These cabinets aren't oak, they're cherry. And cherry is expensive.

Can you afford new countertops? How about painting the walls a different color? New hardware, accessories, lighting?

Yes dated but you can paint them and also change just the door style. Your rest of home looks good from the photo. Cherry wood is great!, but is a darker red color, the new painted would change the look as it would look better. Paint will adhere to it. Go to a paint store and ask the best paint.

Ken

Your cabinets are gorgeous! Change out the knobs to SS in a knob style that feels modern.

Find a paint color in the flooring and paint the walls. Revere pewter might work, i suggest it as so many people love it, but pick a color from the floor so it relates to the walls.....then go for a new edgy chandelier for the ceiling light.

Add some accent color in bowl for fruit on the counter and hand towels to blend.

Metal ss type bar stools with an edge might work too. Or acrylic bar stools could be fun too!

I think it's the door fronts on the upper cabinets that date the space the most. The base cabinets still have a nice traditional style. I wonder if you painted just the uppers white, if the style would be de-emphasized and maybe modernize the space.

PS: If it's possible to swap the range and the fridge, your kitchen's function might be improved.

I have arch upper doors. A few years I inquired about adding some glass to lighten the look. A local cabinet shop would have done for $60 a door. I also didn't want to paint. I like the other ideas you are getting here as well.

I did add new counters, backsplash and farm sink to my older wood cabinets, and I am very happy with the results. I would not do this unless you plan to keep the cabinets at least another 10 years and your cabinets are in good shape. I also retrofitted a cabinet with a plate rail. (Pics of my kitchen in my "my pics" idea book.)

Some other possibilities include replacing some of the center door panels with glass as mentioned, or removing a cabinet all together and replacing with shelves. I think I see a stainless dishwasher - if you are changing over to stainless as appliances die, consider a pretty stainless hood if you have a microwave over your range.

Undercabinet lighting and a light backsplash plus new hardware as mentioned.

I love your wood cabinets, so much warmer than all of those hideous painted cabinets. If it were me, I would want a different backsplash.

Crazy thought. Remove the corner upper. Have deep and counter-to-8' cabinet boxes built to make the fridge a bit more built in. Paint just those doors (since matching isn't realistic).

I would have put the hardwood from the living area into the kitchen to make the room feel larger. But new counters, hardware, backsplash and updated lighting can go a long way. And if you can’t afford granite, look at granite look laminate at Lowes or Home Depot. Another option to visit a local fabricator and see if he/she has enough scrap to do your kitchen.

Here is a new color and a piece of granite imposed. You would need to play with it, but I think new hardware would update your kitchen along with new paint. If you decide to go with laminate, do not get the one with the curb, so you can put up a backsplash. You can get musslebound put it up and do the backsplash yourself, its not hard - I did mine!

Here's another angle before we moved in and removed the island and laminate as well as changed the hardware and light. I have a lot of appliances including a trash compactor. All great quality and working well; and I eventually will change hem but I don't like stainless (kids) so what I want is really speedy.

What I'm wondering is do I go dark with the backsplash or white and I love the green grey suggestion for the walls.

Big improvement without the island. I had a similar set up and actually took my island out and had a Boos cutting board on rollers that I still use in my new kitchen. I would not go dark on the backsplash, there are enough nice backsplashes with soft enough color that should not be an issue. You first need to decide on your counters. I frankly don't find your kitchen objectionable. I just think an updated countertop, backsplash, hardware and undercounter lighting would put it over the top. When you don't spend the money on new cabinets and instead put it into your retirement fund you will remember this moment - sipping a Mai Tai on the beach somewhere in retirement. And lastly, I have kids and the stainless is not an issue. Panel ready appliances also remove the issue of stainless.

Pulls like this would modernize your kitchen. If your hubby is handy, use musselbound on the backsplash to put up your own backsplash. I don't know what your existing counters are now? But even a new faucet, reuse the sink can update the space.

Sorry not sure my photo got uploaded from prior post

I really think that the very harsh overhead lighting is the only thing " wrong" with your kitchen. Softer lighting will change everything. Then choose a richer wall color.

I just spent an hour molesting stainless steel finishes. The Samsung and LG black stainless are great. The Fridgidaire Smudge Proof is great and the lower end EasyClean at Lowe's is pretty darned good. Samsung's smear-resistant regular stainless is good. LG's isn't so great. Whirlpool and KitchenAid are disasters. KitchenAid's black stainless is even bad. Electrolux didn't impress. GE Adora is great but matches NOTHING ELSE.

I prefer a lighter kitchen for myself so I went light on the backsplash. It is simple, but I don't like looking at a busy wall.

https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~57088087

This might be too country / farmhouse for you, but you could move the books off the shelves (where being so close to the range they might get greasy) and put in plate rails.

I used a kit to do mine:

https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~93784236

I have the same type cabinets but stainless steel appliances. I can wipe the fingerprint Also have some glass inserts in some of them. The white just doesn't look good with cherry. Also changed the knobs to dark bronze. Can you change the counters too much white.

I don't think the cabs are cherry or oak. I believe they are birch or maple, stained in a red cherry color. A closer look would help.

this is cherrywood. It has a specific grain to the wood. Normally real cherry cabinets don't have really red stain added to them. they are naturally pink/red toned.

No matter though. Yours are stained in a red cherry color. But I wouldn't be concerned w/painting them. They aren't made of a rare wood.

what are those countertops you have? Have you considered painting the walls a darker tone and doing a backsplash? It just looks washed out around the counters and cabinets.

bar hardware would also help.

I don't make work for myself, so I'm with the OP on smeary stainless hate!

The appliance guy thought I was bonkers. But I've made my decision!