Confirm the grade of hickory he will be using. You can specify just how much contrast you want in the wood. He may not have made up the doors and exposed parts yet so it may not be too late. I love hickory and wanted it for my kitchen with a certain quartzite. Ut the quartzite sold out so I went to my fall back—‘select ash’. They turned out beautifully but I worried the whole time about how they would look.

Thank you for this, J Inhof. I hadn't even thought of the doors being something different. Maybe I could have the doors made of a different wood altogether. We have selected a quartz countertop - a matte gray color that resembles poured concrete. I am so excited to see it all done, but this most recent discovery was disconcerting. Thanks again for your input.

Hickory has a wild and varied grain, sometimes with mineral streaks and large knots. Select hickory will be a bit more sedate, but not as calm as a maple. Rustic will have even more knots and mineral streaks.

What are your expectations?

Take out your paperwork that you signed and go over what you signed. Know what they promised, and any penalties or restocking for changing your mind. Many custom orders are non refundable, so knowing where the order is on the assembly line could allow a bit of alteration like perhaps a different stain. It depends on the paperwork and the company. Good luck!

Thank you, The Cook's Kitchen. I really appreciate this.

Wanted to update you. The shop where we purchased the cabinets had another customer that had the exact same hickory cabinetry installed last year, send some pictures. They are really beautiful. I will try to send my pictures eventually but it will be some time. We are DIYer's and are not even receiving the shipment for another 4 weeks. Thank you to all who responded. It was so encouraging.

So glad you are happy with the cabinet ‘preview’. I think hickory will be a fun material to include in your remodel. I have rarely seen hickory cabinet installations around here (Cincinnati) and I believe you will create a new kitchen with lots of ‘personality’. Good luck!

Never go off a photograph for a finish. He was right, always approve from a door sample.