No cabinets of any variety stay nice looking when kids play hockey in the kitchen. A 80 year old couple can have 50 year old cabinets that look virtually new because they are meticulous in caring for their home. Reality check. Look at your existing home. What does it look like? Carpet stains from KoolAid spills and a chunk of the baseboard gnawed off by the dog? Whatever your home looks like now is what your new kitchens will look like in s year’s time after it’s finished. Who lives in a home and how they care for it are the most important determinants of how things will wear. Some people are just hard on things. Some are not. Know which camp you are in and have the right expectations.

Favorite go-to exterior color plan is to pull the color from the mortar for the body of the house - or as close to matching the mortar color as you can get. It's neutral and guaranteed to work with what you've got. For the trim, tell your painter/paint mixer person that you want the same mortar-inspired body color **BUT** several shades lighter or darker - your choice. I'd probably go lighter. It's simple, I know, but it's easy for anybody to execute and you end up with curb appeal that's tasteful, cohesive and pulled together.

So, I really like the backsplash with my counters so please don't say they don't go together, haha.. But, in your opinion, does the backsplash go ok with this color vibe and possibly this chalk paint effect for the cabinets? Thanks!

I dont think it is the paint that is your problem. The problem is the lack of light despite a good sized window. Once those cabinets are taken down (had the same problem here), you will notice a huge difference. I also had lights put in all 4 corners of my dining room, and a new chandelier put in the center of the room, right over the table. What was once a dark dreary place, is now full of light, and its bright and cheerful, and used every day. I didnt go dark with my paint. I used Sherwin Williams Blue Iris (its really aqua), in the dining room, and kitchen and the hallway. It is one of my very favorite colors. Wait til the cabinets are down and gone, and see if yours doesnt brighten up a whole lot. I also agree, you need a nice colorful rug on the floor under the table. The table also should be centered with the light fixture above, and maybe change out the light fixture to one that hangs down. More of a chandelier type. Here are the proper heights for hanging a chandelier over a dining room table, depending upon your ceiling height. Hang a chandelier approximately 30 to 34 inches over a table with an 8 foot ceiling height. If your ceiling is higher than 8 feet, mount the chandelier an additional 3 inches higher for each foot of ceiling.