Since you’re not in a rush you may want consider consulting a cabinetry refacing company. We have been happy with ours after 10 years. The cabinets are from 1972 but had wood interiors that we wanted to keep. It’s impressive how much this companies can give you everything you want at 1/2 the cost. I believe ours was$7000. If you go this route make sure they reinforce the veneer around the cooktop since it is constantly exposed to hear, steam, and grease.
Also, I love your two tone choice, very sleek and clean.

Can you post the actual layout.

Here are some first technical drawings. They show some options. I will want a light color, non busy quartz counter. We will have the countertop be at same level, reaching out to the family room and space for barstools. Shelves in layout are under 30" tall cabinets, in either gloss white or the wood veneer match. Vent hood over cooktop will be an insert.

We are keeping the 4ft. wall left of sink as it blocks view from front door and dining room, through the pocket door. Door next to frig and pantry goes to a nice size laundry room. (future updates needed in there). The floor in kitchen and family room will be the original Terrazzo with oranges, yellows and light grey stones in it. (Not what drawing shows). Pantry cab will probably be a front pullout/shelves and not open on the side as this shows. I posted a pic of family room that was before we moved in and took out the cheap laminate floor. That built-in is in good shape. Might paint the back of it and shelves a white color after kitchen is done. Could get new slab doors to replace those. Screened in porch through window needs painting too. I should be getting samples of wood veneer door finishes for kitchen soon. Can post those later for final color help. Thank you everyone!!

Do you have something with the actual measurements and drawer configuration. Want to see what it prices out to.

Well, I after my visits today, I know the measurements, 4 color choices and construction for each cabinet. The sink side will now have 11ft. 5" of cabinets instead of my old 10ft. (still allowing a nice 6ft opening to family room). The oven, frig side will be at 13ft. can't go longer because of door and eating nook on that wall. Both brand estimates are including same number of cabinets, same layouts, install, delivery and tax. Bellmont 1900 (3/4"Plywood construction, high gloss acrylic wall cabs, rift oak veneer bases) is at $17,830. Urban Effects (5/8" MDF construction, high gloss acrylic wall cabs, maple stained veneer or Echo Wood Oak veneer-single door pics) is at $20,405. Now a $2,575 difference. Money that can go towards the countertop. I posted samples with our terrazzo floor. First pics are the Bellmont 1900 in kitchen and against fireplace brick (sorry about the blueish tint), second pic is the 2 color choices for Urban Effects. Any final advice before I decide to take the plunge?

I would love to see a layout with dimensions. The sink in the renderings look way too close to stove top. I would slide one drawer unit toward range top and then sink and then another drawer unit. Your woods need to go warm with the terrazzo floors because of the orange in the floor. So no gray. I would also consider a turquoise tile backsplash. Orange and turquoise work well together. I try not to put white cabinets (your uppers) with white backsplash tile. Hard to match up whites.

I grouped your choices together. I put turquoise backsplash in the little mock up but it could be white.

Are Shiloh cabinets available in your area? I have them in my kitchen - my lowers are from the Eclipse line as I wanted frameless lower cabinets. Uppers are full inset - no up-charge for these with Shiloh.

With white backsplash.

I too would try to find local source for your cabinets. Problems crop up and they are much more easily resolved locally.

Nice, thank you Flo Mangan! Yes I do want to stay clear of greys! I'm leaning towards the first pic, left side wood veneer sample. We are thinking a turquoise backsplash, stacked brick style or a color that goes well with brick fireplace. That will be decided last. There was the thought to move sink away from cooktop, but we don't want to incur lots of added cost. Currently they are 59" across from each other, almost back-to-back and actually is very effective for me. Plus, when the dishwasher is open it is away from the cooktop space.

Oh, the layouts with all dimensions I view at the kitchen design company, but don't have a file of yet. Just in writing currently. Will receive when they come measure and compare with contractor's measurements.

No Anglophilia, I'm down in the great state of Texas. Frameless is not the norm here, but I am using 2 local design companies, that sell and install these 2 brands.

Used this example to do and exercise of what same kitchen would be using IKEA cabinets with custom fronts. Based on this rough layout a close guess would be a little under 10K to a little above with some extra bells and whistles.

Ikea parts: 1,500.

Custom fronts: 6,175.

Installation: 2,300.

Total: 9,975.

To me this would be a better kitchen overall. Ikea's drawer system is better and our custom fronts would be a higher grade of materials both high-gloss which could be either the acrylic or a UV lacquered finish both with o-edge technology banding. Veneer would be select architectural grade with an Italian 2k-poly clear coat. Being close to half the price would also make it a better choice.

Some choices of veneers.

