I would like to know what you like about the kitchen and what is in good shape before trying to change it. Close up pictures of the counter and cabinets would be helpfull. I see no problem with stainless and black appliances together. The obvious things that can be changed to make an impact are the lighting, hardware, backsplash, and wall paint. If you choose a color for your walls rather than a neutral and get coordinating backsplash tiles tying all the colors together it should be enough of a change to make it your own. The counter top looks to be a quality one with warm tones (although it looks very different in each of the pics. I can't tell if it is more gold or salmon), If you like red, a nice warm, deeper shade could add some life to the kitchen as an accent color, if it goes with that counter top...a couple interesting vases that coordinate on the cupboard top where the flower basket is, a piece of art further to the right on the wall above the cupboards, a nice bowl or plate on a stand on the counter top to the left of the refrigerator a runner on the floor in front of the sink area, You can find budget friendly choices at T.J.Maxx, Menards, etc.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/177338326/dark-red-vase-sang-de-boeuf-flambe-glaze?ref=market
http://www.menards.com/main/flooring/area-rugs-mats-runners/decorative-area-rugs/designers-image-paisley-area-rug-23-x-73/p-2182646-c-6514.htm
I found this backsplash tile as an example of the warm tones. http://www.colorforte.com/2010/08/colorful-slate-tile-backsplash.html (again, it is tough to tell exactly what color your counter is)
Also, glass door fronts on the cabinets to the left of the refrigerator with some pretty dishes in them would be nice. Under cabinet lighting is one of my favorite things in my kitchen, but adding that can mean needing a trim piece to cover fixtures, so something low profile is necessary to keep costs down

Remodeling it

It appears you have a wealth of suggestions and I can't go through them all to see if this one has been suggested, however, adding a WASH to the existing cabinets would be less expensive than paint. Put new pulls and if you can afford a cabinet depth fridge in SS - it will have a HUGE difference by adding space and removing bulk from the kitchen. Take everything off of the walls, paint and leave it fresh until you decide how much to decorate. If you can add lanterns over the island and a fun backsplash with some color - it will give you a great new look in your kitchen.

Upgrades that can all be done a little bit at a time: Lighting, as stated by many above, flooring, countertop (you don't need a status symbol countertop that has been mined from the earth- there are many practical and affordable options). I wouldn't touch the cabinets. I see nothing wrong with black appliances, especially if they're working. If you want, you could change the refrigerator to something less bulky that doesn't stick out but this would mean losing space. We have a smaller fridge and I've never had any issues but our shopping practices don't involve Costco. (:
You have good cabinet space!

To ShelfGenie National : Shame on you for using this forum to plug your products. The lady has lots of storage; it is just the colors that are dated.

I would spend my money on the lighting first. Recessed LED cans around the perimeter ( not too close to the cabinets, more centered in your walk way areas, take down the bulky fluorescent over the Island and replace it with a decorative island light with three lights in a black or dark finish. Also add LED undercabinet lights. This will not be cheap, but the best money you will spend. LED is a relatively new technology so you pay more for it, however it has decreased by almost half of what it used to cost five years ago. Remember, with LED there is NO BULB to change, ever, in 22 years! So, factor in the costs of numerous bulb changes in that time period and in the long run you are saving big time. They are not hot like an incandescent flood bulb, thereby saving you air conditioning costs and 75% in energy savings, as you can get the same light output from 11 watts that takes 75 - 90 in a traditional recessed can light. Put your recessed lights on a dimmer switch. Second, if the cabinets are still in good working condition, and will last a lot longer, replace the countertops. I fear if you paint these cabinets white as suggested, those existing tops are going to look ORANGE, and the white is going to be cold and cheap looking with the nice stone looking porcelain floor you have. Leave your oak alone, and get new laminate tops in Wilsonart #1875K-35 "Summer Carnival" with a crescent edge. You could start small and just do the island top only, and paint only the island black, sand off the edges back down to the oak color and it will look like a high end distressed furniture piece. Your island is the focal point of your kitchen. Keep your existing hardware for now and see how it looks with the new tops, if you want to change them out, go dark on the finish. By the way, burnished brass colors are coming back! It's a shame they drilled the holes for the knobs in such goofy places!

