What is the flooring in the rest of that part of the house and how open is the kitchen to it?

This is the floor we were thinking in the rest of the house:

https://www.llflooring.com/p/bellawood-3-4-in.-select-red-oak-solid-hardwood-flooring-3.25-in.-wide-10058173.html

It’s relatively open. There is going to be a seating bar that separates the dining room from the kitchen which is in the back of the house but you will be able to see the kitchen floor from the front of the house

What is your overall vision for the design of the space?

What style is the house?

The cabinets are very traditional and "busy", and similar in style to those we saw during the "Tuscan/Mediterranean" trend.

These are the cabinets I used when I remodeled a kitchen in a Spanish style house in 2018. The cabinets are still traditional, but not as fussy as those we saw during the "Tuscan/Mediterranean" trend of the 90's.

Show the layout of the home.The kitchen is part of a whole living floor. You have a hardwood floor all the rest? I see no reason to change that.

Tile is much harder on your back, will disrupt the hardwood flooring and there will be less unity, less flow less sense of space in your home.

Show the floor plan for the whole of your new home,and this kitchen within that.

In other words? Full context. Nothing but nothing, not even the kitchen.......lives in isolation.

IMO the flooring is the first thing and should be the same everywhere in the main living space evne the kitchen . Those cabinets are very busy so maybe some explantion as to your style . Why fake stone when there are so many real stones with the cabinet color naturally in them . You do know quartz behind a range is never a good choice and IMO that very fake looking grain in the counter will date that kitchen in a hurry . So mor einfo for sure but all the same flooring is IMO a must.

We're aiming for a traditional, classic look with a modern twist. Since the house is currently a blank canvas, we're excited to explore different design options.

For the kitchen, we're considering flooring that resembles hardwood but in a tile format.

We appreciate all the feedback but would love some solutions. Many have mentioned that the cabinets appear too busy—are there alternative cabinet designs in the same color that align with our traditional style but are less intricate?

@Patricia, could you please share links to the natural stones you recommended?

We truly love the cabinets, so maintenance and cleaning won’t be an issue for us.

I agree with all of those above 😂

Floors - keep then the same throughout

Cabinets - though you did not ask, the door/drawer profiles are busy, and the stain is red.

Counter material - very specific to your current taste. In five years should you feel your tastes have changed you will find yourself with red cabinets and red counters. There’s nowhere else for you to go from there. Ideally your choices on the big ticket items would be more neutral, so you can change the feel of the space by changing your wall color and accessories should you want a different look down the road. The idea is to have a space that you can alter to your taste over your lifetime in the space. You are boxing yourself in to a very limited look.

Here is an example of what I mean. A simple Shaker cabinet belongs in a contemporary, or a traditional space. A neutral finish allows it to fit in a neutral, or a color filled space. In the top image you can change this into a traditional space by replacing the backsplash with cream subway tile, and adding a more traditional vent hood cover.

Shaker/contemporary

Shaker/traditional

You can make this space contemporary by painting the windows, adding cabinet hardware, and changing the faucet.

Stuck: There are so many embellishments on these cabinets, you’re really stuck with this kitchen as it it. If you try to strip away the layers of fussy trim, you leave an unfinished elements exposed. Versatility is useful. It keeps cabinets out of landfill, and allows you to be happy with your space for many years.

If you love the cabinets then my vote would be for a very simple countertop - (I do think the quartz with the dramatic veining is on its way out) - can you find a few kitchens you love in Southern Living or House Beautiful UK? that might help steer your choices

FWIW it is nice to see wood cabs rather than the grey/white operating rooms that are usually on here :)

Exactly my reaction, when seeing the cabinet design. They will be a horror to clean. So many layers, indentations and corners for dust, crumbs and drips to collect in. And they will. Unless of course, this is a show kitchen, where minimal cooking occurs.

As for flooring, if there’s wood in the rest of the house, continue it into the kitchen. Will bring continuity to the space, is easy on the legs to stand on, and increases flow. Stained a shade lighter than the cabs, the floors will add contrast. And, no…wood floors in a stained wood kitchen, is not too much wood when done correctly.

