What is the design for the new kitchen? Post the drawings. That right wall looks weird and needs to be addressed. You have white now and they don't look so great with the floor. Bring home cabinet door samples and try them with the floors. Backsplash is chosen after cabinets and counters are installed

We were actually going to keep the same layout. There’s a small dining area to the right of that which doesn’t leave much room for change otherwise there will be no room for a dining table.

Perhaps it’s the angle of the photo, but that fridge seems to totally dominate the kitchen. Have you consulted a Certified Kitchen Designer? They can be great at helping work through these issues.

I do think it’s the angle of the photo. It’s one of those odd real estate listing photos. It’s just your basic U shaped kitchen with both sides equal length. I haven’t thought of a certified kitchen designer.

Design Girl I love that photo. Would you do a polished or honed granite? I will check into soapstone. That design would simplify things. A simple white subway tile would work don’t you think?

We have never hired a separate kitchen designer. We go to the kitchen showroom and the people there help us with design and install.

I think you need to get some inspiration pictures. Google white kitchen with Brazilian cherry floors and see what pops up.

I personally think you do not want a stark white as pictured. I would also do more of a traditional/transitional door rather than shaker.

Honed granite is more porous and stains easily.

@andream01 - a simple white subway tile almost always works. I have it throughout my home. I don't like to go modern in kitchens and baths as they are so expensive to change, and what is modern today, is dated in 5 years. Your floors are beautiful and a statement on their own. Shaker cabinets are timeless as well. I am actually not a granite person but I do like a honed absolute black and have seen it many times. It always looks great, and when sealed properly is very durable. Soapstone is a favorite of mine as it has a bit more interest than absolute black and can come in different shades of black/gray. It is pretty bulletproof as well.

i dont think white goes well with the floor. but i dont really know what would be better. your floors are much redder than the ones in the other example photo

@st5330 - I totally disagree. Look at the photo posted above. Gorgeous kitchen with brazilian cherry floors. It may not be your taste, but it's a stunning space.

I agree with everything that Design Girl said. I just wanted to add that I believe there is also a quartz that mimics soapstone (Silestone Charcoal Soapstone) but I have not seen it in person. I think the counter and backsplash in your original pic is too busy looking, but the ones in Design Girl's inspiration pic are beautiful.

That drop-in sink's gotta go.

I think this photo is a better representation of the floors.

@design girl Thanks again. I will check out the soapstone and honed granite as well. The suggestions are incredibly helpful. I am looking for something timeless.

Your floors are beautiful (based on 2nd picture) and if you find a white close to Design Girls example for cabinets (yours look much "whiter") it will look just as stunning as the example. Soapstone is my dream counter.

IMO the first step in new lighting before choosing anything. Pot lights are the best for overall lighting use LEDs in 4000K to get colors that stay true at night. I would need to see the rest of the house to advise cabinet color. That backsplash there right now is just plain scary. Soapstone with those floors would be very nice. The color of Designgirls cabinets are nice but not the cabinets themselves IMO. I think you need to be careful to get as many drawers as possible for base cabinets.

Your kitchen looks fine to me except for the backsplash. I love the granite and don’t think it would be too busy with a simple backsplash.

You only need three things: new lighting, new backsplash, and new paint. Your floors are fantastic. On my computer screen the cabinets are not too white, but the wall color is a blah tan.

If redoing the cabinets, make sure to take them to the ceiling, even if it means moving the vents that seem to be on top of the refrigerator wall. Heat can come out of a toe kick under the sink and a/c can come through the ceiling. Since my kitchen family room is open concept, I actually don't have any a/c in the kitchen proper, just in the adjoining family room and dining room. I can't tell about your fridge if you don't have one already, invest in a counter depth. You can also use a white counter as well as the dark depending on your preference. You also should install recessed lighting.

Design girl any specific suggestions for a white counter that would go with a white subway tile?

Lisa I agree about the tan. It’s pretty dull. We recently bought this house so the color is not my choice. I’d love to go with a green like one in Design Girls photo. Our house is pretty open concept and I have concerns about a green working in another room with a speckled brown/tan rug that does as some point need to be replaced.

@andream01 - subway tiles come in so many shades of white it's hard to recommend one. All different brands and all shades. The backsplash is usually the last thing you pick. Find a warm white/off white cabinet color you like and pick your counters. Are you thinking quartz, granite, etc? Get that figured out and the backsplash will be the last thing. Daltile has a ton of different white subways, as I'm sure others do as well. That green color was lovely, but many other colors would go as well. There are some great blues that would look great. Again, pick cabinets and counters first, then backsplash and paint.

