3 Steps to Choosing Kitchen Finishes Wisely

mrsben Some useful tips here. Thank you Vanessa!

Footnote: What I would really love to see are some examples of kitchens without the use of stainless steel finish appliances. Surely there must be some. :)

sueweintraub2004 Mrsben: I too wanted to minimize the stainless steel appliances and opted for cabinet ready refrigerator and diswasher, thus putting my custom cabinet fronts on these. For ovens I went with a look that was more black, although some stainless.

olldbobbi The open shelving kitchen isn't for everyone but it's definetly for me! I also like the upper cabinets a lighter color and lowers dark, it sort of grounds the room. Steve Justrich said it best - "Let contrast be the key". I totally agree. And, mrsben -YES! What is wrong with white appliances????

JAN MOYER Once the PLAN AND LAYOUT is firmly decided.... 90 percent at least, this is the process I take my clients through. Painlessly!! For the entire kitchen start to finish.

1. Pick your "flavor"! A country kitchen? A sleek urbane environment? Consider the feel of the rest of your home. A super modern kitchen in a colonial spec build in suburbia... may feel too out of sync for the next person if you sell. Get the "pop" of modern from smaller choices within your kitchen plan.
2. Now choose your cabinetry, and your flooring. The style of door, and whether it is light, white, flat, trimmed, recessed panel, raised panel, inset door, or full overlay door, or open shelving... will affect feel, and PRICE. You don't want these to disappear into the floor, so consider them together with your floor choice. Most times, the floor will be the same hardwood you have in an adjacent room. Tile is fine, but cooler, and it creates a "breaK" from the rest. The more changes in flooring surfaces in a home, the more cut up a house feels.
2.5!! Sink, appliances, faucet etc!! Sizes affect your cabinet plan, so to
the best of your ability, make those firm choices from the beginning.
A 48 inch professional range, will have different venting requirements than a 30 inch cook top
3. Choose your counter tops. Know that granite, often becomes a "color and pattern" so consider your adjacent rooms. If you want room for future change in adjacent areas... keep it light, and neutral, and low maintenance. Icy white Zodiaq looks super in a modern kitch, but watch for certain metals to mark it. Pewter, your jewelry, a belt buckle. Caution!
4. The backsplash: You CAN run a counter surface up the backsplash. The counter is the decider in any case. If you chose a "yogurt swirl" granite... you want a simple tumbled stone splash. If your "feel" is "high end Hamptons" white cabinets and a marble counter, a white subway tile, perhaps. Keep the flow and feel of the kitchen when you make your decision.
5. Lighting: Once you know how much, and what type, and where...pick all the low voltage such as under the counter, or any high style hanging pendants first. The electrician will need the specs, and the last thing you want is to
have to chop up new drywall.
6. Cabinet hardware. The one place you can take your time. As long as it is there for the finish! And if you are torn, and can't decide a backsplash, also know it happens almost dead last.... and can happen any time. Do not make yourself nuts, if you prefer to wait and see your counters installed.
The more advance planning ... the smoother the re-model. No waiting for apps and counters that were ordered too late!!!

mcd53 Thank you mrsben, I thought it was just me....but I am so tired of looking at stainless steel. In every room in the house, but especially kitchens

Kathie Waters Yes indeed. White appliances please!! Or even other colors just for a change...

Beatrice Lawson Before redoing our kitchen I read a lot about the various countertop materials and backslashes, including how they are made, whether they off gas, what type of maintenance and upkeep they require. I am surprised that this article did not touch on that.

There are a lot of things that go into construction materials - glues, formaldehyde, petroleum derivatives... Do your homework if you are concerned about health issues, particularly respiratory problems. Also, one of the biggest issues in our landfills is construction materials coming from renos. As I interviewed contractors I always asked about disposal. Those who gave me a blank stare were off the list...

Finally, I had some contractors insist on one material or another (maybe because they had a deal with the subcontractor installing it, no idea); I was very clear that I did not want marble - looks beautiful but requires re-sealing, stains easily and is way more breakable than other countertops. I also did not want granite because of how it is collected - yes, a natural material but still not a green choice in my book. Finally went with quartz, making sure it's not the one with the incorporated Microban in it, and glass tiles for the backsplash.

