The cabinets you have now, seem to work very well, with the rest of the space. They appear to be in decent condition too.. Maybe change out the hardware and add new countertops, and just keep the ones you have. I think the lighting needs some help too, not only in fixtures, but, in the light bulbs themselves. Change all to daylight bulbs, and change that light fixture above the sink, at the very least. Its a cabin and its in maine. Please do not take away the cabin feel. Its very nice.

It’s a summer place in the woods, don’t overthink it. Many camps in Maine don’t have running water or electricity, so you are already ahead of the game.

I agree with Cat, the cabs you have fit right in. You honestly won’t spend all that much time in the kitchen, so I would keep any updates incredibly simple & practical and spend your money on things you will enjoy outside as that’s where you will spend most of your time.

Revisit it in the future once you get a feel for the house, try just living in it for now. It looks dandy! Congrats on the new home.

Thank you for these thoughtful comments. I am blessed to have this special camp and know what a treasure it is:). I’ve been going to this lake for 25 years staying in a converted boathouse with an outhouse:). There are 35 of us that eat together. This kitchen will be the “maine“ workhorse for our family meals, so that’s why I chose it for a redo. The cabinets are pressboard & failing and not worthy of new countertops, but I do like them. Should I just keep the same tone in oak like they are? It seems if I‘m replacing everything I should do something different, but I’m not sure where to start.

I agree to keep the cabinets. Definitely add new hardware. Light new Countertops... maybe add an island? What about green? Too bold? Black? ... I’d probably sand the floors and keep them light. Add a real backsplash. And close up the ceiling. For sure focus on lighting too. Awesome awesome space

I'm thinking the suggestions aren't appropriate for a Maine woods cabin. What you have is perfect and highly sought-after! The floors are fab. The knotty pine is classic. The kitchen cabinets are typical. The design changes proposed ^^^ might substantially lower the value of the cabin, since it will no longer be "typical Maine cabin".

I would re-do the lighting, replace the kitchen appliances, and check that infrastructure items are working efficiently. That means heat, the water pump, hot water, wiring, etc. These are life-or-death items in the Maine wilderness. A new, larger, coffee table would be on my list as well.

Do you have a good area for dumping wet coats, heavy boots, hats, and gloves, or snowshoes? That's crucial. And the house has a little glassed-in porch for the front door to dump all that stuff before the crud gets in the house?

Was going to say along the same lines as cat_ky and Tiny J. :) But if it's broke and you must fix it...I'd consider painted cabinets rather than stained wood but I wouldn't want to spend a fortune on cabinets either. You need money for lighting, furnishings, etc. As for colour, I'd consider a light muted green. Anything that echoes the outdoors will suit the space, I think.

Here's a "rustic" cabin with black cabinets. Not sure I'm fond of every element in this kitchen but I like the idea of playing with nature's colours.

ETA: Not sure I'd want to spend 5K on countertops for a cabin kitchen.

you have a small kitchen. you don't even have to spend 10K total! who told you 5K for countertops? I realize you're in maine, but that close to vermont, and vermont has Danby marble! Or vermont slate. Or Soapstone. look for remnants at a fabricators warehouse and see what he has.

here's my thinking. I'd prob do Ikea since they are affordable and would look nice. since you already have so much wood, pick a color for the cabs. Two tone black/white, green/white, navy, or all black, all white (maybe w/a butcher block countertop. If you did the butcher block, and Floor and decor has them for less than $600, you'd have more money to spend elsewhere) Or heck, get a local guy to make you a butcher block!

Want to read about a cabin redo?

http://afterorangecounty.com/2016/01/18/my-log-cabin-kitchen-renovation/

some examples.

