Gray Kitchens...Fad or Fab?

I'm always looking for great kitchen inspiration.  While my love for white cabinets and their classic appeal will never change - I've found a new kitchen boyfriend.  Gray and white kitchens.  Ugh, if only I had an endless amount of money my kitchens would change with the seasons.  But, alas, I'll have to live with one.

Here are a few ideas I'm swooning over...at first, I thought a gray kitchen might just be a fad,  like the 1970's gold or avocado.  After finding these inspirational photos below I'm thinking that maybe gray is just another classic.  Hm...a girl can dream.

It was actually Martha Stewart who inspired my very own chunky open shelves with her gray Ox Hill kitchen.  I remember dreaming of this gray kitchen 2 years ago, but  not quite ready to take that plunge...

I just borrowed her idea for the chunky open shelf brackets instead.

I love this gray and white kitchen with the classic subway tile back splash, beautiful legs (that make the cabinets look like furniture), butcher block island and glass front cabinets.

Below shows a great option for bringing a color into your kitchen, but not allowing it to take over. The island takes front stage in this kitchen!  I might swap out those countertops with soapstone and move that sink to the window, but I am loving that beadboard ceiling and arched doorway.

The kitchen below is stunning!  Pull-out drawers, extra wide gas range, farmhouse sink, and stunning glass cabinets are all calling my name.  I feel like this kitchen was designed for me.



The gray cabinets below are beautiful...but those black trimmed windows and open shelving...Yum!  I'll take that rug, please.  This could never be my kitchen though.  No plant makes it out of my house alive.

This traditional take on gray has amazing ceilings and a sitting area?  I would never have to leave the kitchen.  (Justin would love that).

The kitchen below shows how you can make gray cabinets more casual with subtle, classic elements and rustic wood floors below.  I found this image on Pinterest, but couldn't find the source of the photo!  PS - I a really really falling for those rustic wood floors below.  Maybe this is the start to the end of my love for dark floors?!

 The classic features in each of these kitchens make me think that gray could never go out of style.

I'm still a little shy about taking the leap to a gray kitchen (I'm not painting the cabinets...future house, folks), so what about two tone? I'm seeing this more and more.  What are your thoughts?

The kitchen below is great modern example of a gray kitchen.  I'm seeing more and more of this contrast in kitchens.  How do you feel about it? I feel like the dark lower cabinets really ground the room and they are actually starting to grow on me.  Especially if they look like this....  I find my eye being drawn to the color on the lower cabinets and the marble counters.



The modern contrast kitchen was found on decorpad.

Most of the gray kitchens use the same basis of style.  White subway tiles, marble counters and satin nickle pulls.  So it was nice to see a little brass action in this gray beauty below.  Gold is back people.  And I think I like it.  

  

So what do you think?  Are gray kitchens the new oak cabinet, or do you think they're just as timeless as white? Are two tone kitchens going to be out like 1970's avocado in 5 years? Is brass the new bronze?

Mary