I don't know pamie, it looks pretty good to me. Can you just paint the dark cabs? Can you post a picture of the island please?

I know you are the one living With it but this is looking good to be too. For me the mix of woods are working and it's nice to see something different.

Ijust posted a pic of the island and it doesn't really show what it is. The front and sides are breadboard (painted white like all of the trim in the house) but on the other side is all stainless steel big drawers from Ikea. The countertop is granite called black velvet which has a brushed matte finish.

Hi again - Can't tell about island cabs. Are they maple or dark?

The front is white beadboard and the part facing the kitchen are stainless steel drawers

Oh ok. Sounds nice. What color is the wall by the dog bowls?

Well, I painted the curved pantry wall with Ralph Lauren stone finish paint in a medium warm grey. I can't remember the exact color, but I thought I would probably change it if I painted the cabinets grey.

Got it. I think the dark cabs around the fridge look fine. I like the maple with all your other finishes. The cherry ceiling and door are awesome. The dark cabs over the hood not so much. And white beadboard not so much. I'd suggest painting the beadboard the same stone color as the curved wall or a metallic color like the stainless steel drawers. The white is not working for you. I don't know about the cabinets over the hood; I'm not sure paint can fix that. If you removed those cabs would there be cherry ceiling?

I added those cabinets and put down lights in them so I would have task lighting. They are working louvered doors, but they were supposed to match the ceiling and the pantry door. The finisher messed up and made them and the refrigerator surround purple. Its really dark and really purple. I thank you for the comment about the beadboard on the island. I've lived with it so long I didn't notice it. It really is annoying.....

Purple? Wow. What about painting the beadboard and all the purple part in a grey color like the curved wall only metallic look?

Thats a thought. I just can't get the whole thing to feel right. I've been an interior designer for 25 years and I painted myself into my own corner doing things a little at a time. I was trying to save money by keeping the cheap maple cabinets because they were new. They are Lowe's stock cabinets and only come 36" in the top cabinets. Thats why the uppers were added. they look strange in the photos because they are so dark. All I can say is I was in a strange town with no contacts and a small budget. I know thats no excuse but...sigh :{

Oh pamie I think those upper cabs with the down lights are the problem. They look so top heavy. Sorry. Is there more cherry ceiling?

Thank you, Nickolay. Thats where I was when I panicked and ran to Houzz! I just haven't been able to pull the trigger. My experience is, when I feel like that, there is a better solution that I just haven't thought of. I posted hoping someone would get an epiphany

no more cherry ceiling. What about going back to my original plan: refinish the purple to be light cherry and put a glaze on the maple cabs to match the roman shade - just a little darker than they really are - a little more soft brown and not so blonde?

The glaze on the maple would totally work. Would you consider replacing all the upper cabs with something completely different?

Sure. Hate to admit a mistake, but what do you have in mind?

Tall, dark and handsome. I think you can make the fridge surround work by refinishing to match glazed maple or new taller cabs. New under cab lighting? New cab dummy panels on the island? I'll look for some pictures.

The grey in upper left corner may work nicely with tiles and granite...or any of the lighter colors on card...

Fieldstone looks great. Do you know whose paint this is?

I realize we aren't seeing the tones in the dark cabinetry that you are describing as purple (or bad mahogany) . . what you want is that it could read as a wenge element . . I would add some espresso sort of one coat poly to take out the purple and leave them.

I like the dark high cabinets, and the cherry ceiling/door and think the maple is actually the element that helps it all happen - the warmth of the cherry wouldn't be balanced if you take the warmth out of the maple . . for me that is what sort of makes it all work.

If you want to glaze them, I'm also concerned that you will have a less transitional and more traditional cabinet in a composition that wants to be pretty contemporary.

Don't paint them - then instead of wood mix, you'll have to paint too many things.

What jumps for me is the white backside of the island - especially with the curved wall darker . . . the mix of woods is sort of gorgeous .. but it doesn't work with white at all. What if you start by making the front of the island match the deepest natural tone in the travertine, and then carry that onto the curved wall of the pantry so everything quiets down and lets the sort of genius mix that you put together sing.

Well, you made me feel a lot better. Its funny, I never saw the white beadboard as being the disturbing element until I saw it with fresh Houzz eyes! I have another wall matching it on the other side of the dining area between the dining room and step down living room that I might need to treat the same. I'll see if I can add pics to see what you think.

If you click on the picture does it open up to full size and can you see the walls on each side of the dining area?

I think it looks a bit busy with all the different woods. I like the darker wood in the refrigerator area. I would try to match the island with dark colour if you can.

I would paint the upper cabinets in a light gray and stain lower cabinets the same dark shade as fridge cabinet to tie things together.

Good luck and have fun!

I think you have a beautifully outfitted kitchen. I love that you added the high cabinets. I also love that you have a matte finish granite. I think before you do anything, I would like to see more light shed onto the darker elements of your wood finishes. Could you look at Ikea LED lighting to buy a string of lights to attach (perhaps not permanently) at the point where the gorgeous ceiling meets the higher cabinets clear around to show off the truer colors of the pantry & refrigerator surround. Take close up photos for us & post again, so we can give you a more informed opinion?

I think the lights you have installed in your upper dark cabinets are showing the maple cabinets in a distorted lighter shade than they should be. Can those lights be turned off separately from your ceiling lights so we can get another look at the kitchen closer?

They ARE a distorted lighter shade than they should be! : ) Its not the lights its the cheap, blonde cabinets. They are beach bunny blonde - and not in a good way

I think you have hit on something, though. I will think on adding additional lighting. Because everything is down lighting, the upper part of the kitchen is dark.

After I took a look at your dining table and a second look at your appliances I realized you have really good taste, expensive good taste.

You need to get new cabinetry, they are are not worthy saving. Sorry to say that. A dark mahogany or antique white finish would be nice. You need traditional cabinetry to complement your counter and dinning room.

Do you like these flat panel cabs? If you could get new uppers and clad the island back and sides with new dark and glaze the lowers darker it could work. If the hardware is all the same. Then maybe paint the fridge surround matte black to match the island top.