I'm not good at giving detained decorating directions--although you might checkt the decorating forum. I would Google or whatever, "tropical" decorating themes, also look at British colonial-- think dark woods, plus rattan or bamboo. Look at fabrics or bedding in tropical prints--do certain color combinations really send you? You might find a picture of a room that is not a kitchen, but that you can base your kitchen on--especially if is combined with family room. Dark woods and appliances can look good with all the citrus colors --more acid-y yellows and greens, corals and peaches and so forth.There is also a great color scheme using dark woods, white/ivories, and ocean blues, but I am not a "cool" person so I don't gravitate to that--but can admire it in another's room. Decide which things you already have and will not change--? you said curtains--such as sofa fabric, rug; what are you able to change or add for accent--maybe don't want wallpaper in kitchen, but found a great tropical print for throw pillows and will pick up some of those colors. It is easier to collect some of these swatches or samples, and photos, and then try to see what color or stain of cabinet seems best and most "timeless" (though there may be almost no such thing), because certainly wall paint colors and room accent pieces can be changed over the years. I think you are still refining your "vision," so I would work on getting that in a concrete form--your "story board" of colors, materials, combinations that send you--once you get it, you will be better able to see what choices to make to translate that into kitchen materials.

We have always thought about stainless steel, but we started thinking about black.

Groveraxle, it’s the lighting on the picture- the siding is beige on the back of the house. And yes, we have to replace all of them - 75% of the seals have broken and the windows are cloudy. Plus the contractors that gave us quotes have said it would cost more to do it piecemeal. So, we are just going to bite the bullet. But the siding is old and will eventually need to be replaced. We are just trying to make the best decision without pricing ourselves out of the neighborhood with improvements but still want it to look ok.

Ohhhhhh no. I did not use any specific colors. Just to show some options. Blue gray reads close to Web Gray SW https://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-colors-by-family/SW7075-web-gray You might want to go with lighter color on the same strip.