Whoa!!! I think you need to come up with an overall vision of how you'd your finished kitchen to appear. For your questions there is more than one "right" answer but the different choices will add a slightly different tone to the whole room. If you let others pick the components by consensus, you could end up with mix that doesn't work together as well as if you started with "the vision" and stuck to it. And you certainly don't want to spend all that money just to end up with a kitchen based on someone else's taste.

Wouldn't go dark on the floor - it will show everything so stay with what you have.

I think a really simple shaker on the lowers might be best - different door style = different finish. I think I would do them the same wood and same tone as the floor - or alternately a strong distresed\heirloom paint finish

I'm not a fan of no window dressing - that room deserves a little fabric hit - but whatever it is shouldn't cover the wood work - something that fits in the window - what about treating it as one window - so a full panel on the right of the right window an the left of the left window in a nice vintage pattern. Cafe curtain would work or maybe box pleat valances on each side and then you could have roller shades for privacy

Love the room - great woodwork and those uppes are fantastic. Keep it simple and clean don't get fussy.

angle your bump out

Cupboard over the stove looks odd (missing bottom will do that) - microhood in that kitchen seems a shame - no place to vent it anyway maybe replace the bottom shelf and set a countertop microwave on the shelf. Whether now or later I think it's a goner so I would focus on what will work best for you within your current budget.

Love your house, trust yourself - you'll know the right answers when you see it. Good luck.

theresse, you're so lucky to have that much original cabinetry in your kitchen. If it were me, I'd let what is original be "the star", and make all of my decisions based on that. Because it's a small kitchen, I'd try to keep elements simple and non-competing.

I agree with caryscott's suggestion of a simple shaker door on the lowers. Make the rails and stiles the same width as they are on the doors on the upper cabinets. I'd paint all of the cabinets the same color, but if you want a different color for the lower cabinets, what about something neutral like taupe or gray?

For lighting, I think schoolhouse style fixtures would look fabulous -- semi-flush mount in the center of the room, a pendant over the sink. Two sources for good reproduction lighting are Rejuvenation and Schoolhouse Electric. I think I'd lose the potrack.

I'm not crazy about over-the-range microwaves for lots of reasons. It's a bad height for the microwave, they don't perform well as a vent, and mostly they give really really bad light for above your stovetop. Is there anywhere else you can put your microwave?

Window treatments -- what about a simple cafe curtain on the lower half of your windows? That way you could slide them out of the way when you don't need the privacy, and you'd get unfiltered light from the top half of the window at all times. Rejuvenation has very nice (but expensive) cafe rods and clip rings. We used them in our bathrooms and have been really pleased.

I'd keep the floors the same color as the rest of the house.

Caryscott's last line in her post is perfect.

You need an inspiration pic, a glass (or two!) of wine, and an in person consultation from a designer. Most all of your questions are a personal preference issues coupled with the consequences of those personal preferences. If you choose A, then obviously X won't work with that, etc. You have way too many questions to be at the stage you are in! These should have been settled before demolition, as most of your products should have been ordered and on hand before the demolition. Now you're in a rush to decide and it's making you feel nervous and unsure of your choices, especially when faced with so many choices.

STOP. Slow down. Get some in person help. And don't try to rush things just to be able to say you made a decision. A renovation is always a long drawn out process, and being anxious about everything won't help you deal with it any better.

Hi Everyone and thank you so much!! When I get back from an errand I'll address your individual responses! I love the ideas you've shared (e.g. simple shaker - and to make the trim width match those of the uppers')! For now though, I feel the need to clarify:

I realize that because I bombarded you w/ so many questions, it appears I'm freaking out or too indecisive...but if I'd asked only one question, then waited a while then asked another and so on, you'd probably think I was fine - haha! ;)

Meanwhile - with the exception of the cabinetry issues - there is NO real rush on most of this. Yes we don't have a counter/sink but he was going to re-use the old, non-original doors until yesterday when I decided I'm willing to pay more to have them be flush-mounted like the upper ones. He'll figure out the final dimensions e.g. degree of angle of bump-out on Tuesday, and everything else necessary is already waiting to go besides the counter which can be ordered on Tuesday - and will take a week.

So anyway, I'm actually not anxiety-ridden, just excited. And I ask you people not because I can't figure it out (I have ideas and lots of magazines) but because I've found more GREAT and unexpected advice on this forum than anywhere else. Everyone here is very experienced (at least in their research after having seen so much!), and focused here, and sometimes it's more fun and easier to give others advice, you know? I know I love to!

I disagree that the options are all over the place by the way. I don't think one decision leads to another and can throw things off because most of the kitchen's original already and I'm making this a relatively period kitchen and there are only so many choices, most of which won't clash with others. E.g. a schoolhouse or other period light will go w/ wood floors of any color, will go with cafe curtains or pull-down shades, will go w/ the original cabinets. I just want to know if you have specific favorites or a quick "vision pop" like "flush light in center and pendant at window" or "...with bright-colored shades" or "angle the bump-out instead of square" or "don't put a microwave there."

