I think the first thing I would do is get rid of the spindles....on top of the cabinets and on the wall. And get rid of the scallop above sink. Stainless Steel appliances (i know, expensive and maybe later, but this would totally transform the kitchen in itself), and new light fixture. The color of your countertops (another big expense :( ......) probably needs to be changed if you are going to keep the backsplash color. If you will change the backsplash, then you could find a mosaic glass tile that had the beiges mixed in with some other pretty colors like blues and greens. I'm thinking lake colors. THEN you could wait on replacing the countertops right away. And I would probably paint the window trim the same as the cabinets. If you want to bring the cedar color back into the room, you could use wooden blinds in that window.

I agree with the comments above about getting rid of the scallop and spindles... but I must add that I LOVE the backsplash tile! That's a great canvas to start with. Darker countertops would go with the blue tile and white cabinets better. If you went with a charcoal or nearly black countertop perhaps the black appliances wouldn't stick out so much (like MPoulsom said that's an expensive upgrade). I actually like the wood window trim. A new pendant or near-ceiling fixture would help, as would undercabinet lights, especially on the peninsula side of the kitchen. Good luck!

Definitely agree with removal of spindles, scallop and light fixtures. New cabinet pulls in a more modern style would really help. I am not sure glass backsplash tile is your answer and it sounds like you are working a conservative budget perhaps. I am thinking the glass tile may not be in style long; perhaps b/c I do not like it. I realize your blue tile is a little small but I like the color. Countertops could be replaced to get rid of the yellow. Of course, granite is a nice upgrade; but on a budget formica in a different color might work. Lowe's have kitchen designers who will help you get the right cut so you could possibly install it yourself. You have to make an appointment to meet with them. They have been getting more and more installers on board so perhaps you could get them to install it to.

I would do a little and then reassess what you have. There is a lot of wood in the areas which make it dark but by the time you get a nice area rug if can lighten up with the right selection. I would get one with touches of blue in it in a rather modern look not an old fashion design with small print. Target has a large website with tons of area rugs on it at different price points. A lot are more expensive and better quality than in their store. Marshall Home Goods also carry area rugs. I find Marshall's have great decorator items at amazing prices.

Remove spindles on top of cabinets and replace with crown molding. Replace door and drawer hardware on cabinets but leave the exposed hinges. New appliances - I agree they should be stainless steel. Granite countertop with some blue in it to work with the backsplash. Take down light in center of room and put in recessed lighting throughout kitchen. To pull in the cedar from the adjoining den, I would create an area in the center of the ceiling with trim and put in cedar boards stained to match the den. Like the attached picture, except with cedar instead of the tin.

I would remove the spindles from the wall as mentioned above but would also explore removing the whole section of wall and opting for some columns.

I think your kitchen is charming as is!! But I agree with mpoulsom that the scallop over the window and the spindles in that opening should go. Myself, the spindles on top of the cabinets don't bother me at all. Working with what you have, I suggest painting the base of the counter that faces us in the third pic a blue to match your tile - Also the short side that faces the spindles opening. Then all I would do is replace the light fixture and add a faux fabric roman shade over the sink. It's your only opportunity to add color so I suggest a bright multi-colored pattern. Without seeing the rest of your space, you could use the roman shade fabric in other areas or use it's colors as inspiration for pillows, etc. This a very inexpensive approach for a quick fix. But if you can afford to do more, there are some great ideas in the above comments.

Remove the upper cabinets that are between the kitchen and the den - this will allow much more light into the kitchen. Paint the inside of the cabinets white, to lighten them up when open; the flash of light when working in the kitchen will effectively brighten the area. Otherwise, I agree with previous comments about the tile and changing the countertop to a color that coordinates better with the blue wall tiles. Formica has some great options that look a great deal like much more expensive materials.

I agree with you PH Interiors ... and would love to be gifted this charmer of a kitchen ! Love your fabric choice and would probably look for drawer pulls and door knobs in porcelain, which included that dusty blue. I'd take the doors off the cabinets either side of the window (and to the right above the oven), so I had room to showcase pretty pottery, and remove the spindles in that dividing wall (though, like you, PH. the ones above the cabinets don't bother me.) Since I'm also wondering whether I'd keep the dividing wall at all, for now, I'd get myself a nice oversized fern and have it in a hanging basket occupying the opening .. until I made up my mind ! I think I'd be happy to use that blue, green and yellow gold colour palette throughout the entire, lakeside space ... Lucky nailbags for having such an already promising looking space to play with ... I'd be happy to move my stuff in and live with it just the way it is !

