I'd change backsplash-because to me it has different sensibility than the house from what I can see. The floors, the wall moulding in another room..Hard to say whether it fights the countertop..on my screen it does just a tiny teeny bit, but maybe it's very harmonious IRL, in your light and all.

Wouldn't do white subway-if countertops stay. Maybe subway yes, but not white..lightest color in the granite, Can't see well -it might be white..)) But smething not too stark for sure.

And if you love everything as is-wouldn't touch it at all.

(5-6 years can be 8-10 easily too. Life happens.We weren't going to list at all-then life-then we were going to list in 2013-then it was 2016.)

Only, as others said-if you'll enjoy it yourself.

I'd change backsplash if for example I'm going to buy your house, and you sell it to me, and it's mine already and I think "well that ne is what I'd rather change than not"

Would need to see the whole house too, and know my end plan. Might decide to change countertops. Again, sensibility. But that's on me, all these expensive changes.

For sure wouldn't paint cabinetry, not in your case.

Trends already changed, meanwhile, will change again by then

Which is not to say white is wrong for your house, maybe it's great. If you change the rest-countertops, backsplash. But these cabinets-no, wouldn't paint them.

White kitchen cabinets are not trendy. If that were my kitchen, I'd definitely paint those cabinets the same white as the trim. I think white cabinets would go better with your floor, the granite, and pretty paint color than the orangey wood shade they currently are.

Leave it alone and save yourself the aggravation. Whoever buys it may have totally different ideas.

I’m with Anna - I’d change the micro-hood combo to a real vent hood and find another spot for a microwave.

Beyond that, make changes if they make you happy for the time you’re there, not for future resale. If you want updated light fixtures/knobs/backsplash/counters, do that. If you’re happy as is, leave it. Spend what you’re willing to spend for your own enjoyment even if you don’t get it back on resale.

I think the group has spoken. Do nothing. 5-6 years is two more design trends away. Those are good quality cabinets. There is nothing in the kitchen that says change me. Even the minor changes are optional. A fresh paint job on the walls and you are done. We just made you a bunch of money by saving you a bunch of money.

I'll add that when we were a buyer we would much rather have a kitchen that wasn't quite current than have a home where the kitchen was recently updated to tastes that were not our own. I would feel obligated to live with it rather than tear out brand new work.We are also more likely to adjust to good quality, not quite current kitchen design than have cabinets that were painted once and now have durability issues like chipping that have to be touched up all the time compared to a factory finish.

I know I'm piling on the bandwagon, but -- no -- I wouldn't update this kitchen. The cabinets, while not cutting-edge trendy, are attractive and basic. An update would not help your chances of resale.

I agree that the backsplash isn't doing the kitchen any favors; if you're looking for a change, I'd change that. It's WAY cheaper than re-doing everything.

There is nothing that would be a barrier to sale in 5 or 6 years, so if everything is functional, I would do as little as possible.

here's a thought; what do you want? who cares what some buyer may want 5-6 years from now? (and 5-6 may turn into 10) plus, what makes you think a buyer would like the current state of the cabinets/countertop? It works both ways.

So again, what do you want to live with? if you are perfectly happy w/what's there, then why worry about a buyer 6 years down the road?

If you aren't happy w/the state of the kitchen, then change it to what you want since you are the one currently living there.

In my opinion, the stain is too reddish orange and I'd want something lighter. Someone posted a pic of solid cherry cabinets. you can't compare those to yours. Your finish looks like it's seen better days. Only you can tell the real shape that they are in.

Are the cabinets real solid wood or a wood veneer over MDF? If the latter, you may want to look into refacing. How can anyone say they're 'good quality cabinets' by looking at a picture. let's see the back of the base cabinets on the inside and see what they're made of

I'd also want a diff backsplash. And your island shape is very dated, IMO. I don't believe bringing in new pendants is going to change that. It's not going to look better in 6 years either.

Do I think getting lighter cabs and new tile would make a difference? yes. But do the update for you while you're living there, not for resale, because that's all should matter here.

So, if you want something diff, then do it. I'd probably get a new island top since that kidney shape needs to go. If you want to have creamy white cabs, then top the island w/a butcher block or a solid piece of quartz that matches the other countertop. Or, get new countertops for everything. your choice. Since the other half is doing labor, you'll be ahead money-wise

I just painted my kitchen cabs. they were a stained wood w/15 year old granite. it still looked nice (and I had a similar travertine type backsplash Like yours) but I was just sick of it. sick of it. and we plan on moving in 5 years or so. I didn't care. I wanted something light. So I redid the entire enchilada. I'm still living here and have to look at it so I wanted what I want. Glad I did.