@design girl, the shaker cabinets we picked out are ice white. It seems maybe that’s something that needs to be reconsidered if we are looking for warm.

I loved the picture from Design Girl. What makes it special is the warmth of the island. so, how do you add that warmth above those braz cherry floors? that's why everyone is suggesting non white cabinets. How about adding some copper in the palette, in the countertop or backsplash. Or, a line of those glitzy sparkly tiles that suggest copper. Or, putting copper pots on top of cabinets, or even canisters that are copper.
Then add the contrasting green, aqua, blue, paint on the walls, and you've got the look!

@andream01 - Ice white is probably not the best option with the floors. I think a softer white will be your best option. Is that the only white choice with the cabs you selected? Most people who have white cabinets, even when they paint them, are not stark white.

Obviously, your counter, backsplash and flooring are not harmonious. Each element is nice, but not the combination. If the flooring continues into other spaces, it may be easier to change the counter and backsplash material. If the cabinets are in good condition, you may be able to change just the doors, but I must tell you that Shaker doors need more dusting than what you have because they have a ledge at the bottom. There are granites, and perhaps man-made counter materials, which have small inclusions in a rusty red-brown color which would be compatible with the floor. A plain light-color solid backsplash would work better if it matches one of the colors in the counter. The empty wall can hold cabinetry or some open shelving which matches the rest. I like art on the smaller empty walls in my kitchen, but I like art in every room including bathrooms and halls.

@andream01 - You can get shaker cabinets with a small bit of trim around the recessed door panel that makes cleaning a breeze. I actually prefer the look.

Get rid of the backsplash and the fluorescent lighting.

Lots of good advice here ...but the best was to start by looking at photos on Houzz...using the floor type as the description word....for a complete remodel it is easier to see whole kitchens for ideas...then go back to the “detail” advice offered here when you see a kitchen that you love

@design girl. Thanks once again. I sent that photo to the cabinet person to see what he has. He sent this but is it too stark white?

@andream01 - It looks pretty stark white to me, but monitors aren't the best way to judge. If you think it's too white, then it probably is. Perhaps you can visit some other retailers to compare. I like the style but I might do flat drawer fronts on the smaller top drawers depending on size.

@design girl. Is this along the lines you are suggesting? A little warmth and flat fronts on drawers?

@andream01 - Yes - Sometimes they only have the top drawer with a flat front, because most of the time there really isn't room for panels on what is usually only a 5 inch tall drawer. The bottom drawers can have the panels on them. I suggest mostly deep drawers on the lowers as they are so much easier to access.

@design girl makes sense. To answer one of the other questions I don’t know what material we want to use for the counter top. I like the idea of honed granite or soapstone. It would simplify choices for me. But I think my preference would be going light. Which I’m guessing would make quartz the probable answer. Any suggestions on what to look for? Sincere thanks for all of your help! Your inspiration photo is what I’d like to end up with. Your suggestions have given me some confidence and I feel much less lost in this process.

@andream01 - There are SO many quartz options out today. If wanting to get one that mimics the look of marble, you'll have a lot of choice. Many of them look fake to me, but are extremely popular. One I've seen that looks pretty realistic is LG Viatera Minuet. There may also be some with gray and brownish veins that could bring in some warmth. I haven't really looked at too many as I'm going with the dreaded marble. Just know that you can not put hot pots and pans on quartz as the resin can't take the heat. The first place I would start is counters and cabinets. Once you have them nailed down the rest is easy. I don't know where you're located, but there are usually a ton of choices. Once you pick one (if quartz) make sure you look at the actual slab and not just the little sample.

@design girl I agree with your feeling on quartz. I’m not crazy about the idea of it being man made. I thought quartzite maybe would be a decent substitute but I got some sticker shock. The soapstone seems like a happy medium. I read some nightmarish blog about how delicate it was in one persons experience. Maybe she got a bad slab?

@disgn Girl Good luck with your marble. I bet it will look amazing. I live in the Philadelphia area by the way. Where are you?

