Well, I'm not a fan of mixing the two door styles, these particular door styles, that is. I just don't think they make sense together.

I'm also concerned the two different finishes are not actually different enough -- I think the wood needs to be a deeper tone (darker stain / glaze, something -- similar to the islands in both photos). I'm concerned they're too similar in (color) value and will just read as sloppy (as in sloppy design), instead of a thoughtful, intentional design choice.

They're both attractive doors -- what is the style of your house, of the trim you'll be using throughout? That could help to inform your door choice.

I like the Sierra Vista but really they're both lovely and you can't go wrong. with either choice. Keep looking at a ton of kitchens (I'm sure you've looked at the FKB here to get ideas). Eventually you'll find yourself drawn to either the white/cream kitchens or to the darker wood tones. My choice of cream w/glaze was eventually decided upon due to no kitchen window.

rosalita - We dont have a kitchen window either. Thats why Im trying to go light.

rmkitchen - We are building the Walnut Creek from Don Gardner. I would say we are doing a mix of craftsman and farmhouse style maybe. The trim is going to be white, possibly fluted with rosettes, havent decided.

We could go with a darker contrast color. Here are some other choices...

Sierra Vista Cherry finishes...

Sierra Vista Maple finishes...

Washington finishes (1st two cherry, last maple)

Well, I'm not familiar with Don Gardner or his Walnut Creek plan ... but, based on the farmhouse-cum-craftsman description, I would go with the Washington door style -- I just think it will beautifully marry those two styles (farmhouse / craftsman).

Of those Washington finishes you pictured, I LOVE the middle one (the lighter cherry). Oh now wait a minute: I just reread your initial post and read that the Washington door doesn't come in a white finish. That's crazy! Shoot ....

Okay, so I've now been sitting here for a few minutes, trying to picture the painted Sierra Vista with the (dark) stained Washington ... but then I'm concerned the Washington will read as too modern. Hmm.

I'm not a photoshopping guru (like some are here), but wouldn't it be great if we could get the Washington door (in a darker stain) photoshopped into the picture with the painted Sierra Vista cabinets, just to see.

What's your instinct telling you?

rmkitchen - yeah, thats why I was trying to put the Sierra Vista and Washington together. I wouldnt say the Washington is modern. Its more of a shaker style, which says craftsman to me. I have no clue how to photoshop, but that would be nice!

Or I could just do 2 Sierra Vista's (waaah) or scrap the white and do 2 Washington's (waaah). OR I could spend more money I dont have and go through a different cabinet company LOL.

So you're thinking these two?

Yes (I am thinking those two), and I'm glad you put the two photos together because I think they look pretty good!

I guess why I was thinking the Washington in a dark stain might look modern is just if it were really dark and in my mind's eye I kinda erased the Shaker features and the bead detail. You have two little children -- you understand at the end of the day the mind is tired!

I really like the darker Washington door, too, but thought you were leaning more toward the lighter stains: that's why I thought the middle picture was a good meeting point.

What do you think? How do you think they look together?

I'm going to go reread your post about your layout to see where these styles would go. See you soon!

I too really like the medium Washington Cabinet. I think it is very classic looking and would be very easy to live with and nice to decorate around. imo, It is a very pretty door style and if it keeps you within your budget all the better. There is nothing cheap looking about it. I am not as keen on the lighter colored ones in your first post... not sure why, but to my eye, they don't have the same richness as the Washington Cherry.

good luck.

Here is (I think) a rough draft of my final layout ;)

We had a very small window in our last house. When we moved in it had medium cherry cabinets and it was so dark in there. It also had a medium green tile floor. I had to have all the lights on even in broad daylight to stand being in there. When we remodeled it, we went with painted cabinets (it was Kraftmaid Vanilla Bean Glaze) and tour up the tile and put down light oak floors. None of us could believe how bright it made the kitchen. You would have thought we opened the wall and put in a big window. It made such a difference.

If you only have one window, go light. Pick either the maple or the painted. The Washington and the Sierra are both lovely, but totally different styles. Personally, I can't see those 2 styles mixing. But I don't think you can go wrong with either one.

pluckymama - I probably need to go white for sure on most of the cabinets then. Its an open floor plan house, but the nearest window is 12 feet away.

You sure I cant put Washington in the island, cooktop base & hood, and maybe the base cabinets of the shallow storage on the south wall?

If you like the Washington the best, why don't you do the natural maple on the perimeter and the mocha maple on the island. I don't think the natural maple will darken your kitchen. But to mix 2 totally different styles.....I wouldn't.

You could probably mix Capistrano or Yellowstone with Washington as the lines are similar, but the Sierra has a raised panel with extra beading. Just wouldn't go.

