Agree...........no cream cabinets.

How about countertops quartz or silver frost granite?

Thank you!

Are you stuck with the cream cabinets?

No I'm not stuck with cream cabinets, I saw them in the model house and thought those look good. I can select white or any other color. I need to choose all my design options by Monday next week.

Slightly off-white (not cream) for me. I like the counter choice on the right, but I'm not crazy for the tile choice which might look dated in just a few years.

Conversely, cream cabinets can stay, but the backsplash and counter have to go. Which do you prefer? What works better with the whole of the house? Actually, the counter choice on the right works with the cream.

@Jean what backsplash would you advice to go with?

Thank you!

@Rita: I prefer glass tile backsplash not sure if simple tile would look cool too. Planning to put the hardwood flooring, in the picture above, first floor except family room and second floor.

@Lavanya T: I know they have been overdone, but a nice subway tile is always good (you could do a beveled, a crackled...). Other options: running the quartz from the counter to the backsplash. If you really love those tiles, perhaps just putting them behind the cooktop up to the vent hood and do the rest simpler.

I would stay away from the smaller multi-colored tiles you show. They will come off as very busy with your counters. Pick a solid tile for the backsplash and no accent tiles or stripes.

Don't be tempted to use the backsplash on the side walls. This always looks awkward. This is also a good example of the tiles matching the counter but still not a good look.

HI there- I came on Garden Web looking for advice about another issue, but saw your post. So hard not to meander online. Your options above looks very similar to what we did- minus the metallic look tile. I can attach a photo, but wanted to share a few things with you that I have learned. 1- Painted cabinets will peel. After just 3 years, any cabinet doors near water (dishwasher cover, sink apron, under sink cabinets) or subject to heavy use (trash compactor cover) needed to be replaced due to cracking at joints and peeling. Fortunately, they were under warranty and company sent new ones promptly. So white or ivory- either will be an issue. Regarding color choice, I always try to get as much contrast in the color scheme as possible so white would naturally look sharp against the dark floor. I like more modern though, so white is a no brainer for me. Speaking of the floor, it is beautiful, but you will be cleaning it daily because it shows all dust and debris. Just so you are forewarned. I love the grey marble look- both look good to me. For our island, we did a solid white countertop which worked well with the grey marble throughout the rest. Not sure you can see the backsplash detail here. It is a light grey, mostly white marble cut into subway tiles.

Agree with some of the comments above. The small metallic tiles will be too busy unless done in a very limited amount.

Here’s SILK:

and LINEN:

I like Linen better.

Are you sure the granite is called SILVER FROST? Do you have a link to the supplier?

Cream can be perfect, have to consider the whole effect...not just a piece...http://www.norbandys.com/open-concept-kitchen-dining-room/entity/3482/100-kitchen-design-ideas-definitive-guide.html

slcocja’s floor color is the perfect medium brown. It also doesn’t appear to be beveled or hand-scraped, two undesirable characteristics of some hardwood flooring choices in my opinion.

@slcocja: Thank you very much for sharing the pictures of your kitchen. It’s looking stunning. Well it is very confusing to choose from a slab sample or a piece of backsplash provided by the builder, but I’m getting some cool advice in this forum.

@Sammy: Yes! The left one is called silver frost I mean that was what written on the sample it’s very cheaper compared to the right one, quartz by Cambria. Regarding the hardwood they have handscrapped hardwoods mostly. It’s just that the more we upgrade the level the more choices we have for the color, finishes and smoothness I guess. Is handscrapped hardwood an issue?

A decent quality painted cabinet should NOT peel in a few years, if ever, unless the kitchen is truly abused. Cheap thermofoil, maybe, but not painted wood.

Some people like cream; others like white. I'm not a cream person, but it's a personal choice. But your countertop choices don't work well with cream. I personally find white far more versatile.

Those floors are WAY too dark and you don't want that hand-scraped look - a nightmare to keep clean, especially in a kitchen where bits and pieces will get in those cracks and can only be removed using an old toothbrush while on ones hands and knees. Go for a classic mid-color smooth floor. If you can afford site-finished, do it.

