I think your plans to change to white paint and replacing the backsplash with a lighter color will make a huge difference! I would wait until you actually make these changes before deciding on making any other changes such as the flooring and new lighting.

I actually have cherry cabinets with a tan/brown checkerboard floor. My tiles are actually very close to the colors in your tiles. I debated and decided to go with the tan/brown checkerboard because it hides the dirt and footprints much better than the white/black checkerboard (just not realistic for me to actually clean the floors multiple times per day).

Agree going with white paint and replacing the splash sounds good. Though not carrara, this splash looks nice with the cabinets and counters IMO.

I’d be careful of putting too white of white for backsplash might be too stark against the dark cabinets and counter

Yes...a soft white would be nicer.

Would painting out the coffered ceiling beams be something you might consider? Would be great if you could see what it would look like before doing it because, of course, there is no going back...just think it might lighten up the space.

Yes!!! Thank you all for your advice. Rmsaustin: we were absolutely thinking of painting the coffered ceiling. I was thinking it would open it up a lot more. Also, as to the points of doing off- white backsplash, I am afraid using too much cream might just create the same dated appearance. I think carrara marble with some darker streaks may tie into the countertop more?

Also puppykisses-would you midn sharing a picture of your kitchen? Here is a closer picture of the tile backsplash with the lights off.

Below is another “look” of what I had in mind with a similar color palette. Thoughts?

Yes! to the white and black checkerboard floor and do a basic off-white subway backsplash. Let the floor be the star.

You don’t have to go pure white and black. This is gorgeous too.

So you are saying to do an off white tile like crema marfil ? but then the checkerboard shouldnt use pure white for the light portion? like an off white tile combined with black for the checkerboard as well then?

I just wouldn’t go too white for the floor or backsplash. Stay warm in the whites you choose (for paint too)

something like this but without the dark grout on the splash
Also, I think matte tile

I’d go lighter than crema marfil (imho)- just not stark black and white (that’s all

I was saying)

For example

Details of this tile are here- to give you a starting point

https://www.chrislovesjulia.com/all-the-details-about-the-stone-checkerboard-floors-in-the-dining-room-theyre-finished/

also...new light fixtures over that bar thing (those over the island look ok to me)

Thanks katie. and maybe the same off whitish color for the backsplash?

yes...solid...not matchy matchy to the floor if it has veining or pattern of any kind

beautiful home...congrats

A chandelier or two

maybe consider a light wood floor, the chessboard will be very busy and your kitchen is open concept so it will impact the way the other rooms will look. plus your countertops have a strong presence and with the black and white floor there wont be anything that calms the room down.

Kitchen Renovation, River Forest, IL · More Info

I would NOT use carrara marble for a backsplash. You counters are granite and when you have one stone, you don't mix it with a different type of stone. I agree that I would paint out the coffered ceiling and change the backsplash to a creamy white tile. It will lighten the kitchen a little, but may not do enough. Look at the picture Katie B posted above (4 pictures up) - That kitchen doesn't appear very light to me. What are the adjoining floors and can you tie them in? I think a checkerboard floor could be very busy. My gut is that unless your dark counters change, you won't get the lighter feeling you want.

Hi amritamkarve-

Congratulations on your new house.

Your new kitchen is just marvelously huge!

The cabinetry is simply beautiful as is the ceiling, I hope you don't paint them at all.

I do agree with painting the walls a lighter color, and nothing in the yellow family.

Replacing the ceiling fixtures is a great idea too.

I would also replace those red light fixtures too.

Ultimately I would replace the backsplash, it seems too busy, and dark as well.

I understand you want to replace the floor, it is more in the brown-tan family.

If you are not going to do a wood floor, it would be a good idea to pick a backsplash and floor that are both light and similar, because the counters and cabinets are dark.

(But not bright white, because that stark a contrast is not restful.)

I would not do a large black-white checkerboard pattern.

That would just be more of the same busy type of thing you have in your backsplash now- but even bigger!

