Do you have to paint the cabinets? What is the style of the rest of your house? In what condition are the cabinets? The floor you have chosen seems to have too much mauve in it.

Given the knots in the wood, do you think painting will work ok? Have you painted this type of wood before? That's the one thing that concerns me.

I think your choice of floor and countertop would go well with painted cabs. Not sure they would be a good fit if you didn't paint. I would think about changing the hardware on the cabs and not painting unless you are confident that the painting. will work out.

PAINT, PAINT PAINT. I love the idea of the darker bottom and lighter top. The added bonus of painting is that you can fill the holes where your old knobs and pulls were, thus opening up the possibilities for new knobs and pulls which are more updated. You should consider new hinges in whatever finish you choose for the knobs and pulls (they should match).

I would also knock out that rick rack part over the sink. Consider a pendant light over your sink. It should sync with the fan and chandelier, but does not have to be matching. You may want to consider scraping the popcorn off the bulkhead. Popcorn is tolerable on the ceiling but when it's over your cabinets, it's going to be a distraction. It's not all that hard to do this especially when it's on a wall instead of a ceiling. Then, you could add some interesting crown molding or picture frame molding and paint it all the same as your upper cabinets. It will make the ceilings feel so much higher.

Can't wait to see your before and after - it's going to be amazing!! Good luck!!

http://www.houseography.net

Here is a link that might be useful: HOUSEography

The colors in your choices are very nice. I wonder what looks best - to have countertop and floor very close in hue or to have contrast between floor and countertop? I've wondered about that and perhaps the experts here can give some advice. I've always liked when a floor is a supporting element to the countertop and let the countertop attract attention. Right now the floor and countertop are almost equal.

The cabinets look like they would be difficult to paint because of the knots. What colors were you considering using on the cabinets? How about getting some professional painter's advice before starting such a huge painting project?

I think there needs to be one star in the show and other elements should step away from the scene. To my eye there is no one star in the show. How about picking one thing - floor, or countertop, or cabinets and start with one feature that you want to emphasize and then once that is in place step back and visualize how the other elements can assist the main feature without being equal to it?

Are you planning on keeping the white appliances?

Hi, I love the natural wood features of your cabinets---as they are---no paint. People are all into natural and eco-smart but are they seeing the virtue in the beautiful natural wood of your cabinets?
Your cabinets may not be sufficient to keep all your stuff so, in my op, it may be easier, not emotionally but in the overall picture, to donate or sell some or a lot of your stuff. We all could make nice meals and enjoy cooking without 3/4 of the stuff we have or want. (Think tupperware and salad bar/mayonnaise jar, marg, etc., containers) And I am a queen of containers.

I am a modernist, minimalist, so that is the point of view, somewhat, that I will suggest---Somewhat- You have a high chair lovey in your house. You may be emotionally torn between having a magazine kitchen and doing right by your family-but the conclusion that I and my neighbors have come to is, that we are happier when our kids are fed, played with, toss and bounce balls, see smiling parents-often with their own parental agendas-paid work, play, crafts, pals, blah,---yes, we, the parents, are happier, when we are not Architectural Digest cops.

I would change the hardware, pulls and hinges to chrome or ss. Change the light fixtures and find a fan that's more modern- they are there-I have spent $35 on a decent looking, functional fan.

Your planned darker floor and countertops match reasonably well and are very pretty, but looking at the overall pic, of the not painted caramel color of the cabs, white appliances-they'd be a great investment, but you need to ruthlessly de-stuff----pretend that you are Europeans in a wonderfully located but small space- your existing floors are ok, but with new cabinet hardware, new modern lighting, some stainess shelving between the bottom of the cabs and the counters, from Ikea perhaps---your k room would be well modernized.

I hope that you are near an Ikea store so that you can benefit from their point of view.

I think your cabs are beautiful. I'd try to figure out a way to keep them, UNPAINTED, and fix everything around them. Your appliances, look quite nice, unless you are really set on replacing them. New hardware, lighting, counters, perhaps, and then re-evaluate. Just my 2 cents.

You are going to sooooo enjoy the "new kitchen". I love your ideas above, and am wondering if you've considered getting rid fo the popcorn. It would really modernize the look.

I removed the popcorn in my large den with the help of a girlfriend, the garden hose with a mist setting, and a handheld sander. It totally modernized the look of the space.

The images of the flooring and countertop are a little lighter than in real life. I don't see the popcorn being scraped off because it's been painted over. A contractor is getting everything done for me. The hardware and hinges are being replaced...likely a brushed nickel finish. The pendant light is a great idea. I'll look into that!

Westsider- I know it looks cluttered! I recently had a yard sale and got rid of a lot of stuff. Once the renos are done, thing will look much nicer :)

I'm hoping that painting the cabinets will work. They are old and yucky looking. I'm not sure what "style" my house is. We renovated the downstairs (split entry) and need our upstairs to match. We are keeping the appliances. I am not sure what colours the cabinets will be. Cream on top?

Thanks for the input so far! Keep it coming.

