Yes, do paint your cabinets white. It's a timeless finish as well as the number 1 preferred finish in new cabinets. Ditto with the stainless steel or brushed nickle finish hardware. Paint your walls ( maybe a soft gray) to complement the white cabinets & floors. If you can, add recessed lighting with black baffles about 3' from front edge of wall cabinets to prevent scallops on the wall cabinets. Another lighting idea is to install a cornice moulding around the room with room for indirect lighting. See Outwater Plastics under plain cornice moulding for indirect lighting C-902 is plainest. By all means, get rid of the existing ceiling fixture & find a fixture with as many bulbs as possible if you can't do the previous options. Install pendants above your raised counter, & #1 Install undercabinet lighting! It looks like your raised counter is too tall for bar stools (42"is standard for 36" stools) i would like to see a photo of the wall with the deep 3/4 height cabinet. If you want to take this opprortunity to really improve your space, I have some comments & suggestions if I have addtional info.

Here they are again so you do t have to stand ion your head

I think that is a wonderful idea! We bought the home for a song, knew it needed so much work. I am shocked to learn more basic renovations had to be done, one thing after another popped up. My husband and I have already spent several thousand getting the basics in place and getting foundation repairs done. Keeping my fingers crossed the major things are done (air conditioner was just replaced as summer is winding down here in the south) and in place. I will throw away these 90s curtains and look for window treatments rooted in the here and next year! I think they are a little drab anyway! Also, get real doors and new energy efficient windows and replace the 70s torn screens and replace doors throughout the house. I will look at the magazines and get ideas, put together a plan of attack for this little rural home in Texas. I am getting a couple of bids next month on things to be done to the interior of the home, this would be the perfect time to work with someone and design a comfortable place, and see what can actually be accomplished. Having one kitchen renovation under my belt from a previous home, I know it will take time and lots of money, so I need to decide how to set up the galley kitchen and the rest of the house. Keep reminding myself of workstations versus the triangle setup. There is not a pantry in these older homes, also the small single eating area is not something I am used to. No lights in closets so they all need to be installed and all the cabinets need to be replaced. Using paint in the meantime will help seal anything in (smokers?) until next year when I can purchase new cabinets for the entire home. I admit, we are considering perhaps adding on to the home. I am not a lover of the color emerald green, so I am not thrilled with the current color for 2013, but I have seen some mention of the color cobalt for 2014 on This Old House and Better Homes and Gardens sites which I subscribe to. The home needs a punch of some color, and it really needs more diffused light as it feels so dark inside. The kitchen floors are linoleum and the rest of the home is walnut wood flooring which needs some attention (scratches) there are literally 8 windows in the whole house, but the enclosed patio has four windows alone...which makes me wish for more light in the house. I have a mish mash of furniture from three separate homes which have all been in storage and are a combination of french and american antique and traditional furniture style. I am culling out cheaper pieces and seeing what quality pieces work in this little home. Have also purchased a summertime beachfront condo and will see what I can use for that place, if anything. This brick 70s home has good bones, was neglected and hopefully can renovate and restore this home to a comfortable place. Now that I am retired I have the time to do so. I am a semi retired writer and so am wordy. Apologize for that! Thank you for your comments apple pie.

Before you paint or even bring in samples, you need to address the lighting. I would start by replacing the bulbs. Try different color temperatures; 5000-6500 K is in the range of daylight lighting and will give you a clearer look at what colors your kitchen actually is. (You can find the color temperature listed on Kelvin somewhere on the light bulb package, along with lumens.) Right now your lighting gives the room a kind of sickly yellow/green glow. Then declutter, paint, and leave it decluttered.