Thank you, jdesign_GW. I actually went to IKEA since it's new here. I loved the High Gloss White, but could not find a light color "real look" wood that wasn't too yellow or fake, plastic looking. Our store only had Melamine on display. Is there an IKEA door that is a real wood veneer? A contractor here that came to my house to measure has installed 10 IKEA kitchens. I am still waiting 5 weeks for his bid, after a reminder 2 weeks ago. I would want to pay his team to put together. What would it cost for the pros to do that part of it? Do they have any custom appliance cabinet sizes? Our wall ovens are 27".

I don't use any IKEA doors not even the high gloss white. I have better options for that. IKEAs are thermofoil with the with long edges wrapped round and top and bottom straight banded. Might not bother some but to me it a give away of a lesser quality door. As for wood grain those are just a few samples I pulled out have many more. Top left is Euro rift white oak but looks a bit more yellow in the picture. The quote based off the drawing is pretty accurate and includes putting together and installing cabinets based on the going rate of people who specialize in just this,. I'm sure there's some in your area. Any customization shouldnt be a problem for someone competant and with getting custom fronts you have the opportunity to make changes.

@loveblackandwhite, you might want to look at companies like Semihandmade, Reform, Plykea, Kokeena and Dunsmuir for real wood veneer doors that fit on Ikea cabinet boxes. We did a lot of research and after getting a quote from a local cabinetmaker who uses Shinnoki veneer, we are strongly considering Ikea cabinet boxes with slab Dunsmuir Shinnoki doors in Milk Oak. It would save us over $10k. Just got their real wood veneer samples and they are stunning. One of our inspiration photos was the same as yours.

Shinnoki rift oak samples from Dunsmuir

I should add that Plykea is now officially available in the US. Confirmed via email after I requested a timeline from them.

My top right sample is also Shinnoki milk finish. It's nice. Maybe a bit muted but I like the tone.

jdesign_gw, that's my favorite! I should add that my architect thinks I'm crazy for putting in Ikea cabs in an expensive house (we live in a pricey area) but the more I read, the more I'm convinced it's a good option. Following this thread closely!

My fav too!

We recently put them in 1.2 mil house and two others the were close to 3 mil. Of couse super customizing the fronts makes it not so IKEA. On this one we cut handleless channels into the box used Fenix super matte and back painted acid etched glass uppers. Also upgraded

the corner unit to a "LeMans." Their drawers are better than most you'll find on any moderate priced cabinet line. (By moderate I mean double.) Depends on your budget but I wouldn't be afraid of using them. This is IKEA underneah.

Gorgeous! Glad to hear about these in pricey homes.

SIGH! Wish you all were in Texas! Those kitchens look great. Maybe I'm a little confused now, lol. That contractor I talked to locally builds the cabs and uses IKEA doors. Opposite from what you do. Maybe IKEA here can refer me to another contractor that installs IKEA and uses better doors. carii, I have to research those companies, especially Dunsmuir.

Wait a minute, are IKEA Cabinet boxes thinner than most quality brands and made of MDF covered in a Melamine? How can that be better than 3/4" Plywood?

I actually prefer the Ikea high gloss with the edge-banded top/bottom and very slightly rounded sides. It just looks better than rounded everywhere. Plus I use the Blanket handles that cover the whole top of the doors and drawer fronts, So the top edge isn't visible anyway.

Also, I'm not fond of the mirror gloss and prefer what some pros here call disparagingly "orange peel". Well, I think Ikea's doors look better, the finish is less sharp, softer and therefore less busy.

While it IS thermafoil, it's much thicker and tougher than other thermofoils, It's Ikea's top selling front for a decade or so and you won't find any bad reviews anywhere. We've had high gloss Ikea bathroom vanities in the kid's /guest bathroom for 10 years now. Not a scratch. They look brand new. I would never pay thousands more for 3rd party high gloss doors, unless I wanted a specific color. Not worth it.

IKEA boxes are 3/4" . It's melamine faced industrial partial board actually. As is ALL very expensive European cabinets. Its fine not going to fall apart. People talking about screws not holding here have never build any cabinets nor know how they are constructed. The hinges used are not screwed into the board itself. Pressure fit or expanding dowels are inserted into the two holes on either side of the cup part of the hinge which itself is recessed into the door. Screws go into the dowels. These do not come out without a hammer and chisel and few curse words. Slides are fastened with 5 mm Euro screws. (Fat blunt not pointy course thread screws made for this type of board.) Plywood unless its 13 layer birch core multi-ply or another high grade version(and it won't be) is not any stronger. Stay away from a contractor that does it backwards. That's not the point at all. It's about customizing IKEA not taking ikeas not so great doors and put them on a custom cabinet.

Regarding water damage people always site you should use a liner on the floor of a sink cabinet regardless of material. Something like this.

