I did not think about the glass doors and I like that idea. Thanks.

Not trying to be impolite, but can you remove the things hanging on the walls--the apron, old-time telephone, clock, and the rest? Cleared walls will update the entire feeling.

I kept my oak cabinets and had new countertops, farmhouse sink and backsplash installed. The sink is a Kohler Whitehaven "short apron" style which can be installed on a standard sink base. It is a bit pricy, but really helped blend the old with the new.

Wood cabinets have grain which gives them movement. For this reason you should pick a simple, non busy backsplash. I've seen both light and dark countertops work well with oak cabinets.

Stay away from too much gray in the walls or flooring. Cool grays and warm wood tones can look drab together - neither brings out the best in the other.

I do have one glass door which I really like and I retrofitted a cabinet with a plate rail. If you have a large number of cabinets, removing one and replacing it with an area of open shelving can break up the wood.

Here is my kitchen. More pics in my "my pics" idea book.

https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~58830325

A good cleaning goes a long ways. If there are worn spots or sun fade or whatever, you might want to get a can of Restor-A-Finish. It does a remarkable job of refreshing.

http://howardproducts.com/restor-a-finish/

Thank you JHMarie, your comments are most helpful.

Thank you:)

You do not have to change to stainless steel unless you want to. In my area (midwest) white is still very popular and works well with oak kitchens - helps keep them bright. I was at a friend's home yesterday, and she has a new white kitchen with white appliances.

I also changed out my hood a few years ago. I did not have a microwave over the range, but an old almond hood. I bought an unfinished wood hood and finished it to match the cabinets and bought a vent insert for it. My microwave was in the area the spice boxes and plate rail are - not over the range but just as high. I am short and so are my daughters, and we did not like always lifting things over our heads - so I took the microwave down and put in the spice boxes and plate rail - while my husband was out of town:) If you think you may ever remove the microwave, keep that in mind when you do the backsplash. Either take the microwave down and tile behind it a few rows and then reinstall, or save enough extra tile to add to the area in the future.

Good luck with your project.