I forgot to add that the new space will have to have engineered wood floors(since they are on a slab) but the existing floors are solid (Mirage prefinished) if that makes a difference. It's also possible that the new floors will differ in not having the same microbevel as existing floors. I don't know if I should avoid a microbevel in the kitchen or match the other floors. Thanks.

My disclaimer is that I usually favor the option that requires more work but... I don't think those dark green cabinets are doing your soapstone any favors. It's getting lost in the sea of dark, and you are a lucky girl to have soapstone - that's what I'd be showing off (envious!) I would put the effort into painting those cabinets - something light and soft but it does not have to be white - a pale sage, a pale steel blue, buttermilk as someone suggested or maybe a very pale coffee with lots of cream. I would also make both upper cabinets flanking the window into glass cabinets, with square panels - if you don't want to display all of that stuff, a I would do a glass that doesn't show everything or some kind of gauzy panel... if you do want to show the stuff, I would go as far as to paint the interiors of those cabinets a darker version of whatever color you paint the cabinets if you wanted to be calmer and neutral, but something really fun if you want to be more bold. I would not do lowers one color and uppers another but I would add some color to the inside of those glass cabinets. A lot of work, yes... but IMO your kitchen is on the edge of "wow" and those dark cabinets are not going to get you there. So much potential! The expensive stuff is there and gorgeous, just needs some tweaking.

Sorry blue, forgot to answer... a keeping room is a small room off the kitchen, usually where guests or the family will sit while the hostess does prep work. When we were looking at the house I called it the "sun room" and was corrected by my realtor because it doesn't have 3 exterior walls, just two. I wanted to keep the floors and just have them refinished but we changed the footprint of the kitchen slightly so we have a few voids that are now filled with plywood. We are replacing the entire floor in the lower level of the house and floating it on top of the wood. Right now we are just doing wood laminate (dh works for one of the laminate companies so we get it dirt cheap). Eventually we will tear all of it up and put real wood down when the kids are a little easier on the floors. Phoggie, thanks for the compliments. We used Kraftmaid maple with a ginger glaze and the granite is called portofino gold. I should post a before pic...we used to have white cabinets and white laminate counter with a wheat paint color. I was so used to having a light and bright kitchen that the wood was a big change for me.

Applying the gel stain over a finish works as a glaze. You need to top coat it with another coat of compatible finish to seal it in. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WNJhta3xlA Whatever you do, resist the urge to use Polyshades or equivalent "all in one" as they are crap in a can. Very difficult to apply evenly without streaking.