Obviously not everyone has environmental concerns to address as part of their decision making process when it comes to renovations, but I found that often that's less because they do not care and more because they are simply unaware.

sdunleavy Sorry to turn this useful article into a stainless steel discussion, but I too would like to know if it continues to be the appliance material of choice. When we redid our kitchen a few years ago we were planning to sell the house so opted for stainless steel appliances and granite countertops for resale value, But we could only afford pretty low end versions. Now that we have decided to stay here long term I regret the decision. The stainless steel is not wearing well and the granite we ended up with is too dark and hard to keep clean. Does stainless steel always present a denting and cleaning problem?

mcd53 Just because I am tired of looking at stainless steel doesn't mean I don't care about the environment. We live on 9 acres and all but 11/2 acre that our home is on has been left wild. the animals love it. We have 80 acres further up in the country and our problem there is keeping the ones who really don't care from using it as a dump. I have 5 kids, everything gets recycled. Our daughter loved getting our last white stove that still worked great. I'm also aware that the majority that want steel don't want it because of the green factor. They want it because they see it in every picture and think they have to have it.
And I'm sure there are also 'a few' who have to look at their checkbooks before they make a final decision.

gweller When I think of stainless steel, all I see are fingerprints in my head! Stainless seems cold to me also. We're building a new house and I'm seriously thinking white is for me. Always has been - why change now to something I may regret! Same with stainless steel sinks. Can someone explain why they seem to be the 'right' thing to do in a modern kitchen?

JAN MOYER You can limit the amount of stainless, by matching your cabinet doors as a face trim for the fridge. You can choose a COOKTOP in an electric model in black glass, 36 inch, and even do same black in double ovens. But ranges are a different story and yes.. for that you want a professional looking 36 inch or 48 inch, if possible and yes, in stainless! And remember the sink is easiest to maintain in stainless, or at least a Silestone, and to change an under mount sink will be a royal pain.... !! So yes, whatever you can do in stainless, it still is the surface of CHOICE. Sorry, but do white "apps" at your peril, unless you will be staying for a very long, long, long time!! Nobody, but nobody, wants them. Sorry!

2012lori Not Stainless, Please - So, since we have a number of people asking about kitchens that use materials other than stainless, could someone in charge of the articles consider making such a forum? Or is there one already? I also have never liked stainless. Our home has a very warm feel and is situated on wooded acreage. White also does not work - far too modern, sleek and frankly clashes with the warm wood and almond doors we already have (which do not need to be changed) So I like bisque/almond/off white whatever you'd call it! It's my kitchen, and I want to put in the appliances, cabinets, backsplashes that I like even if they aren't the latest trend. How do we suggest article/photo ideas? I love this site - great information so far. Keep the thoughts coming!

Beatrice Lawson Actually, some buyers / homeowners do not particularly like stainless steel. The novelty has long worn off... I care much more about the quality of the appliances, their energy rating and their capacity. I don't particularly like black or almond but that is not what would stop me from buying a home. I bough white appliances and I like how easy it is to keep them clean. They work great in my kitchen.

Would that put off a potential buyer?? I will worry about that when it's time to sell. The reality is you should not buy appliances right before selling unless yours are ancient and poorly kept. No matter what you buy you won't satisfy everyone and buyers tend to discount appliances anyway, when they have so many options to get what they want at all price points.

One thing I do like but it is very pricey is the European colourful appliances, with red or blue doors. Would rather choose my own colour though, as what are the chances of a previous owner having the same taste as myself? Another nice option is built in apps with doors that match the cabinetry for a seamless integrated look. Again, that is costly...

My final thought on stainless steel is to do what pleases you. I seriously doubt that even the most avid stainless steel fan will pass up a house that meets all their requirements because of the appliances finish.

Jo Allan Beatrice I do like stainless but then our taste is more contemporary/ modern. We go by advice given by the designer Sarah Richardson on one episode to always find the balance between doing what pleases you and resale. Her logic is that many times you will sell before you thought you were going to and that it's good to keep fixed materials neutral. We've followed this advice and find it make sense to us but whatever works for you. I do find it funny that some are very sensitive about their stainless...LOL!

Beatrice Lawson I will have to load up some pics of our just redone kitchen. I like Sarah's work and advice too, and I agree that you should think about resale, but in my book the appliances are just not the deal breaker that some items are - mainly because it requires nothing but $ to change them. I often see fridges with water filters - for example I don't like / value that but many people do... I have seen many high end gas stoves but with a young son I would rather skip that for now... for anything that you can build a pro argument when it comes to appliances, you can find someone who will give you a convincing against argument.

