I LOVE white kitchens and marble counters. My plan was to put that in our new home however I am starting to appreciate natural wood as well. I think I will end up with a combo. Staning the island and painting the other cabinets. One of my favorites is a garden webber named kateskouros. Although she is a tad more traditional than I am.

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I've also always wanted a white kitchen. But it's taken DH a long time to get to that point. And he really wouldn't have gone for it if I'd have gone all white with white appliances and whitish countertops too.

We did a quartzite on the island and a leathered dark countertop on the perimeter and are putting in stainless appliances. I think it's HOW you do the white more than anything. Have you been saving inspiration photos? Do they include the elements you've chosen? I'd gather the ones you gravitate towards the most and try to narrow them down to 3-4 and see what elements draw you to them the most. If its NOT white appliances, maybe that's something you need to rethink rather than the cabinetry finish.

Our kitchen VERY MUCH in progress:

Now that I am in the "house building mode" again, I am thinking once again about cabinets. I love the look of white, but I keep going back and forth. This morning I read that OAK is making a huge come-back. I like the warmth that wood seems to have, but my problem is that I want white appliances and white/white/white/white is not my style...to me, it looks too much like a hospital~~must my .02~~

I have also thought of natural maple with some type (other than granite) of darker counter-top.

LL, I always enjoy your posts...and looking forward to your finised product :-)

I think this is totally personal preference. I have always had a white kitchen, and probably always will. Love them. I am not a fan of stained cabinets but it is just a preference. I wish I was - I can see that they would be much more practical, long lasting . . . just pull out the stain pen if they get a nick.

We did white cabinets and white marble on the perimeter with a black walnut island and dark stained floors (dark brown, not black) in our new house. The island top just went in and I LOVE it. Most of our appliances are paneled so not much stainless (just rangetop and ovens), and our island is huge (to me - almost 9' long) - but the dark walnut top gives the island some depth. A white top would have been too white for my husband. Our cabinets are not a bright white but a "barely cream" though so they are a little softer looking.

I do love kate's kitchen though!

Its all about personal preference .... no one can answer for you. I personally ahte white kitchens and white appliances. Others love them which is fine. Go with what you want.

If you like wiping, white is the way to go.

I'm strongly considering white uppers, dark lowers on the next build if it ever happens.

Or maybe go all grey.

Thanks for all the wonderful responses, pictures and links! :)

I'm staying with pretty much the same kitchen...just rethinking the white cabinets. With the brick fireplace, I think we need more wood to soften the transition between the white trim/moldings/windows and the darker brick.

Here's a picture I really like with the wood and green together...and another kitchen where I like the layout but with the blue the white seems a little cold. I do like blue and green (and some soft gold) and think those colors will look good with the brick...but the wood might warm things up a bit. {{gwi:1446457}}From Farmhouse plans
{{gwi:1443515}}From Farmhouse plans

I have a white kitchen currently. Its nice, but it does show things. Minor spills, drips, anything, it shows. And lets me honest, we are never good and cleaning it spotless the moment it happens. Other marks show up over time. While I am personally a big fan of a whiteish/grayish perimeter cabs with dark blue island and soapstone tops, for the new build we are going with a super super dark stained wood. While white is great, there is something that is just warm about stained wood. In our case, we are going for more of a mocha or espresso type stain with quite quarzite tops if we can find them (no one in our area seems to have them).
My design too uses very few upper cabs. It is a typical L shape with a very large island. One wing of the L is all windows (sink wall) while the stove and fridge wall only have 3 or 4 uppers. Backsplash will be a solid color glass subway tile, probably clear glass or maybe a light blue or green tone. We want it simple, clean, more modern feeling.
After living with the white kitchen, I think the darker ones will last longer and look better. I wouldnt care what the current trend is. All you have to do is look at the current Better Homes mag or Houzz and see all the craze is white. Go with your gut and what you like.

With that being said, we do plan on having a creamy/silvery painted white buffet area in the dining room with a black soapstone top.

Thanks, Lzerarc...it sounds like your kitchen is going to look very nice!

I think another thing that has me rethinking white is that our kitchen is larger than I had first planned. A smaller kitchen in white is so light and cheerful...but with cabinets on three sides (rather than two as originally planned) I think the wood will be a better choice. And, yes...living on a farm, we don't always catch every spill/spot as they happen, either! LOL Anything that hides a little dirt until I can get to it that night (or the next morning) is a big plus :)

Here's the layout for the kitchen and a picture I like for the front window/hopefully bump out window seat. White trim is my favorite and that should lighten things up, too! {{gwi:1446458}}From Farmhouse plans
{{gwi:1422907}}From Lavender Lass farmhouse pictures

Look at this one LL

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Red lover- What a beautiful kitchen!!! Thanks for sharing :)

LL - Ten years ago we did a kitchen in solid cherry and loved it. Our taste has changed somewhat and we are mixing stained cherry and painted maple. We love the look of both and decided to blend stain & paint. There are some excellent examples of the perfect marriage of the two on the kitchens forum. Alabamamommy's kitchen comes to mind.

