If you go with light grey on the walls, you could go dark grey on the cabinets. If you get the right colors it could go well with the floor and countertops

Looks like a nice kitchen. You didn't mention changing the granite, so assuming you're not, you need to work with the warm tones that are in that. A very light off-white with the right undertone for the cabinets. Once they are painted, the upper arch may not bother you. Maybe new hardware?

I think grey/blue or grey will be too cool for your granite. I would go for something more neutral for a wall color.

Not sure if this is DIY or hired out. Either way, there is a proper order to things, when possible. You would not want to pay for a quality paint job on the cabinets and then have the mess of tearing out ceramic tile, etc.

With the right colors on the wall and the cabinets, you may find that the tile color of the floor does not bother you. Also think about changing the lighting. If not the fixtures, at least try different bulb types.

I don't think I see a backsplash, so maybe you could find a one you like that goes really well with your granite, and then pull your cabinet and wall colors from that.

https://www.thesmarttiles.com/en_us/tiles/

I am seeing tons of the new stick on tiles - not sure how durable they are.

Reface? You need to start with a new lighting plan and a new wall color, this is like a dark cave.

Is this all the granite you have? you could easily get a new piece. pre-fabs come in 9'x22" for about $500. then you have it cut to fit. In fact, go to a fabricators warehouse and see what kind of remnants he has lying around. you could really score w/something good.

If you're going through all the hassle of refacing and painting and getting new floors, spend the extra and get the countertop you like! it's a dark kitchen, so go w/something light.

Instead of gray, why don't you try a rich navy for the island, and a white for the others.

glazed navy fired clay brick to play off the blue island.

medium toned wood look flooring. these two go great together.

do a cool porcelain, wood look tile in a chevron pattern,

if stuck on gray: this lighter one would still go w/the navy.

if something like this, I'd do a dark gray island and pick a white quartz countertop. Matte black or gold hardware.

there are a million how'-to's on Pinterest. just search, "painting kitchen cabinets". Make sure the paint you use is BM Advance, the primer is an oil base like Zinsser, and you sand and de-gloss everything!

Beth H., this homeowner seems to be pretty new to remodeling, so advising her to use BM Advance is setting her up to fail. That product has a huge learning curve, and takes up to a month to completely cure.

There are better choices, especially for a DIY project.

Also, I think her original question is a clue to her budget. Plus, if she makes all the changes you suggest, her kitchen will probably look like it belongs in a different house!

Just tryin' to keep it real...

Also turn the cabinets around if you can. They're in backwards and should face the other cabinets... I've never seen that before.

Mary elizabeth,,,no, it does not. It's a self leveling paint that cures within it's normal drying time. I've used it on plenty of dressers. regular latex paint takes a month to cure and stays tacky. Advance is hard to the touch overnight. How many times have you painted with it? What are these better choices you're professing? I don't see you sharing them.

She asked for ideas on painting her cabinets. did she not? She asked if it was something she could DIY, did she not? I believe she also asked about DIY tips. Well my tip is what I posted. Keep it real??? seriously?

She asked about flooring, yes? She asked about blue/gray paint. she said was going to reface and then paint. would you rather she use a crappy paint like Valspar? As for budget, the things I'm showing her, everything, could be done for 2-3K. That's a low end budget for a kitchen redo.

I'm not suggesting she turn her kitchen into the pictures. I posted these to show the color of the cabinets.

So where do you get off putting down my suggestions? I don't see you posting anything helpful at all.

The OP only posted one view of her kitchen. I'm assuming there is another wall of cabinets (with the sink). And perhaps the island has doors on both sides.

Wondering if Kate has decided "I'm outta here"?!?!

you're assuming quite a bit, both with the previous comment and this one. no where did she say she was clueless. And? so the there are more cabinets. what's your point? The OP asked for advice. where's yours?

Any recommendations are much appreciated! If anyone has any tips on DIYing this project, that would be awesome!

did I not give tips?

LOL!!! This is interesting and fun, and admittedly a bit harsh. I have no idea if the cabinets are backwards, and it is a dark cave so interested in redoing the lighting with possibly something nice over the island, and redoing the pot lights. I don't know what my budget would be necessarily, but new cabinets are probably not in the cards and I thought maybe it would work as a budget saver to not throw out that baby with the bath water. Would rather spend that money on floor and granite, frankly, if I could do it in a way that didn't make everything mismatched and wasn't super expensive. Open to all these ideas - cabinets and wall seemed easiest :)

You all have been helpful, too - just wanted to throw that out there. I would love to do the kitchen for less than 10,000 because I want to maximize the ROI and I don't hate my kitchen, really. It just really needs some TLC and some updating, however that can occur. :) I feel like just a little bit will go a long way with the neighborhood I live in and other home values/kitchen comps. My husband would love to not know I'm thinking about a kitchen reno :) but I think even he could stomach under 10K.

