They are nice cabnets. I recommend Rustolium cabnet transformation kits at your lowes or home depot (about $80.00) I know from experience they are very durable and easy to use. There is many options shown on the box to choose from. I would deff go with expresso. Great job so far. Im excited to see the end result.

Here is your style cabinets painted in an antique glaze. Your hinges will be visible tho..

I think new knobs and chandelier would be nice. Keep in the French look you have going but update it a bit maybe oil rubbed bronze finishes on both. And add sconces, plates, to something on either side of art, or a bigger painting.

Your kitchen looks great! Nice choices for the updates. Your cabinets are traditional in style and look right at home in this space. I would leave them as is and change out the hardware. Oil rubbed bronze may be a good consideration for you as it will still be traditional but will tie in nicely to your dark counter tops. I'd choose clean simple handles and pulls. Here a couple that might work for you:

A kitchen rug with a pattern or a little more contrast might be just the finishing touch.

Declutter desk. (note to self..declutter your own desk!)

Are you painting chairs and table, you may want to got for the bigger kit for 130-160.00

If you are not wanting to paint the cabinets white, I would definitely paint the walls to tone down the yellow in the room. It looks very 'gold' in there with your cabinet colour. Perhaps a creamy butter color? Updating the hardware on your cabinets and the light fixture over the table will go a long way, as well. You could bring in some nice reds and greens if you are drawn to warm tones or cool it down with chocolate brown or grays. Accent with new window treatments, mat at the sink and chair cushions. You could also add a larger print with a bolder frame on the wall as well...

Have you recently painted? I love yellow kitchens but the yellow in the paint is making the cabinets look more yellow. They look like a maple or clear pine.

If you don't want that woodtone look, consider lightening the cabinets with a whitewash or glaze, or painting them. With your dark countertops and medium wood floors a lighter cream or soft sage could be lovely. Consider a two tone look with uppers in lighter cream glaze and bases darker blue or green glaze.

Maybe take out the microwave cabinet over the peninsula and replace it with an appliance garage.

Love all the comments so far! Thank you all. We painted the kitchen a few years back and somehow the photos looks more yellow then in real life. Keep the great comments coming, it's great having a fresh pair of eyes!

For updating the hardware- the current hardware has a plate behind the knobs. When we remove the plate and knob, you see the original colour of the wood. Any ideas on getting around the discolouration that the cabinets have experience besides refinishing or repainting? Maybe larger hardware???

Re: the hardware...for the drawers you could use bin pulls, they will cover it up. I love your kitchen but agree with some of the other posts...I would update the dining chandelier...I love the roman shade and drapes. You could also look for a place to add glass fronts to the doors for a different look. You could have a carpenter route out the back (I think it's called rabbeting?) and then take to a glass shop to get glass installed. Maybe on the ones on either side of the microwave? Just an idea. Good luck, your kitchen is really pretty.

What chandelier would you replace the kitchen table light with? Also a recommendation for the main kitchen light would be great!

Nice kitchen. Your cabinets are really nice and in great shape. I would change the knobs on the doors with brushed nickel knobs on the upper cabinets and use bruched nickel rectangle handles on the bottom cabinets. Is that a microwave over the counter? If so, I would remove it since you have the nice stainless one. I would replace the fabric shade with a plantation shutter or regular mini blinds in white.I would replace the rug with a more colorful one in the same size. You could also paint the upper cabinets white and leave the bottom cabinets as they are.

Take a look at this chandelier for the dining room. The scalloped shape mimics the shape of the chairs and the bronze is repeated in the drawer pulls, if you go that route.

For above the sink, something like this one from Pottery Barn would look great - with another reference to the bronze.

