Thank you for the advice. I definitely plan on changing out the lighting as well as stove and ventilation. On top of that, new flooring, cabinets and sink/hardware.

Is that the fridge in that back room? If so, I would bring it out into the kitchen and put some cupboards in that room, like a pantry. Running in there every time you need something out of the fridge seems like a waste of foot steps and time.

2 of my favorite things in my kitchen when we redid it are the many drawers and the pull out trash can cupboard. I hated having an open trash can in the kitchen.

Is this your home home. Do you plan to move after this one?
If this is going to be your forever home. ( that term is so overused but it is what it is:)
I would start slow and invest in good materials. Rather than cheaping out and doing the ‘whole’ space.
I also think possibly removing some walls. (Eek) would make a big difference.
Hopefully they’re not load bearing.
Thoughts? What do you think of the above?

I don’t know if this will be my forever home. I am in the process of moving in. I think I’ll need to come up with a color scheme before I do anything. The adjacent rooms are a light beige which I don’t like. I agree with good materials. The refrigerator isn’t there yet.

I definitely need to look at some galley kitchen ideas. Knocking out the wall is ideal but out of my budget.

That light fixture seems to be doing a decent job, so it would be lower on my priority list - depending what is above the ceiling, though, changing out to another type of lighting eventually might not be that difficult or costly. For now make sure that the bulbs are 3000-4000k LED, which is easier on the eyes.

If you can't stand the walls and want to freshen them up right away, I would go with a warm toned white (not distinctly cream, but something that reads white but isn't true or stark white). This neutral background will be plain, but will play well with the cabinets and floors and give you space to think about other color schemes. Lowes, Home Depot, and other paint retailers usually have sales on holiday weekends.

What is your budget for kitchen changes? I think that will be the biggest determining factor in what you do with the space. Doing a complete remodel with new cabinets, flooring, countertops, appliances is not going to be cheap. But if you want to completely redo the kitchen, that's probably what is necessary.

If you are trying to keep the budget low and are open to keeping things, you might consider just replacing the countertops and hardware. The cabinets are pretty cool looking to my eye, but the faux wood laminate countertops are not doing them any justice. The layout looks pretty functional.

I’m thinking up to $10,000 maximum. Someone suggested keeping the cabinets but painting them and getting new cabinets doors and hardware. I’ll definitely be getting new countertops and flooring.

"I don’t know if this will be my forever home. I am in the process of moving in. I think I’ll need to come up with a color scheme before I do anything."

My advice is to live there a while before embarking on major kitchen changes. This time will allow you to notice what works for you and what doesn't work for you in the space (be it in terms of flow/layout, materials, lighting, colours, etc.). At the same time, as others have suggested, browse inspo pics to see what truly appeals to you. Decor can do a lot to transform a space! Ideas for renters often offer affordable ideas for big impact. Check out Apartment Therapy and the like.

You might be able to do a lot with 10K, depending on where you live. Shop hard once you have a plan. Labor is generally the most expensive part.

Do some pricing on the various options for the cabinets - Ikea (if nearby) vs. refacing vs. paint (if you hire someone to paint, and this might include adding molding to the plain fronts for a different look. You can make them look like shaker for example).

Don't forget to add in the cost of removal and installation to your comparison - and of perhaps adding great features like drawers, or rollout shelves. If they are good solid cabinets and they are removed carefully, they can often be sold to help pay for replacement.

You don't have a lot of counter, I think, so you might be able to find some deals by looking for remnants, or prefab, or a sale, or a discontinued/last in warehouse slab.