Edit: I’ve considered SW Evergreen Fog for the lowers. Not sure if it would appeal to a lot of buyers or if I should stick with EW

Good luck on your upcoming sale.

The countertops and backsplash need to work with both the cabinets and the walls.

Since you want to appeal to the most buyers, I would use one color of cabinetry.

I have no suggestions for a specific countertop or backsplash. You want to see it in your lighting.

Are you sure this added expense is worth it. Or would it be better to leave the kitchen as is for someone to make their own when they bought it? What does the space look like now?

Agree with @WestCoast Hopeful is it necessary?

relative to the rest of the home. If it looks like a overhaul on the kitchen and everything else is the old.

a butcher block countertop will warm up the SW Evergreen Fog cabinets.

Silestone Quartz Desert Silver is a recommended quartz color for SW Evergreen Fog cabinets...

a simple subway tile, so it doesn't look too busy or trendy?

Thank you all for the great suggestions. I’m repainting the oak cabinets and switching out hinges/hardware but otherwise leaving them, as they’re in good shape. West coast Hopeful, unfortunately all other surfaces in this room do need redone. The realtors I consulted agreed.
Thank you for your suggestions kempek01. So, if I both paint the uppers and lowers EW, would you suggest coordinating with the Alabaster, perhaps something that also has some more neutral white in the pattern? And for subway tile, would you think a more warm white, simpler to Alabaster, or a more neutral white? I forgot to mention the kitchen is south and west-facing, so I think that’ll really play up the warmth in the Alabaster.
Lyn Nielsen, what a lovely kitchen! I’ll check out the Desert Silver, thank you. My next kitchen I’m consider either this color or shade of navy.

When you say you're painting the cabs, is that diy? This outlines that procedure.

And filling open grain.

This level of lasting quality can cost $6-8K. Diy if you buy the airless sprayer the cost using BM Advance can be $600-800. I'd choose a softer off-white for the cabinets.

Realtors always have so much fun spending your money on upgrades! What matters is not your cabinets but that the house is priced correctly. My neighbors painted their oak cabinets white, got new countertops, and their house sat on the market for months. Mine sold in a day. The difference? I priced my house correctly.

Post a pic of your kitchen and let some others weigh in on your renovation. I don't doubt that they are not in style and warn down counters might warrant replacement. But it is always good to get input from people who have less skin in the game than a realtor. I have ignored all renovation advice my realtors have given me!

Two tone is a trend that is nearly dead. It will date your house. If you paint go for white - it is neutral and least likely to offend.

If you do paint your oak cabinets (extra PITA for the grain to not show through) why not paint them the same color as the walls so you don't have to negotiate which color to match for your counter?

Don't get quartz with faux veining. Do a 4" splash of counter and run that as your backsplash instead of spending the money on doing a tile splash. If the new owner doesn't like it, let them remove the 4" splash and install a tile of their choice instead.

Could you post some pictures?

dan1888 you must be quite the researcher, as I am- I found the exact same video! (the 2nd one) I used one of his recommended products to fill in the grain on one box and it worked beautifully. I am speaking to cabinet painters that I’m interviewing this week and will be asking them to do this. I discovered I’m too slow at it (a bit physically challenged) and so I will be hiring someone to do it, if the cost is reasonable. I’m getting a quote for refacing, too, though my guess is it will be higher than I think it’s worth doing. As for the color, the EW really pairs beautifully with the Alabaster even tho it doesn’t seem like it should. It comes across fairly soft to me. I’m using EW for trim throughout the home and so the cabinets would match the trim. It’s a softer look than the other good white that pairs with Alabaster (High Reflective White). Some recommend Pure White but others say it looks too dingy paired together. My Samplize samples agree- they look kind of dirty together.
Kendrah I understand what you’re saying about realtors. There is one I won’t be using for the reasons you mentioned. I’ve researched extensively on what to upgrade and what to leave. The realtors I’ve so far narrowed it down to so agree on leaving certain things that are outdated, but are otherwise in good condition. Linoleum in a closet and the laundry room, for example. One bathroom is good. Another bathroom just needs a new vanity, as the counter is damaged. One bedroom is fine. The shed is fine. The back deck just needs a minor repair and repainted. The lower level only needs paint and flooring, for the most part, except the kitchen. There was shoddy ungrades and poor workmanship there, before I purchased the home. The laminate countertops don’t match and are chipped. The flooring is peeling in a couple of spots from water damage. The appliances are very old and white and not in good shape. I purchased the home at a steal, as is, and knew I would remodel once equity built up and I was ready to move. It has great bones, no structural issues, water damage etc. But floors are in bad shape, it needs painted throughout, some other odd and ends, and a kitchen overhaul, other than replacing the cabinets. The focus is on what has been deferred maintenance, and of course painting. Alabaster throughout. So I agree with you on using a white (or near white/neutral) throughout to appeal to the most buyers. I’ve read some reports that say using blue in bathroom or a color like olive or navy in kitchen fetches more money, and I know Evergreen Fog isn’t quite olive, but it’s why I’ve considered it. That and I love the color. Probably not the best reason for choosing a color if you’re selling tho. My SIL dislikes blue (of all things!) so even tho I think navy is gorgeous, I abandoned the idea.
As far as the home’s potential for selling, this home in particular is well known in the community and well loved. Add to that, I’m in a great sellers market. Housing is up 3.1% in my state, 3.4% in my county, and a whopping 9% in my town. So I see no reason why there won’t be offers on day 1, most likely for over asking price. But it will be listed in line with other comps in the area, which will be around 3.2 what I initially paid. I’ll wait a bit and see what offers come in before accepting the first one. It’s been a dream to give the home some much-needed love and I’m learning so much!
Oh and thank you Kendrah for the backsplash idea. That might be a good way to go. I had considered at one time painting the cabinets Alabaster too, like you suggested. I don’t really why I abandoned the idea but I’ll consider it again.

