I might be in the minority, but I like partial overlay more than full. The question is do YOU like it? You have to live with it.
This is the kitchen in my old house, and although I suppose it's dated I still like it:

And this is the new house, light-stained cherry partial overlay:

What kind of wood? What style of drawer fronts and doors? What will you use for the countertops? All of those things might influence my opinion for answers to your questions/concerns. For example, honey color maple will give quite a different effect than honey colored plain-sliced oak. Even rift or quartersawn oak would give a different impression than the plain-sliced oak.

Not that it probably matters, but in case you'll want to know, Amendoim is a different species of wood from Jatoba (Brazilian Cherry). Both are hard, richly colored, and reddish, though. I think Amendoim has a more interesting grain pattern. So pretty!

Here is a link that might be useful: Amendoim info I found

There's nothing structurally wrong with partial overlay, but yes, it is "dated" -- and if that is your concern, then I'd say your concern is valid. And you're also correct that a honey tone is not currently fashionable, so combining the two (partial overlay and honey tone) could lead to a kitchen that looks like it's from the 1980's. That said, if it's a look you like that works for you and your home, go for it. It's been out of fashion long enough that the '80's vibe probably won't be overwhelming, and besides, they'll no doubt be back in style at some point in the future anyway.

So why won't your cabinetmaker do full overlay if full overlay is what you want?

Yes, partial overlay cabinets are VERY dated. It is suitable for an older style home, if that is what you are intending to accomplish, and what you like, though. And, honey wood can be dated, but it depends on the context. Honey maple slab doors that are full overlay will always be contemporary, and that's never a "dated" look, just an "individual" look.

But, I do have to say that any cabinetmaker who "wouldn't" do full overlay doors "wouldn't" be my cabinet maker! It's your money, and there is zero point in spending that hard earned money on anything but what you want!

I chose partial overlay - I like the look and I generally tend to choose things that are not what everyone else has. I don't think partial overlay alone would make your kitchen dated and even if you pick what is currently popular it too will be dated at some point - maybe sooner than you expect. I guess you need to weigh all the pros and cons along with what you really like best. Here's my partial overlay.

{{!gwi}}

idrives64
I just posted about cherry cabinets. I like the look of your "light cherry" cabinets. Can you tell me what stain you used? Do you notice any splotchiness? Your kitchen looks beautiful!

Rather than dated partial overlay can offer a very charming retro feel in the right kitchen. I think both the kitchens pictured above look great but if I was going with partial overlay I would definitely lean towards a cottagey aesthetic and white appliances.

I agree that a lighter wood & black appliances can look dated however if you should choose dark wood stain, then please do not be afraid of choosing to go with black appliances.

It is not something you see very often as it is not the norm, and I admit it isn't everyone's cup of tea, however I have just installed very dark cabinets with all black appliances and I have to say it looks amazing. The whole package looks classic & timeless.

My room is long and relatively narrow; I did not want SS as I did not want the appliances to POP, and the dark with black combo melds the two elements very well.

The reflective surfaces of many of the new black appliances tend to pick up light of windows, lighting fixtures & surrounding surfaces so they definitely do not look like big black holes. My 36" CD FD fridge does not look like a monstrosity. It melts into the framework. I love it!

My countertop on perimeter & island is light. My floor is white with walnut glaze porcelain, which prevents it from looking too stark, however I could have chosen a mid tone wood for the floor and I believe it would have looked equally wonderful.

Can you tell I'm just a tad pleased with the choices I made. :)

Wow thanks for all the responses! I think both of the above kitchens are very nice, and katienic, you know I already love yours! You bring up a good point about what pops. If you don't want your appliances to pop, then what you did makes sense.
I'm a counter top or backsplash person, and that is what I want to pop. We're considering Cambria Quartz in Victoria. Our sample is not as golden as the link below shows on their website. It's sort of busy, so if we choose this I probably will have a painted backsplash, or very plain tile. I am planning a stainless panel behind the stove like the above picture. And depending on how dark we go with the stain, we might just choose a creamy off white counter in the quartz.

rhome, yes it's Amendoim, not cherry :). We chose pecan wood, and I do need to ask if that can be stained darker. If not, I'll go with a dyed maple perhaps. I think cherry is going to be out of my price range.

sweeby, he gave me some reasons he won't do it, most having to do with technical things like the door hardware having to attach to the stiles. But I thought that concealed hinges had to go in that way anyway. We are going to see a kitchen he did on Monday evening, and I plan to take some pictures, so I'll post them. This kitchen was done in pecan wood as well.
I'm thinking maybe if I just go darker on the wood that might be okay. Even 1" overlay would be better than 1/2". I'll ask him more on Monday after I see his work.
He told me in his view what dates my kitchen are these three things:
1. uppers don't go to the ceiling (but they can't due to cathedral ceilings, and I don't want them to anyway - DH and I collect old things we put up there).
2. the look of the doors (he's right)
3. my lowers are not drawer bases
So maybe if we can compromise with 1" overlay, and we go darker, having the drawer bases will be a good look.

