It is obviously a perfectly nice kitchen but I love windows….

option 5 1. remove upper cabinets left of window... .2. use the larger cabinet and do this... 3..get new fronts with glass....4..reposition this cabinet to be centered. 5. dont use the smaller of these two cabinets...repurpose in the home. The wall you want to work on is set up relative to the small windows at the top/ the hood/ the corner etc. I think the left wall is where the volume of dark cabinetry is a great deal more the issue....and will be easier initially to adjust......see how that improves things / then if you want to do more you will have at least made the easier start.

You are going to lose a lot of convient storage ig you remove the cabinets. Plus it will be expensive. I would leave as is or paint the uppers a white that goes with the tile.

To determine what to do with the windows, we'd also need to see the outside elevation of that wall. Will it throw off the proportions of the home to change those windows? But also, what is your budget? Putting in new windows that need wall studs removed, exterior siding or brick matched and replaced, adding headers, and the cost of the windows themselves is a big undertaking and expensive.

I usually do not agree with Herbflavor's comments, but I do agree with her suggestion to replace some of the upper cabinet fronts with glass fronts. Probably the four that are X'd in your first/top picture. Just take those doors to a neighborhood glass and mirror shop, and they can do it for you.

I agree with @houssaon's point about losing storage. Only you can know whether that significant amount of cabinet loss will be a problem for you storage-wise.

I think painting the cabinets would be a big job, and if you are thinking of painting them white, you also have the white counters and white backsplash to contend with. White on white on white is problematic both from a sterile hospital look, and also having the 3 whites look good together, always a challenge.

I assume you've already upgraded your bulbs. I'd try changing your wall color first. It has a muddy gray/blue tinge in your photo that isn't helping matters.

If the kitchen still bothers you, I'd do as suggested above, paint the uppers a color that is close to the color of the tile.

It's a nice kitchen but it would be too dark for me as well.

If you can get more of the tile, I would just remove the two skinny cabinets flanking the hood and patch in the tile. Even better if you can replace the hood with one that is 6" wider so it extends beyond the cooktop on each side. I also like herbflavor's glass-front suggetion. Glass fronts on one or both of the cabinets left of the sink (depending on what you store there) would be nice. You could paint or paper the cabinet interior.

Accessories would really help too. Canisters like the great ones you have, but in a color, and soap pump in the same color (doesn't have to be exact match). Fruit bowl with citrus or apples, larger green plant or a fresh flower arrangement. Another long runner at the sink to break up the dark floor.

Definitely some glass fronts with interior lighting.

Rereading herbflavor's suggestion more closely, I like it more and more. I would change slightly. Remove the cabinet to the immediate left of the window. Leave the larger cabinet at the end where it is, and widen the window. There is no need for a sink to be centered on a window. Add glass fronts to that remaining large cabinet if you can.

Nice kitchen. I'm lazy so I'd go for the easiest fixes first before you entertain chopping up exterior walls or getting cabinets painted.

1. Follow the beams of light from your sink window. I believe the cabinets on the left and right of the sink are blocking light for spilling farther into the room. I might remove those two cabinets. Hang artwork or a shelf with something on it to take up the space.

Nice shelves between upper and window.

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2. Get some metal and color in there to distract from the monolith of black: Brighter hardware, lights that you cannot see the cabinets through, and stools that grab your focus away from the dark cabinets. (Maybe not purple and brass!!!) Brass or other tray on your counter. Bye-bye dark counter accessories.

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3. Herbflavor's idea of glass uppers could be good, but what do you store in those cabinets, are you tidy, or will the become distracting and messy?

"Herbflavor's idea of glass uppers could be good, but what do you store in those cabinets, are you tidy, "

I put my dinnerware and glassware in mine. Those are easy to keep orderly and look very nice with the glass doors. Meanwhile, the jumble of storage containers, mugs, unmatched bowls, and similar are behind the closed cabinet fronts.

@leftontheinside please keep in mind that many of the suggestions here are with respect to allowing more sunlight. But at night, those won't be helpful to make your kitchen a lighter space. That nighttime issue would be my concern about making the windows larger, in addition to the windows' high expense that I mentioned in my previous comment.

No option 5? The Houzz favorite ... tear it all out and start over! ;-)

Gut the kitchen. Move some of the fixtures (sink to the left with one bigger window. Cabinets to the ceiling. Get rid of transoms. All drawers. Lighter color for cabinets. More recessed lights. A hood that is wider than the range. Bigger isles.

Cutting and pasting might not be that easy or budget friendly and you might still end up with something you don't love.

Kendrah’s question regarding ”tidy” is a good one. I keep one item behind each section of glass, and those items are all white (our cabinets are wood). To me it looks both tidy and ”calm.” We also have glass shelves allowing the interior lighting to shine through in places. Obviously it helps if you have lots of storage space in the kitchen. This is one link about shelf styling with glass doors.

https://sanctuaryhomedecor.com/how-to-style-glass-kitchen-cabinets-18/

Here is what I would do: 1. Replace cabinet hardware to something that pops against the dark finish. 2. New fixtures in a finish that matches cabinet hardware. 3. New barstools in a fun, BRIGHT color/pattern. 4. A new runner that picks up color from the barstools. Then step back & re-evaluate. Right now everything is monotone and drab. It needs some spice. I personally like all the cabinets and wouldn't eliminate any (but then I am a "can't have enough storage person".