It's interesting how this topic seems near and dear to a lot of folks, makes me think today's blog posts should be a stainless steel appliances essay:-)

phoggie I am building a new house and the question of appliances and cabinets is driving me nuts! I really wanted to use white appliances, but if I do, what works for cabinets? I do not like white with white if it makes the cabinets "off colored". I like medium to darker cherry but everyone tells me white would stick out like a sore thumb, but wouldn't SS do the same thing? Help! Because of my older age, I must consider resale.

olldbobbi phoggie - this isn't everyone's taste or style, but I did white appliances with "appliance white" cabinets. I painted them myself with Behr Premium Plus Ultra White paint. I removed several doors because I like the look of open shelving and painted the inside with Behr Premium Plus Light Denim. I took my cue for the denim blue from my floor wihich is oak and blue/grey slate tile. (The floor was already down when I bought). I love the whole look. The problem I have with dark cabinets is if you chip them, the natural color wood shows thru and you need to be diligent with a stain stick to keep them looking new.

maryvollmer why are all appliances stainless steel, I have cherry cabinets, dark floor and went with black appliances. I am now looking at countertops and plan on going light and solid surface. The kitchen is large but light is not always bright...paint is two tone some walls gold and some a green with a little black in it.....we are looking at selling and any input would be helpfull

Beatrice Lawson phoggie, a white kitchen is timeless... and you can add colour with the countertop, a contrasting island (if you have one), the backsplash... not to mention accessories and flooring. Also, if you have not ordered the cabinets yet, consider some glass door uppers. Lots of options - frosted, clear and so. That breaks up the monotony nicely. Another good option is some open shelving that can be used for display. Making some of those choices colourful will break up all the white and you can ten go with white or stainless steel appliances, whatever you prefer.

Bette I chose my palette by going to the bathroom at a restaurant. I knew I was using my subway tile (carries over from bath) as backsplash, I knew I wanted no upper cabinets. (small galley kitchen). I also wanted 1" hex tile as floor. (an homage to Victorian and goes with Hex.

I was in a restaurant bathroom. I saw my hex tile on the floor. I saw they grouted with charcoal grey. A fabulous solution to scrubbing endless white grout. I saw the cabinets were wenge, or espresso. Then that told me I wanted a light countertop. (I did originally want the Ceasar stone Grey honed finish). I went with the light honed material as my countertop. They also paired the white subway tile.

I like to get inspired when I get interested (obsessed) with a certain material. A dish or a carpet. Then I factor in my horribly small space. And my horribly small budget.

chicagoboy1 This is all very timely for me. In a bout a year I plan to do some renovations in my kitchen. The cabinets are in excellent shape. They are a nice light oak color. In my condo the Kitchen, dining area and living room are a great room space. I have comtempary taste. This kitchen counters have 6" by 6" white tile. Which in Las Vegas is becoming retro. I do need to update the flooring and I was going to chose black appliances. Wall will remain a egg shell white. I have a lot of abstract are and art glass above the kitchen cabinets. I did not want to go with stainless steel appliances. I am tired of seeing stainless in every one's home.

gweller It's so refreshing to see I'm not the only one that is questioning stainless appliances! I'm wondering if there are differences of thought in different parts of the USA?

Pascale Some of the comments pro and con regarding stainless reminded me of a conversation I had with my mom, who is French. We were wandering through a home show and I was admiring a granite countertop in one of the displays. My mom made a face and stated she hated stone countertops - when I asked her why, she said they reminded her of mausoleums! Cracked me up. :-) (She also hates chrysanthemums because she associates them with funereal floral arrangements in France.)

chicagoboy1 To be honest! I am tired of every home I go into in Las Vegas has granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances. It kind of reminds of the stepford wives.LOL! I have decorated my home (condo) to be different and show my personality. That is what people say when the come to my home - reflects me and my personality and style. Too much of the same every where is boring!

Jo Allan @Pascale...you made me laugh. When my French Cdn mom was alive she would have agreed with yours! But then she also LOVED her color and believed kitchens and homes were for loving and living.

I also agree with the last comment about SS and granite. I don't hate it but Im surprised as I get older to be drawn towards cleaner simpler styles and the sleeker Italian cabinets...I will always have my pops of color and warmth though.

digsblues Now that I have all stainless steel appliances, Whirlpool introduces appliances in "white ice".

Oh, well, does anyone like soapstone countertops? Granite is popular, but it stains.

Bette @chicagoboy1 this comment inspired my motto. 'Today's "wow factor" will be tomorrow's eyesore. I always think "dream, then tone it down". Then you may want to think, "I'm leaving this house feet first."

I have the ss appliances, only because it is popular and I did all of my kitchen in 2005. I found that beauty may trump utility. My dog made paw scratches on my duel fuel range/oven (he loves the dirty pans). I banged into my FischerPakel dish drawer. My Sub Zero fridge has evidence of my fingernails hitting the panel every time I grab the handle. I love using all of it.
I don't regret anything. My CaesarStone countertops can be repaired, filled.

