Stainless steel is hip and elegant. Its cool-to-the-touch surface and goes-with-anything “color” has long put it at the top of home design wish lists. But its coolness is not only tactile, it’s visual, and unless you’re actively going for monochromatic and minimal in your kitchen remodel, you’re probably considering the surrounding palette, mentally, while fondling that coveted Sub Zero.
 
When most of us think of “palettes” we go to paint colors, flooring, curtains, even countertops. In warmer hues these items can offset the stainless steel in a modern, elegant way.
 
But in the room shown here – which, did we mention, we love -- the accompanying palette isn’t even indoors. It’s the lush greenery in the garden, framed by the large kitchen window. When we came across this image, we thought “genius!” -- the cool stainless is a perfect foil to the foliage outside. The slight reflection of green in the cabinets warms the kitchen without compromising the simple, modern aesthetic.
 
In a nutshell, that’s a counter where we’d like to stand in the morning while pouring ourselves a piping hot cup of coffee, if just to wistfully stare off into the distance and ease into our day.
 
And given that very specific criteria, we’re totally sold.
 
The lesson here is this: your interior choices can sometimes be a perfect compliment to what’s outside your four walls. The garden, or hillside, or skyscraper you look at each day over your own cup of coffee might be just the thing that helps you decide on your final remodeling choices.

[Image: reesroberts.com]