I agree - that's lovely Minardi. My first choice was to do the countertops and backsplash and leave the cabinets alone. We have a friend who is a professional cabinet painter (that's all he does), and he has offered to do the job at a below market price, which would make new countertops (quartz) and a backsplash considerably more expensive than cabinet painting.

That said, your suggestion is better (and it's what I wanted in teh first place), and I showed how it looked to DH, who now has an a more open mind. But may I ask you for a favor, please? You changed out the flooring from the wood that we currently have. THAT isn't going to happen - the flooring is the same throughout the house except in the bathrooms. Would mind redoing this and putting the original flooring back into the photo? I would very much appreciate it - it would help to convince him how beautiful that room could be!

Minardi, that backsplash is beautiful. What material is it? Also, what color is on the walls (looks grey to me)? Thanks!

I think the cabs and granite are fine - true the granite isn’t what i would choose today but it looks nice and hardly seems worth the cost/sending it to the landfill if you are reselling in 5 years. i would just redo backsplash to something simpler/brighter. That will help modernize the space significantly at a reasonable price.

Have you ever walked into a home that started out with white walls, that are now nicotine stained from years of occupant smoking? That it the color of SW Killim Beige.

That you are determined not to change.

Rethink that decision.

Killim Beige is swallowing up what little light you have. Choosing a color that will bounce the light around the room will brighten that space. It doesn’t matter if the rest of the house is the same color. It ought to change in the kitchen.

Consider something like Ibis White. It is much lighter, and brighter. It skews more pink, less orange than your current room paint, but it is a neutral white that will pair well with your cabinets.

Speaking of your cabinets, consider painting only the uppers in the same or 50% of the shade you choose for your walls. It will make your long upper cabinets look more balanced. I would keep the lowers in your current wood. Lower cabinets take much of the wear and tear in the kitchen, and wood tones hide this better than paint. The mock-up below is meant to give you an idea of what you can achieve in a two toned look with a better paint color on the walls, and the same or lighter color on the uppers. Excuse the rough appearance, it’s basically finger painted. Good luck!

This is Fireclay Tile in a Star and Cross pattern in the Glaze Milky Way.

I would agree with others… keep the lovely wood cabinets and change the counters & backsplash to a light, plain finish instead. The back of the island stands out to me - is there any way a wood overlay could be added or if not, a deep colour? The white looks very stark.

Which island is is? The drywalled one or the paneled one?

The island panels ought to match the cabinets--those white panels are a mistake.

I would not paint the cabinets. Would change the wall color (Kilim beige very much reminds me of Arizona), the counters and the backsplash.

That must be quite a shock coming from all that light into the woods and clouds. And the ice storms! Yuck! But I have to say that to get more light, add more light. Call a lighting designer. I hope you already have under-cabinet lighting shining on your counters. You have can lighting. Can you update that to brighter modern versions?

Like you, I placed little rugs in front of my work areas for years. Then I discovered cheap replaceable rugs on Amazon that looked nice and I got rid of my ugly functional rugs and put down area rugs that added a little subtle color and are very Roomba friendly. Best thing I could have done in my 1970s ho-hum kitchen.

Like you, I have raised panel cabinetry that looks 1970s and I'm surprised they were still in fashion in 2012, but I wasn't paying attention. I like your wood color sooo much better than mine. Your wood cabinets are very pretty! I love the grain too.

Like @eam44 I think "the problem" is the yellow in the room with those red cabinets. They just look sick next to each other. The color that really sets off that color wood is a cool silvery grey to charcoal. I'm sure you're thinking, "oh no, that will make my room even darker!" Well, a grey with the same value (lightness/darkness) of your yellow won't make the room darker. It will just be prettier.

Regarding the island, if your friend and you want to paint something, maybe think about just painting that island all around a darker grey. See what your friend says. Try our the effect from the perspective of the rest of the room. All I see is cordovan leather which goes great with your cabinets but not with the yellow walls. What other colors do you actually like? Any blues or greens that would look great with the cabinets and cordovan?