I love this one w/the butcher block. you'd have to look through all of the pieces to see what you can fit, but this would look perfect w/the pine.

you could do white uppers if you prefer.

get black appliances, and find a black/white/gray granite or countertop to go w/it. (ignore the wood cabinets in this pic. they're ugly. if you find these second hand, you could paint them)

or this blue or green shade

Ikea black

Ikea has a green shaker you could use to look something like this one

If you want to maintain the cabin look, then follow either of these pics.

another option (if you're in to DIYing) look for someone trying to get rid of their older oak cabinets, put them together in your kitchen, and paint them. you can save thousands doing that.

you have such a small countertop space, look into pre-fab countertops. I know you're not in the hub for imports, but pre-fabs can be found. you can find a 9'X24" piece for under $600. then have someone cut it to fit your specs.

a few other cabin redos w/diff colors

or if you like the wood, check around and see if you can find some nice hickory or alder w/the same stain color. top it w/a honed black granite or soapstone. (or the marble)

more pics:

https://www.houzz.com/photos/small-log-cabin-kitchens-phbr0lbl-bl~l_144802

https://www.designandlivingmagazine.com/authentic-log-home-redux/

Log Cabin Kitchen · More Info

https://www.houzz.co.uk/photos/log-cabin-kitchen-rustic-kitchen-buckinghamshire-phvw-vp~123526410

We have a lake cabin, and I agree it's important to keep the right feel. If your cabinets are failing, replace them for sure. You mention 35 people. Will you need to store plates and cutlery for that many?

Your proposed layout looks like the aisles could be tight. Leave enough space for two or three people to work or clean up together. Open or glass shelves make it easy for guests to find things.

You will find lots of places to spend your 30k budget. I would get laminate countertops in a fun pattern, maybe retro. They are practical and easy to clean up.

Sounds like a fun project!

35 people on the regular? Yikes! I agree with Beth that you don’t need to spend that much on counters. Butcher block is inexpensive and looks great. I’d sink that money into reliable appliances and making sure you have enough room for storage, as well as a garage fridge and a humongous grill. Do you have a good contractor? I’d bet they can build a lot of what you need in the kitchen onsite. It’s Maine - every good contractor has a good carpenter in their pocket. It will be less expensive and made to fit your space, which can be wonky in old camps.

If you replace that bright white refrig with something else (lots of options now) things will look great as is. If the fridge is in good shape, have it painted a nice calm color that will blend with the wood. We did that once, Harvest Gold to white when we had a white kitchen. It looked great.

Congratulations! I also like the all natural look you have going on now, but understand if you want to switch it up a bit. Beth's idea of butcher block counters is a good way to keep some of the wood theme going. You could have a wood top table with the base to match whatever color you choose for the cabinets. I probably wouldn't choose white. I like Beth's blue-gray or green-gray picks. You could install wood flooring to match what you have and maybe even stain and seal it to match the cabinets like in this photo or install slate or gray tiles.

Oh! Since you are in Maine (as am I), you might try to lay your hands on a big old Monson slate sink since you have to wash up after a crowd. I found mine in a sweet old camp - much like yours - that was being demolished for a giant new one, boo! You can find them pretty inexpensively if you look around, and it would look great in your kitchen, keep the camp vibe going!

You have gotten a ton of great ideas. If your cabinets are really in bad shape, find a local cabinet place and buy plain ones you can paint. A color will brighten the kitchen tremendously. (I’m partial to the greens.) Your guess for the cost of a countertop is totally off - you need not spend 5k! Lots of great options have been suggested (laminate, butcher block, remnants, local soapstone) which will NOT be $5,000 and will look great. If there will be 35 people to feed you do not want to build a banquette- you need a big table. Scour Craig’s list or, again, find a local carpenter to make you one.

I wouldn't do anything marble-y, even the manufactured stuff people use ("quartz"?). It's just not in keeping with the cabin.. Most of the photos ^^^ don't look compatible with "Maine cabin", which has a very informal feel. By contrast, "rock tops" look formal and sleek: definitely not the right look.

Butcher block would be nice, though. Formica would work, too, because it looks casual (it comes in amazing patterns these days, too). You might also be able to get a local cabinet-maker to make you some replacement cabinets in a compatible wood. That way, you'll keep the down-home feel.

Do you really have room for 35 sets of wet rain gear and boots? I would think it's important to address this with part of your budget.

i would think w/35 people, someone should be able to help you in regards to cabinets, or stone work, woodwork, electrical, plumbing, appliances or even connections on how to get these things for a lower cost!

