Beautiful kitchen! Thanks for sharing.

Thanks! This was the "before". As you can see these ratty old cabinets were shallower and went right to the window, and we have a brief moment of panic when we realized we couldn't do that with the 15 inch deep Ikea uppers we were planning to use, but we were really pleased with the open shelving accent solution. Great place to keep a plant too in terms of sun!

@denkyem - I LOVE LOVE your kitchen - your white kitchen is so warm. What are the counters?

Thanks! They're Caesarstone Noble Grey. Actually quite a cool tone (we were really trying to avoid any beige, and although it looks a tiny bit beige in some of the online pics it doesn't read that way at all in person) but the hardwood really warms the whole space up. We did our kitchen as part of a massive almost-gut reno on a 110-year-old house as first-time homeowners who knew nothing about houses, renos or design. This was all done on a somewhat constrained budget (see: Ikea cabs) but we did get some layout and aesthetic assistance from a very lovely and affordable designer who gave us a good deal to help her build her portfolio, and that was some of the best money we spent.

@denkyem - thank you for the info! You should be really proud of your work - it's beautiful and I wouldn't have guessed that any of it was on a budget. Do you mind if I ask where you're located, vis a vis your designer? Thanks!

We're in Toronto, Canada.

Another vote for option A or D here, depending on the ventilation you plan on having. Here's another example of boxy cabinets next to windows.

This Emily Henderson kitchen comes to mind.

@denkyem Wow, what a transformation! I'm in a similar boat. First time homeowner, new to renos and working on a massive whole house renovation project on a budget. It's encouraging to see your before and after photos! I do like the idea of setting plants in that corner. It works really well in your space.

@denkyem your kitchen is gorgeous. My kitchen is very similiar. I am having fits on what to paint the walls. Your walls are very light. May I ask what paint color you used? TY

@theresa21 Thank you! It's Benjamin Moore White Whisp. We've carried it through the kitchen, our hallways and some of the upstairs bedrooms. It has a little bit of a grey tone to it.