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tclary Love the marble you picked! I hope that you took more time to research your marble tile then I did. I knew that marble was natural and could vary in coloration. I strictly thought that this applied to the veining. I selected a marble slab that seemed to have a white background. When the tiles arrived the background was in shades of white, cream, gray, and almost a yellow unbeknownst to me. My first glimpse of them installed had me in tears. The installer laid too many of the yellow ones together and it looked like an "accident" had happened on the floor. The builder and I had the tiler go back and mix and match the tiles throughout and now it's okay, but not at all what I had invisioned.

So having said all of that, I hope that you hand selected your tiles or had them cut from the same slab to ensure more uniformity. I bet the finished product will be great no matter what color you select for the cabinetry. I went with a shade of white since it is the most timeless. I figured that I could always alter the backsplash with tile or paint to change the feel of the room.

linda boyd Thanks for the reminder to resin involved with the selection of the marble. If understand you correctly, i think it may make a difference that I am installing in slab form and using it for counter. But I will not select paint color until I have selected the 2 slabs we need for project. I love this pattern so much because it looks such contemporary straight lines while still offering the elegance and coolness of marble.

gkemp I would not do ivory cabinets with your marble & white appliances. They will make your cabinets look dirty. I would go with white cabinets & use ivory for wall color.

tclary My mistake. I thought your photo was of tiles close up! You will be fine then :)

Here are a couple of pictures of my kitchen in progress. You can see what white cabinets on white marble look like. My look is completely different than what you are going for.

I agree with you that using the marble on the back splash would be too busy. I selected a backsplash that incorporated marble, glass, frosted glass, and metallics. I'm afraid it looks too busy with my marble. I may need to change it out. I think a solid backsplash color would have been a better choice and that you too should choose something solid, after all the marble should be the focal point.

ASVInteriors I did a houzz search on your colours which are essentially cream, white and grey - interestingly nearly all of them have wood floors which seem to tie the cold and warm together.
I love ivory and white as a colour scheme but I think your grey marble and glass might be too cold so you will end up with visual cues (warm colours, cold colors) that confuse the eye and mind.
If in doubt, I would relinquish the ivory doors
I am sure this can be done, but this is worth bringing in a kitchen or interior designer to help give you advice. PS love your marble!
http://www.houzz.com/photos/modern/kitchen/ivory-white-gray-

olldbobbi The house we bought last year had stark white appliances and ivory cabinets. Horrible combination! The white made the ivory look dirty, old and tired. I painted all the cabinets appliance white and it made all the difference in the world.

Natalie Hi---GORGEOUS marble!!! Soft white cabs to coordinate with the appliances---paint the walls a warm light gray (yellow undertone). Good Luck!

linda boyd I so appreciate everyone's comments. Each one has been very helpful and I want more! I have been working with a fabulous designer who I found on Houzz who is based in Chicago. Her company is Lugblll Designs, and it is only because of her input a d drawings that I have made so much progress in only 3 weeks (we're harvesting cabinets and counters from my old kitchen to use in a kitchen remodel at a rental property. I didn't have the time to do it on my own (which takes a lot longer).

Anyway, I think my designer would love the mixed strips with your white marble. That is very close to the tile she recommended before I changed the marble. My personal favorite with the more traditional white marble with white cabinets is to use it on both counters and backsplash. To me, that is whole reason for resisting advice against using it on the countertops!

I guess I have limited my ability to use ivories and creams by my appliance and counter selections. I guess I like both sets of color combinations, but have committed to one. I could sneak in Ivory, but agree that it may become visually muddled and confusing. Although idea is from fact that my kitchen is near LR and my LR has charcoal/bluish gray sofas, chairs, and draperies agains rich ivory walls and ceiling. (photo attached shows proximity kitchen doorway to right of staircase) Maybe the difference is that it has no white in the LR.

Anyway, can anyone share paint specs for whites and grays that go well with white appliances? Does coordinating white mean "matching" or something close but not identical?

Should I use SS sink or white? What solid material should I use for backsplash?

Sorry for going so long!

sam0705 This is my favorite wood floor for a white kitchen.

