I understand your feeling! This seems like a good time to share these Before and After photos I’ve had saved. Granted, there’s a lot more going on here than just painting the cabinets, but WOW!

Here’s a look at white cabinets with a wood ceiling, but those big gorgeous windows are no doubt the biggest factor in brightening the space. You seem to have alot of windows, too, though, so maybe this photo can help you decide if you want to take on the trouble and expense of painting.

I would try really improving the lighting first. Brighter lights, more lights, turn on the lights.

Then paint walls, change backsplash.

Painting the cabinets is the last resort. It is essentially irreversible, and more expensive than most people think.

Changing my wall color to a white from a green with yellow undertones and getting rid of yellow light bulbs made me like my before hated cabinets. Try changing the yellow walls, busy backsplash and lights first.

The cabinets are not the problem. Change the wall color and the backsplash.

The horrid "resale gray" stuff and the lighting are what are not working. Those are the first things to change, before you irrevocably change something valuable and perfect for the space, just the way it is.

Agree the cabinets are not the problem. Paint the kitchen wall a warm, creamy white (no blue/cool white!) and change out the backsplash and viola!

Oh, consider starting with the backsplash. Try covering it up with painted cardboard and see if that brings you temporary visual relief. You may very well want to paint out your uppers at some point, but fixing your backsplash will help bring balance to the space.

I would paint all the house trim white.

Leave cabinets alone and get new lighter brighter counters and backsplash in a creamy color that complements the wood color.

"I would paint all the house trim white."

Based on what is shown of the house, painting the trim white is a big fat NO!

Painting the uppers a creamy white could be quite nice, but I would take some other steps first. Your ceiling is dark- any chance the room has enough boundaries that you can paint just the ceiling? It does look like more lighting is needed overall as well. If you can delete some of the uppers, that will make things less heavy at eye level, especially the ones surrounding the smaller window whose light would then be tripled.

I was in a very similar situation needing temporary fixes for an old 70s kitchen with dark wood cabinets and ceiling, and I deleted three upper cabinets, added pendant lights, and painted my uppers light sage green because my kitchen has no windows of its own, just borrowed light at both ends, and I needed to see some green out there even if it wasn’t from nature!

Led lighting comes in different shades of white. 4000K is less warm than the more standard 3200-3500K. If that isn't enough BM Advance is a specific cabinet paint. Diy or only use a painter who has experience with that paint product.

I think your upper photo was taken with the ceiling lights OFF, correct? Can you show photos with all lights ON and say what wat/type bulbs?

The wood is the best part of the home. The backsplash is the absolute worst. The counter might qualify as worst too, but you can't see too much of it.

@Jill, I agreee w/you about the wood. we have friends whose house looks a lot like yours. The previous owner was an excellent carpenter in building, but there's simply too much stained wood.

the mock-up photo looks significantly better w/o the backsplash.

Poof, it's gone. Not perfect - this tile was very ivory and solid on the sample but went up whiter with lots of thinner glaze in areas that adds an extra "color" - BUT it's loads better.

Such a gorgeous kitchen. I would do everything possible to lighten it up without painting the cabinets or the woodwork.