just a voice on the other side...since you are on a budget... Since this house was built ten years ago and since it lingered on the market unsold, all kinds of things have changed in the house market. Buyer gripes from that period may not be the same as buyer tastes today and that same real estate agent may be looking at properties like yours with new eyes in this economy. New lists of what pays off and what does not pay off in house renovation indicate that in this economy, kitchen renovation might offer less payback than attention to curb appeal, decks, structural soundness, energy efficiency, and bathrooms. First thing you are now supposed to look into is whether front door is as great as you can make it! Articles from the last year indicate that kitchens are sometimes only a 60% payback item, although this can vary dramatically, depending on the kitchen. I would suggest that you do a lot of looking at actual places for sale in the community and discuss patterns of sales with a couple agents. The previous agent opinion has a lot of sway in your mind, perhaps too much. Find out if others agree. If you are indeed in a community of more higher-end houses than yours, your kitchen could be changed to make it a better companion to the others, but as-is it may be more affordable and accessible for buyers compared to expensive ones current buyers cannot afford. They say that paint is your single best investment. ___ I like the kitchen. I can imagine a lot of great adventures in it. You seem bothered by the "midrange" aspects of it, but there is a lot of higher stuff here, especially the layout and the spaciousness and the good taste of the features. It is not horrible and deserves respect. ____ Your kitchen is close enough to the fashionable light-colored kitchen style that you could play this up further. You need more contrast and less pastel on the walls. A stern mauve-gray? A teal blue? steel gray? Coral? Attention to that great wall beyond the table would probably be very useful, once you lose the wainscot effect and put forth a single paint color. A work of art? A distinctive display? You also have some great features in the woodwork--the grids in the window and the doors. These carry on the traditional theme we glimpse in the room (dining room?) beyond the kitchen. And in the outdoors room we see beyond the sliding doors. Once you get into the appliance replacement/upgrade trap, money just evaporates. Is it possible to locate a suitable used "bisque" range? Try posting a want-ad on bulletin boards, etc. Also contact appliance dealers as to whether they know of any used ones. What color is the ceiling? Could it be whitened? Is there a full eating area by the sliding doors? If so, is it possible to put a distinctive light over it? And could the table or chairs make a strong contrast to the lighter colored items? Backsplashes are fashionable and a choice that connects to the new paint color and which introduces a texture that is a counterpoint to the textures of the oak grain and the countertops and the floor might make the room seem very different. Backsplash could run under all upper cupboards--it would become significant enough to be a counterpoint to the strong presence of the cupboards and the new paint color paint color as a force in the room. It could also create too much tension and too much variation, so restraint might be in order. In the photos the floor does not seem to match the rest of the scheme. If this is true, it can be downplayed. Even a couple modestly priced rugs that draw out some of the new color(s) would help. A more flamboyant light fixture over the sink would add personality. Place mats, flower pots, similar items could repeat textures and colors of this room.

I also used pre-finished cork flooring from Wicander's. Love it love it! Out of all the elements in our kitchen, it is my fave. However, if you were to go with a cork floor than needs sealing, like Durodesign, I still don't think it needs attention every few years. I was under the impression it is like wood, it needs refinishing maybe every 20-25 years? The Library of Congress has cork floors over 100 yeas old. If they were being refinished every few years there would have been no cork left to refinish a long time ago! Don't give up on your cork dreams - talk to flooring people who know cork (which may be hard to find). I found the customer service people at Wicanders very informative and helpful. Nicole Here is a link that might be useful: Wicanders cork flooring

We are still waiting for the sink we ordered, unfortunately (one that we found thanks to the people on this forum) :-( I totally understand that the splurge comment. If we were doing everything at once we wouldn't be able to do this, but this project has been in the works for many years! I told my husband that it has to completed this year, or else, lol. You will love your beautiful piece of Fusion no matter what you decide. Bye the way, we have been living with a mix of real stone and Formica for several years, and no one has ever noticed or commented on it.

Is the birch a solid? as solid would last a lot longer than laminate. Do you plan on living there a long time? maybe you may want to change color of floor in future, only possible with a resandable floor. Laminate-- $$, essay maintenance, very scratch resistant, Wood-$$$$ solid? lifetime wear, looks better, sounds better, maybe longer boards, more maintenance, Good luck