Every NO brings you closer to a YES

So i'm sorta getting there on the kitchen .. it's getting darker earlier now, so by the time
the builders leave I am playing with stuff in minimal light and the kids are whining for food.

Happy Space.






Pic 1.

Love the uneven tiling, and the colour is perfect.  Unfortunately, the finish I want doesn't come
in the colour I want, and the colour I want has a weird finish.  Working on it.






Pic 2.

Whever I see silver travertine in store, I drool over it.  Can also get my random lines of
thick/thin and differing lengths .. but when I get it home I think it's too wishy-washy and I
really need the darker contrast of above. 

Trying to source something similar in bluestone .. in a semi-polished finish. 
Have a sample of a ceramic that works to LOOK like bluestone, but the fakeness annoys me....






This is a perfect colour.  It's Graphite from Southern Splashbacks, in their Matrix range.
BUT, i've discovered I don't like the uber-reflectability of glass, and the tile patterns
are all uniform.


So .. where i'm at now:


- looking for an afforable stepped stone with a uniform profile
( not that jutty-out stacked stone you see in landscaping .. the ones above are flat-fronted )
and a polished front ( shiny, but not too shiny )

- the brushed steel under-island kicker is gone .. apparently you can do painted kraftboard
under the kicker, which means I can paint it whatever I like, and when I want to change it,
I simply do that. 
I freaking heart paint  ♥

- the pendants.  Which I love, but, depending on the splashie, may be wrongtown in tone. 
However, I figured I could make up a watery dye solution to darker/lighten/colour them
if needed.. which appeals because that also means I could colour them yellow or teal or red
if I freaking wanted, and it wouldn't matter, because hello .. paint! ..

Paint has always been my saviour..

The husbo would be horrified probably .. but hey, i'm not in love with many pendants
out there atm, and if I got ( for eg ) non-offensive, safe neutral white glass .. then that's it
for 10years or so, because changing kitchen pendants = at least $300 for new lights
+ a sparkie to change them.  That aint going to happen. 

I do like the simple 'nude' glass pendants out there atm, but know a few people that wished
they didn't due to kitchen steam/dust and they get incredibly grotty. 
Plus, you can't paint glass, can you.  No. 
So I think my concrete is more enduring.  For me. 

Even if you're horrified I might paint them..





Finally, it's a big splasie - vast .. needs breaking up.  I've *always* installed a rail or two
in every kitchen i've ever had, and this one will be no different.  I bought a couple of these
cute pots from IKEA yesterday to hang off them, like you can see in the pics above. 
I love fresh herbs and I love the pop of green.  I'll take them down when cooking,
but I like the thought of natural stone with natural living herbs.

Oh - and Tolix stools .. yeah .. dunno .. i'm unsure what all the hype is about?  
I don't mind the one I used above, and i'm not anti-Tolix .. I just think they're a little bit
overtrending atm?  A lot of people are suggesting them to me :)

I quite like these though:






I found them on Houzz. 
Love.