I’m hoping this photo of over-saturated and the kitchen is not this intensely red.

I agree with all the comments and Jan’s budget approximation. Let us know what your budget is. Condo rules make this slightly harder than if it were a free standing house, but it’s all doable. Living with a painted un-tiled backsplash is perfectly fine.

I think you can do counters for less than $8k. I recently had corian counters installed and I love them. Mine were half the size of yours and cost $1400k and I live in Manhattan where everthing costs more. Instead of a tile backsplash I had a 5” corian splash installed.

One issue with your kitchen is the arched ceiling and how it makes everything feel a bit squished together. I think it would open up the space to have solid color counterd (whenever you decide to replace) and either no backsplash or the same splash as counter.

I’d also consider not hangi g lights in the archway. Maybe replace with some small recessed LED light instead.

Good advice here. I’d live with it (mostly) while working out the budget, seeing how the layout works for you, and learning condo rules. I would paint the tile splash right away to save my sanity though. It’s getting torn out anyway, someday.

Agree.

I love cherry cabinets; and if the cabinets are in good shape - plus a bit less flaming red than these pics are showing - that is great.

The cabinet color is not bad ... it's just STRONG, and it's hanging out with unfortunately chosen friends.

I recently had corian counters installed and I love them.

That's exactly what I'd choose for this kitchen: simple, basic, solid color.

One issue with your kitchen is the arched ceiling and how it makes everything feel a bit squished together ... I’d also consider not hangi g lights in the archway. Maybe replace with some small recessed LED light instead.

I like the arched ceiling -- it's an unusual feature.

I absolutely think the OP needs hanging pendants in the arch.

My kitchen was painted with Behr Eggshell type paint in SW Antique White. I love it. It cleans easier than any backsplash ever has.

As I mentioned, I don’t have access yet but will take a photo when I can. Unfortunately the picture is pretty accurate. These do not look like cherry cabinets. Ultra glossy. I heard the owner was a boater and these might be the kind used on boats.

@cbnie Hard to suggest what color for new handles when we all think this might be an oversaturated realtor's photo. If you've got cherry cabinets, the darkest finish I would consider would be oil rubbed bronze. But once we see the real color, you might look at brushed brass or gold. When do you move in? Can you get access now to get a better shot of this room?

Agree wtih @Sherry8aNorthAL on SW Antique White. It's warmer than white-white and would look good with cherry cabinets. My entire house is that color because I have a lot of warm walnut wood trim everywhere.

There is no way for us to know the real story with these cabinets from these photos.

Personally, I have no problem with cherry wood on boats.

BUT - I get the sense that you do not like these cabinets - so just reface them. I would say forget spending the money to paint them all, because I don’t know how well these cabinets will take paint. So at least get new doors. If you want white - get white. Keep the granite.

I really love the bold and color. But seriously no like at all for the backspash. That needs to be blanked out. I love the pendants, but they are also overkilling. Something more subtle there.

If the PO was a boater, the cabinets might be mahogany.

African mahogany:

There are budget friendly options for the rest of us that don't have $20-100,000 for a kitchen remodel. Go ahead, throw your spears, but you could tile over the back splash if it is in good shape. I don't know your skill level, but a stone colored subway tile that pulls from the color in the granite (and plays well with the floor) might work. A do it yourself job would be a few hundred. Maybe you have a handy relative? Or, as has been suggested, paint the tile! It will be an improvement.

New pulls in brushed nickel? $50 from Amazon for enough for a small kitchen. The lights? New glass shades from Lowes that fit with the current fixture could be $25 each.

There is also the option to use something like a gel stain (General Finishes) over your cabinets. Again, it depends on your budget and your skill level. I do suspect that the lighting of your photos is making the cabinets look more red than in person. A glaze might just tone those puppies down.

Taking a closer look at the pictures and the shape of the door near the edge, I think these may be a high gloss thermofoil door - not wood at all. Not sure how easy they would be to try to paint , if you go that direction.

You haven't even lived in here yet. I wouldn't do anything big up front. Take down the splash and paint the wall for now. Then live there for 6 months before deciding your next step.

Good luck!

Difficult to suggest a backsplash if you intend to replace the countertop in 2 years or so. Perhaps you should simply remove the backsplash and repair and paint the wall the same colour as your walls and choose a backsplash when you replace the countertop.