Wow!! I’m so blown away by all this help! Thank you for so many ideas & especially the confidence boost that keeping it Maine camp and not modernizIng everything in looks is the right thing to do. Thats been my biggest fear! With all the photos & suggestions I went to a DIY store and played with some samples. I’ve decided on some things:

-GE slate color appliances. I like no sheen or finger prints for the price.

-oak shaker style cabinets- stain??

-laminate slate looking floor

-reeded glass door inserts in on each side of the window.

-butcher block (thanks for that idea!!) dining table with green nook bench (there is a huge screened porch with a long and extending further table, so this is my kid-time baking and puzzle table.)

I can’t decide on light cabinets with dark counters or dark cabinets with light counters.

We are thinking to do a fun backsplash in campy tiles likely in green and these are the appliances (it will be a slide in gas range) like in this photo...

Here is the light green granite that would be leathered...

or the dark counter in leather

and the 3 door colors:

I’d love to hear your combination suggestions! I’m ordering something today!

What's your option for light counters? The green granite? Colours are difficult to gauge on a screen but the only sample you've shared that I would consider "light" is the natural oak door. What you've described would result in a fairly "dark" kitchen, I think. Optimal lighting helps any kitchen, obviously, but still. To my eye, your elements read "dark", including the floor and appliances.

As I've already shared, natural wood (look) cabinets would not be my first choice in this cabin because I'd want painted cabinets as a "break" from the wood walls (which I'd totally want to keep). Jmo, of course. Were you keeping the ceiling as is?

Have you considered white appliances? I know they read "cheap" to some people but they're easy maintenance and reflect a lot of light in a space. Wood and white is a classic mix, imo.

Here's a recent "rustic" green kitchen with a white fridge in House & Home. Notice the slate floor, white ceiling, counter and fridge and the touches of wood and warm metal.

ETA: You say you'll be ordering something today but I caution you to have a whole room plan before doing that. Also, to echo others' advice, have you looked at second hand options for cabinets? I know COVID doesn't make second hand a realistic option for everyone but the second hand and discount markets are worthy consideration for a rustic cabin kitchen on a budget. Everything adds up so quickly!

One concern mentioned frequently here about slate appliances is matching them down the road. In five years, when you need to replace one appliance, will GE (or anyone else) be making that color? The other concern is being tied to the one brand that makes that color. For example, you want a Bosch dishwasher and GE stove. For those reasons, choosing stainless steel is often recommended.

Love your stone options.

You have a lot of light coming in from those sliding doors, so I wouldn’t worry about the kitchen being too dark, and, while stainless will be around forever, style wise, that and white cabs are trending down, so I think slate colored appliances will be just fine, go with what you like. Appliances at lake houses always last a long time as they don’t get 365 use. With that being said, working some green or blue cabinets in there would look great, it would pick up on the view outside, but your choices look great too.

Out of curiosity, what are the floors now? Do they need to be replaced?

I’m with @tartanmeup. I think a soft colored cabinet and soapstone countertops could read “Maine” as much as wood. You can break up the wood look that is so much a part of a “cabin feel” with something happy. Light green cabinets with either stone would work. The light green is beautiful. It looks like mine, but has less grey than mine does.
And @Beth H is right - where is the help from the dozens of expected visitors??

my choice for green is limited to this one cabinet below, and its expensive- like 25% more $. My teen daughter says its an urban green and too gray, so I thought to use green in the counter, tile backsplash, and the wall of the island facing the living room. I'm starting to lean toward the green granite or now I'll look at soapstone, thanks RedRyder for the soapstone tip. We will be replacing all the lighting and don't plan to close up the ceiling. I like the tiffany stained glass hanging pendants or maybe some glass jars or something.

Tiny J, the laminate floor needs replacing in the kitchen- its torn and lifting. I wanted to sand it down and refinish once the laminate is removed, but have been told it is full of nails from the sub-floor installation. I could replace all the flooring in the room, but wouldn't know what with. More decisions! I was thinking I'd just put a stone look alike laminate that blends with the wood tone of the existing floor.

I think the fallow color would be best. the top one is too dark, the bottom one too yellow and too 1985 oak cabinet!