Motherof3sons- I do like mixing painted and stained...and Alabamamommy's kitchen is very nice!

The more I look at Red's kitchen, the more I like those upper cabinets by the range. While I love the 'idea' of the windows on each side of the range...I'm getting a little worried that I will miss the extra storage.

So, here's my plan, with the main sink and range switched. Dishwasher on the left of the sink, trash on the right...or maybe under the island. I still like the prep sink (Rhome convinced me it's too handy to the baking area to lose) so what do you think? Also, with the bump out window seat...there's more room for the dining table. {{gwi:1446460}}From Farmhouse plans

And my favorite Laura Calder kitchen...with all those lovely windows! {{gwi:1422909}}From Lavender Lass farmhouse pictures

I plan on doing wood lowers in walnut and white uppers. i love the wood look, but think the white uppers will make my kitchen brighter.
there was an article on houzz this week about cerused oak, i guess wood that is sort of waxed to show its wood grain more. it looks very nice and rustic and made me think it might look nice with the red brick you describe.
i am eagerly anticipating seeing your new kitchen as your home planning is sounding so unique and interesting!

Here is a link that might be useful: [houzz article on cerused oak[(https://www.houzz.com/magazine/renovation-material-cerused-oak-stsetivw-vs~2366168)

Red Lover: Thanks for posting the picture of that beautiful kitchen. The layout is almost identical to mine, but that one has so much more warmth. I might take some ideas from this one. Where did you find that pic?

Thanks.
Joyce

Joyce--I know, I love this kitchen too. I just spent the last 15 minutes trying to figure out where I got these pics. I know it was the kitchen of a shingle style house I loved on Houzz, that is in one of my idea books, but I don't have the pics of the kitchen in an idea book just on my iPad.

I must have found the pics on the architects website, but I don't know which one. Grrrrr. Anyway, I do have 2 more pictures. It does remind me of your kitchen which I love BTW!

These are mine :-)

Michoumonster- Thanks for the link! I have read about limed oak and there are some great examples there.

Red lover- More pictures! That kitchen is beautiful...but what happened to the first picture?

After spending more time on the kitchen forum, I have one more idea. The prep sink doesn't really fit on the island anymore, but I do like the seating on two sides! So much better with the nieces and nephews :) {{gwi:1446464}}From Farmhouse plans

LL-that's all the pics i have and I don't know the original source!

Can't figure out what happened to the first pic. It's still in my photobucket. Try clicking on it and tell me if you see it in photobucket. Thought maybe someone took it down and I was getting sent to Disney.

I love the square island. My island now has 4 seats in a row and it makes it hard to visit.

I'm not supposed to be playing tonight. Hubby took boys to cards game so I could work on ceus to renew my nursing license and I'm playing instead :-)

Red lover- LOL! It's more fun to play on the GW forum, isn't it? :)

I'm glad you like the island! I was trying to figure out how to seat more kids there, when we're baking cookies...and I must have remembered seeing one on the kitchen forum. I think it fits the space better, too!

Here's the picture...I saved it, I liked it so much. Don't know why the Photobucket is not working. I clicked on it, but it just said 'private Photobucket account' and asked for a password. {{gwi:1446465}}From Lavender Lass farmhouse pictures

LL- beautiful, warm kitchen. that layout is basically what we are after, with the wall of windows over the sink and minimal uppers around the range. I just think it keeps things more open.

Here is our inspiration photo:

LL--I wish I could remember which house that kitchen was in. I just remember that it was a shingle style house and although new--it looked very old.

Looks looks quarter sawn oak don't you think? And the ceiling fan...who would have thought of doing that? But it works so well. Wallpaper too.

Lzerarc, like your inspiration pic. Very snazzy looking.

Red Lover, thanks again for posting this wonderful kitchen. Love your antiques....how beautiful.

Yes, those cabinets are definitely quarter sawn oak. Although I'm not a wallpaper fan, it works here. Aren't those lights in the soffit interesting? In lieu of the cans. I do love a well done soffit. Love the deep windowsill and the "cubby" area underneath. I could move right in. It's a "forever" kitchen...looks like it's been there since the home was built.

Joyce, yes the soffits and lights are wonderful. Hadn't even noticed the cubby area until you pointed it out. Those windows tilt out too. Interesting. The wallpaper is so subtle and pale.

Did you notice the beautiful transom above the door going into the dining room? And that custom china cabinet. Sigh.

I love this kitchen. It really is my favorite. I am going to keep looking for this house on Houzz so that you all can see it. I'll let you know when I find it.

I have lots more antiques, but hubby put the whammy on any more. He hates old things as much as I love them. My mom bought me an old oil can when we were treasure hunting, and I spray painted it black. He can't stand the thing :-)

LL-Fun thread. Thanks for starting it.

Red Lover: we put transoms like this in our new home in the public areas. Now I just have to get busy and get some stained glass pieces made. So much to do, so little time.

I like the white with white kitchen in this house. It does not look to stark to me.

Here is a link that might be useful: white on white kitchen

You must have the wrong link archie... that kitchen's cabinets are not white, nor are the walls. It is not a 'white on white' kitchen.