Do not get slate appliances. Stick with plain old stainless when one appliance craps out you can replace easily and never buy all appliances from one maker there is no maker that makes everything well that is why plain stainless is still the best choice.If you change the counter you will need to lose the backsplash if you want brighter change the lighting so that it is all LEDs 4000k that will do more than all the other stuff. Get rid of the heavy window coverings IMO the travertine needs to go at least all of it not flooring. BTW I much prefer granite to quartz you can also lower the bar so it is counter heifgt , raised bars are a dated look you also will not need corbels for support

Thank you so much for that feedback! We will switch to stainless and I like the idea of removing the travertine and lowering the bar counter... do you have any suggestions on colors for the cabinets And walls? We don’t want to have to repaint the trim throughout - it’s an off white and we are limited with color selections because of the travertine floors. I was between ivory cabinets or off white for the cabinets and taupe or a “greige” for walls (looking for a good palette that I can carry throughout the house for flow). Thank you again for your feedback and response! And curious why you prefer granite vs quartz? I thought quartz was better?

Here is another angle for a fuller view and of the surrounding wall color - that gold tan color is in every single room and wall throughout!

I grabbed these 4 palettes from Benjamin Moore - but keep getting stuck because of our trim color. I like the last two palettes the most (left to right) and think that would work best with off white cabinets? But not sure. Can’t decide!!

What is it about the kitchen that you don't like? I like the wall color. IMO the dark trim around the pantry needs to be the same as your other door trim. The window blinds are too dark. The dark countertops can be replaced and the beam and downdraft are too much together.

I can see why you want to change the color, it's because of the travertine floors. Do you have any plans on changing that flooring in the near future? If you do, the white cabs will blend better w/something else.

To Paint those cabs w/a pro cabinet finisher, you're looking at about 4-5K. If you want to try some samples of something that goes w/travertine, get some samples and paint them on a primed piece of scrap maple wood.

There are plenty of colors that would work w/travertine. I'd suggest painting your walls a diff color if you're going to paint the cabinets.

Travertine leans on the taupe side, so stay away from cool blue grays, or yellow toned grays/whites.

It's also imperative you view your colors with a natural daylight bulbs in the 4000K range. anything lower and you'll get a yellowish hue. (which I can see in your pictures)

here is Revere Pewter with a soft grayish white wall and marble countertop

Any of these shades should work w/the travertine flooring. don't over look soft blues and greens

here are a bunch of others that would also work. if you notice the granite it matches, that would also work w/travertine. same color family.

Pale Oak might be a nice choice. some of the warmer whites, or some others, below.

this is a medium gray, w/a travertine backsplash so you can see how it looks if you went darker

Iron Ore would be a good color for the island if you want contrast.

I'd also consider losing the dark plantation shutters and doing a light colored blind or shade. those dark shutters are very over-powering and too dark for the space

when you do get the new countertop, forgo the 4" piece up the back so your tile butts up abasing the counter. it's the 4" piece OR tile, not both

Agree with removing the plantation shutters - I think we will be doing that. We have to keep the flooring as it is an open kitchen into the family living room and kitchen nook. The entire house has travertine except the bedrooms (wood tile)
While I like the dark gray cabinets I think the space is too small and we want to try to make the room lighter. We plan on changing the lighting to the led as mentioned for more brightness. The pantry door will either be replaced with a frosted embellished pantry door or repainted same as cabinets. I really like revere pewter for cabinets with a whitish gray but will that work w the off white trim? Otherwise I was going to go creamier on cabinets like alabaster and maybe revere on walls and play with both colors throughout the rest of the house...the island will be kept dark so that color would be great or I liked night club (BM) too. If we stay w granite we would keep the island as is and just replace the black perimeter w another black perimeter because we have a large crack by the sink that forces us to replace the entire permiter - otherwise we would be fine as is. We are considering quartz because I think something like a raven would work.
For the counter bar we would loose the top bar and keep it counter height and I am hoping we can put some wood panels like the island over the travertine? Is that possible? Otherwise I know it’s a headache to remove....
For the 4” piece would you continue w the travertine or something else? Thank you so much for all this feedback! It’s really helpful and helping move the process along in my head!!:)

Should also mention we have a lot of grays and blue accessories and dark wood furniture so also considered bringing in a dark gray for the island vs black to change things up....but the black goes with the permiter countertops right?

I know travertine is expensive so trying to work w it as much as possible and we also are thinking of reselling in 2 years possibly...

