Mark Salomon
It seems to me, Derek, that using a neutral wood like maple gives a woodworker an opportunity to incorporate other details in the project to make the piece stand out since he can't make it "pop" with dramatic grain. Your ultimate choice of handles, a kitchen backsplash, ceiling/lighting fixtures, or of course the flooring will have a very important visual effect. In some cases the details of a kitchen are so striking visually that they demand a relatively neutral cabinet treatment to balance the kitchen and not make it too "busy". I'll be interested to see your kitchen project progress! Good luck.