doesn't it feel great to come under budget? and enjoy it...because the rest costs loads too!

Hey, rednecksmama, we should be comparing notes! I also have a small galley kitchen and a relatively low budget. Agonized over appliance selection for some time, but finally pulled the trigger yesterday and ordered everything. (Yay! One more thing crossed off the list!) For a 30" bottom freezer fridge, I was *going* to go with the GE Profile - it seemed the nicest quality. To cut a few hundred dollars, the Maytag seemed good also. If you have 31" and want counter-depth, Fisher & Paykel make a beauty for about the same price as the GE Profile. (I didn't have the extra inch!) When it came down to it, though, I went for the Frigidaire Professional top freezer. I'm used to a top freezer, was afraid the bottom freezer drawer would seem too clunky, plus the Frigidaire was half the price of the GE Profile (and is still quite a nice refrigerator!). I bought a gas range, so can't help you with electric, but brand-wise I decided on GE over Frigidaire. The Frigidaire I was considering would have given me a lot more features for the money (convection, 5th burner), but that actually worried me that they would have cut on quality to shove all that extra stuff in. (And the cheaper Frigidaire range without the fancy features didn't have SS handles, which was a deal-breaker for me. ;-)) I also got a fairly simple GE OTR microwave to go with the GE stove. Heard not-great things about Frigidaire microwave noisiness and reliability. If I'd had room for a 24" dishwasher, I was going to go with KitchenAid. Seems to be great quality and features, only a little bit of a splurge. The Sears web site is great for looking at user reviews of appliances, btw. They have a good comparison engine, too. I had decided not to consider Kenmore appliances since I've heard complaints about Sears' repair dept. I think your budget is perfectly reasonable.

"I would love to have professional grade appliances, but our budget will not allow it" Word of advice. Skip the "professional" stuff and stick with plain old appliances. There is absolutely ZERO difference between the way a $6000 range cooks, and the way a $600 range cooks. My experience, as well as countless others, have confirmed this. It's interesting to note that some of the stuff you get on so-called "pro" stainless steel appliances is actually cheap aluminum junk that will warp and discolor after awhile. I have all-white appliances, easy to keep clean, easy to maintain, no messy fingerprints, and no worries about sharp metallic edges. Good luck on whatever you choose. I've always had good experiences with Frigidaire(Electrolux) and Whirlpool appliances.

I agree a soft greenish blue would work with those floors and cream cabs...something along these lines: [Traditional Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by Los Altos Interior Designers & Decorators Viscusi Elson Interior Design - Gina Viscusi Elson [Traditional Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by Fairfax Kitchen & Bath Designers Cynthia Murphy