If you still decide you want a tile backsplash now, I would go for black or white as shown below for more flexibility when you choose a new countertop.

As for the pulls, I suggest you replace them with a more modern looking style in a brushed nickel or aluminium finish, pendants can be either a brushed silver finish or black.

Thank you; very helpful

If the kitchen is cherry, look for matching wood hardware. My former kitchen was cherry and I found wood knobs that were the exact same color. I used them for a long time, but when I got tired of them I got brushed nickel. Since we are trying to “tone down” the room, maybe this idea should be considered. (?)

Finally got a chance to get some more realistic photos. What a difference! I feel like I need a whole new conversation about these cabinets, countertop and backsplash.

Not nearly as eye catching as the earlier photo. I would just paint the backsplash to match the walls and enjoy my new home.

So it looks like your cabs are Brazilian cherry - very handsome! The culprit is still that backsplash. If it were my place, I would look into a DIY paint job. Paint it white to make it disappear.

Agree…paint the backsplash, something neutral, live with it for awhile. Lovely kitchen!

Oh my, what a difference indeed. Those are much lovelier than the real estate photos show. A lot less... flaming, lol. Still the backsplash is a no and still blank it out. And still swap out the lights and cabinet hardware.

^ yes to changing backsplash, hardware and lighting - congrats on the new place!

The cabinet hardware reflects the stainless appliances…not bad. I wouldn’t replace them. I would replace the red pendant lights, though. They seem a bit dated…just not my taste.

Just did the same colour over the backspash as the white wall on the right in the photo...

Painted tile is going to look terrible. Try having glass cut, paint the back of it the perfect color then Install it right over the tile.

While the countertops might not be the most “in” look, they actually go with the cabinets. If you’re looking for a quick fix (in case you’re planning on renovating fully later on), I’d paint the backsplash….it’s no big deal and will make a huge difference.

A quick and inexpensive fix till you have the budget for a redo:
-Take down the 3 hanging fixtures and replace them with recessed LEDs.

• properly prime the backsplash and then paint in a satin finish BLACK colour.
• change the cupboard and drawer pulls to a matte black.
  DONE!

https://thewickerhouse.com/2016/01/i-painted-our-kitchen-tile-backsplash.html

Possible to paint but…it is work. Depends on your budget. You may want to remove.

Wow. The cabinets are NICE! Ditto to paint the backsplash and live with it.

paint the backsplash?? wth?

just remove it. good lord. a painted wall would look better than painted stone/glass or whatever that is.

remove the tile and redo it w/something that actually matches the style.

Personally I'd remove the granite and look into pre-fab quartz (a bit cheaper to buy if you're in an area that sells them) I think a more modern looking quartz would fit the style of the cabinets a lot better.

forget about painting those. Way too glossy.

Painting the backsplash would be a temporary solution, no doubt. We have replaced backsplash tile before, twice, and it is a MESS! In both cases new wallboard was needed, which means Sheetrock mudding, sanding etc, esp if the wall is to be painted afterwards due to budget constraints. Obviously it all depends on the OP’s budget and time/willingness to do this reno; so, in the interim, w/o any mess and money, painting this tile is better than leaving it, IMO….don’t poo-poo this idea! I had never heard of painting tile until I read about it in a Houzz story, where an ID did this in a bathroom to save her client some $$ during a reno. I watched several YouTube videos, saw how easy it was, and when my son and DIL bought a house 3 years ago I painted their old tile above the tub shower in the guest bathroom the same color as the wall, which looks great. Tiling our kitchen backsplash last year cost $2500, L&M (no expensive marble or Ann Sacks, Sonoma Tilemakers etc), not including removal of old and replacing the damaged, irreparable wallboard, which was done by DH. (We have windows between countertops and upper cabs, so there really wasn’t a huge area to tile.) All we are doing is provide ideas…the OP will need to make the decisions.

I'm not against painting the backspash before doing anything else really with it. Yes, it is probably better as a temporary measure. Even blanked out I don't think it's a good shape and pattern to the tile for the space. But that kitchen is so reflective it's pattern in color is just so much more. Painting over it is quickest and easiest way to blank it out and give the eyes a rest from most of it.

Removal and prepping the walls for painting and just painting them does take more time and money to do, but will give a blank that is longer lasting and already on basic setup for if you want to do more to it later.

