White or dark cabinets in a new galley kitchen

Wanda Crossley, an interior and landscape designer and owner of Matthews House and Garden in Upperville, Va., was a recent guest on our online chat. Here is an edited excerpt.

Q. I am renovating my gallery kitchen to include a wall of windows overlooking my garden. I want it stylish but nothing too trendy. Do I put in dark cabinets with white counters or white cabinets to make it brighter? Paneled or not paneled cabinet doors? If I’m going to spend money, I want the “wow” to last.A. I am also putting in a galley kitchen. I understand there are so many options. I love white cabinets. While so many people are scared of marble, I am using antique marble flooring from a Masonic temple for the countertops. I love these two options because they are clean, classic and pretty. I prefer cabinet doors that are paneled, with not too much detail. Go with your first instincts and what you love!Q. I#146;m in the market for a lilac topiary. Are they hard to find or difficult to grow? I don#146;t have the greenest thumb.A. No, they are not hard to grow. Go to your local nursery and ask for a Meyeri Lilac Standard. Another lilac you may like is the Korean Spice, which comes in bush form.Q. Is there a clever way to paint my stairwell that doesn#146;t involve scaffolding? If you go halfway up the stairs, you#146;re 15 feet from the ceiling above you and even farther from the far corner of the ceiling. I can#146;t figure out how to do this without serious heavy equipment.A. If you#146;re very careful, you could use an extension pole with a brush attached for the edging and a roller for the wall. It#146;s hard to get a clean edge, and having light walls helps. The darker the walls, the more the line shows. Ceiling and walls the same color would be best.Q. We#146;re banished from our condo while the walls are being painted and wood floors refinished. The guy doing the floors says we can walk on them in four days but the smell might be lingering. We#146;re trying to figure out how to handle our three cats.A. He#146;s right. The floors will be dry, but there will still be a hint of the smell. To play it safe with the cats, you may want to wait until the fifth day.Q. My 1926 Arts and Crafts home has honey oak floors, and I#146;m considering staining them dark. Seeing as the honey oak is original, would staining be a mistake? Could I stain just one or two rooms?A. Going dark would look great! You should be consistent throughout the house, though. Stain all of the floors the same color.Q. I#146;m looking for a neutral beige or khaki paint color for our open first floor. Is there a standard neutral color you prefer?A. Your color is really dictated by the light in your room. Your best bet is to go to a paint store and buy sample pots. Buy four or five different samples of beiges. I prefer beiges that have more of a gray or green undertone. Paint squares of color on your wall, and look at them in the varying light throughout the day and at night.