I think it is best to live in a house for 6-12 months before making major changes. You need to see how you use the home first to get the best design

Thank you, but that can't happen. The photos don't show it, but those cabinets are falling apart. It has to be changed before we move in. So, I will have to decide on finishes on the kitchen and put curtains on the windows.

Can you post a picture of the hickory cabinets?

Id reconsider the hickory. It's just too busy looking and a bit rustic

what do they look like? the ones you want?

If you want wood cabs w/that tile, I'd choose a walnut or a natural white oak. not hickory

are your floors real terra cotta or a ceramic w/terra cotta coloring?

here's rustic alder cabinets, butcher block island painted black. wood and black look great w/terra cotta.

But I would do white or cream cabs, black island, walnut butcher block.

or, this blue/gray island.

in any case, here are 'terra cotta' floors w/diff cabinet colors. much better than the hickory

this sage and soapstone countertops look amazing w/terra cotta.

colors w/terra cotta. white, cream, sage, blue/gray, blues, greens, gray and black.

furniture-leather, white walls, terra cotta accents, greens, textured rugs/pillows

The hickory cabinets ARE happening. We actually bought them 5 years ago for the house we're selling and for reasons to numerous and irrelevant to mention, never installed or even varnished. Turns out this house has the same kichen layout, just slightly larger, and they are still in open stock so we really just need to buy about 4 more. Since they are unfinished, we don't have to worry about them matching, we'll use the same clear coat (or perhaps slightly amber) on all of them. We know they're rustic. We love them. I might point out this house is a rustic ranch style home on the outside.

The floor is a dark terra cotta color glazed ceramic tile.

Here's the house and cabinets. The island is not hickory and will be painted, I just don't know what color.

Black, sage, blue/gray, creamy white. on my previous comment, all the colors that will work are pictured in the mood boards, or listed in the kitchen pictures. pick one.

If you have to clear coat them anyway, you can do a tinted varnish instead and have any color you want. I would think long and hard about that. Fun project!

Cute house! Congratulations.

I quite like the sage in these pics from Beth, and I think it would be easy to build around it with the terra cotta.

Sage green is one of my favorite colors. I wish I could find a photo of it with hickory.

I don't know how they custom finished these cabinets.

Great Northern Cabinetry

Sage green is one of my favorite colors. I wish I could find a photo of it with hickory.

Since your cabinets are still open stock, buy a door (or two) to test different colours and see which one you like best for your island. Pictures on the Internet will only help you so much because we can't trust colours on our screens.

For the windows, best option will depend on light exposure and how you use the room. For example, if there will be a TV in the living space, there might be glare during the day in which case you'll need something to block that. You might be best served with blinds and curtains. Or solar shades. Might start with inexpensive temporary solutions while you shop around for "best" solution for you. Quality window treatments aren't inexpensive so be prepared for possible sticker shock.

Congrats on your new home and all the best with your kitchen!

The sage green should be beautiful with the floors and new cabinets. Will pull together something to help with that visual for you

oh I see Beth gift them for you! Cingrats and can't wait to see it all done

That blue is lovely too with the darker wood. I appreciate all the input.

Here is a kitchen we did for a client. Note in the rug all of the different colors that might just work well with your hickory cabinets.

Modern Napa: Kitchen · More Info

We have hickory cabinets; they darken and yellow over time. Mine do not look like what Beth posted, we have much less variation in the wood.

I have white Corian counters, white tile backsplash and dark bronze cabinet pulls. Also have the white GE Cafe range

Are you keeping the existing kitchen layout (other than adding an island).

The finishes I've seen have either been clear or a slight amber color. I hope they don't yellow too much. We intend to mostly keep the layout. We're getting rid of the peninsula in favor of the island and we're moving the stove and refrigerator about one cabinet to the left, to put a narrow pantry cabinet to the right of the fridge.