forgot to add...........

my kitchen table is a family heirloom.......a pine farmhouse table. . .it is getting refinished right now.

we are also going to get Amish mission style chairs. It will be right next to the kitchen if that helps in what you would do!

how about white perimeter and dark island? Kind of an unfitted look which would speak to your style. Just a start. Also, lumber liquidators or IKEA are great resources for inexpensive BB.

I've thought of that. . .that's one the one style that I'll go with if I don't do the dark cabinets.

This is one of the hardest decisions I've ever made. I can't believe it is the hard. I wish the Lord would just show me what it's going to look like in a year, so I can get this process over, and move on. . .

I don't think you'll go wrong with any of your choices. All three of your "inspiration pictures" have the same feel - and they all all beautiful (especially arlosmom's). It looks like you definitely want hardwood floors and glass doors on your cabinets. What countertop do you really love? What does the rest of the woodwork in you house look like?

Jessica I feel your pain. I was where you are 3 months ago and this forum was a huge help. My first advice would be to be careful about the cabinets you select. I would think you would want a lifetime guarantee and there are a lot of companies out there that will give you that and they won't cost you a fortune. Next thing I learned, don't order the glass for your cabinet doors from the cabinet company. My KD showed me what they charge and it was crazy. You can have the glass inserts made at a glass shop. Well, take it slow and in between planning for your week's classes, (been there for 30 years)jump on this forum and everyone will get you through it.

the doors and trim will be white. the hardwood floors will be similar to this:

The house I am in now had 1976 dark cabinets that we painted white 7 years ago. I have enjoyed the white and it definitely brightened the kitchen tremendously, but it is murder to keep clean with my two boys. I am currently thinking about glazing the white cabinets with umber glaze and replacing my fake butcher block countertops with granite. I think the glazed cabinets will keep the the kitchen light, but will be more forgiving with trying to keep them clean. What color are your appliances? Mine are white, so that is one thing I am concerned about with glazed cabinets.

ours will be stainless. or stainless look. of course we haven't purchased them yet.

if the rain stays away and it's not too cold, our footers will be poured this week. so we are just in the beginning stages of the build.

I love your inspiration photos and am also a fan of Arlomom's kitchen. I think if you read through the posts, you'll find that many of us like many different looks so you are not alone in being drawn to two different looks.

As for White cabinetry. I had it in my previous kitchen for 7 years or so and you do occasionally have to wipe down the cabinets, but I never regretted having white and would not say that it was even remotely arduous to keep them clean. Think of it this way... if the white seem dirtier than the wood, they're not, they're just SHOWING more ... either way, you'll want to maintain your cabinets.

I have a creamy white now and again, am not at all concerned with them showing dirt and I have two little kids. Many of us on here have white cabinets with little kids and it isn't a problem. Go for what you want.

About the hardwood floors. I would put them in the kitchen. If you go for one of the harder woods (check out the Janka scale for what is hard compared to what), you should be fine. I haven't heard much about floods in kitchens on these boards or in life in general (in basements, yes, but not kitchens) so not sure where the worry is coming from.

I think you are right on to take care of the cabinetry and put your money there and worry about the counters down the road.

some things with your layout. I am noticing that you are committing a big NO-No per the NKBA (nat'l kitch/bath assoc). with your fridge in the middle of the space breaking up your counter/ work space. What is suggested is to put your tall items, such as pantry's wall ovens, fridges, etc. at the end of cabinet runs. Also, I am assuming what looks like a cooktop is a placeholder for a sink . I would not like my sink so far from my range. I would put your range where your fridge is and your fridge where your range is with possibly a desk or pantry to the left of the fridge. You want to make sure that your island doesn't block the flow of how you'll cook.

RMKitchen on these boards has a U shaped kitchen so you might want to check out her layout for some ideas. Also, your island seems to be a focal point, with the U shape and symmetry and the island smack in the center of it. I would try to do something on the end that is attractive... either a nice panel or glass cabinetry (ala rmkitchen) ... jsut something to give it some presence (maybe an element to pull off of the pine farm table??).

I am also a bargain shopper with expensive taste. Depending on the size of the island top, perhaps you could find a used bb top and sand down the top, or check craigslist for kitchens that will be demo'ed... I sold off everything including granite. You could buy someone's island, toss the cabinets and keep the top and have it retrofitted to your size.

when working on your layout, be mindful of how you cook. Pretend to be in the new space cooking a meal, for instance chicken parm, pulling chicken from the fridge and then to the sink to wash it, grab a papertowel to dry it, and a cutting board, pound chicken thin, pounder goes into sink, grab bowls for eggs, bread crumbs, get breadcrumbs from pantry, eggs from fridge, platter to put them on after their breaded, go to stove, get pan, put olive oil in, turn on ventilation hood, fry chicken patties, remove to platter. Meanwhile work on sauce.... you get the picture. Try to imagine yourself in the space doing all of this and where you would want to have things situated, mainly the cooking/prep area, sink area, storage area, fridge.

You can go through the process for the morning as well. with feeding the kids, preparing coffee, etc.

