Stumbled across this and please take this advice with a grain of salt as I'm not a designer. Given what you don't want to change, I would suggest better overhead lighting with can lights to make the cabinets and the kitchen feel brighter. Note, both of your inspiration pictures have GREAT lighting! If you want to keep the wall color at that point, go ahead. If not, change it up.

If you have more $, I would swap out the countertops and backsplash. Something with a hint of green in the backsplash should work, but again, improve that lighting ASAP!

Thank you so much jmartineau! You are definitely right. Yes, I am replacing the backsplash and counter.

Can you recommend a light fixture that would go with the existing simple black chandelier I have in the eat-in portion of the kitchen?

3500-400K LEDs all around. I think your cabs can pass for light maple which is what all of these are.

Modern Kitchen with Maple Cabinets and Quartz Counters · More Info

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Parkway Cucina · More Info

Rafina Natural Maple Kitchen · More Info

Findley & Myers Soho Maple Kitchen Cabinets · More Info

Your floor looks great with the cabs. I agree about not changing. In addition to the other things you mentioned changing, I would take down the wood valence over the window to open things up. I'd also change the lighting. I'd also look at squaring off the angled cab by the doorway.

If you go for a lighter countertop and backsplash, consider painting the grout lines in the floor lighter (there is an easy to apply product to do this). Make sure when you choose your new counter, that it plays well with the floor. We often see posters here asking what went wrong in their redo and the problem is often that they changed one or two things without considering a dominant design element that was staying such as a floor.

White/gray marble look quartz tops, with a vintage white 3x6 or 4x8 subway tile or handmade subway tile. You'll need a color that will work with both your countertops and cabinets. It may need to be white....not sure about green.

For lighting, do some razor thin LED can/puck lights 4" dia. around the perimeter along with some new undercabinet tape lighting. Do both in 3500-4000 Kelvin to take away some of the warm yellowness. If you do the new LED cans....just get rid of the center room flush mount fixture. Cans and undercabinet will brighten the space a lot better!

For cabinet hardware, check out Jeffrey Alexander Belcastel series in the DACM finish....it's a gun metal or aged iron look. Won't chip like some black hardware.

https://www.amazon.com/Jeffrey-Alexander-MO6373-128DACM-Belcastel-Collection/dp/B0056EJ4J8

Find a local dealer, I bet you can find someone to sell that to you for a couple bucks less.

If you need exact 3" driling...Richelieu has one that looks a lot like Belcastel

https://www.build.com/richelieu-bp86376/s1196200?uid=2865485

I'd go with something like Costa Esmeralda for the counter. Green is perfect with what you have. Definitely a green backsplash. (I don't love your floor but it's nice in that it won't fight with what you're going for. I'd put a colorful rug on it.)

Your cabinets are really quite pretty and not at all the icky thing "pickled oak" brings to mind. Call them "cerused" and they are instantly better. :)

I am not a pro and I am biased towards green. Almost everything is better with green.

sorry, but this

is nothing, like this. this is lovely wood w/the green tiles. this would not look like this in your kitchen.

you are posting pictures of natural white oak cabs w/no pink undertones. these aren't like yours.

your pinkish tile floor only further highlights the pink undertones of your cabinets.

(I used to have those exact color cabs and similar mauve tiled floors. Back in 1999).

I get you like the green w/your whitewashed red oak,and the right shade could possibly work, but you're being unrealistic w/your inspo photos.

I posted some better colors further down. green just isn't the right shade here.

I would love some opinions on how to make the this kitchen less out of date and still keep the cabinets as is.

Do you see a lot (or any, for that matter) of updated photos that have these vintage pickled oak cabinets? No? That's because they are no longer in style. I seriously cannot find one photo of these cabinets in an otherwise updated kitchen.

You are asking how to update the kitchen. Right now, it screams 1997, right down to the garden window (which I also had. You and I had great taste 30 years ago!)