(did you not like the Ikea green cabinet choice?

Or, what if you got the unfinished oak cabs and painted them your own green?

these are plain oak painted BM Forest Green. maple butcher block.

you know what else you could try on Raw, unfinished oak cabinets? Real milk paint. I've used it on many pieces and it loves raw wood. The color you get after waxing or applying a clear coat is beautiful.

For instance, she did this oak hutch in Boxwood, in her milk paint line.

I've used milk paint in about 15 diff colors. this one is a peacock, blue/green shade. looks really nice w/the natural tones of the oak

Might be worth looking into is you're looking for a particular shade AND want to save some money.

But, a green with the butcher block/granite, and some white accents, it would look great w/your pine.

even the gray/green of the ikea would look nice w/your green granite

or a black

I wouldn't go with "expensive" cabinets or pay 25% more for colour. Have you put a deposit with this company because you're telling us you have one cabinet option while we're suggesting a few.

These are great ideas! I'll definitely try out the milk paint on the island facing the living room. That is the look I'm going for. Maybe I can salvage the doors for some bathroom renovations & I'll paint them when I'm there. I don't have wiggle room on the brand of cabinets which is why I have the choices posted as the local dealer is limited in what he carries and we are in a really, really remote area. I'm lucky he is working with me and making the trek to do this job for us. That mustard seed/Boxwood built in china cabinet is beautiful! I'm totally with you on the 1985 oak kitchen in the natural- that's what I feel like I'm replacing. I like the fallow because its tones compliment the slate. Thanks for sharing your opinions!

Would you do the green or black honed granite with the fallow?

The cabinets that you are looking at, do they offer "colors" in the stains? Have you had the Fallow in the space and for a few days so you can see how it reacts to different lighting? I'd be more concern how it compliments all the wood rather than the slate

They don't have colors in the stains, and I'm not at the camp to see the samples in the space.

I would AVOID oak cabinets. They are definitely NOT "Maine Cabin", and your cabin is not on an "oak-y" property. It's among evergreens, I'll bet.

Oak anything has a very pronounced and heavy grain (oak lasts a long time). Indeed, it is often cut exactly to show the sworls (e.g. on "quarter sawn"). This is the opposite of the pine you have in the rest of the house. Pine is a very soft wood and doesn't have those pronounced swirls. Also, you can easily paint pine.

A honey-colored oak IMO would be even worse than a dark oak. The honey color will clash with what you have on walls and ceiling. The oak has a significant yellow tone to it. Better to stain to match or paint and go with the greens suggested above. I would go with a pine or balsam green to be coherent with the pine in the rest of the house.

You almost certainly can get a local person to make pine cabinets for you, and you will have a better chance of getting them to fit. Also, your very pretty "slate" appliances will blend very well. (They will look AWFUL with oak IMO).

IMO think ECO: your outdoor environment, the reason you have a Maine lake home. Pine, balsam, fir, hemlock, all the aroma that comes from those; pine cone colors, evergreen shades, bark, lake, maybe an occasional berry color...

Let's circle back to your original post. You ask if you should spend $10K on painted cabinets and forgo doing the ceiling and flooring. Can you tell us what your plans are for these 2 areas.

You start by just using it for your first summer there. Figure out how feeding 35 people out of that kitchen works or not. You might decide you need a bigger stove or more oven or more fridge than what you are currently thinking of. You might need more work surface or a different setup than what you currently have.

beesneeds' advice is wise. I wouldn't rush this kitchen redo.

tangerinedoor I understand about the oak. I thought 80s when I saw the kitchen for the first time. I was thinking hickory, but hadn't considered pine. I was leaning back toward oak because they seem to blend in with the walls. I’m obviously a rookie here!!

I’m drawn to some of those natural hues I am beginning to see how to bring them in now. Thank you all for the great advise!!

