its wise to show the whole space if you are considering quite a few 'tweaks" . cant tell if that is a peninsula or island for example. I'd place a green granite...shown is sea foam green. Id consider an overhang / even 12 inches w a stool or two but cant tell if layout allows that. with slightly older cabinets w the raised door style I would not paint them because the wood looks better. It is not going to be MCM. With lighter floor and the light wood cabinets I wouldnt pick white counters / its not your choice anyway....... the granite look w simple off white tile backsplash can be complementary. then changes of hardware and updating the pendant will take you across the finish line. save money by not painting cabinets and stick with granite due to older cabinet style .

beautiful sea foam granite....visit a stoneyard and get samples of what you like

Edina Country Club Kitchen · More Info

pendants..but cant tell what you can do w that peninsula or island [overhang/stools..etc]

Apollo Metal LED Pendant, Black, Brass Gold, Gray/Brass Gold, Width: 6.00" · More Info

Arco Baleno 1-Light Pendant, Satin Nickel And White Swirl Glass · More Info

Edison Metal LED Pendant, Black, Brass Gold, Width: 5.75" · More Info

ZERO chance that kitchen can be minimal MCM without an all new everything. Raised panel rotary veneered red oak doors SCREAM builder grade traditional.

Sure, you can paint, (Kitchen Cabinet Painting Experts FB group process) but you'd better lean into traditional or it's only going to end up a complete mishmash, unless you replace the doors. And the cabinets are not worth replacing the doors.

I think there are ways to update it and make it look nicer, but it always seems more involved than the quicker fixes!

I’ve been on GW/Houzz for over a decade, and I’ve learned so much. There aren’t a lot of rules I feel are deal breakers, but this one rule - I’ve seen what happens when people don’t follow it, and it’s always a disappointment. Don’t put new counters over old cabinets. If that means you wait to upgrade your space until you can afford to do the cabinets, wait. In the meanwhile, plan, collect inspiration images, look at finishes that give you the mid-century feel you really want.

You may not follow this advice, and I wish you the best regardless, but google new counters old cabinets before you make any decisions. I think you’ll see that new counters make old cabinets look older and more tired, and they tie you into doors when you really need drawers, and force you into a layout that may be sub-optimal (e.g., your stove and sink are too close together, and your island is likely a barrier island).

It is hard to paint any cabinet well unless you spend on a professional job, which will cost almost as much as new cabinets. Plus, it is hard to paint over oak without the grain showing through.

You will not get these cabinets in this kitchen to look MCM. But you can certainly get a less cluttered more minimal look quite inexpensively. Declutter. That is free.

Next I'd get new, slender, chrome hardware. Remove the plants and rod over the sink. Get a new light fixture. Paint the mosaic line white to match the rest of your subway tiles. You will have a much more toned down kitchen. If you really want new counters and splash, I'd get white corian counters and run a 4" corian splash.

I think to really clean it up and give it a more modern cohesive style…adding simple white countertops and white backsplash will make a huge difference…..I would have the cabinets sanded and stain them in a light natural tone…paint the island a fun mid century modern color….add new hardware and lighting….you can’t except a miracle with your style cabinets but you can give it a simple cleaner minimal look.

Your cabinet door style is not going to give an MCM feel. It is worth your time to get a quote (or two) on refacing the cabinets, which will give you the option to choose a flat MCM type of door. Then a new countertop to match and your kitchen will be new and lovely without buying all new boxes.

I have no idea what your budget is or how much you want to invest in this kitchen, how long you will be staying in this home or the answers to any of the questions that are required to make a good financial decision.

A full gut renovation of a kitchen is an expensive choice. It will cost you twice what you will get back when you sell, the other 50% negative ROI is what I call the joy factor - it will bring you joy over the years that you are using the kitchen, and that is worth something too. Only you know where the break even point is between saving toward your next home and spending on your current home.

Another thing that only you can determine is your quality tolerance. I know a lot of people without lots of money who paint their own cabinets and re-do it every 5-6 years when it starts to chip . . . It is what they can afford to do. I know others who have had their cabinets professionally painted and the paint lasts about 8-10 years before needing to be done again.

Factory finishes last longer, but even those can eventually start getting banged up. A good wood can last decades.

Your cabinets are neither awful or great - they are normal cabinets.

The finish does not go well with the flooring that was selected or the countertops that were selected. (Would you wear a shirt the color of your countertops with shorts the color of your cabinets?) That is a bit problematic.

I do see a path to salvation without burning a huge hole in your pocket.

The current countertops look like they are formica and the older formica with the squared edge rather than the bullnose edge. This is one of the easiest, inexpensive updates you can do to a kitchen. You can buy the Formica sheets for about $100 per 4'x8' sheet. You simply glue and cut the new color onto the current countertop. (Sink has to be lifted, more than likely your backsplash was done after the formica and will need to be redone.)

Replacing the backsplash is another, not impossible, not too expensive, DIY project.

Green is mother nature's solution for bringing all colors together - I would paint the walls of the kitchen something like Evergreen Fog, Paint the island something darker - Dried Thyme/ Rosemary. Use this countertop and pick a white backsplash that is the same whites as one of the whites in the countertop.

For <1000 you have a completely different look and feel and have minimized the impact of the clashing floor/cabinet issue.