I can't tell how it would coordinate with your other floors in the photo you posted.
I think you should match as close as humanly possible the white of your cabinets to the white of the appliances.
What about a grey glass subway tile in a larger format like 4x12. I know they are popular but I am not a huge fan of the skinny mosaics especially where your marble is already bold.

olldbobbi White sink! Undermount! Much, much easier to keep clean. I painted my cabinets Behr Ultra Pure White which is an appliance white. Matches the white appliances perfectly.

tclary I agree with Sam0705 don't go with the skinny mosaic (see my pic.) Glass subway would be really nice in gray if you want to pull out the gray. You don't have to do the traditional 3x6 if you are concerned that the subway tiles are used by everyone.

My floor is dark like samo705 suggest, maybe a little darker and it really anchors the room. I think that it also takes away the stark cold sterile feel.

I had my painter paint one cabinet door a white with warm undertones and a white with cool undertones. I then took the doors to the slab store. There they lifted the slab and placed it half in direct sunlight and half in the shade. I leaned the door against the slab and stood back, snapped pictures, and mauled it over for a few days. I chose the warmer white as the other one looked blue.

My wall color in the adjacent dining is a warm gray color Kelley Moore Ashford. I am going to use fabrics to pull other color into the room. You could easily do the same. Keep the cabinets in the white vein and use creamy whites in fabrics.

DIRECTBUY OF FORT WORTH There is a beautiful tile from Arizona called Fibra..It looks almost like a cloth material. That is a soft mix of ivory,cream and white. Its called Fibra. Daltile and Emser also carry this tile under different names. The pic doesn't do it justice its one you need to see in person. The stack is the Fibra Linen and the other is a better look at the finish in the Fibra Suede. At Emser its called Strands and at Daltile its called Fabrique.

linda boyd TClary, what is name of warm white you chose? Is it a good choice to go with white appliances?

sam0705 Lrcb and tclary - what color are you painting your walls? I also have a white kitchen and the very faint grey currently on the walls looks washed out but I didn't necessarily want a darker grey wall. Trying to keep the brightness but now that its done i feel like i need more contrast with the white. Thinking maybe a taupe or
light coffee? My backsplash is a mix of marble and limestone with warm tones.

linda boyd I am still deciding, but I a, leaning in favor of a light grey floor and a combination of grays and whites and ivory/creams for walls, ceiling, and trim-- but cabinets will be softer shad of appliance white. I think a greyish white wall color is a mistake with white appliances, but a true grey could look great. Wood floors can warm it all up.

bevballew The backsplash does not go at all with the marble tops. Probably a solid grey or soft tumbled marble, but not even sure about that. You need to go to a tile store as there are many beautiful tiles that would go. I would say a light gray and cream colored paper for the walls if you want the cream color introduced. What finish will the faucet be? Depending on that should be the sink. White would be very nice. The drapery treatment and chairs covered in cream and gray. The wall colors are pretty. I think you need need to pick a new backsplash. There are metal tiles that can be added as accents such as from Ann saks. Not sure if a mixture of white, cream and metal tiles would work but it sounds good but it needs to be seen with the lighting in your house. Beautiful kitchen!

linda boyd I'm now thinking I should just go with back-painted glass back-splashes (or maybe wallpaper) everywhere except feature wall over cooktop - where I could use a fancy tile installation.

Had not really considered white sink and faucet, but I welcome the new thought and will probably go with it. Thanks!

tclary I used Kelley Moore - Blanco for the cabinets and Ashford for the walls. I think that your white appliances would look fine with it, but I am not a professional. I think that your countertops will take center stage and no one will really notice your cabinets! Your marble is stunning!

The Emzer tile,someone mentioned above, called Strands is really a nice one with a contemporary flair. I contemplated using that in my utility room. Daltile makes one called Spectrum that is really nice as well and comes in a couple of shades of gray. I will try to get you a picture of that. I used both the light gray and dark gray in a couple of wet areas in my home.

I've attached a few pictures of the sink I am using. The pictures aren't of my sink because mine isn't completed. The sink comes in 3 different lengths: 4.5ft, 5ft, and 7ft. The videos of it on youtube are amazing. It is called the Galley Sink.

bevballew Why such a big sink?

