What's working for you and what's not? What's your budget? "Updating" a kitchen can have such wide-ranging repercussions....! Best to know the project scope.

Layout works for us-but kitchen cabinets seem a bit dated. Do I paint them? Add glass doors to match rain glass in doors over peninsula? Really just looking to freshen-up the space.

We are in a similar dilemma: we had the island painted, counters replaced, lighting redone, new appliances... The red birch cabinets/island was painted white and was supposedly ‘factory-finish’ and it is just not the same as if we had bought them from the factory painted from what I can tell after 2 years. Yet I am curious what others will recommend!

I wouldn't paint the cabinets unless I loathed them. Why? Usually expensive to do it well for possibly iffy outcome. (Bias disclosure: I'm a fan of maple - I have maple slab doors in my kitchen with a purple counter so... ;-)) That said, I have seen designers suggest new cabinet doors on older cabinets. Don't know how that works for cabinet sides. Even if you painted your cabinets, the doors would still have the arch which is not a currently adored style.

My first thoughts:

Remove the cabinets above the peninsula (but then what to do with the angled corner cabinet?) - that's a "dated" layout element in a kitchen. But if the storage is appreciated?

New counter stools (perhaps upholstered? soft green to complement the violet?)

Change the light fixtures to something opaque because my glass fixtures are a pita to keep clean. :P

I notice your doors have no hardware. That might be something "new" to add. (I wouldn't as I like the no hardware look.)

Pros will ask for more pictures to see the other walls. Do you have space for a larger island, for example? Would that be something useful to you?

Pros will also suggest changes as long as your arm. All good as long as you have the time, money and energy for it. :)

We’ve thought about that too! But storage it supplies is essential. The peninsula is my baking counter, with all baking stuff-different pans, mixers etc in under counter cabinets. We are the family gathering house (when it’s safe to do that again😷). Glass upper peninsula cabinets have platters, cake stands, etc I use regularly. We’ve thought about removing the raised part of the peninsula, but not sure it’s worth the cost.

Glass upper peninsula cabinets have platters, cake stands, etc I use regularly. We’ve thought about removing the raised part of the peninsula, but not sure it’s worth the cost.

This is what I mean about wide-ranging repercussions. You'd need to find alternate storage for these items (or if you're lucky, a simple purge and relocate would work). One change in the kitchen can ricochet across a whole house. HU-1875 mentioned changing the flooring. I'd do that as well in my own tiled kitchen if I had the money. Your flooring expands into just the other room or the whole floor?

Marble in kitchen, large breakfast/dining room and arch leading to family room.

I would look at replacing the island with a more substantially sized, painted one. This would be a great first step that would add more function and work space to the kitchen. I would suggest installing a lighter colored, solid surface counter top. Paint the island a color to flow with the dining room. Install a 2-3 light fixtures above the newly installed island. Next, I would remove the hanging cabinet over the current pennisula.

kitchen isn't bad. I'd say redo the countertops for an updated appearance, along w/the backsplash, but you say you like it.

So, not sure what else you want to do to update, since that would be the one that thing that would do it.

(some mention painting the cabs, but if you are dead set on keeping that granite, then I wouldn't spend the money on painting those cabs (which would be well above 5K. And, refacing them would be the best option if painting since the arch really dates the doors. I had mine painted and refaced, which wasn't that much more.

But, if you paint the cabs, then things are going to snowball. A white paint wouldn't look very goo w/the granite or the floor tile. I wouldn't advise painting them a greige or a gray either.

an off white? meh. not sure how that would look w/that granite!!

But If you do paint, I'd strongly recommend changing the granite. IT's the ONE thing in there that dates that kitchen!

the hanging uppers ? I'd lose those, but you say you need them.

the following are just tricky-tack things that would help out a tiny bit.

No hardware for the cabs? At the very least install some pulls.

You could enlarge the island a bit, but I do like the butcher block. the base could be a bit heavier though.

recessed lighting would be a bonus, even though I do like your lights. you just need more.

A counter depth fridge would streamline that area so that it's not so prominent.

a kitchen runner

There's definitely a yellow color palette going on which can look sort of blah and dingy. Might suggest replacing the flooring with wood or engineered wood. The idea of rugs and runners sounds good in theory but they are gonna get awfully dirty in the kitchen with dropped food and moisture being ground into them. Hate to suggest painting real wood cabinets but these could certainly use some updating. Perhaps stripping and staining instead of out and out painting them. Pickling is a favorite technique for me as it can significantly lighten cabinetry while allowing wood grain to still show through. Would definitely suggest new lighting fixtures including well spaced recessed downlights to brighten the place up. Do like that you have some glass fronted (and some backed) cabinets. Just not sure I like the patterned glass currently installed. Might suggest replacing with another pattern or perhaps just flat glass. Good luck!

To me, what’s dating the kitchen are the cabinets over the peninsula and the shelf above the window. I would remove those two features and then declutter. Also think about what you display in the cabinets with the glass fronts. I think this adds to the clutter. Next I would focus on styling the kitchen. Add a rug, a bowl of green apples, add cutting boards, and add a vase of fresh or faux greenery. Check Pinterest, YouTube and Instagram for ways to style your countertops. I would try these inexpensive “fixes” first before deciding to proceed further with any other improvements to the kitchen. Good luck and keep us posted.

There’s an article posted today on Houzz “The Top 10 Kitchen Photos So Far in 2021”. Check out how they styled the countertops in those pictures. You’re kitchen is not bad, it just needs some tweaking.

Our kitchens are very similar and I just started a post, “Painting cabinets, changing counters and backsplash “. I received a lot of great advice that you might want to look over.

I love my wood floors and I think wood would look nice in your kitchen.

Lol, I just ordered bar stools identical to yours!

I just read that curves are trending this year so I am holding out hope that the arched doors come back around. I think I am going to live with mine awhile.

We have decided to replace counters and backsplash with a lightly veined white quartz, then we will evaluate

the next changes.

I think your kitchen is fine and functional. The lighting could be updated.