So my husband would LOVE a wine fridge. The only space we have (well, it's the only "easy" space) is in the wet bar. In order to be cost effective, we would remove the sink and base cabinet and install it there (far right lower). Problem is - we have to lose the counter. (can't install in middle or left b/c it's one big cabinet - don't want to deal with a cabinet modification)

Major question:

Would it look ok to paint the bar area here the same as the island (ebony) and use the same quartz here as well?

The backsplash will be the same as the cooktop wall.

There will be a microwave where the hanging glass rack is.

We are donating the fish to our neighbor.

We are also putting in glass front doors.

We have black accent furniture throughout the house. Our DR chairs are black, we have a black piano. I could pull in more black with the lighting.

Will it look "off" if the bar area isn't white, like the rest of the uppers?

I am so ready to start. So many decisions. I don't know how you people do a kitchen from scratch!

I"m assuming that the room on the left of where the cooktop will be, is the LR with the DR on the right? I have grave concerns about cooking so close to those rooms. It's not just a matter of odors (and even the most powerful vent fan can only do so much), but the greasy film that can come from heating a small pan of frozen peas. It will get on your furniture/draperies/lampshades etc.

I know the "open concept kitchen" is today's hot thing, but there must be some separation of the cooktop from everything else. Your kitchen is not small - surely there is a better place for the cooktop.

Cooktop is on an outside wall - the room to the right is "supposed" to be the breakfast room, but we use it as a reading nook.

Are you keeping the massive corner pantry?

Smm - I'm doing a facelift not a gut, so yes, it's staying.

Ok just checking. I was adamant about keeping my layout until I saw how much better my kitchen could be without my corner pantry. But I'm doing a gut except for floors, so in a different situation. I only ask to see if you thought about it because it really does free up more space and a cabinet pantry can be more efficient than a walk in corner.

To amswer your question, I don't think it's wrong to match the bar area to island vs the white cabs. I've seen it done both ways.

My dream kitchen would be to lose corner pantry - and get rid of the the pony wall/peninsula. Then just have one huge island. All new stacked cabinets - to the ceiling. 48" Sub-Zero — you get the picture. We considered it — for like 5 minutes.

So - here's another question regarding the bar area:

White cabinets (like perimeter) with white quartz top? Or Ebony Cabinets and white quartz, like the island.

Ebony with white Quartz like island.

because you are doing glass doors on uppers in bar area, I think it would be fine.

Anita - it's funny you say that. I really want this white kitchen (even though many GW-ers tried to talk me out of it) I've had large foam boards of white all over the room this weekend as we were trying to settle on a cabinet color - and I thought - "wow — this is going to be a lot of white!"

So, with the ebony on the bar, it will probably "sit" better with us. You and I are thinking along the same lines….

I'm torn. It seems like a separate area when looking at the other pictures. When I look at this picture, it seems that the wet bar (on the left) is part of the kitchen & should be white to match your other cabinets. Is the island granite large enough that they could repurpose it use it for the wet bar area? In not, probably ebony, although I might wait & make the decision once everything is primed white.

Romy - thank you for your input. My kitchen is not really all that fabulous, compared to yours - (and so many others here!) The more I look at it from this angle, that corner pantry really annoys me. But I digress...

I already measured the island granite, and the only way to re-use it is if we had a seam, which I don't want.

What is starting to get to me, is the drastic change that the all white kitchen will bring. While I'm excited to get my white kitchen, I feel like keeping the bar area cabs dark will lend a sense of warmth that I may miss. (I'm not second guessing painting these cabinets - I like them - but don't love them in my kitchen, but I can't deny that they aren't warm)

Do you get where I'm coming from?

The painters take the doors off and finish them in the shop. They do the boxes on-site. So I can't see everything primed.

I forget - are you in Barrington?

You're going to love a white kitchen. I'm not the most decisive but with the glass doors, quartz countertop & wine refrigerator, the Ebony will be striking. Don't be bugged about the corner pantry - you've got a pantry. I love that big clock & the transom above your doorway.

Yes, in Barrington, right off of Lake Cook.

We are in Libertyville. You should just come over. Enough of this computer monitor BS. ;)

In all seriousness - I'm leaning toward toward the ebony. We never use the sink - EVER. And having an entire counter surface there will be nice. Plus, my husband will get his wine fridge.

Funny - he just mentioned the clock tonight. It's been there so long, I don't even think about it.

Jpmom, you home is gorgeous already!

The 12" crown will look perfect with the already tall baseboards. Then add all the other woodwork in, the fireplace mantle, wainscoting, and pillars in the dining room. So pretty!

My first reaction was to continue the white painted woodwork. It seems naturally connected to that bar wall from the the LR and DR with the baseboards and wainscoting. Oh and I also love that transom window above the other doorway too!

My other thought was that I know from experience how the backsplash tile can completely change colors due to the lighting and what is directly next to it. I would want the two areas in the kitchen with the backsplash to look related. It may look completely different with one being next a window with white cabs and dark counters verses the other being in low natural light with black cabs and white Quartz.

I'd definitely wait to decide on what to do with the bar area until the rest of the kitchen is painted white as Romy suggested.

I do think it might look great either way, but I'm just one who needs to see it in real life before committing. I am sure either way it is gonna be stunning!

ETA.... Could you possibly find a remnant of the Volga blue to fit the bar top if you went with white cabs on the bar? Or possibly just cut the granite and add a dark walnut type wood butcherblock section that reads dark above the wine fridge? Think romy's dark wood top next to the granite? Just a thought....:-)

I like the butcherblock idea. Rebunky - you have an eagle eye.

rebunky - thank you for the complement.

I've been scouring Houzz trying to find photos of what I'm considering (island and wet bar match… that sort of thing) but I'm not having any luck.

I appreciate your point about the backsplash "reading" different in the two areas. The cooktop wall will be light and bright - however, there will be dark counters… (not sure if this makes a difference) As for the bar - there will be dark cabinets and a white countertop. We are also considering painting the insides of the cabinets Simply White - since there will be glass fronts. I've seen a few examples of this and I like the look.

They are painting the cabinet doors off-site, so I won't be able to see the "before".

I've searched a bit for a remnant, and I don't think it's a popular stone these days. Not quite sure about the butcher block with the granite…. need to think about that one. Of course, I looked at romy's kitchen once more and am just blown away.

Off to look at counter samples for the island (and possibly bar). I'm starting to stress a little bit…

Here's an inspiration picture - white kitchen with dark perimeter countertops & a matching island & wine refrigerator area. Maybe forget the backsplash for this area & copy this.

Needham Bar · More Info

Needham Kitchen · More Info

Needham Kitchen · More Info

Wow. That is beautiful. Thank you so much for finding this!

You are a HOUZZ expert. :)

I found a great counter material today. It's Vicostone Carrara.

I couldn't find any good photos on Houzz - but here are a couple from the web:

Both are Vicostone Carrara:

I particularly like the one with the lemon martini. :)

Actually, on my monitor, the one with the lemons is more true to how it looks in person. It's more white than cream.

Anyway - it's not a busy stone, but has some movement in it. My Volga Blue granite can be busy - with the silver flecks. I put it all together when I got home - quartz sample, ebony cabinet sample, backsplash tile and sample board of the Simply White and it really looks great. I'm feeling good about these decisions!

I'm going to show my husband that bar above - and see what he thinks.

Thanks again for finding it.