They are really nice cabinets! We are going through the same thing--but our cabinets are 40 years old! Ours are also in good shape (light wood, maple??), so we are just getting new countertops. We are meeting with our kitchen person on Monday to finalize things (so we are serious).

We have maybe similar granite-Gallo Veniziano??- installed 2001. The big thing is we are getting rid of the bi-level counter. We are getting a very similar quartz to yours.

Funny we had almost the same backsplash but decided to "update" it during covid and got a black one that one contractor said "looks like bathroom tile." Oops.

To answer your question and what I'm going to do--probably just a simple subway tile for the backsplash. I think using the the quartz as a backsplash may be "too" contemporary for your cabinets. That's why I'll go with a simple subway -type tile on ours.

I don't think there's anything wrong with your microwave unless you don't use it.

Here's a photo of ours before the new backsplash and new kitchen paint. We're getting rid of that dark paint also! This is from 2020 so it looks a little better without that backsplash. The big thing will be getting rid of the bi-level countertop.

Please post your dimensioned floor layout so we can help you out with visuals based on your space :)

I'm not seeing the "great layout": ) ^^^

You're removing the microwave....for venting? A hood?

Post the entire kitchen , all angles, and before you embark on counter top changes? Lets see the whole: ) of the space.

Thanks for sharing your kitchen debbie1000! Would love to see how it turns out .

I’ll try a few more photos to give a sense of the layout. We close on the house next week so I’m not in yet. The kitchen has a breakfast area and keeping room with fireplace. There’s also a screened porch. We will get rid of the pot rack and paint the walls. Microwave might be replaced with a hood. Or we will finish out with wood trim and leave open. There’s a vented downdraft on counter behind stove. The microwave will go in the pantry closet for now. 😅

Well?

It seems to me you're rushing quite a bit? Without dimensions, or a drawing....

I want the sink to right of where that tote bag is?

I'd want the island lowered to counter height, and the dated 42" high breakfast counter gone to just seating......Needs a drawing, dimensions all before you plunge.

There are other things I'd give consideration to as well.

I understand the urge to make immediate updates, but you have not cooked a weeks worth of meals in this kitchen.

I would settle in for six months, and temper that urge to fix what in NO way keeps you from eating and entertaining well.

Design in haste, rue the loss of even better outcomes....at leisure.?

You be very surprised how often the rush turns out that way. You, and the kitchen will still be there in six months.: )

Appreciate the suggestion. :) We are doing all the Reno’s before moving in.

Please draw and measure the whole space. If you HAVE the house plans? The kitchen may well show on those. They're often buried in a basement, or in a laundry room cupboard...or even atop a cabinet in one of those spots.

But none of us are going to tell you there is a better way to get options FOR better, without the very full information a 2 dimension plan will show us. That's the best advice I can give you, and Mark way up above was saying.......the same thing.

"Appreciate the suggestion. :) We are doing all the Reno’s before moving in."

Okay....can't stop you. ..........: (

I think the very idea that ANY home need be the one of dreams on move in day, is oversold by millions. It's your house, we can only advise from decades of experience.

It is like the old commercial.

Gee I could have had A V 8! AHHHHHH too late, as all else was too soon, lol

Thanks Jan. Was just looking for ideas…

You get them! When you give us the very full picture as noted above. We certainly can't force you, you certainly don't have to! But I gave you TWO just from the pictures and no measure, that MIGHT be better than what you consider to be "a great layout".

If all that bothers you are tops, splash, hardware and cosmetics? You shall do that.

Feel like I need to wave a white flag here. 😅 Totally sincere in thanking you for the suggestions. I do love the layout of the space.

IMO the only thing you really need to do before you move in is replace or refinish flooring. That is a real pain to do once all your furniture is in. Anything else can easily be done while living there. Since you're not planning on redoing the kitchen completely you would not be inconvenienced for long by what you're considering. I had my kitchen painted after moving in and even that wasn't an inconvenience.

It's hard to tell without being able to see the two materials next to each other, but to me the counter material looks too cool white for the cabinets. Have you taken a cabinet door in to the slab warehouse to see them next to each other? Have them move the slab outside so you can see it in natural light. When you're buying enough for a kitchen they should be happy to do that.

Look, you know what makes you happy and nobody here is living with you.

You used the word " modernize"/ that means different things to different folks.

But the layout is not "modern" nor is the built up breakfast bar, so often seen in new build of TWENTY years ago. .......that's my only point.

You must define what "modernize" means to you.

I'd look at layout, consider an island change, even to one painted, and lower the bar. I might lose the angle or eliminate the angle...but I am not seeing whole or dimensions of that whole.

Mysteries , mysteries, right?. But there is a wealth of kitchen experience on this site....up to you to use, free as air....or just ignore us all : ) I'll include myself, of course. Me? this right here? Gonzo. Screams 20 years a.g.o

A warm Taj Mahal quartzite would be lovely with the cabinetry....and there are other options as well. I don't see an icy white quartz, at all. JMO unasked for.

