I have been lurking, dreaming, drooling and studying posts and kitchen pics. Now ready to embark on golden oak kitchen transformation to ELEGANT COTTAGE light kitchen.

We are finally, replacing , updating and remodeling. Because my style has a tendency to be stuck in late 80's :), I'd love your insights:

Fyi: We live in the midwest, in the country with few neighbors. I would like an elegant cottage kitchen, but since the kitchen is central and open to family room, dining room sunroom and hallway those room decor will have to be considered in order to make all the rooms flow. Planning of updating and redoing those rooms will be fun, but also a bit overwhelming. This is why it is important to me that before I actually order the kitchen cabinets, which will setting the tone for the rest of the house, I want to be clear where I am heading overall. Again, I will be striving for a light and airy feel in all the rooms.

Kitchen COLOR choices to create that light and airy, light and elegant kitchen ?...

Before GW, I started-out thinking glazed divinity (off-white) cabinets would lighten-up but keep the areas warm. When brought home the cabinet color samples against darker floor samples made the cabinets seem whiter. This is good, I reasoned. I also also brought home cabinet samples in purer white, holding them up against the oak looks so drastic, such a scarey leap from warm golden oak seen all over.

After GW, I have been loving the look of GW'ers finished white kitchens with pearly subway tiles and marble and/or soapstone counters. Very elegant.

So just checking before I make a leap and make a mistake... to create an elegant white kitchen, I will need to take the plunge and order the purer white toned cabinets ( not the divinity, off-white, glazed or unglazed cabinets) ? And the style of those white cabinets should be plainer, I should avoid the styles with more intricate beveling. And since being seen from the family room , dining room and main hallway, this will all work? (All the 6 panel oak doors, oak trim will be painted matching that white, to tie it all together.) If so, what look will flow into those other rooms with white trim ... I don't want to repaint those rooms and have them end up looking too bright . If we went with the off -white divinity cabinets and all the trim, etc. was off-white, would not the rooms be better suited to for neutrals? ... Except then the kitchen may not be so elegant because can't use marble with off-white , right ?

Finally, I've seen gorgeous elegant white kitchens with both dark floors and light floors. Will be having those (ugg orange) oak floors sanded down and re-stained. Dark provides a nice contrast to the light. But , concerned about dark floors not being light and airy enough and making my already small rooms, look smaller. Again, maybe I am just afraid of taking a leap. I also have a sample of "white-wash stain" on the oak, very cottagey and light and airy looking. Have not seen this in photos, etc. because I think that white-wash oak was popular in the 80's, those who seem to go light or natural seem to have the newer wood species to show off.

Please bear with me because I realize these questions have already been discussed in various forms here. I will appreciate all of your input and opinions. I need GW'ers to give me a push and say go ahead, its time to just do it, it will not be a mistake.... make those cabinets ______ and the floor _______. :)

Thanks.