That is a kitchen that was never meant to have an island : ) but probably could have had a peninsula. As to paint? Have at with a pro. removing existing crown, adding a FLUSH with cabinet sofft fascia and crown can give you a look of cabinets to the ceiling if you are committed to painting them. In the meantime, empty the tops of cabinets!! But what you have is a case of kitchen and house lust, for one double or more in price of the one you have.. Yes?

Don't you hate that 'horrid little troll voice'?? Oh, the things it makes us do. lol

Keep the pottery off the top of cabinets, that dates the house.

Hmmmm painting. Instead of painting the cabinets I'd try other things first; maybe a different wall paint. I don't think that beige color, at least I think it's beige, is doing anything good for your kitchen.

I also don't love the pendant.

Now if you can't shut off the troll voice about extending the cabinets (which I don't think you really need to do), you can compromise; extend the cabinets and paint just the uppers white!

First, I found your detailed story an entertaining and fun read. How long do you plan on staying in this house?

I'd remove the pottery. Put one or more of the colourful pieces on the counter. Colour -- that's what you need. I wouldn't paint the cabinets, but I don't have to live with a maple I dislike. I'd try injecting colour somehow before committing to white cabinets.

Extending the cabinets would be great for storage of seldom-used items. If you're planning on staying in the house for many years, then it might be worth it if you need the storage. Otherwise, no.

I would change the pendant to something colourful (of course).

Good luck!

Jan, the island came with the house, and was clearly a result of the 90s trend of shoving in islands whether they fit or not. It's workable, barely - there's room for two people to work and pass each other in the kitchen. We actually almost removed it during the remodel, but it ended up staying because a peninsula would make the dining area too small for a 60" table. We use the island for prep space a lot, so we didn't want to remove it when we couldn't add counter space elsewhere. Every house in the neighborhood has the same dorky squished island situation, it's just one of the many realities of 90s construction. I definitely don't want to add a soffit, there was one of those in the house I grew up in and it screams 70s to me. I think they make kitchens feel smaller and shorter, which is sort of the opposite of what I'm going for. I don't think I have a terrible case of kitchen or house lust, at least certainly not for double or more the price of what I have. Our house is quite nice, it wasn't even bad before the remodel, just dated in decor. We're a casual household and we don't have millionaire pretensions, but it seems reasonable to me to try and work with the potential of the space you have, so long as you remain sensible about it. Hence my post here, asking for input on whether I'm just overthinking things, or if any of these notions are sound decisions. I'll remove the pots from over the cabinets, and probably change out the pendant whenever I find one I like. I'm not really sure what kind of pendant I actually want, so I'll have to sort that out.

Try collecting a dozen photos of kitchens you love in your ideabook.

Often a simple change in paint color and adding a central lighting fixture will brighten up an already lovely room. They are easy, cost-effective changes.

I think your maple cabinets are beautiful. Really nice tone - cool, not orangey - I love them. I would definitely NOT paint them, no way. I would rather have a lighter counter, but obviously that is not something you can change now. Lighter walls?

Your kitchen is lovely. I agree your cabinets are beautiful, and I would not paint them.

However, I can see that overall it feels a bit blah. Agree with previous posters' suggestions to remove pottery etc. from tops of cabs. I'd bring in some "Wow" lighting, with either a focal fixture over the island or the dining table, and replace the pendant over the sink. Also add a bright, unexpected rug for some color/interest:

Well, you asked for sense so I'll give it. I'm not generally this blunt. Take all the money you would spend "improving" your perfectly functional and lovely kitchen, stick it in an envelope, and give it to someone who is having trouble feeding their family this month. The only thing your room needs is the hustle and bustle and clutter (yep!) of a busy family and I'm sure those erstwhile tots are now elementary students with all their attendant Important Stuff.

I do completely understand that itch to jump into a room and get creative. I feel it all the time. Literally. That's why I'm here lol. Maybe you could diffuse some of your creative itchings by checking out other dilemmas and giving your two cents to posters who don't have the design abilities you have.

I love your maple cabinets and would not paint them.

Yep, lindsey, smit2380 and gm_tx nailed it.

Leave cupboards alone. Change your dining table set. Get rid of pendant light over sink, replace with flat to ceiling LED. Get rid of stuff on top of cabinets. Change your stove to a true slide stove, not in white.

nsc6 -- why would she get rid of her looks-like-new stainless steel stove? You might be looking at the before pics.

^^ She already replaced the range. You missed the ‘after’ pic.

Oops my bad I see white.

About the amber glass pendant, it might be possible to buy a clear glass replacement shade.

