Agreed, payback is not good on remodels strictly for sale.

Repair any damage, fix or replace dying appliances and let the new owners put their stamp on it.

The chance of you finding a buyer that has the same idea of a perfect kitchen as you do is slim to none.

What is the status of your kitchen remodel? Are you gutting everything? Just doing cabinet/countertops? Why? What is there now?

I agree with the posters above. Don't spend a lot of money for just a few years. Make things workable and save your dream cabinets for your forever home (or at least 10+ years home). The quarter sawn oak cabinets are stunning, but they would not work for every buyer. I think they would be the choice when you don't care about resale and are doing things strictly for you. I think you need to look at what you're trying to get out of this kitchen remodel and why you're doing it. good luck!!

I'd go white Ikea, if you're looking to get the money back on re-sale.

I think five years is a challenging time frame. Too far out to be able to use a new kitchen as a selling point, but not far enough to justify doing it just for yourself. How bad is the current kitchen? What do your comparable houses have for kitchens in terms of how new they are?

I'd be inclined to either make do or go ikea--maybe with barkers or Scherrs doors. Both of your choices are gorgeous, but I think I'd stick with what is expected in your area.

The white/honey maple/dark wood list seems to be the safest options of the last decade or so. I think the QS oak pictures you posted are on the newer side of safe, but are not so jarring that they would turn off a significant number of buyers. Here is another pic in the same style. I dont know if its actually the same, but it looks similar to me. I think it's a beautiful, universally appealing design. No one kitchen will be perfect for anyone, but one like this or the ones you posted above... I think they'd be a definite plus, not a possible liability.

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I'd be more concerned about the decision on whether to do the kitchen, at all. Are you certain you will be doing a full reno? With a soon-ish sale to consider, I'd be really insistent on keeping the overall cost in line with neighborhood expectations. If all your comps are doing basic granite, don't spend 3x that much on quartzite; if they're all doing HD ranges, don't install a pro-style Blue Star. (That's the fancy range, right? I'm a HD-level appliance shopper myself.) Now the fridge, chandelier, maybe range... you could potentially take those with you when you move, so maybe look to those items as your splurges/customizations. But cabinets, counters, hardware... I'd be diligent about keeping those costs in line.

Thank guys. It's tough. We've been in this house for 12 years. The house was a total fixer built in 1975. It had a roll up garage door and that was the only new thing since the 70s. We have done everything in the house except 2 upstairs bathrooms and the kitchen. We are very budget conscious when we remodel. Our house is a mid-range house in a hcol. We are not sure if we will move and we cannot decide now. So we truly might be here for the long haul and we may just decide to move because it will work out financially. A move for us would be jumping house prices by $300k. We are not ready for that. And we cannot live with the kitchen as it is. We entertain so much and I love to be in the kitchen. So it is happening. The kitchen is a total gut except for the lighting, dishwasher and flooring. I am used to picking things that aren't the best. I just have to start somewhere and maybe I can sneak some splurges in. If we move in the next 5 years, I am confident that we can recoup a 30-40k remodel. So I was asking about the cab options because I want to keep resale in mind at least a little. I don't want to pick anything that is a true turnoff to the majority.

With that said, the original question may be a bit moot. Maybe those Schuler cabs are way too pricey. I was originally hoping to do ikea with Scherrs or RTA altogether. I think there is a change I could find a similar finish as the oak cabs with Conestoga and do ikea. elizabethday - I like the finish on the cabs you posted. I love the wood finishes that create a rustic grey tone! No honey/yellow tones. I can see how those quatersawn oak cabs could be better for resale than the white because I bet they will look better in 5 years. The majority of homes in our bracket for sale have old cabs with nothing done or with granite slapped on. A five year old kitchen would be a great find!

And yes, I would love a Bluestar. But that is only happening if I get a good deal at the nearby scratch and dent place.

I appreciate all of your thoughts.

This is by no means a tried-and-true method, but when we were picking things with resale in mind, I would also get the opinion of 4-5 people who have different tastes from each other and from me. If nobody disliked it, or better yet, if everybody liked it, then I'd go ahead and do that. It's not a big leap that if I can find something universally appealing to that many people, then it'll appeal to a lot of buyers.

My opinion is that these cabinets you like are totally fine. Would certainly not put me off buying your house in the least.

What might put me off is the natural light situation. It sounds as if you are concerned about how little natural light you have. Since you are remodeling, you might considering adding more windows or enlarging the one you having or adding skylights in the process.

Does one choice or the other suit the house better? I think that's a consideration anytime, but especially for resale. A Tuscan kitchen in a period mission bungalow is not going to be a selling point.

Life is too short to remodel for resale - get what you love! If you decide to move in 5 years, no one is going to object to a nicely remodeled kitchen. And crl is absolutely right, keep the style of your house in mind.

I like your cabinet choice,. It would have looked great in our former home but not-so-much in our current home. Like crl_, I think the home style and architecture should be taken into consideration. If this style suits your home, go for it.

But do you really need an entire gut? Maybe, maybe not. Please consider starting a new discussion with your current layout and dimensions, photos, etc., to get input from the talented folks here who might be able to help you improve your kitchen without a total gut. Or make a total gut even more functional and aesthetically pleasing.