You could do the Sierra for the perimeter in the painted and then do the island in the stained maple as well.

They look like nice quality cabinets. Personally, I'd stay with Timberlake and I think you'll end up with a really beautiful kitchen in the end that is bright even without the window.

Have you seen tinker_2006's kitchen? She has cherry perimeter and a cream painted island; she also doesn't have any windows in her kitchen (although there is one in her breakfast nook). I know she was concerned about the cherry being too dark for her kitchen and had second thoughts ... until the cabinets were installed! Your idea is almost hers but in reverse: you'd have the cherry island and painted perimeter.

I actually kinda like your description of putting the Washington in your island, cooktop base and hood and then shallow south wall. How much time do you have to let this idea percolate?

I just want to reiterate (sorry for the redundancy), I really believe in my heart of hearts the natural and mocha maple finishes are too similar -- you'll lose the distinction and (I fear) it'll look like two batches, not color-matched, were installed in your kitchen.

Tomorrow I'll try and make time to look at your cabinet manufacturer's website. Until then, sleep tight!

Would you consider the Tucson door? It's a casual beadboard style and comes in both stained maple and white.

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

The picture Timberlake shows for the Washington in natural maple, shows a darker island. They look distinct from one another. You could find out what stain the island is, looks like one of the cherry's to me.

Tinker has a beautiful kitchen. You should look at it and compare your window and layout with hers. You will notice she has her kitchen lights on in the pictures. Only you know how much light you need in your kitchen. Darker cabinets w/o a natural light source will make your kitchen darker than lighter cabinets.

I agree w/rosalita's post about studying the pics in the finished kitchens blog to see what kitchens you are drawn to. Look at the lighting, whether they have a window and soon you will know what feels right for you. We can all give our input, but you have to live there, so go with your gut.

pluckymama is of course right about a few things. Ours is an interior kitchen with north-facing windows in the breakfast nook. Our kitchen is also open to our family room (which has lots of north-facing windows). It is never one of those beautifully sun-dappled spaces, and it never will be. I've no doubt come winter I'll need artificial light even during the day; now, I only need if it we're having a thunderstorm (which unfortunately we're not having enough of this summer!).

When planning our kitchen I knew it would need pure white (vice creamy) cabinets to help feel "bright" and not dull, plus to achieve the classic look I was after. I feared (and now that I've lived with it for a few months I was right) that creamy cabinets would just go blah in our kitchen and absorb all the light, giving a dingy feel. Even on a grey day our kitchen is lovely and feels good in which to work. I spent a l-o-n-g time (as both my husband and cabinetmaker will attest, and the cabinetmaker wasn't so thrilled about it!) testing colors for the cabinets, making sure I got the "right" white for me. (I did.)

That's not to say I don't still drool over others creamy kitchens (and how!), but that would not have been the right choice for my space given my requirements. I needed a bright space which made me feel good to both look at and in which to work.

As pluckymama wrote, only you will know how the light / dark will make you feel in your kitchen, and only you know how the various finishes appeal (or don't) to you. Try as hard as we might, all of us are giving opinions with our own biases (hopefully filtered with your stated wishes!).

But you did ask for our opinion and I love weighing in! Hopefully it's beneficial to you, hearing others opinions and experiences, even those which are contrary. Let us know what you're thinking.

linley - That white door on the Tuscon happens to be thermofoil, which Id rather stay away from because of the problems Ive read about peeling, etc.

The windows from our dining area (above kitchen), family room (above and right if kitchen) & great room (left of kitchen) are from the south. So I guess thats a plus. Hope Im okay going creamy and not stark white.

Love all the opinions, keep 'em coming :)

No no no, twogirls -- I was merely using my home as an example to illustrate pluckymama's point (about interior spaces potentially feeling dark or closed-in) -- pure white cabinets are not for every kitchen, not for every person. But for our kitchen (described above) and for me they are.

Sorry you couldn't see that I was trying to illustrate the point of a lighter cabinet being beneficial in an interior space. Lighter can be anyone's determination: a lighter stain; a lighter wood; a lighter paint finish .... It's not only "pure white" vs. "creamy white." It's more like "light" vs. "dark."

Okay, good luck!

Thanks rmkitchen :) I think for us and our situation, some sort of light color will be the way to go. I'll just do accents in a darker color. Unfortunately with it being a new build I have no idea how light or dark my kitchen will actually feel until after the fact. Its a guessing game at this point, but hearing others experiences is very helpful :)

twogirls, we all agonize over these decisions. I'm still trying to find the right color to paint my cabinets. I feel better knowing it took rmkitchen so long, because she ended up with a great kitchen that she loves (as do all of us who so admire her kitchen).

