Thanks Patricia Hall! We are going to replace the refrigerator right away. We move in next week. We were going back and forth between SS and black but I will note your vote. I like the idea of the perimeter recessed LED's. I will probably use that. If you have a chance in the next few days I would love to see a picture of the lights you replaced this old look with... Thanks again!

I would not go with dark countertops, and would consider getting rid of the desk and reinstall the cabinets the desk is attached to, to open up the kitchen more.

Can you post a closer shot of the cabinets, counter and backsplash? And one showing the fridge? What is the counter material? I can't really see them, but both the counter and backsplash look fine to me.

You have decent counter space, with is nice. It will be $$$ to replace it with anything but laminate, which is less nice. I am not sure I would incur the expense of new counters to put them over "dated" cabinets. Please note, I think your cabinets are fine and I think you are smart to keep them. It is just that they are not a selling point, and some day, some one is likely to replace them. So unless you will be in the house ten years and you are sure you will never replace the cabs, I would think hard about replacing the counters.

It's a nice big kitchen. Removing the lighting recess and changing the wall color will make all the difference. I would also lose the window treatment.

If you're going dark, then use a light backsplash tile to keep the room from getting too dark. Could be an off-white (to go with warmer paint color), or a pale gray, or any color that tickles your fancy.

Hope some of these help you visualize!

I will take a picture tonight at our walk through as we actually close in 2 days. I'm new to houzz... Is there a way to tag you janedoe2012?? The counter tops are laminate right now... Since we do plan to stay in it close to 10 years and keep the cupboards we were looking at replacing the counter tops. I can replace the whole kitchen with granite for $2200 with installation. I do like the idea though of saving money and maybe redoing our entire kitchen down the road... I just don't see it in the budget right now...

#1 I would do LED can lights through out the room after removing the fluorescent lights from the 70 era! If there is a floor above the kitchen it has more work to get done, if attic easy work!

#2 Yes change the color of the walls like a light cream or a light gray to match the counters you want (darker)

#3 The darker counters would look good as maybe not as dark that you picked.

#4 Go with a little lighter color of backsplash from your counters that you pick out.

#5 I would possibly do stainless steel to accent the darker counters and oak cabinetry.

Look up kitchens on houzz to find great looks and ideas for the look you want, there's thousands of photos here to give great ideas on what you and your family like!

Ken

Hi Erik, changing the appliances to stainless will help. Also, I would change the cabinet hardware to brushed nickel. Look at Bejamin Moore's Maritime White as a wall color possibility. A Roman shade for the window would be better.

I know it was a popular choice at the time, but I wish those arches in cabinet door design never happened. We also have them on the upper cabinets...argh! One of these days, when I can convince my husband, they'll be gone.

Cool grays do not mix well with warm wood tones. The new popular grays were formulated for going with the popular white cabinets or dark woods. Creams, soft creamy beiges and blues and greens look good with warm wood tones. The blues and greens can have gray undertones.The whole space will look much better once the wall color is lightened up.

Backsplash for oak cabinets should be simple. The grain in the cabinets gives the cabinets movement, and your new countertop may have movement. If the backsplash has movement it gets too busy - the eye needs a place to rest.

Some things to consider: You might think about changing out the over the range microwave for a regular stove vent. You can replace some cabinets with a small amount of open shelves. You may want to remove the desk area all together. Chances are you wont use it and it just cost more to add countertops and backsplash to the area and it adds to the feeling of too much wood. You may want to paint the trim only white.

Since these cabinets tend toward being vintage, I did mine in a vintage style. Pics in my "my pics" idea book. Here is one:

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

If I were you, I'd focus on updating the lighting. That will make a huge difference.

Unless the countertops are in bad shape, I'd keep them.

Paint the walls that the cabinets are on a white, like "decorators white" by Benjamin Moore in a matte finish. Then you can add color to the other walls in the area.

I would keep countertops, remove lighting and install recessed LED lights throughout. Do stainless fridge and paint everything a warm white. Maybe change hardware (I can't tell if u have any or what it is)

Unless you're in love with the cabinets, I would just focus on paint, lighting, and stainless steel appliances. Save up to do the whole thing right. I lived with this for 7 years. Green laminate with burn marks, but if I had just done the countertops it would've been a waste. The thing I hated would've been removed but I wouldn't have loved the kitchen as a whole.

Keeping the Golden Oak

I'm w/ those who say take care of the lighting, paint & then address backsplash. I agree w/ the comment that it doesn't make sense to me to replace the countertops if you expect to replace cabinets in future. Also, unless this is a really wide angle shot, you have a lot of counter surface to replace for $2,200. I'd want to know more about grade of granite & reputation of fabricator/installer. I'd also be hesitant to demo the desk unless you know it's not going to leave unsightly scars on the cabinet to which it's attached. A good-looking backsplash won't cost you that much so if you do one now & then replace when you do cabinets and countertops, you won't be out that much. Re your fridge, we can't see the cubby where it goes. A lot of new fridges offer huge cubic footage but are so deep they protrude way out into the floor space. Before we did our K reno, I almost bought a bugaloo fridge on sale for half price, but when I did the measurements, it would have been a disaster, sticking out way past the cabinets around it. If the cubby is wide enough to allow sufficient capacity, consider a counter-depth fridge that looks more like a built-in. In summary, take care of the lighting & paint, then live in it a while before planning major reno.

Here is another look at the kitchen...

A Moroccan tile back splash maybe over your sink. I would take out the island in the middle and add a grouping of off white chairs and table and maybe a dish display cupboard with glass panes. How about a colorful area rug somewhere. Purchase some faux plants maybe. Paintwise: YELLOW OCHER.