Pictures would help. :)

Standby... they are coming.. :-)

PHOTOS ADDED

If you paint the kitchen walls will you extend that new color out into the dining area?

Sorry, I thought the area with the ceiling fan was dining, looks like sitting area. Anyway, will that adjoining area be painted as well?

the walls throughout the entire room, Kitchen and Living room, are the same color. It's all one long room so I all of the walls in both kitchen and living room are the same.

Try a photo of the kitchen with ALL the lights turned on. Do you have undercabinet lighting?

You have many, many colorful accessories. Will you be editing them down (remove three quarters of them) to change seasonally or keeping them all on display? The bright colors are lovely to see against a neutral backdrop.

Walls- Revere Pewter or Edgcomb Gray

Backsplash- Simple white subway

Above cabinets- Take everything done

apple_pie_order, thank you for your input. I don't have under cabinet lighting. Do you have a suggestion of inexpensive DIY installation for something like that? Regarding your question of the accessories, I am open to suggestions. I like the idea of pops of color, but I also want a balance of simplicity. I am not looking to paint the walls right now, as we just did that not too long ago to the yellow you see in the photos, so thats why I was thinking to update the cabinets and then clean up the accessories with a more balanced color scheme... something clean and simple, but with a little contrast for extra character. Basically, none of what's in the photo needs to stay. it's kind of a hodgepodge right now from when I was changing the old color scheme from when my husband's ex-wife was there... everything was fire engine red and a gross brown. It was awful. I am open to any suggestions.

mark_rachel, thank you for your input. What would you suggest doing with the cabinets if I left the yellow walls for now, and no backsplash? And I have to say, I am with you on taking down the stuff above cabinets... Im looking to de-clutter and that was my first place to start... it's just too much and I am tired of looking at it LOL.

ok great! Thank you!

Clear away everything on top of the cabinets, walls and counter top. You can leave the coffee maker. Paint the lower cabinets black and the uppers white. Add brushed nickel door and drawer pulls. Update the faucet and light fixture.

charaj00, thank you for the info! brushed nickel for the faucet too?

Remove every single tchotchke from the cabinets and counters. Add pot lights if you don't already have them, and undercabinet lighting. Add polished or satin nickel modern hardware. Your kitchen will be transformed.

Groveraxle, thank you very much!! That may be what I try first to see how well it transforms before committing to a bigger project. Thank you!

In many ways this is a very nice space and all your surfaces look good too! As other's have mentioned, it will be easier to see something added for color if there is less to see - sort of not being able to see the tree for the forrest. I would suggest starting with the inside of the cabinets - good spring cleaning time and see if some items on the counter could be placed in a drawer or cabinet. My cooking utensils are in a drawer by my range, and nice as a knife block is I'd rather have my knives in a drawer too. Spices do better in the dark - though nice spice rack - could it go on the back of a cabinet or pantry door?

I started out with DIY under cabinet lighting. The most important place for it is between the sink and the range if like me you do a lot of prep in that area. The only thing I did not like about it was the cord showed. I used three LED units strung together at about $25 a unit. Here is the before pic:

https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~48485162

Then I had an electrician wire it to a switch. I initially asked for a new outlet to be placed under or in a cabinet to hide the plug, but he wired it to a switch instead which was better. It was part of a group of projects he worked on, and my best guess it the cost of wiring to a switch was $250 to $300. My disposal switch now has two switches, one for the lights. Switch not shown but here is the new install (along with new backsplash and counter):

https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~81033766

That is the only area I did, but it is wonderful, and I have it on almost all the time - just brightens up the space. My eyes really appreciate it when I am cooking, especially in the fall when it gets dark earlier.

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

If I ever get around to it, I should hide the connecting wires that barely show between cabinets - I will cut a grove and tuck them up.

jhmarie, Thank you so much! I definitely feel the same way and plan to do a big spring cleaning over the long weekend this weekend. The clutter has gotten a little overboard for sure...Had I been home to take these photos, I would have cleared the space more to give a better view of what it looks like, but I am at work and asked my husband to take them for me... he obviously didn't clear any clutter lol. And I like the idea about moving the spice rack... Hopefully I can find a good spot for it inside a cabinet door. and I will definitely look into the LED under cabinet lights. That will definitely help things... but first, I think a good cleaning and organizing will change a lot, and maybe some nice hardware for the cabinets and doors will change things. Thank you again!!!

wow!! how did you do that!?!?! LOL can't wait to get home from work and make it look like this for real!!!! Thank you Groveraxle!!!

I agree about the need for cabinet hardware.

Waynette, TOTALLY!! Now the decision on what kind/shape!?!?! handles, knobs, straight, curved.... UGH!! I'm terrible at these decisions!! Any suggestions??

following

Simple bar pulls:

Awesome. This is so helpful. Thank you!

That's it Liana! Bar pulls in brushed or satin nickel. Cabinets are dark, so you want lighter hardware for contrast. There are lots of drawers and doors on kitchen cabinetry, so the addition of hardware makes a big difference in tone and texture in the room.

following

Question.... what if I can't get all of my utensils to fit in a drawer? I'm trying to downsize and have done pretty well but I'm not sure I'll have enough drawer space to fit everything?

When we redid our kitchen a few years ago, I purged many kitchen items. I had many extra utensils, especially ones I didn't use often. I purchased a plastic shoebox and now store them in our laundry room. This way they don't clutter up my drawers, but I still have them when I need them for entertaining.

Maybe Groveraxle will allow you one large white ceramic "vase" to hold utensils near the stove. That's it, though!

Also get a small dish drainer for one of your two sinks for those "rare" times when you air dry a plate or two. Put your liquid detergent bottle in the drainer as well. Research Rev-a-Shelf, which can double cabinet space below with pullout wire drawers. Put a small stick-on towel bar inside your sink cabinet door for your dishtowel so that's out of sight, too.

Good news!! Got all my utensils in drawers!! Yay! Ok moving on to the next set of cabinets!!!

You can also get a pretty pump dispenser for your dish soap and keep it on the counter.

There are microfiber dish drying pads that are less bulky to store if you need to air dry dishes.

You have TOO MANY UNDERTONES - yellow, pink-beige (in the cabinets) and gray. You need to get rid of one of those undertones. Gray is on its way out so your kitchen is going to look out of date within 2 years. Believe it or not, beige (but not pink-beige) is coming back. Suggest that you contact Maria Killam at MariaKillam.co who is a Certified Color expert.

Thanks Carol!! The walls are actually yellow... Honey Infusion by Behr to be exact. We just painted it this color about 2 years ago and we aren't looking to paint again just yet, but I am definitely interested in contacting Maria to find out what we can do to get our colors right without painting the walls for now. Thank you for the suggestion!

Maria will probably want you to paint everything white. :-)