Everything will get ugly, dirty....
So decide how much you want to spend on something, and how long you choose to live with it.
Yesterday's Avacado Green will be the new Stainless Steel.

chicagoboy1 Bette That is why I think out of the box. Not what is in style today. But what is my style. It always seems to work for me. I keep things simple in furniture and the wow is art work and accessories. I collect abstract art work for several reasons. One I love it, and two you never get tried of it. You something new in abstract all of the time. You can always change pillows, decorative items such as vases. To change your look and style. I always look, think, look, think. Then look again and think some more. Mistakes are costly.

jnoel2279 what are some other options of stone for counter tops besides granite and marble?

Stevie great article. It is so tempting to do what is "in style" right now. The next kitchen I plan will not only be functional, durable but practical in the materials I choose. I am looking forward to being able to clean and maintain finishes with as little effort as possible. Thanks for the tips!

A Kitchen That Works LLC If you are remodeling and not planning on replacing the floors, I recommend you start your selection process with the cabinetry. Cabinets are typically the largest visual as well as cost component of a remodel. If you are replacing the floors then selecting the floors may come first due to the relationship the floors have to adjoining rooms. Countertops come second or third in the selection process.

pattimay Stainless steel isn't the "right" choice but it is a choice and that's okay. As is white, or black or any other color someone chooses to buy.
I always wonder why people take opinions and choices as something wrong.
I'm the first to look at pictures and sites for ideas, and ask questions. But I find it can often clutter and confuse the mind and make you second guess yourself rather than be like we once were as children and just say I like pink or I like purple, be okay with it and not care what anyone else says.
I like contemporary and yes I like stainless. I liked the idea of covering the appliances until I asked what happens if something happens to the appliances. What we would have to go through left me totally turned off so that I went back to the stainless idea. I did ask about the cleaning of stainless and was told the newer ones are easier to keep clean. Yes, I know they want to sell the stainless.
To some they feel stainless will be outdated. Stainless has been around for years as others have come and gone, just not as noticed because it wasn't a fad back then. Look at restaurants, that's all they've ever used. I do like the new white ice but definitely feel that will become dated as it is a specific look.
People may be tired of stainless because it is shown over and over in picture after picture. Think of it the same as anything else, eventually people say the same thing for that.
You have to go with what you like. The minute you see a picture and you jump at it write down what you like. Save it don't second guess it. Continue on until you find the look that is right for you. Regarless of what anyone says.
In building, I still have plenty of time to decide. I enjoy reading thoughts and opinions, hoping to learn much. But in the end I will make the choice that is right for me. ...even if it is stainless that constantly has to be cleaned and seems cold. ...and that's okay.

pattimay jnoel - check out quartz. Beautiful choices, easy to care for and safe to our earth!

pimms1967 I've never been a fan of stainless appliances or sinks (sinks are a pain to keep clean!), glad to hear I'm not alone. I will be doing a reno on my kitchen (actually bumping out the back of the house, current footprint [12x7] really small and claustrophobic), it's an old house. I'm planning to do quartz countertops, white cabinets, Kohler cast iron farmhouse sink, hardwood floors, and I'm having the stove converted to gas. The debate I'm having is black or white appliances, leaning toward black as it won't show as much wear and tear, everywhere I've lived has been white, but that might be too bright, the black would give some contrast and there is dark gray/black in the counters. A friend told me not to get stainless, she has them in her rental apt, she's a clean freak and drives her nuts how much she has to clean them. I don't really care at this point about resale regarding appliances, if the only thing stopping a potential buyer is not having stainless appliances, then those people are just another batch of lemmings who think that's what they need. The other debate I'm having is backsplash or no backsplash, and if I put one in it will be simple. I'm really trying to design this in a simple, traditional manner that appeals to me, and also for resale, but appliances can easily be changed. I've also almost decided I will not be going with a counter-depth fridge, I know they're better on space outside, but inside they're really shallow and it bugs me, but will have to see how the new floor plan works.

Phoggie - if you're doing mid/dark/cherry wood-tone cabinets, I would go with black or SS appliances over white (black would be my choice), it would be too much of a contrast to use white. If you want white appliances, I would go with white, light gray, yellow, light/mid blue or lighter (natural birch, natural maple) cabinets. Also try to pick a style of cabinet that in theory, will not go out of style if you're thinking resale. Some styles can look dated quickly, usually can't go wrong with a Shaker style.

maryvollmer thanks to all for many viewpoints...GRATEFUL TO ALL OF YOU!. I am going to check out earth friendly quartz and put a cabinet front to my dishwasher to break up all black appliances........my cabinets are in good shape and it makes no sense to dispose of them ...food for thought....one wise thing i did 20 years ago was a good cabinet in a timeless wood and timeless pattern ...I have replaced doors that needed it , put in a couple of glass doors and can still get a cover for my dishwasher. I like color and can always change that.....I also like easy to maintain and comfortable

Beatrice Lawson We have installed our quartz countertop in spring and I am supper happy with it. Cleans a beaut and although I am careful there have been times I dropped a hot pan straight on it and so on. Not a mark or chip and we have a young child and we are not the most meticulous people... and I do cook daily in that kitchen, it is not for show. Very happy I went with quartz. It's pretty thick, which looks great and has simple bullnose edges nothing fancy.

ltcroucher I'm an avid cook, so when I designed the new kitchen for our 1974 split-level, I started with the appliances. I researched the best performing brands for my purposes, although, not necessarily the most expensive. I was going to get a gas range for the high btu, but because we are not connected to natural gas lines, I would have had to use tanks of LPG, which don't produce the same high heat as natural gas. I got an induction range instead which has a lot of advantages over an electric range and heats up like gas. I ended up with stainless steel appliances because the induction range comes in stainless steel. From there I chose the countertop first (quartz, Praa Sands from Cambria), and then the cabinets (two tone, white wall cabinets and espresso base cabinets, KraftMaid). The tile floor was $0.99 a sqft on sale at Lowe's. The backsplash was small clear glass tiles from Korel, ordered through Costco. I splurged on some parts and saved on some but overall I'm very happy with my new kitchen.

Vanessa Brunner Hey guys! Love the discussion that's going on here. Too funny — I didn't even notice the appliances when I was choosing photos for this piece — I was too focused on all of the other gorgeous finishes in these beautiful kitchens :)

Totally understand the stainless steel dilemma — I have an ancient white fridge/oven set up in my kitchen, so it can be frustrating to see the same appliances over and over. We actually have a great ideabook on white appliances, if you're tired of the all metal look:


For other finish inspiration, do a search on white appliances, colorful kitchens or whatever you're looking for in our photo section! Some fun ideas are sure to pop up. I'd also suggest browsing our topics pages, like the countertops page (http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/Kitchen-Counters#Kitchens) for some more material inspiration.

Best of luck Houzzers!

gweller Vanessa, Thank you so much! Guess you never know which turn a conversation is going to take. Anyway, can't wait to grab a cup of coffee and check everything out! I so appreciate your efforts.

cordelia2003 Glad to hear the good comments on quartz and on black appliances! We're just finishing up our renovation, went with maple cabinets stained caramel (lighter than cherry), and black appliances because we didn't want stainless and white looked too contrasty with the medium-dark cabinets. Donated the old dishwasher to Habitat, kept the stove which was black with some white trim, put our old white fridge in the basement to plug in and stock when we have lots of guests.

We chose quartz countertops (Cambria Waterford), which are late in arriving because of a production issue, but should be here this week, and I'll be excited to see them. So glad those of you with quartz are happy with it! Our architect/contractor recommended quartz as easier-care than granite.

2012lori Thanks for the suggestions for more research, Vanessa. I like the way your article was laid out...with the numbered steps which follow the way my mind works. I will follow up next free hour I get...maybe in 2013 LOL!

Jodi Miller Wow! So many great comments! We are in the process of moving to a different home. Kitchen is very typical, L-shaped cabinets in Oak finish. I have had White appliances in the last two homes. My experience is that any white plastic parts on the applicances have yellowed with time. They were not the "budget" line of appliance. In fact the frig is one of the "better" names. I am getting ready to replace the almond color range and white dishwasher in the next home. I was leaning toward stainless, but now after all the negativity I found here, I think Black will be my choice. What experiences have you users had with the black?

mrsben Hi Vanessa, re my earlier comment certainly wasn't intended to start a debate, however kind of nice knowing that there are others who are tiring of stainless but then again 'to each their own'. Thanks for the heads-up on searching some 'other than' examples out.

Personally, I prefer to choose my own appliances and find it unfortunate that one is even to expected to leave them when selling their home. NOT to cause another debate, but it IMPO it is the Real Estate industry that we can thank for that.

Always enjoy your articles.

mcd53 I bought new white appliances 15 years ago and they still look great, and if we ever find a home they are going with me.

gweller donnaciano: I smiled when I read your post.