**see the very last photos for a mostly updated pickled oak kitchen.

To start, try a diff ceiling light in something from this decade. 3-4 lights would be great w/a temp of 3500-4000K

Youre already changing the hardware. great.

Remove the plates from atop the cabinets.

Your pale linen wall color looks very yellow in your photo. is that what it looks like IRL?

Sorry, but that tile floor is just dated.

There is nothing you can do to change that fact. I'd get a large sisal or jute rug and cover a lot of it.

sisal rug and new light.

I actually think these colors and accessories would look a lot better than what you have (unless the lighting is really altering that wall color in the photo)

And, if you could refinish those cabs to this natural tone, hurrah!

If you won't paint those cabs, then why not remove the pickling from them? have the cabinets refinished to a more natural color, or a slightly darker stain, maybe like these

same cabinets

stain redone on the pickled.

These are natural cherry, so they do have a slight pink undertone like your red oak. if they refinished yours w/a similar stain color, you could get this look.

this is why they say no green. here's green walls w/the same pickled oak. they have it on the backsplash too. Horrid looking.

I'd forgo the green tile, and go for something like in these pics if you must keep everything.

these are the colors you need w/your cabs.

The wood floors look beautiful w/this kitchen and the pickled oak. the darker charcoals look so much better w/this combo than any greens.

did you see this post? look at the diff the right colors and flooring make w/these cabinets.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/506977/pickled-oak-cabinets-has-me-in-a-pickle-over-wall-color

Why are you so attached to the floor tiles? Too expensive to replace or you just don't want to? You can paint over ceramic tiles, so that's an option.

I don't mean to sound harsh, so don't take it that way. I'm just being honest and straightforward.

People want to update but I don't think they realize everything that goes along with it.

If the strongest offenders are the cabinets and the floors, changing out a few other items isn't going to make those less 'offensive'. (in style).

You have pink tile and pink undertoned wood cabinets. That's just the truth.

Your cabinets COULD work, if you changed out this floor. between the two items, the floor is the worst one in the equation. The cabinets I think we could work with, bringing in other elements, textures and colors.

Part of the reason for people hating on pickled oak is that it frequently ended up looking pink. Your cabinets don't look very pink in the pictures - do they look more pink in person? Your floor looks a little pink, however. But once again, I'm not sure how it looks in person. I don't recommend putting new flooring on top of what you have. The previous owners of our house did that and the dishwasher is trapped. We can't get it out to service it without breaking off the legs and then it won't be able to be put back. We couldn't get a new one in the space either.

If the cabinet boxes are in good shape you could always look into refacing later. That way you could do what you're already planning to do now and do refacing later to spread out the expense. However, if you are happy with how it turns out with your current plans then you're done. Don't worry too much about what is in or out - in another five years some other trend will have taken hold.

Beth's comments may seem a bit harsh, but there is a lot of truth in them. However, it's easy for us to say these things as it isn't our home (previous choices that we're wed to) and we're not putting up the money for them.

With so many comments, I would step back and think about whether you can do a number of updates at one time or whether financial considerations require you to phase it in.

Regarding the floor, if it's going to stay then it's critical to make sure your other changes make it look better and more cohesive with the kitchen. I would consider painting or even a bit of whitewashing on the cabinets possibly.

Really nice kitchen. Like the cabinets as is. Keep the wall color you like -- your kitchen should reflect your own personal taste. You might consider any replacement knobs and pulls an opportunity to add color rather than using any with a dark finish -- or, my personal preference, choose stainless steel for both knobs and pulls since your appliances are that.

If you're choosing a white (perhaps with some gray or blueish color or tan color) marble countertop, you might consider choosing the lightest colors from within the countertop that you like for your backsplash color ... but then add accent tiles within your backsplash. For instance, you could use a tile color from your flooring (or use your new wall color to create a square or other shape on the wall above your stove (centered between stove and hood). If you already know with certainty that you're using a specific space in the backsplash for hanging something (such as a knife holder that displays a treasured set), then you could create an accent bar there.