As for marble floors, in a kitchen, well you do know that marble stains, right?

And shoes scuff.Even if your family takes their shoes off, what about guests, and your kids friends?

This is America, and it is not the custom and practice here for people to take off their shoes in the house, and you just not may be comfortable with marble floors.

Valid points by others. I love the checkerboard, and think it could be fab. Go large format (like 24x24). And get tile that reads solid. No marble. The tile in that photo with the shoes is porcelain.

Hello
Your kitchen has really good bones, the counters look beautiful. I’m not sure what your overall style is, but you mentioned wanting to modernize it. I think concrete floors would look really good. They play well with other flooring and goes with a variety of styles. Do an Houzz image search for kitchens with concrete floors, you’ll notice most of the images have some combination of the colors in your kitchen (cherry, black, white). Here are a few I liked.

There isn't much you can do easily that is going to modernize or lighten this kitchen. You bought a house with a heavy traditional-Mediterranean look. Are you going to lighten up the copper ceilings in the adjoining area, where the red pendants are? Anything bright white or gray is going to look very wrong in this house. Your house was built during the brown trend. You either need to embrace the look, or come up with a large scale, cohesive, whole house update.

I‘d love to see your whole house. I’m assuming you’ll be updating everywhere?

You can paint your copper ceiling black. Really, I see so so much potential here.

All of that beautiful wood trim with creamy white walls. Swoon.

Good article on picking paint to go with your wood

https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/update-dark-wood-trim-with-the-right-paint-colour/

I can't see painting a ceiling black when OP wants to lighten the look.

She can keep it light with furnishings, wall paint, natural light. It looks like there is a sliding door or french doors in that room.

We can disagree...but I don’t see the copper as a deal-breaker to modernizing the space.

Hi there. Forgive me for repeating some of what others have advised. On my iPad these posts are jumbled between one hour ago and six hours ago, but not in order. And it’s late and I’m getting cranky!

You have a beautiful kitchen that could use some love. Here’s what I see.

• You seem to have blue pearl countertops, not nearly as luxe as your cabinets, and they are keeping your entire space dark. Put in new, light counters, possibly marble or quartz if you prefer. Look at the difference a light counter makes in the image below.
• The floors could be hardwood, or a better tile, but I would not use marble. The maintenance will be unnecessarily extensive. Decide on your counters first, then choose new floors.
• Along with new counters, I’d install a beautiful, more formal, elegant glazed ceramic tile in a shape like the Ogee below, and in a color that you pull from your counter.
• New wall paint, sure. I would pull that color from your stone too. I’m not a huge fan of cream with cherry.
• You need inspiration images before you make your plans. Google images of cherry kitchens, and save the ones you love. Let them guide you.

Good luck with your renovation!

Thank you all for your insights. Ive decided to paint the walls a pink hued white first (probably aesthetic white or marshmallow by sherwin williams) and paint the copper ceiling white first and remove the light fixtures. Then maybe also the coffered ceiling. I think this will simplify the decision making for backsplash and floors. Ultimately this is the look Im going for...fingers crossed I hope its possible. I will keep you guys posted in the next few weeks!

Something else I noticed. Are those your fire extinguishers next to the cooktop? You should move them away from there. If you actually have a fire at the cooktop you would have to reach across flames to get the extinguishers, so not the right spot for them. We keep ours in the walk-in pantry.

The thing that makes your kitchen so unique is the cherry coffered ceiling. I would hate to see that changed. Have you tried a light gray tone paint swatch? Match the lightest gray in the granite. It could balance the warm tone from the cherry cabinetry. I agree that the copper ceiling is too much. Is it real copper or just that plastic stuff they make? It might look nice painted. The backsplash is too much. It competes with the beautiful granite and loses miserably. Something simple. You are getting too many “stars” of the room.

there is nothing white in that kitchen, so doing a white backsplash will be a further disconnect

you can do a pale gray backsplash (with a blueish undertone) but that's as light as I'd go.

