You can have painted cabinets in other colors besides white. Look at Elizpiz's for a great example. But you can also do wood that's significantly different in tone from the floor and ceiling, like a dark walnut, or a yellow maple.

You don't say the style you want for the kitchen, the kind of budget you have, etc. What's there now looks good in terms of using the space, so maybe the answer is to take that kind of shape, and make it into a fitted in china cabinet with hutch. If you want a little more elbow room there, you can make the lower less deep. You can make the upper over the stove follow the angle of the corner and meet up with the hutch, or leave them as totally separate pieces for an unfitted look.

I actually like the wookwork in your picture. Is it not worth saving?

Thanks plllog. Sorry for the brief description. I was trying not to post an essay. The style we'd like to go for is sort of mid-century modern - nothing too extreme either direction. Budget is average. Reason for replacing kitchen is for improved layout and addition of a dishwasher. The existing cabinets are just plywood (cabs and doors) - sort of owner-built with exposed hinges and poor quality hardware. Not worth saving. I guess we prefer the fitted look but are struggling with all the little decisions. Do you think that an espresso finish (not black but dark) with a flat door would work? I know it's hard without seeing the context of the house. It seems that dark cabinets are less popular on this forum, but white doesn't seem to fit in with the style of the house which has touches of asian, arts & crafts and west-coast contemporary styles. We did consider painted cabs, but it seemed to take it more classic or country in style. As i said, we're getting lost and there are not a lot of kitchen places nearby to seek guidance. I'll enclose two options for dealing with that angled corner. Do you think that layout #2 would look weird? It does sacrifice some counter and storage space.

{{!gwi}}

I like plllog's idea of making the angled section more shallow, maybe 12" deep, kind of halfway between your two drawings. That would give you more room to move around to the right of the sink and to the left of the oven. I'd want to have the cabinets over the oven connect with whatever you put on the angled wall. That would give you cleaner lines that would fit with the style it sounds like you want. I can picture using that angled wall for some great storage with shelving going from the floor to the top of the cabinets either with doors or with some open shelves. I'd love to have my cookbooks stored there. I'd make it a focal point maybe with some glass doors with lighting.

Yes, absolutely, I think you can go with espresso cabinets! But do get a sample door or board and live with it in the old space for a little while to see how you like it with the other woods. Sometimes, in a situation like yours, just a hair lighter or darker, or redder or less red, makes a huge difference. I think the general rich dark idea of espresso stain will go with the kind of style you're looking for.

The only issue would be what to do with the window frame. You could leave it the same color as the ceiling, but if you have an upper in the angled section they might fight a little. Staining it dark wouldn't look good, but maybe glazing it a little to keep it more or less matching the ceiling, but browner than oranger to go with the espresso might work. Or make the upper on the angled wall narrower than what's currently there.

So, how are you with the basic layout? I, personally, wouldn't care for the distance from the fridge to the stove. I don't know if there's anything to do about that on a practical level because of the confines of the space.

The alternatives I see as even possible are fridge on wall where DW is, and DW on angle, though that crowds the door and sink. Fridge where stove is and stove on angle, though that crowds the whole danged kitchen. Sink in island and fridge on angle, ditto. None of these look like good options. Does the distance bother you? If not, forget it. That's my personal hangup. I put fridge drawers in my island because I couldn't truly close the gap. That's also an alternative you could look at if it's an issue for you.

I don't like the totally square corner in number two, but you could angle it off just a tad right wehre the pointy bits are, so that most of the sides still run straight. BeeJay's idea of 12" is great for pitchers, books, and most dishes. But it doesn't even have to be 12" deep if that's too much for your comfort. I just put in a whole bunch of 6"-8" storage (with doors) for glassware, spices, etc. This also includes a cabinet with pegboard for hanging skewers, tongs, etc., and a message center. Shallow cabinetry can be very very useful and worth the price.

You can also do a different crown treatment on the angled wall to make it a beautiful focus piece. I think it calls for some kind of pediment or something to sort of reflect the beam, or interact with it.

What a dilemma!!! If I were you I would:

1- keep the corner so that I still have continuous counter between the sink & stove to work .To me, it's very important (unless you're tired of corner). Also, I'd like to keep the drawers here because 1-it's very convenient compared to doors.2- Doors when open,can bang into the next cabinet.

2- put nothing at the upper corner-maybe a painting or decorated back splash for a focus point (if you think you have enough store room with your pantry & island). Try to take your plan to see a kitchen designer or Low's/ Home Depot. I think they can give you some ideas.With your lay out, you may have your cabinet customade because of the weir corner. But don't worry, just get some quote & shop around. I had my kitchen customade but believe or not, it's less expensive than Low's prefab. My cabinet guy gave me a 3D plan so that I can imagine how my kitchen will be.

3-have cook top & oven installed separately so that, again, I can have a continuous counter. It looks great & modern. However, this may affect your budget because installing cook top+oven is more expensive than stove. In addition, it will involve more work & material when you install counter top. Take the drawing to see a stone fabricator before deciding.

I agree with Pllog about a variety of wood color, if you don't like painted cabinet. However think twice about walnut. I have walnut vanity in my bathroom & I love its color. Rich & classy but it may make your kitchen darker & smaller, especially when you have a lot of pantry. In addition,I don't know where you live but here, in CA, walnut is more expensive than other wood.

It's just my opinion from my experience with remodeling my kitchen. I always think about functionality first & then the look. I like flow & clean look. Ask yourself what you like & need. Sometime we have to compromise...Good luck

Thanks all for replies and great suggestions. plllog - we were also concerned about the distance between stove and fridge but, as you observed, it seems like that location is the lesser of all evils (and requires the least rewiring too). Picking and choosing what to compromises on is one of the hardest parts of this whole kitchen reno business, isn't it?