Tumble Creek Interior Design @lrcb and @tclary what are the names of your marble slabs? They are both strikingly beautiful while timeless. Nailed. Two beautiful kitchens :)

tclary The sink is amazing! Go to the website http://www.thegalleysink.com/ and watch it in action. The sink is two levels and becomes your countertop. So I can prep, serve, and cleanup from one location. This sink is going to be a life saver, so I don't have to work on my marble if I choose not to. You hear all of the horror stories about marble, scratches, etches, stains yada, yada, yada. I know they are true, but I can eliminate some of the day to day wear and tear on them by having this sink. Now if only no one will spill their wine....

tclary Thank you! I used Vermont Danby Montclair. Mine is polished.

Here are a few more pictures of the sink. I seriously love this sink. I can't wait to bath grandbabies in it someday. :)

linda boyd "Marmor Classico" is name of grey striped marble slab in my photo.

linda boyd Wow! Thanks a million, tclary, for lead on this fabulous sink! Thank you, thank you, thank you...

sacapuntaslapioz Go for a soft grey cabinets. paint the walls in white, and go for wood floor in a medium, not reddish hue. Gorgeous.

sacapuntaslapioz [houzz=Village Home[houzz=Remodel: Whole House "Eclectic Comfort"]

bevballew How much is the cost for the,galley sink?

tclary The smallest Galley is just shy of 4k. I know crazy!

The Galley makes the most sense for small kitchens because it serves so many functions in one and becomes a countertop, thus giving you more room.

I am justifying the splurge in my own kitchen because of my countertop choice. Marble is not ideal in a kitchen and by using the Galley I can help protect that investment.

bevballew I think it is very cool. Wonderful if you entertain a lot also. I love it. I am moving to a new house and could do it but it would require removing some cabinet space. Thank you for sharing.

linda boyd Afraid the Galley sink is out of my price range. What do toy think of Kohler's "Stages" and "Prologue" series which are @1500 dollars?

linda boyd If I go with soft gray cabinets can I still stain looks gray, or would that be too much? Was planning on gray floors with whit cabinets and gray marble counters, but warming to taking plunge with gray cabinets. Opinions:-?

tclary The Kohler sinks look like great alternatives! If you don't want SS, then you could go with the Indio series and you could pick the color of the enameled cast iron.

I really wanted to do gray paint just on the island, but the hubby said it reminded him of a submarine! I personally love the idea of gray cabinets. Depending on your layout you could do the perimeter in a white and the island in a different color. Then if you ever get tired of the color you would just have to change the island color.

Did you look at the Emzer tile Strands or the Daltile Spectrum? I found some pictures online, but both look better in person. I think those might help you achieve a modern look. I can't wait to see your finished product!

sam0705 FYI emser strands oyster looks grey online but is tan in person. Love the tile though - we have guest bath walls and shower in the 12x24.

linda boyd Here are photos of current kitchen. Layout cannot change. It is and will be an L shaped galley, so no island. So, if cabinets are grey, they will have to be grey throughout to bring both sides of L together. If I go grey on cabinets, color won't be dark, but it will be true grey, not dirty grayish white. May seem to much with dark counters. I really want it to be fashion forward and on trend, but if I do love white and grey may be better on counters and walls. You can see from photos that entire kitchen is narrow and light is at a premium.

tclary Well I am no designer, but I think it might look too dark or heavy if you do gray cabinets and flooring. I think I would go with white cabinets and the light gray strands or spectrum tile. I think 12x24 tiles would look nice.

Maybe you can add some under cabinet lighting. If you do a glass tile backsplash, the under cabinet lighting would really bounce off.

Here is a sink that you might like. I don't know if this brand is good or not. The sink just looked modern.

What edge profile are you going to use on the counters? A waterfall edge is very modern looking to me. You could use it in a galley kitchen.

linda boyd Tclary, I think you are right. I will stick with soft white for cabinets. I don't think you ever told me name of paint you used. If so, please remind me. I fee confident going into my meeting with designer and contractor tomorrow. What is brand and name of sink. I don't see it in photo. I like it a lot. Thanks for everything.