Paint your walls a vapor gray (which is really a white w/silver hues to it) and do a backsplash along these lines

this is Cloe and it's the gray tone (not the white)

Encore Ceramics, Silver

Tilebar.com has this Calloway and the Enigma in a pale gray. try getting some samples

Then, behind the stove, you could your marble design if you like

But not w/that yellow floor. you'll have to decide which way you want to go. the cool carrara marble (for the stove area only) does not work w/the warm yellow/tan of the flooring. Personally I think the granite is beautiful, but it doesn't work w/the flooring.

i even like the darker grays and charcoal you have plenty of light in there for this to work

Personally I'd get rid of those floors because the Tuscan vibe is just not working here.

I'd also redo the hardware and probably take out the arch and the heavy columns w/the wood. I realize they have to stay for support, but I'd remove the wood cladding and make them as un-noticeable as possible.

I would try much that you have mentioned except for painting ANY of the cherry wood. It is the star of your kitchen. Change to LED lights, especially under the upper cabs. I had a living/dining room once with the black and white tile floors. It is very specific look and I don't think it will hold up over the long term as a statement and I was not happy with upkeep. Everything showed on it.

You could change the paint, to a gray, and see how it works with the floors. I really like the lighter gray subways that are posted above. I wonder if the yellow paint and warm color lighting are making the flooring look more yellow. It may look more neutral when the yellow reflecting effect is removed.

Your new backsplash will be more harmonious if it matches one of the light colors in your counters. I don’t think Carrara will work....the colors won’t match and the pattern will conflict. I urge you NOT to do black and white checkerboard on the floor....the contrast is too much and it will not go well with your counters or your backsplash. Look at gray tile for the floor. Don’t paint the cabinets.

@ Beth H - Can you help with engineered wood floors on this thread. I know you are a wealth of knowledge on brands, etc. https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5932359/family-room-kitchen-floor#25621877

Paint the ceiling lighting grid white - or take it down. The backsplash needs to be calmed down.

Removing the wood surround from around the stove would go a long way to modernize the kitchen

Along with any other extraneous trims that are not functional ...that are not seen in the pics....

The floors are never going to go with a more modern kitchen....and ...counter to most opinions here ....i think a stark white walls and dark brown cabinets will create a dramatic contrast that will look more modern..stripping the island of any “tuscan “ elements and painting it white would also lend to a more modern feel..

At this point you could consider whether a striking black and white backsplash of granite tiles will save the black counters....if it possible to remove any of sheetrock lighted details in the ceiling...this will make the wood there a more tasteful feature with out having to paint it...

I would spend a little money on gray paint to get rid of the yellow. Paint the ceiling white. Spend the money on removing the backsplash and replacing it with a subdued gray subway that looks complimentary with the granite. Maybe replace pendant lights. Then stop. Start saving money for a complete renovation. New everything.
That will be the best way to get what you want. By then you may have completely different ideas of what you want

Don't paint before you find a back splash and floor. You are shooting yourself in the foot.

Find a flooring that you love with the Cherry Cabinets and a plain back splash that works with the cabinets and flooring.

See if you can find a combination that is light and works with the dark counter top.

Once you have found those items pick a white paint that works with all the things you have selected.

Paint can be created in almost any color or shade of white, but the flooring and back splash are going to come in far fewer options.

Personally I would want to leave the Cherry as the star and have the rest very light, including the granite. It is pretty granite, but isn't wonderful with the cabinets and will limit your choices for flooring and back splash.

If you really want the granite to stay then pick a flooring with a bit of gray that works with the counter and is pretty quiet without being solid. I think one of the fabric look tile or fabric look laminates may work really well.

Wow! Looks great!

Beautiful! Enjoy it in good health!!

What a difference! It looks great! G.ad you stayed with your “vision”

Very classic.

Did you paint the coffers?

Wow. It IS much lighter. You achieved your goal.