Oh wow, thank you so much Mrs Pete! These are great suggestions and you've organized them so nicely for me! I will digest and process but first thoughts...

I hadn't considered the option of open shelves beside the sink, but I like it. I was worried that there wasn't enough space on either side of the window there, but floating shelves seemed too modern. This could work. And now that you point it out, I agree about the crown moulding, it's a bit much - will scale that down for sure.

That is such an interesting idea about where to do the glass, I will definitely consider that. The trick with that one is that it is my best food storage option (no pantry anywhere else), so that's why I was leaning toward solid doors there.

That darn microwave is the biggest thorn in my planning side! A 24" is the size I'm considering, but there just seems to be no great spot for it. I'm half considering foregoing it altogether and drinking cold coffee. :)

Can't wait to to the accessories stage, I will have more questions then!

What's odd about this is that most source material is rich people's kitchens - often unpainted. Second the thought that the uppers may need some adjustment in proportion. They were big on giant uppers. Don't be afraid to go taller than 36". You can fill-in at the top with a constructed surface that would be cheaper than running to the ceiling with cabinets.

I like all Mrs. Pete’s suggestions, but I would do all white cabinetry and get my color from floor and countertop. Check out Virginia Mist granite as well as soapstone if you do the black and white floor — which I would be sorely tempted to do if there is no entryway through the kitchen. For us, that is where a lot of our dirt gets tracked in.

Regarding the microwave, when we redid our old kitchen several years back, we opted for a garage-lift cabinet for our microwave, and I loved it. We currently have a speed oven but I regret it, and wish I had installed another lift. Microwaves are cheap, and this makes them easy to swap out when they die. I can see installing one to the right of your range, and keeping more vintage-look cabinetry.

Cannot wait to see the final pics. Please share.

You only need a 27” wide microwave cabinet for a 24” wide microwave. My microwave is a medium size at 21” wide and could be put into a 24” cabinet. As long as your filler is a 1 or 2 inches (need to allow enough space for the door swing to open) it will work. That would allow for the 9” cabinet to be wider and more useful and a larger counter area.

I would center the stove on the wall and have equal sized cabinets on either side. And…I would only do glass fronts in the cabinets at the very top. ALL of them. Lit. Where you can display china or pottery, Jadeite, etc. Don’t crowd your window too tightly with cabinetry. Yours would be an appropriate use of a vintage drain board sink in cast iron, if you can find one! Start looking online for pieces like that to use. Yes to a checkerboard, even plaid, floor. Three tones…or sheet linoleum…truly vintage. Smeg appliances? Elmira appliances? Perhaps. Stainless would be fine. Have fun with this!

Oooh, maybe I should mention that the cabinet line is frameless, so anywhere I have paired 13" doors, with both doors open, the space will be 26" wide with no centre frame piece. I do agree with MrsPete that 12-13" solo cabinets are too small - I have a couple of those now and dislike them.

Check out this kitchen from Studio McGee's Netflix series - kind of a similar vibe as what you are planning https://studio-mcgee.com/historic-netflix-kitchen-remodel/

I will admit to not reading other's comments...

I love the idea of your colors!

The microwave base cabinet can be smaller - get a 27" base and add those 3" to the other base / wall cabinets.

24" is too wide for a door - especially one that is 30" high. It can be a double door 24", but in this case I would probably center the hood and have equal cabinets on each side.

I like a glass door on each side of the window, but they will then need to be the same size.

I love soapstone tops. Make sure to price them out, you may be surprised that they might not be that much more than your "second" choice. If you are in the New England Area, I have had several customers get their tops from Vermont soapstone.

Sounds like you are off to a great start!

Good luck

@RTHawk Yes!! Wow I love those colours. Thanks for the link, I was convinced I'd found all possible inspiration pics, but clearly not, haha.

@Debbi Washburn Thanks a bunch! Quick follow up question. If I made the base cab 27", could I keep the upper down-to-the-countertop cabinet above it at 30" or would that look strange? I'm assuming strange... ;) I appreciate the confirmation that a 24" upper is too wide, and that I'm not out to lunch thinking that.

I'm super curious to find out the cost for soapstone. I'm in Alberta, Canada so I suspect my options might be more limited and I will have to pay a premium...

I have been reading this tread because I have a vintage home and am smack dab in the middle of a reno.

I found this picture that might be along the lines of what you are looking for. These are soapstone countertops. I am using a soapstone slab on my radiator and keep kicking myself for not using it for the countertops.

I like some of the other suggestions regarding the shelving by the window and white appliances. I do think the gray-green will give you a more vintage look than two tone cabinets; but I thought you might like to see the look with the countertops.

Sherry, your kitchen is lovely and anything but cookie cutter! I love that the ceiling brings in some warmth. I do like beadboard cabinet doors.

For that piece , I would make the upper 27" wide as well - It would look better.

Have you gone to a fabricator yet for your tops?? Many places can get soapstone. You might want to read up on it though. Some places are passing off a cheap look alike that will stain and is not as nice. Here is the statement off the Vermont soapstone website:

"Recently a number of sources have been marketing a “harder” soapstone which is not soapstone at all, but serpentine, which has in the past been discarded or sold as low quality marble. It does not have the same characteristics as soapstone and we do not work with or recommend it."

Some folks have also looked into Jet mist - either honed or leathered. It is a granite that looks a lot like soapstone.

Get to a fabricator or stone yard and have them help you.

Good luck!!

@Sherry Brighton Oh my, those countertops are making me drool! They are gorgeous with the green. I do see what people are saying about the two-tone cabinets having less of a vintage feel!

Thanks Debbi! I haven't gone yet, but that is really good to know, I will be on the lookout.

@Debbi Washburn we are getting our slab from Vermont soapstone it is less than two hours from me

I have a vintage-y/quirky kitchen, almost the same layout as the one RTHawk linked. I built a box for the inexpensive countertop MW, to make it look like an old-fashioned bread box. The counters on that side of the kitchen are three inches deeper than normal, and I re-used a cabinet door to make a drop-down landing area, lined with sheet metal, so it can double as extra landing space for hot items from the range/oven.

Here's a pic during remodel, and another in action--I eventually painted the MW cabinet to match the base cabs:

MW cab with door closed. (New cabs to left of range, old kitchen to the right.)

@mama goose_gw zn6OH That is an awesome idea!!!

Very cool ”bread box!!”

@mama goose_gw zn6OH Thanks for posting, that is very clever! I love your kitchen. :)

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My vintage kitchen with 24” upper cabinets. they have never seemed too big to me.

Click on picture for full shot

original 1939 cabinets

Ptmatthews, your kitchen is adorable!! And I love those cabinet hinges and latches.