The island light is from Quorum International, you make need a chandelier over your dining table that coordinates with this in the same series also.

meredithfeldman.......104 comments..WOW! and here's #105...................you have received enough ideas to boggle your mind thoroughly...LOL...........you say the décor is from "previous owner".....so you don't need to be told to get rid of the plates...LOL....what you DON'T say is HOW LONG you have been in this house?????? If you just bought it, then obviously money is going to be "tight" for quite a while....DO NOT....DO NOT paint the cabinets!!!!! Your kitchen is gorgeous, and the amount of cabinets is an envy of many of us here on Houzz!! LIVE WITH IT for at LEAST 6 months to a year............THEN, and only then, will you be able to "feel" what is working and what is not.........forget about "is it in style?" or "it's not the latest trend"....what is the "trend" now, today, is NOT what will be the trend in a year from now.....you need to focus on what YOU love....and only that....YOU are the homeowner....YOU must live and work in that home....YOU must be happy with it...when we bought out present home 6 years ago, the kitchen cabinets were Golden Oak...like yours....and the woodwork throughout the whole house is "Golden Oak"....I HATE LIGHT WOOD TONES!! LOL....I personally prefer darker, like walnut of my hutches, buffets, and servers.....but you know, they CAN "live together" nicely, I've found !! My kitchen had all white appliances...I HATE WHITE APPLIANCES!! (( and stainless is a close second!! ))....first thing I did was change to all black appliances.....NOW I was "happy"....I DID switch out 2 ceiling fans for lighting more to my style....but not until I was there for a year ( wanted to see if there was a REASON for two fans in the kitchen that I wasn't aware of )....plenty of air circulation with 6 windows, so out the door went the fans, and I was "happy".....after swearing I wanted to get rid of those oak cabinets...........they are still here........but I am "happy"...why? Because little changes ( taking doors off cabinets and displaying my cookbooks, changing wall paint, etc. ) made such a big difference to me, that I really don't "see" any reason to replace or paint perfectly good, expensive cabinets. Little touches "soften the blow" of having so much wood. Right now, I'm exploring doing "SOMETHING" for a backsplash in my stove area.....not sure what I'll end up deciding, but I know what I DON'T want, so that's a start!! LOL....bottom line is LIVE WITH WHAT YOU HAVE for a while to know WHAT YOU WANT.....can't wait to see pictures of whatever changes you do make!!

The stove and oven units are rearranged. This would involve some additional expense. Otherwise I love the look of the color and lighting changes.

Don't buy new hardware!! You will save TONS of money just by spray painting them black, oil rubbed bronze or whatever other color. I suggest black since you have black ovens. Recessed lighting is great but if you are on a budget, you're not going to want to tear down that light box and have to have the ceiling patched. If it were me, I would paint that a flat black, sand the edges and antique it. You could even add some decorative appliques before you paint for some interest. I'd paint the island black as well. It will look old world and fabulous. I think the major dilemma is your backsplash tile. It appears Southwestern. You could always take that down and add beadboard or the faux tin tiles that are made for that. Both HD and Lowes carry those. Also, I think that since your counters and cabinets are so similar in color it makes it hard to visualize anything else. Paint is a miracle worker!

Your kitchen looks just like mine did. First--the oak is dated. I used elbow grease and good technique along with SW Pro classic paint, and painted my cabinets myself. That was three years ago and they look as good as the day I finished painting them. I painted out the boxed light and went to a plastic store to have high quality plastic cut for the diffusers in that light. It has blended with the ceiling and actually feels/looks like an architectural feature. I added a slab of granite on the island and trimmed the builder island with moulding. Changed my hardware, bought a new light fixture above the table, added Words on the Wall as I wait to afford a backsplash and the rest of my countertops. I just recently afforded the new flooring. It is fresh and updated--huge reviews from my family and friends. If you are willing to do some or most of the work, you can save a lot of $$. Good luck

meredithfeldman, 11 days and over a hundred comments later, I would like to hear from you as to where your head is? Your flooring looks great. The layout and space is more than most people could dream for. I still only see these as real issues: lighting & cabinet hardware. What do you think now?

