Hello I like the comment about movement in Oak cabinets. I never realized it till I read it posted. Our backsplash always looked a little too busy to me and now I know why. We just had our golden oak cabinets sprayed white and it was not too expensive. It really updated our kitchen. I know many don't think you should paint wood but it was so much less than replacing the cabinets.

I have had two previous kitchens with cabinets like yours and if you want to paint them it will give you so many more options for counters. One kitchen I painted the cabinets white and we replaced the 1980s white tile counter top with granite. In the second house the sellers had added a nice granite to help sell the house but paired with busy oak cabinets it didn't look great. We refinished those cabinets and a rich grey tone and it looked much more put together.

The most glaring "doesn't belong" item (to me, anyway) is not the countertops, it's the ceiling fan!

Paint the cabinets add molding to the top, quarts tops and a couple of pendent lights. Paint walls white update hardware.

I'm thinking light marble-looking Quartz with an ogee edge, to make it look classic old instead of 80s old :). You could keep the cabinets as is or paint white. If you don't paint I'd look for as white a color as possible--light gray ok. If you paint white you could go for a more gray color or white with more gray in it.

Don't even think of wasting expensive changes on a kitchen that needs such an extensive renovation. Just go to your local box store and look at the stock laminate counters. Then save your money to fix the layout and functionality issues. Don't set that in 5K of stone and have to work around that bad investment.

I have to agree with Sophie. Here is mine before and after....

Wait until you can do what you want, the way you want. Don't put lipstick on a pig.

We had a GC and cabinet maker. My hubby did the demo and a lot of the other stuff. Taught my son a lot! We spent $32K. Used the same footprint and the same appliances.

You can reface the cabinets. An inexpensive option is to get laminate counters that look like granite until you are ready to redo the kitchen. Others option is to get remnants from a fabricator.

In my first post I started to address the layout then deleted that paragraph. The words "economical" and "layout change" don't belong in the same post. Please be aware that due to difficulties which we may not be aware of and are not our business, most people in this country (I am in the US) will never have enough money to replace their cabinets or change the layout. This means that they will need to do the best with what they have and though intensions are good, it is not helpful to make what they have sound not good enough.

Thanks everyone for your comments so far. Sammy, I had to laugh about the ceiling fan -- that is so true -- haha. I should have added that we plan to sell the house within two years, so we want a look that will help it sell but are not willing to spend 10's of thousands of $ to get there as we won't realize the money back. jhmarie, thanks so much for the time you put in your comments, they were very helpful. Especially about the tile backsplash. Although I love those small multi-shaded subway tiles, you are right they would look busy with the oak cabinets. Also going with a farmhouse look could work. Kathi, thanks for posting the photos of your made-over kitchen, it looks lovely. Sophie, you are right about just picking some laminate, I will have to look at some at the store. About the desk, do newer kitchens even have a desk anymore? jhmarie, you asked about it, we find the desk a good place to stash the scanner/printer, wireless router, and old laptop we don't use much except maybe for scanning. I use the cupboards above for pet supplies and food. Do you have any suggestions for the desk area?

Heidi, I would first spend some time doing a little "market research." Go to Zillow and look at homes for sale similar to yours in your area. Just plug into google the name of your town followed by the words "real estate" and the Zillow site usually comes up - there are other real estate sites too - I find the map on Zillow helpful for looking at homes in my neighborhood.

Compare the homes for sale with yours - what the kitchens look like and how much they are asking and keep track of what sells fast and what lingers on the market. If you are really moving in two years, you may want to do nothing but get the home as clean as possible and price it accordingly. Do not use granite or quartz if selling. Chances are the next owner will have different taste. If you are not sure of the move or want new counters to enjoy for yourself, go ahead with a pretty laminate. Redoing the kitchen will usually not get you a total return on investment when selling. Sometimes new counters can help the home sell better, but usually pricing the home right it the key. The real estate market usually starts picking up in early spring - so start keeping track of your neighborhood now. Remember the listing price is not usually the selling price. Most counties or cities have public records online of how much homes were bought and sold for. These records are not posted right away - but they are another market research clue to what homes are going for in your area.

The desk area was big when home computers first came out. Now with laptops and home offices, the kitchen desk area is not as popular. If you are moving, I would just leave it. Some convert the area to a coffee station or replace it with a free standing piece of "furniture" - pie-safe, small hutch or just remove it for more space for a table or island - depends on the space. When you put the home on the market, get everything off except a few desk supplies so it doesn't look like a place for clutter to gather.

I'd think about soapstone.

Your desk isn't really "in" the kitchen. I would do what ever you are doing to the kitchen to that also. Ours was in the kitchen and we moved it.

If you truly are moving in 2 years, consult a real estate agent. They can give you the best advice of what sells and what doesn't.

I echo the comment above. In my area granite is the most desired surface. A friend had quartz counters, after 18 months on the market she replaced them with granite and sold within 30 days.

Hi, I am looking for countertop and backsplash suggestions and more for 1998's pickled oak cabinet kitchen. I don't want to spend money on refacing or refinishing. So I am stuck with pickled cabinets. Any suggestions? Thanks.

@ Ananths -- I suggest you start your own thread rather than piggybacking onto one that is pretty old. Not only are you more likely to get suggestions (improved by including a photo), but you'll get email alerts when somebody speaks up.

Ok thanks.

Why do people think that all kitchens have to be white? This is a lovely, functional kitchen. It can be updated very cost effectively. Update your fan and cabinet hardware. The blue counter top is the most obvious dated material. Check out the new laminate patterns and durability upgrades. The whole space could be updated for what stone would cost. The walls might be nice in a cream color and a new cook top would do wonders especially because it is so visible. A back splash could even be a DIY project. I think that when the trends change a neutral space will never be out of place. Check out photos on Houzz of kitchens with oak cabinetry. I am quite sure you will find many timeless ideas. By the way, IMO the flooring is perfect for the oak woodwork. Do your homework and don't follow the pack!