To start not that counter with those cabinets it will not modernize anything to add white and gray into the space .You are removing the MW and replacing with what hood? I highly reccommend you do nothing until you have actually lived and worked in that kitchen before spending huge $$$$ on the wrng counter color. I have no idea what is wonderful about the layout since we don't see it. As for modernizing what is the style you have for the rest of the home . I garee it is your home but when you come here to ask questions you might not always like the answers.

I think you could get a more contemporary feel with matte black hardware and fixtures for a black and white feeling. Get frosted white glass modern pendant and chandelier. White porcelain sinks.

Paint the walls crisp white. Bring in cool tones in the backsplash and something with personality like blue vertical subway tile... would make a great statement.

I would do quartz backsplash on the island, you don't want a stripe of blue I would think.

Thanks for the visual! Good idea on the island backsplash too.

We have our microwave in the pantry on a shelf. Not a problem although it's not large. We don't really cook in it anyway except steamed veggies or to thaw something..

Get a low profile under counter fan to show off the tile. This one is KitchenAid although a ventless would not be as slim.

Here are some thoughts:

--Leave the kitchen exactly as is for now except for wall paint.

--Hire a color consultant to advise you on light wall paint that harmonizes with your "givens," current floor and cabinets and adjoining spaces. The yellow paint and curlicue lighting in current kitchen need an upgrade that could help you make decisions later on after you get to know your house.

Elegant Glazed Cherry · More Info

--Remove the valences.

Myself...I'd live there and work in it for a while. I'd also keep in mind that it is a lovely trad house with a lot of warmth. Bringing in grey may not work. Floors look lovely. If you end up loving it, you might just change out backsplash, lighting and counter, and perhaps painting the walls.

I know I'm in the design minority on this, but I'm not sure why a stepped island is such a design no-no, especially since this one has a lower section for seating. I get that a flat island is more updated open look, but when an island has a sink, (and this one allows someone at the sink to look out the windows rather than face a wall) it seems not the worst idea to keep dishes, pots and pans, food prep, and such out of sight from the dining area. And, of course, there's the expense, hassle, and waste of replacing the entire island.

I agree ref the stepped up island. I like it in this kitchen. And the seating is at the lower section.

I agree with the comment above that the quartz choice looks too cool for the cabinet and floor colors. What color are you going to paint the walls?

I also agree that you should slow down a bit before taking the plunge. Changes like refinishing the floors or painting the whole house are invasive and messy and should be done before move in. The updates you are contemplating are inconvenient but not life altering and there is no need to rush them.

Perhaps this would go better for the OP if they posted pics of 'modern' kitchen they like? So aesthetics is your focus??? If you have no 100% plan/need for the space where the microwave currently hangs why move it? I don't see the fixing of the wall and cabinetry being worth it. I know it's not the fad any longer but function ought to overrule 'modern look' especially in a kitchen. I too would have new back splash on my list. What's there is not kitchen/food friendly, 'modern' would be to use the same counter material for the back splash. If modern means less formal to you light fixtures and window treatments are less expensive DIY changes that could be made. You say you love the lay out--but I would not like the sink location AT ALL and I would remove the small sink for a great place for a coffee station. The bi-level counter is needed due to the poor placement of the sink. Without it the eating area has full view of the sink area. Not a good view when eating. Move the sink and the inclination to take down the taller portion will come organically. We really need YOUR view of modern. Do you have some dream kitchen pics to share???

Interim look with updated lighting and wall paint:

An addition and kitchen renovation · More Info

If you haven't already decided. a countertop pattern that echoes the wood cabinet golden brown finish might be a better choice than your icy gray sample. As someone suggested, bring a door with you to the countertop fabricator and look at the slabs in natural light.

Forest Retreat Kitchen · More Info

i would not listen to all “live there first”… Nobody want to deal with remodel mess/ dust and your busy live. I assume a lot of people with this advice retired, Change backsplash, it doesn’t work with new counter. Honestly I would look into changing color of cabinets, they are too orange…

When I saw your cabinets, I thought of darbuka's beautiful kitchen, with natural wood cabinets and flooring, a soapstone counter top, and green tile backsplash.

Maybe she will weigh in and post photos.

^^

They're not all "retired" ( read Fuddy Duddy ) although they certainly may be older and wiser for experience: )

Irrelevant to this conversation is the fact that even a total gut renovation of a large kitchen can be accomplished in under 14 weeks. That does seem like a "lifetime" if you are living through it with children and it only happens with careful planning, having all necessary materials on site or well on their way to the site.

It is NEVER a "lets just gut, then we'll decide" "plan". That is not a plan, it's a plan for disaster, mistakes and pure exhaustion.

This particular conversation is about the relatively fast, non invasive cosmetic fix - but even that costs real money when it involves counter tops! Read " relative permanence".

Too, the definition of "modern" can vary greatly and often depends on what was left behind by any new owner, how many brand new kitchens someone has seen, and a host of other factors. Perhaps someone loved the look of a friends kitchen, but that kitchen was done 25 years ago and wouldn't be considered fresh or modern, today.