Life is too short to worry about resale in 5 years! Heck, we may not even be guaranteed 5 years. I sure don't want to be lying on my death bed and saying, 'Aw hell, I wished I would have updated my kitchen to what I wanted".

I would spend the money on energy upgrades! More insulation, higher efficiency HVAC equipment, etc. This may help you sell the home down the road and you'll get the benefits from that now in savings and comfort. There may also be rebates from your utility company and even tax credits!

Don't update. Your kitchen is very nice.

Your kitchen looks great as is!

All I would do is remove the window valance and the (too matchy) checkerboard accessories. Your kitchen is very nice as is.

I never have understood people that live with things in their homes they never really liked or were not functional only to change it when they put the house on the market. Do any remodel because you want to. Spend money on things that make you happy but with resale in mind. Honestly I've never really liked white cabinets except in older homes but if that's what you want, do it. We can't predict what others may want in 5 years. I know what I like, what I can afford to change and what I can live with. Only you have the answer to your situation.

I like your kitchen as it is. The worst thing you could do would be to put subway tile in the backsplash - it looks much better as it is. Subway tile is on it way out, and good riddance.

I am all for if you are going to have to 'update' to do it while YOU get some enjoyment out of the money spent. Truth is if your kitchen is clean and well maintained it will sell just fine. New homeowners like to put their mark on a home. If you paint--they will FOR SURE rip it all out and put in whatever is their preference, 99% chance it won't be white--because that is just the way this works. White will not make or break this sale!! You will get not one dime more for having painted fabulous cupboards white. In fact I would say you would more likely lose equity. In 4-5 years it will show that this was a DIY and the white will need freshening.

Hey kathyjohnson1 ,

i tend to agree with the idea of leaving it as is. It's clean and well maintained. arcy_gw said it best, most people when they go looking at homes will have a list of things they would want to change about a place. You could end up painting, putting the work in and then the buyer says they would have liked the stained wood look rather than painted. in the end its up to you but if you are set on selling i personally wouldn't.

Best wishes!

I would leave it. There is nothing wrong with it, and it just might be more in style when you sell it, than the white cabinets everyone is using now. Thats all something you dont know. Fads come and fads go.

Leave it. I am always in the camp of "if you don't want or need to update, then don't". seriously, never update just for resale, unless it's a total hazard (which yours is not). future homeowners might not like the changes you make and just rip it out, so it would be super wasteful of money and materials.

I’d change the pendants and delete the valance. Simple. Done. Nice kitchen!

Here are some changes. Taj Mahal quartzite for island.

New hardware in brushed nickel with some personality to go with pendants. Notice square look to pendants. Use that as shape inspiration for new hardware. It will subtly repeat the black and white check of your Teapot! Without being literal. I have the Mackenzie-Childs tea pot. Love them.

Remove valance and get solar shade for privacy or light control!

I would romove the window valance & maybe change the lighting & get rid of the "decor", but other than that its fine. If I were looking at that house as a buyer I would much rather have it "as is" so I can make my own changes. It's not the it's super outdated now, so why bother. As for the micro I wouldn't mess with it. Again, I have a wonderful kitchen with a microhood because that is what makes sense with our family. Most meals are cooked on the grill, crock pot, or pressure cooker. The cooktop & the micro see very little action so it works for us.

You probably don't need more advice, but here's my offering.

In the photo showing the island my eyes were drawn to the wall color which looks grey on my monitor. It picture frames the view into the dining room which looks to have either the same or a lighter grey on the wall.

I have the same granite and considered painting our small amount of wall to match the light grey in it. After a couple month's thought and consulting with my artist daughter, I chose a pale green (Valspar VR105E French Urn). The contrast makes the granite look brighter.

I agree new lighting would be nice.

Bottom line: paint the small amount of wall in a brighter color - it will still picture frame the dining room. Maybe go with brushed nickel for the knobs and drawer pulls to highlight the lighter greys in the granite. Then you can pick new pendant lights, I'd go with a clear glass to brighten the space at night.

The kitchen is beautiful. I would update the pendant lights over the island and replace the window valence. Make sure your floor is in good shape. It is easy for wood floors to become stained and worn.

Give the money to Habitat for Humanity or Syrian refugees or or or. You have a very nice kitchen which a bazillion people would be overjoyed to have.

I just bought an architect-designed 1955 house that doesnt even have a microwave and has a 24” wall oven. I’m a big cook. I’m not touching that kitchen. It’s a gem and Mark Bittman and Tom Collicchio in their lives have put out better meals in far less attractive and way less squarefootage in their NYC homes. I love what you have now and would love it years from now. What else do you like doing besides thinking about your house. Go do it.

Not to belabor the point, but this is a SITE where people are interested in improving the look or livability of their homes :). There are a lot of very talented posters here with great ideas. IMO, I agree with Beth and Flo that your island could use a refresh with a an updated shape and counter.

