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[Oznell]

Both are rather unusual, you might even say "moody".

North Carolina kitchen, in a spacious vacation house in the Blue Ridge Mountains:

Warm natural woods have been making a comeback for quite a while now.  Here they used maple and white oak for cabinets and island.  I like the rustic-looking pendant lights which are from Visual Comfort.

Paint is "Farrow's White" by Farrow and Ball. I think the vanilla walls and especially the dramatic tile wall, do help mitigate the darkness of the woods, although I tend to almost always lean to "sunny, bright" in kitchens.

The stacked horizontal tile give a welcome modern feeling. I like the clean hood, which has been done in pale plaster.

The shades bring in more of the earthy feeling.

This particular kitchen also has an unseen hard-working butler's pantry tucked away, lucky.  

Another non-"cookie cutter" kitchen, this one in a cozy 1917 cottage in Louisville, Kentucky:

The owners have an "old world" aesthetic, incorporating antiques and vintage touches.  They painted the walls in Benjamin Moore's "Aganthus Green", and the cabinets in "Vintage Vogue"-- 

In this cottage-y space, I like the green cabinets, the rich stone countertop on the island, and the way the hood mimics a graceful, arched hearth.

The pendant lights are from Crate and Barrel, yet they work nicely with the vintage feeling of the kitchen. 

[DREAMON]

I do like both pretty kitchens but the first North Carolina Kitchen is by far my favorite.

The window, the flow, the beams, the space, the easy work access to all appliances, the colors used......all is very appealing to me.

[DSD2]

They are both lovely @Oznell but the first is my favorite.

I love the hood, ceiling, lights, beautiful white vase of flowers and the pretty windows. I would prefer lighter cabinets and floor, it's a bit too dark for me but a minor quibble.

Thank you for another wonderful post. I so look forward to them!

[just bee]

I'd wash dishes, sip tea, chop vegetables, drink wine and consume meals facing that window.

Not all at the same time, of course...

[faeriemoon]

I "heard" the word "moody" and came out of the woodwork.

I have to say I'm not in love with either kitchen, but I do like the first one very much.  I'm surprised I don't like the second one better because I'm usually I'm all over anything green, but there is something about it that doesn't float my boat.  The pink peeking through the room behind may be a factor, and the counter stools may also be spoiling the look for me.

[Bonkers1]

I like the first but would prefer lighter wood cabinets.

[BlueFinch]

I'm a 'moody' lover. I'm so drawn to warm, dark woods. To my eye, the first photo is beautiful. I don't see a thing I'd want to change.

I've loved deep natural woods since I was a child. For me, it's just more restful than the trend to bring in the light, with so much white, and/or bright colors.

Glad to hear warm natural woods are making a comeback. Hadn't heard that. I've been in some kitchens so bright you needed to keep your sunglasses on. Nice, but too sterile for me,..LOL.

[beach-mom]

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@just bee wrote:

I'd wash dishes, sip tea, chop vegetables, drink wine and consume meals facing that window.

Not all at the same time, of course...

LOL @just bee ! 

Throughout our marriage I have told DH when looking at homes, I wanted a kitchen over the sink that looked outside and a large closet in the master bedroom. 

I didn't get either, until now. I do now have a window over the sink, and it looks into the backyard and the woods, but it looks through the sunroom first. Still don't have that big closet though.  

@Oznell - Thank you for posting these beautiful pictures. Personally I like a lighter kitchen, not white, just light, which is what I have now.  

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[CarolinaGirl88]

I like both of these a lot. It's interesting to see something a little different. I don't mind any of the "moodiness" in these rooms because I think the color palattes are pretty and look classy.

[GingerHead]

@Oznell 

These are both beautiful.

In the first kitchen, I adore the dramatic tiling all the way up the wall.

I think that kitchen could look fantastic (to me) if the cabinets were maybe painted that same lovely grey blue shade of the window trim or a light dove grey, or even a black/navy blue. For some reason I'm not a fan of that dark brown color they are currently.

I'd also change out the slip covers on the bar stools, to my eye the block print competes with the tile pattern (silly thing I know).

But wowzers! What a beauty. That wood of the island is great, the beams and pendant lighting down to the floral arrangement...Love!

The Cottage Kitchen is also so lovely. I love their use of color. The greens with the white and the black bar stools all make for a very pretty and cozy setting.

Thanks for the lovelies!!!