I would remove the scallop, change the light fixture, change the faucet, change the hinges to white, change the countertop, paint the walls above the cabinets the same blue as the backsplash.

For the cabinets over the peninsula, I would remove the doors and the back and make them look more like open shelving.

I love the beadboard cabinets! And since I personally don't care for stainless steel, I would change the appliances to white when the budget allows.

Stainless steel is on the way out and White is back in. I think changing out the countertops would make a huge difference.

White appliances is another option.

Can you loose the wall and replace it with lower cabinets? Loose the upper cabinets between the kitchen and large room as well as the apron above the sink. Add lighting above the counter/bar area. Any way to add can lighting in the ceiling? Lake colors would be fab in the kitchen as well as under cab lighting. Change out the dark blue tile to something lighter (lake colors, glass tiles) .. You have loads of potential with the kitchen, have fun!

Counter top, and appliance upgrades are pretty expensive, but a worth while investment indeed.
I Like white appliances for your space as well it really works well with the dark blue.

Here's what I would do:
Take out the upper cabinets facing the dining area first. I think of communication and eye contact when I think about being in the kitchen. It can ruin a moment when you have to peek around a set of bulky cabinets and say "sorry what was that", plus in any other scenario, I would just find it annoying.
Second consider removing the cabinets underneath as well, or if you need to keep them, consider tapping off of the existing light in the center area and adding some soft focused light above the counter. Once you decide how to define the overall space, then start looking at counter top, and lastly appliances. It's a nice space now, but it could be nicer with the right vision.

Definitely remove the upper cabinets from the peninsula, all of the spindles and wavy trim. Replace the counter top with an affordable laminate that brings in a little blue. Replace knobs and ligh fixtures. If you can't replace the appliances you might think about replacement panels. It looks like if you remove the trim you could take them off and have a metal shop cut new ones from stainless.

You know that kitchen has got to go. But, in the meantime, I would replace the ceiling fixture with a flushmount fixture in a warm bronze or rust finish and replace the hardware with similar knobs and hinges. I would get rid of the spindle gallery on the cabinets, but I'd keep the spindles on the square wall opening. It provides a bit of whimsy. Replace the countertops with a warm dark brown laminate.The most important update would be to cover the backs and sides of the cabinets visible from the den with the same horizontal cedar as the den and get some rustic wood counter stools to tie in with the look of the den.

I agree about the white appliances. Stainless looks great, but if you actually cook in your kitchen (not everyone does) and you do your own cleaning, stainless is a real pain. It shows every speck and fingerprint... I would not buy stainless again. Retro-looking appliances might work great to revive your kitchen. There are some really nice ones available in a plethora of colors. They'd look a bit homey and go great with that tile backsplash and the older cabinets. Combine old and new -- you'll come up with something fabulous! I agree with most other comments... change the countertops and hardware... get rid of the scallops and brown. Also, find a way to make the wall outlets blend in with the tile and countertop a little more. They don't deserve as much attention as they are getting now. This is such a traditional looking kitchen. I love that you have so much counter space on the right.

For starters, remove the valance above the sink, the rail above the cupboards and the cupboard above the penninsula to open up the space. I would also suggest removing the wall with the spindles but if that is not possible at least remove the spindles. Your countertop clashes with your cupboards so I would either paint the cabinets to match the countertop or replace the countertop to match the cabinets ... which, by the way, are not bad. The blue tiling is nice but I'm not sure about the row of cream tiles above the counter. Whose idea was that? Could they be replaced with the blue tiles? PH Interiors choice of fabric is nice. You could use a the fabric as a starting point to choose your colours and use that fabric thoughout the space to co-ordinate the look ... roman blinds, barstool cushions, pillows etc.

Just saw the pic from Dytecture. ... If you click the link (below the pic) to Melissa's My Cottage Charm, you'll see how she created it. Nice job and a really good example of what this kitchen could easily become. Great choice Dytec.

you don't have to replace the countertops immediately if its not in the budget. We have a rather long kitchen, we live at the lake also and couldn't see granite being appropriate. We saw a company at a home show that sprays on a new colour. It was a fraction of the cost of replacing the countertop, and we went from white (which had burn marks in it from hot pots I suppose) to a beautiful dark gray mottled effect. It gave the kitchen some depth and drama, not to mention it looks brand new. We love it and will enjoy it until a few more years when we can afford to renovate the whole kitchen!

