Spend all of your budget on better lighting.

Any examples you can provide for what I should be aiming to purchase?

Before making any other decisions, please improve your lighting....consider professional advice.

Good lighting will be worth every penny you spend.

An induction range will be a major improvement in performance. I would go slide-in. Frigidaire(here) at a lower price point or Bosch 800(here) for more money. Cookware needs to be magnetic. Cast iron, Ikea or Costco are sources for pans. Frigidaire has a good freestanding model(here). Not as upscale.

people often don’t know what their missing in terms of lighting until they have it. Which is why it’s brought up.

Consider a new laminate counter top as the current one looks like faux wood and the wood flooring doesn't help it. Don't do a 4" lip and instead install a backsplash (DIY project?) and maybe in a fun color to add some personality to the space. Back splash is chosen after the counter though. If a back splash isn't in the budget, focus on the counter first and get the paintbrush out and paint the area as others have suggested. And yes, a slide-in range is a something to consider, even if you have to wait a few months more to save for one.

Can you post a photo of your overhead light when it isn't on so we can see it better.

Your floors look really pretty! I would consider replacing the counter top with a new laminate counter--maybe in a marble look, or something light that you like. After that, consider keeping the counters cleaned off (hide any appliances if you can) and decorate to bring in some personality. Something green (a plant), a nice wooden cutting board, etc. If you want to go further you could add molding to the cabinets to give them more of a shaker look and paint them. Check out this before and after: https://www.thekitchn.com/budget-diy-kitchen-makeover-before-after-22963740?amp=1

Lighting. spend the money on an electrician who can install some recessed lighting for you.

right now, those cabinets look like inexpensive MDF(fiberboard). there is really nothing you can do to make those look better

Although, these are similar cabs. if you wanted to paint all the walls white, do some cheap white subway tile, do open shelving and bring in a white formica countertop, you could have something like this

I'd prob remove the piece that goes across the window, remove those curtains, and do some type of inset blind. and perhaps do a pendant light over the sink.

like this

removing that trim piece will open up the window. removing that curtain will also visually open the space. you can find inexpensive roman blinds, or even make your own ( lots of tutorials online) Find an inexpensive pendant light and replace that flush mount light that's there now.

or, if you really don't need a blind, you could do something like this too.

bring in a small area rug or a runner w/some color

paint the walls around the cabinet a diff color.

I wouldn't waste any money redoing the countertop. when it's time for new cabs, the countertop will be trashed.

Save up until you have enough for a redo. Ikea can be an affordable choice.

here are similar shaped kitchens that would work in your space

Agree to leave the counter. Use the space as then you will discover the inadequate things to be part of a bigger redo . It’s a perfectly neutral space with storage but may be lacking base drawers Or the optimal kind of storage for a med sized space. There are 2 or 3 corners the way it wraps and corner set ups have to be correct otherwise straight runs w stacks of drawers will be a better arrangement , but these are things that take time to figure out. Just use the space .

What is your budget for changes? What kind of hardware did you order?

I would add a pretty printed roman shade to the window and remove the trim between the window cabinets. If that's a light fixture way above the sink at the ceiling, replace it with a pendant with a pretty glass shade. Add a colorful runner in front of the sink and find a canvas print that you like to hang at the end of the cabinets to cover up the phone jack.

A new stainless stove and range hood will definitely help pull things together.

Thanks everyone for the feedback! I will definitely look at removing the trim between the window cabinets, buying a roman shade and adding a canvas to cover telephone jack. Also will look at stainless stove and range hood.

While counters would be nice, I'm in agreement that I should wait until we are ready for new cabinets as well to do everything at once. While clean, the style and material are not timeless (nor do I love them) so counters wouldn't meet all my wishes. For now, it can be functional and I'll save for my dream kitchen.