Keep your kitchen simple and classic. It costs far to much to update a kitchen that was once trendy and is not just tired and out-of-date looking.

If you like blue, you might try using a blue gray finish on your island cabinets only? It seems like so many try to attain a finished kitchen that reminds one of the old sienna color photographs. No one really wants to live in shades of brown and gray all over the world. That can be monotonous. I really like the backsplash slocoja shared in her photo. I bit of shiney is really pretty with the silver chrome appliances, but maybe limit it to one or 2 lines thru the center of your backsplash, and than use the choice for your countertops in the backsplash. I think you might enjoy that more long term. Especially since you have so many different heights of window frames, cabinet trim, lines of molded cabinet doors and vertical lines in your windows... Do a couple of lines of your silver, or even a dusty blue or blue gray even if you can find it(goes with any other color you can think of for the next 3 decades, like blue jeans do? LOL) if you like that amongst the backsplash which matches your counter top, and let your island be the color you have planned in your picture if so... That way your eyes won't tire of all the movement in the kitchen, so many angles on your backsplash, the reflection etc.. I would do it at the height that splits your outlets in half, one to 3 lines of horizontal mini tiles. Very pretty!!

If you “downgrade” the countertops to a granite (instead of the Cambria quartz,) that will help offset the cost of upgrading to a higher quality flooring with more options. BTW: What are your granite options in that same price point as the silver frost? Or is that the only one you’d consider? And what are your hardwood flooring and cabinetry options? I couldn’t find your flooring on either the regular Shaw website or the Shaw for builders website, but I assume the Timberlake cabinet I found was correct.

I have painted and lacquered many kitchens in my career. Painted looks great even when "dinged" where lacquered not as much, much is usually quite resistant. Well done paint or laquer is quite long lasting (depends on cleaning and wear). Wood is very expensive and will age as well (varnish will wear, wood will have marks).

@Sammy:

Yes! we can surely downgrade countertop level.

So in Granite there's bianco antico, moon white, azul plationo, Giallo santa ceicilia, silver gray, white ice, sienna beige, Frost mist, acasia grey, giallo ornamental there are few more i dont remember those few names. All these granites slabs are included in level 2- level 4. From level 5 its all quartz nevern , berwyn, moonlight by cambria, cambrian gold and exotic marble like calcutta gold there's few more.

Regarding hardwood the sample picture i uploaded shows shaw on it. And thats how every brand is kept at the design studio. We are looking to design a modern contemporary home so we thought cream or white cabinet with dark hardwood will look good. I had dark coffee color kitchen cabinet in mind with typhoon bordeaux granite. But do you think it will look good with white or painted linen cream cabinets too?

I wouldn't call choosing granite over man-made quartz a downgrade!

Here is the silver frost granite.

We think choosing an off white would be a good choice over the cream. The cream doesn't seem to match your countertop choices. We also suggest trying a different backsplash as the one you currently posted seems busy with the countetop. Maybe a subway tile? A glass one with a tint of blue perhaps?

Issaquah Kitchen · More Info

Hello Lavanya, our Berwyn design would pair well with your choice of cabinets or if you change to white. Here is some inspiration in Berwyn and Nevern to help you make your decision.
Berwyn: http://www.marvamarble.com/inspiration/blog/2015/11/Berwyn-Cambria-Quartz-Countertops-in-Majestic-Kitchen.html
Nevern: [https://www.houzz.com/photos/cambria-iowa-transitional-kitchen-minneapolis-phvw-vp~15599333[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/cambria-iowa-transitional-kitchen-minneapolis-phvw-vp~15599333)
Nevern: [https://www.houzz.com/photos/cambria-iowa-transitional-kitchen-minneapolis-phvw-vp~15599350[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/cambria-iowa-transitional-kitchen-minneapolis-phvw-vp~15599350)

Hello Lavanya, Did you go with silver frost granite? Could you please share pics.