On a budget. Not planning to renovate yet.

Please remove scalloped trim from above sink. Free.

Removal of spindles above cabinets is up to you. Free.

Wash kitchen window on inside and outside to let as much light in as possible. Free.

Do not cover any portion of the window with curtains, shades, or blinds to let as much light in as possible, and keep your lake view unobstructed. Free.

Keep the backsplash tile. It looks to be in good condition. The color is good for a lake house. Free.

Take the electrical outlet covers off and paint them to blend in with the wall. $ for blue and cream paint, painter's tape for a straight line across the outlet cover.

Paint the inside of all the cabinets the same color as the doors, and paint the raw wood where the scalloped window trim was removed. You will be happily surprised at this difference. $$

What colors are the furniture upholstery and accessories in the den? Take your favorite color from these and paint the backs and ends of the cabinets facing the den this color, or maybe 1/4 lighter because of all the wood in the den. $$

Does the kitchen have enough light at night? If not, change the light fixture, and also add more lighting where it is needed. $$$

Looks like the counter is older almond or bisque color. Clean it thoroughly to see if it will lighten up. If not, consider a light color Formica replacement counter when you are ready. $$$

The dark appliances are not helping this kitchen look bigger. White would be good. Less expensive than stainless, and matches the cabinetry. $$$$$

It looks like the wall with the spindles is a weight-bearing wall. When you are ready to renovate, maybe the cabinets above the peninsula could be integrated as countertop cabinets in this wall, and the wall spindles removed. You might even want upper cabinets here, if you do not need the light from the dining area coming into the kitchen. Lots more counter space, more light into the kitchen, and easier communication with people in the den. LOTS of $$$$$

I would paint the cabinets in a warm grey to soften the contrast with the other rooms. Tricky part is finding one that works with your countertops and backsplash which means bringing home samples from every store you go in to. Once you find the one you think works, test it out by painting a little on a nice size piece of wood and placing it next to the counters and tile.

See pictures of kitchen remodels on my site to get an idea of what you like -
http://www.swhomeremodeling.com/

your link doesn't go anywhere.

I agree with just about everyone here :-). remove the spindles, remove the scallop, replace light fixture.
In an "ideal world" I'd like to see some white appliances with a bit chrome flashing - I would like to see more of that option in fridges, micros, dishwashers too ... . Getting sick of stainless & black.
I'd also like to see some kind of range hood rather than the combo micro/range exhaust.
Don't know your storage needs/options, but I could see removing that top cupboard above the bar portion that faces out into your dining area. Close up the cut out on the other wall with the spindles in it.
I like the cabinets, but would want to extend them to the ceiling line (maybe build a soffit with a bit of moulding to the ceiling? It would give more height to the room. Paint it white and add a dark blue moulding to join the soffit to the cabinets and tie in the tile? or match the window trim or white ... ) as there doesn't really seem like there is enough height to really use the space at the top for storage or decoration (and then, it just becomes a dust collector).
Counter tops - leave them: maybe paint the bottom cabinets a soft beige with some dark antique undertones to tie them in to the dark flooring - then, add a coir rug.
Love the fabric - love the idea of transition the print/colors into dining area.
Add some terra cotta cannisters on counters - chopping boards, baskets. Bringing in more wood tones ... blend with some lighter blue pottery shades.
The space is beautiful and can only get better!

I like black and white kitchens. You can refresh them with different curtains or throw rugs. Maybe some colorful or whimsical small appliances. I agree to loose the spindles at least on the tops. If you are keeping the cabinets, I would at this time invest in a nice counter top. Doors can be replaced and cabinets lamainated later. Replace the outlet covers with black ones to help keep them from attracting too much attention against the black tile backsplash.

I would add a light area rug to the floor to help with the lighting. Add a nice crown molding to the cabinet tops instead of the trim that is there now. I would paint the cabinets a nice yellow (?) and redo the counter tops in Mexican tiles using the dark blue tiles to tie in to it. I cannot see if you have space on top of the cabinets, if so I would add lighting for some ambiance. Good luck.