Agree about paneling the front part. I would remove this tile on the front, or just panel over it w/MDF wood panels/and trim, and paint it the same as the cabinets

It will look more updated, and give you a lighter look. This tile design dates your space.

trim it out similar to these (ignore the corbels) When getting new quartz, have them install the metal support brackets so that you can lose your corbels.

ignore the doors on the side unless you have them.

If you like the charcoal color, look at Silestone Eternal Charcoal. comes in polished or matte (looks like soapstone)

I have this one in the light gray, matte, and really like it.

What 4" piece are you referring too??

By the backsplash

I envision the black counters just like the picture you sent. Would we have to replace the island granite too?

Here' what the darker one in matte, looks like w/white cabs.

you could do Alabaster for more of a creamier color, but try out some samples first. you don't want a yellow-white w/that travertine. you prob should choose from the red based whites. the red based whites lean towards a pink white (not literally, it's just the undertone) whereas the creamier yellow whites may not look right w/your stone. You'll have to change your lighting first, and then try out the samples to see what looks best in your kitchen

no 4" piece if you're going to retile. Or are you keeping that travertine splash? (I wouldn't. tiling on top of the 4" piece is really not a good look)

as for the granite on your island, if you want to keep it, then pick a solid, lighter perimeter quartz, something that matches your granite.

I don't know who thought it would be a good idea to use 3 completely different colors and types of stone in one small space, but they're no designer! (the 3 being these two granites and the travertine)

so if you want the charcoal quartz, I'd get rid of the island granite. Mainly because of the ornate edging detail (Your quartz will be more modern square edge finish like the photo) and because it doesn't really work w/that quartz.

What you could do is just paint out the island to match the other cabinets, and use the same quartz on the island. (polished if you like). Or perhaps go w/a warm wood butcher block to match your beams

I love the butcher block for the island - my husband wanted all butcher block but I am afraid it will get scratched and not cared for by anyone else but me....🤷🏽‍♀️. I want something low maintenance - hence the quartz? I agree about all the different colored stones - house was remodeled 6 years ago but seems to be an experiment gone wrong....and it was tolerable until now....we were thinking of keeping the backsplash. Trying to also minimize costs- just focusing on cabinets and granite as we also have to repaint entire house.

I do like the different stone and color for the island and I saw a Victoria Falls honed quartzite which I liked and though would go w the charcoal?

Or a Vardara Calacatta Dorada orCalacatta Blanco?

Like this....

that's pretty. maybe just do it on both.

as for the wood island, you'd still use a cutting board. other than that, it's no more upkeep than marble would be. (which is what the Calacatta is)

someone still has to wipe it and clean it, and you wouldn't cut directly on it anyway, so how are you going to get scratches? you seal it with Waterlox, and it brings out the color and waterproofs it (plus it's food safe) .

why don't you go to a stone yard and walk around (after you decide on a cab color) to see what you like?

I can just envision my husband slicing lemons on the butcher block counter and not using a cutting board 🤣

But we will consider it and I will make him promise not to if we go that route 😬

well what do you think would happen on that calacatta marble you just mentioned?? lol.

keep a large cutting board on the island at all times. I do w/mine. I've threatened bodily harm to anyone who cuts anything on my marble countertop!!

so I found a similar kitchen to yours

The paint color is Ballet White. walnut Butcher block and what looks like soapstone perimeter countertops. Yes yes yes...

oh, and the copper farmhouse? double yes..

Bingo!!! I really like this!

I wish they had put the stove by the perimeter wall and not the island:(. Especially since we are converting it to gas and our exhaust is there because I prefer this set up. But have to work w what we have. Really liking the butcher block to go w the beam...

Are those slate appliances? Because that’s what I was going for but reverted to stainless...

right? looks just like your space w/that flooring! I'd do this. 100%.

BM Ballet White. on the island too. Walnut butcher block. perimeter-either the charcoal quartz, or the soapstone. (the quartz is almost identical and super easy. I've got the matte, but the polished is equally nice. and I believe the slab cost 2K or so)

the backsplash they have is a rough cut ledger panel, in a white quartz or ivory travertine. can't see it very well. hardware is ORB pulls. wood vent hood cover. one glass panel in the upper door

Would you go w ballet white or alabaster for cabinets and revere for walls?

the walls can wait until after you pick the other things. paint is easy to match to the other items. it's harder to match items to paint.

