I am concerned that the colour granite you are using will clash and look too busy with the stone and travertine style you are choosing. I would go for something a little simpler. Perhaps a pale grey backsplash and leave the arch smooth. It needs less not more detail

Thank you for your opinion on that. And you would suggest about the crown molding and the posts? What color I should paint them? I am not good with choosing colors. Thank you.

Already a great transformation! I think that the tile you selected is too textured and varied and will compete with your granite. I would love to see a close up of the granite, so I could get an idea of the pattern. Maybe glass tile? Also, I think you should paint the columns and crown white to make them more cohesive. As for the arch- either tile it the same as the backsplash or paint it a tone from the granite. I think some lovely pulls would elevate your cabinets as well.

Hi spring -- I remember this kitchen from around a year ago, right? Nice progress so far. Didn't you also have a bedroom with a black wall with three photos over the bed, some pink pillows on a black and white bedding set, and tv across that we talked about? Some curly-Q things removed from the right of the window? I think I remember recommending a white headboard and the kids' pix over the tv -- how did that room turn out? (Sorry if I'm confusing you with another long-ago poster.)

Thank you Becky for your idea I was thinking about glass tiles also, I am including pic of granite and what about cabinets? Should I stain them? They looks to me to nice to have them replaced.

Hello Bernhard - yes, that was me with that funny black bedroom. I will include pics how that look now but I still do not consider it as done. Yes your pics with white headboard was awesome, but to much romantic for me. I welcome more ideas if any. And please what about my kitchen now?

OMG, it already looks amazingly better! I would use nothing on the arch except paint, and I would pick a color from either the counterop or the backsplash idea you have, which is great.

Spring, great job with changes in your bedroom -- I really like the headboard you chose.

And I think I understand the look you're after in the kitchen:
[houzz= https://www.houzz.com/photos/105-golden-bear-mediterranean-living-room-austin-phvw-vp~205794]
[houzz=]
[houzz= https://www.houzz.com/photos/8210-big-view-mediterranean-kitchen-austin-phvw-vp~205767]
[houzz=]

Just remember that a small kitchen will get busy to the eye with too many competing finishes. If you make a stone faced arch your first priority, keep all of your other choices as simple and clean as possible. I'll see if I can come up with an idea board for you...

...and pages more to scroll through for inspiration:
https://www.houzz.com/photos/kitchen-stone-arch-phbr0lbl-bl~l_25474

Ditch the wall cabinets on the sink wall. Makes the room look stubby. Replace with open shelves possibly. Interior design is the result of the whole. Figure everything else out 1st then start remodeling.

Someone above mentioned stainless tiles which I agree with. Another option is stainless steel sheeting. There would be no pattern and wouldn't compete with the granite or other patterns in the room. It's also very easy to keep clean as it is seamless.

I'm also thinking that if you took the arch out completely it would open the space and update it tremendously. Chances are it is not structural. You could have a soffit built to house nice lighting or just install the lighting above in the ceiling.

I disagree with the suggestions for modernist touches like glass tile and stainless tile. The arch is definitely not modernist to my eye and the fixtures in the adjoining room look very country-like, especially the lace valance. Also, the cabinets themselves look very countryish to me. If the cabinets are staying, as well as the vibe in the adjoining room, I would go with a beigey travertine that has the same color as the granite.

While it seems everyone is discouraging the stone arch, I'm struggling to find a way to make it work. The idea is charming, but hard to pull off in a small space with the busy grains of your counter and wood. Particularly difficult would be the transition between counter, stone arch and travertine tile. Same grout color would help. And as much as I love the glass subway tile with your counter, I don't see it with the arch either. Although the suggestions and photos above suggest darker for your wood cabinets, for your space I think the more monochromatic, the better. I think the only way to get everything you want here might be to take your travertine to the paint counter and match up the lightest tones for the cabinets, then take those to the stone yard and find the most monochromatic choice in as close a tone as possible.

If you are still looking for ideas for your backsplash you should check us out at Kitchen Palette! We offer the only interchangeable backsplash on the market. Its really easy to install our custom backsplash framing system, and then we have a wide selection of backsplash designs that you can then swap in and out in a matter of seconds. Plus you can also purchase blank palettes and make your own custom design with tile, or any other material you want. Check out our profile on Houzz or our website for more information! www.kitchenpalette.com!

