Thanks, everyone, for so many more very helpful suggestions and insights! Kren, thank you for all your suggestions, you've convinced me that it makes most sense to try to preserve the kitchen's current simple look. The houses's architect did make furnishings; some of these were shown at a display that I unfortunately missed; in photos, though, the furniture appeared a bit extreme. A wooden chair, for example, had a zig-zag support structure in place of legs. The emphasis seemed to be on douglas fir and redwood, as materials. Anyway, we're not going to be purchasing furniture any time soon, but your ideas sounded great! Mlchoisser, we had considered refacing the cabs a while back. Many of the cabinet interiors were okay; but some of the drawers have taken a beating over the years. The thing is, though, we can't reface because we're also planning to push one wall back, so its cabs will be demolished. The other issue would be matching new materials with the current oak cabs. (which raises a new issue, just realized: there is oak paneling throughout the living room, very visible from the kitchen) Buehl, the dynasty doors are excellent, i agree! And the door style you selected is so great! It's just that there's something about schuler's very matte look that grabs me. There's probably no difference in the finishes, in reality, but I don't dare start looking at dynasty doors again! Laurie, your cabinets are beautiful! It's such a relief to hear of your very positive experience! Daki, this weekend I'll upload some photos. It's encouraging to hear you say rustic and mid century modern can be combined. Bluekite, thank you for posting that link! That's very helpful!

Also a few things. 12 cabinets total. molding included, handles not. the AWM was the other way around but I agree id prefer to get moldings and pick my own handles that are probably not terribly expensive knowing I like a plain simple look. KM is not frameless, but im ok with that, i think framed is probably sturdier anyway but I dont have any big openings. lowers have roll-outs on both (left and right side of a door base cabinet). pantry has roll-outs on the bottom 3/4 shelves. the other base cabinet is a trash pullout. side of the stove is a 9 inch plain for cookie sheets. uppers are corners, above micro and fridge. kitchens is like 10x11 ish....give or take. Agree the biscotti is to creamy and dirty looking, probably going with canvas. Floors are going to be darker wood, something to pull out the cocoa glaze, i think im really digging that floor/cabinet contrast. Counter tops, granite for sure. Im still struggling with that too. Either dark (maybe even black-ish or something with some blue? kinda weird I know but I have something in my head) or gray. I know its alot of color, but Ive seen examples of dark wood/light cabinets/grayish counter tops....opinions?

HI We have 20yr old Kit cabinets --light oak -which have turned very yellow because of the many windows and light we have in the kitchen. They were high end at the time and still are in great shape --BUT I am tired -oh so tired -of the oak. Now before you 'Oak" people gasp at this statement --we do loooove oak--we have very beautiful & classy American & Canadian over 100yr old antiques-fireplace-furniture,etc that are white rift/quartersawn oak -and I swear I will NEVER give them up -until a retirement home is a necessity ! But I am set on Maple cupboards-so I have figured it out this way . Our floors are going to be a darker rift/ quartersawn oak-walnut stain-- (company is www.coswick.com) -and the cabinets will either be a maple white or a maple dark-so there will be no grains showing on the cabinets . I will NOT have the hardwood in the kitchen so I think it should be okay. In the meantime we will remove the older oak-take the doors to a 'stripper" --try to get then back to their original light brown natural color-not yellow. We will put then in our kitchen on the lower level-be a shame not to save them ! I hear that these days a UV 'something' is put in the stain so yellowing slows down ! Am I being realistic thinking that the oak floor and maple cupboards will look okay?? --the family room is just a few feet from the kit cab's . If the cab's are dark we will make sure the shade is something that matches the hardwood . We have yet to decide what kind of flooring will go in the kitchen . I would like to here some different opinions besides my own -this renovating is very frustrating & expensive so we want to make good choices!!! Thanks from Alberta,Canada!

Veneer is wonderful on doors. It's a smidge more fragile and harder to refinish, though. Veneer CAN chip on edges of heavily used doors if you're hard on things. For this reason I ended up going with solid walnut. We're rough on things. I have enough veneered furniture to know what we needed. BUT!! Veneer is BETTER on larger doors because it is put on plywood (or furniture board/MDF?) that is more stable and less likely to warp. And you can get very awesome effects with veneer. Most cabinet makers are happy to work with veneers and veneer is not indicative of a lower quality product at all. It can be quite the art! I do have one very large wide door that is slightly warped. I should have had that one veneered and my cabinetmaker should have caught that and told me so!