i think tile and lighting fixtures have the widest price range for doing the same job. and don't put expensive counters on top of inexpensive cabinets. it makes more sense to do the opposite if you cannot afford it all at one go.

When I remodeled my kitchen in 1990, I splurged on custom wood cabinets. Gulp. But they still look great today although I have since replaced the counter tops and appliances. So my vote would be for the cabinets IF you're planning to stay there for more than 15 years.

I think you can get very good quality cabinets at a decent price if you are going painted cabinets I would stay away from wood as it moves in the heat and cool system I do many Ikea kitchens for the reason they are great price and warranty but they don’t usually lend themselves to a very traditional kitchen but a more contemporary feel my big ticket items in my homes have always been the appliances , they are the workhorses IMO so I would spend there and save alittle on cabinets if possible.

I would invest in good quality cabinets but frankly I see a lot of people IMO overspend on cabinets. There's a difference between good cabinets and fancy cabinets. Some people consider Omega one of the top brand cabinets but I don't know that the "quality" difference between them and my Conestoga Wood Specialties RTA cabinets would ever convince me to pay the substantial cost difference. To me going expensive cabinets is akin to paying extra for a Lexus instead of top Toyota when both are designed and built by the same company.
You can get good enough without going overboard. Nail the layout, lots of drawer bases, Blumotion full extension soft close drawer glides. Some types of doors really drive the cost up.
With budget friendly door style and cabinet choices, you can save enough for nice granite/Quartz countertops and good floors.
Would not obsess over all appliances being same brand. If you cook a lot or entertain a lot, splurge on a high end range and refrigerator. We don't entertain much so our GE range suits us. But if you have a Thermador or other high end brand range and fridge, guests and prospective buyers are by association going to think your cabinets are similarly expensive.

Save on cabinets, counters, and flooring. Fixtures, like faucets and lighting, and appliances get the splurge.

Splurge is a relative term. I tend to favor selecting mid-range cabinets, mid-range counters (i.e., not laminate, but not a super exotic granite or marble), and mid-range appliances in standard sizes. I would save on flooring, backsplash, faucets and lighting.

Cabinets should be there for a long time and that is where I would put my money. Flooring next. Personally I think good solid mid-range appliances are a good investment. High end looks pretty, but I think mid-range performs for most people. Appliances are no longer made to last for very long so it is difficult to justify the high end cost. I do like a nice cooktop however and I would think more about ventilation needs than most people do. Ventilation is generally an afterthought and shouldn't be.

Are you more interested in the look of things or the underlying quality? My husband and I go to open houses go get ideas and are frequently puzzled by people's choices of super expensive Viking ranges and Sub Zero refers when the cabinets are the cheapest melamine boxes available. Good quality cabinetry may not be as obvious to the casual observer as appliances but you will feel the quality (or lack thereof) EVERY time you touch them.

Unless buying custom manufactured wood cabinets, you are buying a series of boxes. A 100k euro kitchen installation of an Italian kitchen is one example from my portfolio. Differences are found in the hardware, the door/drawer pulls, weight of doors and exterior finishes.

It is about the design, first. In our region, you can knock off 1200-2000 just be sticking with a full depth fridge--but it is design that will make it possible to install full depth and get a counter depth effect. In the Garden Oaks Fine Accommodation residential display suite I needed to prove that a high-end design can be executed for less. Again, it is design that does the trick. The owner of the kitchen above loves the pendants over the breakfast counter. I did not have the heart to reveal the price--$19 each. That owner likes/needs bling so the 14k euro chandeliers (2) in the foyer are a feature. But we get more comments on our pendants--because they are integral to the overall design.

Real estate agents have pegged this kitchen at anywhere from 45-75k. It cost under 30k.

DYI projects offer the opportunity to take the time that you might not otherwise allow to a designer (hence our need to come equipped with knowledge, contacts and suppliers that augment our services). I recommend drawing from images (Houzz is great for that) to start, then researching suppliers, collecting specs, and developing a document that covers all aspects of the kitchen from lifestyle needs to style to comparisons of product reviews. Whittle it down to an instruction for purchase and installation.

Consider challenges such as the dreadful corner cabinet turntable and splurge on solutions that make your design truly functional. You'll appreciate the expense that delivers practical functionality. There are remarkable solutions for the corner cabinet--but my fav is to determine whether that space can become storage (cabinet or drawers) in an adjoining room. When not practical, articulated pull-out stainless shelves are functional--and cool. Undermounted sinks are great for clean-line counters. Well placed recessed lighting (design again) eliminates the need for other fixtures--and allows you free rein to purchase for focal point impact or (my preference) to fit seamlesly into the overall look.

Enjoy the journey--have fun!

I still say splurge on the faucet. You use it everyday, several times a day. A well made faucet will last a lifetime, with little maintenance. In a classic style, it will go with everything. The sink should also be the best you can afford. A heavy gauge SS sink, as large as will fit. Most of us want stone countertops, so stay with A or B (1 or 2) grade, anything higher costs more. If you can, get stone remnants, much less expensive and you can get a higher priced stone for much less. Cabinets are just boxes, if you go painted, or a simple style like shaker, you'll save some money. Ceramic is still the best kitchen floor, durable and easy to clean. If you want wood look, go with vinyl planks, wood ceramic tiles can be pricy. If you go with square tiles, lay them on the diagonal, the kitchen will look bigger, and more expensive. I would use chrome pulls and knobs,as well as chrome faucet, and any lighting fixtures. Chrome is bright and shiny, like jewelry, and draws the eye. If you stay simple, clean and neutral, you'll have a classy, classic kitchen for years.

Our splurge was the vent hood (mostly because our design called for black stove-pipe which was hard to find in anything but stainless) and it is fabulous. When it's on high, better have everything tied down, LOL. No more smoke alarm going off every time I cook a hot dog. I believe in spending on good faucets. Good doesn't have to mean high-end, either, but we installed Delta prior to our kitchen project because we liked the ones we chose and since found out their warranties and customer service are AWESOME when one didn't work for some reason when it was reinstalled. You can believe I will buy them next time we have to replace a fixture, even though they are a bit more expensive than some other brands. Don't skimp on cabinets. We went with mid-grade but paid for some features like a spice cabinet, a couple of frosted doors, full-extension shelves in some (all are fully adjustable) and a pantry cabinet. Some places have regular sales so what we did was design the kitchen then hit order when they went on sale. The design center knows the approximate sale cycle. The reason we did the remodel was due to cheap, almost useless cabinets previous homeowners had installed on the cheap. Our counters are quartz - no regrets there. The backsplash is probably the easiest place to save and still have something that looks nice.