I'm asking a lot of this forum lately.
I am seriously questioning my choice of cherry as my cabinet material, and I must put in my order Monday or Tuesday.

Quick review:
I have a small galley kitchen. Interior 1940's mid Atlantic brick townhome. Southern windows. Kitchen open to dining room, which gets Northern light from the living room.
West wall will house sink, dishwasher (SS)
Peninsula will have induction cooktop (black Bosch)
North wall of kitchen will have SS frig recessed through it.
At the South wall, at the origin of the peninsula, there will be a bank of open shelves on the kitchen side and a built-in pantry on the dining side. Both will be enclosed in same wood as cabinets.

Interior of cabs: IKEA
Exterior: Scherr's
No uppers.

The style (Since starting this kitchen thing, it seems ever shifting!) I want is clean, relaxed, comfortable, happy, modern/transitional without being edgy or cold, bright, "organic" (sorry, don't know a better word for it). I love the architect Sarah Susanka. The furniture makers Berkeley Mills, Henry Built, and especially Portland's The Joinery.

My floors are purchased: US Floors EcoCork in "ROCA"

I thought I wanted unstained Select Cherry.

But p111og kindly pointed out that cork+cherry+ a grey/black countertop would look "muddy" as all of the colors are too neutral. She suggested I use a countertop with 'flecks' that reads white but isn't stark.

My problem is that I really prefer the quiet look of the soapstone-like colors in Caesarstone. Especially honed Concrete, Pebble, Raven.

Whites in Caesarstone I like a lot, but don't love: Nougat : 6600 and Quartz Reflections : 7141.

Whites in ECO by cosentino: Luna and Polar Cap.

Worried white will be too cold. Worried greys will be too dark.

Kitchens here that make me drool:
Smarge, Celineike, ellaf, leela4. Farmgirlinky. Really -- I could stare at the photos of these kitchens forever.

So. Can y'all think of an alternate wood choice or wood+ countertop choice that would get me close to the above masterpieces??

Please!?

Also, cabinets will probably be slab veneer (more affordable than solid wood). Or, door style 475 at Scherrs -- whatever drawer that is since my kitchen is almost all drawers.

Pulls of choice: Horton Brasses Inc AD-4010 in satin nickel.

Wall color: pending! In isolation, I love a quiet grey color, with a blue/green/silver undercolor.

So, if you have managed to read and digest all of this THANK YOU. And I hope one of you with an artistic editor's eye can figure out how to make this work!

Good Night!
BT

see below to a link to another inspiration kitchen because this one has a white countertop and I love Torquay by Cambria! The kitchen link below is very close in layout to what mine will be, by the way.

Here is a link that might be useful: Layout like mine. and a pretty kitchen tho a little edgey