That's a neat Idea. I'm going to look that up and get a visual. Thanks so much.

Oh...I also have black appliances, do you think that would still look good?

Find something you love first, fabric, rug or art and use that for color inspiration. You could go in any direction. Is there a style you like?

Totally agree on pantry door.

I don't know much about styles. I just know I like what I see, when I see it. For instance, I like the kitchen in the movie "It's Complicated" with Meryl Streep. I know that's pretty grandiose for my budget, but what style would that be? http://www.traditionalhome.com/design_decorating/showhouses/set-design_ss8.html

Hi there….too many neutrals give your kitchen an unfinished look. By the way, where is the refrigerator/freezer for that open space along the wall? Do you have one now? How about a range? Anything that pops in terms of color will add to that space. What about that cabinetry, is that the finished look or is it waiting for a paint color and hardware?

@barbara >> Those were pics (that I had on hand) of what my home looked like when I moved in. Now I have black appliances. The fridge is silver/black, and the stove, microwave black. I thought about getting the cabinet doors changed to a open-faced cabinets, and painting them, but I wasn't sure how that would look. And if so what color.

I see you have a couple of postings going. I think you can cancel one, not sure how though. Someone in another post mentioned painting appliances. I think black appl would be too dark for your space.
I never seen the movie Its Complicated, but clicked on your link. It has a lot of personailty. I think you like a casual eclectic style with warm colors. Sherwin Williams has a paint collection called "HGTV Global Spice" which is what came to mind after seeing the movie pic. If you don't know what direction to go, sometimes paint collections are a great start.
For a pantry door you could look for an antique door or a plain door and add some chalkboard paint. Available in many colors.
[houzz=]
[houzz=]
[houzz=]
Woven wood bilnds would fit that style and would look great in your breakfast nook.

Can you post some more pictures to get a better idea of space and cabinet color please.

You need to post a current image. The appliances do sound dark. It feels very broken up to me. A lot going in in a small space makes it feel smaller. I took and even smaller space and painted a pale yellow that look white on the walls and ceiling. I call it the clockwork orange effect - it blasts the space open. Cabinets and appliances in white/stainless would make the place feel big. Start window treatment shades in white or solar at the ceiling and pull down till you begin to see the window. That will make the space feel bigger too. Then use color and material on the furniture.

@marlene. Super awesome. i didn't even think about the chalkboard for the pantry. I had wanted chalkboard surface, but I'd seen it only done on the fridge. I'll post more photos tomorrow. I left my thumb drive at home. I'm so glad I posted on Houzz. The community here is amazing.

@suzette. You're right. I'll have to post a current pic that shows the black appliances. I'll take some this week and post. The Houzz community is great. I'm just thankful for the suggestions.

You're welcome. Do a search on houzz for photos of " eclectic kitchen" too see if we are on the right track.

Seen this picture of cabinet doors removed. I don't know if you like it, but I don't think it has the same feeling as open shelves, do you?
[houzz=]

kankantx, This is an example of what I meant when I said "find something you love" These little canisters are on zulily.com today (but sold out) and look at the colors in them. Your inspiration doesn't have to come from a large piece like art or a rug. Something to think about....
http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/bc/4d/6b/bc4d6b479bff9f5fd3bd8b356b109f98.jpg

I first have to say that I clicked on this discussion because of the picture of your corner pantry. I am going to be putting one in within the next couple of weeks. I have only seen one from a picture on here & that's where I got the idea. When you add more pictures, could you please take a picture of the inside of your pantry? I would love to see how the layout works.

I looked at the link you posted of the kitchen you like & I will attempt to attach the pictures for others to see. I really don't know what to call that kitchen. Eclectic does seem right, but not in the sense of lots of bright colors. Its more color neutral but warm.

I think your black appliances will be fine unless you really want to replace them. I have black appliances now & actually like them. You said you have lots of natural light in your kitchen & your cabinets are light so it shouldn't make it look too dark. One thing I noticed from the Meryl kitchen is texture but not much color.

Add at least some of the following: a hanging light fixture in a non shiny metal, cut out the panels of your cabinets & add a screen effect of some kind, add matching wooden knobs or cream knobs to your cabinets, put textured straw type shades on your windows, add shelves above your window (like Meryl's) to put some pale dishes, cake stands, pitchers or tea pots on (not too many), add some kind of pot rack if you have a place for one, paint the walls something soft like a pale yellow or cream, paint the walls of the pantry a different coordinating color. You may want to make your backsplash blend into it, so maybe a taupe color. If you want to spice the pantry area up, paint it the burnt orange like in Marlene's photo above. I'm not so sure about removing upper doors to make shelving. You will have holes where the hinges were & you may have indentions there as well. I don't think you need to paint the cabinets because they have a light neutral finish anyway. Painting them cream will not change them much. I don't know what kind of table & chairs you have but I'm sure you can work with it. If its wooden, its probably warm looking anyway. If its black it will even out your black appliances. If the chairs have fabric covering, you could change that to go with everything else if needed. You can add a table runner & bowl of apples to add some color there. Hang some small artwork or some pretty plates on the wall & add a rug.

I added the last photo to show you my inspiration photo for a corner pantry. The rest are from your link.

@chrisinky thanks for the detail and feedback. I think I'm going to scale back and just focus on the paint color for the kitchen & nook before I add any else. These are all great ideas, and I'm trying to think of what I want to do with it. I'll add pictures here soon so that you all can see where I'm at right now.

I wanted something "airy" but comfortable, I guess? Which is why the kitchen from "It's Complicated" movie stood out out to me, especially with my natural lighting. I'll post pics so you all can see exactly what I'm working with. Thank you all. I really appreciate your amazing feedback and time.

Youre welcome. Its definitely a process to decorate, and it can be overwhelming. Knowing you want something airy and comfortable is a great start. Go at your own pace. Look forward to seeing some more pictures.