Alabaster is SW and is almost equal to BM White Dove.

here is Alabaster. over to the right is natural light. see how much whiter it looks? to the left is warmer kitchen light, which brings out a bit more yellow. the wood is maple, which also has more of a yellow tone.

you are going to have to get some samples and paint them on a few doors to see how it looks w/your flooring. there is no way to gauge from here if it will work. each kitchen has it's own light.

just do your 4000K bulbs first.

you can see Alabaster up top and compare it to the other white tones. see how marshmallow and Ibis White lean more taupe?

along w/Rever Pewter, look at these. I think they all work w/travertine

Or I also like these w mountain peak cabinets and kitchen walls in pale oak and rest of house in either mountain peak or Albesent/pale oak. Our exterior house color is SW Tony taupe w aesthetic white trim so it should flow well outside towards in and stay warm, light and neutral w some touches of character w the beam and butcher counter.
Thank you!!!

And going w that picture would you then forgo the black island and stick w same color as cabinet w butcher block counter? You want that to stand out right?

I really like that last combo. pale oak is a great neutral.

This is Pale Oak and White Dove with natural lighting.

White Dove is comparable to SW Alabaster

ballet white isn't a bright white. this might work for you

Try these too. BM Swiss Coffee might be perfect for your cabs. it's a little whiter than ballet white, and it has a taupe tone to it instead of the yellow. I'd get a sample of it to try.

for you trim work, use the Simply white. It's the perfect trim white. I have it in my room. I've never seen BM Halo, but it looks like it's similar to pale oak

If you want lighter grays for the walls, these all look nice w/travertine. My own kitchen is Light Pewter.

And yes, I'd paint the island same white as the rest, and bring in that beautiful walnut on top.

this one is black walnut. don't know what size you need, but Etsy has them.

this one is gorgeous:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/481583826/black-walnut-slab-countertop-butcher?ref=shop_home_active_15

Ikea has a walnut veneer that's pretty cheap

Barkaboda.

get a nice pendant over it.

show me another pic where I can see the island from another angle. maybe show the pantry area too. trying to see how your stove and vent hood are positioned

BTW, here's a very creamy color cabinet (like shoji white, or SW Creamy) with Santa Cecelia granite. (I believe it's like your island granite). That backsplash is a smooth, flat front walnut travertine linear bar tile.

Here are a few angles of our kitchen - still undecided about removing the bar counter but I would definitely remove the corbels and panel over the travertine walls.

And here is a picture of what it looked like after the remodel 8-10 years ago. But you an see the full beam here. They repainted the cabinets white to I think brighten the kitchen when they sold the house .

I think I am going to move in the direction of taupe and away from creams...maybe use those in the bedrooms or bathrooms. For kitchen and house I think gray/beige taupes would work and balance all the cream in the travertine better.
Although would the creams attract more natural light? The way the house is positioned we don’t get a lot of light even though there are tons of windows. We have large oak trees outside so it’s very shaded.

I’m getting the lights replaced and focusing on the following to sample from your recommendations. Thank you!

I will probably sample these first

yeah, until you do actual samples, it's hard to say.

I'd say just changing the wall color to a lighter, brighter shade, and redoing your lights, will have a pretty good impact for you.

putting in 4" or even 5" retro fit canned lights in your ceilings and replacing w/LED bulbs will do wonders. Costco sells them

what you currently have is too small and it looks like you have those hot halogen bulbs in there. the LEDS will be night and day. I did them in mine.

one other thing. your pantry door. they should have painted it when they did the cabs.

what would you think about doing something like this to tie in w/that picture I last showed you?

you can paint that one, remove a few of the panels and do glass, or get a completely diff door.

there's rustic, or vintage, or you can just paint it the same as the cabs.

It's just that current red tone doesn't work.

Another thing that you may not know, call in a stone/marble restoration guy (if you want to) and have him refinish those travertine floors. over the years if not sealed properly, they really hold onto dirt and grime. getting them professionally cleaned will help lighten up all those darker spots. when finished, they'll apply a matte sealer that will help protect them. travertine should be resealed at least once a year.

For the pantry door I was thinking of something like the attached picture or we may just keep it and paint it same as cabinets.

you could have your own door cut and have a glass panel inserted for cheaper than it would cost to buy that door and have to hang it!

i added the pic on the lights. you see that?

Yes. Will start w the lights and then paint the cabinets. If I can find someone to do the door I guess that’s an option.