Reconciling what you love with the look you want (Styling up a kitchen)

Most of my projects tend to focus on decorating--furniture and fabrics--more than fixtures and finishes.  Lately I've been doing a bit more work on the "shell" of spaces, and it's really fun to think about the foundational pieces!  So often I am thinking about how to hide or make the best of existing features or to create a look that the client loves in spite of those things.

Here's an interesting question:

What do you do when you ARE starting from scratch but can't quite reconcile the things you love with the look you want?

I am advising on a kitchen project right now and my client wanted a modern farmhouse look (the house is in fact on a farm), but fell in love with cherry cabinetry.  She worried that the cabinets would play against type (lots of urban apartments put them in in the 90s), but I believe it is all about what you DO with those cabinets.

Here's some inspiration.  Hard to find, with white kitchens reining supreme for some time now!

House Beautiful. See many more gorgeous pics here.

Farmhouse sink and beadboard backsplash

Okay, yhe cabinets are white but the island is cherry!

My client chose cherry cabinets with a simple shaker profile.  As the name suggests, farmhouse sinks are a great first step in going for that farmhouse look.  Flooring, backsplash, hardware, and lighting all offer opportunities to push it farther.

Look one: Modern twist on the classics.

Subway tile gets a twist with two sizes mixed together, and classic iron bin pulls go modern with an elongated profile.  A painted checkerboard floor (on the existing, beat up wood) is like classic marmoleum, but better.

Look 2: Vintage Charm

Gauged slate floor feels like an old French farmhouse, and the rippled enamel light shades add to the vibe.  Hammered metal hardware and herringbone subway feel artisan, while the Windsor stools and wire chandelier are truly timeless.

Look 3: Schoolhouse Eclectic

This one goes a little schoolhouse or nautical, with milk glass pulls, penny tile back splash, and over scale caged pendants.  Either floor works here, and the red stools pop against the fresh white accents.

What do you think?  Did I pull it off?