You sound like me--I'm not a big fan of mid-tone wood cabinets in general, and especially the orange and red-hued versions. I like them best with black or near-black counters. White (uniform white, like quartz) is okay. A lot of people pair them with granites with yellow in them (like St. Cecelia), but that just reinforces what I don't like about the mid-tones (no one who has this combo should take this as a personal slight--just stating a personal preference). I've seen green counters work well, especially in an Arts and Crafts setting (think surf green, seafoam green or coral green granite).

Do you have the cabinets already, or are you leaning toward the mid-tones because you want Arts and Crafts but not too dark? There are definitely mid-tone options that play down the orange and red tones.

Oh no, I am a ways out from actually making a purchase! I definitely do not want to go too dark; espresso finishes and the like are out for me. Something like this (in link below, to my pinterest board) is near perfect; rich but not too dark, a little red much not too much. I pinned this because the grey looks really, really good on them,m but there just does not seem to be a lot of viable options. Maybe, for ME, that is a good thing. ;o)

Here is a link that might be useful: mid-to-dark finish range, grey countertop

greenhaven, although I have a white kitchen with dark counters, what I really long for is mid-toned wood (esp. quarter-sawn oak) and light counters. Here's something I found at Houzz that I love. I believe it's a bathroom vanity, but I love the wood and the marble top. Even if you didn't want marble, a light quartz would be nice too.

I like a bit of red in wood, not too much. I also think warm grays go great with wood.

Good luck.

Here is a link that might be useful: [mid-tone oak with light counter[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/master-suite-bath-traditional-bathroom-seattle-phvw-vp~302707)

I loved Ikea's Ramsjo red-brown, but that sounds like it may be too dark for you...Also their Adel medium brown, closer to you example, which they show with a light grey-white counter -- looks nice. I think that steel grey granite, especially in a softer honed finish, would be pretty with anything like your example.

What are your floors going to be like? We have mid-toned cabinets that tend toward the red (pecan finish on cherry wood), and had a heck of a time finding a stone that was light enough to suit us and that suited the space. But that wasn't because of the cabinets (which were pretty flexible and could have gone several directions), it was because we'd chosen a floor that was frankly yellowy-pinky (that's a technical term, right?), marmoleum in the Caribbean color. Every yard had a zillion stones in gray tones, but we really needed something warmer. Even the St. Cecelias and Giallos that we saw were too gray, or too much of a gray-brown. Moral of the story: it wasn't the mid-tone cabinet that drove the decision, but the floor.
Our search had a happy ending, for we found some "African Copper", also called "Namibian Gold" that suited beautifully and that was reasonably light.
I am also attaching a link to two photos of our kitchen which show the cabs/granite/floors. The first photo is in mid-reno, second includes the new paint color and the backsplash.

Vanessa, if you don't mind me asking, what are the dimensions of your kitchen, and what's on the other side of your kitchen table? Sorry to go off-topic...

Ohhhh, linelle! That was very naughty to show me such a thing! It is absolutely stunning...that marble looks fantastic, and is the whole feel is so antique feeling. I love it! The wood tone is nearly exactly what I am going for if I go the A and C direction. I have two other main style possibilities, one slightly more cottage-y with light cabs, dark counters and a silvery sage for walls (kitchen adjacent to dining room) or, like my very favorite kitchen, very cool and serene but not sure I can make it work with the rest of my house. My two favorite kitchens I have ever seen I will just not be able to make work.

Again, love the pic, and it is making me think in hybrids, now. My juices are really flowing!

raee, those ramsjo kitchens are gorgeous! It is not the color I object to but the more modern expression. I admire so many kitchens while knowing I will never pattern that way myself.

vanessamtp, I think you did a great job choosing counter for your cabs. I think part of my problem is that I have chosen to use a color I have used and love, the aforementioned silvery sage, and to draw a warm honey-ish cab together with green is hard to do.