My kitchen is about the same vintage. I had the cabinets "pickled" so they are not white, but much lighter. I then had my carpenter to remove the ugly recessed fluorescent lighting and add a Tray Ceiling using crown molding. My ceiling was already lowered, so it might be more difficult to do in your kitchen. I then added a sort of modern adjustable light fixture with 6 little halogen lights that can be aimed where you like. I had my countertops redone with Quartz. I hope my photo comes through, and I hope this helps.

Many have suggested you paint cabinets white or a lighter color than wood. I am 61 and have had years of cleaning cabinets-so I do wonder why a person would want white cabinets!. My kitchen must be very outdated because, even though it is newly remodeled, I have light oak. Yet every new person who comes into my house exclaims how much they like it. So, if so many people like natural wood, why is it considered outdated? perhaps you can strip yours down so they won't be so dark, but keep them natural.

Donna, I used to have medium brown cabinets that the previous owner installed. By the time I bought the house they were old. It did not matter how much time and energy I spent on those cabinets they looked dirty. Now I have white cabinets and they look clean. It does not matter what color a cabinet is, dirt is dirt.

Yes, dirt is dirt no matter what the cabinet finish is. Glad you are enjoying your new white ones.

I would start with changing the floor and the cupboard handles before anything else. The handles should really be placed on the outer edge of the doors and in the centre of the drawers. Once that's done and the cupboards are cleaned (as previously mentioned) you may find that's all you needed. Go for a whitish floor to coordinate with the door/trim and which would get rid of the "yellowish" hue or go very dark--perhaps laminate plank to bring out the cupboards.

Swap the light for pendants . I think the paint is a good idea for the cabinets, pulls gotta go ,bulkhead the fridge and move the cabinet above out to the front to give the fridge a more built in look smaller molding at top of cabinet ,larger crown at ceiling around cabinet soffit and room

We would all like to know what you are going to do?

Very strange that there has not been one comment on suggestions mentioned by the person that is asking for ideas. Anybody out there....

Wow!!! Y'all are full of great ideas. Keep them coming, please!

We don't actually move in until December so I appreciate the "live with it for a while and then decide" wisdom. But I also want to hit the ground running.

Right now, I'm thinking I still want to get the lighting fixed ASAP. I think my next definite would be to stain just the island dark. I'll paint the walls, but I'm not going to touch the flooring (it doesn't bother me and it goes through the rest of the downstairs). Several suggestions have pointed me to subway tile backsplash which I like. I'm wondering how labor intensive it would be to redo that all myself. And I'll open up some of the cabinets with glass or just shelving. I may try the spray painting the hardware trick for a while until I have more of a sense of exactly what I love.

To address some other concerns... don't worry- the decor is not mine! The cooktop does have a down vent. The fridge is staying. And the mismatching appliances don't bother me much. (Loved the scratch and dent idea though).

Thanks, everyone! Loving all this advice.

Sorry about the delayed response.. still new to this site and not totally sure what the "netiquette" is here!

Painting cabinets is not an expensive process and changes the look of ur kitchen completely. We have painted many kitchen cabinets and the outcome has been beautiful. Anyone who has negative comments about painting kitchens perhaps have had bad experiences. We use the best primer,rollers, brushes, etc and we do a great job. Many DESIGNERS opt to paint cabinets when their clients are on a strict budget. Just something to think about.

