it's really traditional. With thinner transitional hardware in satin nickel..say for starters and a newer stainless hood you start to move away from traditional. And if you keep going w quartz and subway backsplash you are really undoing the traditional. BUT does that really work in the setting??? traditional light fixture /faucet/molding/ and glazing --- all present here , in the same vein. Just fear it can become a mish mash. I guess an inspiration image or two might help and more about the property overall. I'd want to do something but not sure what. and its still in good shape which oddly makes it more difficult. Let's see what good thinkers offer.

All very good points! We would address the other traditional items you mentioned, updates to the light fixtures and faucet. It is a traditional home and we're hoping to make it feel a little less formal...transitional vs. traditional. Adding some inspiration photos that I found here as well.

Sudbury Kitchen · More Info

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what's wrong w/the current granite? it goes perfectly w/the cabinets.

Honestly, I couldn't pick a better countertop to work w/those cabinets and your flooring
except maybe this Bianco Avion marble. this would look beautiful. you could do a soft white/gray marble or tile splash, and change out the hardware to nickel

Removing that behemoth vent enclosure will make a world of diff.

if you want a backsplash, do a simple, thinner subway tile, and new hardware.

Now, if you really want a change, remove all of the ornate trim/molding, and reface your cabinets, have it all painted in a nice white. (or whatever color you like). Glazed cabs w/that Tuscan style, just aren't done anymore. It's 20 years old.

Reface and paint.

That's how to get the biggest bang for you buck.

You have bright white and off-white-with-a-glaze, which already clash a bit. Once you decide on new counters which work with your glazed cabinets, use the same material for the backsplash.

chtiller-

can you please upload more photos of your kitchen?

Also, what type of backsplash do you have now? What is the backsplash behind your cooktop?

goal is "less formal" then, Okay...hands down..work on island. Make it inviting warm and a destination. Cant see it all. Wood top...change the light fixture. maybe paint island... Is overhang present...get new stools.... lots of ways to draw people in/ ambience is created w island. Hope you have space there to work w it. You could leave perimeter granite w change up to island top. but maybe saving granite is no biggie for you and ?fatigue? w it ...is part of this.

Attaching more photos of the current kitchen. Behind the sink is a raised bar and we want to lower it to counter height. The current countertop color is too dark for my liking. My hope is to find a brighter countertop color without having to repaint the cabinets. Overall goal is "less formal." There is currently no backsplash, just paint. Thanks to everyone who has commented so far. All helpful points of view!

I think the granite is perfect. But if you must do it to lower the bar overhang, then look at Cristallo, or the Bianco Avion marble.

few others, Shadow Storm, or Princess White Granite

This is porcelain and runs about $2200 for the entire slab. fabrication/install, another 2-3

Quartz? Cambria weybourne would match your glazing

Expect to pay about 6-8K for these last two quartz options.

Lighting-if you want less formal, get diff island light (do a few pendants) ,

remove your vent hood (like you said you were) and do the white tile splash. it will lighten up that countertop considerably.

Bring in some nice milk glass or some other decorative pottery for that shelving.

I'd also switch your faucet to a nickel, brushed nickel hardware, and consider doing the built-in appliances to SS.

I'm just trying to save you 5-8K you'll spend on a countertop.

Try the easier fixes first.

here are some white backsplash tiles

will look like this when you get it all in

here are the glazed cabs w/all of the SS and brushed nickel hardware. consider doing some glass in the upper doors

did you ever have stools? how deep is overhang? you need clearance behind. ...extending overhang on end gives a seat maybe so 3 seats total but clearance looks to be lacking.. New fixture above island. Best is to take out vertical oven stack..maybe range w hood then replace w 12 in deep cabinets then stools may work. You can make a case for taking this kitchen apart ... so wait and hear the ideas. Maybe one or two are possible. More I look it's just a work kitchen....do you have a social space nearby for sitting and eating. do you want something like that. That's why this feels formal...no place to congregate. I think you have to really sit down and figure this out in the context of the spaces and lifestyle going forward/plans for living here/budget etc.

I also really like the countertop. Works great with the cabinets and also very practical as the different colors and veins it it will help to hide any little slips and crumbs and stains.

Another big reason for redoing countertops is to lower this bar height section to countertop. This would be the primary seating area, other than the breakfast area as pictured here from another vantage point. We're wanting to tackle everything in one fell swoop rather than doing backsplash now, counters later, etc.

I don't know what type of vent hood you want.

When your original kitchen was designed, they should have painted the mantel shelf to match the rest of the kitchen, and the same for the shelves and the back of the shelves.

I would get that taken care of now.

If you are taking down the entire unit over your cooking surface, then you don't have to worry about that.

A copper hood would look gorgeous in your kitchen.

Or if not an all copper hood, then stainless hood with copper strapping.

The copper will carry through the color of your beautiful floors.

I would replace the chandelier.

You could also replace the countertops with a lighter granite of your choice.

Your backsplash could be square tiles of porcelain in an off white hue to go with your granite.

I would use those same square tiles set on a diagonal (that way they look like diamonds) behind your range.

I would not be happy with those open shelves. Not only are they dust catchers, they seem unfinished. I would want doors on those with glass with or without some sort of molding/fretwork over the glass. You can use a photo editing program to decide which you like better.

I would also re-think the overhang on the island.

I may be mistaken, but it doesn't seem that there is enough of an aisle between the island and that side and the appliances on the other.

It looks like if someone is sitting at the island, they would be uncomfortably close to that hot oven and in the way of someone taking something out of the microwave.

Are you moving into this house or is it your house and you just feel like a re-do?

Are you happy with the current sink?

Can you manage with one oven?

If you think you want more than one oven, this is the time to figure this out.

IMO, I would not change your current granite, it’s perfect. Spend money instead on getting your cabinets professionally painted a nice dove white color and get rid of the glazed look. Just like your Subury kitchen inspiration photo. Then simple off white tile to match the new cabinet color.

Mel-

the OP said she didn't want to change her cabinets.

Understood loobab. Just giving the OP something to consider.

Work on the whole layout. Don’t spend money on new countertops. If you want to knock it all out at once, get a better layout while you’re at it. The granite you have looks good with your cabinets. If you go much lighter and brighter it’s going to be too white for your cabinets. And you’re going to have locked in those cabinets and that layout beneath thousands of dollars of stone.