I prefer the second one. The cherry island has a lot of impact. One other option would be cherry base cabinets and white upper cabinets.

I like the first one. I think the richness of the cherry wood stands out and then the hutch is more prominent also. I also like the idea of closing off the side of the island with cabinet space. It looks like your island is plenty big and this would add more storage to the kitchen.

I prefer the second one - it's a classic look and I think it would look beautiful. The island stands out in the second, and I like that it becomes the focal point. The room seems more grounded, if that makes sense.

I would do the base cabinet on the island, too.

Decisions, decisions....

In our last place we remodeled the kitchen and went with white (we used melamine since I have you kids and clean- up was a consideration). I love the clean look of the white.

In this renovation I am going with cherry with a toffee stain, b/c I want a warmer look.

I like how you have combined the two. I vote for the first one as well. The warmth of the cherry "grounds" the space and the white brings in a beautiful accent/high-light. Have you decided on counters/backsplash? A material that combines the two colors would be beautiful and unify the room.

Can't wait to see more!

Island legs: I like the second island option, the one w/only 2 legs & cabinet facing the hutch...for 2 reasons: (1) There will not be a seat in front of the clean up sink so no one will be in your way at the sink (although the "last seat" on that side probably will still be in the way somewhat) and (2) I think it looks better. OK,(3) more storage!

As to Cherry vs White: I'm a huge cherry fan but if you have to mix them I think either will work. If you're afraid of white going out of "style" or even a two-color kitchen going out of style, then I would choose the first as there is less white and the white is confined to a hutch...something that it will always be all right to be different...

But, if you don't care about those two things being in or out of style, I think I also like the second option...the cherry island w/white perimeter. I prefer that to different uppers & lowers as I think the different uppers/lowers don't look as "together"...but, that's my opinion...others love the look.

Love the use of marble and wood on that cherry island. I would go for the second but the reason is more then asthetics. I imagine the island to be the workhorse of the kitchen. I don't remember the ages of your kids but I can see their little helping hands, swinging feet, throwing their whole body into helping on that island and I'd rather have my painted finish not taking the brundt(?) of that kind of kid enthusiasm. Now, please keep in mind that this is from a woman who raised two very athletic boys on her own and I always contended that there was a direct relation between the amount of dirt on their bodies and the amount of healthy fun they had. Point being... my frame of reference is one of kids throwing their entire bodies into their activities.

Wow, Ive got some very mixed opinions!

For backsplash I will do some sort of light subway tile. The counters Im really not sure. Probably something in the color palette shown, but undecided on material.

My biggest fear with the white is not really staying in style, but I worry it wont take a beating. Accidents happen and we do have kids, so anything is possible. I just hope it doesnt leave marks I cant get out or horrible dents and dings. I do like a patina, so over time it would probably all blend.

My girls are ages 5 & 9 now and we have another baby on the way, due in August. This will definitely be a family space.

Cherry can get dings, too. If you plan to stain it at all, it has the potential of showing a difference between the face finish and any dings or scratches, too. I know it won't be the contrast that may show with white, but they'll get there. The white cabinets would be likely made of wood that's harder than cherry, and probably have a somewhat tough finish...So as a mom who knows about active kids, I still say get whichever you'll love.

One caution: My SIL got some kind of baked on white finish on her high end cabinets that was supposed to be ultra-tough. I suppose it was until it got scratched, but if anything went through the finish, it would start chipping back. She had hers done about 12-15 yrs ago, so hopefully there are better things out there now. Not a caution about white, but about the finish itself. I don't think that would happen with our painted cabinets.

CONGRATULATIONS on the new baby!! So exciting! My first baby will be 21 this week... It seems like only 7 or 8 years since she was born. My youngest baby is almost 5. -sigh-

My favorite: Cherry: all: (no white)

why mix white with cherry:

two completely different looks: "keep simple and consistant: all white or all cherry.

What look are you going for: Classic? or Contemporary/ Dark or light look?

Only a thought...best wishes

I like the second island option better. You could have open shelving facing the sink with that extra cabinet space for cook books or what-have-you.