If you’re concerned abt resale, wait til you’re a year from the move then decide if a small investment is worth it. Looks very nice now to me. We had a similar kitchen and sold fine.

Also - 😂😂😂 “on my deathbed, wishing I had updated my kitchen to what I wanted!”

Who knows what the trend would be in 5-6 years, so don't bother. It's a nice kitchen. And if you change it into something else - white shaker or something - you could turn off other buyers - after spending $30k or so. Save your money. Give a credit if you need to (like $5k rather than $30k re-model). Save your time, hassle and money.

If you're determined to do something, paint the cabinets. I tend to think that raised panel always looks better painted. But still, not necessary. Looks like it's a well functioning kitchen, good layout, fairly recent. Don't spend money like that to chase potential buyers. A lot of natural wood is coming back into vogue. If when you go to sell it it's sitting on the market for 6 months, then re-think this advise.

I’ve sold five houses, three to the first looker, none in a hot market, none with any upgrades in order to sell. All were clean and neat with everything maintained and in working order. I bought them as nice family houses in good condition and I had a list of all repairs and improvements that we’d made while living in the house with the cost next to it and gave that out to each person who looked at the house. Houzz is a simply a website where people can see and hear opinions about house related things.

I think your kitchen is beautiful and as a buyer would probably be salivating over the gorgeous cabinets and countertops. Outside of changing out the valance and changing the wall paint color to something more harmonious - leave it alone!

Only thing I'd change is the backsplash and the over the counter lights. It's a beautiful kitchen and not worth the money to make major changes.

I would leave it & do the changes suggested by Flo.

If you're looking for a mid-range option: reface your cabinets to get a more current look, update counters, backsplash and lighting. Appliances can wait if cost needs to be spread over time.

Just to show how different everyone's taste is, I am in the camp of those who like the backsplash. I say leave it alone and let the buyer make changes that they desire. I do think Flo's idea of the solar shade instead of the valance was a simple and inexpensive practical update.

Your kitchen is beautiful. No need to spend a lot of money, I would update the counter top to quartz, change the backplash and the hardware. That's it.

I would much rather have the granite than new quartz. Even if it's a bit "out dated" a new backsplash could really change the look. Please don't waste you money changing your countertop to quartz.

My house will be on the market within 12 months (I hope). We have lived in it for 35 years and did a huge renovation with two additions (not just cosmetics but infrastructure like plumbing and electrical too) to the tune of 250,000.00 in 2003 dollars. Our kitchen (a custom job built by a cabinet maker) is seventeen years old. Will we change it ? No.

As another poster has noted, you need to know your neighbourhood. Homes are now selling in our 'hot' urban hood for over $1,000,000.00

What are they doing with them??? Knocking them down and building the McMansion of their dreams! Or if they can get the zoning they are building HUGE semi detached bunkers and selling them for a million (at least) each.

All this to say, unless YOU want a new kitchen NOW, leave it alone. Styles and tastes change. Our kitchen still holds up but it needs some updating (and new appliances)

We'll throw some 'lipstick' on it to make it suitable for sale but the cosmetic surgery I'll leave to those with the deep pockets. Hey we purchased it for 165,000.00 put a quarter million into renovations and it will go on the market for 950,000.00. Ours is a low inventory/hot market area. If they want a new kitchen they can do it themselves.

Eighteen years ago home sales depended on the RENO, the update, the swanky great room addition etc. Today in our older area its all about the 'new build'..because"we don't want to live with your icky taste, dirt, ugly old house or whatever..." but we love the prestigious neighbourhood, the lot etc. A neighbouring house (well renovated and in great shape) sold for 750,000.00 eighteen months ago and is now but a memory.

Enjoy your house, keep it well maintained and mucked out and when you are really serious about hitting the market start talking to realtors.

Get that realtor into your house for a visit about 18 months before you hope to move and ask them what is driving house sales in your market. Who are the buyers? Is it worth making changes, updating? Tell the agent you have a 10,000.00 budget(maybe you have more or less) to make the house ready for sale, where should you spend it? Barring any dangerous situations that need attending to the realtor might tell you to keep it in your pocket! You could save yourself a) money b)grief c) your marriage!!

Best of luck!!

OP hasn't been back in a week. this ship has sailed.

Your kitchen is lovely as it is. I would think condition and cleanliness (looks like you are A+ on both) trump currency of the style. Personally, as a home buyer, I would rather not pay for someone else's renovation, as the chances it would be exactly what I would have chosen are slim. My suggestion would be to make any changes that you will enjoy, yourselves, before you sell, but don't gear your reno to that "theoretical buyer" that someone else mentioned. Good luck!