@andream01 - I live in southern CT about 45 min outside of NYC - You'll have tons of choices if you're outside Philly - my brother lives in Wayne so I am down that way a bit. Quartzite is pricey and many stone yards have it mislabeled and it's really marble so it will stain and etch as such.
Soapstone is a wonderful counter material and really is pretty bullet proof. There are many to chose from - some darker, some grayer and even some green. Again, look at the slab but you should be fine. Many people tell you it needs to be oiled (and you can), but you don't have to. Even if your chose to oil it, it takes 10 minutes and that's it. It's simply mineral oil and a rag before you go to bed. My friend would oil hers once every couple years if she felt like it. I think that if you get some recessed lighting the kitchen will never be dark. I fell in love with it when I was at Martha Stewarts house in CT on a field trip with the kids. I got lucky - there was no shortage of drivers that day. haha

Andream01,

I have soapstone for my counters and love them, but the thing to know is that there are different varieties of soapstone and a wide range in terms of softness - I.e whether the material is easy to scratch or chip. The paler the color of gray the softer the soapstone as a rule. I recommend locating a soapstone specialist like Teixeira and order their samples. They will carry everything from a variety so soft that you can scrape it with a finger nail to something that you would have to try really hard to ding. I went with Black Venata which (although beautiful) is a medium soft variety. A knife or a dropped glass will make a mark. This is fine - i have an older home and if the counter develops a patina then it has good company with the vintage pine table that serves as my dining space. Anyway, thumbs up for soapstone, just know what you want and what you are getting. Really best , as I said, to go to a dealer that specializes in soapstone and not to a yard that that carries mostly granite and marble and just happens to have a random SS slab or two. They probably won’t know enough to advise you. Honed jet or Virginia Mist granite is also a lovely choice.

@design girl I submitted a quote request online for soapstone. A local company that specializes in it was suggested. We also went to a granite dealer today to get some ideas and look at quartz. My husband and I just aren’t crazy about it and would like to go with something natural. Absolute black looked like an option as well as virgins mist. Both in honed. There was another black called Silver Serena but I can’t find it online so maybe it normally goes by another name

Any thoughts on these? Silver Serena, Virginia Mist and Absolute Black. All are honed but Absolute Black was also available in leathered. Any other suggestions for black granite, white cabinets and cherry floors? My husband says he can warm up possibly too white cabinets with the newer color changing bulbs.

@andream01 - I understand your feeling about quartz. I find that most of the marble look a likes read very fake looking to me. I don't mind some of the solid colors that aren't trying to be something they're not. I have never heard of Silver Serena granite before - perhaps others have. I have heard of Virginia Mist and of course Absolute Black. I would be careful of any color undertones in the above counters. Some may read blue, others dark green, etc. Try to stay in the black/gray family. My gut would be to select a counter that was "quiet" without heavy movement and/or veining as your floors will stand out. So I think in your case, I'd be leaning towards the Absolute Black honed. May people like the leathered finish but that means different things at different shops. My daughter has leathered in her house (she bought it that way) and can't wait to rip it out. I agree with her as it has little "divots" where crumbs get stuck, etc. However, that may not be the case with some fabricators. I have all honed counters in my baths and prefer it. IMO, a timeless choice.

@design girl I see your point. I brought a piece of absolute black honed home and keep looking at it. Although it’s simple and not very exciting, I think it’s a choice that we can’t go wrong with. With new cabinets and a nice subway tile, it should look pretty. I saw a couple of completely different versions of AB leathered. One was very black with the outlines of stones slightly raised and the other was much smoother. So I now know what you mean. I can see how it could be an annoyance to keep clean. What’s your thought on placement of glass front upper cabinets? I was thinking of doing two side by side either to the left or right of the microwave. My husband thought we should do two, one in the left corner and one at the other end to the right.

@andream01 - I like glass front cabinets, but you've got to keep pretty stuff in them that is well organized. I'll be putting one on either side of my sink where one will hold my dinner dishes and serving bowls, and one will hold my glassware and coffee mugs. I can only see your space from one angle and in looking at that photo, I'd probably put a glass cabinet on either side of the microwave for balance, assuming you don't need that for food storage. I don't know what the refrigerator side looks like. If you want, add another picture of that side in the comments section and I can take a look.

@design girl I didn’t get a picture yet of the kitchen but I think I will do the one upper corner cabinet. I also found a granite that may work. It’s called Negresco Black and its honed. It has some white in it but not much. Not too much more than a soapstone I don’t think. What do you think?

@andream01 - I like it. From what I can see it looks very much like soapstone.

Yes i think maybe it does too. I think it’s quiet enough as you said. My husband wasn’t crazy about absolute black. It was a little too plain for him. I got a quote from a soapstone company but am not sure we will go look at it. This has a similar look without some of the concerns that I read about. I realize it probably wouldn’t concern you being so brave with marble!

If you are looking for dark gray/black natural stones, you may want to check out Steel Grey granite — it’s more of a dark gray rather than black, and has a little more natural variation in it than Absolute Black. We’ve had it in two kitchens over 15 years and it’s been pretty indestructible — have had no problems with staining.

Here it is in our current kitchen with white shaker cabinets and a honed marble backsplash.