Affordable countertop formica 180 fx river gold would be beautiful with your floors
Cabinets white or white dove, island flagship blue or other. 3 can lights will cost 300.00 installed if u want any. I like the light fixture picture sent in. Beautifu! Good Luck.

maybe just painting the island cabinets would give you a nice change because in retrospect, you do have good cabinets already. So hold off on the others. Consider the formica counter. They last forever and have new edges. Look just like granite.

meredithfeldman......when you get the chance, could you email me? Ravensmom13@Yahoo.com...have pics to share with you of my kitchen...don't want to "clutter up" all your comments here...LOL...thanks!

Mine was just like yours before. I used restoration paint kit from Lowes. I did the cabinet in dark rustic and do the antique detail paint , plus add some wood detail applique and new knobs. the island I did the white with antique detail paint and also add wood details applique. the end result look nice. important thing was that I only spend less than 500.

This kitchen has great bones. Painting oak cabinets will produce a nice visual allowing the wood grain to show through. I would think about doing the island in a black or Expresso which are really popular colors at present. Since your counters are granite and it is not likely to change, you will have to arrange your colors around colors in the top including the island. Maybe the island would tie into the darkest color, and color for the rest also from the counter top. Paint the walls a nice modern shade, get rid of the plates because they date things so much. I would think about removing the ceramic backsplash and maybe replace with subway tiles but again the key is accommodating the granite. If you can change it out, then the palette will offer greater choices.

We suggest you consider McNICHOLS® Perforated Grilles for the cabinets. They could provide just the effect you’re looking for—to brighten the kitchen and make it appear less dated. Please visit our Houzz Ideabooks for examples and our website for product information: http://www.mcnichols.com/perforatedgrilles

Look into changing the hinges to hidden hinges. That will make a huge difference esp. if you paint your cabinets. Hinges never paint well.

When you paint take the opportunity to sand, putty and re-position the knobs to a more user friendly location.

You have a great space and layout. Congrats! We painted and distressed our own cabinets. On the first one, I was ready to retire as a bank VP and begin a new career in cabinet refinishing. By the last one, I was just ready to retire. But they turned out amazing. Everyone thinks they are custom (which they kinda are). Renovating a kitchen is a lot of work, but you will love it even more after you finish. Stay in Lowe's a lot and maybe you will run into Alison Victoria.
Most of all...enjoy the journey!

I am loving the brick backsplash in the some of the photos people have posted. Bright white cabinets would not go so well with your countertops, but perhaps a cream colored chalk paint with or without glazed edges would work. You have a great kitchen to start with. One idea is to do the top cabinets in a cream paint and the bottom cabinets stained a dark walnut.

I would like to retract my previous suggestion regarding the countertops. I had only looked at the first photo and the countertops looked yellowy/orange. I just noticed the second photo and the countertops look taupe. Taupe is quite workable. Paint the cabinets white and the walls interactive cream by Benjamin Moore. The color is not cream at all; it is a very light taupe color that will look great with the existing countertops.

One of the issues with the old kitchen is not enough contrast. Nothing jumps out at you to define the kitchen. If this house were on the market the kitchen would definitely hurt resale. If the floors are light, the cabinets should be darker and then come back with a medium to darker granite. This counter top is not the most attractive and if the owner can afford to change it out, I would definitely recommend it. On the painting front, prep will be key to a good refinish. Removing years of grease and grim and the poly coat will be time consuming. Then go over with KILZ to make sure paint will adhere to the cabinets will mean a much better finish. I would not use high gloss, nor would I use a flat. A medium glass would look wonderful.

Designs by Michael LLC got it right on the nose. The prep and materials he has mentioned is exactly how we've done it many times and cabinets have looked great.

Looking closely [2nd photo upper cabinets right of window], I can see that even with the finish on your cabinet fronts there's enough beautiful grain coming through for a 1 step wiping glaze. A painter in one day could transform your dark cabinets [and without removing the overall tone of the stain], use a glaze to brush on, then wipe off leaving only the deep waves of the grain lighter and a light film overall. It's a very easy process, less expensive, quick, a great change and one I recommend 1`st before adding wall colors. Also the plates need to find a new space... :)

1) Lighting. At minimum, paint that light box white. If you can, change it out with something from a resale/antique/thrift shop. Keep your eyes open, and you'll find something low-cost and unique. (Skip the pendants. They'll look just as dated in 10-20 years.)

