Beautiful Modern Contemporary Kitchen Remodel

My Kitchen

Neutral

Late afternoon light

Cabinets are dated and in bad shape. Counter top is plastic/Formica back splash is crapy tile, its just a cheap kitchen

Dish Washer and Oven are 2 years old & Kitchen aide. Although my wife is thinking about a real nice slide in vs. separate cook top and oven. Everything else bye bye.

No

Yes, Wood

We are getting new wide plank hard wood floors through out our house and that is already bided and contractor selected. Due to kids and dogs, going with Oak with a natural water base stain. For our island we are thinking an Island/bar height table combo where the island is taller and narrower that the width of the table top - at least that is what we have seen online that we like -a wood slab table top, spalted maple or walnut - maybe it works maybe it doesn't for our kitchen but we would like to see a concept

We would like wood cabinets\wood veneer for the top and open to possible white cabinets on the bottom. Would like contemporary flat panel cabinet fronts and let the texture come from the wood/wood grain used. One sample kitchen we attached in a pic has vertical grain walnut looking cabinets with carrara marble looking counters & back splash that we like - but no marble for kitchen counters due to staining. We do not like the man made quartz counter tops etc, so that leaves us with granite or quartzite - which we saw a very nice, almost all white with some white/gray veining called Cristallo which would be a great substitute for marble - but we were quoted $200 sq/ft and you have to buy the whole slab, so we're open to one slab of that since it is so gorgeous, so maybe counters, island and oven back splash with that and a tile or other backsplash for the rest? Oh, no floating shelves unless nothing else will work to fill a space.

We would like a functional hood as well, enclosed in a 'box' that is a material/color that blends with the overall design.

Refridge will be counter depth - thinking stainless steel, but open to ideas. Separate cook top or slide in, open there. Would like mircowave in a lower cabinet or hidden. Ankles are scarred from walking by open dishwasher since it opens into the island leaving very little room to walk by, bad design, but if we need to keep it like that OK then. Wife likes idea of wine refridge - but not sure if we have the room.

Looking for a warm modern design and do not need to consider the rest of the house as this is the first shoe to drop on a entire remodel. Budget is not the concern really, that is a dangerous think to say, but design is more important and we make it work switching materials if needed, but keeping colors & functional design intact. Thank you!!