It's a nice space....just needs a little tweaking :)

chloebud's glass cabinets sound beautiful! But you can use frosted or reeded glass, and stuff the cabinets as full as you need to. The glass still lightens the total effect, especially if you install interior lighting.

Appreciate all the great ideas to consider!

Most ideas are straight forward and much more thrifty than adding windows.

Glass cabinets:

Which ones would you consider adding glass to? Prefer clear glass with white dinnerware but not sure if that light maple looking melamine on the inside will look funky.

Painting uppers vs all cabs less island:

Due to the stove and fridge cabinets being an upper and lower wonder if paining uppers will look funky. If we decide to paint torn with paintng these brand new maple stained caninets but dont want to be stuck going back to paint lowers.

Painting the uppers:

Would you paint the oven and fridge cabinets or leave them the dark stain?

I wouldn't paint new cabinets. It's a lot of work to DYI properly, a lot of money to pay pros to do properly. If you want to do glass cabinets, I would do the cabinet to immediate left of the sink. Or both cabinets on the left of the sink, if they both store dishes/glassware items you are comfortable displaying. If the interior isn't a good surface for paint, line it with attractive wallpaper. Search the forums for examples--some people even line with paper-covered foam board panels between the shelves, that are easily removable.

Change all the lighting ti LED 4000K that will isnatly brighten the room paint does not add lighting only lighting adds brightness I think more pot lights and onlt 4" pots with all the bulbs I mentioned would be much cheaper than having those cabinets painted

I vote for removing the two sections of cabinets and installing new windows. Would suggest taking the sill of the window down to countertop level.

I would add light - possibly motion detection lighting so it is never dark when you enter the room.

5000 k would be my choice for this kitchen, but 4000 would still work. I wouldn't use less than 4000 k lighting.

Under cabinet lighting and ceiling lights.

I like the suggestion of a few glass front cabinets.

I would try to bring in some of the blue green color as well. A teapot or vases or a fruit bowl.

Might even do a reflective blue green pulls and might paint the light base and wire blue green.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/827168137/petrol-green-glass-pull-artistic-dark?click_key=5140c4e6b80f61c6d0d34f847aa44bf49e10b8d2%3A827168137&click_sum=4ca156f0&ref=shop_home_recs_6&frs=1

@mcarroll16

Thanks for the ideas with wallpaper and foam. What are your thoughts on chosing the cabinets left of sink? My immediate thought where the two caninets flanking the range hood dor balance and that wall is the prominate sight line that is dark and heavy.

@la_la Girl

There where a couple suggestions to go with a metal/nickel fixture which I like but feel it would conflict with being in front of the stainless range hood. I actually took the current Savoy fixtures down and

out up Kichler Birkleigh fixturs but the white was too stark. I’ve been hunting for a while now to get something warmer like none but cant find anything. Appreciate any leads if you have any.

I’m thinking about paining that back wall but need a 75+ LVR for it to make a difference. Needs to compliment SW Pure White but can not have a yellow undertone due to backsplash. Color ideas are appreciated!

Main issue is heaviness and dark during the day. I can light it up like a xmas tree at night between under cab, island and 5 disc lights.

Lighting is already 3500 and slightly cooler than my tastes. 3200 is the perfect temp in my opinion. 4000 and above agitates me for some reason lol

Reason for glass on the cabinets left of the sink--for most people, that's the logical place to store dinnerware and glassware, the items that are easiest to arrange in a simple, attractive manner. Reason to NOT add glass to the cabinets flanking the hood--there's a lot more cooking residue in the air over there, and you will be cleaning that glass all the time.

Agree with you on light temperature! We have 3000k in our kitchen and that is definitely the coolest I can imagine. For painting the walls, greens and blues are the easiest to coordinate with whites and wood tones of all sorts. And they can actually make your room like brighter. Cool white paint in an underlit room will go cold and gray, accentuating shadows. Deeper colors hold up better.

Makes sense!

We currently have SW Tinsmith on the walls and SW Pure White for trim.

Oh! I assumed that was a shadowed white on your walls, but it's an intentional gray. What color is the upholstery on your stools? On my monitor they look very grayed-out green, which is a color you could build from to find a coordinating wall color. I suspect though they might be a true gray.

@mcarroll16

The chairs are a muted teal. The current wall color is a cool bluish gray. LVR is 57

Finding a color with a much higher LVR, warmer and plays off the bar stools is a tall order! These cabinets just absorb so much light.

heres the change result from glass doors. ..... have you considered different pendants. i think smokey/ milky/ frosted glass/ or something other than clear would do a lot. the other thing is a metallic look esp when it comes to pendants....maybe bold......it could work ... It may be your nice kitchen needs punctuation marks in a few areas and thats all ,really.

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different pendants shown below

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My husband and I love glass front cabinets. However, we are earthy hippy types who don't care that much about what a place looks like, more about how it feels. In our old kitchen, we stored all sorts of stuff behind those glass doors...stuff that generally goes in a pantry. Cans, boxes of pasta, just stuff as bought at the store, not decanted into lovely canisters, etc. In other glass front cabinets, we stored a mishmash of dishware. We just didn't care and I don't think our friends did either. If we ever get brave enough to do a kitchen redo in our current house, we will definitely have glass fronts. Hopefully, we'll have some better pantry storage, but I don't see us "staging" our cabinets or buying dishware that looks good behind glass. We are who we are. I love looking at houzz for creative ideas, not for trying to make my house look like a showcase. After all we live in our houses, not stage them for a magazine.