I would save up for a year or two and do all of your major work closer together. Until you buy new countertop materials for example, you can't be sure the same granite/Corian/etc will be available in a year to go with your new cab color.

It would also be good if you post some sample photos of your dream kitchen. Find some links at the finished kitchen blog for this site, or at houzz.com etc.

I like the arches in your doorways by the way.

Here is a link that might be useful: GardenWeb's finished kitchens blog

you have such great space. the possibilities :)

your color plan sounds great but i agree, it prob would clash w/your current countertops. if anything i'd choose the countertop first, then focus on cabinet color, especially since you're just painting.

i redid my entire kitchen & had a pretty hard time deciding on my countertops (i initially dreamed of white glazed cabs w/orb hardware to). i fell in love w/my granite (bianco antico) & still planned on the white cabs. the day the cabinet maker came out i still went w/it, but at the very last min i got a glance of the expresso sample against my granite. it was gorgeous...so i changed it. i'm such a planner i would have never predicted i'd do something like that :) but i have no regrets.

good luck!

Nice space! I like the green tones in the adjoining room. Are your countertops greyish? Hard to tell. I don't see how white cabs could clash, but its alot of work to paint cabinets properly, and it can't be undone, so its a big decision. If you do decide to paint the cabs, my advice to you is not to paint inside the cabs. My paint chips and its so annoying. Congrats on your new to you home.

I like the green tones in the adjoining room.

Wow thanks for the responses everyone! I knew this would be a great place to be post!

The photos I have posted are from the current owner so all the furniture/artwork are theirs...though they do have some nice touches!

dilly_ny:
Thanks for the compliments! The living room is actually beige! I think the flash is playing with the tones a bit and making it look a little green. Now that you mention it, a green tone sounds good for that room! :)

The counter tops are Corian and it has a sandy- light brown color to them. I am still reading reviews on the Rustoleum Cab Transformations but so far it looks doable for me. I plan to paint the front/back of the cabinet door, trim, and sides. I'm going to leave the inside as is.

sher_nc:
Thanks for the counterpoint (no pun intended). :) I love the white glazed look but I am thinking about alternative colors that will work while the kitchen is transitioning. I was also thinking about going darker on the cabinets to offset the lightness of the countertop/tile. When it comes down to it, I can deal with the color of the countertop more than I can deal with the color of the cabs (if that makes sense). It's a lesser of the two evils thing. haha. Eventually the countertop will be tossed in favor of a black granite piece.

colorfast:
Thanks for the input. I will definitely post up a pic from the finished kitchens to give you an idea of what I am going for. I am going for a slightly modern take on the Colonial style kitchen. I take heavy influence from the homes I saw in Washington DC area. I was initially more of a Scandinavian style guy, but I love the feel of a Colonial kitchen. I feel that the Colonial style lends itself to families with small children. It feels warm and looks "lived-in" without it being messy. The Scandinavian style is more of a statement (which I love) but it looks odd to have a sippy cup out on the counter. :)

Thanks again everyone!

Went rummaging in the Finished Kitchen's Blog and found this kitchen as an inspiration. It's really hard to see if this will work in my home since the layout is different but all the colors and appliances are there!

For the time being, I would start with putting some color on the walls (the green in this pic would look great), clean up the cabinets, go over them with a bit of stain on a cloth (does wonders for covering the scratches), then add some ORB knobs/pulls....let this "grow" on your for awhile and then decide if you still want to paint. It might amaze you how good those cabinets can look once they are cleaned up and new hardware....just my .02's worth.

Sounds like a good way to go.

Just because I'm a n00b, ORB is oil rubbed bronze? So maybe a dark stain with ORB hardware? Sounds interesting!