For the walls, pick out the color that matches the veining on the countertop. That should work.

The key to painting cabinets is surface preparation before painting. It's critically important. Painting cabinets to achieve a satisfactory look is not easy. Make sure you do the best job you can.

Get rid of the fabric valance, the ceiling light fixture, the signs on the wall, the curved wood valance.....

And yes white would work for the cabinets....

It’s hard to see....sink and faucet??

Also, the stove placement with the vent hood seems odd backed up against the open eating area.....can you post more pictures, please?

Is first try updating the cabinets. Try BM white dove for your cabinets and other woodwork.

The wall color may not be as bad once you change the cabinets. Good luck!

You are so right...it is an odd placement for the stove, unfortunately there is nowhere else for it to go. I am hoping to at least get a flat range at some point. The hood vent goes through the inside of the cabinets. I would LOVE to get new countertops, new sink/faucet, new appliances, and tear out the soffits and extra cabinets above the open counter, but I can't. We have put a lot of money into new roof, siding, waterproofing our basement, and new flooring throughout most of the house, so we just don't have a budget left for the kitchen and won't for some time. Since it is a clean kitchen in good condition, we were just hoping to paint and fix some small things here and there. :-)

We are going to take down the scalloped wood piece, get some sort of blinds (the curtain is hiding a cracked window that is taped for now), and we also plan to get new hardware once we paint the cabinets. :-)

I do have a few more pics i can post for you when I get home in an hour. Thank you so much for all of your help! I appreciate it.

Or, you could paint the walls white and the top cabinets white and leave the bottom cabinets wood....just another idea.

I love white and wood together. Minimal decorations, just plants or potted herbs, a basket of apples or other fruits on the counter, a more modern faucet and some new hardware. ???

Check Craigslist for appliances...sometimes people buy things and then don’t use them and can’t return them so they try and sell them. I’ve done that with lighting I bought at RH outlet and can’t return...

I’ve gotten bath vanities, faucets....furniture....some really amazing things. Also habitat or re-use places in your area. We have several and you never know what you’ll find. Or call and tell them what you are looking for....sometimes easier but I love going to those places because you may find something you weren’t looking for...

Good luck!

Thank you everyone....so much! :-)

Do you think I should paint my cabinets though...as you can see in the close-up photo, the finish is very worn on them. Just didn't know if white would be okay with the countertop color? Or if I should go another route. $500 is my total budget. Can't do anymore. :-(

Below is the Farmhouse style I like. Just not sure how to get started with colors. :-)

Melissa and Denita....Can you guys recommend a light fixture type that would look nice? Thanks. I only have 8ft ceilings and the light is center of the room. :-) I have no idea...can you tell, LOL! ;-)

So have you ever painted cabinets before? Do not listen to all the chalk paint, crap it does not work on cabinets that you actually use. A DIY paint job on cabinets is often much worse than they were before. You remove all the doors and hinges, handles knobs etc. then you strip and sand all the surfaces . Then you move the door and drawers to a dust free space and you spary if you want to change handles the old holes need to be filled and sanded too.It is a big job and IMO I would leave them and just listen to the advice already given. The easiest for lighting is a LED track with 3500 -5000 K bulbs

The key, as was previously mentioned, is getting a good surface prepped for the paint. This is not a quick job. Lots of tutorials online on how to do this.

I’d wait until I come up with a plan and get the light later...

Agree with Melissa.

I would just remove the scallop, get a new window treatment, paint the walls, declutter as suggested & light fixture , hardware, things like that , & just save up until I can do major remodel. Painting kitchen cabinets is a BIG job to do it right & if not done right, they look worse. Lots of preparation & patience.

Btw ... you might want to check out “framed magnet boards” online. Lots of styles to choose from & they look better on them than on the refrigerator if you have a place to hang one.

:-) I have painted a couple of tables, so I know the prep is very time consuming. Planning on this kitchen prep taking quite some time. Plan to start prep next week. Then wanted to start painting by mid-month, but just keep going back and forth about colors due to the mix of white appliances and cream counters. Haven't tackled this kitchen in years because I can't decide on colors that will coordinate with these two factors.

Thanks. It may sound pathetic, but a remodel will not be anywhere in the near future for us. I quit my job to stay home with our children. This has been a great decision for us, but we are on a tight budget for the "extras" in life. The $500 has been saved up for quite awhile.

