You could take off a few doors, change the hardware, but really painting will make the biggest difference. You could always restain them darker.
[houzz=];[houzz=]

I'm liking the paint them option....it will lighten up the whole space. plus, lose the "boob" light and get better, brighter lighting...it will make a huge difference for not much $$

Not sure in what way you want them to look "better" if you like the wood enough to not wan to paint them...?? Maybe you can clarify. Certainly painting is a very current way to keep but update vintage cupboards. Maybe you want to oil them or somehow improve the finish? We'd need to know a lot more to advise you on that.

Otherwise, you're limited to, say, changing all the pulls from 1950s metal to something more current, like nickel arches, which wouldn't push the style but that would give it a fresh face. Keep in mind, though, that this style of doors has exposed hinges, so you'll need to either repaint the hinges or replace them if you change metals.

Looks like everything's in pretty good shape, so maybe you can just live with them for a while and then either save up for a bigger effort or decide you love them. :)

Congratulations on your new house.
Actually I like your cabinets. this is where I would put my money: a new countertop and new sleek hardware. a new laminate countertop in light grey or white. I would change the faucet for a new sleek one. I imagine your fixture is not very hip either. take a picture. Do you like the wood walls. there are ways to make them look much better without painting them.

[houzz=][houzz=][houzz=][houzz=][houzz=][houzz=][houzz=][houzz=]

Change the hardware if the exposed hinges are a color that would match a more current metal (oil rubbed bronze?). Then maybe paint the wall paneling in the room beyond the kitchen? Hard to tell from the picture, but this looks much like a 1963 home that was MY first time home. We primed then painted the fake wood paneling in our dining room and really enjoyed the look.

I just saw your fixture. try something like these. I always go to lamps plus open box. great thing that are returns. great values. I have done 3 housefulls with them.

Get Orange Glo and really scrub the cabinets before doing nything else. Sometimes a good cleaning will save a lot of time and aggravation.

Welcome to houzz and congrats on your new home. You probably have a long list before you can tackle painting them - that is a very big job and usually better for pros. New hardware is the first step that will kind of make them look cool - since they are already two tone - doors lighter than surrounds, you might look for a sort of asian bronze or black backplate that will cover the old holes, with a unique pull - worth shopping for awhile for. Contemporary - modern (no hint of anything arts and crafts) but stay in black or bronze so you get contrast and reinforce the black appliances.

The white / gray / bluish-gray white on the walls is the wrong tone for these wood tones too - just painting the bulkhead (above cabinets) and backsplash a deeper tone will make this cool - you could try a warm charcoal like ben moore kendall charcoal - it will sort of work with the bronze metal, but if you head black with hardware use bm whale gray. http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/kendallcharcoal, http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/whalegray
You can get this color in a chalkboard paint formulation so if you have a gallery kitchen "end wall" you can write lists on the wall when you are done.

The contrast (use a gloss topcoat quart for the backsplash area so it is easy to scrub - eggshell everywhere else) will make the wood shine and feel mid century modern - a good cleaning is an excellent idea - use scotts liquid gold or the orange glo -something formulated for wood. You can paint the panelled walls in the rest of the space in a paler coordinating neutral - bm genesis white if you go whale gray, http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/genesiswhite
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/silverchain for kendall . .
The entire public area will flow. Lose the scallop trim at the windows and pull the blinds out. Paint the twisted column in the dark color of the bulkhead using the gloss for the backsplash as your topcoat.

Finally, do budget for some brand new lighting since we are darkening some of the wall area - there are so many cool options to get more light into this space - if you have sufficient backsplash plugs, you can run new led undercounter lighting off one of them and that will help them sort of glow. HD carries this in strips you affix underneath and can staple the cord up so just one runs down (you can paint that too to hide it).

Finally, with the wood, white and charcoal tones, add one mid-century accent color - aqua or faded denim, red, red-orange, tangerine or yellow. You can get gray or chocolate or white slipcovered IKEA furniture options. Stay monochromatic except for kitchen linens, accent pillows, art and it will feel high end.
Add something (coffee table?) with a natural wood surface in the living space / eating space to help tie it together. You might find an old dresser with contemporary lines at craigslist and paint all the drawers white but leave the wood legs and surround. Add mid century furniture or paint any funky hand me downs you have dark, white or one of the deeper brights if it is totally fun. Pull down white roller shades - simple, functional, inexpensive.

library design great suggestions. indeed Ikea is a wonderful way to get stylish items. what is the room behind the kitchen?

Are you interested in cabinet refacing? Basically, you replace the existing doors and drawer fronts with new doors and drawer fronts. You can choose any color/wood type/stain. Then of course, update the knobs/handles with new ones to compliment your style.

I also agree with Maureen. You can stain the cabinets darker and just add new knobs.

Thanks for the kind words - guessing the room beside / behind the kitchen may have originally been a "breakfast" room - if I was a young couple, I'd use the counter with stools and make this a secondary living space - put the television on the end wall, add a sofa and chair so we could hang out together while we cook. Depends on the size of the rest of the house - if the "formal" living room / dining room not too big and right next door, they might like to set this area up just as a dining space - maybe eventually DIY a banquette all along the long wall under the windows so it feels sort of mid-century contemporary. Paint some craigslist or ikea straight wood chairs in charcoal - splurge on some contemporary "end armchairs" eventually. That would be cool if they have a long table and save a lot of space in the room make it feel so much bigger . . like a eat in kitchen restaraunt. If their table is round, they might rather place it in the larger living space next room over ...

Susan Susanka coined the term "away space" and I think it is really a simple terrific concept. One space (whether you can shut tv into it or shut yourself away from tv when "in" it) should be away from the noise makers in a house . . tv, gaming, computers . . i know, i know, tablets can go anywhere and phones, but built in things need to be balanced by somewhere that is "away"

My suggestions were very contemporary, but their style might be more cottage-y. Until the original poster replies, I'm sort of guessing in the dark.

Hi Amy,

Just bought a house with the exact look and feel of these cabinets. Would love to see what you ended up doing!