I could see it with cabinets. Do not change back splashes, IMO too busy and why bother?

I’ll update on the laundry soap!! I started buying some at a homemade soap shop recently & loved it. But $18 for a small jar isn’t gonna work!!

Becky, thank you for updating the thread! Your kitchen, especially the cobalt range sounds fabulous :) I love ikea- just recently updated my pantry with pax cabinets.

So, I worked on these— with backsplash change-before I read y’all saying don’t change!! Ha

Artis- I am not! But needed to see something from my head. It’s to scale- kinda.

I went back through the thread and love the one palimpsest mocked up. It looks really close to the one Becky posted. Can't wait to see your final product! The graceful lines of the new hood will really be a showstopper!

That was pal's mockup that I posted lol, and also Sophie's picture.

I just wanted them all in one post, with Peppa's kitchen so I could see all three pictures in one post without scrolling up and down and back and forth : ) .

Maybe I should start with changing the hood first? Or get wall cabinets also?

Thanks!!

I thought from the mock-ups you're planning on wall cabinets too. Or ??

It should all be done together, IMO. I would start with your original KD.

I guess, I really don’t know what I’m doing?!?!?! And there’s the frustration!!

I know it’s not right, but don’t have a clear vision for what I want.

i think I would like the extra cabinets to help frame in the range hood-& extra storage, but also wonder if I should keep the more open look of the shelves.

If I do the side cabinets- also want to make sure I get the proportions correct.

That's why I think you need a KD to help you look at several options. I really like your kitchen as is but I don't think you would lose much of the open feeling by putting cabinets there. The windows really give most of that. More cabinets are always nice storage-wise!

I saw this last night and thought of you:

Saw another couple that made me think of you:

^^ I dont love the asymmetry of the shelves on one side and cabs on the other. I don't LOVE the blocky hood, but I get it and I like it...I do like the wood trim a lot, so save some of that hood wood! I could see you doing this but with a curve.

Then there is this one:

I think several of these elements would blend well and maintain your open feel, I love how the shelves connect around the "chimney" for a really cohesive look, as well as the glass doors. I wouldn't want to lose counter space or that lovely backsplash of yours, but I do happen to love how the cabinets come to the counter :)

Peppa, I just saw this kitchen photo (from here) and I think, although this is definitely a more minimalist kitchen, this taller, simpler profile for the stone backsplash might be able to work where the smaller, busier one doesn't. I'm not 100 percent sold, but I think this definitely works better,

Keep in mind I am a minimalist, but I would nix the lamps on the counter by the sink, and replace the pendants with ones more similar to your sconces. I love the sconces. Would also paint vent hood to match cabinets. And I like the look with less counter stools.

Examples of suggested pendants. You might recognize the last one.

After so many suggestions to remove the lamps.......I started thinking I’m being hard headed & not seeing what you all are seeing. Which is a major reason I come here for advice!!

See...... I can be a minimalist!!! Lol

(Just mopped floors)

Ok, so this shows my clutter on the cabinet!!

Thank you for the examples & thinking of me!! I’m still just so unsure of what I want:(

I really would like to incorporate cabinets to the counter & create an alcove by the range. I could hide mixer & breviary oven behind doors (less clutter) But is that going to create an imbalance?

Sometimes, I see threads here where people are messing with perfection. IMHO, this is one of those threads. :D Maybe it's because I prefer art to cabinets but I wouldn't want cabinets around that hood. I fear it would close up that area and the gorgeous backsplash would be hidden. But if you need closed storage, you need closed storage...

And I don't see clutter on your counter, I see life. :) FWIW, I miss your shades and your lamps. I'm a minimalist but your type of home makes my heart sing.

Sorry I'm no help. :)

I also think you are fixing what ain't broke, AND I miss the shad s on the pendants.

I feel like an alcove would limit landing space which to me is really important. Those examples you show, where the heck do they PUT STUFF while they are cooking? Sure the island but I want more than a 12" deep landing strip to my left and right when I am deep in the weeds.

I say integrate it in to two glass-front upper cabinets. No huge mantle looking thing.

Yes to everything tartanmeup said : ) . I don't see clutter, I see a lovely, working kitchen.

Also, I'd be very hesitant to add any sort of alcove by the range or cabinets that come down to the counter because you're going to lose some very valuable, useful countertop space.

was looking hard to see the clutter...)))))

Thank you all! I think it wasn’t working in my head & how to do the alcove- maybe because it’s not right for my kitchen. My house is a simple house/trims/finishes, etc. And we do love to cook/entertain.

Last night we made duck gumbo & chicken/sausage gumbo. Big pots on the range- plus insta pot for rice. Choppig & dicing on the island & lots of clean up st the sink. So, I see I need (want) the counter space.

Brought the lamps back in. I get up in the morning & it’s still dark— love the ambience the lamps provide.

So, y’all have made me think so much about function in the kitchen.

I would love more more storage in cabinets, but don’t truly need it.

Think I’ll start with a new range hood painted to match the cabinets & see if that helps what’s in my head.

Thank you all for your advice:)

Brought the lamps back in. I get up in the morning & it’s still dark— love the ambience the lamps provide.

: )

Think I’ll start with a new range hood painted to match the cabinets & see if that helps what’s in my head.

Can't wait to see what you come up with!

I haven't reread this thread and this may have been suggested already (maybe by me, lol) but have you thought about just painting the current hood to see how it looks? It may just lighten it enough to fade into the background and let your backsplash be the star.

