the yellow wall is why you hate it. you didn't say you hate the floor and the floor works with the tile. Change yellow walls to greenish off white. Or a neutral off white. For an older kitchen its in good shape. If it were me, I'd probably add a small butcher block work cart in the floor space you have....or at least a small one under the ikea shelves by the window. You have some wall space avail you can add glass doored cabs which would be in keeping .[maybe would swap the ikea shelves for cab] The kitchen is in good enough shape to work with it ...realistically at some point either you or next owner will gut the space and renovate completely. But you have space to add some storage and a cart for more landing would help you out and not involve construction. How about some valances or prettier shades.

Floor or the wall?

You've got lots of issues with this kitchen. Not enough cabinets Is the rest of the home still in the same decade? What are your plans? What's your budget?

Is the trim tile maroon or brown? can you add a photo with daylight?

IMO the kitchen needs updating but what are you planning to do and what is the budget. We nned a floor plan to scale if you really want help in a new layout and as for the tile it’s not working for me but it won’t be a cheap quick fix to do right . Also some pictures in the daytime with the blinds up and all four walls.

That is an EXTREMELY COOL KITCHEN. The color of the accent tile doesn't need to dictate the entire color scheme. Can you change the floor? New paint color and new floor would transform it. I'd look for a cheerful, retro-looking linoleum. As to layout, hard to tell from the photos how much space you actually have, but the wall space above the oven and the small cabinet look under-utilized. That spot actually feels more like a refrigerator spot to me.

Thank you everyone for the comments! First post so should have been more specific.

1. The yellow tiles on the wall is what I am focused on right now.

- Once we can figure out what to do with that then we want to update the paint color

2. The unused space above the oven needs some attention.

3. The space above the dog bowls is also poorly used. Trying to find some good ideas for that as well.

We just moved into this space and trying to update it as much as we can without taking the wall or floor out... for now.

The main reason we are not gutting the kitchen right away is b/c we are adding a bathroom to our upstairs. The kitchen is the most out of date piece in the entire house. I am trying to find some good ideas of how to update with what is there now.

thanks again!

Maybe it's just the picture but the wall tiles look white and the wall looks yellow? Unless you mean the accent tiles which look reddish? If those tiles really are yellow I'm with you. I hate yellows, especially really light as they give that old "nicotine stained" look! What about just knocking them out and putting beadboard over that portion of the wall for now? Doesn't seem like it would be terribly expensive its not a large area to cover. I suppose if you really didn't want to try and remove the tile now you could just glue beadboard over it as a cover up, but then you'd have to do something to disguise that it isn't flush with the upper wall maybe put a narrow shelf at the top. The window ledge might be problematic if you did that though.

It's also possible to paint them though you might have to use special paint and it would probably be really nit-picky work and I wouldn't do it unless you for sure plan to take them out later.

Or just embrace the kitsch and hit up pinterest for some 50's decor ideas!

Just thinking out loud, I'm definitely not a pro!

Oh, also you could primer over your yellow paint for now while trying to decide. This will bring it to a more neutral white to help you decide what you really hate (maybe the tiles won't look so bad without the yellow wall) and you'll need to primer before changing paint color anyway.

Cut the Gordian knot. Wallpaper the kitchen with something colorful that you love. Then paint the tile with one of the colors in the wallpaper. When you are ready to remodel in 5 or so years, it will be just as easy to remove painted tile as unpainted tile. 1950's kitchens were often wallpapered with whimsical charm.

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Paint the tile. There are lots of online how-to's. Your wall tile won't get a lot of wear (unlike floor tile) or water (unlike a shower surround).

is the tile actually yellow: it looks more cream but so hard to see what's what. Cream with white cabs can lend itself to all kinds of neutrals with a bit of green or blue layered in. Like in wallpaper
as mentionned above , .or paint and textiles at the window....etc. [probably the gray window shades are really the wrong color, as well the yellow wall paint-so there's two easy changes. ]

Yes, paint the tile. This can definately be a very cute kitchen. Maybe a short peninsula to the right of the window?? (Not sure of your space/dimensions.)

Leave the tile. Either paint the walls a color close to the dark tile or the same color as the cabinets.

Brett Waterman of the HGTV channel show called “Restored” works in the Riverside County area of Southern California, known as the Inland Empire, restoring old homes to their original intended designs and appearances. You may want to look online at some of his shows for inspiration. He would keep that sink-counter unit intact, or have it cleaned up and refinished if it is worn. There are vintage shops which specialize in refurbished appliances and sinks from your home’s era.

Here's another vote for painting the walls the same color as the cabinets. Also, I find the shelving disturbingly random and unattractive. I'd remove all of it and hang another matching cabinet above the little counter next to the stove. I'm not a fan of the floor so I'd cover as much of it as possible with a pretty rug.

I think painting walls (asked before the accent color, because if brown, world is oyster in color choices, if maroon, a little more limited palette) would be huge change and way easier to switch and maintain than painting the tile. Remove the open shelving. After painting, replace the open shelves with more substantial thicker accent open shelves so more intentional looking, like warm wood. lower the floating set by dog bowls to have heighest item be visually same height as top of cabinet. Add a vent hood or tile art above stove, and maybe a rolling cart or butcher block where dog bowls are to add storage/prep space, maybe a coffee bar... depends how you use your kitchen most!

But OP despises the color of the tile, hence all the encouragement to paint it. If the wall is painted first maybe the tile color won't be despised but I don't get that feeling from the information provided by OP.

I'd start by painting the walls. Painting a wall is the easiest and cheapest DIY that you can do. I'd recommend a slightly warm white, like Sherwin Williams Ibis White. It will give you a more blank canvas to decide what really matters to you.

Whatever you decide though, as you're working through this home, keep an eye out for asbestos and lead, one 1950s homeowner to another!

P.S. Our kitchen floor was lime green asbestos tile and our countertops were mustard yellow laminate, so it could be worse!

Thank you everyone for the ideas! I think painting the tile first would be the best option! I appreciate all the feedback. Wish us luck!

Please post an update when you are ready.

What you need over the range is a vent hood! It's dangerous to breathe all the combustion products from a gas stove, especially a powerful modern one, and the best is to put in ducting to vent it out a side wall. I'd do that before anything cosmetic!

Not a Pro.

What a cool kitchen. I would keep everything as is and just paint or wall paper the walls.

Give the Cabinets a coat of White to clean them up.

Get a window treatment that incorporates all the colors.

Add an area rug to the floor, like Ruggable. It is washable.

Oh my goodness your built in sink section is beyond delightful. You must get some decent light in there with the two windows.

You don't have the top of the room in the pics, but I'm assuming from the dangles in the pics you have a light/fan combo for your main ceiling light?

Yes, you can indeed paint that tile if you don't like the current color- and do the walls to boot.

Maybe on that wall next to the window that is feeling underused to you there could be a bakers rack or another sort of cabinet or tall boy to give you some additional storage/work space. Even a nice mobile workstation could work for you.

I believe the dark color tile looks like Rootbeer from B&W. Not sure because of the dark photos. I totally agree with the comments re: sink is star and get rid of the yellow. Good luck!

Try some different lighting that will cool or warm the wall tiles so you like the color more.
Then select paint and/or wallpaper.
Add the center portable island, some undercabinet lighting and runner.
New window treatment.
UpSave $$ for future renovation