Thirty years...a good run. I think it is time to go new. I don't know your budget, but use a kitchen designer and, because you are taking down walls, include your builder in discussions.

LOL Gut. White cabinetry as room is dark.

Oh, come on! You're tying our hands here! No arson? Seriously? We're not miracle workers.

Keep the tea kettle. First thing to go is the writing on the wall. I don't let walls tell me what to do.

I'd get rid of the drop ceiling, but it seems to extend into the next room. Is that possible? Are you looking to keep the layout or change it?

The cabinet frames can be refaced if they are in good shape, and new doors/drawer fronts are an inexpensive option to get a new look.

Your K has lots of challenges, but more opportunities. I don't know how you survived cooking on island w/ virtually no counter space from which to work. You need a CKD. BTW, we had breakfast nook that we never used. It became our pantry, which opened up other possibilities in our K reno. We had CKD. Whadda diff she made!

Do you have a budget range in mind?

What are the two things that look like windows with blinds in the dining nook?

I feel like clearing some things off the counters would help your mind and give you some clarity as to what you may want to change!

Do you know why you have a drop ceiling? If I could only do one thing to that room (and it truly does need far more!), I'd change that ceiling to increase height and get rid of horrible fluorescent tubes.

I would say its time to redo the kitchen,btw is that a thermidor stove top ? We used to have one a long time ago.If so its in good shape, time to dump that too.

Your focus is to gut it and get a design that includes opening it up...Good Luck.

What is your budget? Do you have the resources to do a kitchen remodel?

Before you do anything, you need to determine your budget and the time frame you have for living in the house. Also, where does your house fit into the local housing market? Even though you are making the changes for your personal use, it is always wise to stay in character with your neighborhood to get the best value from your remodel.

The ideal situation would be a total redesign including updating the plumbing, electrical and ventilation systems as needed. Removing walls and/or relocating access to the space and moving appliances may be more than you are willing to do. In that case, do as little as possible if you aren't going to completely revamp the space.

Remodeling a kitchen is a pretty big expense and I'm in the same situation. I might be inclined to get an overall design and go at it one step at a time. That's what I am doing. But you have to get a good vision and photos together so it becomes a cohesive look in the end.

JPowellThomas, we did our K in phases. I started researching in summer, '13. We met w/ CKD in Oct., '13. We discussed objectives, she made invaluable recommendations & drew up plans. She & my wife selected styles, colors, mat'ls, etc. We placed order for Ph. I in Jan., '14. That was to convert breakfast nook to pantry. Ph. II was to redo wall w/ fridge & old pantry, putting wall ovens where pantry had been & replacing fridge w/ built-in. Ph. III was demo peninsula w/ range & install island w/ rangetop. Ph. IV was to demo sink
wall & replace w/ new cabs. Ph. V was to install hutch in pantry area. Ph. VI was replace patchwork tile & wood flooring in LR, entry, K & DR w/ porcelain tile. Ph. VII was to replace windows in LR & K. It took over 2.5 yrs., but we were able to do it way we wanted w/o having to take 2nd mortgage or equity line.

Donate your cabinets to Habitat for Humanity, or sell. Smashing them is only for TV shows nowadays, and they should stop.

Meet with a kitchen designer & remodeler.

Lol I get the desire to clean house with my torch. Before striking a match think about what bothers you the most. Is it mostly cosmetic updates or are there structural changes to make it function better? If you have the budget for major changes a kitchen planner and good contractor can be very helpful. Maybe doing DIY on the simple stuff like paint a backsplash can save more for big things like changing ceiling or opening the space to adjoining room.

Glass a few cabinet doors & add nice dishes & glasses. It will bounce light.

Get the hideous ceiling out first

Hi Jazzyred2,
It all depends on your budget. Complete kitchen renovations with layout changes, can be very expensive as you may have to include demolition, replumbing, rewiring, new cabinets, countertop, backsplash, & new floor if it doesn't go underneath you current cabinets or you're removing walls. This all adds up especially if you can't do any of the work yourself! The cabinets themselves don't look that bad. If they are real oak & in good shape, you'd be surprised how much of a difference a new coat of paint or stain will make! Maybe they look yellow because of the flourescent lighting. If you can change that ceiling, I would start there first & see what a difference that will make. Change the backsplash to some really nice modern glass tiles & the countertops & voilà, you have a new kitchen at a fraction of the cost of a complete reno. That's what we did & were amazed at the difference with just those few changes!!! We didn't have the money for a complete reno but I hated my ugly dull brown cabinets. Because they were solid wood, we sanded them down, restained them, changed the countertop & backsplash & loved the results!!! Did remove a wall which required us to change the flooring but we did the work ourselves & saved big bucks!! Again, depends on how handy you are & how much you want to spend!! Hope this helps :)