Tartanmeup I’m going to move ahead with the order to get this done by summer. I have other reasons pressing me like my elderly father wants to see it done and you can never count on another summer❤️ He is really enjoying the planning and we are all excited about being there and enjoying the space together. We have tons more DIY projects to keep us busy! A working kitchen will be a treat. (I’ve been cooking on a 24” stove for 26 years so I am very confident this will be posh). Feeling no pressure to get this right from away!😬

I’ve called the local slate company- thank you for the motivation & encouragement to stay with our roots, or stone:)

I will keep the open beam ceiling like camp should be. I’m pricing the slate floor in the kitchen. The worn pine floors will stay worn as I don’t know what’s better than that.

Here is where I’m heading. Advise on cabinets is still appreciated.... well... actually all advise is appreciated!

slate counters & sink, butcher block table, same wood hood, light. cabinets??

I love this for over the island/table

Is this too extreme in matte red?

Have you checked to see if there is pine under the current kitchen floor?

A working kitchen will be a treat. (I’ve been cooking on a 24” stove for 26 years so I am very confident this will be posh)

Is this too extreme in matte red?

If you are already used to cranking out that amount of feed on a 24".. then no, I don't think it too extreme for that matte red stove.

Regarding that Zline range. If it needs repair, will it be easy enough to find someone to do so?

There's an older Zline range thread with complaints that was recently revived in the Houzz forums. Don't know the issues but just a heads up if you haven't researched the make yet. I have no experience with the brand. Just recall seeing that thread on the front page recently.

And I totally understand the motivation for getting this kitchen done in a timely manner! I like the inspo pic you posted with the white walls and light wood cabinets.

my husband fixes everything. All he needs is access to parts and he is good to go, but that’s a very good point... I’ll look into the reliability of this brand. Thank you for the heads up:)

we were just talking about the milk paint washed on the existing wood hood.... any ideas how to embellish it?

The wood hood over the range we are thinking to keep and embellish with something

Do you think I should bring the cabinets down to touch the counters to the right of the fridge and install the microwave in a cabinet back there? Im not going to cook in that area.

Make sure that if you are going with a larger and/or more powerful gas range that the hood vent will be powerful enough, too.

have you thought about doing a panel around that fridge? pretty simple to do

maybe removing the cabs above it for something you can actually use?

https://www.younghouselove.com/build-it-in-build-it-in/

they give you the how-to's here. you could get plywood veneer in the same material as your cabs (unless you're painting them) and stain to match.

if you have the room, do some slim storage on the outside

if you need the micro next to it, build something like this

Yes, Beth, thank you! We will have the cabinet close in the refrigerator. On the end and over will be a cabinet. Because the narrow area where we will put the island, I’m going with counter depth. I have another full size fridge at the camp, too. The microwave cabinet is what I’m thinking may work. Thanks for the image Beth H.!

I believe the mechanical interior of the wood hood is replaceable, so I’ll make sure and check the specks. Thanks for the tip Tedbixby! I didn’t know there were different ratings on hoods.

As far as cabinet stain, I would match the stain in the rest of the house, and not go lighter (which will look very out of place). If you want contrast, I'd go with something in the green (evergreenish) range posted ^^^^^.

Light wood is not "Maine cabin". It would work on a butcher block, but not any kind of woodwork, IMO. You can get the stain professionally matched, e.g. at Benjamin Moore.

The cabinet pro is going to match what’s there & then we will put a reeded glass in the uppers. That should cast a green hue too. your right about Maine cabin not being too light. Thanks!

Hoods are rated in cfm=cubic feet/minute. Not an expert, but the shorter the duct the better. Directly out the back is ideal. If the duct is long, they put fans in along the way. Straight is better than turns. Be sure there is something to keep critters out, especially in a woodsy environment.

Thanks for this info. Ours can vent straight out the back and will definitely need critter barriers!

I’ve ordered the cabinets and plan to go with a neutral stain with reeded glass inserts in most of the uppers to cast a green hue. We went with all GE slate appliances and slate countertops with a slate farmers sink like our old family Camp has. We are using the same local company & are so happy to see the costs were about the same as granite. We plan to go with a slate floor too, but have yet to select the slate colors. I’ll post photos when it’s complete. Thank you for all the advice! We are adding a nook table to the L-shaped island and I’ll make that green. Likely with a butcher block top. Thank you all so much!!