Well, as a relatively low cost improvement, you could channel your creative energies into scraping the popcorn ;) you’ll be so tired and your arms will hurt so much, you’ll be wondering how you ever had the energy to think about your maple cabinets! :)

I’m going to counter all the decor advice with some "soul" advice. You have a beautiful home. You have a beautiful kitchen. It functions well for you and your family. Everyone has trolls but not everyone learns how to deal with them.You want those trolls out of you head, telling you to spend money, time and effort changing things? Practice gratitude for 30 days. Each day write down one, just one thing you like about your kitchen. Write a different thing every day. It can be small, it can be large. You love how the light comes in from the windows. You love that your pantry is organized. You love how it has room to move around in. Etc. In thirty days, probably sooner, your trolls will be gone. HOUZZ is a community for solving "first world" problems; it is a business dedicated to selling products, and touting professional services to sell products. So I’d add a HOUZZ fast as well. I always stop visiting HOUZZ when I start thinking that what I have is not good enough. It is good enough, and I am happy with it. Silence the trolls, and be happy.

Let your inner “grass is greener on the other side” voice plan a bathroom renovation, or landscape renovation, or another involved project for someone else, like Habitat, and leave that kitchen alone. By the time that takes all of your money and attention, you’ll be glad the kitchen is finished to the level it is. It’s perfectly fine.

Put that voice to better use.

I totally get it! If you’re like me, 99% of time I’m home, it’s in kitchen/family room with kids. Our kitchen was very similar, but given the amount of time I spend there, it had to change. We replaced with white cabinets to ceiling- the white plus continuity to ceiling made a huge difference even though the footprint didn’t change. Well worth the money for me. I would add to top of cabinets and have the uppers professionally painted, plus lighter wall color. When the time comes, a counter depth fridge will help, too. I can live with my 90s bathrooms, but not the kitchen. Good luck!

I like your cabinets, and I usually hate unpainted wood cabinets because they look boring...but yours are pretty. I agree the kitchen needs color. Change your little amber pendant out to a pendant in a color you love, and maybe some accessories...colorful chair pads? paint the dining set? I'm laughing about the popcorn ceilings, I just got rid of my last one...did them all ourselves but the kitchen and living room. I covered the floors and windows with plastic, scraped the ceiling off, rolled up the plastic and threw it all out, helped keep the mess down. When I ran out of plastic I used newspaper.

I like your kitchen and can empathize with you and your little voice. At this time of year, I’m going to suggest that you get a big bouquet of daffodils for your island. Maybe put them in one piece of your pottery. How about one of the bigger jars for the empty spot to the right of the stove for spatulas, wooden spoons, etc.? The colors of the pottery usually include yellow, as in your seating area, and blue. How about a cobalt blue light fixture instead of the amber? A beautiful clock for over the pantry? You’ve really got a great foundation to work with; I think you just need to find some perfect items and colors to put on the finishing touches. Once you’re happy with your kitchen, on to the bathrooms!

So how long do you plan on living here? Changing the cabinets will be a very big expense you’d be unlikely to see any return on. Only you know if it would be worth it to you!

OK, lots of great advice above, but just one more thing to add.

I was looking back at your pics, and I think one reason your kitchen is a little blah, is the uniformity of the cabinets. There are sooo many uppers all lined up all nice and straight at the exact same height and depth. That's a lot of vertical maple rectangles.

Could you have glass doors made for one or two of the cabinets, and fill with pretty glassware? You could add lighting inside that cabinet, and maybe (hidden) across the top of the cabinets, to wash light upward.

Anyway, just a thought.

Good luck!

your kitchen is nice but I hear what you're saying. I spend so much time at home and in my kitchen I want to just love it. this is what I would do:

1. put glass in a few cabs

2. change out the backsplash. the stone is nice, but it's boring and could be so pretty. OR display some pretty art or pottery.

3. new light over sink

4 new dining table( or table cloth would help too)

5. window treatments for dining area.

the basics are great, maybe you are just craving pretty?

good luck

I think it's lovely. I like the pottery. I'd take it down and disperse around the house. I'm confused by the two buffet lights to the left of the fp pic. I think they distract. I'd do a cool floor lamp there so the person at the end of the sectional can read. Or you could try built ins on either side of the fp. Would be good to relocate the books and plastic bins, maybe just keep some of the fav books in a pretty basket if you like to read in this room. Great looking house!

I love your cabinets. I'd take them in a heartbeat-please don't paint them!

Also, that voice? That voice needs to be smucked upside the head I think. I have that voice too. I do not like it. I think of Kronk's shoulder angels from Emperor's New Groove. Except mine aren't funny.

I would do..a different wall color, different hardware (some sort of silverish, chrome, etc) look into some glass in a couple cabinets (that maybe you could put your pretties in that are on top of the cabinets or if you have pretty something or others to display), and a lighter counter.

I would not paint cabinets. Maybe paint the walls. I like the idea of adding a couple of glass doors, but glass doors or not I think you can do something fun with the space above the cabinets. Pick a color, maybe red and display a collection above the cabinets on the wall with the stove. You could also get some chair covers for the dining set to coordinate and a tablecloth. Change the glass pendant to match. I think you have a great kitchen but could use a little color.

Your pendent is fine. U can change the shade. I think a green/gray would be pretty in kitchen. Your cabinets are beautiful.