Homes are personal, resources are personal. Saving money to get what you REALLY want is often wise, and it bears looking at newer kitchens to be certain you know the possibilities, realistic for you and yours, or not.

My point, (and that of others I am sure ) is that a little delay, some research, some soul searching, investigating and LIVING with what is there in this very important area of any home? Is not a bad idea at all. It will still be there to be done, and NO....... you will not die from a little disruption. Nobody dies from it. That's just fact.

When I made this original post, I was definitely feeling stuck and overwhelmed with choices. Your input definitely got me thinking about options and a different way to approach the kitchen. We are in our mid 50s/early 60s and this is our retirement home. Kids are all launched. The renovations will be done before we move in. We have the time and resources to do it this way. The whole house is getting painted. The floors are getting sanded buffed and a satin finish. There will be new carpets in the bedrooms. There will be new light fixtures. All of the drapes are coming down. A lot more than just the kitchen is going on. We have been in our current home for 20 years and upgraded it slowly as time and money allowed. Once in the house I will not be project focused - my focus will be this next season of life. I am narrowing down my choices. Here are a few pics of what I’m looking at. I placed it on the floor of my current home because it’s a similar tone to the cabinets in the new home. I do like my counter choice. The tile on the right is an ivory glass tile. The one on the left is a textured tile. Thanks again for all the thoughts and opinions. I’ll post an update once it’s done!

God willing and the sun keeps shining upon you? You have THREE more decades of life in that home!

Very sincerely!?

Much Good luck, enjoy the "next phase of no projects" and may it be a life well lived, enjoyed in that kitchen no matter how you refresh to your happy factor.

You also quite accidentally made my point, though none of us would claim we've got the magical crystal ball.

We used to say the life of a kitchen was 25 yrs....then it was.........less and lesser yet. Now? Consult the crystal ball....... she answers, not. But it isn't fifty years: )

Thanks Jan. 😎

I am tired of tiled backsplashes and prefer the counter material extended to the splash. Two of my favorite inspiration kitchens have wood cabinets with light counters with some gold veining.

Our counters and full backsplash are the same material....large format marble tile....never get tired of it as a backsplash...gorgeous and classic.

If you are still considering full quartz backsplash, that is what I would do.

Not one person has mentioned your gas cooktop with the downdraft hood. You would be best served with a new induction cooktop at minimum. Please pick your paint for the walls in conjunction with your final countertop. Good advice for you to consider a Taj Mahal quartzite vs the bright white quartz (maybe from Jan?)…best to get your carpet samples, paints etc all together with the slabs in consideration. I too am a fan of ditching the raised counter.

She's decided : ) ......

Induction would be great, with a true venting fan and I'd go so far as to lose the cook top, have induction range, and put the ever handy microwave , built in with the second oven...after I cut down the island, and after I considered the sink locale and after I considered that my kitchen is ALREADY a couple decades aged. As I said? give it up, which I will lol and yes to Taj Mahal.

Note:

The warming trend in even formerly ice white quartz is UNdeniable. Morphing to creamier shades of white. A painted island could be fabulous, so too many other things. ....

Looking closely, I see some gold veining in the Calacatta Vesta Quartz in both the slab and the small sample. It's not ice white. It's gonna be gorgeous.

I don’t see glass tile at all here but that’s me.

Glass tile did have a day, and I suppose it works sometimes. But it was indeed a very big thing, 15 years ago : ) It still might feel great in a spa green inspired Coastal kitchen. Like cool water.

Is this kitchen that? Nope.

I don't see any gray anything with the cabinetry. Not even a warm gray.

Every "double decade" will have a dominant color palette that seems to hang around forever......until it doesn't. Until it recedes, still available, but receding.

When you begin seeing warm greens even in carpet, when you see all the pale warm woods abound,, and when even the solid surface folks finally realize the design world is warming and offer up clean ivories? There's your answer, and it began before the always lagging industries catch on. Drives designers......crazy : )

When I bought my current home for my eventual retirement, I knew exactly the major changes I wanted to make, walls to come down, rooms to gut (kitchen and bath) and I moved in 13 months later. I have never regretted my decisions, but gave myself plenty of time to do needed research, etc.

Given your years of cooking and time to dream and consider I agree with Indigo Rose---bet your kitchen will end up just right for you. I think the initial request threw off some of the suggestions. The cabinetry style is not 'modern' but it's been considered high end classic for decades. Due to the raised panels I will once again put in a plug for running your counter material as your back splash. It's a newer trend and not one you've spent years seeing but it won't compete with the raised panels the way all the grout lines from tile will.

@User, In your photos, I am seeing grey undertones in your choices that don't look fresh and modern (the word you used) to my eye.

Your choices are fine and the kitchen will look better but I think you can bump it up a notch.

I thnk it's semantics, Modern/Contemporary. Bringing the kitchen into the 21st Century. Even if just with updates.

Some visual