Lafonda-the red is one of my favorite choices I made. Makes me happy, even when I'm doing laundry! It is BM Raspberry Truffle and the ceiling is SW Believeable Buff (looks similar to SW Blonde with my lighting). The raspberry truffle is great, not too blue, not too pink, it's seems to be a very true shade of red. Thank you for the wonderful compliments! You're very sweet!

Fori, I think FritzCat would object to being replaced by an orange tabby so we will really have to stay with modern/contemporary rather than vintage. ;) Jerzeegirl, yes, a lighter colored wood will likely show wear and tear more than something darker (as long as one doesn't go all the way to black) and with more pattern. But the light floor seems to work best with the cherry. Actually - our last floor (beech) was almost as light as the maple and the scratches didn't get bad until some time between 10 and 15 years. Then we refinished and that didn't hold up as long as the original factory finish. My husband is even more anti-bevel than I am. I did pick up a sample of the Mirage with micro-bevels today so we can talk about it. I've noticed even on the sample boards that I can feel a slight level difference between the square edged boards. The salesman today claimed that the bevel was also an advantage because sand that got tracked in would tend to settle into the bevels until it was vacuumed up instead of sitting on the surface where it could grind against the finish. We aren't on slab. The tract MCM houses like Eichler and Streng were normally (always?) on slab, but our house has a raised foundation. The back patio and pool area is higher than the ground under the house so that there is no going from the living room or family room to the patio so when people see that, they sometimes think the house is on slab.

I will post pictures when it's all said and done. I still can't decide! I asked the builder if he knew of any model homes with any of the colors on the walls so I can see it in person. It's too hard to choose from just a swatch in a binder! I've attached a link of the approximate granite and cabinet colors if that would help anyone with their opinion! :) Here is a link that might be useful:

There are lots of different whites. I'm having medium stained cherry cabs, green granite, and sagey green walls. Stock white - like BM 01 or BM 02, which I have in other rooms, or Muralo White - just looked too stark. I took samples of my wood, wall paint and granite to a paint store - one that sells Muralo,Bruning, etc. They have designers on staff. One of them helped me pick a good off white for the trim, with no charge for the consultation. Sometimes these designers will even make house calls. I think the right shade of white or off white could be great with your cherry and oak.