Personally, I'd not want a shiny backsplash, especially a white one, with the neutral flooring. Do consider both flooring and countertop as well as your new wall color as you choose your backsplash color and take into account your own personal taste as to how the colors work together as well.

If you want more color options for your countertop that will (more dependably) be exactly what you select -- which marble might not be unless you see the specific stone you're purchasing (every stone varies in color) -- you might consider Corian countertops ... a bit easier on the budget than marble, too.

Do take your time and enjoy the hunt for your kitchen upgrade -- and do post after pics.

Thanks to everyone for their input! I truly appreciate it.

Cost is the major factor here - this (yes it is) pink/cream/taupe ceramic tile runs through a huge part of my main floor and it's tens of thousands to replace...just way too far out of the budget. I completely agree that the floor is the worst thing in the equation ... if only I had a magic wand! I have considered painting the floor, but I have a big family and vacuum/steam clean my floors constantly. We'd wreck the paint in no time, I suspect.

Same for refinishing the cabinets ... I might consider doing it myself at some point but not in the next 3 years at least due to family demands. I would prefer not to paint, but refinish them to be a medium toned wood (like my inspiration photos or this one from Beth).

Re: the paint color, it does appear yellow in the picture but is very green IRL. I wonder if starting with the lighting and taking it from there makes sense.

I will post after pics ... once I figure out what to do! Thank again!

In our last home we had a large home office with a huge, tall wall of custom bookcases (complete with a rolling ladder) a massive desk, and you guessed it, they were all this pink pickled oak. There was also a red oak floor with a cherry stain, lots of shiny gold hardware. (It was this way when we bought it, and to top it off, the previous owners had painted the walls crayola crayon orange!) We did a TON of gut job remodeling in this home over the 9 years we lived there, but we never did get around to restaining that pickled oak. However, I did decide to paint the walls a very nice blue color (one with a lot of grey in it) and we changed most of the shiny gold hardware to an aged bronze look (all except for the rolling ladder hardware, just never got to changing that out) and I threw an area rug on the floor and suddenly you hardly noticed all of that pink picked oak or the harsh red tones of the floor. It just looked like a pleasant home office with an impressive library. The oak still looked pink, but it was no longer this glaring thing with those grey blue walls. We didn’t have aged bronze hardware in any other part of our home, but it looked right in that room. We held up silver hardware colors to that pickled oak, but we didn’t think it looked right. When we put that home on the market last year we had security cameras and could hear what potential buyers were saying during showings... not one person ever made a negative remark about all that pink pickled oak, though we certainly heard some remarks about some other things. (Listening to that isn’t for the faint of heart, lol! We heard a lot of nice things too... but people can be brutal when they don’t realize they’re on camera. LOL!)

Wow ... I can imagine those comments might be interesting! Too funny. I can picture your room and I "see" what you mean ... but I don't think with the amount of cooking and mess on my kitchen floor that I can cover it with a rug (I have a lot of kids helping me cook!). One thing this discussion has convinced me of is that the problem is the floor. So sad, because there is no way I will succeed in convincing the hubs to rip it out! But I could do a few very washable area rugs in the kitchen ... and I am also thinking I may have to go back to quartz, not granite. It may just be too busy in this kitchen. Thank you everyone!

I think I may go ahead with the plans I had for backsplash, hardware, and countertop changes (and some lighting too!), with the ultimate plan of refinishing the cabinets to a warmer and browner color (i.e., the first, fourth (from top) pictures, or the pic below). I don't see us ever changing the floor - it is just too overwhelming and expensive, and there's nothing actually wrong with it other than a dated color.

This pic below is helpful because it also has a quite similar pink in the floor.

Thanks to everyone! It'll take me awhile but I will post pics!