Went and bought some small little lamps, one of which is now in my kitchen :-) all because of you! I think it looks lovely, so thank you.

Olychick, that's where we started!! Ha Then, of course it evolved into new hood shape. Then I took I took it further with cabinets & then alcove. I keep thinking about trying paint -kinda scared of my DH's reaction!!!

Paint would be the cheapest &bless hassle resolution, possibly??

Louise, come to think of it I've always had a lamp in my kitchen. I must not like to walk into dark rooms! So glad you like it:)

The wood looks distressed-will it paint smooth? If you did paint it, or build a new one, I would leave the bottom pieces natural to tie in to the rest of your wood in the kitchen.

Peppapoodle, I don't have any advice, but want you to know how much I admire your kitchen. I know you are working on changing the hood, but I absolutely love everything else about it, including the ambiance from the lamps and shades on your pendants. For years I have always had a lamp in every kitchen. Do you mind sharing the name of your pendants and/or where you got them?

Peppa saw this today and thought of you. I do like the idea of keeping a bit of the wood to tie to other elements in the room

Peppa here is another one I saved that makes me think of you. Keeping some of the wood to tie it in with the other similar elementS. What did you decide to do?

Greenfish, thank you so much for thinking of me &posting pictures! I absolutely love the clean lines of the 2nd one!

I'm at a stand still. Called the cabinet guy & we had loose plans together. Neither of us followed through & I'm stuck.

I'm off for the week & have considered getting out the paint brushes. If I might replace it anyways.......

Indigo, thank you. I got the island shades at Ballard Designs, not sure of the name.

I love yours as is but could totally see this working. Not sure about painting the one you have but I suppose it wouldnt hurt to try if you are set on replacing it. Although I do think it would be nice if you could incorporate some of the wood you have there in to the new design

I really like the way that looks!

I saw this today on IG- could have a plaster person come do this after removing the wood- and add the wood around the bottom trim.

It could work. I trust your gut : ) .

Exactly! As I see it the design could go one of two ways: plaster, painted wall color with reclaimed wood trim, or a cabinet look (if you look closely I think the last example I gave was treated like cabinetry) painted your cabinet color and trimmed in reclaimed wood.

ETA: actually I think I am wrong. It looks like that last one that you liked is wall color. Still you could go either way I think.

Think Im going to call someone who does plaster work today! Saw this today w the stone backsplash.

Should I have side cabinets made in wall color or cabinet color?

Thanks for bringing this back up Greenfish:) I had lost my mojo on it & just tried to ignore.

Oh do you want cabinets too? those would match to your other cabinets for sure! I never stop thinking about a good project :)

Ok, don’t laugh!!! Haha

Will have to work on proportions for side cabinets. Will take away sconces & have UC lights installed.

I would work with a KD for this. Are you thinking about doing the wood trim on the bottom or not? I have to say I really don't like the ones without the wood trim, really like the ones with it. But that idea was not taking into consideration cabinets. I'm not sure it works as well with the cabinets-now I will be on the hunt for inspos with cabinets

Just thinking that since this would be the only area with upper cabinets, you may want it to look like one unit as opposed to 3?

I think I would match the cabinets.

Ok. Some thoughts!

-I would absolutely go to the KD who helped with your kitchen in the first place.

-if you do cabinets they should match the lowers (because you already have an island in a different color) and hopefully fill the whole space so there is no gap between the cabinets and the backsplash and no wall showing. If there are gap areas you can paint them the color of the stone to make them disappear.

-3 ideas about the hood:

1) cabinet looking material and color. this is what I meant about looking like "one unit." I like how they all touch and match. Imagine these in your cab color. I would definitely do glass front To echo the windows

. In this case I think you could wrap the hood in the band of reclaimed wood like this

2) metallic. You could pick up some of the metal accents in the room, probably black. Apparently one thing people do is have a carpenter make the hood and have a painter paint it to look like the metal. yours would look great with zinc or antique bronze treatment and glass cabinets to match your lower cabinets on each side

3) you may find that you like your hood as it is (I do!) a lot more with cabinets next to it! If you are definitely doing cabinets this may be an option

Regarding your cabinet height, I think that you would ideally not want them to go much above the height of the windows, so they don't look too tall and skinny and imposing, andbto keep a harmonious sight line, but this is the kind of stuff a kitchen designer helps with no problem. I could be way off on that. Maybe it's more important to balance the height of the hood.

oh-I left out the plaster idea. I think it would read as an additional material in your kitchen next to the cabinets as opposed to kind of blending with the wall- I think it was a much better option with your open shelves than with cabinets closing in its connection to your walls.

Greenfish, I’m sorry I didn’t see your last posts.....

Here is an update- I can still add a strip of cedar at the bottom?

It feels so much “cleaner” in here to me now!

Thank you all for your thoughts:)

Im still open to any changes- adding side cabinets, etc

I love what you’ve done. It looks great.

I think it might be time to stop, live with it a bit, before you make any more changes. It is a beautiful space.

It looks great! Only do cabinets if you want them, it looks fine without them. Eam44 has good advice, but I do think the wood trim would tie it all together.

I can't believe I started this thread a year ago (actually, I can.......,) & it's taken me this long to do anything! I think, for now, I am just going to live with it- like Eam suggests.

My DH hates it- what is it with men & rustic wood??!! But, compromise ;)