Okay, I have officially gone on and on, but just thought I would let you know the thinking I went through when I planned my kitchen. I matched up each of the functions with everything that was going into the space and tried to position things where I would need them, down to the kitchen towels, ziploc bags, cutting boards, etc.

HTH.

I like contrast - we had the same debate but have oak hardwood in everything but the kitchen. To me dark floors and dark cabinets is too much. In your kitchen, I'd prefer white (but we got dark cabinets as I love them but almost got white as that would be my next choice)... and I'd get a dark (love dark and love your floor choice and sink choice) wood countertop for the island to match the floor.

I'd also move the fridge to the left end with fridge panels so it isn't the first thing you see when you walk in the kitchen and you have a long run of countertop space or do something fun... but fridge shouldn't be the centerpiece in my mind.

wow...

thank you so much for the info.
here's another layout that another place did for me.

i was thinking that if we went with the white, then the frig would really break up the white. . .with the stainless.

yes. . .the stovetop is what they put in there to represent the sink.

do you like this layout better???
i'm off to check out RMKitchen's kitchen!

i love her kitchen, but mamadadapaige, i just looked up yours and adore it! i have looked at it before.

i love your table, your island. . .
i think it is fabulous!

jessica,
thank you! so sweet of you to say...

just wanted to say that the second layout seems much more functional for you, although I would consider doing a real vent hood vs. the MW over the range. and also like your idea of cabs up to the ceiling and not staggered.

keep us posted!

Much better so you don't see the fridge - I like our micro above the range but in your case a hood might be nice and hide the micro in the island. I also agree cabinets up to the ceiling - more storage and more classic looking.

Also, check out Rejuvination and School House Electric for lighting to match your sink. :) Both are good companies - I prefer Rejuvination for their oil rubbed bronze color, but both are great to order from (and return if you get the wrong size and nice about it).

I'm not a big fan of stainless steel - too modern looking. We got a panel for our fridge (got a great deal on a counter-dept/panel ready one) but didn't for the dishwasher as those break too easily and easier to replace than fix. So, if you do stainless steel, you may want to consider a panel for at least the fridge to make it more consistent but it really adds to the cost.

thank you for your help!

i will probably leave the space saver for now. . .it's cheaper to do it that way......and.......that's what hubby says he wants. . .so. . . .you know how that goes!

i'm going to go look at those places for the lighting. . .but i can't pick out lighting until i get these silly cabinets nailed down. .. ahahaha. . .

Agree with mama about the micro go with a nice wood hood
put the micro on the island or somewhere else

How about a nice cream colored cabinet with an espresso glaze, to contrast with your floors and a dark furniture looking island?

I love the 3rd photo best (looks old-fashioned, and therefore timeless classic), and I like layout of 2nd kitchen layout. Personally, I love vented microwave over cooktop instead of hood, so countertop is less cluttered. Also, have you thought of the flat-surface cooktop (so easy to keep clean)? For flooring, maybe consider sheet vinyl flooring in hardwood look, which can match the rest of the house. Tip: if you install any patterned floor on the diagonal, it'll make the room look bigger. Good tip about having the glass place cut the glass to fit; also, consider pebbled or rippled glass, or etch it yourself, since totally clear glass means any clutter at all makes the kitchen look messy. Love the bin pull hardware and the farmhouse sink.

Get the hardwood. Buy some extra to stick in a closet so hubby doesn't worry about repairs. But really, wood is easy for a skilled person to match. In my last home we put new hardwood in the kitchen that perfectly matched the 80 year old floors they connected to.

And do try to get a real hood, even a cheap one!

jessica, I agree with your idea about taking your cabinets all the way to the ceiling and not staggering them since you have 8' ceilings (mine are even lower -- only 7 1/2 feet). I also agree that stainless appliances can look great in a white kitchen and help to break up all the white. The second layout is much better than the first.

It sounds to me that you'd be happy with all stained or a combo of stained and white. I originally planned on all stained, but over and over I was drawn to pictures of white kitchens. In the end I went with a mostly white kitchen with an island in a beautiful russet stain. Since you love both stained and painted, maybe you could do a stained perimeter with light colored laminate and a white island with Ikea butcher block?

Are you getting a gas stove? Do you cook a lot? I agree with others who have recommended a real hood instead of a microwave hood, especially since this is your dream home. Unless you live in a flood zone and your budget will permit, I think you should go for the hardwood flooring.

Good luck with your project ... I can't wait to see how it unfolds!

Erika

Congratulations on getting a new kitchen!

I'm with the others in preferring the second layout and advising against the OTR microwave. Your microwave at eye level against that wall will be what everyone sees when they walk in your kitchen. Microwaves don't deserve to be a focal point, especially in a cottage like kitchen.
If you have to have a lot of upper cabs, I think white is more cottage like. I would try to do some open shelving if possible and maybe throw in an old stand alone hutch type piece to achieve more of that vintage, non homogenized look.

thank you all. . .

i went to a new guy yesterday, and told him white. i didn't tell him the hood over the stove, but i emailed him and told him to move the microwave over next to the frig. . .

i'll change my mind a thousand times. . .this is the most stressful thing to me.