Since we're officially in the middle of the renovation, I should probably share the vision I have.  For years I was pinning a lot of all white kitchens.

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Then about a year ago, my pins started to change and these were what I was more drawn to:

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 And, finally the one that sealed the deal for me.

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That herringbone!

I realized the two-toned look was what I wanted.  Black on the bottoms and white uppers.  It was modern, yet timeless. 

I knew the look I wanted but I actually just made this mood board even though we're on the downhill of the project itself.  I've been shopping around for all the pieces individually as they came up in the renovation and I finally have most of them finalized.

1. I always used Ikea's cabinets as a model for what I wanted.  I've always liked the ADEL doors, with it's simple shaker style.

2. Since the Adel doesn't come in a black, I found the RAMSJÖ black/brown to be pretty similar.  I also liked that a slight wood grain could be seen.

3. We're still deciding on counters, but I recently came across this granite called 'River White' that has gray veining as well as tiny reddish specs.

4. We'd like to keep the lighting a little modern/industrial and since we have pendants over the peninsula for the first time, I wanted a simple clear globe pendant that wouldn't compete with any lighting that we pick for the dining room.

5. I wanted a herringbone pattern, but wanted a 12"x24" tile.  I also thought gray would look better in our space.  It was during a quick trip to Lowe's that I found a really inexpensive gray tile that will work perfectly.

6. To add some color I want to add a rug to the kitchen area.  I haven't decided exactly which one, but I'm liking this one from ebay.   

7. I want a light griege color to make the white and black pop, and 'Pediment' from Sherwin Williams looks both gray and beige depending on the lighting and time of day.  I actually like it at about 50%, just to make it a little lighter.

8. To complement the hardwood floors in the dining room and throughout the house, I want to bring in some wood accessories.  I've been eyeing this Nate Berkus tray from Target for awhile now.

9. I'm also going to try my hand again at some greenery in the kitchen.  We had a couple succulents that grew like crazy, (I didn't know what I was doing and planted in them in some cups of top soil).  I'm hoping a do better this time around.  We'll even have space on the counter for a legit planter!

So, there it is!  I've had these items in my head for so long that it's nice to see them together.  The hardest part for me is picking materials without having any other materials.  Like how to I pick a paint when I haven't decided on a countertop?  Luckily, paints relatively easy and cheap to replace.  Tile, not so much!