Kitchen Design Advice

We've been working on a kitchen refresh, and are close to being done! But now I'm in a design quandry, and need advice/input from all you family and friends.

We've got new countertops that are dark chocolate, fairly matte finish (made of a cool product called Paperstone). The appliances are mostly black (double oven, cooktop, and fridge) except the dishwasher (won't replace until it breaks). The sink is dark grey granite. Cabinets are honey-ish oak, and floors are oak with a darker brown stain.

My design indecision comes down to the tile backsplash and wall paint color. Walls are current eggplant (I know it sounds weird, but it looked good with prior tile/counters). I feel like with all the brown, we need a splash of color. We have good lighting in the space, although it gets a little dark under the cabinets.

Here is current state (taken on the iPhone, so kinda blurry....Bill has the good camera).

Option One: 1" glass tiles in a mix of almost black, mocha brown, slate blue, and super light light celery green.


Paint would be either a light celadon, or a slate color.

Option 2: mixed tile - various sized, and composed of different shades of browns with some reddish tones and a beige granite. I like that it brings together many of the other shades in the kitchen, but fear it may be, well, toooooo much more brown! Walls would be neutral/light.

Option 3: mixed tile - various sized, and composed of blue, greeny-grey, and a beige granite. This one is nice because it introduces different sizes, and also material texture. Wall color would most likely be blue (note, blue paint chip is softer blue-greyish than the photo implies)

Here is options 2 & 3 against counter/cabinets, for context.

So.....what do you think? Now is your chance to influence the Nyland kitchen? Leave us a comment here on the blog, or on Meg's FB wall. Thanks!

Xmas pictures

We had a great time with the family at the beachhouse for Christmas. Highlights include:

Walk at the state park on Hood Canal in the fog.

Excellent appetizer spread on Christmas Eve.

Lots of Video game playing.

Standing Rib Roast Christmas Dinner

Scrabble and other board games

Crafts including the rundown gingerbread shack that the kids made before we got there.(picture on previous post)

Jess and I had an excellent xmas day kayak around the island at sunset.

White Elephant present exchange with many strange presents.

We came home on Saturday and went to dinner at our friends, the Knutsons. Jess is spending a couple of nights at Malik's house. On Sunday we are going to Mukilteo to have dinner with all the DesJardiens. Monday we get our new refrigerator and on Tuesday the boys will be heading North for a few days in Bellingham while Meg has to work.

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Xmas coming soon!

Well, the kitchen is looking better but we still have some work to do. The new sink, counters, and stovetop are in and everything is working. Now, we need to buy a new fridge, remove one of the cabinets so the fridge will fit, paint and then put on a new tile backsplash. But all of that is going to have to wait because our social schedule is kind of full with the holidays.

Last Saturday was Meg's birthday so we went to Seattle to have Dim Sum to celebrate her birthday as well as Ann's (7th), Paul's (10th) and mine (2nd). After that, the boys left with for the night with Grammy Ann while Meg and I spent the day shopping around downtown. We again practiced our priceline negotiator skills and got a room at the downtown Sheraton. We met a lot of old friends at Elysian Fields and stayed until they kicked us out around 11:30. Lotsa fun.

Sunday we picked up the boys and then went to my nephew Max's birthday party in Tacoma. It was kind of a preview for the christmas festivities. Jess and Joe and Max and Henry left for the beach with Nana. They have "cousin camp" doing a lot of baking and crafts until Christmas. I have to work 3 days this week and I will head out on Wednesday. Meg has to work Thursday morning so we will have to take 2 cars. We will probably stay until Sat or Sun. On the 29th, the boys and I are heading to Bellingham for 3 days staying at a cabin. Meg has to work that week so we won't see her until Meg's cousin wedding in Bham on New Years Eve.

Big Day in the Nyland Kitchen

Sunday was demo day. The boys and I tore out the counters, the sink and the cooktop.

This morning the counter installing guy came in and put in our new "paperstone" counters. They are a mix of recycled paper and epoxy. The sink is in and the stovetop venting installer will be here next Friday. Now we need paint and then install a tile backsplash.

We got a little carried away with the permanent markers

Meg is in Vegas for the weekend with her girl friends. So, that means it is boys only at the Nyland house. New counters are coming on Monday so the boys got a little creative with the markers.