2) Wall color. Anything besides white will liven up the space. But paint the window frame white to match your other trim.

3) Backsplash. Tiles are cheap, and it's an easy DIY job.

4) Cabinets. You could keep the oak as is, and change up the hardware and/or remove some doors (painting the backs the same as the walls.) If you choose wisely, hardware need not be too expensive. Painting is something you should do right if you're going to do it at all, and cabinets are tricky. That said, I did my ugly wood (think 1968 fake burnished finish) cabinets a medium neutral gray, and it completely changed my kitchen. I love it. You could start with just the island as an accent, or do a white-wash stain in a white or gray to brighten it up but keep the nice grain of the oak.

Anyway, your kitchen has great bones and a little paint and hard work goes a long way. I took on a similarly outdated kitchen in my new (and first) house, and for about $80 in paint and $30 in hardware, managed to transform it completely. Good luck!

I think everything except the frig looks dated - good news though - the cabinets will paint nice! 1st prime with oil based primer (clean and lightly sand before), paint with Ben Moore Advance. Only paint worth the time for cabinets! I spray it but people say they have flawless finish with brushes. I do a coat of poly but everyone says you don't have to (with any paint). Island should be contrast color. Please don't paint it white, please! Everyone and their brother has white kitchens...it's boring. Paint them deep deep red or purple or charcoal or something really dark with just a hint of color ...just something other than white! Ikea has nice and affordable butcher block counters. BTW - kinda have to paint them - whoever put the hardware on originally was a dummy - never saw knobs so high! Layout is nice, cabs look in good shape! Lucky you!

First , paint the kitchen in a darker color . It will add attitude to the space and warm it up .
Next , get a large , airy , big , modern chandelier ( not old fashion one ! ) .
You will be amazed with the results.
Recessed lighting and under cabinet lighting are the next stage.
Don't paint the cabinets , it's cheap looking , ugly and will not last.
Work with the positive feature the kitchen has to offer.
That what I do for a living :)
Good luck , and send pictures when you are done .

Lighting sells a product. Add some great warm led lights. Under cabinet lighting, change the island light to pendent lights or at least change the bulbs to a natural light. If you can afford to put a larger window over your sink. Triple casement would look great. Remove the plates displayed along with the flower basket over the cabinets. Replace your back splash with something more neutral and classy that won't put a date on your kitchen. Order glass door fronts that match your cabinets and display your plate collection lit and behind glass.

rip out the florescent panel, instant up date. there are plenty of electricians who will do a package deal for 6 or 8 cans. cut in 6 inch cans and put the bulb you like in them. your island is too small for all the large lights above, and you just dont need pendants there. paint it all off white, new hardware, and new lighting. beyond that you are into $$$$ remodel!

On the right, is that a pass through with upper cabinets? take those down, if you want to add pendants that would be the spot.

i like the idea of painting the island a darker color than the rest too.

A little overdue, but here's the update at its current stage! (we're at a stopping point for now).

Stained cabinets, spray painted hardware, added new matching appliances, opened up cabinet space next to fridge, added beadboard and painted island accent, painted (!) the tile backsplash, and got rid of that terrible light!!

Super pleased for now.. next up is just some decor :

wow - amazing transformation - good job!!

@meredithfeldman turned out great. Hope ur happy so far! Did u stay within ur desired budget

Very nice! Everything looks great, but I especially like the open cabinets next to the fridge.

Kathleen. After a year, can you tell me how you like your Riverstone floors?

Stained cabinets, spray painted hardware, added new matching appliances, opened up cabinet space next to fridge, added beadboard and painted island accent, painted (!) the tile backsplash, and got rid of that terrible light!!