<p>Our cabinet doors are cherry and we love how they have held up and look timeless. We also took the cabinets doors all the way to the ceiling to maxmize storage space and eliminate the useless soffit. (I put all my rarely used stuff on the top shelf - I’m 5’9" and still need the step stool for it)</p>
<p>We did the bulk of our counters & all backsplashes in Corian, as we had a few angles and I really disliked the grout lines I saw in all the granite countertops I saw. We picked a light color (sandstone) to contrast with the darker wood cabinets. We did, however, have a granite top installed on our 7’ island and went with a darker, more dramatic color (the called it mahongany). I love having the granite island, as I can put hot pans right from the oven on it with not worries. It’s also a great place to make rolled out cookies & pie crust. If you go this route, you will also save on the granite, as we found an orphaned piece that was leftover from another job and got it for 50% of regular cost. (ask to see their one-off pieces if you do this - most places want to sell you the matched stuff, but they have a pile of small pieces that are perfect for islands or vanities). </p>
<p>We put in a wood floor - my only regret is we used pre-finished. It has not held up well. This was our only contract change - as the addition was coming along, I realized I wanted to put the floors on a 45 degree angle to match the rest of the floors in my 1920s colonial. Our contractor quoted us an extra $1000 for that, but said he would do the prefinished at the same price. Since we had been writing big checks, we cut corners and have regretted it since. Depending on where you furnace it, you may not need radiant heat. Our furnace is below our kitchen and the floors are always warm. </p>
<p>The one big slurge we made was to buy a subzero fridge with a botton freezer. Since I’m tall I love not bending down to look in the produce drawers and nothing gets lost in the back. since it’s not as deep as traditional fridges.</p>