Shaker is a great style since it can be transitional or more contemporary. Personally, I'd stay away from white since that is a very specific look. Maple is safe with a lightish/medium stain. It would be easier for a buyer to paint maple cabs white if they want that look but much more difficult for a non white kitchen person to strip and stain white cabs. I wouldn't go too dark since you said your kitchen is dark. Your floors are beautiful and the cabs in a deepness similar to what you have but more tannish/brown then golden would work and appeal to masses. I'd stay lighter/neutral with the granite/stone countertops and perhaps add a darker accent to tie into the rest of wood in your home. Hope that helps! It's just one school or thought.

Thank you, remodelfla!
That's something I haven't thought of.
Do you or everyone have a picture of a kitchen as you described?
Should my new cabs to be darker then my floor? what name of the stain should I be looking for?
I still can't tie things together, need pictures.
Will white shaker cabinets with dark counter to be an easy look to pull off?
please advise!

your house is lovely. The windows and mantel are gorgeous.

Have your tried browsing through the finished kitchens blog on gardenweb? There are many beautiful kitchens, and it's possible to search by cabinet type.

Personally I'm seeing Ikea lidingo, because they would be so simpatico with your mantel and windows, and also, you said your kitchen was dark, so white cabinets might be a good thing. Finally, they are lovely to touch; the blumotion softclose stuff just feels great, which would be good for resale. You get a really good look for the money with IKEA. If you don't like lidingo, consider adel white or maple, also from IKEA. Both lidingo and adel white are almost identical in color to BM's simply white, if you wanted to do a quick compare to see if it already matches the color of your mantel and window trim.

Here is a link that might be useful: Gardenweb finished kitchens blog

Dear slateberry51, checked the ikea's lidingo door, LOVED the style, better then the shakers. I have to look further into it. One question about ikea kitchen, will it give a cheap vibe to future buyers??
I love ikea store, always make an effort to visit it. (3 hours away from us)
Thank you very much

Hey mandy,

Here is a thread that discusses the pros and cons of using Ikea cabs if you are planning resale. In general, people thought that saving $$ by using ikea cabs, then pouring those savings into high-end finishes (countertops, appliances, lighting, hardware, etc.) is good for resale. Tradewinds 64 has some good comments on this thread.

A friend of mine knows a developer who builds million+ condos in dt Boston says he puts Ikea cabs in the units he builds. She lives in a million+ house and is getting ikea too. I'm definitely getting Ikea. True, for triple the money or more, you could probably get better cabinets (like crown point, yummy). But I don't have triple the money, and when I took my dh to Ikea to show him the cabs, he would not stop playing with them. And my kids would not stop playing with them. They are just lovely to touch. Now that they've seen them, everyone in my family is so much more patient with me about planning this remodel. So, there are Ikea detractors, but there are at least as many who like the cabinets.

Obviously I am very biased, so I hope you look at the thread I linked below, as there are posters on both sides contributing pros and cons.

Here is a link that might be useful: discussion of ikea cabinets merits

You have a lot of white trim elsewhere in the house and you say that your kitchen is dark. I would go with white kitchen cabinets. Your mantel and windows look a bit more formal than shaker style is. I agree that the Lindigo would be nice, especially if you can include a couple of mullioned glass uppers. I doubt any potential buyers will ever check the brand of the cabinets. If you have nice appliances and counter, and the white cabinets tie in nicely, who would ever check? Besides, everyone seems to think that the Ikea cabinets are a terrific value. White cabinets would look really nice with your pretty wood floors and would blend nicely with your existing white appliances. If you wanted to change the appliances, you could do it now or later.

You could also save quite a bit of money by painting your existing cabinets white. Maybe you can reuse most of them and just replace or supplement with a few. Splurge on a gorgeous countertop with an undermount sink and replace the white faucet.

Mandy, if you don't start by learning what is really right for you among all the many looks you like (me too) you may well end up disappointed. My most heartfelt advice is to go to the library, browse the old magazines, and make copies of what you like. Browse the magazines and books in book stores, but only buy something if a picture really pings or has a lot of ideas that get you thinking. Go to antique malls where some of the venders offer used decorating magazines and buy those with pictures you like. A range of at least several years is good since it frees you up a bit from whatever looks are being marketed for sale at this particular time.

Lay the pictures all out and look for patterns. This is how I learned I liked rooms with lots of color IF they had little light-dark variation. It's also how I learned that I do like like-dark contrast IF it starts with most of the dark down low (like a dark floor), progresses up to dark accents in a light midplane (white sofa, yeah right), and ends with all light at the top. That I like ANY room, no matter what it looks like, if it has lots of books. Who knew? Not me until I educated myself a bit about myself.

I've learned a whole lot that's benefited me from this forum, but I never ever asked others what they like since I knew it would be irrelevant and distracting.

Wow rosie, that's a top 10 post for me! CLIP!

Hey, that's nice. Thanks, Slateberry. Mandy's saying she liked hundreds of looks really pinged because I'm also blessed/cursed by hyperventilating over so many different possibilities. Always. :)

so nice to see my week old post back to top again.
thank you, rosie, very insight advise.
I think I'm always drawn to a white kitchen, (not my dh), but, hey, it's my kitchen, so...
For now, I'm going for ikea lidinge white, after reading lots of post. The bad side is I have to ditch my current designer (he won't do ikea, and only quoting me the whole kitchen job), and find a good GC. The good side is I can afford great appliance now, so excited!

mandy

I have to agree with Rosie, I just finished my new house I learned that to try colors I would buy quarts of paint in test color, now alot of the paint stores mix small cans, either way its nice to get these paint a large spot on the wall. Live with them. As far as cabinets go again already said but look at magazines, find a company that will let you take a sample door home with you get a chance to see it where you're going live with it. Also, I found out that I liked my cabinets in wood with a mocha finish but to counter this I uased a light granite which I just love, I design kitchens my husband installs, with all kitchens you can get all kinds of advice but it all comes down to what YOU like, be careful and take your time. Happy kitchen.