First off, dysfunctional outdated kitchens hold up house sales. Clean functional kitchens in good condition that may not be someone’s taste are not deal breakers except for those homebuyers that bring their own drama to the deal, and unless you are selling in the top 25% of your region, this kitchen is great and any potential homebuyer would be comparing your home to houses with scary kitchens and houses that are obviously flipped where everything looks glossy but you know that underneath it’s a gamble. The only thing I would consider in a mid-priced neighborhood would be the backsplash, but even then, only if you are “design-restless.”

Leave your kitchen as is. Not all cabinets "Have" to be Shaker style.

Your kitchen already has a granite countertop. By the time you retire in 5-6 years, fads may change again by that time.

I just don't agree with all this nonsense -- insisted on by real estate brokers to make selling a house easier for themselves -- that sellers have to update everything in their homes. In my humble opinion, when I buy a house, I don't want to have to pay for their updating, which may not be anything near what I would have done. I'd rather buy a home that needs updating so I can get it done the way I want it.

Again, leave your kitchen as is. Use the money to update the kitchen in your next home. Best of luck, and enjoy making plans for the next change in your life.

eornato….BAM !! Totally on point !! IN MY OPINION ONLY, remember.....speaking from experience as a former BUYER, I was looking for neat, function, quality and something that had NOT been updated to "trendy standards" since trends come and go and everyone's taste is different.....

Your kitchen is gorgeous as it is !! DO NOT paint the cabinets !! What I personally see is a battle going on between "warm" and "cool".....gray does NOT go with "warm wood tones"....paint your walls a warm neutral beige tone to BLEND and COMPLIMENT the lovely backsplash tiles which DO go with your warm wood cabinets....that's a cheap fix !!

Next get rid of the "tulip" shades on island lighting...THEY are outdated, NOT the whole light fixtures ( unless you WANT to replace the whole fixture )...another cheap fix !!

"Cutesy" valances do not work in a gorgeous kitchen...remove it from over the sink....

In my HUMBLE OPINION ONLY...what your kitchen is LACKING is a "softening" accent color...the black and white checked accessories are just making it all too "cold" looking in an otherwise "warm" kitchen.....pick a SOFT color you like....a sunny yellow or pretty peach would work and accent by using floral arrangement on a counter or in center of island....soft bronze or copper for a tea kettle on stove....a green-leafed plant on a counter....you get the idea...."visually" warm up the room so it looks inviting and not "stark naked"...LOL

Also, do you really expect anyone to spend any reasonable amount of time sitting on those uncomfortable-looking stools under the island's counter top???? LOL...pick stools with a soft padded top !!

I TOTALLY agree with a previous poster who suggested IF you want to invest $$$ in this home that you will be selling, then upgrade any VITAL areas....perhaps install Generac-style "whole house generator" system so prospective buyers will know they'll be safe if the power goes out...that sort of thing......

Lastly...have PATIENCE....wait....life DOES have a way of throwing curves when we least expect it...your "plan" of selling within "x" amount of years may change in a heartbeat....Best of luck with WHATEVER your life brings in the future !!!

In our area, whole house generators rank with pools, hot tubs, and in ground irrigation systems. A seller is better off focusing on heated square feet in excellent condition. Let the buyer do the fixes.

cda1028...I hear ya, but not sure where the poster lives....I personally live in MAINE, and as I'm writing this, there are THOUSANDS that are currently without power because of high winds with storm we have right now...I'm sure they would appreciate a home with a Generac...LOL...my basic point was more of a suggestion to make sure all "operating systems" were updated rather than updating a kitchen...new homeowners usually can't afford to replace failing furnaces or hot water heaters or AC's, and if THESE type of things are "newer", it's a huge selling point...at least in MY New England area !!

That’s where the long list of improvements and replacements come in. And even at that, as a buyer I’ll ask the seller to provide a year’s Homeowner’s Warranty giving me time to prepare for the cost of major maintenance. And please, dont ever think I’m going to love your very expensive side-by-side refrigerator-freezer with ice and water on the front door. I really want your going to break any minute 20 year old top freezer frig. And in mid-Atlantic urban areas, after a hurricane, those electric crews come really fast. We might have no power and no a/c for 1-5 days but our gas grills work. The groceries sell ice. There’s water for showers. Life goes on and the days of use divided into the cost of a whole house generator aren’t a big selling point. Where we live, buyers come with $100k-$400k in equity to spend after they’ve bought their dream house here. They think they’ve moved to real estate heaven.

Unless you can't live with it....PLEASE leave it! I have looked at so many homes that have been remodeled and the price reflect it. Unfortunately, it is not my style and I am unwilling to pay to the price for someone else's style.

I cannot imagine a bigger waste of money. What ever you do they will re-do.