Whatever wood floors you are doing in the rest of the house continue into the kitchen.

You are going to need a toothbrush to get into all the nooks and crannies on those cabinets. Look for something simpler. Those do not have a modern twist whatsoever.

I am not sure about the style of the home you're designing, but those cabinets are heavily detailed. A full wall of all that molding is a lot to take in.

There isn't a day that goes by when someone doesn't ask the contributors here on Houzz what is the best way to modernize one of these kitchens. Are you sure you want to go down this road??

Thanks so much for the visual—it’s a lot to take in. This is our first time tackling a project like this, and it’s both overwhelming and, let’s not forget, expensive. Our goal is to create a design that stands the test of time and won’t feel outdated in 5-10 years, which is why we’re leaning towards a traditional, classic look.

I really love the modern farmhouse style, but we fell in love with the cabinets in the picture we shared, which led us to rethink our approach.

They already feel outdated. But if you love them then don't worry about it. They will be a total pita to clean. Dust, dirt and spills will accumulate in all those nooks and crannies. Just using a cloth to wipe them is not going to cut it.

You can select a kitchen that is classic and traditional without being so very heavy handed with your selections. As mentioned above the cabinets you have selected would be considered leaning Tuscan. A style that has been dead for almost 2 decades now.

This kitchen below has stained wood and painted olive green cabinets with brass hardware that implies a more traditional appearance. Note the cabinet doors are simply Shaker style.

Here's another classic kitchen with stained wood Shaker style cabinets.

Here's another classically detailed kitchen with Shaker style cabinets doors.

I would not select a cherry kitchen because the red in the wood takes over everything in the room. But if you insist on cherry I'd consider something like you see below. Cherry with a modern twist.

As for natural stone counters - granite, quartzite, and marble come in a huge variety of colors and patterns. Choose your floor and cabinet colors, then take samples of each to a local stone yard.

Thanks for options here. We have a lot to think about. I think with everyone’s input so far we are leaning towards a natural/ neutral tone with shaker cabinets. Something like this. Our only concern now would be what material /color would look good behind the range? I’m thinking subway tiles but wouldn’t that be a pain to clean. Just as bad as our red cabinets lol

There's no "modern twist" to your choices as you mention in a comment. The cabinetry is ornate and reminiscent of the Tuscan kitchen era. A modern twist to traditional is the slim Shaker door. Flooring now tends to have wider and lighter planks...more white oak and 5" widths. I have narrow plank red oak floors throughout (not chosen by me) from 2002 and I wish they were a classic, mid-tone brown stain. If you keep the visually busy cabinetry, go plainer with the counters-online photos of your quartz in a slab appear quite linear (as unnatural) and those marked lines will be a nightmare to blend cuts if there are any 90 degree angles in the kitchen.

As it relates to our quartz which seems to have unnatural lines what do you suggest would work best with a more natural tone cabinets?

Ive seen shaker cabinets that collected alot of grunge in the bottom rail where it meets the panel. I have seen modified shaker that had a small trim piece around the inside edge of the rail and the stile that seemed to modify that issue. I’ve had raised panel cabinets that were traditional but not as fussy as what the op is proposing and maybe that would be something to consider.

First , we seem to have two "original posters"?

@Stephanies Smith, and @allie Rach

Second - As to cabinet style:

Not going to lie, your is extremely fussy and dated. Second? It looks cheap, sorry to say that. Why? Because it is soooo busy and overdone, it seems a concoction from some Chinese import company who has not caught up with major trends, and thus decided more goo on the door face would compensate.

Look below. Ignore stain, we are simply looking at faces. Even traditional doesn't mean glop! Yes, the two on the right ARE "traditional" !

Second

Commit to ONE flooring that goes right into the kitchen ( Stephanie mentioned a "wood look tile" . NO, NO, NO.

You never butt a faux wood tile floor to a real wood floor. Don't even think about it.

