Do you need the storage?

If I rented your house and couldn't change much, I would cover the back of the work-counter space with copper or zinc or maybe something even shiny-er and put in cabinet underlights. To the right of the cabinet I would do a significant arrangment of decorative plates, possibly including a lot of pewter. Id arrange them on one very large old fashioned plate rack, or do individual large plates hung in a circle or other pattern. I'd change the outlet cover on the bottom to black

Finally, I'd take away the drape tie backs. Ordinarily I'd be a fan, but with the cabinets I think it is better just to let the drapes hang.

Those are really good suggestions, i appreciate the feedback. i own the house and do need the storage but could sacrifice some of it for asthetics. i also thought of lifting the center two cabinet to ceiling or even removing them and doing shelves? it it just a lot of wood. thanks again.

Oh -- and get a good light fixture

I found photos of plate racks sort of like what I would do but I'd want larger. I'd probably get plain rather than carved and I would stick with low key pottery and metal colors for the plates. (The first one is from Etsy)

Your room has a kind of tavern feel to it, which I think is warm and charming. I'd get a light fixture that had something of that feeling, but linear, and hang it low

here's a hammered brass backsplash but I think I would go with zinc

Buy short wall cabinets at Home Depot and paint them to match the wainscoting.

Could you put those uppers elsewhere in the kitchen or dining space? Could they be stacked to enlarge the "pantry" part?

This site is amazing, thank you everyone for your suggestions. i also wonder how hard it would be to take out center of 4 middle cabinets and replace with glass?

I don’t think it’s a fail, I just think you’re halfway into the change and it needs a few little tweaks. Not sure it needs to be centered, but maybe moved to the right a little bit would give it some breathing room. If you could find matching crown moulding for the cabinets that would help make it seem more like a built-in, but not sure how feasible that is.

Can you remove the backsplash? I think that’s giving it more of a kitchen vibe versus a dining room hutch. Then just do some decorating. Right now there’s a lot of wood with the flooring, table, chairs and cabinets - introduce some variety - how do you feel about a rug? Hang some art on the wall to the right to help balance the room a bit. Either one large piece or 2-3 smaller pieces.

I would break them up and put them on the window wall... move the dining room table away from the windows and spin it the long way.

Nix the curtains and install inside mount blinds on the windows.

you could create a sideboard style cabinet with the countertop and a couple of lowers.

thanks Susie. i see the thought about moving to right but the table cant move to right as there is a walkway. mytwocents, adjusting the drapes already helped. ill try and incorparate some of these ideas with what i already have available in my house and try and post again tomorrow. Ill also try and ditch backsplash. thanks all

Are the two upper cabinets the same size (height/width/depth) as the two lower cabinets?

If yes, consider using three or four of those cabinets to create a sideboard base and buy a new stone top (without a backslash). Decorate with art, sconces or decor such as the plate rack suggested.

Do you have another spot in the house to install the two pantry cabinets - laundry room, mudroom, basement, garage?

Replace some of the upper cabinet wood with glass PROVIDING you have coordinated beautiful pieces to display (just a few, not all of grandma’s china).

I really like your dining room with the cabinets removed and picture hung! A nice light and you will be almost done!

I like the idea of removing the short back splash and putting some cool tile from the counter to bottom of top upper cabinets. Then replace upper cabinet wood with glass or mesh insert.

This one might be too Arts and Crafts looking but mural wallpaper might be interesting. A cabinet WITH art.

Amazing transformation, Paul F. I agree w earlier suggestion to center the unit, perhaps with an extra chair on each side with Art above. Or a tall plant betw window and cabinet unit and a chair/painting on opposite side. Also consider some under cabinet lights on a dimmer switch to layer in some indirect lighting.

First, center it in the room. That seems to be the biggest issue. Then, I'd add "classier" hardware to make it look less kitchen-like. Love the idea of putting glass in the uppers...there are many DIY videos on YouTube for you to follow. Lastly, I'd add a rug to break up all the wood (love the one Paul F posted!)

Center it on the wall first. Take a picture and post. Then the community can offer more advice.

Center on the wall. Remove the 4" backsplash (gives a kitcheny vibe). Remove the chair rail around entire room. paint all 1 color that complements the wood. The grays aren't working.

I don't think it was mentioned, but what about putting the two tall pantry cabinets side by side on the left instead of on each end? Not sure how that would look but it could be an option.

Purely personally, I'm kinda '''meh'''about the glass doors. Takes it into b&b or long-term-care breakfast counter territory. And the rug takes away the all-wood simplicity of the room.

Not so enthused about a mural piece on doors but a mural piece covering *the wall* to the right of the cabinetry sounds charming. (I'm also meh on centering the cabinetry on the wall. Why?) Doing a mural is going to be a little tricky because the cabinetry doesn't reach the ceiling. But I think a fix can be found

I really like the low light feel of the room. Reminds me of Belgium or the Netherlands. I might get this mural and choose one wide slice of it to put next to the cabinet,

If I was going to use glass doors and this mural together, I'd probably back the glass in the doors with lace so I could really feel like I was in Belgium.

btw, I love your little turkey

I am the lone dissenter I guess….. I don’t understand why you have kitchen cabinets in a dining room. To me it just makes your dining room look like a kitchen. I think a better look would be a separate cabinet with glass front doors. That’s just my opinion.

debra

Calling them kitchen cabinets is the problem. They are in a dining room so they are dining room cabinets now. The task is making them LOOK GOOD.

