The cabinets

Of course we disagree about the cabinets. I want a white kitchen with black counter tops because I think the combination will work as a neutral for any color palette so that we’ll have the flexibility to change the look of the family room/kitchen in the future.

White and black choice 

Brad likes a darker wood look. He thinks that the white will show dirt too easily and that the wood is more beautiful. We do agree on the style of cabinet. We both like simple rather than ornate.

We both like 
There are three beginning decisions for cabinets: door style, wood type and finish. It only took about an hour in Lowe’s to come to an agreement: simple doors, maple or cherry, dark finish. We are going with the dark cabinets because I like them, too. If I get tired of them later on, we can always paint, but we cannot go from white or ivory laminate to wood.

The floor was surprisingly easy. It must be able to handle wet children because of our future pool. Tile would be the most logical, although slippery choice, but we both like a light laminate that looks like hardwood. Durable enough for a pool house, but pretty. If we can’t afford it at the design center, we’ll have to choose something else and wait until it wears out, then replace it with laminate.

The master bathroom gets some upgrades, too, but those will have to wait until we get there. We go to the design center and we have two hours to make all of our choices. Unfortunately, we don't have any prices beforehand, and almost everything is based on price. So, we are setting priorities and I'm basically obsessing while Brad tries to look interested.