I would have them painted for sure it will feel like a brand new kitchen use the same white as the trim I can see.

First I would try buying lighter bars stools to open that space up.Instead of painting all of the cabinets you could try painting the island base something lighter to break up all the dark tones.

Choose a lighter color from the backsplash tiles and paint that on the island. If that is not enough, do the same with the large hood and the base cabinet underneath it.
You could also leave the island and lower cabinets dark, and paint all of the upper cabinets. Or just go light with everything.

Lighter colour counter tops that reference the BS would help to brighten the space.

ref pics

You may want to change the countertop on just the island. You can also add glass front cabinets to some of the uppers to lighten the look a bit. If you like you can use seeded glass to obscure what is in your cabinet. Lighting inside the cabinets can help too.

Great suggestions above! I'd start with just replacing the bar stools. Bringing in "white" like your nearby chair. Adding white to the dinette table will also help. Dark kitchens get a bad wrap but it's still a very nice looking, traditional kitchen. Adding white and leave the lights on will help. This photo shows a dark island with white stools and nearby white dining. It's looks very nice (granted the cabinets are painted white on the wall side) but it still looks very nice with the dark floor, island and dark built-ins.

Its a beautiful kitchen. I agree that having more glass upper cabinets would brighten up your space. If its a one-story home you could consider adding a sky light over the island.

I agree with anne dee and lynartist... I would do lighter counters on both the island and counters, change the hardware to brushed nickel or bc like in anne dee's photo, smaller lighter bar stools. Also pendants with clear glass globes. Try Kashmir White granite, it has burgundy specks in it to complement the cabinets and floors... Depending on your area it may be very affordable. It usually is in New England. Also adding glass fronts on some of the upper cabinets would help.

Don't paint - time consuming and difficult if DIY, expensive if done professionally. Change counter and bar stools.

Thank you so much for all the feedback. I wasn't expecting this but greatly appreciate you all taking the time to comment.
The counter tops are granite so I would prefer not to change them out. I think I'll try the lighter bar stools and change hardware before painting the cabinets. Cheaper and easier fix for now and once I start painting there is no going back! We did consider a sky light because we are in a bungalow but decided against it as it's a bigger job and just removed a section of cabinets and added the window. I'm happy with the dining area and living space which are both adjacent, see attached pics. I have tried to lighten it up with lighter furniture, curtains, paint, etc.

I think your dining light is hung too high and is too small. Try a linear one 36" or less above the table top. The two pendants at the island look too high as well. Perhaps they aren't providing adequate light for the island. Can you get more wattage out of your can lights? Is there a light inside the recessed cabinetry surrounding the stove? I've seen lamps sitting on islands bu usually they're wired in. You do have an outlet there if things get desperate. I'd try adding light before painting.

HI -- The remedy needed here is better lighting , mainly change to L.E.D. lighting on dimmers . You need up lighting on top of the cabinets to throw light up on the ceiling and brighter task lighting for the counters to light up the work areas . Get a lighting designer from a lighting store or a real good electrician . Then I think the cabinets and the granite , everything will look better . And yes lighter bar stools would help too. But work on the lighting before painting the cabinets . You might find you won't have to paint to make things lighter .

Totally off topic, but how did you get your floors so incredibly shiny?? Are they sealed with high gloss or are they really that clean?!!

I agree with others to paint your island.

Your great room is beautiful. I would get new brighter pendant lights and a metallic blue tea kettle. Your have a lot of blue in living area or add an extra color.

Have you thought about using some rope light at the very top of the cabinets behind the crown moulding? It will add really nice illumination to what appears to be a very dark portion of the ceiling.

Gorgeous house! Congratulations. Is that tile in the archway over the range? It draws the eye and demands to be the focal point of the kitchen. I will bet that if you changed the tile for a larger, lighter one which is in keeping with the style, it would work wonders for the whole room. For the record I am against painting the cabinets but am all for lighter counter stools in the same or similar color to the tile. I would also change the pendant lights for one long pendant light fitting. Get inspiration from SleekSpaces.com, New York Lighting or Sonneman A Way of Light.

Wow-Design Intervention...that adds a ton of light to the room! Great idea! Inexpensive too!

Deco enthusiaste - yes this is the max wattage for these lights and there is a light over the stove. It was turned off during my second set of pics.

lefty47 - there is an outlet over the cabinets so overhead cabinet lighting can easily be added. I'll try it. Thanks

sharlown - the floors aren't as clean as they look! They have a high gloss finish and are hard to keep clean. I just use a swifter wet jet.

Design intervention - thanks for the picture. It makes a big difference. I'll try this before painting.

Thefurniturecollection - thank you for your comments and feedback. Yes the archway has tiles. The kitchen/great room was the main reason we bought this house with the kitchen being the main focus point. Didn't realize how dark it was until we moved in unfortunately.

Have you looked at a Solatube versus a skylight? Tons of light and much easier and less expensive to install than a skylight. Beautiful home!

Yes, we put rope lighting above the cabinets and it does help with a nice glow at night.

I agree with Patricia- painting this kitchen white is the way to go! ;)

You have a beautiful kitchen but for some reason that window is just not fitting in the layout. It looks like the kitchen is broken or separated. Two windows would have looked a lot better and they would have added so much light too.

