Thank you, thank you for so many thoughtful posts. This is an international move for us, so I have been travelling to coordinate everything involved - I only had 2 weeks to find something and this house ticks a lot of boxes for us, so I will work with it. I completely agree with many of you on working with what is there and with the Scandi modern look - as I said in my first post "will try to go with a mix of nature (lots of wood), clean lines, bright colors (fern green, orange, yellow, turquoise), and some funky accents". My mom is Danish and I have inherited Danish modern dining table & chairs, buffet, turquoise pottery, floor lamp, etc. so that is our style in general. Our stuff is pretty modern, but not industrial, more nature-oriented mixed with lots of ethnic art and crafts bought on our travels. I'm definitely not trying to recreate a period-perfect kitchen or house - as palimpsest accurately guessed, this is a split entry colonial revival ranch so I'm really not sure there is any period-perfect style anyway. But we do like to respect the period features of our homes (most recently an 1882 Victorian and a 1910 Tudor revival, both 4 stories so we are really looking forward to one main level!) (And I really enjoyed reading all the commentary here on period issues.) Nonetheless, Tuscan-looking or even American traditional just isn't us, or the rest of the house, ergo my desire to create a feel in kitchen more in keeping generally with our eclectic stuff and the period of the house. Even though they are not my taste, there is no way I could take down almost new solid maple (cherry-stained) cabinets, as much as I might love IKEA. Anyone have any experience stripping stain off cabinets like these? I "might" think about that as I would like them better in a lighter wood tone, of course even better with a slab front but too many cabinets to contemplate that. I like the suggestion to take down and store the uppers next to the range and do a big tiled backsplash with a big stainless range hood. I like that idea aesthetically and practically since microwave vents are never powerful enough and uppers near a stovetop always wind up sticky and greasy. Will definitely look for a sleek stainless pull, maybe with a curve. I wonder if it possible to somehow cut off the mullions from the glass-fronted ones?? For the floors, I have loved the look and feel of cork previously so I'm inclined to go with that - it needs something less busy to minimize the busy-ness of the cabinet fronts. I don't know what to do for the counters? Formica or metal-trimmed aren't what I was contemplating. I think stone or tile will look too "Tuscan"/90s - whatever you want to call it - with the cherry cabinets. Already too much wood cabinet for butcher block. That leaves concrete, stainless or that manufactured quartz that looks quite uniform. Any thoughts? Thank you for all the links - I loved some of the tile patterns, but am concerned about busy-ness. I haven't had a chance to look at all the lighting links - thinking something clean lined, Scandi looking, not space-age. I'm also a bit stuck on backsplash and paint color. I love green and will be using it elsewhere in the house, but I have too many memories of dark green with cherry in 90s kitchens. Maybe another shade? I do love yellow and orange, which again will show up elsewhere in the house alot. I guess I am just really hung up on that cherry and what goes with it...

I'm in the process of doing this very thing. Doing Bridgewood Skandia (full overlay)cabs in maple with wheat finish...black counter of some nature (granite? Quartz? Still to be determined) and, goddess help me, stainless appliances. The Husband likes the look of ss and he so seldom has an opinion and when he does, I usually let him have his way. (Unless I'm totally opposed.) My sister SWEARS that there's a new stainless finish that isn't a fingerprint nightmare. I hope she's correct. Here are the tiles we are leaning toward for the backsplash...(tiny samples...I've ordered larger ones but they've not arrived yet): From Tile samples So far I'm leaning to the micro-mosaic on the left. Colors are JUST what I'm looking for. I set everything on The Dreaded Black Shelves so that I could get a feel for how the tiles would work with a black counter. Propped my cabinet sample above...and that is what I have for a "style board" to date. Floor will be marmoleum...I've included a link to my pinterest board for my kitchen. I've found pinterest to be a great way to add/edit ideas. Here is a link that might be useful: mjsee's kitchen pinterest board

I would also remove the small bookcase on the wall and put a colorful large vertical piece of art that you love on that wall. if there is room, possibly add an accent chair in that corner with the floor lamp. the lamp needs a companion in that corner and possibly a chair, again if there is room

it's a mixture of lava rock and another type of rock. I'd be more of a fan if it was really tall (and I lived in the mountains) Or, was this cool dark color. (the copper hood and wood slat bench make the space) BTW, you could easily make it look like this. Romabio Masonry lime tinted a brown/black, and a very dark mortar for the joints. (which you could also 'paint') I still like the mortar wash option But, if you want to keep it as is, here's how to spruce up the stone. (Because right now, it's just not nice looking) Clean it w/a good stone cleaner. redo the mortar joints (repipe it ) and then apply an enhancing sealer to the stone. you should get pretty close to this look Looks better w/the appropriate lighting and the wood ceiling. The rock itself isn't anything to leave earth for. it's not some iconic mid century design. It's just something done in the 60's. if you like it great. But if you want to pay homage to more of a mid century look, there are better options. Do a roman brick like mentioned above, or even a glazed brick If it was mine, I'd do something darker like this (stacked brick) Bring in the right design, and this is gorgeous. more of a modern look w/3D tiles and black surround try a basalt or slate tile (I think the darker ones look so much nicer than lava rock) redoing it w/something a bit more linear: And, if you remove the stone, you can restyle it anyway you want. Here are the thinner bricks in a matte black w/a vertical paneling above the natural wood mantle. imagine it w/o your popcorn and the eyeball light and vertical blinds! so much better