We were going to repaint our perimeter cabinets and add new cabinets in other parts of the kitchen. I planned to have the new cabinets contrast the perimeter. I went back and forth between dark cabinets or white cabinets for the perimeter (existing dark oak cabinets). Finally the thing that made me go white perimeter and dark island was one simple thing. I like to use dark rich colors on the walls. When the cabinets were dark oak, I never could use browns or taupes. Plus, my adjacent dining room is chocolate brown, and to have the dark color continue through the kitchen on the cabinets, might be too much, I felt. So, after much staring at my space and imagining how each option would work, I went with the white perimeter and peppercorn island. I love the fact that I can paint my kitchen walls any color and it will work. I just hated the fact that my kitchen cabinets in my "old" kitchen dictated my color choices. I like to change my colors every now and then. So take into account how the other rooms nearby are decorated/painted. Think about what color you might want to paint that room. See what works with your choices. Good luck, and like so many others have said, keep looking at photos and real kitchens...see what speaks to your heart.

Would it be possible to remove the light fixture from the ceiling fan. I don't think the fan is the problem, it's light fixture. If you need the light, maybe a fixture that was one globe instead of three. Not sure what they are called. Sort of like this. . . Though the picture is from several years ago, my kitchen is still very much a work in progress. We moved it from a different part of the house, and didn't want to install new cabinets until everything else was done, as it's part of a total house gut/rebuild project. The good part is I've had a lot of time to decide what I like and don't like about my proposed layout. We just cut up the old cabinets and hung them "about" where the new stuff would go. This picture was taken as part of a joke, so ignore the power tools - I posted it to show how the color makes the fans much less noticable. BTW- the fridge got recessed into the back wall, so it does not stick out like that right now. We might get the cabinets done this winter . . . But now I'm thinking of getting a drop in cook top with a wall oven - back to the drawing board (and in the attic to run another cable). Cathy

When I look at your photos, the first thing that occurs to me is that there is a serious lack of functionality in your workspace. There is no flow between the sink, the stove, and the frig. The second thing that I see is that there is an obstacle in the way with that cabinet abruptly jutting out from the wall. It divides the space and becomes the central initial focus as you walk in the front entrance. Changing the way that the front entrance leads into the kitchen and closing it up looks as if it might create more awkwardness, as opposed to solving problems. Instead of eliminating that, I would suggest to create a kitchen/dining area that pleasantly greets you and welcomes you in as you enter the house. Don't fight that entry. Embrace it. Direct that money that you would pay a carpenter to close up that wall into doing something nice in the kitchen. You see all the way to the other side of the dining area and out the back window as you come in through the front entrance. That can be quite visually pleasing and add to a sense of space and flow. But, currently, you have that cabinet blocking the flow. blocking the flow, blocking the flow......It stops up everything and you say that it is often covered with debris of life. Eliminate it! If you can configure your kitchen into a more compact and efficient work area that leaves that area open you will gain not only functionality from having a more efficient work area, but also a nice visual flow that looks enticing and inviting from the front entrance. You could walk in the front door and be drawn all the way to the back of that area to the open window and a nice dining area, as opposed to being stopped in your tracks by a wall of cabinets piled up with stuff. Not good! Perhaps after you eliminate that counter island, you could put in some type of a desk area to run along that wall where your family could use to accommodate all of those paper things that families seem to have stacks of. Or, just a countertop space that is dedicated to that type of function. Or, you might have some glass front cabinets installed to house and display some nice kitchen ware, or, whatever might suit you. You can run/extend a cabinet along the wall as opposed to having one that is perpendicular to the wall and jutting out into and dividing the space. I really think that you need to start with embracing and working with the elements that are already there. Deciding on a more efficient work area for your kitchen is something that you can think out for yourself or hire someone. You really do need some new cabinets and some new flooring. Whatever design that you decide upon I think you will do yourself well to open up that space all the way to the back. You might be amazed at how much more welcoming and spacious it seems! Think how delightful it might be to walk in the front door and be greeted by a pleasant visual space all the way out to the back! Another thought about the work area space is that, if you can position the frig and maybe the range into a position where they are not right in the direct line of vision from the front entrance, that would be a plus. It may or may not be possible. You have some thinking to do on that. In summation, I suggest that you need a more efficient and flowing work area and you need to eliminate that cabinet that divides and blocks, and accumulates debris.

Atlas Homewares has cabinet pulls in gray that would look stunning in your kitchen. https://www.build.com/product/summary/1063417?uid=3111188&jmtest=gg-gbav2_3111188&inv=1&ds_rl=1275595&source=gg-gba-pla_3111188!c15146996781!a128720259785!dc!ng&ds_rl=1275595&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_viWBhD8ARIsAH1mCd7zBu7SYl_HMG2eTzyX_b48gWn5KZhPYL9GhODWmdD_89kftdGIavsaAhYSEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds