Dear Houzzers- Thank you all again, so much for your thoughts + advice. My wife and I have been overwhelmed with the responses! Here's an update- We love the idea of trimming the cabinet doors, and are very capable of that type of work. That said, we're not sold on painting the cabinets yet. We like the wood look, and we're not sure if trimming the cabinets could be done in a way that would look good if we did not paint... Any thoughts there? We never considered moving the trim piece above the sink, but now that you've mentioned it, it does look weird. We'll take that down and wrap it around the cabs. We'll definitely paint the walls and island, and I think refinish the island top to something a bit more rich. It would match the cabs if we don't paint them. Attached are some options for paint colors. The colors look so much more muted on my computer screen than they do in person, so keep that in mind. We're thinking one of the beige colors for the walls, and one of the greens for the island. We were thinking the kiwi color could be a fun accent color with one of the other greens... We were even considering painting the walls that surround the chimney (to the left of the fridge) one of those greens. Too contemporary? We found some nice light fixtures that are quite affordable at our local box store. They're also attached in an image- thoughts? We really like the idea of a distressed/reclaimed cabinet for the large blank wall. Great idea! We have one of the largest antique shows in the US (I think) just about an hour from us (Brimfield, MA) three times a year. I'll bet we can find something neat there... So finally, we're left with countertops and backsplash. I fell in love with a surface called "Antique Black Granite" a while back (see attached picture). It looks and felt great. No idea if we could afford this, We have about 33 sq ft of counterspace if we did it all in granite. We've considered buying a another butcher block slab for a portion of our countertops (very affordable at lumber liquidators- like

It is difficult to put your finger on one style with so many great options for kitchens. If you had to describe your own style in one word or phrase what would it be... traditional? funky? modern? rustic? sophisticated? casual? elegant? vintage? eclectic? Start with the feel or vibe you want your kitchen to have and build off that one idea. You may not nail down all your choices immediately, but it will focus you in the right direction and certainly help you eliminate the options that don't fit your style. If you are a modern, clean lines kinda gal, then a farmhouse sink with a vintage faucet is not for you. Yes, this may be a gorgeous look that you love when you see it in pictures. But, will it be a gorgeous look in your house? I have found this approach helps in making a kitchen remodel go from overwhelming to doable. Good luck and have fun!

This kitchen renovation involved opening up the floor plan of a Virginia Beach condo to allow for better natural lighting and traffic flow, while enlarging the feel of the space. The client felt the kitchen was not very functional or well-designed (i.e. the sink was on an interior wall rather than by the window overlooking the bay). And as a Scandinavian, she was looking for cabinets to complement her heritage, with sleek lighting and appliances to accent the minimal design. (Selection details below.) Tearing out the wall separating the kitchen and living area opened and brightened the space. After removing the box-like walls in the center of the condo, this area now transitions smoothly from the entrance and offices in the back to the kitchen and living area overlooking the water in the front. The doorway to the Dining Room was shifted to maximize cabinet space, and arched to minimize disruption of view and lighting. The client chose Azul Aran Granite and all Bosch appliances except for a Thermador microwave drawer. The back splash is 3 x 12 rain glass silver tile laid on a staggered joint pattern with Silverado grout. The kitchen paint color is Sherwin Williams Silver Plate (SW7649). The flooring is Columbia Cascade Click Laminate, color: Evening Mist (discontinued). Cabinets are Ultracraft Vision Roma Honey Maple with Eurotek Finish.

tres chic! I like the floor and the counter tops.