For a modern look, I'd use the first countertop choice. The cabs could be dark espresso stained or painted a dark charcoal gloss color. HTH!

If you go with Antique Pearl I think a espresso stained oak would be great - it should look good with the black appliances as well. Also oak should be good on the budget and durable for a rental though a dark stain may be less forgiving than a lighter one for a rental.

Here is a link that might be useful: an example

How big are your slabs? Do you have enough of any one to do the whole kitchen, or do you have to mix them?

Also, from pictures it seems the cabinet boxes are in good shape - just wondering, since this is a rental, why are you going with custom cabinets? Why not just get new doors/reface?

Hey Everyone, thanks for the input!

ajsmama - Good question. Yes, I do have enough of each slab to do the whole kitchen I have on the drawing.

If you look at the photo and the drawing you will see that none of the existing cabinets will fit anywhere on the new design. The existing cabinets are all made out of brazilian cherry - I mean solid pieces of 3/4 hard wood. Pretty crazy, I know, they were there when the previous owner remodeled the kitchen.

The reason I am even doing a remodel is because the kitchen is really tiny and the the space is not used very well. It has a 11 cu. ft. fridge and no oven at all. Instead of a range it has a convection MW and a cooktop. It also has a full size dishwasher??? It looks like the previous ownner sacrificed a stove for a dishwasher. Just plain wacky if you ask me.

The cabinets match the brazillian cherry countertop on the pass through. It is too bad there is not any room for a full size fridge and stove, cause I would just leave it like it is. I am going to scavenge them to make my self some nice book shelves or something. I will just sand and refinish the wood passsthrough, in case you were wondering.

I am having a custom cabinet shop make the cabinet doors and drawer fronts. I am going to make the boxes and toe kicks myself and am supplying all of the hardware. This is going to save a bunch of money and I will still be getting new cabinets for less than I could get them from a big box home improvement store. The cabinet shop is going to make the fronts and doors out of poplar and just stain it a dark color. It will look like a cherry or similar hardwood.

I like the white one. Okay, I *love* the white one. If I had that slab, I'd do a very light color cab - maple with a pale golden stain, and chrome modern-style pulls. And white floor tile. The palette would be white/pale/gray/golden. Yummy. Ooohh... and a glass tile backsplash that is just every so slightly gray.

I couple of things I want to add...

The antique pearl is actually much more muted than shown on the sample above. It isn't as bright. It has a slightly yellowish tint that is not discernable on the image. That is why I don't really love it.

I have found a photo of how the Corona Brown might look with reddish brown cabinets. I am surprised that it looks so good and clean and modern. What do you guys think?

{{!gwi}}

I don't love the Corona Brown with the reddish cabinets (though I love it in general - I've seen it in person, and it's really nice). I'd like it with a very light color cabinet - probably a light maple.

Of the other two, I guess I'm going against the grain here, but I like the Cappuccino - a lot. I like the specs of color in it - much more interesting to me than the plainer one. And I think those specs of color would tie in with a reddish cabinet in a more interesting way.

Btw, I have Zodiaq myself. I got Smokey Topaz, which is closer to the Corona Brown, but I've seen samples of all of these colors. I can't believe what you paid for this!!! It's going to be a really nice kitchen. (Hey, and even tinier than mine! ;-))

I vote for the Cappuccino too. Glad you have another use for the cabinet boxes. I didn't realize the photos showed the *whole* kitchen!

I think backsplash choice will greatly impact the overall look of the kitchen. If you go with backpainted glass like in the photo you posted; it will work with either of your choices. Clean simple lines, no clutter, streamlined lighting, straightforward door style... you'll have a winner!