Thanks. I plan on doing new cabinets but don't know where to start

Paint them

Hi...If you are planning on new cabinets, don't bother trying to update what you have. I would suggest a simple
cabinet style, shaker would be nice. Stay with the same blueprint for appliances, but remove the wall cabinets on the end wall, and possibly do a wall cabinet (floor to wall cabinet height) next to the frig. that would be a pantry, and would make up for the missing wall cabinets. I can't tell what your counter top is but it looks black and that would be nice with stainless steel appliances. The floor should be hardwood or a laminate that look like wood. The new cabinets hardware can be anything, but will not be in the middle of the door. Your kitchen
will feel more spacious without all the wall cabinets, and trac or recessed lighting would help.

Hi nfdebbie, for your future cabinets, you may also want to consider putting the hardware pulls for the doors on one side (near the corner or edge), instead of smack in the center of each door --

by the looks of the picture the center island is portable and makes your kitchen a tad cramped. You may want to consider changing the foot print of the cabinets to get a better work flow when you redo the cabinets. & that gallery railing, it needs to go asap, even before the reno. personally 1 glass of wine and I would have it out of there...

The plate rail certainly needs to go and possibly replace with molding. If you want a fresh new look without too much outlay, I would replace the solid double doors on the overhead cupboards either side of the exhaust fan with glass doors. I have glass doors on my overheads, with downlighting and glass shelves, and it looks terrific. I think the handles also need to be moved from the centre to the side of the doors.

What did you mean by changing the foot print of the cabinets to get a better flow

If you have a Lowes or Home Depot near you, check out the cabinets, finishes and counter top materials available in your price point. Also check out the different flooring, tile, lighting and appliance options. It's a good place to start understanding what is available and the cost. They have professional kitchen designers on staff who will draw different layout options. They will help you design the kitchen based on your budget. Bring photos and a measured floor plan. After you have an idea of what you like, you might also want to met with a local cabinet shop. If you have pets and/or rough kids, consider floor tile vs. wood or laminate. Install the new floor and paint after the cabinets are removed and before the new ones are installed. The current style is to take the cabinets to the ceiling. Don't get talked into putting cabinet panels on the front of your fridge and dishwasher. You are not at that price point and that extra cost could be better spent on other upgrades.

Hi...What I meant by changing the blueprint of the cabinets was to remove the wall units in favor of a pantry.
The wall units make the kitchen seem very crowded, and by removing them, the space enlarges and feels
brighter.

sorry, old term, the footprint is similar to floor plan. It is hard to tell from the photo, but it looks like the work triangle in your kitchen is too large. The distance from the fridge to the sink is more than 3 steps, the distance from stove to sink and stove to fridge looks okay, but the work triangle is a dated method to planning a kitchen. Are you wanting to do new cabinets? Then find a custom shop and have them made. Many custom shops build considerably better cabinets than the box stores can supply and the price difference isn't' that great. (sometimes it is, but shop around)

@Kelric. I agree. Many local shops build better cabinets at a similar cost to the big box store. The other advantage of the local cabinet shop is that they use the same crews to install cabinets and they are all used to working together. You will also get better follow up. The big box stores are a great starting point to understand all of the products that are available and relative price points. Everything is arranged by "employees," not owners. The disadvantage is that installation crews are random sub-contractors. When you need something adjusted or repaired, it's going to be another random crew. Small local cabinet shops want you to be pleased with your new cabinets.