Hi all,

My first post here on GardenWeb! I am currently planning a remodel of our kitchen. The house is a 50's ranch, with dark wood trim and doors. Much of our furniture is dark wood that matches the trim. Light walls, lots of windows, natural oak hardwood floors. I prefer a clean, classic contemporary feel.

Our kitchen cabinets are currently a dark stained oak. We have off-white laminate countertops that I am very much looking forward to getting rid of. :). Totally 80's kitchen.

We have redone our kitchen floor --- you should have seen the mess that was there when we bought the house! -- it's vinyl, with a tile pattern in beige with very small blue accent 'tiles'. We love the flooring as it is easy to clean and comfy underfoot.

1. We are keeping our white stove and fridge, but will be installing a new microwave/hood above the stove, and a new dishwasher. Will it look weird if we do the new appliances in stainless?

2. We are considering midrange wood cabinets (maple, perhaps a 'spice' stain). This will be a different tone than the rest of the wood in the house -- trim, furniture, or floor. Will it look strange, and will it be too much wood in the house?

3. I did consider doing white cabinets with a darker countertop. However, I'm worried that my messy family will keep me scrubbing the cabinets and retouching them often.

4. Lastly, thinking about countertops. We need the most durable (no stains, no chips) possible. What might that be?

Thanks for any advice/pics!

Kat

The big question:

We are replacing