Warm wonderful wood . Show respect. I'm with Thor !

New appliances & countertop.

Those cabinets look pretty timeless to me, and work with the rest of the house very well. I’d spend my money on new appliances and then reevaluate.

The problem with updating just the kitchen is you create this house that has no inner cohesion.

Thanks Thor! We aren't looking for a fixer upper clone. We're on here for ideas to keep our houses charm while brightening and updating. New appliances and counter tops might be it. We love the wood! I think the counter tops would really set them off. Having a hard time matching with the current stain.

Try to keep it positive herbflavor

Very cool house, and lovely location! While the cabinets look to be in decent shape, cabinetry from the 80’s just isn’t as functional as current cabinets. Kitchen efficiency has come a long way in the last 40 years. Adding new countertops on top of them just seems like a waste.

Can you tell us what “on a budget” means to you? That gives us a better starting point.

Following

Add new lighting! House is lovely.

Thanks all! We're in love with it :). All in we'd like to put less than 10k~ into the kitchen. Including updated appliances. The cabinets are in pretty good shape!

Alex, congratulations on your lovely new home ! That is a bit of a tight budget including appliances. I would invest my dollars on a beautiful, unique new backsplash , hardware for your existing cabinets , and a carpet runner to soften , but not hide , your floor. It would be great to be able to add a new countertop. A leathered, black Formica would be a great look with your cabinetry color and might be doable with just a slight increase in budget. Reinstalling a new , updated vent hood over the stove is a no brainer here, imo. — Best of luck and wishing you much enjoyment in your new home.— For inspiration -

Meant to add that under cabinet lighting can be an inexpensive huge improvement, too.

The slab wood doors really work well. Don't get in a hurry to make changes. Buy new appliances and maybe paint the walls a soft green.

What a gorgeous house! Congrats. I love a white and wood kitchen. I think it's a timeless look and I wouldn't change the colour scheme at all. Live with it for a bit to see how well everything works for you. Taking one's time is a good idea. As Hillside House mentioned, kitchen cabinetry has changed a bit in the last few years....You might want more drawers or more functional storage for your kitchen cabinets. I love slab doors and think they look sleeker without hardware. You've a tight budget so prioritize function over form. New appliances? (Btw, I don't understand how appliances don't seem to follow the homeowner in the States. I'm in Montreal and rarely see homes for sale that include the appliances. But I digress.) New lighting? Also love the idea of a fun backsplash (after removing the few inches on the wall.) Good luck with everything and please keep us posted with any updates. :)

This is very similar to my parents' house. They do not have the wall in the middle though so it's all open. If the cabinets are in good shape I would keep them. Get new countertops, backsplash & appliances.

If you are good with the aesthetics of the cabinets, keep them. You can improve function by adding pull-outs, which are easy to install. Rev-a-shelf is the biggest brand name, but there are many companies that make them in various forms. (Some people just buy drawer glides and make their own sliding drawers for them). That kitchen is not that huge or particularly complicated, so if can do a little of the work yourself, you should be able to do new countertops, backsplash, lighting (make sure to add undercabinets), and appliances within budget and give a whole new look for the kitchen.

The house has a great vibe - congratulations! That high ceiling is calling out for a great mobile.

If it were my kitchen, I would want a counter-depth refrigerator, within cabinetry matching your existing cabinets (which are very nice). I would want that refrigerator cabinet to align with the cabinet counter across the aisle, which might mean extending the countertop out a bit towards the living room. I'd also consider cutting off the two L-shaped counters, altho' that might be impractical when keeping the cabinetry.

Hi all! Thanks so much for the feedback! We'll definitely live with the home for some time before jumping into major interior renovations (other than some outdoor ideas (fire pit) and bathroom tile work we want to do)

I do think appliances will be the first on our list in the kitchen. Lighting, back splash and counter tops are all things we have experience installing ourselves so I think it'll save us labor costs while letting us put our own spin on the kitchen. niccidhg, good idea on the Formica and runner too! and SirJohn, thanks for the functionality recommendations, i'll look into it!

In keeping the cabinet's the same, what counter top color/material would any one recommend?

thanks mjlb! What is a mobile? Good point on the refrigerator. Definitely something we'll look into

Just chiming in to say I love your house. (& while very,very different,it gives me a John Lautner vibe) When appliance shopping,I would definitely do a counter depth fridge.

Mobiles are kinetic sculptures - here are some:
kinetic sculptures

I'm a huge fan of mobiles - I have a brass one in my entry that moves with the breeze from the heating/cooling system. I should add that they can be DIY, although I've not made one myself.

I'd live with this kitchen for a while before spending ANY money, appliances or otherwise. Older kitchen cabinets just don't function as well a modern ones do. Today, we all adore drawers - drawers and more drawers in lower cabinets. Sure, you could put in custom pull-outs in the lowers, but they're expensive and you will lose a LOT of real estate with them.

Take your time. See how much money you have and then start planning.

lovely home, and lovely setting. I think i would focus on lighting first. often really bad in 80s kitchens. cabinets are quite nice.