If I just *HAVE* to narrow down my questions ;) the most necessary ones are w/ regard to the lower cabinets (how not to compete w/ the uppers and still have something appropriate) and then the general idea of what the bump-out should look like (angled or straight edges, with or without those decorative side pillars)...maybe whether I should add feet? I feel like the cut-off upper cabinet above the stove will just work itself out by default but advice would still be nice. The rest are all just fun details that can be added at the end and are simply fun to get advice on.

Wow - I sure know how to rant & ramble! Off I go...will get back to you soon, thanks again!

Hi Theresse,

Here are your photos so others can chime in.

If this were my kitchen, I would....

Cabinet doors:
I would keep what I have and turn the uppers to glass
doors. Everything stays white. I would keep it consistent.
The space does not seem huge and white would not
break up the flow of the room.

Lighting:
school house lights. Single pendant above sink.

Counter Bump out:
I would put in a panel to create a built in Dishwasher to
match the cabinetry. The Sink area would have a bump out
like this.
(Remember I am pretending this is my space to play with)

Above range microwave? Shelf?
Skip it. Invest in a hood from craig's list or ebay
or even a used one that you can repaint. Get a decent
hood and later when you can afford a range put it under.
With all the work you are doing to the cabinets it is worth
it NOW to invest in a good hood. You won't regret it.
Even a built in wood hood will be better than mw.
If you need a mw get one that you can store in a cabinet.
Putting in a shelf is a band aid for what you really want
to do. Spend the money and do it right the first time.

Window coverings:
Make your curtains. Save money to use on the above hood.
And as for wood floors. Save money and keep as is and later
you can redo them. I love dark dark wood floors with
white cabs. Mine are easier to keep clean than the gold
color they used to be. No regrets on dark. But save your
money spend it on a hood and glass uppers. Those will be
a long term investment and floors can be improved later
along with details like curtains.

Paint:
Grasshopper Benjamin Moore Aura

So much to think about and play with you can even
go with a complete turn around and paint everything
a gray color.
Good luck,
~boxerpups

If I could not have white glass uppers made I might
consider a wood cabinet for the above like this image
below.

Oh!!! Those old upper cabinets are to die for! I would take them in a heartbeat! I'd even take just the doors. I'll come and get them. How far are you from Iowa? Save that one cut up door, too. Shaker would work fine with the ones you have. Did you want to stay with a period look? I'd paint the new ones to match the old ones. And if you like the existing hardware, I'd try to keep with that style.

I know you can buy some etching creme, I almost did for my back door window. In fact, I might still do it some day. In the meantime, without destroying the window or glass, the plastic diffuser panels sold for overhead flourscent lights will work inside the window frame. I've done that in a bathroom. I used it on the bottom and left the top glass open. It won't interfere with opening or closing the window. And when you're tired of it, take it out. I don't know what style you want to end up with but I see 1950 ruffled cherry or apple curtains there.

I could go nuts "fixing" your kitchen but it's YOUR kitchen;-)

Question #1 - Awesome cabinets!! Simple inset shakers on the bottom in white would be best. Skip the wainscot panels though - I love them, but I dont think it would look right with your uppers - too busy. I'd match the hinge and hardware color definitely.. round knobs but maybe a hidden hinge, or less showy exposed hinge.

pinch_me - I'm in Iowa too!

Floors - you could go either way. I think I'd prefer them darker - they would look really nice with the white and stainless steel. But if you decided to keep them to their similar shade it would still look good - any repairs and differences in color would just add their charm!

If you want to change some of your uppers could you repurpose the doors for the lower cabs? Even if you wanted drawers, could you turn them and use them as drawer fronts? LOVE those upper cabs!

I'm groovin' on the darker floor idea in your setting.

"how not to compete w/ the uppers and still have something appropriate"

put drawers in the lowers wherever possible. they did use drawers way back when...

What is behind that door where the range and refridge are? It seems to me, if you could, I would move that doorway and get more useable space from that corner somehow.

If it was me.....
Your kitchen is really a wonderful space--I think lower cabinets in shaker with a dark soapstone counter. Lower cabinets with black bin pulls as handles. I would get rid of the pot holder and change the light. I do agree that the schoolhouse pendants would be so nice. Satin nickel or chrome would add some bling to your light/dark room.

I like the color of your floors--I wouldn't change that. The darker floors are SUPER high maintenance, just so you know. Everything shows--you always feel like you should be sweeping. I have a friend with dark walnut and she is totally regretting it.

I think Boxer's suggestion to bump out the lower near the sink is a great idea.

Fun fun, your kitchen has fab bones!!