Beth H., I have NOT used Advance at all. Because, I have spoken with a couple of high end painters who choose NOT to use it due to the curing problem, and one who does use it BUT admits that it has a long cure time. Especially on kitchen cabinets where people can't wait that long to use them, or things like bookshelves where "blocking" is a problem.

I spend considerable time reading on painttalk.com (PROS only), and that is the consensus on there as well.

I have NEVER used Valspar, Behr, or anything else from a big box store, etc. My preference is Muralo (hard to find in a lot of areas), but now owed by California Paints. As we move into the last phase in the complete reno of a 6K square foot home, we will be switching to either the California Ultraplate or PPG's Breakthrough, for the remaining trim and cabinets. We will test them first.

That is not to say Advance it is not a good product, or that you are not highly skilled and produce beautiful results.

I'm also not against anyone who uses Fine Paints of Europe, and would have no problem paying $$ for that quality of paint. But after studying the process they recommend, it is simply over my head.

I have made some suggestions for the homeowner. Only she will know if they are helpful or not.

What kind of lighting do you have now? If they are already can lights, you may just need to put in something brighter. We used these http://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-5-in-and-6-in-White-Recessed-LED-Trim-with-90-CRI-2700K-2-Pack-CER6730MWH27-2/206950689 They are nice and bright and there is no delay when turning them on.

They are square can lights, probably very easy to replace! I know this probably sounds odd, but I really didn't think of the lighting when I was initially thinking about the kitchen reno - I think I would have eventually gotten there, but I tend to think of those bigger, more in your face aspects so this is a great recommendation. Of course, now that I am hearing all these recommendations, I may just tell my husband to gut the damn thing :)

LOL, believe me that is a LOT of work and time! and the DUSt is unbelievable! Is your husband doing the work? Try a lighter paint on one wall before you rip out the whole thing. The cabinets are beautiful, and they look like they are in really good shape. Can you post pictures from different angles and a closer up image of your counter top? If you want to replace a big in your face thing, think about new counter tops. Just to throw another wrench in the works ;)

Oh, and take a picture of the lighting too :)

maryeliz,,,i'm very familiar w/painttalk. I've lurked there for years. I've been painting wood furniture for about 6 years and have tried most of the name brand paints, even FPoE . talk about a learning curve! that paint is definitely not for beginners. Advance and ProClassic and General Finishes Milk Paint (which is an acrylic) were actually the easiest to use. All three dried quickly and have held up to daily use. I would advise spraying on kitchen cabs, but most people don't have an adequate sprayer. Unless you're using a pre-cat lacquer, you will have to baby your cabinets for a month or two, regardless of the enamel type paint.

I agree with the spraying! I think with a little practice, most people can get the hang of an HVLP. I had a rather long conversation with a gentlemen at a Rockler store, who gives their demonstrations for HVLP. IIRC, he did not think you could spray the GF Milk Paint, and was really surprised to hear about the waterbornes (Advance & Muralo/California) type paints.

How about some open shelving to replace the middle cabinets and a nice backsplash that goes from the counter up (including behind the shelves)? I have seen some people use mirrors as a backsplash but I don't know how practical that is.

I would want to know what's going on in the rest of the house before recommending anything. It is always easier to work with the original architectural intent of the house and if resale is a significant consideration, doing something that is appropriate for the expectations of buyers in your area.

These exact cabinets, granite and tile floor might work very well surrounded by a different colour and, my gosh yes, better lighting. A floor plan would also be helpful if you have one. The more/better information you can provide, the more helpful/useful the feedback will be.