Hate white appliances. Love my new stainless and not hard to clean.

Tile counter-tops are much more difficult to maintain than Formica.
I like the idea of painting the lower cabinets a soft beige, or you could paint them the same color as the counter tops.

this house is screaming to go modern.

I love those patterns that the counter top probably has but i dont like the lines you get with the way they did it then. If you are on a budget look at modern formicas as an affordable counter top option, a lot of them look great. But changing the counter is good place to put money.

And a modern faucet is another very easy update that has impact.

Looks a like my own kitchen. I would get rid of spindles and build an island. I would put white cabinets with country black counter and white subway tiles all the way up. Bring in some blue to reflect the lake. It s a big job but don t get discouraged. It will be worth it in the end. Enjoy your charming kitchen!

Looks a like my own kitchen. I would get rid of spindles and build an island. I would put white cabinets with country black counter and white subway tiles all the way up. Bring in some blue to reflect the lake. It s a big job but don t get discouraged. It will be worth it in the end. Enjoy your charming kitchen!

If you can put microwave somewhere else, a sleeker modern look would be a chimney style range hood.

My suggestions would be to paint the lower cabs a light moss green, replace countertops with butcher block, and take down the wall with spindles in it.

You Kitchen looks like the same as what I had. I am in the middle of remodeling. I decided to place the kitchen in a total different location with an Island in the middle ( Using Ikea Cabinets and saved big time!) Not all finished or I'd send a photo.

You have received some wonderful ideas, but frankly, it looks like it has just been remodeled with new appliances. I think all you need is some color inspiration for now. I think a roman shade in the three colors would tie everything together. cobalt blue is the "in" color (this season anyway). This is definitly a country style, do you like French Country? I would find a print in toille, and add blue and white dishes and pottery above the cupboards. The counters look ivory not yellow. but a pale pale yellow may fool the eye. good luck.

Mailbags2u, what are your thoughts?

My thoughts are def in agreement with most of you. Spindles are going for sure and the railing above the cabinets. Alot of you thought that the tile was staying, actually the tile is going too and the bottom part that looks like yellow tile is wallpaper that was never tiled over. So my ideas are to rid of spindles and close up the opening and use that portion of wall for a message center..... dry erase, chalk board etc. The walls a bullfrog green from lowes I think it is Gidden paint with beige cabinets and white trim. Use white appliances and keep the tan countertops for now. Add a colorful wool rug to the hardwood floor and add a window treatment or bamboo type blind....which will remain open most of the time for the view. What do you all think of these ideas?

What are you replacing the tile with? I looked at a swatch (on monitor) of the Bull Frog green (which looks to have a lot of brown tones) Is that right? Sounds good to me, but You will have to share a finished photo with us!

For the back splash area, it will be painted green for the time being, maybe later tiled. The green does have some warm tones to it and blends great with the cedar walls in adjoining room. I will be posted pics in a few weeks hopefully.

I am looking forward to seeing your photos!

Have you thought of adding a dark primer under the beige paint for the cabinets? I did a couple of piece of furniture this way - prime with a dark brown/rust color (spray paint), then painted over this with a gloss enamel (I used a color called "almond," but it had wonderful green undertones). Then, I just sanded some "natural" wear points. Made for a nice finish. It's almost like doing a florentine finish on gold - the dark undertones picks out the detail in your cabinets.
Check out some of the finishes on Kraftmaid cabinets:
http://www.kraftmaid.com/products/cabinet-doors/1786/#/p2:1/f:mushroom-with-cocoa-glaze
for painting ideas if you are doing this yourself. It should look wonderful with the bull frog :-) especially with the dark floor and other woods.

i like the "less is more" kitchen... i would tear out the upper cabinets over the peninsula... loose the spindle rail over the tops of the cabs, replace with a simple shaker style molding... replace cntrtp with a nice quartz that ties in the dark red browns of the cedar, the backsplash & the white cabs... it is out there, you can find it for about $60/sf, installed... i would cut out the spindles on the support wall and put a small countertop... paint the inside edge of the opening white, the visible walls white INSIDE the kitchen and even the leading edge of that wall... leave the remaining cabs white... i like the canned (recessed) lighting idea... heck, i like a lot of these ideas... you really must post the pics as you are doing this & let us see the finished kitchen!!