As for colour, I like both. That's a tough call! I'm facing a similar dilemna myself and can't decide so I'm no help :)

I like the idea of the 15" cabinet facing the sink wall best, unless you need it facing the hutch. It could be a bookshelf, store placemats or other things used at the island, including maybe coloring books or something for the girls. I prefer having that cabinet rather than the 3rd leg for 3 reasons, similar to Buehl's: 1) More storage where you don't need more overhang, 2) I think it grounds the island and otherwise the island looks pretty long and skinny, and 3) I think it does make more sense to have the island solid under the butcherblock section, even though it isn't terrible the other way.

I prefer the first rendering, cherry with the white hutch. Can't give you a reason why, just personal preference.

I also like the island with the extra cabinet. If you do go that route, have you considered sliding the prep sink towards the hutch? That way it would be in front of anyone seated at the island. With the other island layout, it really didn't matter because there were seats along the entire length.

Looks great no matter which way you go!

Oh the choice of white or stained!!!! This is the hardest decision I have about our house plans we have... I happen to like them both.....the richness of cherry and the crispness of white. Not only can I not decide on cabinets, but I can not decide on the woodwork... My DH is like yours....likes stained....me, white. I am anxious to see what you decide on. I had even thought of going with a stained cabinet and a red or black painted island...
kinda like HollyL3kids kitchen.

LOL, we're not making this easier for you, huh? I guess you can take comfort in the fact that you can't go wrong either way.

I posted my preference for white cabs and cherry island above, but I also wanted to add if you do cherry cabinets, I'd consider painting the hutch a different color. JMO, but I think the white hutch is too much of a contrast with the dark cherry unless you go with a really creamy/off-white.

btw, I love dark cherry - my entire kitchen is done in it :)

LOVE the second one.

Not an easy thing to decide......you might want to go to another post further down on this page..."What design elements do you think gave your the most pop?....and go to crazyhouse6.....her cabinets are stained and the island is white (probably with a glaze), but I think this is one of my favorite kitchens.....and she used both color woods.
Good luck.

As a white kitchen person (caveat) my preference is a modified version of the second: mostly white perimeter with the cherry island, only I think I'd like to see the hutch in cherry as well ....

I've a white kitchen and two littles (four and two) and truthfully, while I l-o-v-e the look and would NOT do it differently, it is definitely more upkeep. I mean, even on a darker paint or wood cabinet the same fingerprints / dirt are there, only you can't see it the way you can on white.

In the beginning I was crazy about wiping the cabinets on at least a daily basis. Then life happened and now they get wiped down when the splotches are more than I can bear, so maybe once a week or fortnight.

I just want to be completely fair about white, that while I adore the look and strongly advocate for it, there can be a steep acceptance curve, and not everyone is going to be able to do it (to let the dirt be there until they get around to it). And needing to keep them always pristine is fine as well, but again, not everyone is going to be able to do that. (I couldn't -- for me, in my life, there are many other things which take precedence.)

Congratulations on New Baby!

I vote for white, but having said that, can you tell us what other wood elements you have in your home?

I was almost talked into stained wood cabs and then realized how badly they would clash with all the old oak woodwork thru out our main floor. Do you have painted trim, stained trim in the rest of your main floor. If it's painted will you do your cabs the same colour? If it's stained, how will it look with the cherry? Just a few things to think about.

I like cherry and white and had the same debate - I prefer #2. I prefer all of one thing and the island something different. I ended up with Cherry only because white didn't feel right in our house.

This is new construction. The only wood floors we will have for now will be in the kitchen and dining room. The trim is to be painted white and all public doors will be a dark stained alder. I havent figured out what color white. On the cabinets I have a choice of "white" or "eggshell".

rmkitchen- Your experience is what I worry about with the painted white. I'll be super finicky in the beginning and make things look spotless, but I know life will take over eventually. I do have a question though. What if something gets like dried on the cabinet, something cruddy that needs scrubbed? I cant really scrub a painted finish without leaving scrub marks can I? How do you take care of situations like that?

I'll probably put in the base cabinet instead of the leg. I was facing it toward the hutch, along with the other base cabinet beside it, so I could have easy access to them. I was thinking of putting small appliances in the 24" and cookie sheets/pans in the 15". And the hutch is kind of a baking center, so I though it would work better facing that direction.