I feel your troll voice pain, really I do. My kitchen has high end traditional cabinets painted cream and antique-glazed. To me my cabinets just look beige-ish and I have this fantasy that I could have the doors replaced with the current Shaker style and the whole shebang painted a nice clean white. I can’t afford it, and I suspect neither can you. In the words of Elsa, let it go! Let it go!

Your cabinets are beautiful and the new parts blend seamlessly. If you had white painted cabinets, you would be in for a lot of extra cleaning and ongoing paint touch-ups. I kind of like the pendant over the sink... it caught my eye in a good way, but you could easily change the shade if it still bothers you. You could add a beefy crown moulding to the top of your cabinets, but honestly you have a really great space!

I'd spend the $ on an area rug for the LR and window treatments throughout. I think that would take your eye away from what bothers you about the kitchen.

My initial reaction to your kitchen is that the backsplash is the life-sucker, it looks like a gloomy sky. Change the backsplash to a white/cream that works with the granite. Go lighter and brighter with the wall color as well. Both the backsplash and wall color are pretty muddy, and I'm hearing that what you want is fresh and light.

I agree a few glass doors would be nice, and nothing could be easier than getting the stuff off the top of the cabinets. You would be surprised at the difference some colorful accessories make! You need some colorful canisters, and even maybe some small appliances in terrific colors (Check out the Smeg electrics at Williams-Sonoma). I also love the pics rugs someone posted.

I must tell you I am not usually a fan of maple cabinets, but yours really are very nice. I could not bring myself to paint them if they were mine, and my husband will tell you I always want to paint everything.

Good luck!

Nicole

Ok, I will start by saying that I did not read any other comments so I apologize if I repeat someone else's opinion or step on toes. I love the maple cabinets, but I totally agree with you that they should go to the ceiling. Having your cabinet guy 'extend' them is a terrible idea though and a waste of space and resources. Get rid of the popcorn, you will ALWAYS hate it. Have him give you an estimate for all new uppers that go all the way up- maybe even in white! Keep the lowers. Change the lights- you need some character in there. If you want to ever tackle changing the floor, you could change the island shape or length or even do a peninsula instead. Keep us posted.

I would literally die for your kitchen! But I hear your pain.....but that said the kitchen is lovely and practical and is working for you.......Paint the ceiling and the kitchen for a more unified look and replace the lights to a more modern mood. If you really want to spend more then have glass faced cabinets made for the soffit area with lights. It will raise the ceiling and will give the kitchen a newer look.

Something like this but in your cabinet style and stain.

On the other hand I would agree that the dining set is a bit cluttery looking....I would choose faux leather or fabric upholstered chairs in a fun color to modernized the look.

After that I would install floor to ceiling closed cabinets, maybe with frosted or reeded glass doors on either side of the fireplace. You could cut into the wall if you want them deeper, but they will hold a lot no matter what the depth.

When that is done then coordinate the three areas with a unifying color and a choice to two accents color so the area can be seen as one total designed room.....

Theses are just some inspiration ideas; I think you should work on coordinating the entire kitchen breakfast area and the great room.

I like what you have done so far!

I think your natural cabinets are very nice.. but the new style for cabinets now is white. I think you should paint your cabinets white to make the room feel cleaner. I also think you should extend your cabinets, because there is no sense in letting dust collect up there... I also think that a fake marble or quartz countertop would look lovely with white cabinets. Then some decor that matches your stainless steel appliances.. Also you could put some fresh flowers on the counter.

Here is a picture of white cabinets. Of course this looks good because of the grey island contrasting with the quartz countertop.. But you could do this for your center island.

What style do you like?

I think some people didn't understand the "talk sense to me" part of this post. Here's the thing: Each of us gets an endless stream of messaging about how our houses, our cars, our bodies, our appearance aren't good enough, and that if only we spent $$$$ we would be better, happier, more fulfilled, and our lives would be like the pages of a magazine. It is not true. It is the messaging of industries that want to make a profit off of us, and don't really care whether we are happy or fulfilled.

Your kitchen is lovely. It does not need fixing. Don't let HGTV or your internal troll tell you otherwise.

Nice transformation! Don't stress too much! You may want to consult with an interior designer- they have ways of transforming spaces with just adding some decor elements that you can easily change and mixup whenever you're in doubt or want a change you can reverse easily. With some new hardward and pops of color I can see the potential of a stylish fully finished home here!

Well said!

Listen to cawaps. S/he makes sense. :)

More light: Cheap way: lay an LED light tap strip atop your cabinets for under $100 (or 2 led ropes for under $25). Better: have proper lighting installed there and have your expert carpenter add a matching wood strip to hide it if needed.

I assume installing a tubular skylight is out of the question since your "stairway" probably leads to a second story above the kitchen.

I, also, vote for lightening the painted walls. (What's with all the brown and grey? Methinks your trolls are trying to poke you awake.)

Anyway, DisasterMaster, it's 2 years later now... how's it going?