Well, it certainly looks nice. And it's your kitchen and you're using it. And we can get all kitchen-techie with you but if it works then you're good. From the looks of it I don't think it's too busy at all.

It looks terrific! And if it's useful, then that trumps all anyway.

Love your granite btw!

I looked at the photos before I read your story and just thought these were photos of your new kitchen that had an island. It looks like it was built that way. Looks great! I love the island.

Wow, it is beautiful! The granite is spectacular, and I love to rounded corners!

Love the dramatic granite and think your kitchen is lovely as well as functional. I would put dark or faux painted to match outlet covers on the granite wall to complete the look.

I think you've achieved both. It's gorgeous (and will look even better when it's full of stuff) and looks really functional. I hardly use my cookbooks anymore, but I can't give them up and am extremely jealous of all your shelves. I remember getting our island after having a only a table for years and celebrating all that extra storage. Enjoy!

The granite is not busy; it's spectacular. Your whole kitchen concept is wonderful. I wouldn't worry about a single thing. Congratulations on a job well done.

Awww, thanks everyone! The bigger island has made my life so much better. Even my son, who is oblivious to things, said he liked having a bigger island (as supposed to the makeshift iron one on wheels).

Two years ago, some had suggested a butcher's block because the granite would be too busy. I so love this granite but completely understood that it could be too much of a good thing. But I didn't want to bring in another element, what with the pickled/glazed cabinets (from previous owner), the brick wall, the floor (which we refinished) and this granite. Also, when we did the kitchen countertops and backsplash, the patterns needs to be matched carefully and they needed two slabs of the granite to do that. There were huge slabs left over and I had them polished and bull-nosed for future use before it left the fabricator. (I still have a bigger slab that has the most intriguing pattern in the slab. I plan to build an outdoor table heavy enough to hold it.)

Thanks everyone! . Pkpk, that's a great idea to darken the outlet covers. Will have the lady who did the faux painting on the island do that.

I think it's great! (I'm also one who would almost always prefer an island over no island).

Looks great!

A work of art....natures art! Lovely granite!

Thank you!

It looks very nice, but it is depersonalized. When are you going to add your cookbooks and tchotchkes? Come on, take the plunge, make it yours, add your things. It will go from very nice to gorgeous and great!

I know, I know, I haven't started putting things on the shelves. Took pics before I did anything (other than measure the height needed for the talavera jar by placing it there). Main reason is that I'm someone who simply can't follow a recipe (and by the same token, can't write one down to share with friends who ask me how I made something). I learned to cook by reverse engineering and trial and error and have never found any use for cookbooks. So, I have exactly 3 cookbooks, 2 were gifts. So, I'm trying to figure out what to put on those shelves. Have some interesting ceramics, but still haven't thought it through.

Suggestions, anyone? TIA.

It looks great! I can see why you needed it. That space in the middle looks awfully big to traverse when cooking, etc.. I like the granite and cabinets also. Your cabinet maker did a great job. I can't wait to see pics of it decorated with your items!

It's just beautiful and I think all the light wood of the cabinets keeps it from being too busy. I would never have thought pickled finished cabinets could look so great!

Are all the shelves remaining open? If it were mine, I think I might have some fake drawer fronts put on all but the end ones so that I could use them more easily for storage. Hinged on the bottom, drop open from the top. Or even add doors, but it may be too late for that.

Thanks! Oly, yes the shoelves will remain open. That's a good idea about the fake drawer doors. I asked for the cabinet to be built with open shelves because I didn't want the closed cabinet shelf to be too deep. I'm not sure if I made the right decision there, now that I see all these shelves. I have some Nambe platters, and other serving pieces that are too crowded where I have them currently. I will try to find a way to use those shelves for easy access of such things, and see how it works. I may decide to close them the way you suggest if it doesn't work out open. Thanks!

I think the granite is very distinctive. It kind of lights up the center of the room a little. I think it looks great.