Both she and I are at an advantage because we can see our space and know exactly what kind of natural light we have to work with. For you, with a new build, it is more challenging. The good thing is that it sounds like you have southern exposure from your available windows and that means more natural light.

Keep posting and reading (as you will have so many more decisions to make) and at the end you will have a kitchen that you love.

Twogirls...

This response is a little off topic, but I hope it saves you some of the pain we experienced with our own version of "builder's discount". We are doing a remodel/addition and our contractor had also promised huge discounts on a line of cabinets. We discovered over a 6 week period that there was no showroom for us to actually see the cabinets and features we were buying---no means to borrow sample finishes to bring home, and no design support. In my case, my architectural plans required a certain level of customization that the cabinet company could not accommodate. We spent a LOT of time pursuing this option, only to find out it wouldn't work. My construction is now delayed because of the time we wasted on this option.

Fortunately I had gotten 4 other competitive bids on cabinets and was able to come to terms with one of those companies. I will tell you that the % discount they are quoting is off a "retail price" that nobody seems to pay. In our case, we were able to get much better quality cabinets, a beautiful design, and cabinets I absolutely love at a price we were willing to pay. The cabinet companies are tied to the construction industry, and I found most of them willing to negotiate on price in this economy.

The main questions I would ask the builder are:

-How can I actually see these cabinets (is there is showroom?)
-Can you borrow sample doors to take home to see the finishes in your home prior to choosing your finish?
-Will you receive a sample door in the finish you select?
-What design support is provided and who provides it? What you probably need here is a person who can do the layouts and provide elevations (3-D images), and is familiar enough with the cabinet line to suggest trims and accessories that are useful and cost-effective. Do not underestimate the value of a good designer. They have creative solutions to reduce cost and often add the little details that make a rountine kitchen spectacular.

I would also get at least one other competitive bid just to compare against. At a minimum, you'll see another designer's perspective on your space.

This is probably more information than you need, but in my case, knowing the answers to these question would have saved me a lot of time and effort, and probably some money.

I second seaglass. Don't buy any cabinets unless you first see them. The builder should have sample doors. If he dosen't go elsewhere.

He said there is a very nice showroom and I will be able to see them in person. I imagine they have a KD to help with final choices.

There were showrooms for mine as well. Unfortunately, the independent showrooms did not provide any support to the builders and were, in fact, in direct competition with them. I had to sneak into showrooms and pretend I was a customer in order to see the product. When it came time to design, the builder and I sat down with the catalog together. That was the extent of the design support. It was a mess. Really, don't take anything for granted. Ask your builder who will actually be designing your kitchen and specifically what they will provide (elevations, layout, etc).

Once I found a good KD, I discovered that I was personally taking on way more of the design work than I either had the time or experience for. The KD I am using provided free design service as a rep of one of the companies I bid, and it was partially because of her that I chose those cabinets.

Seaglass - Ive been working on the design with the builder (and on here mostly). He never said, "oh youll go to such and such and they will help you with the design". So maybe no KD? Im probably going to go to Lowe's and have them quote my kitchen. There is a Kraftmaid cabinet I really like that they carry. I'll see how much difference there is, but Im going to guess alot.

So did you get any type of builder's discount on your kitchen?

Im not sure how big your kitchen is and to what extent you designed it, but with the $5K allowance our builder is giving us, does that seem like a reasonable amount for the cabinetry? I imagine we will go over some, but I really dont know what to expect? Thanks :)

I kind of like the idea of the cream cabinets with the Washington accent pieces, but mostly agree you should fully explore your options before deciding. It may not be much or any more to have what you'll really love. Are you considering 2 colors because you can't get the style in the color you want, or did you always want 2 colors? I think being all white/cream would give a nice continuity in a kitchen that may not have a lot of natural light...The eye won't be stopping and starting at the different colors. (Now I suppose that sounds pretty funny coming from a woman with a kitchen in 4 colors!) I just think of looking across into your kitchen, toward your focal points, especially the hutch wall...And I want my eye to glide right to that beautiful piece, not stop and look at color changes. JMHO.

rhome - I guess I just thought of accenting certain pieces. And also with having a darker base cabinet in some areas it may help with the dirt/grime/scuff issue. Aktillery has a very pretty mix in the FKB. And also MargieB's kitchen looks nice like that.

I was thinking island, base of hutch, base of cooktop and hood in the darker accent color. But you could be right. Maybe just the island?

So you think the Washington and Sierra Vista could mix together ok?

I'd rather see just the hutch than just the island. But I think anything you do separately, so looks unfitted furniture piece(s), I think you can get away with a bit of a different door style.