Pippabean I agree to a point. There's nothing wrong with IKEA 's high gloss white and like you said it's their best seller. I also don't like to see a mirror perfect finish. That's why I prefer the UV painted version. It's pretty perfect but the depth of sheen is different than acrylic. As far as edges though you would never see that mix on high-end Euro doors. Pricing wise that's one of IKEA most expensive so I have no problem matching that and have a new direct source that can be even less than theirs. As for colors really the white is all they have that looks good. Where as I have these and others.

Great information and advice jdesign_gw. Thank you all for taking the time to share your knowledge, likes and experience. I know I will get to a decision at some point. At least now I feel confident using 2-tone and what colors will be better. I have a great contractor recommendation from lots of neighbors, He used to live in Europe for a while and did install frameless. His estimate is detailed and very reasonable. Whatever cabinet product I choose, it will be after lots of research and some sleepless nights!

Ditto what jdesign said. ^

The worst Ikea kitchen I've ever seen was built by a GC and his crew. Terrible. They didn't follow Ikea's instructions and used their drivers at full torque, substituted wood screws for the particleboard screws Ikea supplies. Of course, the contractors then loudly blamed Ikea for their own failure to get even minimally educated.

By the way, Ikea cabinets are just designed smarter than others. No part of the box touches the floor, so a small plumbing leak might buckle the floor, but the cabinets will not sit on that wet floor. They're also much easier to install than other cabinetry, due to the rail that both uppers and bases hang on. So the effort goes into installing the rails, vs. lifting and shimming heavy cabinets. Totally worth it to take the time to make sure everything is 100% level and plumb and shimmed, so every cab will line up perfectly and sit squarely next to the other. Hanging the cabinetry on such a rail is almost child's play. And once all boxes are bolted together, they become one solid unit. And believe me, they're not going anywhere.

Here's some reviews about IKEA

http://www.kitchenreviews.com/cabinets/reviews/ikea/3/

I have no opinion on IKEA yet to share. I have heard good & bad.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of cabinets that are plain junk out there. Buyer beware.

What I suggest is to see a whole base cabinet put together before investing at the showroom. Try local cabinet stores.

If ordering online. Buy 1 of the smallest base cabinets in the layout. That way you can see how well the process is in shipping and put together the cabinet & inspect it fully. If you do not like the cabinet, oh well, try to return. if cannot return at least you didn't get stuck with a bunch of cabinets you didn't like.

If it works, great order the remaining in confidence.

Replace the doors and drawers with wood doors, from an actual cabinet maker. Keep the original boxes and just replace the doors and drawers. 10 years from now (or sooner) you will regret going with junky MDF or plywood. Wood is timeless, a renewable source, and endlessly changeable by painting, staining, etc.

I suggest you get a bid from a local cabinetmaker. I am in the midst of a big renovation. I originally planned on Belmont cabinets, assuming custom would be too expensive. The cost for Belmont for my large kitchen was $41k- then I would have had to pay another $4k for install. My GC encouraged me to look at custom cabs from local cabinet shop. I was amazed at the pricing! Cabs for entire kitchen plus cabs for both bathrooms, wall of cabinets around fireplace, and 2 built in cabs elsewhere, fully installed and finished to my specs (any color and stain), were thousands less then the uninstalled Belmont just for the kitchen! The cabs have been installed and the craftsmanship is amazing. They were able to include all the same bells and whistles (all drawers on lowers except for cab with pop up for my stand mixer, utensil pull-outs, pantry cabs, etc). I can’t rave enough and I love knowing the guy who built these things is local if I ever have an issue. And did I mention I saved a ton of $? An additional plus was that my stone fabricator works with this cabinet guy all the time so they worked together to make sure everything was done in concert. I couldn’t be happier.

I looked at Belmont 1900 when I was starting and was underwhelmed with the quality. It just wasn't there. They had a Belmont 1900 setup in the builder's showroom and even though the cabinets were rarely used, they were not holding up well. Do a search on complaints on Belmont 1900 cabinets too. That also turned me off on them.

I wound up using the Amish but if I had not, I probably would have gone with Shiloh cabinets (their Eclipse line) as they were well made. What led me to the Amish cabinets over Shiloh was that the Amish was totally custom whereas with the Shiloh, I would have had to make some compromises. My cabinets are spectacular and so well made.

Also I'm a huge fan of Ikea kitchens. I'd have no problem using their boxes for a kitchen if I was trying to save money.

Also under your cooktop, I would NOT do doors but would also put two drawers there. You won't regret it! 1000% x more functional.

Lastly I would put the DW on the opposite side and as suggested move the sink down so you have more prep space opposite the stove and not sink space. The cost to move it a foot or two will actually be minimal.

