maple is usually cheaper and has less variation - soumds like what you want.

Maple is harder to dent, but cherry is tough enough for normal wear and tear.

I think you just need to look at sample doors in the color and woods and see what strikes your fancy more.

Go to a couple of different stores and see if they have the color/stain you are looking for. If not, see if they can order you the stain in both the cherry and maple in the 15 inch drawer - should only be around $40-50 each and bring it home to see what you like better. We got KM Ginger Glaze in Cherry but I wanted the darker cabinet. We found that Maple was only slightly cheaper - some difference but not a huge difference.

I think in terms of performance both maple and cherry are pretty much equal - as long as the cabinets are made well. They do give different looks and then it's a matter of personal preference.

When we started planning our kitchen I wanted light colored cabinets. Maple fits the bill but has a very plain grain (unless you go for something like quarter cut maple which is gorgeous and VERY expensive). DH wanted a nice wood with an interesting grain. Cherry would give that, especially if you go for solid wood. In the end we compromised: our cabinets are cherry veneer in a natural finish with flat doors, only the frames for some cabinet doors but is a bit darker. It gives us a contemporary look but still with a very natural and warm feel to it.

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We got both...natural unstained cherry cabinets and natural unstained maple floors. The two woods go well together.

I second what an earlier poster said about sapwood...the cheaper brands will try to sneak a higher percentage of sapwood in, as it's less expensive. But that's the wood that gives you all sorts of different tones. If you go more with heartwood, it's very even in tone, especially after a year when the wood darkens to it's ultimate color.

Maple also darkens somewhat...it turns slightly yellower. I notice a big difference where the area carpets are laid...underneath them is the whiter original maple.

Our cherry cabinets are all heartwood, so they look pretty even and consistent without any stain.

Beatrix, I love your kitchen. We were originally getting birch because it was the least expensive in our custom cabs - but then I saw the cherry and there was no comparison. Happily,there was a big promotion and we got the cherry that week for almost the same money. The grain is so beautiful that we are doing it in natural.