Everyone here is aware that changing all that tile will be a HUGE expense. Two thoughts: one, reconsider painting the floor. There are special paints that you use because ordinary paint will never, ever stay pretty. You can repaint just the kitchen in the same way people just tile a kitchen with an all-wood-floor house.
Two, consider some of the darker color @Beth H posted to complement your existing floor and cabinets. You may see less pink with darker countertop and walls.
Get some poster board and paint and try both the blue/gray idea from @skmom and the darker colors from Beth. And whites of course.
I’m not convinced white is the answer, even after you change the lighting (which we all agree is first on the list).
Keep us posted.

If your pics are truly reflective of the colors you are dealing with then I think your cabinets are great and I like the idea of a paint and splash with green undertone. Just wait three years from now until these cabinets are all the rage and you’ll get a long list of replies telling you to keep them.

Start gathering tile samples, counter samples, and paint colors and playing around. You have a lot of counter space. If you are on a budget, I’d consider something less expensive than granite.

Wow! Looks fantastic! Your new countertop is perfect, and you did a great job with the backsplash. Your daughter gets a lot of credit for spotting that stone!

Thanks for posting the update. I’m sure you’re pleased with your “new” kitchen.

Your new granite and the backsplash tile is really beautiful and seems to "fit". I'd have been so lost dealing with the undertones! I really like how varied the tile is, while still being subtle and understated.

Wow! That granite is gorgeous and looks great with the backsplash. Nicely done...enjoy!

Very nice. The last touch would be to remove Victorian ceiling light and replace with something with black in it.

Looks great! Not every update needs to break the bank…I love your stone as I’m over plain white counters. Enjoy your kitchen

Wow! Your kitchen has turned out beautiful, and your granite is drop dead gorgeous!!! Great job! And thanks for posting an update!

gosh that looks terrific!! So fresh and inviting -you must be thrilled! thanks for the update it is so satisfying to live vicariously through other people's progress :)

I like that granite and tile. everything seems to tie in very nicely.

It's no problem to switch out the boob light for something else. it will look nicer and give you more light

look for something a bit larger. flush or semi flush mount will be fine.

Are you thining about painting over the yellow? since you have more of the whites/blues now, why not try a soft white wall color?

or, this pale blue might look nice up against your blue/white plates.

or what about a very light gray that works w/the cabs/granite?

Beth- can you tell me a while back a tip for doing a herringbone pattern in a room. Where do you start the herringbone pattern what was your hot tip?!?

Im so sorry for crashing your thread.

Kim, find the 45 degree end of your tile w/a speed square. (ignore the cutting part) from that 45 triangle, find the center of that by rotating your square.

This is really hard to explain in writing. the middle of the 45 degree center end will go on the center line:

(if you just put your corner of the tile on the center, like most do, you will not have symmetry. this way is how you get equal cut sides.) center line is the middle spot, or the line your choose to start your design. you will put your center point of your tile (45 degree end) on that line. if you notice, all 3 lines are equal parts to the end of the tile. the left line is where you start your next row of tile. you maintain this all the way down (never side to side) To stay on a 45 use the speed square to start. Use this w/each piece laid to make sure you dont' waver.

(but if your chalk lines are dead on, you shouldn't have to. it's always a good idea to use it w/tile though since you will have grout lines. flip the square into the corner of the two tiles as you lay them downward.

this is my inlay herringbone in a zellige tile:

side to side, top/bottom, everything is exactly the same. (you will also need to have a tile where the length is divisible by the width. ie, 2x10, 3x9, 2x8, etc.

let me know when you copy this and I'll erase it from this post!

Your kitchen looks so nice now.

It might be the lighting but I think I agree with Beth that a different wall color will really enhance.

Either way, it looks so nice.

I was thinking blue on walls before I even read Beth’s comment. Beautiful stone!

Bravo!!! This is a fantastic update, bridging your taste and the existing features of the kitchen beautifully. Thanks so much for sharing your After photos. I love that your kitchen is a more attractive version of itself, not a mishmash of old and new.