I would paiont those cabinets faster than you can say Benjamin Moore! You will have to seal the knots with a shellac based primer, but your contractor knows that. As for the popcorn, I would remove that, even if it was painted over...still removable. Someone suggested crown moulding and painting the soffit same as cabinets: I totally agree. It will give the illusion that your ceiling is higher than it is.
Paintinig the uppers different from the lowers is awesome. A great trick for bringing you into this century. Also, I would have your contractor add some sort of moulding to the bottom of your cabinets. It gives a real custom look. Maybe just a slight arch on either side of your sink base?
And is it possible to re-locate the fan? From a design stand-point it looks odd. From a practical standpoint, I get that it has to stay.
And finally, take some time to choose the right tile.
Good luck!

I'm not loving that tile with your countertop choice. Formica Jamocha Granite is a yellow brown based brown, with more dark browns, and the tile is pink/terracotta based. The two clash. I think the tile you need is a lot browner, more natural stone looking like the Marazzi Montagna Belluno at Home Depot. MY neighbor used that in her new master bath, and I really thought it was walnut travertine until she told me it was porcelain!

As for painting the cabinets, well, they have a certain mid century mod charm that is really really popular right now, so I'd think twice about doing the paint bit until I'd explored that style some. Mid century style probably suits your home's architectural style well.

But, if you're going to paint, then a soft creamy sage green would be great with the countertops and tie in the "natural" vibe that is some of the best of the mid century look. You might think about more of the Montagna collection as your backsplash. It comes in some nifty subways, and you could choose the next lighter shade for that and it'd coordinate with the floors, but not be to "matchy matchy".

Here is a link that might be useful: Montagna Belluno

the flooring is actually vinyl and comes a lot darker in real life. does that make a difference. The sage green sounds nice.

Your knotty pine photographs as having a darker brown in the framing around the doors. It's a warm yellow-brown. Your table and chairs are a red-warm brown.

Why choose a gray-brown for the contrast on countertop and floor? I suggest either a real gray OR more warm brown-yellow or warm brown-red. Put a lighter version of it on the wall under the cupboards. You can also paint the paddles of the fan and the rim of the clock.

Let the knotty pine have center stage; avoid additional large areas of an obvious pattern; go for matte textures, solid colors.

But, get a fabulous piece of fabric that complements but does not echo major factors of the kitchen and use it on the window and on the table--print or plain--but without any other trim.

And when you pick out that light fixture over the table, choose something with stage presence. Where it meets the ceiling you need some dark color weight to compliment the hardware or the trim color that will add visual weight in contrast with the white ceiling and bulkhead. (Do not choose a minimal little cord with a plain white shade and a white attaching disk!) I just found this light quickly, but I'm sure you can find something affordable and in your taste. Just remember that the attachment needs to have some drama.

Here is a link that might be useful: Justice Design

Hi Hatgirl,

It can be done. Painting over knotty pine can definitely be
done. Here are a few befores and afters...
And yes some have new cabinets but some are just paint.

Shelter Pop Blog Before

Shelter Pop Blog After

Shelter Pop Blog After 2nd image

Sheeshamunga blog before

Sheeshamunga blog after

Old Kitchen

Young house love blog after

Curbly Before

Curbly After

the Old Post Road Blog Before

The Old Post Road Blog after

It sounds like you have already chosen to paint and I
support you. You will love it. The only comment I might
make is to be sure the cabinets are renovation worthy.
Are they worth keeping? I love the tile floor but I am not
liking the counter colors. But this is me. If you are
going for a granite counter be sure those cabinets can
hold the heavy weight of the stone. Otherwise no worries
if it for formica or wilson art.

Have you thought about seeing what is behind the soffit?
The area above the cabinets? It might be an opportunity to
open that ceiling up. And have stacked cabinets or maybe
even some interesting molding. You can always add to
what you have. Or maybe no uppers at all. So much to think
about, dream about, plan, and fall in love with.

Here are a few kitchens with dark on the bottom and light
on the top. Note the counter colors and the floor. Oh and
note the beautiful light fixtures. They stay with the
time period of the hosue while adding to the joy of the
space.
~boxerpups

Inner Full view kitchen (I do not have the before image
but you can see this was indeed painted too)

Midnight beadboard

the conlon house blog gray and white

Attic Magic

Gray and dance blog

No uppers and no popcorn ceiling. Gorgeous

Wellseason styled mind blog

Thanks for all the pics, boxerpups! The counter we have chose is a laminate. It's probably debatable if the cabinets are worth keeping. We don't want to put in too much money and we are likely to sell in a few years. You can tell that they weren't done by cabinet makers - the tops and bottoms don't line up. If this was our "forever" house, we would probably gut and completely redo. Your pics do make me kinda rethink the dark counter AND floor...hmm.

your counter top choice looks a lot like mine (for my new place) - butterum. I wouldn't use it with another pattern like the flooring choice. I'm looking for something w/o pattern or multiple colors in it. something in the beiges. the counter top and flooring you posted go in 2 different directions. i'd go very plain on one of them.

do you need both the light and the fan/light? they look very close together in the photo. maybe you could put a fan/light over the table? if you're going for a more modern look maybe something like this:

boxerpups - I LOVE those purple cabs!!!