STROBE, I think the black/white/HiCon image is too busy. The colours are needed, really, for the eye to interpret the scene properly. Without the colours it's all just a bit too confusing. Since you're looking for something neutral for the kitchen, I'm thinking it'll need to be much more simple if it's going to work.
That's just me thinking more as a picture hanger than photographer, though
[edit] and yanno.. the colours are just drop-dead gorgeous anyway.. it'd be a damn shame to drop 'em!