You need to start with the lighting. Are there LEDs under the upper cabinets? What's in the ceiling? Even if you decide to paint, you can't pick the right color without proper lighting. 4000K LEDs will give a daylight feeling 24/7 and won't make your colors change at night.

As others have said...lighting is key! Usually, a room feels dark more b/c of the lack of lighting than any other reason. Even small Kitchens with dark cabinets & counters can seem bright with adequate lighting.

You need several types of lighting...

• Under cabinet lights
• Overhead (usually recessed/canned lights)
• Task lighting -- which includes the under cabinet lighting as well as spot-lighting such as over islands/peninsulas

(All should be dimmable, especially the under cabinet lights.)

Together, they will provide a lot of light and, when done, will surprise you with how much brighter your Kitchen is.

BTW...I speak from experience...I have Absolute Black counters and dark cherry cabinets. At night, my Kitchen is at least as bright as during the day with daylight streaming into my large window. My Kitchen has never seemed dark to me. (And remember, lights can be used during the day...so it's not just nighttime when they may be needed.)

I like the idea of working with what I got and saving $$. i do like warmer tones. The grey I painted my house is more of a ”warm grey”. When we moved in, it was beige everything - doors, trim, walls, tile... felt like we lived in a sandstorm. I think it’s the dark cabinets throwing me off.. though it matches the hardwood floor we put in the living room. i like the backsplash and lighting ideas y’all suggested. We have can lighting and an under cabinet light on one section. we have refresh led 800 lumens lightbulbs. this picture shows a little more of what’s connected to the kitchen.

I agree with the above, but there are things you can do to lighten the space. The black appliances don't help. Switch them out to stainless when they break. I think taking down the two tiered peninsula will help open the space as well. If it were me, I'd leave the cabinets and replace the counters to something light. I would, however, change out the tile floor. If the floor stays, your choices are going to be limited.

if you can get more of the wood flooring i'd pull it into the kitchen. Wood has lustre...you have light. Rid yourself of the dingy tan/golds. I'd do the hardwood floor .....keep your base cabs and replace the doors on upper cabs. Get the carcasses painted a white...replace the doors to white...anything without the semi cathedral arch.......maybe glass inserted.......you have transitional space. !!!!! this will not be hard !!!!! Then the big thing is a whitish counter and coordinating backsplash. you can do these tasks in phases[ floor/upper cabs/counter] .....crisper whites with some wood in the space will be really nice. Appliances can wait but a change will happen when they die so that will help. .

Love the thoughtful advice, thank you all!

Your walls gray is neutral and works good with brown. I would replace doors with no arches ones.

A few more touch ups left, but here is the finished project! Thankful for everyone’s helpful suggestions!