What if you did a backsplash like this :
http://www.platinum-home-improvements.com/GALLERY.htm (top photo) and carried it onto the arch as well or found a stone that matched.

Thank you everybody for your opinion and bright ideas.
Thank you to Barnhart Gallery for pic of stone arch kitchen. Picture looks wonderful I love it as a picture in Home Design magazine but now, when I can see how it will really look like in my kitchen, I am not so sure if that will fit into my dimensions. I guess I need something different.
I think that "mcbriec" is right saying that my kitchen looks country like. Lace valance will go, light fixtures will go. I do not want country kitchen.
I would like to keep arch and cabinets.( I may try to flip the doors back side up maybe that will look not country, I do not know.) everything else can go, can be changed and I will have one open shelve cabinet added over the sink.
I stopped in Floor Decor today and picked up two glass tiles, like Becky suggested, look at pics. Can my kitchen be combination of different styles? Preferably not country.

B!

Definitely B !!!

I am not sure if you've ever considered under cabinet lighting, but it can be a great inexpensive way to make your new granite and backsplash really stand out. It can also make working in your kitchen much easier as it lights up your work space. If that is something you might want to do, I advise looking at backsplash colors with the lighting there so you can see how the colors look. Lighting can have a drastic effect on how colors look.

Yes, I am planing to install under cabinet lighting. Maybe that should be next step. I'll do that. Thank you.
So for back splash should I use glass tiles or travertine tiles? I am confused now. Glass tile make modern look instead arch look country , like mcbriec said, will that work together?

B looks great! I see what the others are saying about the arch being old worldish and therefore not lending itself to modern or sleek finishes. I think glass subway tile is pretty classic though. I also think that it is okay to mix styles to cause a little tension as long as you keep things united in some way, in this case variations of sand tones. I agree that your current cabinets lean country, but gong lighter or darker will modernize it. If you flip the doors, won't you have holes from the hinges? So if you did that, you would need to fill them with wood putty and paint them. Are they flat on the other side or do they have a recessed panel (shaker style)?

No spring, as I said, I don't think that you can go with glass and stone together. Travertine and stone, yes only if you go as monochromatic as I was suggesting. Other opinions folks?

I agree that if you go with the glass tile you should not use stone on the arch.

Thank you everybody for all your help. To tell the truth I can't get out of my head that picture what Barnhart Gallery posted earlier with stone arch. I really like it. About something like that I was originally thinking. What only scares me if I will put stone on arch I will have to like it forever. To take it down will not be so easy as wallpaper - that is what I was thinking and then I get idea. What if I will use stone wallpaper or if I will just get it painted? That could be rolled back anytime. But how that will look? Any opinions on this one?

I would take the granite counter top and use the same granite as the back splash....this will keep the kitchen
counter clean....the cabinets should be in a darker shade and the archway should be painted in a faux stone
pattern.....giving a european feeling.....the faux painting could be in different shades of stone and will look realistic. Easily it can be painted over.

Spring, I'm drawn to the stone arch too -- even though you can't paint over it in two years. But I don't change my mind about classics. I think that if you raise your right hand and swear to be monochromatic, you can enjoy it for many years.

Look up the Bistro 750 for ideas

I have question for Barnhart Gallery - what program are you using to change pics- like above pics you did?

Hi Spring -- Unless you're using a Mac, you probably have MS Paint as part of your basic MSWindows tools. That's it -- copy, paste, paintbrush, etc.

I have Mac also, is there any special apps?

I have idea of tiles and stone that I would like to use, so I want to put in on pics, like you did, make sure colors will go together with granite

or

I want to stain cabinets with maple stain

Cursor over to compare. The travertine sample look almost interchangeable to me, but I prefer the second/lower stone for a more timeless look.

Wow, that is awesome. Thank you so much for that..

So this pic is 5 months latter, I already have back splashes installed. Now I am sanding cabinets, will stain them darker - do not have idea how much darker. Can't decide if I should place open shelve over the window or not and trying to figure out if I should have ranch hood over the cook top or get cook top with downdraft.
Any suggestions are welcome.

This is how my kitchen looks like 2 years latter

More pics, any suggestions

Terrific job Spring! Thank you so much for coming back and sharing the results of an amazing transformation. Love what you did.

Did you end up staining or painting the cabinets-they look great!