Melissa Paradis @mrsben i completely agree. remodeling our kitchen i was trying to avoid stainless. we already had a stainless dishwasher that runs fine. for the stove i went with a blue bertazzoni as an accent piece. i would not recommend bertazzoni though. major issues. i finally found a floor model custom front fridge. i plan on having my husband cut up some plain panels and create a collage over that with my mom's old photos from europe in the late 60's. still trying to figure out the epoxy though. any suggestions for that always appreciated. stainless is going to be the avocado green of the 70s. just you wait people:)

mrsben @mefly: Re an expoxy (resin), you might wish to search Michaels.com (type in resin) to see if they have any products/projects that might be suitable to create your collage. Also if the photos are keepsakes, you may want to consider using laser (not inkjet) copies of them instead of the originals. Good luck on your project!

P.S: Thanks Vanessa for letting me reply to 'mefly'. Shan't make a habit of it. Promise! :)

pattimay To those that like white appliances or want ideas.... http://www.houzz.com/white-appliances

missangel99 Hi I'd like to know what you think of painted white cabinets. I have to chose this week either BMW Dove white or a more creamy white cabinet. The island wood will possibly be espresso color. That has been the suggestion of the kitchen cabinetry people. Not sure I want that though. I love an all white kitchen. Last house I had an all white kitchen so I thought maybe I should try something more trendy. Thus is a brand new construction. What are your thoughts? I love Carrara marble with subway tile. I am told marble in the kitchen isn't a good idea and I cook a lot. Having areal hard time finding a light granite also. Appreciate your design expertise.

chicagoboy1 I really like white white in a kitchen! It looks very french but you always know it is nice and clean and never goes out of style

JAN MOYER Missange99
Do the white my dear. No NEED for a different tone on the island. Sound like you love timeless, and a six million dollar home with a Christopher Peacock white kitchen... is an all white kitchen!

JAN MOYER missangeps
Every countertop person will tell you that on marble. But marble has been in kitchens for centuries!!! and we have been walking on it for that long as well. I say go for it, or check out Zodiac Carerra bianco, which...... can give you the feel with no worries at all. Having said that, there is nothing like the real deal, but do note that for several years, it has been coming from the earth a bit darker, muddier, and with more grey. You may have to search out your slabs to find your idea of perfection!

A Kitchen That Works LLC Missangel99, a few things two consider when deciding between white and off white: what type of lighting will you be using? Fluorescent and LED have a blue tone which can make pure white cabinets feel steril, not an issue so much if you use halogen. Next think about electrical cover plates- what is going to go best with the rest of your house, in other words what color plates do you have elsewhere in the house?- white cover plates will go better with white cabinets. Also consider the color of a potential tile backsplash and grout - some will look better with white cabinets, others with off white cabinets. There are many things to consider, these are just a few.

JAN MOYER Missange
, if you love Carrara marble you love true white. Subway tiles are classic in true whites as well. Sounds to me you have made your decision, and one that is timeless as well. Don't agonize, go for it! ( tip, take two quarts of Benjamin Moore Decorator white, with one quart Benjamin Moore linen white, mix, and you have a "perfect" cabinet white. Not too icy, not too yellow, not too grey. I had my custom cabinet people make that one of their standard choices, and it is now the best selling of all their "whites" : ) It is clean white and bright without the harsh.

pattimay Sorry, I say stay away from the marble. I have marble in my home. It stains, it yellows, red wine stains it, it etches from acid foods such as lemon, tomatoes, tomato juice, etc. So it will show etching the shape of whatever it was - for instance a tomato juice bottle that leaked, or placing a lemon cut side down shows a circle that is etched while the rest is shiny. You can get cleaners to take out some of the stain and you have to seal it.
Unless it's an area not used much I say go to something like quartz. You can get all white or variations of whites. It's not a lot of work to take care of and is beautiful.
Sorry marble lovers. I love it too. Just not in the kitchen or bathroom.

phoggie I completely agree with pattymay....I would stay away from marble. I had it in my previous house until I could not get past seeing the etching ... and took it out and put in granite. I loved the marble when it was new, but hated that stuff in the end!

lisannsc Help! I love the look of the antique glazed off white cabinets - am building a new house ( no formal dining room - so need to incorporate mahagony dining table and china cabinet into the kitchen/ keeping room). My builder's cabinet source ( custom cabinets manufacured on site) is telling me this is not a good choice because in about 5-7 years the cabinty will show cracks as the wooe expands/ contracts over time. Does anyone have experience w/ this? Thanks so much