Third.....Wood versus paint:

Two factors have driven a resurgence in wood.The pale white oak obsession, and mid century looks with tones that are wonderful in walnut, or perhaps natural maple. Neither are RED in tone

The Vast Number of deep red cherry kitchens that have been ripped or painted out of kitchens can't be underestimated. Natural cherry in a craftsman style kitchen/home would certainly be an exception, but would have a very SIMPLE door style. White oak trend of today? Same thing! Simple shaker, shaker with thin rail and stile.....slab. Nothing like yours.

In very traditional styles? I'll be honest. I'd rather see a painted finish. A soft white, a green...a wonderful blue if you love blue!

Four:

A beautiful kitchen is many things. Wonderful to cook in. It suits the home in which it lives. It is a marriage of your flooring the cabinet paint /stain.....the counter top, and the backsplash is your last decision unless you want it as the STAR in your kitchen show.

Five: We're still in the kitchen, You haven't shown the floor plan or the layout of the house. We don't know how many upper cabinets you have. But I will say the more you have? The simpler that door should be or you will have a VERY BUSY and heavy looking kitchen.

Five.......

Design is editing.You ask what needs to be here, what does not. A kitchen is a well tuned orchestra - not every member gets the first chair. Over time, you realize no matter your style? Simple doesn't imply boring. You don't need "more" to get more.

You might begin with a counter top. Go to a stone yard. Think about what you will see from that kitchen. Do you want something quiet.....or do you want a super star.How does either look with your flooring? What cabinet paint or stain would be lovely? with BOTH?

Last........the floor plan, the kitchen within the floor plan. It all matters.

( Post the floor plan, as mentioned earlier)

Consider all above as a "Start Over, please" answer, and while it may be a bit brutally truthful? If you were paying me, it is what I would tell you. Because it is YOUR money, not mine .

The ways to tradition? Innumerable. In none below, will you see your door.

I hope I don't make you yawn here...

The brutal truth of that tone in kitchens

A before/ AFTER. Thing is? the after DATE IS left side and 1990! Below

Year 2023 and there are thousands of these, which I will spare you

Yes, that cabinet door style wouldn't have been my choice even in the 1980s/1990s. It always was much too much. Contrary to most opinions on Houzz, shaker cabinets aren't the only door style. A simple raised panel door is classic and timeless. Inset even better. Cherry is a beautiful wood, and if you really like it, who cares if lots of homeowners are replacing or painting them?

I think the wood flooring you've chosen for your home would work very nicely with cherry cabinets in the kitchen. However, the quartz with the prominent veining is not your best choice. Real marble or a more muted quartz will work and stand the test of time better.

I don't usually get involved with "but how do you clean it?" discussions, because you can go in one person's house where they haven't painted in twenty years and things look good because they aren't hard on things and don't get dirty hands all over the place, and you can walk into a year old house that looks like they smeared butter and newsprint around every cabinet, doorknob and light switch in the place. And sometimes the clean place gets a lot of use. Not everybody has a clean house only because they don't actually do anything in it. And not everybody who cooks a lot trashes every finish in their kitchen.

So only you can say how dirty you get these cabinets because they are detailed.

I think the problem I have with this particular door is the finish, which looks a little mottled, and the tone/color of the finish which I think is hard to work with in terms of paint colors and typical floor finish colors.

I also don't get into the "dated" conversation, because the best way to avoid putting a date on when you remodeled something is to not use anything that is popular the year you do it. If you finished this kitchen by the end of the year, no one would guess it was from 2024. I am not sure that is a bad thing, in general.

I also think the countertop is problematic: have you seen full installation pictures of this? The veining has a strong diagonal, and in this case is a really unnatural color. It may match the stain color up close but the veins read as kind of maroon. This countertop style seems to be used most effectively when it is the detailed/patterned thing in the room, and in your case that's already the raised panel door.

@ Jan both original posters are the same person, same profile. Not sure why the change of name when I switch devices. Thank you for your insight—we truly appreciate it. There's so much valuable information to take away from your post. To everyone who took the time to respond, thank you! We have a lot to consider. Please see kitchen layout below

Thank you for posting a floor plan. Can you also show us the rest of the house, so we can see how the kitchen relates to other spaces? Is this the footprint of your existing kitchen?

