Should also add home is a 1909 Arts and Crafts style home

I think the cabinets are lovely. I would add color on the walls and back splash. You have black appliances, so making the cabinets darker will really darken the room. There are tons of beautiful back splash products. What are your favorite colors? What colors do you have in the rest of the house? Personally, I love bold color and subtle color, but am not a beige person so Ralston's ideas do not resonate with me.

What about pearlescent glass tile for back splash?

I would keep the upper cabinets as they are, but paint the lower cabinets a dark gray to better blend with the black appliances. To add a bit of interest, glass backsplash tiles like these: [houzz=]

27estore.com always has such beautiful cabinets and they don't seem to be that expensive to me.

rustoleumtransformations.com has a product that is getting great reviews from those who try it.

What's the black beast in the corner of the countertop? A microwave? Would love that moved if possible! Here's what I did with my backsplash area - and no harder to clean than the one in the bathroom! And you can't believe how inexpensive it is! It goes all the way around the backsplash......

replacing the micro with an over-the-stove one in place of the hood will make a huge difference and micros with vent systems are less than $200 at Lowe's. Adding oil rubbed hardware to cabinet doors will make them pop a bit more. What are the paint colors you are thinking of for kitchen walls? What other spaces are open to the kitchen and what are the colors?

Color is so personal you really need to follow you taste. Personally I like to work in bright kitchens with lots of natural light. I have clients that like dark really warm colors and the kitchens I have done for them are beautiful. I tend to look at the colors in my clients closets. If I find a color they wear a lot and seem to be drawn toward. I put a few samples on they wall to see how they feel. Most of the time this works.

The existing cabinets color is good. Color is really personal taste, I agree with Interiors International, Inc. In my opinion: to update your kitchen with less change and less pay, you only need to put new back splash (creamy marble color) and new wall paint (brown color).

And I also prefer the flooring tiles light color, your existing flooring tiles are too dark for me.

You should pull a complementary color from the floor to paint the walls. Do not paint the cabinetry. As Interiors International said, color is a personal choice, so choose something you like. With the color of your cabinetry and floors, a nice stone backsplash would coordinate well in your space. Like this:
Traditional Kitchen design by Chicago Design-build DESIGNfirst Builders

Considering the arts and crafts style of your home and the earthy tones of your floor and countertop, combined with the warm, organic wood grain in your cabinets, I'd go with the "Honed Vitality" palette in Sherwin Williams 2013 colors. Specifically, "Safari", "Wickerwork", or "Spiced Cider", would complement the warm tones of your existing materials. In choosing, take into consideration the colors in the adjacent spaces. Don't go too light, more contrast would be nice. Also, consider using a slate tile on the backsplash to further enhance the look. I always suggest putting at least a 2ft x 2ft sample on the wall and look at it in the daytime and at night, as the lighting makes a huge difference. And go with an eggshell or satin finish vs. flat, for durability.

All really awesome suggestions! This is my first time submitting a dilemma and I am so glad I did. Lol regarding the microwave. It was one of the first things I said needed to go when we started this.

Hi adancingirl!
Personally, I like the idea of using cool colors to play off the warmth of your existing surfaces. I suggest a light gray for the walls, and a backsplash in a light green or blue. I just think it would work well with what you've already got going on, and create a lot more visual interest than a room full of beige. Below are some tiles from our site that I think would look great in your kitchen, along with a paint suggestions(Benjamin Moore's Pebble Beach). Good luck with your project!

Surprised no one has mentioned the window. I would like to see it painted a creamier white so that it doesn't jump out as an unintended contrast with the cabinetry. The framing around it could also be changed to a natural stain wood, more in keeping with the Arts & Crafts style. I would find another way to post reminders than the refrigerator door..