So if I do the 15" base cabinet and its 24" deep, should I only have the butcher block extending 24" (24X39)? Right now its shown at 48" (48X39). Otherwise part of it will be on an overhang. Should it only be over a completely solid area? Or should I just forget the butcherblock counter there?

Are you planning panels on the front and back of the island (on the sides of the cabinets front toward the hutch) so you don't have blank spots? A full panel will look odd on the side facing the stove, so you might want to think about a way to make it look like a drawer and door instead...Will cost be a factor for something like that?

I always start out with a sponge, and if that doesn't take it off then I use the scrubby side of the sponge, and if that doesn't take it off (like greasy fingerprints) then I use a little dishsoap on the sponge, and if that doesn't take it off then I go to a really mild bit of SoftScrub on the sponge. One of those has removed every single bit of crud we've ever had, and NONE of them has ever left any mark on the painted finish(es -- we also have a black painted island).

Our painted finish is a catalyzed lacquer; in a previous house we had painted cabinets which I painted, and didn't put a poly top coat on. Now those would burnish, but I'd bet if I'd put poly on they would've been stronger. Live and learn!

But seriously, so far I've never had anything stain (and as a parent of two young children you can understand all manner of things have been drawn / rubbed / spilled on the cabinets) or, when removing it, leave a mark on the cabinetry. And I'd tell you if it had!

Oh, we also have wainscoting painted with BM's Impervo -- just Impervo, no poly top coat -- and so far I've been able to remove anything on it also without leaving any marks (e.g., burnishing). Pretty good, huh? Paint's come a long way, even in the seven+ years since I painted that kitchen.

I was planning on doing a panel that looks like the door style. I could maybe get a door and drawer front? Do you have another suggestion of how to re-organize the island cabinets? I have a 24" MW drawer, an 18" trash pullout, a 24" sink base, a 24" base and a 15" base. But you probably already knew all that :) Of course any of those sizes can change if they need to. We have a 9ft long island to work with.

I was originally torn between cherry and cream cabinets, as well. I am currently doing something similar to your number two version, which I love. If I'd gone with cherry, I was planning to keep it solid throughout.

If you can't get panels in a configuration that will blend with what's going on on the stove side (like a drawer and door look), I'd face all the cabinets to the sides, rather than have those face the hutch and create odd places on the front and back. (I hope that makes sense)

I just had this discussion with the KD. We're doing cherry perimeter cabs and I was considering a white island. she pointed out that the feet knocking it from kids sitting at stools would show a LOT faster on the white. (But we only have 12" legroom in our layout, so yours may not be such an issue) She said cherry is "a lot more forgiving with kids!"

I personally love the all cherry look. I don't get how cherry and white mix. Seems incongruous to me (but a good attempt to satisfy both inhabitants!) Maybe cherry and cream??? I tend towards traditional rather than contemporary. White reminds me of contemporary so my bias is showing for sure.

I also wonder if mixed finishes might be a trend that goes out of style when it is time to sell. All cherry is classic and timeless and will be desirable in a resale anytime. You may not be thinking resale at this stage, but ya never know... Such a big investment as kitchen cabinets should consider long term impacts.

If contemporary is a goal, maybe a darker espresso type finish of the wood might be more appealing option. I think its more contempporary looking than the mid-tone woods.

Just my $.02. You ultimately have to go with your gut.

I really like the white with cherry island.

In terms of the white island taking a beating, my white cabinets are 13 years old. While I have had many issues with the finish peeling around the recessed panels(I think a design and finishing flaw), I can't say that the back of the island looks horrible. My kids are 12 and 10, so they've had ample opportunity to do damage. The area where they would mostly be kicking is lower to the ground. I just went and looked and basically had to bend over to see where the scuff marks are. With the overhang, there are so many shadows from that, it will help hide some damage and you will have stools in front that would block some of the scuff(if you even see any).

Anyway, I'm posting to say that I don't think scuff marks should deter you from getting a white island if that's what you really want.

malhgold- great to get that real-life feedback, thanks!

Since I have white with a cherry island, you might think that would be my automatic favorite, but I'm not loving it so much. Part of it may be that I like to do something different and make it my own (I also have a wall of blue cabients), but it might also be the counters. I have marble on top of my white and a black on top of my cherry. I really like the way it grounds the island, complements the glaze and distressing and adds to the older look (even though marble can be consistent with an antique too) -- and then after putting it all together, I discovered that had we reversed the counters, it would have been an entirely different look to have the white marble standing out in front of the blue.