Here are a few photos from different angles and lighting (hopefully, don't know if they all attached). I think I love the idea of open shelves, but I am a mess . My husband can't do this kind of work, but he can demo, so that is why I mentioned him for that. Knowing the gravity of the work I'm more than certain we will contract it out. Ironically and hilariously enough, for the people commenting on how awful the granite is: 1) I agree, and 2) when I got home from work, my husband, who works from home, told me he was out talking to one of the only neighbors we like about the stupid covenants and restrictions for our neighborhood (have a big front porch addition we are doing) and the kitchen Reno, and she mentioned that she hated the granite!!!! Like when the previous homeowners put it in she was floored by what they picked. So interesting take from all sides LOL.

great ceiling. don't know about those weird two lights though! some new recessed lighting, properly spaced, will give you ample light.

that granite you have is one of the cheapest colors/types, which is prob why the owners went with it!

for pro cabinet painters, you are prob looking in the 3-5K range, just so you know. do not hire a house painter, hire a professional cabinet painter. Yes, there is a difference. proper prep is the key to a long lasting, good looking job. house painters won't do it, therefore giving you a great estimate! like 1500! don't fall for it.

when questioning, make sure you get the details on their prep work. it should be substantial.

Just curious - where is the sink?

Regarding cabinet painters - all that Beth H. said, plus! Ask for references from actual clients, and if you can speak with any of them directly, or better yet, see the finished product.

Sorry! Not all of them posted! This is where the kitchen sink is :) - in an ideal world, we would move the fridge to the opposite side, move the pantry to a new spot created by pushing out the wall near the ovens, and make the area by the sink a peninsula. In that perfect world, brand new everything with gray island and lowers, white hard surface, white uppers, backsplash, and probably a bright blue wall color. Then a new floor as well. :)

To give an idea of the feel of the rest of the house, we have great molding and detailing, good hardwoods that need refinished. Not sure how much was done when the house was built (1986).

you still don't have that much granite, and you really only have the two holes to cut. You may be able to get away w/two pre-fabs w/some leftover) or you could do one prefab and get a butcher block for the island. You'd have to compare pricing against the cost of a large slab and fabrication, which would be in the 4-5K range. a prefab, total, would be about 1300-1500.

If you are not able to move your fridge, do consider replacing it with a counter depth model.

They are more expensive, mostly because they are better insulated (thinner product = more room) and better designed.

When shopping, compare labels & look for "Usable cubic feet"!

I would go slow. Start with painting the wall a light color maybe a cream or warm off white. And cut off the scallops. After you have a lighter color on the wall access the granite. Update the lighting. Butcher block on the island keep it light too. And the floor think travertine marble color. Vinyl tiles or ceramic buy a few see the color in the space. And last look at the cabinets. They look like good cabinets but a bit dated. They have a factory finish. With all the other changes they might by ok and save you big bucks. I would paint as a last option. If just the arch on top cabinets see if you can track down the cabinet and buy doors.

The scallop over the sink is definitely dated :) I love all the trim though, lots of charm. The biggest problem is the dark color and the granite. If you want to do a "temporary" fix and paint the walls, change the lights and the counter tops, you could put off a large remodel until the porch redo is done :)

I tend to just jump in and then my husband has to help, I love demo! I would pull down the light to see what is underneath. It may be as easy as just replacing them. Light placement doesn't seem bad...are there more or just those 3? I agree with the counter depth fridge too, I love mine. We took down most of our upper cabinets and enlarged the kitchen footprint and added a pantry to make up for the loss of storage. My husband made the cabinets so he could adjust them to our space.

That scallop doohickey is so hideous. I have been wanting to pull that for forever, but I'm afraid of demo!!!! I wish I was more like you!!! I know it is the least structural thing ever, and it is probably as simple as taking a hammer to it, but it is sooooo permanent when you start stuff like that. Maybe when we start the whole thing I will gain some courage. I can also see this happening after a bottle of wine lol.

There are 6 of those lights evenly spaced, but I definitely want to explore changing them out and adding something over the island or something.

Y'all have been great and I will definitely be referencing your tips and tricks!!!

Have you looked at the back of the scallop dohickey? It may just be a screw. Climb up there and give it a shot!!!

Ha - no. Goes to show how committed I have been to just looking at it and hating :)

Ha ha ha! Go for it! You can do it! Do it, do it, do it! LOL

So we did paint the cabinets and for the walls, went with the same light blue that was in the dining room - now the house is on the market and we are hoping to off load it ASAP. We moved to a log cabin in the middle of nowhere, Va, and it is an entire project in and of itself!

Wow. Looks so much better.

Beautiful color on the wall. But, did you take down the scallop trim???

Yes!! We removed the soffit too on that side. I’ll see if I have a pic.

Wow it looks much better! I love the color, it makes the granite look better . Good luck selling and moving to VA!