Thanks everyone! Great feedback! I'll pick out a glass bowl this weekend.

Sage, the outer cabinets are painted cloud white and the island is color matched the same black color of the stools. Which, by the way, I am not loving. The tops of the stools look like they are floating.

It's so strange bc my backsplash looks very taupe or brown in my photos but it is grey in person. So odd.

Thecorls, thanks for your advice. I actually have a mirrored cabinet next to my dining table and That definitely brings in some light!

I agree, I think it would be nice to hang a decorative mirror over the fireplace. It would contrast against the dark accent wall and I think that would look great! Time to save my pennies. Houzz is making me go broke with all of its great ideas and inspiration! :)

Oh and Sage, I forgot to mention that we used Benjamin Moore primer/paint.

Thanks Jessica! I'm torn between Cloud White and White Dove for our perimeter cabinets. The island I decided on a black stain. The cabinet guys came and took our doors and drawer fronts today……….

Looks great! I am looking to do the same thing in my kitchen. Did you paint the cabinets yourself or have them done? If you had them done do you mind sharing how much it costs?

Marvelous job on the reno!! Could paint the seats of the bar stools an accent color. With the existing neutral palette you possibilities are endless. Actually like the idea of the art work by the table ( maybe something with a bit more color). Mirrors reflect... in this case it would be reflecting the cupboards & fridge.. not so good...maybe mirror over the fireplace if it reflects something more interesting.. just my thoughts.

Mirror over the mantle could have a reflective silver finish to pick up on the light fixture over the table.

Fantastic!

great job

Great transformation. I'd put something lighter on the fireplace wall. Don't go for a mirror, but for art. Art adds personality.
You can 'dip dye' the feet of your barstools. So paint the bottom 1/4 in a lighter colour.
Love the triptych painting! Agree with the glass bowl.

Awesome backsplash!!!!!!!!! Great job on the choices.

Great job! I'm interested in how you did the cabinets too as I would like to paint the ones in my kitchen. Did you use low VOC paint and were you able to get them smooth and even enough so that it looks like it was professionally manufactured? Did you use a spray vs. paintbrushes? This is my fear with painting ours because the previous homeowners purchased them colored but it was painted in the factory so it doesn't look like actual paint is on them. Thanks so much!

Well done on the kitchen - beautiful! I see you have a stainless steel kettle, Le Creuset make some lovely coloured kettles for the stove top, that and a punch of colour. I think an area rug under the dining room table would also ground that space, you can add some colour with that.. muted, and toned down. So what ever you pick for the area rug, you can pick the colours from there. Or, on the kitchen counter, add a clear glass filled with green apples. I agree on the bar stools, not liking the white tops, i would paint them one colour.

I like the glass bowl idea. Personally, since I've remodeled I like to let food bring the color rather than locking myself into a particular color in accessories. Maybe after a while I'll change my mind, but for now I like the simplicity. BTW, you did a really nice job, very elegant and still homey.

It looks very nice but you might consider painting the floor cabinets a different colour when you need to repaint. Doing something in green to tie in with your walls might look very nice and be more interesting that all whites.

Have you thought about painting the tops of the stool a punchy color. I also like the idea of a modern multi color painting across from the kitchen and pull color from that.

just de clutter the benchtops and have a fab coffee machine and on the island bench a glass bowl with colourful fruit . I would also put a mirror above the fireplace and a colourful painting were the existing one is and have a hue of the painting as a colour on the seat of the stools.

Add recessed lights in the ceilings over each work area in the kitchen, then hang colorful blown glass pendant lights over the counter with the stools. Pow!

Well done! It always amazes me that the comments here tend to be kind and constructive, while the ones on Facebook only bash people's hard work. Lovely renovation and something that is attainable and inspiring to many regular families!

Beautiful!!

great improvement. I like the painted stools. I think you could do better over the fireplace too, but you could certainly do worse. A nice Cezanne, perhaps :-)

There are a few simple things you can do to add color: start using colorful hand towels in your kitchen (I suggest red ones), use red fruit in your fruit bowl, and put something colorful on your mantel (perhaps even switch the artwork). If you were to purchase countertop appliances, purchase them in red. This will all help tie the rooms together with that little bit of extra color you're after.

Kitchen looks great... maybe some accent of bright lime green or red or bright yellow... canisters, glass jars with lemons or limes or small appliances in red?

Thanks everyone! I am really digging blue so I've been looking for some blue accesories.

How about a blue Orchid.

