Pictures are a little blurry. Wallpaper is Flowering Trees by bespoke letterpress. Cabinets are by forevermark.

love your approach!

I LOVE the wallpaper - I might double check the repeat and make sure it will work in the typical BS space, which I think is +/- 15" - but I think this is a fabulous idea (I wallpapered my stair risers so I am all in on whimsical wallpaper)

I think some of the honed black granite options could be great options - search the forums for those, I think they show fewer fingerprints than the polished - lots of posts about honed black granites: here is from one https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5324360/honed-black-granite-help-please#n=14

"I put in honed absolute black granite countertops about eight years ago and love them. They are virtually indestructible, have an appearance similar to sandstone (as d_gw said) and are a breeze to clean. Two caveats: First, be sure you get real black granite and not granite that has been dyed. Second, depending on the type of black granite that you get, I recommend not sealing black granite. E.g., absolute black granite is very dense and sealer just sits on top of it and smears. "

https://emilyaclark.com/2017/10/our-black-honed-granite-kitchen-countertops.html

I know you're not super into Quartz but my memory is that's there a nice dark grey Quartz option that one of the pros recommend, maybe they will chime in (grey may shower fewer crumbs than black)

Thank you!! That is a great point about the repeat. I want to do the whole kitchen in it, but there’s actually not that much wall so repeat will really matter. And really appreciate the endorsement of the wallpaper. Feels a little crazy but hopefully in a good way!

Open shelving beside a vent hood will get dusty and grimy, no matter how good the vent hood is. Cabinets on either side of the hood, enable the hood to do a better job of capturing effluents.

You want as many lower drawers as possible. Much more convenient. I would switch out the lower doors to the left of the dishwasher, to three or four drawers. If the door to the right of the sink isn’t a garbage pullout, I suggest you switch those to drawers, too.

Is the plan to have a lazy susan in the lower corner?

What about lighting…recessed, and under cabinet?

Suggestion…install water sensors at each water source…sink, dishwasher, fridge...and, clothes washer. Ours are hooked up to an alarm, and have saved us from water damage several times.

As for countertops…agree, manmade white counters (aka, quartz) with white cabs, is a very sterile look. Though, there are white granites that are gorgeous, and not speckled. There are also several black granites, when honed or leathered, that might fit the bill. Take yourselves to stone yards, and have a look around.

P.S. While I’m not a wallpaper person, have to say…I really like what you’ve picked out. It’s whimsical, and made me smile. You don’t have a lot of wall space in the kitchen, so it won’t be overwhelming.

Thanks! Lots of great thoughts. The water sensors are a great idea, especially as I don’t particularly trust our plumbing.

The cabinets are ordered already. We do have pullouts in those lower ones beside the dishwasher, but the factory didn‘t have an option for that width with drawer fronts. It is a trash pullout to the right.

And I have the same concern about the open shelves there, but we desperately needed to break up the cabinetry. There’s a whole wall of it to the right as well framing in the fridge.

Hurrah for the smiles though! I’m glad that part of the design is working. :)

Love your ideas. I would look at solid color laminate. Here's some photos:

Look how great they look! The first two photos are from Ikea, so apparently they sell laminate counters (I'm not surprised, but didn't know that). Save yourself some money and make that wallpaper the superstar!

In fact, you could really save some money if you can find pre-fab black laminate counters for the perimeter, and then put Ikea butcher block on your island. It would look great, and you'd save money. Can always change them out down the road, you know.

Oh and lighting! i hate recessed lights ;) but we will have under cabinet lighting and a short pendant over the sink. There is a central semiflushmount too

Thanks Mrs. S! Those look surprisingly awesome!

LOVE the wallpaper! Here is a photo of Copper Dune leathered granite.

Oh that could be AWESOME! i love the warmth

Have you looked at vinyl wallpaper?

Will the pendant over the sink be a ceiling mount?

You KNOW I am going to recommend leathered Uba Tuba here, don't you? Base price low, green-is base, warmth, ticks all the boxes

@kelli_ga I haven’t found a pattern i love as much but i have heard great things about it!

Here are three inexpensive pendants from Home Depot.

@ffpalms it’s a short pendant. Simple tapered white one. ill look up a pic :)

@just_janni i haven’t heard of it! going to add it to the research list

@ffpalms Oh i like those brass ones! they make a bigger statement than the one i ordered from Wayfair.

It's a VERY old school granite (i.e. Level 1ish on the pricing scale - think popular in the 1990's) BUT with the leathered finish, it's a whole new ballgame.

:-)