Live with the new changes for a few months. The kitchen has a lot of pattern now. Add knobs or pulls if you need them for functionality, not for decor.

Thanks. Definitely not needed for functionality, main thought was to add to tie the stainless look across the space.

You broke a few design rules, but if it is ok with you that is what counts:)

I will tell you what you did to see if that is what is throwing you off.

Wood cabinets have movement due to color variations and grain. Your countertop also has movement. So does your backsplash. When you put together all three with movement, there is no place for the eye to rest. For some this looks busy, even if all three surfaces are pretty on their own.

You mixed warm tone wood with cool tones of gray. A little gray is OK - like in the countertop. A great deal puts the cool right up against the warm.

Painting the cabinets will take the movement out of them and help decrease the overall visual movement. This will also solve the warm tone / cool tone thing, but it will leave you with an overall cool feeling kitchen which may fight a little with the rest of your home.

There is another solution if you want to keep the cabinets stained, but you probably do not want to hear it.

Like I said before, what matters is how you feel about the space and if it makes you happy.

I'd love to hear it! The pics aren't quite right but I understand what you're saying with movement. The backsplash has more metallic than gray and with the grout, it brings out much more of the white.

I am OK breaking the rules, I understand the elegance of the simple subway tile approach but wanted something with some more excitement.

Horrible picture but this is what I came up with trying to simulate and this seemed very very out of place. I realize white isn't the only color so there may be other options. My biggest fear with touching the cabinets though - they look nice and are in good shape, once you paint, there's really no going back...

Yes - I am not an "on trend" person in my own kitchen so I firmly believe that you should suit yourself. This is only if you feel yourself a sense of something not working for YOU.

Also, keep in mind that computer monitors are not always very true to color. On my screen the countertop seems to have more cream than white - not necessarily a big deal. (Mine has cream and white in it.) A simpler backsplash in cream, glass, or stone look tone tile with less variation would be warmer with the cabinets and tie the cabinets and countertop together. It sounds like you are not real interested in going that route though. I actually have cabinets similar to yours in tone, but there is a more French Country aspect to my kitchen - so not the direction you are aiming.

This is mine:

https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~57088087

You could look at pulling a single color out of your countertop, even the black and look at a glass subway tile, perhaps in a larger than 3 x 6 format to give you the edgier look you like. Here are some quick examples - they might not be right color wise, but to give you an idea.

agree w/jh. each one of those elements is fine,,,by itself,,,together they are overwhelming. you could have gotten by with any two, but IMO, those cabinets need to get redone. look how much better they look in the photo where you painted them

and I believe what JH was going to say is,,,,remove the backsplash. lol. not what you want to hear. Then you could keep your cabinets as is and pick another splash that is one color, simple design.

or get a simpler countertop and keep the other two. but ultimately it is your kitchen. you can live with whatever you want and like. (however, you did ask!)

yes to hardware. plus it keeps the doors cleaner.