I know most think this kitchen needs to be completely gutted (and I agree), but that is not possible for us. My friend used to paint for a living and said she would be willing to help. She helped me paint my bathroom cabinets last year. Prep and help is covered. Just wanted help deciding on colors that would work with the white appliances and cream countertops.

https://www.thespruce.com/the-perfect-white-paint-for-your-cabinetry-2109379

https://www.countryliving.com/home-design/color/g4289/white-kitchen-cabinets/

https://www.houzz.com/magazine/from-the-pros-how-to-paint-kitchen-cabinets-stsetivw-vs~4415504

I don't have a color suggestion for you but would highly recommend Benjamin Moore's Advanced line of paint. It is self leveling, so if you use high quality brushes and prep really well you should get a completely smooth finish. This paint has to be purchased from a "paint store", not a hardware or big box store, Another option for paint to consider is the Rustoleum Restoration cabinet paint. That will narrow down your color choices because it comes in limited colors. I painted a wall of built in cabinets and was very pleased with it. I had my kitchen cabinets painted by a pro and he used the BM Advanced paint. Also very pleased with the results - not a bristle mark anywhere.

Have you checked out the countertop transformation kits they sell or looked online at others who have revamped their laminate counters? I’d just go white on the cabinets and not worry about the countertop. You may like it better when you’re finished.

Wonderful, thank you for the paint advice. I usually get my paint from Sherwin Williams, so I appreciate the advice for these brands. I will definitely look into those 2 paint choices. Thanks!!!

Thanks, Melissa. I think that would be a good start. I can clean/de-grease/sand over the next couple weeks. Then I will go with a high-quality white cabinet paint. If I don't like it with the countertops, I will look into the countertop kits...thank you for that advice. I really appreciate you sharing that option with me. I see that it is fairly inexpensive. Never thought of that. You have given great advice.

I will definitely get the wood piece and curtains down this weekend as well. Thank you.

groveraxle Thank you so much for the visual!!! That is so nice of you. Helps me get a better vision.

I would not paint. It's a huge time sucking project and it just isn't as durable or forgiving a finish as stained cabinets. If you're like me, Mama doesn't have time for such a project that will require me to wipe down my cabinets more often and touch up paint down the road.

I'd do my best to spiff up the stained finish and put my effort toward 2 things:

- Paint the walls an off-white/creamy color that works with the countertop.

- Swap the range for a ceramic top slide in range; this will hugely improve how you (and the people who sit at the peninsula) enjoy your kitchen.

- Save up for a hard-working hood that exhausts outside.

The tip to watch Craigslist is a great one. I got a newer Bosch dishwasher for less than $200 because the seller was changing all her white appliances to stainless steel.

I found my slide in range at the Sears Outlet for 60% off retail because it was a discontinued model. I had to check their inventory online for a month or so, but eventually they had what I wanted.

Thanks benjesbride. I had entertained the idea of painting everything that is green, Alabaster White. But was left with such ugly cabinets. Prepping and painting can be such a lengthy chore, so I have been dreading it. Such a tough choice, not sure what to do.

Our hood vent does go outside...the pipe is inside the cupboard and goes through the soffits and out. For some reason, they built it inside the cabinets. But I do need a new, better hood vent - you are so right.

Have been wanting a new range for that very reason, but haven't found anything i can afford yet. Hoping I run across something. Thanks for the Sears Outlet idea. And I will check Craigslist today.

Why don't you and your friend have a wall painting party first and then assess the cabinet project thereafter?

I just wouldn't dive in to cabinet painting without first trying everything else. I know you're probably sick of those cabinets, but from my outsider perspective I honestly think they're okay.

My humble opinion is this - yes, painting cabinets is tedious. But it sounds like you have a realistic idea of the effort it will take to do this the right way. If you are going to go through the effort, you should not cut corners. It will only come back and haunt you in the near future! If you degrease and sand to get to a clean surface and then use quality paint, you will be doing the best you can with the current cabinets and within your budget. If you are like me, you will just feel better seeing the white cabinets. You can find some nice hardware to get the farmhouse feel you desire.

I agree - remove the wooden signs on the soffit. It only accents that there are soffits. I'd leave that wall completely empty - no 'Live Laugh Love' signs, etc. LOL.

Removing the scroll-y wood piece and the valence will move you away from the dated, country vibe. Some updated (just a few) counter decor items can make a big difference. It looks like you keep a tidy house!

The walls are a little dark to me... I agree that a softer, lighter color that is also in the counter tops makes sense. The green seems a bit harsh.

Good luck! I think with some elbow grease and resolve to stay on budget, you will get your kitchen looking very nice!

Here are before and after photos (sorry, not the greatest) of our cabin where I just did the same. We found our appliances on Craigslist as well.