But whatever the method, it seems like pretty much everyone is in agreement that the backspash is a first thing on the list that should change item.

From your new photos, I would remove the backsplash and keep everything else. The cabs, countertop and floor look very nice together. A simple neutral backsplash will change everything.

@Beth H is right that a properly removed tile backsplash is better. But you are a new homeowner and for now, painting over the offending tiles will be a visual relief. Once you’ve been there a while you will start figuring out where you want to spend your money and THEN you will do stuff that makes a mess.

The kitchen is really not that terrible. The backsplash is!

sometimes you get lucky and the tile literally peels off the wall. sometimes it takes the drywall with it.

in any case, if the OP wants to paint, get some chalk paint and try it. if it still looks bad, then remove the tile.

painting it alone w/that granite that doesn't match the style, isn't going to do a whole lot.

she could get a similar look like this by painting the spalsh AND getting a white quartz

I just don't think painting it a creamy white (not bright white) is going to do much on it's own. IMO

Of course those pendant lights need to go.

I'd just bite the bullet and get new countertops/backsplash at the same time. if OP does some of the demo, she can save a bit of cash.

but changing both of cab/splash, plus the pendants and the hardware, she could have a nice looking space

You just bought the house so you probably need to be budget conscious. I usually tell people to live in a home at least 6 months before doing renovations. Get a good feel for the house and what works and what doesn't work . . .

In this case, if you can afford to update the backsplash and counter (get new - don't paint) I would prioritize this update. You need a white countertop and white backsplash that doesn't fight with the flooring. It is not a massive kitchen so it shouldn't cost a fortune to update just the counter and backsplash.

The other thing I would do sooner rather than wait is recolor the grout in the tile. This is an easy DIY job that makes a huge impact.

The monsters look friendly.

Happy little monsters, though - they’re smiling!

Look like they are from ghostbusters.

Those new pics of your kitchen reveal a much better outlook! Wondering about the backsplash...Is the entire backsplash so offensive or only the black tiles that are misfits? Would it be possible to use a stencil to protect the surrounding tiles and paint only those black tiles the same color as one of the neutral shades in the backsplash? I know it is not the ideal, but could make it quieter for a couple of years before you decide what you want to do.

Great updated pics. Cabinets are stunning. My friend painted over her backsplash until she could afford to get new ones at the same times as new counters. It looked great. I didnt even know they were painted tile until she told me. See if you can find the same white as the walls. Perhaps try it on one wall, and if you hate it you are no worse off than you are now.

The newer pictures help.

Everything depends on your budget, and the conventional wisdom of waiting until you've lived in a space for awhile really applies here.

For me, I would do something to neutralize that backsplash immediately, then work on a long-term plan. The cabinets seem good, but I picture countertop replacement as key. Not a fan of the lights, but that's personal. I would prefer recessed-just less going on. Experiment with less visually obvious hardware options. Easy to buy and hold-up, then return.

The tile can be painted successfully, and way less work than ripping out the current and replacing the drywall. I have done a bathroom tile floor and it's held up well for years. The key is to use a good bonding primer, then a floor paint. STIX primer is good, Ben Moore floor paint works.

I would also look into the stick on "tile" sheets at the home improvement stores, something soft white/beige/neutral. Sounds kind on janky, but I have seen them look surprisingly good and would be inexpensive, low commitment, simple, & easy. Buys you time.

Congrats on your new home!

New hardware , and paint the back splash . Change lights to maybe simple frosted globe

• Majic PAINTS RePurpose
• Rust-Oleum Chalked Acrylic Paint

Who would have guessed that cabinets can be a Rorschach Test? If you saw monsters, well then…….😂

I was also thinking of the stick on tile sheets, for the backsplash…I know it sounds tacky but I’ve seen them look very good. Read the reviews! Some are better than others.

Thank you all for your very helpful comments! I am going to start another discussion on the more important project---total bathroon overhaul.

Be sure to post pics of your kitchen with any changes to help others in the future.

Save to replace both countertop and backsplash. Don’t know what they were thinking. Neither work and the totally fight right now. Do both at same time to avoid reworks. If you do backsplash before counter you will mess up new backsplash when changing countertops. Etc. If you just do one, do counter first.

It's kitchens like these that remind me to not get too excited about a countertop with a beautiful pattern. Today's beautiful veiny marble can be tomorrow's OMG!