I saw these Kraftmaid cabs and specialty doors at HD the other day and fell in love with the seeded glass and A and C mullion accents.

greenhaven, I'm so glad you love that look too. Because my cabinets were originally golden (orange) oak, I had slipped into this thinking that oak = bad. It isn't, it's a wonderful wood. Recently I refinished a cheapo oak desk that was kind of disrespected in my house. It's now got a mahogany stain, a little redder than I wanted, but lovely anyway. The minute the stain went on, I fell in love with oak, prominent grain and all. Quarter-sawn is simply Prince Charming.

While I like the look of dark counters with either white cabs or a mid-stain, I think they're harder to work on day-to-day, harder to see things that spill (not always a good thing).

Just for you, another shot.

Here is a link that might be useful: [1/4-sawn oak[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/craftsman-kitchen-craftsman-kitchen-minneapolis-phvw-vp~1270105)

We wanted stained cabinets in the new house, but having had dark cabinets for so long in the old house, we wanted a light to mid tone. Decided on quarter sawn oak in a light finish. We had a little trouble finding granite that we liked, that matched. The ones we liked best were more cool colors and didn't go so well with the warm oak. We went with River Whiteâ¦. the color is cool, but it works well with the oak I think. We're happy with it anyway.

Carol, very cool looking kitchen. Be sure to post lots of pics when finished.

Carol, my favorites! Please more pics!!!

linelle, STOP it! Even that hardware is to die for! I do love oak...a steady stream of contractor grade cabs over the years has turned me off, but I always go back to it for it's richness and character.

Carol, River White is one of my favorite granites! I actually tore apart a granite display so I could lay the sample on those cabs I posted above. I was so disappointed that it didn't work at ALL that I started thinking about designing around the River White, lol! But it looks great on your cabs, and I cannot wait to see our finished kitchen.

You might do a google search on this site for counters for natural cherry cabinets - I know there have been several threads on that in the past - natural cherry is a mid-toned reddish finish. If you don't want high contrast or dark, green toned granites go well with it. For instance a Costa Esmeralda.

We used Azul do Mar - a quartzite with mostly aqua blues - expensive but a perfect fit for us.

I love quarter-sawn oak too. We have a tiger oak sideboard from 1916. Would have loved cabs like Carol's but we had to stay true to the bones of the house. We used natural cherry that doesn't have any sap wood, so it's a medium tone. Cool colors don't work with our furnishings, so we used a warmer tone beige quartz in an almost solid pattern.

I found an old thread (below) featuring oak cabinets in a variety of cuts (flat-sawn, quarter-sawn, and rift-sawn) and stains. You may find it helpful.

Here is a link that might be useful: Does anyone have oak cabinets anymore?

We are using quarter-sawn oak in a medium finish with white oak floors with a natural finish and a light counter. That River White is great! I also am drawn to the quartzites that look like marble (we could never maintain it in our busy family). Very much like that gorgeous bathroom vanity.

Carol - what flooring is under that cardboard? Do post pics!

These cabs are lyptus ($$) but this granite is pretty (Venetian gold?)

[Craftsman Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/craftsman-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2116) by Columbus Architects & Designers Andrew Melaragno

cawaps, thanks for that link, excellent information!

Thank you for the positive comments on our cabinets. I may post more pictures when the house is done. Our island is a bone, or sand, or tan (don't know what the color is called) painted, and the floors are character hickory stained a light golden color. We will have a crackle subway tile backsplash that is the same color as the island. Fingers crossed that it will all look good together.
Here's one more picture before most of the pulls were put on.

I found this a pic of a Craftsman kitchen with stainless counter but I'm having trouble linking to it. The whole page where I found it is full of inspirations pics (see link; the stainless counter pic is just past halfway down).

Here is a link that might be useful: Mission Kitchen Inspiration

cawaps-There are some beautiful kitchens there. Thanks for sharing that link.