Maybe if you're worried about the scuffing, do the kitchen in the wood Washington and the whole hutch (or island) in the white? Whatever is different is going to draw the eye. I'd try to avoid anything that looks like you alternated everything...Some white, some dark, some white, then dark... Make your accents make sense, which I think you're doing.

I'd actually like to see the whole hutch in one color, because it will come off as one piece that way, but I understand it will be harder to wrap the base cabinets around the corner that way.

Really, any of those combos will end up looking very nice when it's done. We get all caught up in details and all the possible alternatives while planning, but when it's done, you won't be comparing the end result to the other options. You have a good vision, and you'll have a nice kitchen.

Two girls,

I so know what you're going through. You've come to the right place to ask your questions and I know your kitchen will turn out great. I learned so much from this forum during my design phase...it's a great community of people who have been where you are now.

Anyhow, yes, definitely go to Lowes and have them do a design. Take your blueprint and any concept pictures you may have from magazines, this forum, etc. Tell them what things you know you're looking for (pullout trash, etc) and let them do a design. I also did this at two large lumber yard type stores and one higher end company. In all I sat with 4 designers and let them have free reign. I gathered up some great ideas in the process, and the one KD really floated to the top. Didn't pay for any of the designs, although I wasn't allowed to take them from two places.

In terms of budget, I assume your $5K allowance is materials only (not installation). I don't know if the $5K allowance is an indication that he can actually do your cabs for $5K or just a number. My contract allowance was just a number. The builder told me I could do cabs for "under $10K", but the quote from his company was $17K (at a 65% discount---yes, the "retail price" was over $50K). I quoted other brands like DuraSupreme in the low $20's, prior to any price negotiation. I did get a sizable discount on the cabs I chose from the first estimate I received---it was derived from a combination of true discount, some creative work on the part of the designer, and forgoing a few accessories I decided I really didn't need. So I can't tell you what the "true discount" was, only that it was within my budget in the end.

Oh, and before you faint from the numbers, my kitchen is a fairly complicated design--lots of custom sizes, full paneled wrapped eating bar, all plywood construction, custom paint and glaze---all things that add up. Your prices may be much lower. That's the reason to get multiple bids---you'll not only see other ideas you can incorporate into your final product, but you'll know if you're paying a fair price. I'd try to get as many as I had the strength and time to do--my limit was 4 (DH's limit was 0...LOL).

And please, keep asking away. This is exactly how I got through this process.

Well Im assuming the $5K is materials only. Uh, I hope LOL. Who installed your cabinets, the builder or the cabinet company?

Its funny you mention your DH. My husband wants no part of planning this. I dont know why I have to research and think so much. I cant just point at something, say "I'll take that one" and move on. Not my nature.

Not my nature either. Analysis paralysis. DH's approach is "what's wrong with this one?" Mine is there might be something better--or I might get a better price. Hunters vs. gatherers, since the beginning of time.

I had a separate allowance for installation, so I'm using the cabinet company. Their installation quote was slightly lower and it seemed like a better idea to keep it all in one bucket to prevent finger pointing. The GC was ok with that.

Seaglass - Thats so funny! I cant tell you how many times Ive heard "what's wrong with this one?". LOL

I'll have to check on the installation allowance, if it exists. Not sure Id trust someone like Lowe's to put in my cabinetry though. We'll see....

You definitely don't have to allow Lowes to install, especially if your GC wants to do it. If you went with a source other than his, I'd ask him to look over the layout before you order the cabs to point out any concerns he has.

If you go to Lowes or another place, take a notebook and ask lots of questions. The layouts they show you are often not to scale so you can't "shop their design" around. There are no barriers on asking questions such as "what size is this cabinet?" when you are reviewing the design. I scrambled to take lots of notes so I could remember things I liked about some designs. I usually sketched the basic layout as soon as I left the design session just to remember as many details as possible. They all get muddled together over time.

And BTW---I really like the options you're considering. Should have told you that upfront. I also considered more than one finish but chickened out in the end. My main concern was trying to match two finishes to granite and flooring rather than one---but I've seen absolutely gorgeous kitchens with two finishes. They look fabulous.

Just in case you didn't know, Timberlake cabinets are the same as American Woodmark sold at Home Depot and Shenandoah at Lowes. You might want to get a competitive quote from those lines to see if you're really getting a good discount from your contractor.

OMG linley, I am sitting here looking through the Shenandoah catalog I got from Lowes and you are so totally right! It IS the same stuff. Thank you so much that is so helpful! I hate when they do that.

I will definitely be getting these priced out from Lowe's and probably the Kraftmaid's, since I like their doorstyle better.