Sounds like your teak furniture is going to add more brown as well. Consider adding color to the walls and or painting out the cabinetry to look more modern, if that's your taste. Also a fabric window treatment, more dramatic art work and an area rug in the eating area would all add more interest and warmth to the space.

My instinct is to paint things white, because I probably don't have much imagination, so I'm glad to see that someone else has the same idea. I don't really want to paint the cabinets, though. What about painting the ceiling and trim white, and then color on the walls? What color would you use?

Would you be willing to paint the cart? I am partial to pale yellow, but you may want to browse color trends for one you like. Then I would do the walls of the dining area the same color as the cart. Definitely white on the ceiling.

yellow walls, and accessories of yellow and a bit of green.

Paint light color and change backsplash. Backsplash is causing the feeling that there is too much brown. If lighter it would show off the gorgeous burl in your cabinets. And red curtains!

Hi---here are a couple of combos for you. Cream/off white cabs. Brandywine, Spalding Gray, or Perfect Greige for walls... Paint will do wonders for this space. Nice kitchen. Good Luck![houzz=][houzz=][houzz=]

Hi again Laura. I just went through your post again and I realize you really do not want to paint the cabinets, but you also want the kitchen to look less brown. To me, it's either paint the cabs OR rip out and redo the backsplash and/or possibly the floor too.
Referring to that second photo you posted, if you leave everything as is, the only difference will be different paint colors on that small patch of wall above the window and ceiling. Everything else will remain. It's still brown. There is very little contrast between the floor, cabs, splash, and paint colors. I think painting the cabs will give you the look you want. I hope this is helpful. :)

I know you said you don't want to paint the cabs, but I thinking that is your best solution. Have you checked out rustoleumtransformations.com? Requires elbow grease and time but gives great results and reasonable cost.

I wish I could change the backsplash, but that's more than we can do right now. Paint, window coverings, and maybe a rug are about all that there's budget for. Am I crazy to be thinking about chartreuse?

try silvery glass tile backsplash (might be possible to apply tiles right over the present ones) to tie into the stainless steel appliances and add some zing and light...

I agree that your teak will add to the brown, but if it's what you have, adding color in other ways is the way to go. I also agree that fabric window treatments will add color. Not knowing what colors you like or what your color scheme is in the rest of the house, I'd suggest finding a fabric you like, then pulling a color out of the fabric for the wall color. A rug would help a lot, as suggested. I think the main thing to keep in mind is to bring colors in that contrast with brown. A great color that might work for you is Benjamin Moore's CSP-695 Antique Glass. It's a soft blue-green that will offset all the brown. Also bring in canisters, table centerpiece, etc with colors that contrast with brown. I agree that you should paint the cart, but yellow might not downplay the brown way you want. Pick up some swatches and look at them in the lighting of your room - anything we suggest has to be seen in your own home to verify it'll work. Lots of great suggestions from others here. Good luck!

love this color as a cool contrast to brown---consider a light tint if it for walls/ceiling and add whitish decorative hanging ceramic pieces behind stove to further lighten splash tile /on floor, you can add runners in off white cotton or poly blends (Ikea!) (easier to wash) w/some texture and/or light colors to pick up wall color / add a fun white pendant or other white sculptural light over sink