I've had a blue walled kitchen and family room for 8 years - still love it (but then, my favorite color is blue, so YMMV). The kitchen and family room flow together (great room style), my cabinets are a warm honeyed maple, floor is tawny himalayan cedar and counters are grey granite-look corian; this weekend, I'm putting in a mixed slate mosaic backsplash. My point is, a blue wall kitchen can be very warm and inviting or cool and calming. I think of blue and white as a calming oasis, not cold at all, just cool and calm. I think the tawny color you've chosen for below the rail and the warm wood floor will push the blue wall kitchen to the warmer spectrum, not cold. Blue on both sides of the rail would be cool and calming, not cold. Just my opinion (again, blue being my favorite olor, I find it cool, not 'cold'.)

Thank you! You have given me a lot to think about (that is why I posted!). Re-reading my OP, it is obvious I am not a very good communicator. If we sell this house, it will not be for 10-15 years. My resale fear comes from the fact that this house sat vacant for upwards of 4 years and the realtor said it was because everyone hated the kitchen and did not want to buy a house for the price the seller was asking and have to go in and do an immediate kitchen remodel. I have a set of plans from a local renowned KD commissioned by another potential buyer. I did not like them because it got rid of the island. Although our kitchen is not big enough by NKBA standards to have an island I really love its functionality. I just do not like the way this one looks. We tried to cosmetically update it by painting it black, adding corbels, and putting on a cherry butcherblock top and it was a huge FAIL. It looks too stripey. So that is why I am trying to find something "timeless" and that will appeal to the masses. I know that eventually we will sell but it will not be anytime soon. This kitchen overhaul will not be an investment. It is for my pleasure alone. I am actually the one who convinced my husband that the kitchen was purely functional three years ago and there was no reason to rush into a remodel. Simply stripping the 90s wallpaper and replacing the plastic wire cabinet pulls and lighting made a world of difference. The most unappealing and dated effects are the awful gray laminate countertops with PVC edging and the soffit above the island that we affectionately call the "Tumor." At one point, we WERE planning to just paint the cabinets the same color as the living room walls (looks a little different when it is semi-gloss) and replace the countertops with granite, but after perusing the beautiful kitchens on this website we decided to go big or go home! Then we decided we really, really wanted an open burner gas range. I still do, but think I could compromise with a 30 inch model as I really only need 6 burners over the holidays. That area below the current cooktop is nothing but wasted space because of the Jennair downdraft (all the rage in the 90s!). I could also fit a 30 in under cabinet range hood. I do not like that look and that is not an ideal size, but again I guess this is about compromise. I could probably even get along with a 30 inch rangetop, but would really like to have the extra oven. Again, only necessary on holidays. I will think about that one and compare prices. Thank you for reigning us in! I had planned to pay cash for the high end appliances and charge the cabs because the appliances would deplete our reserves. You can always get 18 months same as cash at Lowes, so as long as the cabs were under $18K that would be manageable (perhaps I am being naive though since I never actually priced the cabs, but it is not a large kitchen.). Greendesigns: My brother is the most skilled HVAC person in the U.S. and since his wife does not cook, his labor charges are usually only a home cooked meal or two. Just outside this window is my husbands grill porch (we pass food through the window). Gas is piped there, so I do not think it would be too difficult for DB to run it around the corner to where the gas range would be. I am checking with him, though. The ventilation would be no problem for him and make up air can come from cracking the nearby window. Again, maybe I am being naive! Ginny20: Thank you for the info on the butcher block. That is exactly what I was looking for. I went to BN and they already had the Aug This Old House mags out, but I will see if I can order a back-issue of the July mag online. So! Is this a better plan: - Replace cabinet doors only. Should I put glass in any of them? If so, which ones? The local cabinetmaker who installed the current cabinets is still in business so I have sent them an email asking if they can do doors only. That is a great idea and I wish I had thought of it!! They also have a beautiful style of door called Painted Classic that I love. My concern with replacement doors is this silly curved door. Hopefully they will agree to build a replacement since they installed the original. Also there is a lot of cracking. Not sure if it is the paint or the actual wood. I can live with it. Some pay extra for distressing! - Replace 30 in downdraft cooktop with 30 in range or rangetop. Add under the cabinet hood. - Replace sink with ss undermount and ss pulldown faucet. - Replace countertops with antique brown granite. - I will replace the fridge/wall oven/mw only as they fail (we have just had to do this with the workhorse ka dw as parts were no longer available) and not upsize. - Add BS (already have a great tile guy) and paint kitchen Tweed (already have an awesome painter). - Remove tumor. DH can build something less belligerent to mask the area. I can swing this with cash dependent on the price of the cabinet doors. Thank you for your concern and, of course, you are right! In the future, will remove soffits and add crown to cabs. I have already confirmed with the builder/previous owner that there is nothing behind them. Also want to replace the desk area with drawers so it looks more like a hutch. That desk is unused except for a messy drop zone. Thank you again! Michele

The white is pretty. Remove the shutters (found it amusing that you called them “shudders”, read this: Shutters or Shudders). If you read many of these posts, you’ll learn the properly sized and placed shutters (with functioning hardware, or at least to give the impression that they’re functional) are important. But those windows clearly do not work with shutters. I’ll be removing mine when we redo the exterior. Add trim around the windows and paint them a contrasting color. Black works. Is it just this side that bothers you or is the front entry also lacking in your opinion? Post a picture of the entry and one of the house overall to help folks generate ideas.

Adding to my original post - The first pics I included are of the House as it is now. It shows the reddish brownish creamish brick & shows how it looks in different light. The last pic is of the Estate Gray color roof we are having done. I will now post a pic of the cedar color we like for the stain on the replaced posts on the front porch, as well as the Sherwin Williams Mt. Etna color we were thinking of - but it might be too dark...