I would live there for a year to make the layout works for you. Unfortunately you should have removed the 4" backsplash before putting in the new one and I'm not sure gray was the right choice

If the counters were the same as the backsplash that would brighten things up. I realize it's not what you prefer. I bought a house 2+ years ago with a kitchen that isn't what I would choose either, but your cabinets are really beautiful. I wouldn't paint them. I wish mine were like that. Mine are an even more traditional style. I get where your husband is coming from. I am waiting for mine to be 20 years old before remodeling. And I am going to have the contractor remove everything carefully instead of with a sledgehammer and take it to ReStore. It's a shame to landfill things that are perfectly good, but not our taste. So see if you can live with it for a while and/or think about replacing the countertop with something lighter.

Don't do anything for now. Live in the house and make sure the layout works for you.

Kelly, you have a beautiful kitchen and good quality all-wood cabinets, nothing close to some of the stuff they sell today with veneer-skins all over the place, etc. Couldn't agree more with @ Designers Consortium I wouldn't do anything to it, your kitchen looks rich and warm.

Good luck

jck910, I agree about the 4" backsplash and I asked the contractor to remove it but he refused. I can't remember the reason he gave, but he said I'd have to wait until I replaced the black granite countertop, so I see this as a temporary move that helped lighten it up. It's not as gray as it seems here - more creamy white. I tried to chose something that wouldn't be too stark against the black and the multi-colored island top. It's imperfect but what was there, while perfectly "matched" to the rest of the materials, was too busy for my soul.

If the layout and storage in the kitchen are good and the cabinets are of decent quality ... all that the kitchen needed was removing the counters and backsplash and replacing with something lighter like Taj Mahal quartzite for the counters and a light or off-white backsplash to complement the Taj Mahal. A warm white quartz would also have worked well for the counters.

Pelican Landing remodel · More Info

Spicewood Ranch Remodel · More Info

Callinan Spanish Remodel · More Info

If you don’t like broccoli, we can’t make you like broccoli. Everyone is telling you how beautiful your cabinets are-and they are right- those are beautiful. I echo the advice to live there a year before you do anything. In the meantime, do write down the things you like and dislike about the existing layout. We bought a house with tiny cabinets, destroyed counters, no space for the two of us to cook together. I knew before we packed our old house we would need a new kitchen to fit our cooking needs. I bought a notebook and made copious notes about what we wanted from a remodel. We examined appliances and tracked prices. I made a number of dimensioned plans and, most importantly, noted what would be good or bad about each iteration, all the pluses and minuses of each. Finally, when we were ready, we had everything on hand before we did a single bit of demo. However, and this is a big however, those beautiful cabinets deserve a new home where they will be loved and appreciated. They should be carefully removed and given to Restore or sold for a bargain. We gave ours to a family member who had just purchased a fixer upper farmhouse. In a previous home, a young neighbor took the entire cabinet inventory to install in his garage. Even these cheap starter home cabinets took a new life. I urge you to look at as many kitchen pictures as you can, start an idea book, keep notes, then after three months, look at your pictures again. Do you see a common theme? Has your taste for broccoli changed? Is it worth the $$$$$ to change out your kitchen?

As you're planning, I'd encourage you to also think about the style and feel of your new home overall. Will your dream kitchen fit right in or will it stand out (not in a good way)? We have some friends who went with an all white kitchen during a recent remodel and its just not a match with the rest of their lovely home. Kind of like wearing white patent leather pumps with brown corduroy slacks.