While I wouldn't suggest that the kitchen I helped my Mom redo doesn't look like hundreds of other kitchens the one thing I focussed on was trying to end up with a room that was a little unique. Easiest and most cost effective way to do that is to focus on your market and pick materials that fit with the context (neighbourhood, style of home) and your lifestyle (personal style and your practical needs). I think folks get too wrapped up in the specific elements and don't focus enough on the broader aspects. Kitchens pretty much come down to colour blocking so I would focus on that. I would go through magazines, the finished kitchen blog, cabinet manufacturers websites and think about what you want practically (mid-tone floors are usually easier to keep for instance) and look at pictures just in terms of the colour values (not style) in the main elements (cabinetry, floor, countertops, walls, backsplash). You may find that by just looking at colour value that what you like is always blocked the same or you may end up with a few different possibilities. Think about how you would duplicate the elements in relaion to your material budget and needs and pick the one that you like the most and that you can duplicate on your budget. Oak is fine just stay away from raised panel designs and a golden colour (I think if you want a mid tone you best bet will be maple or cherry) and you should avoid a dated look. I have seen a few images of dark stained oak which look great (dark cabinets often work better with lighter counters and floors though). Dark stain really brings out the grain in the oak so a simple shaker door is a good counterpoint. Link is just a manufacturer that I remembered doing dark oak. Notice that it is done with light counters and a mid tone floor. Here is a link that might be useful: image of an espresso oak kitchen

Hi Hinman Construction! Thank you so much for contributing some positive and encouraging comments regarding Greenfield cabinetry. Probably 96% of reviews I write are positive because I hate writing negative ones. However, I also appreciate it greatly when other's reviews save me some headache. So I wanted to put my experience out there. Two year update: The cabinets are holding up well. Long shelves have not sagged, and bowed fronts have not grown worse. The finish is hard and strong but does not clean well. A Greenfield rep did respond to me at some point, told me he would connect me to a local rep and then never did, even after a reminder. The designer sent her own expert cabinet installers and adjusters out. They determined the only fix would be to have new doors made to fit the openings better. They could not adjust the doors/drawers enough to correct the closures. So I've just been living with doors and drawers that drag, overlap half the year, and look badly fit. I absolutely LOVE the kitchen! Decisions were made carefully with function and looks in mind. Fortunately, the cabinets are the only poor choice. Having said that, due to the solid materials and beautiful design options of Greenfield, some different choices probably would have left me completely happy with them. #1-Don't choose inset doors! They don't fit well. Also, the cabinet edges where trash cans and dishes slide are visible where the paint wears. (Not really Greenfield's fault.) #2-Definitely DON'T combine inset doors with the butt style hinge. They look so classic, but they leave no ability to adjust doors. #3-Even if sheen is not preferred, don't choose a matte paint finish if you want fingerprints to disappear. Partial or full overlay door and drawer fronts with adjustable hinges and a slightly "sheened" paint finish would solve the things that don't looks so great in our kitchen. Ending on a positive note, I would highly recommend the use of drawers everywhere possible. Greenfield's huge drawers are solid and awesome! It is good to hear that you have had a good track record with this company. I like the idea of supporting a smaller US company.

Congrats on your new home. Not a pro. Just some thoughts: In a small or relatively small place, a free standing stove rather than separate cook top and oven(s) would be -- would have been -- worth considering -- and not just because that would be a space saver and because that way you might have been able to open a space in that half wall to create "an island" and have two points of entry/exit from your kitchen (versus entertaining dead end) but because you could take a free standing stove with you if/when ever you move, making it practical to invest more in it.. Stainless steel is a good look for appliances -- or white would work in a small space. Do hope you choose a deep double stainless steel sink and are able to put it against that half wall so you're not looking at the wall while you're prepping or cleaning at the sink. Do choose a faucet with a high arc and levers rather than knobs. Even if you choose dark colors for below the countertop level, seriously consider white or at least light colors above that -- dark colors will visually shrink any already small space. Don't buy stuff you don't actually need -- clutter visually shrinks a space. Unless dusting is your favorite pastime, be "frugal" (as to numbers of items if not budget) with regard to decorative items. Such things really can wait until you living in the space a while, giving you plenty of time to do a lot of browsing and window shopping so you don't need to settle for something just to fill a space. Do invest in tall storage -- get the most storage possible for the footprint/floorspace any cabinet takes up: choose a storage ottoman rather than a coffee table; choose a chest of drawers rather than a dresser; and, choose cabinets for beside the bed and beside living room seating rather than tables: you might even consider short lockable wood or wood look (perhaps even fire/water resistant filing cabinets (2-3 drawers) so you will have a secure space to put any personal and financial documents and/or expensive camera equipment and/or your more valuable jewelry away from the prying eyes of the kinds of visitors that search people's medicine cabinets while using the facilities -- there seems to be on in every crowd. Consider choosing a tall glass front cabinet with shelves that could even double as a chi9na cabinet and curio cabinet -- perhaps with a bottom drawer or cabinet door. Best of luck. Do keep us updated and post pics.

Patricia, I do have another thread from when I was trying to work out the layout by myself. This thread is me giving up trying to do it myself. You commented on the corner sink I had planned in that other thread. https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6200952/cabinets-over-a-corner-sink#27350161 My vacation renters are mostly older people in town to see their adult children. They eat at the property and even have holiday dinners there. Now that I have chance I want to shoehorn as much storage as possible in there.