Thank you for this suggestion... I am torn as well with the remodel of this 25 yr old home. I chose cherry floors, SW Sand Beach paint with BM White Dove trim. Nothing as grand as the house above, my ceiling are low, lighting was a challenge, plus kitchen has cherry cabinets as well. I am going with a quartz countertop with a marble look to lighten up the kitchen. Everything piece of trim was solid oak in the house. Now on the window treatments and furniture. Any further suggestions?

Maple is known and widely used for it's pretty light and clear color. Not many people choose to stain it. However, if that is something you're really want, it can be done, and as an added bonus to staining the Maple, you can now use an oil poly instead of a water, making it much more durable over the long run. As far as color goes, don't go too Grey, your kitchen is allowed to have it's own color scheme. The Flooring Blog The Couture Floor Company

A flooring change is such an important and costly change and as such it’s best to choose the proper flooring. Wall colors should Never be the reason to select the wood floor. Walls are easy to paint. You can use any toned wood. Use a wood that pleases you. J Design Group - Miami Interior Designers 225 Malaga Ave Coral Gables, FL 33134 Ph: 305-444-4611 https://www.JDesignGroup.com

For bright and cheery, you'll want to replace the heavy, dark furniture. Upgrade all the lighting to 3500-4000K LEDs and paint the walls white. If you can get new countertops, then paint the cabinets white and install new hardware. Do the floors as I suggested above and then invest in a large, colorful area rug to ground the seating. One final option might be to paint the beam installation white if the overhead area still feels heavy to you.