Centering them on the wall makes it more like a Standalone furniture piece. You could have mirrored tile backsplash on the wall in the open area. You could also take the doors off the top center cabinets for open shelving.

I'd put three lowers across the bottom. (Can you make an upper into a lower?) Then put a new countertop across all three. It will give you a lot of new storage, a nice buffet serving space, and you can hang a large picture above them.

Can you use the remaining cabinets in an attic, garage, basement, walk in closet?

I would center the cabinets on the wall and add crown molding to the top of the cabinets. You can match the wood it possible. Another option would be to remove the four-inch backsplash and replace with painted wood. I would fill in the whole area. Then paint the crown molding to match. I see you have made some toe kicks. I would do those in the same color as the backsplash and crown molding. If you look on Pinterest for "making kitchen cabinets look like furniture" you will get many ideas.

I like the idea of adding the kitchen cabinets for storage. They just need to be changed a bit to look more like a hutch. I think removing the four-inch backsplash will give it more of a hutch feel.

I think your table and cabinets look great today. The room is very cute.

Congratulations on a great find. Your set up reminded me of this beautiful kitchen. I wondered if you could get ideas from it.

kitchen · More Info

Here are some ideas, some involving adding either legs on the bottom or a trim piece with molding to raise it at the bottom. If there is any way to add some drawers or reconfigure some of the doors to look like they are drawers, that might help.

Different, furniture style pulls

A couple more...I was afraid to try to edit my other post

Add molding:

doors with mirror:

cane inserts

eta; this ad just popped up for me. I think it helps that the run goes the whole length of the wall. I also like the paint choices with the uppers different.

@Paul F has offered the ideas I like best. Painting them and the wall behind them the same dark color (no wainscoting or color break on that wall) similar to his pictures makes them look less like kitchen or break room. Note the gloss level as that is effective. You cannot block the vent or narrow your walkway, so you might not be able to center them in the room. I don't think that would be good anyway. Just pull them a little bit away from the window wall, perhaps just near the outlet on the right so you don't block it. That way you partition the room into a walkway on the right and a dining area on the left.

Replace the vent cover and outlet cover on that wall with something that is the same color as the wall.

I like Paul's rug because it brings the wall color into the room.

Someone else mentioned a decorative light over the table. A contemporary chandelier would look more dining room than a pot light. I posted one of my favorites just so you know chandeliers have really changed. There are lots of styles including very simple ones if that's your preference.

Velvet, satin, or brocade full length draperies are more dining room than lace, though yours are lovely.

Your baseboard is disproportionally narrow. The chair rail doesn't follow classic design to be level with the bottoms of your windows, but a higher baseboard would and would be very effective at upping the elegance factor. Adding crown moulding that would enclose the whole room and the new cabinets also would help. Don't be skimpy; note the proportions. https://www.houzz.com/magazine/how-to-size-interior-trim-for-a-finished-look-stsetivw-vs~2934773

More elegant pulls like @oilychick suggested would really help.

Lighting · More Info

I would paint them a nice shade of blue or teal and also the dining room chairs the same shade of blue. I have seen many pieces of furniture----cabinets, chairs, armoires, bookcases painted in this shade of blue in Houzz photos. Here is a pic of the color I painted my dining room chairs....makes all the difference in the world.

A so called bargain that is not?Here's the way it can work

Use just this portion, Paint it all wall color, satin finish,

Pick one ! color for the room, center it as close as possible to the outlet on the wall

I'd be rid of the chair rail, or paint it- it is too skimpy, get to one paint color, based on a RUG YOU SELECT.

Untie those curtains, please, and if too long? Shorten. Too granny : )

I agree to removint the upper cabinets the side ones I guss could stay bit honestly I would only keep the lowers and save the others for somehere else . Center those on the wall and add some fab art IMO keeping them all will always screan repurposed kitchen cabinets

This is an edit to my previous comment. I would center the buffet on the wall. Also, I would paint the d.r. wall one shade, not two different colors, possibly a slightly lighter shade or slightly darker shade than the color you paint the buffet.

Hi, can you show the other sides of the room?

Lots of great suggestions here, I’m just curious about the whole room.

Before painting, I’d try some inexpensive changes ……. Center it on the wall for balance, replace knobs with larger black handles, and get a rug with COLOR. Painting cabinets is expensive if done by a professional and can look bad if done by a homeowner.

Center the cabinets. Take out the center upper cabinets, add either open shelves or art/mirror. Update the hardware

Really nice inspiration from KL

Use only the bottom ones. Center them on the wall. Get a stone, new remnant for an updated countertop. I like Paul’s visual with a rug under the table. Buy a rug with colors you love and paint the entire room a deep color. (Remove the chair rail, too.)

The light wood on the cabinets will stand out nicely against a dark wall. Using Paul’s idea, the dining room should be navy. Then pick a new, updated chandelier, like wicker, to bring in the cabinet color again.

Use the other cabinets for storage in the garage.

I like your idea of installing shelves between the towers. The upper cabinets are very dense and hang too close to the countertop. Paint the unit (and the walls), add lighting including a chandelier, a beautiful tile, and update your drapes - it will definitely not be a fail.

Another similar to some that have been posted ... Jean Stoffer designed this as a coffee bar (on the other side of the kitchen) for clients:

Obviously custom, grand, built-in, crazy expensive … but maybe some inspiration details — light, glass, panel in back, hardware, etc.