I would paint the walls a lighter green---( light moss color). Put a bamboo roll down shade over you kitchen window. Take your existing hardware and look at painting it with a dark metal spray paint ( the one that dries with the metal hammered look--Walmart--I think Rustoleum----I did this with some 70s kitchen hardware because of the problem you mentioned above--- and it turned out great--- a few people asked me where I bought them they liked them so much) Paint your curtain rod next to your table black. If you are brave paint your chairs flat black. Put out a few baskets that have strong textures. New light fixture with metal finish. This will totally change the look of your kitchen giving it a natural / earthy / cottage feel. Whatever you do---Good luck---terrific kitchen to work with!!

I believe if you change the bottom doors to square it would update them in a way you can't imagine. Think of your cabinets as a house and the top doors are the roof the bottom being a house,,,not roof roof!.Arched bottoms definitely out date the kitchen.

Update the cabinet hardware and loose the 2nd microwave. It's dating the space and you have one above the range already. I think if you do those 2 simple inexpensive things and maybe put a fresh new color in there, it will look like new. I agree the yellowe looks a little blendy with the cabinet color. But you have nice cabinets and you are well on your way. Good luck :)

Paint the cupboards white or a light color to add contrast

I would add some under cabinet lights . Also a couple pendant lights on the peninsula. Show that counter top off.. Also install dimmers so you could set the light level low.

I do not think a Chandelier is the way to go. I wouldn't want to block the view from window.. To add to earlier post. Installing some lighting in the toe kick would also look amazing.

Paint-Paint-Paint... There are too many wood tones the same color-just too much. Since your counters are dark, the obvious choice is to paint the cabinets light for contrast and interest. I would not go too light, more into the creamy muted gold tones---Look at SW 6134 Netsuke for cabs... Wall color-a warm sage/gray will be lighter than floors but darker than your backsplash (which is hardly visible at the moment) and darker than the mantel in the room off the kitchen. Wall color: SW 7051 Analytical Gray.
Change the hardware to an oil rubbed bronze and I think you'll love the new look. Pick up those color chips and see how you like them with your floors, counters, and backsplash. Hope this is helpful... Good Luck!

Having just painted knotty pine cabinets, I know some of the issues to consider with what seem like easy updates. Like you said, taking off the pulls will reveal change in color of wood. You can't cover that with new pulls. I looked for backplates to hide worn areas and decided they would date the cabinets in the end. Once you take off the hardware in your kitchen, you will probably have to refinish or paint. Hinges are another consideration. You may have to replace to match new pulls. And we replaced hinges in a vanity only to find the doors wouldn't close. It all takes careful planning. We painted our cabinets (hired someone) and he was very good at filling in worn areas (soft knotty pine) with bondo. I am a little too old to tackle a paint project of that magnitude, but it can be done. Our best advice came from the 4 bids we got. Each painter told us something else to consider. Enjoy the fun of the planning!

Formby's had a product that would liquify the finish and allow you to redistribute the stain. After a good cleaning of course... I have seen ads where people come in and restore your cabinet finish or change it for you.

http://www.formbys.com/products/refinisher/

http://cabinetcuresofportland.com/cabinet-refinishing/

http://cabinets.rustoleumtransformations.com/colors.php

Paint the walls green. You can see pic on Houzz of people with very yellow looking wood who get a real pop when they paint the walls a natural green. I wouldn't have believed it until I'd seen it.

You might be able to change the handles to something less fiddly that was still in keeping with the cabinets shape, and repaint.

leave cabinets alone. need better lighting, remove extra microwave, brighten up with new curtain and rug that are green and yellow.

The cabinets are, as you say, good quality, I recently saw similar ones painted in an espresso with new modern handles installed in the appropriate places (not where they currently are). Also, how about a nice new color perhaps a light tan color on the walls with white trim. Some backsplash that would tie counters and cupboards together?? It will be all worthwhile!

I would change the cabinet pulls and if you have the money, try to find taller cabinets that match the upper cabinets, it will give you more backsplash space and more storage. Getting rid of the space above the cabinets makes it feel more open and not so dated. Can I get a better picture of the backslash if you wouldn't mind?