In a perfect world I too would love to see a white kitchen but since your cabinets are top quality I understand your reticence. So I would start with whiter stools, and brushed nickel hardware, lighting above cabinets and agree you need to change and lower chandelier in eating area. If this isn't enough, beef up lighting over island. Still need more? Unfortunately, now we're talking new lighter countertops and backsplash or a skylight. Have we added up to the price of professionally painting the cupboards white yet? Or you could always learn to love the dark side.

catsw- you are my hero,'))

If the island was a lighter color granite or quartz, that would lighten the space up without replacing everything. Lighter colored barstools, or even painting just the top cabinets a lighter cream color will brighten things up.

vcluett-As a design professional I would not encourage you to change the beautiful stone countertops that you have. They look brand new and are stunning. I also wouldn't encourage you to paint what appears to be brand new cabinets which are also stunning! The amount of light (or lack there of) in a room is a facility of light/illumination not what color the objects are. The solatube idea stated by another post above is also a good idea, but you would incur some substantial costs with that as well, but much better use of money than ripping out a perfectly new kitchen!

paint 'em! this is just a mass of dark dark dark. stools cannot save you, but paint will work wonders.

Ditto Design Intervention!! You have a beautiful stunning, high end looking kitchen. As lefty said, lighting, lighting, lighting. White paint is white paint and your beautiful wood is beautiful wood. Your home is warm and cozy. Everyone seems to want white kitchen cabinets but that is not the only kitchen look that is beautiful. It was a great idea adding the window, light walls and nearby furnishings. You do have lots of nice windows bringing in natural light.

Painting the cabinets "white" will also make you rethink the backsplash. Then, the dark granite may be too stark a contrast and the polished granite may be too "shiny" for the white cabinets. It's not broke, so don't fix it! :)

This is the power of good light and a professional photographer. Dark counter, dark floor, dark cabinets. And, beautiful!!

Don't paint the cabinets Don't change the counters

If you had appropriate light bulbs in the can lights there would be light shining on the face of your upper cabinets and there is no light there. Same with the island lights.

I suggest you pay to have a rep from a lighting store come to your home change out all the light bulbs until you get the proper light level in this kitchen. It's the least expensive solution. Unless you personally know the amount of lumens you light fixtures can handle and the difference between an R and a PAR bulb, you probably have not addressed this basic problem. Likely there are additional options for the lights under your hood also.

Adding new custom hardware to your kitchen will brighten your cabinets. Knockout Knobs uses 3D printing technology to create unique hardware for you kitchen cabinets. "Your passion, your design, your hardware" Your old cabinets will be new!

Congratulations on your beautiful home. Your kitchen is gorgeous, but as we all know -- it is way too dark. I disagree with most of the posters here about adding more/better lamps, different stools,etc. Your counters are lovely, as are your backsplash and floors. There is no need to start ripping things apart. I also have a very dark kitchen and have tried everything to brighten it up. Here is the solution in my humble opinion, and I recommend you don't waste your money trying all those other options. Paint those dark cabinets, and not just the island... that's not enough! I know the cabinets are pretty. So are mine. It doesn't matter. Paint them an off white that appeals to you (your trim color?), and maybe even use a small bit of dark wax around the edges to blend in with the rest of the kitchen. That is a very rich look. You will never regret it and you will have the nice bright kitchen you desire. Look for a painter in your area who specializes in kitchen cabinetry. I did the research, and the price went down considerably when I found a local.

Thanks again everyone for the feedback. This is a big decision since the kitchen isn't old and doesn't need a complete Reno. I've decided the first step will be to change the hardware. I'll keep you posted!

New Hardware will make a big difference, especially if it is unique and reflects your style. Let us know if you want to explore the possibilities of 3D printed cabinet hardware. www.knockoutknobs.com

If you like your kitchen except for the fact that it feels too dark, consider getting a lighting expert to analyze the situation. Experts know a lot of tricks for getting the lighting correct in any situation.

I think new hardware would be a good choice in any case as there is no contrast/interest in the present ones which I can't really see.

But I do think a lighting expert can do wonders. I love white cabinets, but would eliminate all other possibilities first as you have a new, high end set of fixtures.

After adding lighting, I would consider a new backsplash as this would be inexpensive relative to new counters and painting cabinets.

Take it a step at a time.

I would try to work with the existing cabinets as they are really beautiful, not the building quality that most people paint. Instead of buying new stools consider having white slipcovers made; add some light coloured decorative accents and increase the lighting (possibly rope). It wouldn't be a big expense in case you decide later that you just have to paint to be happy. I certainly wouldn't consider replacing large ticket items such as the counters at this point.

One of the most overlooked ingredients in interior design is a good lighting expert. Go with the white counter stools, clear, brighter pendants over island, check that the under cabinet lighting is the proper LED. add over cabinet lighting as in LED strings (very affordable). As a last resort only check estimates for the solor tube install. It is not that costly & will make a world of difference. Please not need to change out counters, cabinet colors or backsplash.

I understand why you feel the cabinets are too dark. You have white furniture in the family room, and a white buffet in the dining area, and this is causing the beautiful cabinets to look too dark. There appears to be plenty of light coming from the dining area. 1)Change the doors of the cabinets over the cooktop to glass - a glass place can easily swap these out. 2)Add the white stools, one of the pictures in this link has nice ones. 3)Update the cabinet hardware. 4) Add faux greenery to the top of some of your cabinets, especially on the wall oven cabinet, and the ledge that appears at the top of the fridge. 5)Add a 3rd pendant light and place it in the middle of the other two. 6) Change the clock to something that has maybe white and espresso in it. 7) Add a tall white vase onto the top of some of your cabinets, since they do not reach the ceiling. Most importantly, do not throw out anything, until you are satisfied with the new stuff that you have bought.