Amy Hughes...Oh my gosh, what a transformation!!!! That is the outcome I envisioned! I know that stainless would look much better like you have in your kitchen, but I think I could live with the white until I can afford stainless someday. I know my countertops pose and issue since they are warm color...but maybe I can deal with that later.

May I ask your paint colors? :-)

Thank you for all of the help. Still undecided about the cabinets, but have so many great ideas to sort through. Also, thank you for the input for the other ideas...I will definitely take the scalloped wood and curtain down, get new hardware, look for a slide-in flat oven, get a couple simple potted herbs, get a framed magnet board for pictures, change the green paint to something lighter, and decide on something for the cabinets. This is a really big help for me. Thanks.

FYI, gutting kitchens is a highly over-rated activity. Kitchens keep. Childhoods don't. Your cupboards are not as bad as you think they are. I think you will be amazed at how much better things look when you implement the small changes described above. Good luck with the project. Enjoy the littles.

You are so right! My kids are the most important thing ever. That's why picture magnets have to stay on front of refrigerator and school work on the sides. I will always have kids stuff as a part of my decor. Will definitely start with the small changes. Thanks, Rita.

I want to chime in on all the excellent advice you have been given; do what is the least taxing one week at a time and try and enjoy the process. I think all the advice is great!

Agree! This isn’t for a magazine, this is for real life.....YOU have to love it. We are just throwing out our suggestions....

Do not be embarrassed about your kitchen! You have chosen to stay home with the kids - more important than cabinets any day.

Normally, I don't encourage cabinet painting, but your finish is worn and that is the time to consider it. I have white appliances and I love them - I will never do stainless. I have a friend with a newer white kitchen and she has white appliances. There is nothing wrong with white appliances. Turn off HGTV:) Just make sure if you go white, that it works with the appliances.

One of the fun things about an older kitchen is you can get creative with it, especially if you are at all open to cottage style. You can have the center panel of one or more cabinets removed and replaced with glass or for a farmhouse touch, chicken wire with fabric shirred behind it. It is hard to make an older kitchen look modern, but if it is your style, it is easy to make it sweet and cozy.

I would not do a countertop paint - they don't last and your present counter is fine - it is not bright orange or red so leave it alone:)

I retrofitted a plate rail in one of my cabinets - if you want info just ask:

from Pinterest

If you have any sewing skills, you can make a faux roman shade for the window. I also have no problem with your signs on you soffit. I have plates on mine. Your kitchen should express your style and be unique to you:

My faux roman shade, plates on my soffit and white appliances:

https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~110720042

If you don't go with white, consider a soft green:

Another thought since you have kids is white uppers and navy or royal blue or gray/blue lowers - might be easier to keep looking nice with kids.

An inexpensive backsplash is the textured, paintable beadboard wallpaper. I don't generally like faux products, but this is good, inexpensive product ($20 Lowes), and very easy to do.

Beadboard wallpaper backsplash:

I used it in my basement kitchenette:

https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~65270573

Try Howard's Restor-a-finish on your cabinets before you spend the time, effort and money required to paint them. I used it on 60 year old dressers and it made all the difference. You need to use the wax afterward to maintain the finish. The lighter wall paint and other changes you make will make a big difference. If the Howard's doesn't do what you need it to, at least you're only out $20 or so for trying it. Find a pretty bright print fabric you love and make a relaxed roman shade to brighten up your window area.

Good luck & it’s so nice to hear that your children are the most important. I live in a town with lots of pedestrian traffic, I’m so saddened to observe that almost every mother ( & father ) walking by with their child or pushing a stroller is fixated on their cell phones .... not talking to their child. “distracted parenting”.

Our wall paint color (cabin photos above) was Behr Pixel White from Home Depot. I'm sorry - I don't recall the exact name of the white paint!

And your white appliances will be just fine! Good luck!

K Laruence - I agree today's parenting is so distracted by all of our social media. I myself have to set rules to make sure I don't overuse my devices when my kids are around. I try to only be online when they are not with me (right now they are laying down for rest time with their daddy). I'm a bit older mom (40), so I didn't grow up with having constant access to social media, so I think it's easier for me to avoid using it. I feel badly for the millennials and post-millennials - it's just how they are growing up.

Hoping to do this project with my husband after the kids go to bed at night. And on days they spend the day with grandparents.

THANKS AGAIN TO EVERYONE! All of the suggestions are great. Some I can implement now, and others I will save for down the road as money comes in. This weekend/next week, our goal is to take down the wood scallop, removing curtains, take down all decor for now, and scrub the cupboards clean. Then I think we will just experiment in small areas a bit with the cabinets (fixing stain, lime washing, painting) to see what we would like best before doing the entire project. Thank you for being so helpful and understanding of our budget.