I am soo sorry you are in so deep. There is just very little chance you would choose upgrades your future buyer would choose!! You should have just cleaned cleaned cleaned and priced accordingly. There is just no way you are getting your worth in time let alone money out of this kitchen you are creating. If the home needs cabinetry so badly then the entire home is of an age a buyer will assume certain things about. A DIY painted oak cabinetry will make many RUN away. It won't last and after helping three offspring search for homes the #1 FRUSTRATION was slapped on paint! It is unlikely the design of the cabinetry warrants painting. A new buyer would much rather spend the money their way vs your way. It's much easier to live with 'dated' oak cabinets than chipping and peeling paint. You are forcing your buyer into a total gut they could have delayed several years. White is the only color anyone choosing for another should paint!!! Any color is 100% a personal choice, and frankly on the way out and only for those with grand large magazine quality kitchens!! You limit your buyers by 99% if you go with some color you read about. Where are you getting your information. It seems stilted toward designer vs reality!!! When a buyer walks into a newly remodeled kitchen they lose the motivation to make it there own. It's sooo wasteful to redo what's wrong just because the seller chose things the buyer is not fond of. A kitchen that needs work a buyer can lean into and make their own. No one wants to give you money for your 'green' when it's white they wanted but now are stuck until the green wears. Fixing it immediately is paying twice. Once for your crapped job (which is just psychological as you won't get your money out) and once for what they want. All homes have kitchens. All kitchens need to be clean and functional. NOTHING you do will change the value of your kitchen. Why would you spend anything much at all unless the walls are purple and need neutralizing? You have shown us no pictures. You have not proven to anyone this kitchen needs anything other than cleaning. From what we know you need a new realtor and you need to stop reading stats that are likely stilted. A buyers market as hot as you claim does not call for remodels to sell! You are paying the realtor 6+% 3.1 is NOTHING.

arch_gw I’m not in “deep” and no offense, but I didn’t ask for opinions on anything other than color selections. I am NOT replacing the cabinets as they are in good condition and they will be a shade of white. I am likely painting them and they will be professionally painted not DIY- I already mentioned that I’ve ruled that out. The cabinet design is already neutral. I mentioned possibly using a color but I am likely now going with white. The backsplash was in poor shape as well as the counters. The upgrades I am doing are necessary and in line with the expectations for a home in this price range. It will make a huge difference in resale value in this particular case. Regardless, I am not certain where your hostility is coming from. Telling me I’m doing a “crap job”. Seriously? If you can’t be polite and stay on topic, please refrain from commenting.

I have to agree to renovate to sell always a bad idea and now who knows what the next buyer will like mYbe leave the counter off and let them choose with a discounted price It sounds like you have no started this maybe sSTOP now price right and move on

"This home in particular is well known in the community and well loved. Add to that, I’m in a great sellers market. So I see no reason why there won’t be offers on day 1, most likely for over asking price."

I trust you know your market and that these statements are accurate. They are exactly why you should not pour money into upgrades right now.

New flooring and painting for the first floor and new appliances, counters, cabinet painting? Add it up and just deduct that amount from what you'd normally list the home for - you'd normally list a $695k, have $20k or remodel - skip the remodel and list at $675k. It will sell as fast and close to $695k.

NOBODY wants your choice in flooring, your choice in counters, your choice in paint. I have always avoided bidding on houses with recent renovation. I want to make the house mine.

When I have listed my own homes, I've made repairs, replaced a falling apart vanity, painted a truly gross bathroom, purged like crazy, deep cleaned including my mechanicals. Nobody batted an eyelash at the terrible quality of my floors or outdated bathrooms. They wanted my incredibly well maintained looking home.

Sadly, you are throwing down the drain equity you have built up in this house. Stop listening to realtors.

Have you looked at interior home pics on Zillow for what has sold near you and what their kitchens looked like?

If you’re deadset on painting the cabs - I’d go white or offwhite. We looked at a house that had gorgeous sage green cabs and it was a hard no from DH, colors can be divisive

that being said - freshly painted cabs can make other surfaces look dingy so if it were me, I’d only clean the cabs and replace the hardware.

It's a interesting marketing option. Everyone says a new buyer would make other choices for say $30,000 or higher for new cabinets in a more functional configuration and more. Wanting that and having the financial capacity to put that cash out when you've just qualified for the mortgage on the house is the consideration. Are there more buyers with deep pockets or those who can qualify for a mortgage at the higher price you'll list it at after the reno expense.

If you choose a pro to paint the cabinets, use the info in the first video to determine the level of experience and quality any contractor will have.

I will dissent on the "safe" choice of white. Also disagree with the two tone. Do the green. Add a nice quartz in a warmer mrable look on the island (if there is one) and then butcher block on the perimeter, like Lin posted.

Take a little bit of a personalization risk. Add some style. post your kitchen here and get free advice. Have it appear intentional and loved, not just done to sell.

I also agree with Dan - not everyone has $100K in cash to redo a kitchen right after they move in. Do something a little different, a little special, with some style so that a new buyer can live with something that feels more intentional (that visitors will COMMENT ON..)

If you don't want to do the green - then maybe a cream. Something with some warmth and depth.