Either way, I'm leaving now to go look at a new kitchen place that started business in New Orleans and have expanded to Baton Rouge. I called and the manager said their cabinets are all wood, and are made to their specs, but I don't know who makes them. He also said they do granite, and no one can beat their prices on cabinetry or the granite. Hmmm, I'll have to see. I'm going to ask if they're using China plywood; my cabinet maker warned me about that.

Here is a link that might be useful: Victoria quartz

If you are settling because your cabinet maker will not do full overlay then find someone else. Half overlay is the easiest style to construct. I couldn't imagine doing a new kitchen and going with something that is already dated. I wouldn't order any cabinets until I met with some more cabinet makers and possibly get some bids from a few cabinet lines. I think your gut is telling you that even though you like this guy and are impressed with the quality of his work, he doesn't have a product you want. Good luck. The biggest mistake you can make is not doing what you ultimately want. If you have to talk yourself into liking/wanting something, you don't want it that bad.

You are so right michellemarie. I was thinking this morning that he's probably found his comfort zone. He can make this type in X amount of time, and make the profit he wants, while staying just under what a Kraftmaid with plywood ends would cost.
He wouldn't do my 5 pc drawer fronts either. I had a previous post about that. The only thing we all agree on is raised panel - it's what DH wants and I'm fine with that. He can do tenon and mortar and he's happy with that. He brought a shaker door sample and said if I'd chosen that, he would have talked me out of it.

He's also insisting that I go with the honey tone. At first I could understand that since we weren't changing out the rest of the wood work. But now that we ARE, why keep the same old tone? Could it be that he ordered a whole bunch of that stain and needs to use it?
Most people charge extra, including cabinet manufacturers, for all drawer bases, and I'm getting that with him at a reasonable price.
I do not want on site finishing. Even my very picky GC was super impressed with this guy's finish work. So, that's why I've been trying to compromise. He's one of two in town who do the finishing themselves.
I just don't want a finishing that screams shiny polyurethane because they did it on site. We have a huge development coming up behind us, and it's getting extremely dusty around here. That, and as sticky hot as it is in the summer, I'm worried about smudges cause it'll take forever to dry.
So, no telling what's going to wind up happening. We were so unimpressed with the Mid-Continent cabinets we saw, DH is now very leery of manufactured cabinets, period!

Wow...I can understand wanting to dictate a construction method that he feels he knows and can do well, but he's also choosing your color? Not acceptable. And now you add that he's not doing the style you want either. There is NO reason for his insistence on choosing your color scheme, and you shouldn't have to get a style that isn't what you want. This isn't compromise, it's letting someone else say what you should have and what you'll pay for. You are the one who should be happy when it's complete, because when you pay money it should be for your vision, not that of a cabinetmaker who you'll never see again. I hope you find someone else you can trust.

hmmm, makes me wonder too if he is pushing you for what is easiest for him. My Cabinet Maker happened to mention the other day that his next job (light oak)was going to be an easy one in comparison to mine. It took him 4 applications of the dark stain on the maple to achieve the even coverage.

Find a cabinet maker who will fulfill your vision. You deserve to love your kitchen!

Okay - this is no longer about partial overlay or honey toned. It's about a cabinet maker who seems to have a one size fits all way of doing business. By all means do what others have said - find a new cabinet maker so you can consider all your options.

Thanks, all. I went to this newly opened store which brags of all wood cabinets. Wasn't impressed at all. They just didn't seem solid.
Then I went to visit another cabinet shop - I found a couple of custom shops that I didn't know about - seems this section of town houses a few. This guy says he'll do whatever I want. He showed me some samples and I was impressed. He doesn't do his own finishing, but the wood was so smooth and pretty....

Does anyone know if an onsite type finishing will affect the way the cabinets' finish comes out?

Ask the cabinetmaker who he uses to do the staining/painting. A lot of cabinetmakers have someone they can send the finished product to that will then stain or paint. My project is a huge addition to my house which involved many extra rooms. For my kitchen I ordered Crystal Cabinets. As these are quite expensive I knew I couldn't afford to have them do my new laundry room cabinets or master bath vanity. I had the guy who originally did my cabinets in my house make these two rooms for me. He only builds them. I then had the laundry room cabinets sent to another shop to have them stained. I just got bids before I started. My vanity is at my house and I will have it enameled on site when my trimwork is done. Sometimes you just need to use more than one person to get the job done. Just keep track of who does what and the estimates you have gotten so you can track the final cost. Good luck and it will all come together even if it takes longer than you want. Better to have it done the way you want. Keep posting your progress.