Can I get some color design suggestions for my kitchen?

[RaRa]

We'll be ordering out cabinets this weekend and I need to make up my mind!

Our cabinets will be white bead board style and I'm looking at white subway tile back splash. I'm going to pick out ceramic tile flooring that warms things up with a reddish hue. My question is what to do about the island. It's very large (4' x 8' - has the sink and dishwasher in it). I was thinking about going with the same cabinet style (or not) but with a medium maple stain. I don't know what to do about counter tops. I love the look of butcher block (I'm still trying to figure out how much they'll be as I have some discount options). I'd like to either do wood on the 2 counters for the outer walls (I have a straight kitchen) and solid surface for the island. Granite is an option, but I'm a little wary of making it look cold. Or maybe all the same counter top. I just can't make up my mind how to mix it all up. I want a warm country cottage kitchen look. I also need to pick out a color for the eating area buffet (I want to use Ikea for that - great price and we have their dining table).

Thoughts? Thanks!

[NMDemDist2]

1. grey soapstone counters? or gray wall paint

sounds like a nice gray would work well

gray is underrated IMO, it's very neutral and doesn't have to be cold. we loved it in our PHX kitchen and I'm doing it in our guest bath here

check out the Sherman Williams site and look at their "techno gray" color for an idea what I had in mind

you can do wonders these days with concrete counter tops







here's a pic of the PHX kitchen

[RaRa]

2. Wall color come last for me

Our dishes have blue and green, so I'm thinking of a pale yellow for the walls. But, I'll have to see everything in place first to be sure...

[CC]

3. Can't help much with color but

you could also try here for advice too. Lots of kitchens, lots of ideas and even more help, even if you don't use all Ikea.

[Warpy]

4. Don't use butcher block countertops near a water source

because over time it WILL turn black no matter how meticulous you are in keeping it dry and oiled. It's just the nature of the beast.

You have 3 waterproof suggestions: laminate, tile and stone or concrete. All have good points and drawbacks.

My own choice would be laminate. You can get it so that it looks just like stone but is more forgiving of dropped dishes and glassware. Plus, if you've miscalculated and find it difficult to live with after a few years, you can correct the error inexpensively. You can knead bread or write a shopping list on it, something you can't do with tile. The runner up would be a stone tile. If you drop something on it and crack it, you can replace the one tile without breaking the bank. Plus, the tiles are usually a foot square, meaning you can write that shopping list on it.

Just no wood near a sink. BTDT, didn't at all like what it was turning into.