A Kitchen That Works LLC @lisannc
Your builder has made a legitimate statement. Not knowing where in the country you are located and the associated climate or the cabinet door style you have selected, both of which can have a profound affect on your cabinetry, my advice would be to ask your builder to install factory made semi-custom cabinets where the paint and glaze are "baked on" then sealed for a more durable finish than what you can expect in a paint in place project, especially if you are in a humid climate. Pleae note that most factory cabinet manufacturers will ask the customer to sign a form acknowledging the vagaries of paint.

lisannsc Thank u - i am in New Orleans - so this gives something to think about - perhaps I can find a better choice

knudsen13 To add to the black vs stainless discussion - a couple years ago I went to black appliances after having stainless in our previous home and tiring of the constant fingerprints. I regret that decision every single day! Not only does a smooth black finish show smears, fingerprints, and water marks (mores than stainless in my opinion), it also shows dust and dirt almost immediately after cleaning. The time spent cleaning stainless steel pales in comparison to the daily upkeep of my current kitchen. I am going back to stainless steel as soon as my appliance budget allows!

ltcroucher I know this is a design website, but appliances are, first of all, tools that have to work well for their designed purpose (keep food cold, heat and cook food). They have to be reliable and not die on you unexpectedly. They have to be efficient (for example, do you really want to wait an hour to boil water?). Whether they are stainless steel, white or black or any other color is just icing on the cake.

gweller Good to know! Soon to build a new home and have been gathering information on all the different options for appliances.

JAN MOYER ltcroucher
You're right of course, but the apps of today are pretty darn amazing. A GE monogram five burner cooktop with a center 18,000 btu burner that will boil up a kettle of pasta water in 90 seconds is one that comes to mind, but even the lowliest appliances are a far cry from those of old! Thankfully huh? Shop around for the conveniences and features most important to you, and don't over or under buy, based on your daily habits, and budget.

pimms1967 Update to my earlier post - I decided to do a major splurge (gulp!) for my kitchen renovation, and I have on order the Viking D3 30" dual-fuel 5-burner range in Iridescent Blue with matching hood, it will be one of my pops of color against white cabinets and quartz countertops. The remaining appliances will be white, I like white, not a stainless fan. I love the stove color I've picked and whenever I have to sell the house, if I still like it and it works, I'll take it with me.

A Kitchen That Works LLC I recently published an article on appliances in West Sound Home and Garden magazine. You can find it on our website under Articles and Resources, the second installment will come out in December. Www.akitchenthatworks.com. Enjoy!

pamc321 I want my kitchen to be a living kitchen... not something with precious materials, I don't want shine, I don't want grout lines,. I will have fingerprints, and doggie noses, so no to cabinetry that makes me be a slave to upkeep. My appliances anything but stainless, and or shiny black, Who really wants to cook on a mirror. I also want clean lines, no grooves that catch and hold kitchen goofies. I want patinas of life, I want fingerpaint, and glue and tracing paper lines, I want overstuffed feet on the furniture comfortable. I want a Nana house... I want art supplies in my kitchen cabinets, and story nooks, I don't want to see any electronic wires or devices, they can all be hidden. And If I have to have whiz bang buttons, and clocks and etc etc make the lights on all those the same color! I want, " Hey Nana, we're home, do you have any cookies ? Oh sorry. 'bout the mud, I'll scrape it off, we lost our soccer game" Can I have milk too? Nana I can't find the green crayon, ohh no, Greyden, why did you color on the wall? Nana we have to get another frame for Greyden's picture. Now there is 5 of 'em! I want life in my house not thngs.

slbridges Viking has great new color finishes. I hope it excites some of you! http://www.vikingrange.com/consumer/product/about-viking/new-at-viking/viking-introduces-new-color-finishes

Stainless Steel, Black, White, Graphite Gray, Stone Gray, Taupe, Biscuit, Cotton White, Sage, Mint Julep, Sea Glass, Iridescent Blue, Viking Blue, Cobalt Blue, Lemonade, Racing Red, Apple Red, Burgundy, Plum, and Chocolate.

Patti I want white appliances, i did want yellow cabinets, but decided for a resale few years down...maybe a white with a black glaze. the island i want black with a butcher block, but i am having a hard time on countertop color, torn between black, grey, or a off white...HELP i have till friday to decided, need to order...house trusses are up, roof on...time to decide so i can move on to other rooms!

