As requested, here are some pics of my color scheme. Library...just finished painting the accent wall behind the sofa in a deep eggplant color which offsets the new art work nicely. Kitchen is now a rust color paint with the warm cherry wood cabinetry and the beige tones in the backsplash and caesarstone counters. I'll have to take more pictures...most that I have are with the phone camera with terrible resolution especially when uploaded here. When I do, I'll post them. The dining room walls are BM pearl harbor, which I used on the ceiling in the library as both are open to each other. The walls in the library are BM dark beige. The foyer is open to the library so I used the dark beige on the ceiling in there and the pearl harbor on the walls...reverse of the library.

Wow thanks for all the responses! I think both of the above kitchens are very nice, and katienic, you know I already love yours! You bring up a good point about what pops. If you don't want your appliances to pop, then what you did makes sense. I'm a counter top or backsplash person, and that is what I want to pop. We're considering Cambria Quartz in Victoria. Our sample is not as golden as the link below shows on their website. It's sort of busy, so if we choose this I probably will have a painted backsplash, or very plain tile. I am planning a stainless panel behind the stove like the above picture. And depending on how dark we go with the stain, we might just choose a creamy off white counter in the quartz. rhome, yes it's Amendoim, not cherry :). We chose pecan wood, and I do need to ask if that can be stained darker. If not, I'll go with a dyed maple perhaps. I think cherry is going to be out of my price range. sweeby, he gave me some reasons he won't do it, most having to do with technical things like the door hardware having to attach to the stiles. But I thought that concealed hinges had to go in that way anyway. We are going to see a kitchen he did on Monday evening, and I plan to take some pictures, so I'll post them. This kitchen was done in pecan wood as well. I'm thinking maybe if I just go darker on the wood that might be okay. Even 1" overlay would be better than 1/2". I'll ask him more on Monday after I see his work. He told me in his view what dates my kitchen are these three things: 1. uppers don't go to the ceiling (but they can't due to cathedral ceilings, and I don't want them to anyway - DH and I collect old things we put up there). 2. the look of the doors (he's right) 3. my lowers are not drawer bases So maybe if we can compromise with 1" overlay, and we go darker, having the drawer bases will be a good look. Either way, I'm leaving now to go look at a new kitchen place that started business in New Orleans and have expanded to Baton Rouge. I called and the manager said their cabinets are all wood, and are made to their specs, but I don't know who makes them. He also said they do granite, and no one can beat their prices on cabinetry or the granite. Hmmm, I'll have to see. I'm going to ask if they're using China plywood; my cabinet maker warned me about that. Here is a link that might be useful: Victoria quartz

I just wanted to chime in to say that I've seen pictures of homes with doors and window sashes that are unpainted wood paired with trim work that is painted, and I thought it looked beautiful. Basically, anything that opened/closed/moved was unpainted wood, and the rest was painted. So that's something to consider as an option. I wished I'd thought of that option before we went with all wood trim and doors in our main floor living areas and all painted trim and doors upstairs (bedrooms, bathrooms, and laundry room). We have lots of stained wood (trim, doors, built-ins, etc.) on our main floor, so I understand the challenges of decorating around it and finding colors that work with it. But when you find the right colors to bring out the best in your wood AND give you the vibe you want, it's worth the challenge. There were times (after spending too much time looking at trendy design magazines or web sites) when I second guessed our decision to go with so much wood, but I've come to love it more over the years because of its character and richness. I grew up in a house that had unpainted fir paneled walls in every room (even the bathroom, though the walls in there were varnished), so for a long time I just longed for light, bright, painted walls. After having those for years living on my own, I guess I finally came around to appreciating natural wood again.

hate to not have to say anything new lol..but yes of course, it's the backsplash. nice suggestions above. will make tons of difference hardware can be changed or not..i think it's pretty versatile a rug will help to set a tone..but if you're hesitant about rugs-I'd look into changing the lighting fixture for something that'd reflect your taste more it's all easy fixes, relatively speaking. you're not miles from what you envision..you're couple feet away:) yes, paint creams white color..or not a neutral, but a version of some color you love, so it won't fight with the cabinets you can use creams and whites together a lot in decor, but with cabinetry it's harder to swing it; so I'd paint. Brick-up to you. Will look ok whether painted or not, or so I feel. Maybe start with the build ins then decide about brick. You also will probably have your backsplash by then..will help you decide if the backsplash is patterned for example-I'd be tempted to paint the brick more It's not a lot of brick too, so whatever you decide-easier.