I think that mix of counters and the pop of white marble against cherry on the island is distracting in front of the white cabinets. If you go for white cabinets, I'd want to switch the counters rather than have fighting contrasts.

If you go cherry with white hutch, I probably would not make the open shelves white (cherry, stainless, gless) and I would either have a cherry panel on the end of the sink wall or a wall color that doesn't read white. The white surfaces are fighting with the white hutch in the drawings and keeping the hutch from having full impact.

I would do the cabinet on the island end -- make the space useful, but you've already gotten there. One thing I've found out on my island is that the 13" deep bases are incredible useful for keeping small appliances right at hand -- no digging to get one that is behind another. If the cabeints line up in such a way that you can use two, it's more money, but may be better use. I don't remember how you are working the island, but mine is straight with 21" deep on one side (all we could fit for sink base, trash and warming drawer) and 13" door on the other -- just in case that helps see a different possibility. My seating is a bar height table just across the end aisle. ;-)

Keep in mind that for all the opinions, any of those choices is going to look good. Making it yours and loving the way it makes YOU feel is what makes it right for you.

My vote is for number 2. I love the look of white cabinets and am in the process of putting them in my own kitchen. We also are going to have a stained island, but I think we are going to go with a darker brown stain rather than with the red of cherry (if it is up to me and not my husband!) My decision for the stained island was also because of kids (I have 2 boys...ages 1 and 2), and I think a white island would not be a good match for them. I also think that maybe you should go with the eggshell option instead of white...just to not look so stark against the darker island. Just my opinion, because really both options look great.
By the way, I couldn't help but notice that your kitchen drawings were done at Keim Lumber, that is near me...we have gotten tons of stuff for our house there. (not the cabinets though they are being custom made)
Good luck with whatever option you choose.

The white kitchen, dark counters and possible contrasting island is very popular right now, and you are seeing a lot of votes for that look. It is probably the most popular look right now. It is fairly classic, but the particular combination of details may look like everyone else's kitchen of this era. If you are satisfied that it is classic enough that it doesn't matter to you, it's a great look. If you want something that will feel more personal and bit more unique, you might be happier with the other mix.

Our closest friends have all cherry upper cabinets and a white (creamy white) island. It's gorgeous. Their 5 year old hasn't managed to damage it at all. They also have just the hood over the stove in the same white as the island.

I'm a little confused about there being two areas of counter-seating - at the island and at the peninsula near the sink?

kpaquette - The area near the main sink wont be an eating overhang, more like a ledge. Im not sure how deep I'll make it yet.

mgkinz - Thats neat that you're close! Where are you located? Who did you choose for your cabinets? I think we'll be getting our interior doors from Keim as well.

lascatx - Im going to see if I can do a reduced depth cabinet like you suggest. And your right about the open shelves, they would be stained if I go with the cherry everywhere but the hutch. Im not sure what to do with the end of the main sink run. Its probably going to drywall because it will be raised above counter heigth. I could just paint it the wall color. Or maybe I should do a taller end panel that looks like the cabinet face? Do they make those? Do you have pics of your kitchen? Ill try to search for some on the forum. Im sure Ive seen it before, I just cant remember.

Everyone has been so helpful with their experiences and opinions! Im still unsure, but leaning towards the white with cherry island (if I get my way). I'll probably go with the eggshell, which is more of a creamy white. I still need to hash out some small details yet, especially the island configuration.

I live near New Philadelphia, where are you? We also got all of our interior doors, trim, bathroom vanities, kitchen sink, the list goes on and on at Keim. I know of an awesome paint/stain shop out that way if you haven't had your trim and doors stained yet. They are actually doing the paint on my cabinets and probably finishing the hardwood floors. We are having our cabinets made by a guy that lives near us, his shop is called Sharon Valley Oak...he has made sleigh beds for a long time and has just started doing kitchens (we will be his 5th), but the workmanship is great and the price was fantastic!

We're in the Kidron area, not too far. I thought about having Keim stain our interior doors, but I think they want like $60-$80 per door. I dont know how much it should cost. Was your shop any less?