I am not sure your thoughts on this but I would paint your cabinets a creamy white. That would look fab with your slate and wall color. I think that would make the biggest change overall in the appearance of your kitchen. You can go either way with the hardware you choose. Maybe get everything in there, more or less and then decide. As for the sink... the one you have would look great with the other white features. Or the silgranite too would work in blending in. I would also maybe just add some nice molding to the island and beef it up a bit. Maybe stain it darker? Make it appear it is a piece of furniture. Or paint it black or near the color of the countertops.

I hope this helps! If you are not planning on painting the cabs then I apologize it is just the first thing I would do if it were my kitchen and I wanted a new look.

Amy

I expected to see something really ugly here. Sorry, but I really would like your kitchen with the wallpaper removed, some snappy color, new counter and good to go. The idea that oak is dated has swept this forum, but with the proper backdrops, it can look good.

It would help to see it with the new counters in place and the black/butcher block island. That sounds lovely BTW. Is the Basalt slate coming soon?

If I were planning on doing a renovation in 4 years, I would not replace the sink. You say you are going to go for a new layout, so chances are, you will get new counters then too?

I wouldn't go for the marble backsplash either. I would lean towards the inexpensive subway by Daltile and save some money.

And if it were me, I would paint the cabinets if you really want a WOW change. There are lots of posts on how to do it, we did ours and I think it was such a great choice. You might even consider painting the cabinets a light gray, like we are seeing a lot of now. That might really pick up the colors in your slate. (We painted ours Cloud White). This would play up your dark island that you have now.

Keep the hardware in the brushed nickel. It looks nice, and why change it?

Good luck!

I think I'd paint or gel stain the cabinets. No need to replace the sink unless its chipped.

Thank you so much. I would LOVE to paint the cabinets. I've read many posts here and the pictures are inspiration enough to do it!

My house is in shambles at the moment as we are painting the entire first floor, ceilings included, putting up new trimwork, painting doors. I have 3 little ones including a newborn. Sometimes I wish I didn't have to sleep so I could do all my projects overnight while they sleep!

Maybe once all the painting is done I won't be so overwhelmed and can think seriously about the cabinets. I know it would be a huge impact. My DH would probably kill me if I bring it up now.

The cream or white cabs would look ok with white appliances though? :)

Sounds good to me. I'd add some pop via new chandelier shades, something with black to tie into the island. Probably black or ORB cabinet hardware, too.

I don't think I would go to the trouble of a tile backsplash if you're really remodeling in a few years. Consider a tin backsplash ... they are inexpensive, somewhat unusual, and super easy to put up. There are a bunch of photos on the website I linked to, and here is the one we put up in our mtn condo:

Here is a link that might be useful: tin backsplash

I have oak cabs, white appliances, and a dark counter. And dh put up white subway tile for our backsplash a few months ago. I LOVE it!! I believe it was less then $200, too. We just used the cheapy ones from Lowes. I'm very happy with the way it all turned out.
I only wish I didn't long for painted cabinets. Because we are in fact taking that plunge next week. But, the backsplash alone made a huge different. One that I couldn't be happier with. That, and we also had red walls. I thought I loved them. Until I painted over them and realized just how old and dated it made my kitchen look.

Personally, I don't think the white appliances would look good with white or cream cabinets. They won't match, and either the cabinets or the applinaces will end up looking dingy. I love the red walls!! You have already made the kitchen look 100% better by getting rid of the wallpaper and putting such a bold color in there. Wait until the new countertops are on before making any decisions on cabinet color and backsplash. You may find that your "pig" isn't so much of a pig afterall. I could easily live with that kitchen as-is until your major reno.

The basalt slate will look lovely with those dark oak cabs.
And the black island is a great idea.

Which hardware do you like better?
I matched my hardware to my lighting but it does not have
to be. If you love ORB go for it.

Sink? Keep the white cast iron. You can buy these kits to
spruce them up so they really shine bright white. Check
out Kohler sinks. Since you are redoing the entire kitchen
in a few years it is wise to save now and keep what you
have.

One inexpensive thing you can do now is change the paint
color. Maybe something in the hazy clouded green or gray
blue family.

Colony Green by Ben Moore

Hancock Green by BM

Light Blue by Farrow Ball is one of those paints that just
works beautifully with wood.

Backsplash??? I was going to say go with tumbled but
then I came across this nice picture of dark cabs, blue-ish
slate color counters and wow it is lovely...
The light backsplash is a beautiful contrast in some
of the below pictures. Something to consider.

House Beautiful Period Charm

Trinity Designs

American Stone inc.

Ralph Lauren home kitchens

I love your oak cabinets as well, especially with the crown that you've added.

DON'T paint your cabinets! Where is it written that all GW kitchens have to be white???? (BTW, mine is blue.) As for backspash, I'd wait until your new counters are in place, as well as the black island. Then evaluate your budget, and go shopping for something that coordinates. I'd keep it cheap and simple if you will be re-doing everything in a few years.

Please know I meant change the wall color not the cabs.
I like the oak cabs just the way they are.

My color ideas were to change the red wall paint into
something cooler to go with the basalt and oak.
Just wanted to clarify.

~boxerpups

Thank you for the great suggestions - and photos!

Boxerpups - love those photos, especiall the RL kitchen, which is surprising b/c of the oak cabs. It's the quality of my cabinets that bother me - all that grain makes me dizzy!

Momto4boys - good luck on your cabinets next week. How exciting, hope you post along the way. I've seen your kitchen in a few posts and I love it. I agree on the red paint too - good for a short time but after a while it just gets so dark. Our kitchen faces north too, no direct sun.

Thanks again - back to painting! :)

I would go with a classic white subway tile. It will never go out of style and always look classy.

As for the cabinets, although I do like white kitchens I'm starting to see lots of beautiful kitchens with medium stain cabinets like yours. Have you seen the kitchen by Minnesota designer Todd Hansen in the Jan/Feb 210 Better Homes and Gardens magazine "Kitchen and Bath Ideas"? It is my current dream kitchen. It has white/cream cabinets for uppers and a light/medium wood (similar to your oak) on the bottoms.

A few ideas:

1.) leave the bottom cabinets as is but paint the upper cabinets a white/cream color

2.) don't paint any cabinets but put a few glass panel/glass doors on your uppers.

Either solution will solve the problem that you don't like all the graining on the oak cabinets. Most people in your kitchen looking at the cabinets are going to notice the uppers more than the lower cabinets. If you change out the uppers you will create the look you want.

No matter what, I agree with the other posters that you should wait and see how you feel when your island is painted and your new counters are installed. Be sure to show us the pictures. It is going to look great. You have a very nice space to work with.

I really like the idea of a black island. Love boxerpups idea of paint colors.
I love COASTAL FOG by BM a grey green putty color. (someone recently updated their kitchen with that color. I have it in my dining room - love it!)
I also like the idea keeping your satin nickel hardware.

What about the idea of a stacked stone backsplash?

Here is a link that might be useful:

Hey diginthedirt, your changes are going to be a great update, but did you round off those sharp counter corners everywhere?

I think your cabs are nice. I have seen some awful oak cabs but I think this forum has gone too far in condemning all oak. Change it if you hate it but a poor job of staining or painting cabs will be much worse than what you have.