Renovating or designing a new kitchen is a major undertaking and you owe it to yourself to take extra time during the planning stage. After all, the kitchen is probably the most populated room in your house and you want to enjoy spending time in it.

If your final choice of cabinet color or style isn’t quite right, it can be difficult to adjust. The following points are designed to make you think about what you really want and point out some pros and cons that you may never have considered.

1. How much natural and artificial lighting is available in your kitchen? Just having a light stain doesn’t make a kitchen bright. If you’re more enclosed than open, consider creating a window to take advantage of lighting from adjoining rooms, or add reflected lighting from your cabinets.
2. What is happening in the neighboring rooms? Are there stains or color schemes being used that you’ll want to incorporate into your kitchen decor?
3. Are you looking for a contrasting decorating scheme or a decor where colors are softer and flow from room to room?
4. If you go with a lighter opaque color, keep in mind that this shade does not last as long as other colors or finishes. Depending on the size and age of your family, you may need to clean these cabinets more often.
5. Consider any theme you want to feature, such as traditional, formal, country, rustic, or modern. The style and color of the cabinets will vary depending on the theme you choose. For example, a more formal look might include a stained or glazed cabinet finish with upgraded crown molding and possibly accent legs to make your basic cabinets look like furniture. A contemporary look may have a smooth, molded door style and possibly be painted rather than stained.
6. When choosing a color scheme, you may want to consider less traditional shades that provide a warm/cool contrast, such as khaki, oyster grey, or grey/blue.
7. Once you choose your cabinet screen, it should be coordinated with your countertop, backsplash, sink, and appliances. Any decorative lighting, such as pendants over an eating area, should also be considered. Pendant lights can provide nice accents, but they can also be discreet and just disappear.
8. The size of the room will go a long way in determining your lighting choices and color scheme. Dark cabinets are fine in a small, well-lit room with light walls; however, a combination of light colors will make a small kitchen seem less busy.
9. If you’re going for a fairly neutral kitchen, you may want to consider some accents to add interest. In a large kitchen with lots of cabinets, choose one wall and add glass inserts to separate the wood. If you have a large backsplash area over the stove, a decorative tile image can liven up the workspace.
10. The various species of wood for your cabinets lend themselves to different looks and decorating styles. The most popular choices are maple, cherry, birch, and oak. The latter was most commonly used in the ’80s, but is still popular for modern-style doors or painted cabinets where you want the grain to stand out.