OHANA INTERIORS You mentioned you wanted a option for subway tiles. Your marble is beautiful. My suggestion would be to have a solid slab of marble behind the stove and the rest be a subway tile. Very clean and classic.

tclary The sink was Franke brand. I found it onw wayfair.com The Kohler sinks were cheaper on there than the price you had found as well. http://www.wayfair.com/Franke-Culinary-Work-Center-Kitchen-Sink-with-Drain-Board-CWX161-D-FKX1379.html

Kelley Moore Blanco was the paint for the cabinets and Asford for the walls.

If you want to see some amazing tiles checkout this website. www.newravenna.com

Urbana ~ Designer Ellen Crystal it is all about undertone. there are warm whites & cool gray whites. Warm gray's & cool grays. compare a few together & you'll see the yellow undertone or pink/violet undertone or green or blue. It is generally very obvious when you see the colours grouped together in a paint display. As the marble is the main focal point experiment with the effect of warm toned paints versus cool undertones... go the direction the marble dictates for the best effect. The appliances should read as a crisp neutral in comparison.

floor? a finish & colour that moves seamlessly into other adjacent spaces will give the most cohesion in your home. If that is a taupe...gray or warm wood tone, so be it.

All the other surfaces are neutral so almost any medium to rich wood will look fabulous.On caveat is dark floor are less forgiving and show up every crumb & dust much more obviously.

Senior Designer~Urbana, Victoria, BC

linda boyd New Ravenna is unbelievable! Thanks.

linda boyd I bought the Kohler Prologue sink today. Also, today my old kitchen was taken out...it's really happening...I am actually getting my long-awaited dream kitchen! Yayyyy

bevballew If you do a gray cabinet I have seen cabinets that are not a solid gray but more like a gray stain. It is gorgeous. Very rich. I would think a grey and white marble stunning. What color cabinet did you pick?

linda boyd I am constantly changing my mind about whether the cabinets will be white or gray. My contractor is not pressuring me yet because he doesn't need to know until he builds them since he knows they will not be dark. I tho k white will look better with the gray marble I ha e selected. If I chicken out on bold marble pattern, I may have more options.

Tclary, I have not checked out tile you recommended for counter because I am pretty set on back painted glass.

bevballew Depends too maybe on what kind of tops and backsplash you want. Have you looked at the kitchens on houzz White is easy and very common. A grey would be unique and could be stunning. Have you looked at the kitchens on houzz?. I think I saw a grey cabinet there.

sam0705 My two cents - since it's a galley kitchen go with the white cabinets with that marble - you don't want to lose the light. Also if you do your floors grey I think it would be too much grey. My galley kitchen looks twice as big just having white glossy cabinets.

tclary I'm confused by your last post...the marble you selected is for the counters, right? The tile I suggested was for flooring. For the backsplash I think painted tiles like the ones on newravenna would be stunning. A more affordable choice would be subway tiles in gray glass or gray ceramic.

Another amazing website for tile is http://www.sicis.it/
I cannot even imagine how pricey it must be. You might find some inspiration there.

I have pinned some really beautiful kitchens on my pinterest site under my board new home inspirations. My user name is the same. I also have a board called for the home. You might even find some ideas there.

bevballew If you picked a marble already then you should go white, especially since as someone suggested it will be brighter. Also. Worse thing is greys not matching. Then you can pick backsplash working to complement the marble and not worry about it clashing with the cabinets.

linda boyd Tclary, sorry for confusion. I thought you were recommending 12 by 12 tile for my backsplash, not floor. Ok, My floors will be hardwood and I am trying to decide best color for wood, of course. Should i stain floor color of tiles you like? Also, I misspoke when I said that I am leaning toward painted glass for counters. I meant to say I am leaning toward painted glass for backsplashes. Even so, am still probably going to use tile as accent feature over cooktop.

Sam0705, I am 90% sure that I will use white cabinets (definitely if I use grey marble on counters), what color white did you use.

All, what finish should I use for white paint on cabinets (satin, semi-gloss, high gloss)? Sam0705, when you describe yours as "glossy," how glossy are they? Details, please.

PoshHaus PoshHaus offers Franke, and would be happy to get you Houzz exclusive client pricing.