I guess my first thought is the curtains do not really have a connection to the LR space except you have a blue sofa,the little white chair is just there for no reason, your DR table feels quite modern to me so I would paint the cabinets a light gray and I would get a counter depth fridge as it is like a white elephant in the space and if you do that you will need new counters maybe a great laminate like formica 180 FX i would not put a valance in the kitchen , get rid or the rug there too. Maybe some green and blue throw pillows on the sofa and a much larger picture above the sofa maybe even a mirror if it will reflect the outside.

I would leave the cabinets alone unless you hire the paint job out. We painted some cabinets once, and they definitely don't look as great as you think they're going to unless you spray them.

To spruce up your kitchen and dining room, I would put a nice rug under the table that would go with your curtains to tie the room together. I would find a related rug wit the same tones in it for the kitchen.

You could also put some pulls on your cabinets to change their appearance. We put oiled bronze pulls on our cabinets that are very similar to yours, and they look totally different. And it only me $70 to do 22 doors and 10 drawers! Here's a link to the ones I went with:

http://www.amazon.com/Cosmas-1387ORB-Rubbed-Cabinet-Hardware/dp/B008953014/ref=sr_1_8?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1401916833&sr=1-8&keywords=cabinet+pulls


http://www.amazon.com/Cosmas-4310ORB-Rubbed-Cabinet-Hardware/dp/B005I4J9AA/ref=pd_sim_hi_11?ie=UTF8&refRID=1S1AFNQ8V02Q7GDT37HV

The fridge IS a bit much...it's great but too much for that space (we inherited it with the house). Great suggestions! I have a hard time tying things to together in a space so thanks for commenting on the curtains, etc.

I would clean the cabinets and leave the finish as it is. Add under cabinet lights. A glass tile backsplash would add some sparkle. Paint both rooms a sun lite beach sand color, find a 6 x 9 area rugs with all the colors you love for in front of the couch. Add a tablecloth and some pretty sofa pillows and accessories to the mantle and countertops. Don't add too many accessories. Less can be more.

Great ideas, thanks Linjen! Love the suggestions!

If you are looking at painting your oak kitchen, I would suggest dark grey for a darker look or duck egg blue for a softer look. Otherwise, it will look too white.

Neat ideas!

I think your dining set which matches the cabinets is calling attention to them and the 90s vibe. Instead of painting the cabinets i would consider changing the color and style of the dining set. Or at least paint it. Also the first time the fridge needs any repair, don't spend any money on it...take it as the impetus to get a counter deep one. You will gain a lot of space in the tiny kitchen. I would start with a fabulous rug, and spin off the colors in the kitchen and living room drapes from that.

Thank you for the advice rocketjcat! I've contemplated painting the dining set a number of times...would definitely update it. It's a set from the '50s that my grandparents used. Painting that might just be the ticket.

Oh, so that's your grandparents original 50's dining set! I can see why you might hesitate to paint it. I think then I would playoff it and go a little more retro than modern in your kitchen... I really like the fabric Patricia has shown above! It's retro and the colors are great. It even ties in with the retro green chair in the living room. Maybe find fabric like that and recover just the chair seats. Make a pillow from it for the couch. Take a bright color from it for a rug under the table, and update the hanging fixture. Install under cabinet lights if you don't have them. I keep mine on almost all the time just for some sparkle off the backsplash and counter. Right now all you see is white and brown...If you go cheery and retro I think it will really brighten up the space and the you won't need the expense of the cabinet painting.

The cabinets look like they are in very good condition therefore I wouldn't touch them ,the thing that i would do is to paint the kitchen with a more vibrant colout to make them pop and add a back splash




and the fabric that Patricia found for you .

For the table keep it as is its beautiful just get a glass bowl for it .

Some years ago, I painted my brown cabinets white. They turned out good, but I would certainly do things a bit differently. By the way, this isn't a small job.
Number one: Remove the doors and, when replacing, use the same hinges from each door. Sometimes the original line-up of screws are off a tiny bit, and if you can keep them matched, it will be easier to hang. Try to remember (or number) where each door goes from each cabinet. This is important.
Number two: Remove any old varnish - It has soaked into the wood, so use varnish remover and then sand out imperfections.
Number three: Always use a primer! If you skip this step, you'll have a bleed which looks like you've sprayed coffee all over your kitchen. Oh, don't be in a hurry - make sure to remove ALL the hardware. If I could do it over, I'd paint only two doors at a time to keep the original line-up.
I love white cabinets for the light they reflect and other colors in the kitchen stand out. Good luck to you!

I used to work as a painter for years and had done few cabinet refinishing projects so as a designer I try to steer my clients away from repainting. In my personal opinion it is a great solution when a house is being sold and kitchen needs to be freshened up. To achieve a nice smooth and lasting finish on once stained oak cabinets is a very long and tedious process. Like adivra I would recommend cleaning existing cabinets and under cabinet lights would bring in additional light in. I would also contemplate tiled back splash, removing the existing and tiling all the way to the bottom of the cabinet. Brushed nickle door pulls could also bring this look to more contemporary. Another idea is to paint the walls.Also, how about changing the light fixture for something more contemporary or modern. If this was my kitchen, painting the cabinets would be my absolutely last resolve:-), I think there are many ways you can bring it up to date without touching the cabinets.

radka_sumberova is spot on, I would just clean and when you do decide it's time for a change consider calling a pro in your area. They can get you a non yellowing finish and a finish that won't eventually chip away like paint will! Good luck with your project!!

To paint stained cabinets is a big job and you need to be ready for the challenge. It involves MANY steps. I would shy away unless you know how. Personally I would get a good painter to help. That said, what about a pale grey-green stain for the cabinets?

Painting the table and chairs would be a time consuming job, but sure would be pretty!

While painting the cabinets white would be stunning, it can be a time consuming project that requires a lot of preparation. Instead, you might consider updating the hardware on the cabinets, putting down a cheerful rug/fabrics in patterns of aqua, turquoise or light blue on a background of cream. A great wall paint colour for making small spaces brighter is Benjamin Moore Ewing Blue out of their Williamsburg Colour Collection (the swatch below doesn't do the shade justice!).

I'm definitely rethinking painting my cabinets at this point. My new plan...really clean up the cabinets, add under cabinet lighting, pick out a tile backsplash, and possibly a new paint color for walls... In addition, I'm going to pick a fabulous rug that I love and will base the curtains and accessories for kitchen/living room on that. I will also plan on recovering the chair seats. Thanks so much to ALL of you for your great advice!! Anything else?

I really like the Ewing Blue, Karolina! It's so fresh...I'll check it out in person for sure.

I really like the chevron curtains! Maybe adapt your space to reflect that style and color scheme?

Your cabinets don't appear to be in bad shape, so I would consider painting the kitchen walls and changing out your window blinds with roman shades and dressing the patio door with panel curtains. The cabinets have an orange undertone, so a 'muted' blue colour would be a good compliment. I suggested in another post Chelsea Fog by Behr, and I think it would work for you as well.

Lori, it would be great to keep the chevron curtains - fell in love with them but didn't have a solid plan when I bought them. What kind of rug would you suggest to go with them, if you don't mind me asking? Thank you!