Beautiful job. The good thing is that you have a beautiful beginning and color can be added with simple things...and then changed out seasonally or as the mood hits you. I have similar...white cabs, black marble, grey walls and ceiling, light wood floors. At first I was intimidated about adding color....but soon learned how easy it was to do some of the things already mentioned above. I did learn, however, that I prefer splashes limited of ONE bright color. Just my preference....for now. Just have fun. You have made lovely, livable, choices.

Brand new kitchen, very nice !

I am getting an industrial vibe from your kitchen. Maybe it's the eclectic touches. Whatever, it feels like a "come on over for coffee" kitchen. What size is your microwave, and did you take a cabinet out to accommodate it?

retire that honey oak!! Nice new kitchen!

Jessica would you be up for painting you stair rail & spindles black??

I'd add a few punches of a nice warm red over the mantle ( more significant statement w/flowers, for example), then pick up reds, greys, greens in table linens and I'd paint barstool seats red rather than white.

I would also like to know if you used low VOC paint. How were the cabinets prepped. Any problems with chipping.

Thanks for the suggestions! You are right, it's great that the kitchen has a neutral color palette because I will be able to change the accent color/accessories as much as I want. That's a bonus.

Saltcitybabe, I believe my microwave is a standard size. My contractor installed valance boards underneath the cabinets to cover the under lighting. He also added the boards just above the microwave and fridge which gives it a more custom made appearance. If you look in the before image, the space between the top of the microwave and cabinet was huge bc the board was not there.

Leona, I would absolutely be open to painting the stair spindles. That's a project for a later date for sure.

Jstimsom, the painter lightly sanded, used 1 boat of Benjamin Moore primer and 3 coats of what I believe is an oil based paint. So far so good. I also have some touch up paint just in case it were to chip.

Beautiful transformation!! Lots of great idea's above as well! Good luck and enjoy!

Hi, I put in some blue/turquoise accessories and I'm wondering if a black area rug would work...

LOVE the backsplash!

And that's the problem with the trend towards grey, which I love, but you gotta balance it. I did the same, then repainted my walls with a lighter blue-leaning-towards-grey. Made all the difference in the world.

You might Go back and put poly on the cabinets since they will get soooo much wear. Really love your backsplash/ tile and countertops.

I love this! You almost have the same cabinets as I do, right up to the soffet over the top. I believe I even have the same flooring you do. I'm planning on painting my cabinets too, but a light beige because the appliances are almond/bisque...something that matches. How I wish I could do white! It looks terrific!

Wow! Awesome transformation! We are in the process of renovating and we also have honey oak cabinets. After seeing yours, this is definitely what I want to do. Your photo shows such a WOW factor with the white painted cabinets!

@pmjnh, I had my birch kitchen cabinets remodeled. With about the same layout as yours I removed the piece that joins the 2 cabinets over the sink. This allowed for installation of a pendant light there. Added crown moldings to the top edge of the cabinets for an updated look. Enclosed the fridge with wood & added doors ( the full depth of the fridge) on top of the fridge. This gave me room to store large items.
The cabinets were painted white. New brushed nickel pulls were added which matched the pendant light. My appliances are white. I have plans to add an island which will be painted dark charcoal. I have rustic oak ,wide plank barn board floors. They are a laminate flooring but look very realistic (fools everyone).
If you were to do the surround by the fridge you would need to do it in oak so that when painted it would have the same look as the existing cabinets. Have fun & please post your remodel pics!

WOW! What a transformation. Congratulations on a job well done!

Your new kitchen looks wonderful! I am not sure if it is my monitor, but your grey walls seem to have an under tone of a touch of olive green to me. So I am suggesting some olive green in subtle accents, as the green in the back hills of your dining room painting. Maybe the glass bowl as suggested, a small splash of olive green in an area rug under the table, placemats, a decluttered counter top with possibly the same shade in a few canisters, topiaries as in the picture below. A grey/olive green paint for the top of your stools with a black base. Have fun with it. Hope you find your accent color.

Thanks pmj! You should definitely paint your cabinets white. You won't be disappointed, It completely transformed our kitchen. I am so grateful that I dont have to stare at orange cabinets anymore. Keep us posted on your kitchen's transformation! Good luck

Thanks for your kind words, Wendi. That means a lot coming from a professional.

Thanks for your advice, rosecottagehome. Actually the walls are BM smokey taupe but it looks a bit green in the photos.

The paint is probably the Advance paint by Benjamin Moore-if it was a water and soap clean up-(it's the new paint that works like an oil with the convenience of water clean up-it takes 16 hours in between coats though) I'm using that for my cabinets -I have so many to do, luckily I'm not doing the inside of them-I worked for Benny and I always recommended that paint for cabinets and even trim. Fantastic job