Option 4. I would not have more than 2 different cabinet finishes. Darker, grounded look for the base and island, with lighter, airier look for the uppers would balance the room.

thank you very much to everyone who responded! I'll look into espresso and charcoal grays. As well as the steel backplash. Emmarenes, I'm living abroad in India, and the only granites in my budget are the local ones. I was advised against the gray and white local ones because i was told that they would not hold up well in the kitchen. I could have gone with a black galaxy as well but i have that granite now and despise it because of the way it hides ants and bugs so well. we live in a tropical area and there are always critters here and there. My first choice was a Brazilian white granite but it was triple the price. This granite is called Shiva pink, so it has a pink salmon and gray look to it. Im really hoping I don't hate it once it's installed. The stoneyard was a 9 hour trip up and down and i was just pressured to make a choice after several undecided trips. And I'm getting new cabinets put in. but I think I can wait for them to put the slab before staining the wood. Thanks for that idea :)

New about to be furnished in new home, it is a 7.5x14 feet kitchen, with two windows one on east and one on south walls, so lightning issue isn’t there, the the counter is finished with a dark coloured granite. Planning for frosted / clear glass cabinets on top and opaque hard material on the lower cabinets. Confused if i should go with dark colours on the bottom or light colour or something in between. And the floors are having white tiles. Please suggest.

Hey Aleen, It is rather dark but it looks really pretty. Until you redo the kitchen, here are a few suggestions! Paint the lower cabinets white since they are sandwiched between two dark surfaces Paint the upper ones a beautiful pastel sage (I love you colour options BTW, the mushroom and sage sound blissful) and mushroom grey (really really REALLY light) on the walls You can lay down a light coloured and thin outdoor rug on the floor to make the space lighter add plants to liven up the space (could be faux!) Lastly, the little sliver of the wall on the left is a bit of an eyesore. Try painting it over (black or sage green) and if it doesn't look nice (I have my doubts) then hang something there, like a faux plant, or some other kitchen decor item. Let me know if you need suggestions for that. I'll have to do some deep-dive research for that. all the best! If you can, share the finished pictures! Miloni