Painting could be fine, but it's a big project -- everything needs to be taken apart, stripped and sanded, primed and painted... Might change other things first and see how you feel about it.

Yes! The walls need to be painted a neutral color!

I'd rather change the counter, wall color and ceiling lighting first. Then decide.

could look like ...

[https://www.houzz.com/photos/kitchen-remodel-by-otm-designs-and-remodeling-inc-contemporary-kitchen-los-angeles-phvw-vp~2544919-Remodel-By-OTM-Designs-and-Remodeling-Inc-contemporary-kitchen-los-angeles[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/kitchen-remodel-by-otm-designs-and-remodeling-inc-contemporary-kitchen-los-angeles-phvw-vp~2544919)

I would paint the walls and change the countertop first.

Everyone watches the home renovation shows on HGTV and the DIY Network and thinks they can paint their cabinets over the weekend, and end up with a million dollar kitchen. Sadly is just aint so! They need to be removed [the uppers], the doors taken off, cleaned, sanded, primed and painted, and you need to use a sprayer for best results.

If you ever get a chance, check out DIY Network's Renovation Realities. There's an episode of a couple who decide to renovate their kitchen in 5 days including laying tile, and painting the cabinets. They take this massive upper cabinet down to paint in the garage [they brushed it], and by the 4th day the wife is almost in tears saying 'they won't look like showroom cabinets, but we will have done it ourselves!' I suspect that if the camera had taken a close-up of those cabinets you would realize they look worse than the original dreaded oak they couldn't live with. I think about that scene all the time as my husband and I are DIYers, but he's such a perfectionist that if it can't be done right [so it looks like a pro did it], he won't do it. Our neighbor is also a DIYer who isn't a perfectionist, and the 'improvements' he's made to his house have probably lowered the resale value!

We agree on keeping the cabinets, they would look very different with the changes suggested already. We have a tool on website that allows you to play with countertop, cabinet, wall and floor options. This may help you decide how you want to go! www.vtindustries.com

Hayley Daniels nailed it, refinishing your kitchen would not be easy.. It is something worth paying for as for a finisher it is usually very reasonable, fast and done right. Granite would be a great option in this kitchen, VT is a great place to start!