This looks very clean and inviting. I like how the white cabinets are broken up by the center Island in the Dark Stain finish and the counter top and back splash are a darker color. The Cabinets have a lot of architectural detail to them especially above the sink area. It would take away the beautiful design if you changed the color or finish throughout the kitchen area. My Suggestion changing them in a different area would be a good idea if you don’t want so much white.

Thanks! You are right about this particular kitchen. Just seems like looking through the 100s of photos on houzz, many of the kitchens have white cabinets with a dark island. Looking for something different.

Here are a few examples from our designers:

I'm living with white cabinets and hate them....looking to go with wood cabinets when we remodel. If you're an OCD neat freak they'll probably be fine but I'm a working mom with two kids and white shows everything, they need to be wiped down constantly which I don't have time to do. Will never have white cabinets again.

That's what I was thinking! I could use some OCD in my life. It just seemed like 90% of the pictures I saw had white cabinets. Most of the bath cabinets are wood, though. I live in the midwest so maybe it's a regional thing. The high end houses around here do not have white cabinets. I associate white cabinets with kitchens 10 years ago. Maybe the midwest is just that far behind. :)

I so wanted a kitchen with white cabinets when I was looking for my new home, but after so many comments from friends telling me "you do NOT want white cabinets because they are impossible to keep clean!" I ended up with a house with custom cherry shaker cabinets which are beautiful. I'm glad because I'm the kind of person that notices a little crumb on the counter or a smudge on the cabinet door, so I'm sure white cabinets would have put me in the looney bin in not too long! LOL

I am currently designing my new kitchen and was really thinking of going with a very light cabinet like may be cream. After reading the comments, now I am a bit worried.

Love my white cabinets and am currently redoing them. They are very traditional, although I am taking them a little more transitional with the hardware and accessories, no wallpaper, paint color in breakfast area, and transitioning the table and chairs maybe a little more contemporary. A really good enamel white paint is easier to clean than acrylics. The white is always classic, just like cherry or birch. Just look in all the latest kitchen magazines, Traditional Home, Southern living, and above all stay within the paramiter of your homes overall styling and your neighborhood. Not saying you have to do white! Good luck on your project.

love white kitchens!!!

I have white cabinets now, and they're beautiful....but I also have two black Labs. I am constantly vacuuming dog hair and wiping down the cabinets, especially the shoe molding area, which gets filthy.

All of the high end kitchens in the South seem to be white. Yes, very traditional. If they are painted with oil paint they are extremely easy to wipe off. I'd prefer white over, say, cream/off white which to me always look old or dirty.

I did my kitchen 20 years ago in white. I am currently remodeling and guess what? I am doing white again. I love white kitchens and was worried about going white again but after seeing all the white in Houzz it gave me the courage to do it . I am doing a dark wood island this time. I had to laugh at my husband who said why redo them if they are already white! They are so old they have yellowed LOL

All of you who love white cabinents I need a good color white to use any suggestions

Dover white....by Sherwin Williams...cant go wrong.

white dove Benjamin Moore

I have lived in houses with natural wood cabinets and with white cabinets. I prefer spending more time in the white cabinet environment. To me, it feels happier. Fresher. Cleaner. Our cabinets are a 'milk paint white" and of all the versions of white I've had, I like the softer white look.
We're moving soon and while I'm not opposed to remodeling another house, if the choice is between a kitchen with white or natural wood cabinets, I'm going to choose the white - if the quality of the cabinets is similar.

You'll have just as many people prefer natural wood cabinets so go with what *you* love.

I just had my "pickled" cabinets from the 90s stripped and painted white by a professional refinisher. He used lacquer and custom mixed paint until I was happy. I also took my cue from houzz: White cabinets, black pearl granite and now I will install walnut blend travertine back splash from home depot. I had my island finished in dark brown with a light brown granite. So far, I am thrilled! I've been living with white cabinets for six months with no complaints.

HI! I'm going to redo our kitchen too. I know white shows dirt more but white cabs are gorgeous, just like dark stained floors (which some people think are a pain but I love em). I think white cabs with super white granite look beautiful! Go for it.

@ monika.....have you heard that dark-stained floors are a pain? tell me why! Because that's exactly what I was going to do.

They're not a pain to me, but a lot of people compare them to white cabinets...show every dust and spec. I look at it this way, you see that you need to clean them which leads to a cleaner house.

If you don't have time to wipe/vaccum your floors often and like to pretend that dirt isn't there-go with lighter floors and go for darker cabinets. I like knowing my house is clean so I don't mind this issue.