Hello, Rivkadr. In spite of the cabinet material, it's really a pretty decent kitchen. You know, so many people did like golden oak when it was in style, many loved it and did the happy dance when it went in. Same material today as then. Speaking as someone who never wanted it, ever, not in furniture or cabinets, if it were mine I'd try to find a look I do like that it could be a part of. I'd ignore eras and trying to "update" and just focus on what I like. Musing, if it were mine: Even though I'm more a "cool" color person, what I do like about it best is its golden warmth (the "orange"), so I'd build on that. (Not heading for a typical "brown" kitchen, though; I've never wanted that either.) I know what I personally would not do is paint the walls white or some light color that showcased to the ultimate what I don't like: "golden oak cabinets bolted to walls." So, since I can't have everything, I'd make a mostly medium-tone kitchen that was especially beautiful when glowing under artificial lights. I like harmony in the kitchen, mostly monochromatic schemes, so I'd do the walls in something in the warm brown to medium honey range, including, for now, a painted drywall backsplash--and let the cabinets sink quietly back into that. I'd cover the counter with sheet Formica in my honey-cream/honey/cognac/golden brown/somewhat deeper brown range. Same for the floor; maybe invest more here if I could in nice, cushy cork or good-quality sheet Marmoleum. Big blocks of white in appliances would absolutely ruin the look, stainless would be more retiring but yuck in this setting, and I emphatically don't like how big blocks of black would change my picture. I could keep the limited black in the stove and MW, but I think I'd really just have to paint everything else I could on the appliances maybe a fairly dark, retiring brown, not so dark it drew attention to them, though, just the opposite. Then I'd bring in a few accents of a deep but vibrant blue, because various hues of blues and oranges together, everything from very muted to very bright, are a favorite of mine, and little sparks of white to perk it up. Maybe some brass. Hmm! For the first time ever I imagined a golden oak kitchen I could really like. It's not my ideal, but I like it. Is there a picture you could like, or do you hate gold-brown and orange-brown wherever you see them?

Aynb-- Exactly the same thing (major water damage to our kitchen) happened to me a year ago. I am so sorry you are having to deal with this. You are so lucky you found this site early in your process. I know your pain about living without a kitchen, but I just wanted to tell you that for us it was really, really worth dealing with the kitchen-in-the-garage situation so that we had enough time to make plans. Take some time to set up your temporary life with temporary kitchen (we used downstairs powder room for washing dishes, microwave meals, take out) so you can get your kitchen right! In the FAQ on this forum, there is a lot of really good advice about reconceiving your kitchen and planning well. The only things I regret about our remodel are things where I rushed or had decision fatigue from the fast pace of decisions. Good luck!

From my understanding, not all cabinets need to be acclimated - I'd guess few are. If they're being assembled onsite, and if the temperature/humidity of where they've been stored is much different from the house they'll live in. Hardwood floors, which are 'made' onsite, are a much different situation than plywood/MDF cabinets which have already been assembled. And the cabinets will have to constantly adjust for the changing temperatures and humidity a kitchen experiences throughout a given day and time of year regardless.

Yes but its not just the desired look. If cost is not a factor, anything is possible. But if you have not done a lot of remodeling, you may not be aware of all the associated costs with changing all this. The ceiling, the lighting, framing out the window and wall, matching and replacing the existing exterior. While maintaining the exterior design balance. Moving plumbing, gas and electrical. Your house was built for this kitchen so everything you are considering has major expense to change. You might be better off as far as function and design to bump out the back and redo the whole thing.