Thank you cpartist. Yes, I have been seeing complaints now about Bellmont 1900, sometime really bad customer service. Kept me up one night, when I couldn't sleep! The designer with Urban Effects brand has gone out of his way, doing 2 more revisions to the layout and even brought 2 doors, with different colors, to my house. No charge, even if I decide no. Also found out they have their own installers with a 10 year warranty. Really don't want to move DW, since where it is- more hidden from family room and away from the very busy opened walkways.

siddhartha12 well these original wood cabinets would needs lots of work, being 51 years old. It is very hot and humid where we live. They stick a lot, have warped shelves. I would also need all new drawers, a new appliance cabinet built, since the wall ovens are barely 24", can't fit a large pot or even a good size cookie sheet in it. Also want a smaller pantry as this one takes up too much space. Need 2 additional base cabs, to add countertop space on both sides of kitchen.

You might tire of those open shelves. they are fashionable now, but require continual cleaning, and the things you use most may not be the things you want to display and look at most. How tall are you? Now is the chance to lower the upper cabinets so that you can actually use 2 rows of interior shelving instead of just one. The 18" high standard is for an average person, which includes tall men of course. You may not be a tall man. I had uppers at 13" once and they were a delight!

My daughter-in-law is in the process of painting her white Ikea cabinets because they aged and yellowed at a different rate - already.

Yes, do the light uppers, darker lowers - and get as many drawers as you can afford. Install under cabinet lights at your uppers.

Vertical grade plastic laminate for the faces will last longer than melamine. Melamine and Thermofoil will eventually peel where exposed to heat and steam.

A local cabinet maker might be a great option. The few people I know who have chosen that route claim they actually saved money.

Thanks Janzain for some good advice. I am 5' 8" and my husband is 6' 1". Until I live to 100 and shrink 2"! So far we have decided- white uppers in the white laminate, lots of drawers now and a veneer wood door for bottoms.

MDF off gases a lot. Not good for indoor air quality.

Just from a design look with little light. I would go all white cabinets and wood on the bar.

Upper and lower in a different finish is trendy. And bad for resale.

Well, I had all white kitchens in our last 2 homes, which I did like. But this house will probably be the house we grow old in (7 years from retirement), and I decided to go for an updated mid-century look that I love. This 1960's ranch house calls for it. As a child, I remember the 2-color cabinets in my parents' friend's farmhouse and that was a long time ago. For added light, the wall opening up will help, as well as an additional pendant light and 4 ceiling pot lights will be installed. If I truly get tired of the trendy 2-tone, 2 finish, I will only have to replace 4 top wall cabinets or just the doors and one side panel that shows. Stepping out of my comfort zone is kinda exciting! I will post pictures before and after.

Now seeing the samples on your Flooring I really like the second samples pic. First two colors together. The softer grey/beige Textured Melamine with the White High Gloss(better quality looking then 1st pic Gloss sample-edge banding lasered cut instead of wrapped- it looks like) These two samples soften and brighten the flooring a bit. Giving a better complementary look. I find the other samples bring out the Orange tones too much in doors to floor. Which will reflect throughout the space. Making any lighter painted walls look on an orange tone as well. You want the orange in the Flooring to be more like an accent color not a dormant color in the space. Can Second sample guys do a 5/8" Plywood case doweled/glued. That would bring down the cost a bit without sacrificing structure strength.

The second company really wants our business. so they are working with us to bring down costs. Also doing 5/8" plywood base cabinets doweled/glued with a natural color melamine finished interior. Going to see new sample doors next week!

following

Just a side note, I would consider installing a range hood for ventilation as it looks like there are no windows in this kitchen...

Thank you Bri Bosh. We are having an Ancona insert range hood (28"/600 CFM) that will be inside the middle 33" wide cabinet over a 30" flat radiant cooktop. Will that work? Replacing the old 32.5" cooktop. which still works, but is a strange size.

we love white kitchen cabinets for so many reasons. one that is at the top of our practical list is that they look nice and give a clean ambiance to a kitchen which can easily become germ central. we love white because with white you see the fingerprints etc and can clean them. to some this is a hassle to us it is practical for cleaning and relaxing.

also white painted wood cabinets are not so bad.

if you can find a carpenter and the condition of your existing wood base cabinets is good. I would get an estimate for a carpenter to rework what you have. Custom cabinet doors and drawers in the base cabinets are easy enough for a good carpenter, invisible hinges as well. it will save you money and in the long run you will still have original wood cabinets that are in my opinion a value added to any home, especially as the are modified to suit modern use. I would also reccomend if possible and if not already in your plan all new plumbing. it's not as expensive as people think. and if you can replace old kitchen drains, vents, and water lines. That will be a value you will be forever happy with. side note, love your terrazzo. also, Never get in a hurry what you really want and what you need will come to you the more time you take to plan.