New backsplash, paint, under cabinet lighting, and hardware. If it's in the budget, new counter. If you think you're up for it, paint the cabinets :)

I go both ways on the painting of oak cabinets. On one hand, oak is not a paint grade wood. The grain texture shows through so they look like oak cabinets that have been painted They need some upkeep as the wood moves with changes in temp and humidity which can crack the paint at the joints. However, I also realize that some basic oak cabinets like yours may be looking a bit tired and could benefit from a coat of paint. It can be costly to have them painted professionally, and it is quite a lot of work for a DIY job. If DIY is not your thing, then it could be too much.

It looks like you have a nice large pantry. If this was my kitchen, I would consider taking down all the upper cabinets - it doesn't cost to take things down:) There may be some needed wall repair. I would relocate the microwave - possibly by retrofitting the upper cabinet next to the fridge with a microwave shelf. I would put in a pretty range hood. I would replace some of the uppers with open shelving, or a pretty wall cabinet - doesn't have to match.

I have kept my own oak cabinets, and my kitchen in progress is in my idea book. I did not remove my few upper cabinets because there are not very many of them and I do not have a pantry.

Do not spend money on new countertops till you are sure that you will keep the cabinets for another 10 or more years.

Kitchens with some open shelving and reduced upper cabinets:

A non matching plate rail or other cabinet can replace an upper also.

jhmarie thank you so much for all the suggestions. I think you are totally right. I should be saving for big upgrade. However there is another project at home that I am thinking of doing (exchanging carpets and tiles for hardwood) and I don't know which one I should do first. Kitchen or floors?

Main Line Kitchen Design I like what you said: "No sooner than you finish your upgrades the cabinets could start falling apart" Very good point.

Thank you!

You might want to plan your kitchen but not do it yet. That way you wouldn't do anything that needed to be undone. For example say you decided to move a doorway into your kitchen you could make sure you saved or prefinished flooring to match. Or didn't wall paper that wall only to redo it later.

Often work that our customers do, appliances that they bought, or windows they have replaced need to be scrapped because they never imagined the kitchen that they would get. Usually, customers come to us saying the same sentence. "Well my kitchen is small and there's not much that can be done so were going to keep the design very similar to what it is now." Almost 90% of them actually chose a design that they had never thought of. But that shouldn't be surprising they aren't professional designers.

Plan your whole house first then do the projects that are sensible and you can afford as you are able.

You are going to need a plan for both cabinets and floors even if you don't do them at the same time. If you change the footprint of the kitchen at all, it will affect any new floor you put down. For example if you change the size or direction of the island, it could lead to a gap in your new floor if you do the floor first. If the tile runs under the cabinets, it might affect how easy it would be to do a new floor. It can be done. If the cabinets are not on top of the tile, it is a little easier.

I love my hardwood floors - and yes it did take time to save up for them - sigh!

I agree that your kitchen now is nice and functional. You do not need to rush changes and you should give yourself time in a new home before you make changes because you may find that something in the kitchen does not work well for you which will affect your design ideas, or the layout is fine.

One inexpensive change - the cabinets and floor are browns and beiges. It is challenging to get warm wood tones to go with the "popular" grays. Your wall color is not bad, but the cooler tone is fighting a bit with the warmer cabinets. If you like it , its fine and it might go well with the changes you are planing - white cabinets. A better match for the wood cabinets would be a soft cream with a pinch of beige to set off the white trim.

I agree with Main Line Kitchen's advice. In the meantime, try changing the overhead lighting fixture and the tiny light over the sink. I bet this kitchen can be quite dark at night. Broader and brighter illumination than the current overhead light fixture could improve the way the kitchen functions and feels considerably.