The house is down to the studs right now. It’s really just a blank canvas.

Stephanie Smith, as I was browsing through Houzz I saw your photo of you holding the cabinet and my immediate thought was "who is posting about the cabinets in the house we just bought?"

Our house was built in the 90s and we estimate the kitchen was remodeled sometime between 2002-2004. Our cabinets are very similar to what you posted and they do look dated. The countertop is black granite tiles and the backsplash is definitely from the Tuscan era. The hardwood is red oak and it had yellowed badly, so we had the floors refinished and they are now a light, natural color. Unfortunately, because of all the other necessary renovations we have to do (i.e., original bathrooms with sheet vinyl, golden oak and one-piece acrylic tub/shower) there is not enough left in the budget to completely redo the kitchen right now.

Here is a peek at the cabinets. In the first photo below, they look to be a medium brown but are actually a cherry red. The second pic shows a drawer front that looks rather grimy. I've tried cleaning but it's pretty ground in. The last photo shows the refinished floors. They are no longer competing for attention with the cabinets. The countertops will be replaced with either a warm white (Silestone Iconic) or something that doesn't have prominent veins. Silestone Miami Oro is a new release that picks up on some of the red/brown and while it has a slight pattern, it is not noisy. Since these cabinets are custom, once all of the other renovations are completed, we will likely replace the doors and have the cabinet boxes stained darker or refaced.

I am not attempting to hijack your post. I simply wanted to share that if we had the funds now, I would do what some of the designers are recommending.

Is that the old kitchen? The new ?..and I will hope not.......and what is around it or what WAS around it as it is down to the studs? Where do you enter,,,,,where is the garage,,,,,,etc and where is the living space?

Forgot to attached the layout in previous post.

It attached in the previous post! which is why we ask.......what is all around it, despite it is gutted

Where we have the “x” was once a chimney we took it down so in that space we want to put a tall pantry. So we going to have two tall pantries in the kitchen.

1st floor -floor plan

You have enough recessed lighting on there to light the Sistine Chapel.

If you want serious help, take that plan you posted, put feet and inches to every wall, window and door opening.

How do you cook, entertain.....what are the chosen appliances, why on the kitchen plan above is the cook slammed in an alcove....?

Where are the rest of the windows in the rest of the space?

We have dialed back on a lot of what you see in this layout. This is not an updated floor plan. We don’t have professional drawn floor plan so this is out of the question. This was just to give you an idea of the space since you mentioned it would help with the kitchen but it looks like we getting off track here. We just wanted some general guidance with kitchen design principles. We are happy with our kitchen layout.

Okay! But there's a lot of help on this site, free as air. It just requires the feet and inches, where exactly the windows are. All of everything that functions well begins with inches. As long as you're happy : ) that is what counts.

@Zumi, whenever you decide to reactivate your account, you’ll find that your unsolicited negativity didn’t make a difference. Our home may not be to your taste, but it's ours to enjoy. The expenses we choose to take on don’t concern you, your bank account, or anyone else's standards. Ultimately, what matters is that we're happy with our choices, and that’s all that counts.

All types of new doors being offered for kitchens.

Those are awful quality cabinets. Stay away from RTA.

That proposed layout does not work. At all. Not just the layout is an issue either. You need to pause, and plan better. Get a better layout. Better cabinets. Cambria on top of those cabinets is a travesty.

Ok

Many threads exist on this site, where someone knew exactly what they wanted. Until they got it. That's usually the trail of tears post, the "omg, help me , what did I do" post.

Nobody can force you to offer up information. Nobody can force you to inform dimensions. You don't have to take advice either.

But? I'd be concerned when a bunch of people tell me I am on my way to buying a kitchen that feels thirty years old on the install day. I'd want to know if I had the most efficient layout for a new kitchen.

None of that is what you asked - you simply wanted a floor to go with your selections........

Great kitchens begin with layout, they are appliance and storage driven within what is feasible within your walls. Then it is finishes, cabinet finish, the counter, the floor etc.

Often, great results emerge from that free dialogue here : ) but inform is the operative word.