I say either get rid of the island or move the sink to the island and get rid of that weird half wall. Right now the kitchen has a terrible nonexistent "work triangle"

Thanks but renovations on that scale are not possible right now.

Anyone else have any other ideas for my kitchen that don't involve renovating? Would really like to make my kitchen more homey and modern but I'm definitely in need of suggestions/advice. I have no idea what to do with that grey counter/wood trim combo (seems very outdated to me) and I'd love suggestions for light fixtures, and color schemes for painting.

And here's a better pic of the counter w/ trim

Lisa, With that tile and rounded doorway, consider going with aTuscan feel ! Iron style pulls and knobs would add some great character. Play off the copper and warm earthy teal for your accents and accessories. Lanterns would be a great touch!

ACM, for cooler paint tones, what sort of colors would you suggest? Or just a cooler shade of white?

Well, if your walls are near white, that might be ok, but the pantry door is clearly some kind of tan, which reads yellowish. If you head toward taupe, you can get a bit more blue (really, a bit more gray) which is more popular these days.

All I'm saying is that gray is very hep. Obviously laminate is less so, but you're ahead of the game on color. Of course, if this space is open to all the rest of the house, you may not want to repaint all the walls anyway...

ACM, I actually hate the color of the door as that is the trim color in the entire house and its on the list of things to change. I like grey & I just did my bedroom walls in grey but I thought it was a style no-no to carry a color through the entire house like that. (btw the kitchen does open into the LR and I have no clue what I'll do with the LR just yet..currently all white walls with that tan color for trim)

Kathy, googling Tuscan style kitchens as I type! Thank you.

The wall above the sink area is a perfect place for a piece of art that you love.

There are lots of inexpensive ways to update (Tuscan by the way can feel dated and dark so be careful if going that route vs more modern). Think about grey walls to compliment the floor and counter, paint door and trim white for a fresh feel, add modern hardware (Home Depot sells some styles (including cupped like below) in a bulk of 12 at a large discount) and you could add a pendant over the sink (one below is $75), a hemp runner in front of sink area, adding 2 stools on the end of the island will be handy/cute, and an item on wall at end of counter. Ideas below may not be your taste, but I hope you get a sense that adding just a few items can help transform your kitchen and make it feel more modern.

You have been given some great suggestions. To me the trash can is too large and too out in the open. A smaller can under the sink or in another cabinet would help. Then - yes, you can put a pretty counter stool of your choice on the end of the counter.

You can have the center panel removed from a couple of the doors and replaced with glass, or a cabinet retrofitted to be shelving, with or without a plate rail.

glass panel in doors:

Your present countertop is not bad. It is neutral in color and light.

When you have a little more $ for renovations, consider moving the microwave to another place and installing a dedicated vent. A carpenter may be able to retrofit a shelf into a different cabinet for a microwave.

If there is a time you can afford new counters (and as I said, the ones you have are not bad) you might consider a butcherblock or wood top for the island so you only need to put new counters around the perimeter. Some butcherblock is very inexpensive - other is less so. Mine was very reasonable (less than $200) and has stood up very well. I did not paint my island, but you might want to if you go to a wood top for it.

This kitchen below does not look like yours, but has the wood island top and the open shelving between the cabinets is also something a carpenter could help you with. It can be easier to open up a cabinet by losing the doors and finishing the inside because then you don't have to mess with the molding at the top of the cabinet. However if you do have the kitchen painted, retrofitting moldings becomes easier as it is easier to match paint than stain. However, I did have stain matched in my kitchen and it came out very well.

I agree with above that the layout is a bit awkward, but if a full remodel is not in your 10 year plan, and with college funds, retirement savings and family expenses, it may not be in your plan, consider new counters, backsplash down the road.

Congrats on your first home. Part of the fun of owning your own place is to make it your own. This is a very enjoyable process and I wouldn't rush it. I would start by creating idea books in Houzz and figuring out what your tastes are so that you can be consistent throughout your house. Save your money and don't waste it on interim decorating. Your kitchen looks pretty good at this point. I would buy a pretty vase and splurge on fresh flowers on a regular basis. At this point though, I would spend my time thinking rather than doing. It will save you tons of money and effort in the long run. Enjoy.

Congratulations on your new home! I completely understand your desire to "Make it it own". But be patient. Live there a few months before you spend money making costly changes that may not be what you want in the long run. Your cabinets and floor seem to be in great shape. I might add LED Strip lights under your cabinets to add light. They're not expensive, plug into an outlet (preferably behind your fridge) and will brighten the space alot. I would paint your kitchen if you don't mind the weekend project. Don't worry too much about that perfect color. If you change your counters down the road paint is an inexpensive change. You can paint your backsplash tile, but keep in mind if you do, you will have that painted over look - the grout and tile will be the same flat color. So unless you hate it, don't change it. Instead, try to put most of your small appliances out of sight. Add some colorful chef mats or area rugs in front or your sink and stove. Carry that color through with one of 2 decorative items on your counters and a piece of art on the wall to your pantry and call it a day. After the holidays, you'll have a better sense of how you use your space and then can consider what renovations you might want to make in a few years. Save up by not spending on chandeliers and cabinet pulls. That could easily cost you $500 or more. Save it for one grand reno. (By the way, I don't think you need a whole gut, maybe new appliances when these have served their purpose and new counters.) Good luck!

It's a nice kitchen. Not a magnificent kitchen but nice. Live with it for a while before putting paint or holes in/on the walls. Do not put contact paper or paint on the perfectly nice laminate countertops! On the face of it the island breaks the work triangle rule but it looks fine. One generally gets multiple things out of the frig and your island is a perfect landing spot. Get things out of pantry and frig, move to sink to scrub and back to island to prep then to stove to cook, plate or set food out back at island.

I'd put trash under the sink. Splurge and get a pull out one. Then put a stool under that counter overhang so you can sit down to do meal prep.

Take stuff off the refrigerator door. Put a bulletin/white/magnetic board and key holder on the inside of the most convenient cabinet, might be the pantry door or where your coffee cups live. If you have kid art that must be displayed look into magnetic frames placed neatly and rotate.

My small appliances live in my garage pantry unless they are used weekly. We use no small appliances daily so none have earned spots on the counters. The slow cooker sat in the pantry for a decade unused so was rehomed but waffle maker, toaster, bread maker and a host of others remain. Adore my plug in LED light strips, a real asset and even better with a dimmer switch.

Rather than allowing clutter to build up on the island put something useful to catch clutter on the island. Clutter doesn't LIVE there, it just gets corralled temporarily. Fruit basket is a nice thing to have out too.

I like the idea of art on the wall near the sink but better yet is useful art. Put up a plate rack/shelf to display a turkey platter or tray or two.

To make this 'homey' look at stuff you already have or buy stuff from thrift stores with some age on them. Baskets are a dime a dozen at thrifts, loads of interesting platters and trays as well.

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i used dovetail by sherwin williams and their pewter tankard grey throughout our home. the dovetail is darker so be careful. african gray is lighter and can cheat toward warmer hues like pewter tankard. im a big grey fan. we arent finished yet and are adding larger lanterns but here is a start up pic of our area.

Kathy, I love those pendant lights! Can you tell me where you got them? Also, your kitchen is sooooo pretty!! I love it!