the dining room to something like a light gray.

If we did go with a white or off-white - or any other light color - on the kitchen walls, and we keep the space between the kitchen and dining more open (per current plan), it might make a lot of sense to also change the color of the dining room.

"I think your original gray and white really speaks to the style you'd like to move toward."

Yes, although if I go too far that direction my husband tends to want to add texture and color back in. This is one of his favorite kitchens from pictures I've saved:

W10 Kitchen · More Info

Our space probably can't absorb this level of drama, but we did try to play around with ideas we both liked that counter-balance darker elements with lighter ones.
This is what we got over the weekend:

(1) Medium Red-Brown Cabinets, Black Quartz Counters, White Backsplash / Light Walls: (I really like how this trades the busyness of our first backsplash idea for the subtle drama of contrasting neutrals)

(2) Gray cabinets, Wood Counters, White Walls: (I'm not sure I'm willing to abandon quartz counters, but its always fun to ponder wood on anything)

Porthleven · More Info

Not sure if these are still tending darkish, but since we have a lot of wall area, maybe very light paint or white tile .... and perhaps lighter paint in the dining area .... would help us to carry it off?