JAN MOYER Patti,
What is the final cabinet color, what are your floors, what material are the counters with the "undecided" color, what is your style, traditional, modern, classic, what? With trusses and a roof, you are quite a way away from a kitchen install. Nothing will happen if you take another week. That is virtually a guarantee. It's the most important room in the house. .....and you are going to own it and your result a lot longer than a week. Ps. on butcher block island top.... yes it can be sanded, But it is a germ fest of permeable surface unless properly cared for, for food prep. Think twice. Make that three times. And tell the builder you need until January 1. Everyone in the manufacturing process is "out to lunch", the design trade pretty much the same. The counters don't go in until the cabinets are set and a template created....ask for January 1 and use the holiday to think!!! Calmly. Happy holidays!

ltcroucher Patti, I installed Praa Sands by Cambria in my kitchen. It will match your white with black glaze cabinets and has grey, black and white bits on it. Best of all, it hides spills and stains. And made in America. :-)

pimms1967 ltcroucher - I too am planning to install Cambria Praa Sands countertops in my new kitchen with white cabinets, white appliances (except stove). Do you like how the Praa Sands turned out? For a pop of color and coordinate with the Praa Sands, I splurged and bought a Viking D3 30" dual-fuel range in Iridescent Blue with matching hood, I love the color.

My plans are delayed due to being over budget and are in cost cutting mode. May I ask how much your counters cost? We got an initial quote of $160/sf for a total of $8500 for 53sf of counters needed (it's not a huge amount needed). That just seems ridiculous, I know the Cambria is pricey, but...? I later found out my contractor consulted someone local he knows who doesn't have a lot of experience with quartz and not a Cambria dealer. I told him he needs to price it out more and through a dealer. I'm in the Chicago area.

Thanks!

ltcroucher traveladdict1967, I ordered my Cambria Praa Sands way back in March from the people who also designed my Kraftmaid cabinets. I paid $5000, but I can't remember the square footage. I love, love my countertops. The clear glass backsplash that gives off this blue-greenish tinge go well with it. I can see how your new blue stove will go so well with the Praa Sands. This is a picture of my kitchen before we installed the hood. Just a note, though, my countertops were installed in August. We had to wait for the factory to make new ones because they could barely keep up with the demand. That may explain the higher prices.

Patti I have a cabinet maker who is making my cabinets, ....and i am going with less expensive countertops...guess my age is showing here...HD wilsonart Luna Night, and a butcher lock top island...going to go with white cabinets, with a dark gray glaze..seen it on a houzz project and i just love it! ...this way i can always add red, or yellow accessories! ...Thank you all for your input will put a picture up when it is done::))

2012lori I love that I am still getting updates on this thread - but it shows me how long this process has taken me! We just ordered our cabinets today, and also decided on the Cambria Shirebrook counter. I'm so excited - can;t wait to see it! I agonized over the appliances, still not totally decided but if I can find a matte black that is the plan. Decided not to go with the biscuit colors again - ready for something new if I can find them in a non-stainless. I liked some of the whirlpool designs ( have had excellent luck with all of my other whirlpool appliances, some of which are 18+ years old and still working!) but they are switching over to black ice and I assume "ice" means glossy. I ready the comments about fingerprints and would hate to deal with that. So I'll keep looking. I hope everyone has a great Christmas with new kitchens, and with new kitchen plans!

mrkgarren55 I think a kitchen identified by "stuff" being visible either on the counter or on open shelves tells you in a cooks kitchen. One caveat. Having your "stuff in the open" draws the guests eye to the "stuff" so if it looks junky not paid attention to well,,,,need I say more?

mystery123 We have had granite in the kitchen for 12 years and I hate it! It MUST be sealed regularly and it develops rough spots on the edges which had ruined my knit tops. I think other counter tops look just as good and are much easier up keep.

gweller mystery123: Thank you!!!! We are building a new house and I had about decided against granite - you made up my find for sure!

Beatrice Lawson We renovated last spring and after much research decided against granite and went with quartz. Could not be happier or more pleased. No sealing required, no rough spots, does not stain - I cook every day and let's just say I spill and splatter and it all wipes off beautifully. Love it, and my installer who only does countertops told me that in the unlikely event I manage to stain it, he can polish it off fast and easy and will look like new. Since he sels every material and we were already decided to buy from him, that was not sales talk... Good luck!

gweller Quartz it is then! That's the way I was leaning.

capemaybeachpam I'm not using any stainless in our new home, it's too expected nowadays. We are going for black appliances.

Patti I have white appliances now, so we are taking these because they are under 2 years old...going to try and just add Stainless elswhere...maybe backsplash. but I do like the black idea for appliances...and If we had waited a few months, i have seen new appliances comming out ..white with Stainless trim/handle...love these.

gweller I have a black coffee maker and it's always dusty. I'm continually having to wipe it. I wonder if black appliances would have the same problem. I saw the new white with Stainless trim and they were very sharp looking.

Lynn Moyer My kitchen is functional and lovely.