If you paint your cabinets white now, that WILL look trendy shortly, because that is on its way out. What is on its way in is cream and warm wood in low-contrast values. What would work better on the walls with your cabinets is a cool grey that is higher value than your cabinets but not so light that you have too much contrast. On the island, if you just paint over the white, choose a grey that will be darker, as close as you can get to the value of your cabinets. Or paint the whole island that grey. If you decide to change the counter and backsplash, try grey or red the color of your cabinets. Keep it simple to avoid having it look trendy and no subway tile as that is on the way out too. There are several options from a light red brick backsplash ( in tune with the beautiful brick on campus!) and marble counters or un-oiled soapstone. Whatever you put on your island counter, consider heating underneath the counter to make it warm, close your eyes and think of Phoenix.

Alternatively, if you really want to, paint the walls cream and the cabinets a light brown the color of the wood so popular now. Then you could keep your counter and even the dated backsplash if you want or have to. It's your kitchen.

typically with the slight red tilt between the cabinet and floor tones a granite with greenish plays that up. You've got a yellow playing in the granite...... consider changing counters/ splash.....you might get to the stoneyards and have a look...it can be interesting and valuable and something might prove not very costly..... If you re-upholstered the bar stool seats to an interesting green botanical print/ I think even the island could stay white, with the change of the counter splash/ and stools. ....IF I had this space and wanted to stick w VERY limited budget to do something [ due to future selling creeping up] I would change the backsplash to a white tile / get new stools with backs and probably leave things alone.. New stools for more inviting seating will allow you the use....., and the space will show a bit better. Have you decided a budget for this? You can easily spill into renovation and budget "creep" with too many discretionary activities. In reality, It's a nice space....the first picture [ the cutrrent] is certainly a show-worthy image, if it was posted on a listing . I could see a more stylish, at the same time a more cleaned up look , w simple backsplash and updated stools.

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I agree with others that your wood cabinets are nice. I would recommend painting the walls a lighter, cooler neutral, paint the island an olive green or like Evergreen Fog from SW, and then a backsplash like the Fireclay one noted above (or one of their glazed bricks).

Agree with all the comments to replace the granite and backsplash for enjoying now (who knows the future, you may be there 20 years), lightening the space and for resale. First thing a buyer will say is “I have to change that dated granite from the 00’s”. 2nd step is changing the paint color. Not gray anything as that is gone out, not going out and will date kitchen immediately as well as being a dreary color. 3rd consider changing hardware. All need to do. Extra step can do today is change the rug to a colorful runner. An oriental rug pattern style goes with anything.

IMO the wall color is the dreary part and very sand looking. I agree no real purpose sreved with spending huge money to paint the cabinets . The backsplash to me is the really dated thing so change tha to something that still works with the counter since you love that . A nice glass tile maybe. The lighting needs more for sure all the bulbs LED 4000K will minmic daylight . Th ecabinets are dated since now all those base ones should be drawers. Change the light bulbs and add something like this in a glass tile matching grout . IMO paint the walls it will instantly change the feel of the whole space . A nice creamy white is what I would do. What happens 4-5 yrs from now who knows no matter what you do it IMO still is your home now and the next guy can figure it out for him

I would start by painting the walls, trim, island all a creamy white. The current white looks like it is too cool/bright white and lightening the walls and softening the white will give you a look that is much lighter, but still warm and inviting.

After painting I would decide if I needed to update the backsplash and counter or just the backsplash.

Personally, although speckled counters are not popular right now, yours are light and softer than many and it is an attractive granite.

If it were my home I would probably keep both the granite and the cabinets, but you are the person who needs to love the end result

The backsplash is Daltile Miramo in Pearl for the backsplash, a light Taj Mahal quartzite counter, and Bellamy Place Acre on the floors.

With SW Ryegrass Island.

Paint the walls, not the cabinets. Don't change out the granite. Yes, adjusting from blazing desert light to less light is likely the root of your dissatisfaction. If you're thinking about resale, it's unlikely prospective buyers will have the same adjustment problem.

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