When you say update what exactly do you mean ? I do not see plank tile in the bedroom and really no need to match it for the rest of the space . Bedroomsa re often different style and floor. You are lacking good lighting in the kitchen for sure the caninets look okay I do not love the round end for a stool in there and the flooring is dated . So what is it you want from us?

I think it looks dated, and I am looking for suggestions of how to update it without ripping everything out. What comes immediately to mind for me is new counters and backsplash. But what kind? Should I paint the cabinets? etc.

The right side of the last picture is the plank flooring. Here is another view of it.

I think you can keep the cabinets. Update the floor, counter and backsplash. Floor will make a huge difference and eliminate the round peninsula at the end which is dating the look as well.

Beautiful place! Love your closet but the transition between it and the bedroom seems strange as though one very different tile is laid on top of another. Its too bad you can’t get the living room flooring to run through the kitchen. A cleaner look on the backsplash is to have just 4 inch counter material with and painted wall above it or just tile.

The kitchen floor looks pink, cabinets yellow, backsplash orange and the countertop speckly dark gray with a very unusual shaped peninsula. What do you love? If you decide what you want to keep you can then make decisions about what would look good with it.

looks quite large. Depends on who will be using/ what type of use/ budget allocation. Where is dining or table seating intended ? I would not be too quick to rip off the seating end of the counter. for computer users and casual seating that is a function that is met there. I might actually get some stools with backs. The hutch opposite the sink could be painted for a little pick me up .... and obviously a new backsplash would do quite a bit.

adding color would interest me . everything is neutral....what color shade do you like? "coastal can be blues/greens/ corals....

I like it and don't think it looks dated. It may not be the most popular thing someone would choose today but who would want that because popular today is dated tomorrow. I think changing the counters and backsplash could make it much more appealing to you. They're boring and don't look good together and the counters really don't look good with the cabinets. I wouldn't paint the cabinets unless they're in poor condition which doesn't look to be the case. In my experience repainting cabinets just doesn't hold up well no matter how good the paint job.

Coastal.......

What are you saying, and you have 50k burning a hole in your pocket?

15k -20 k for a paint job to white or a soft coastal color

20 k for stainless appliances ( lose the micro over the range, please,) configure a drawer style, somewhere)

10k for new counter tops

2 k for new lighting

??? for a new porcelain tile floor, different shape, size color........

2.5 new backsplash

All of which is guess as we have no clue size. Real estate photos are deceiving and inform very little

Post inspos of what you love. ......clearly not the kitchen that is in the considered property

Love all the cabinetry as it can suit the coastal vibe. I am not fond of the countertop and backsplash as those are areas you can add your theme. I also find the home bare of colour. I think you can add a lot with decor like area rugs, pillows, drapery, accent furniture etc. I also feel because you said you have little to no design sense that you are a great candidate for help from a local designer. Start looking online and finding images of rooms you love. A good jumping off paint would be some coastal stool at the kitchen counter. Black does nothing for the room.

Well, most Commentors here do have design sense, and they're saying those cabinets are fine, timeless, not dated, pointing out how well they work with the floors, style, lighting. Probably a designer chose them when the condos were built to suggest coastal colors--sand and driftwood. Ocean blues, light grays, whites go very well with the taupe/sand color. Since you say you have no design sense, I'm not sure why you're so sure the cabinets are dated. Are you open to other opinions that the cabinets are not dated? If I had $50,000, I'd get a designer to help me choose great transitional style furniture, rugs, art in coastal palettes that will harmonize with your "givens" -- the floor, cabinets, and other woodwork. Then I would go sit by the beautiful window with a tropical drink and call it a day.

P.S. I just went to your Ideabook. I had assumed you had modern taste, which is why I posted photos that would go with current wood cabinets, floors, in abstract designers, water colors, etc. What a surprise that your inspiration photos really need straight traditional, not coastal, especially one living room that's dark--drapes, furniture, etc. The other one was sort of generic coastal but had no contast. All it needed was a ceramic pelican. Was those choices for another house?

New countertops and backsplash; I am not understanding the angled line between the kitchen and living room, it’s odd.

She posted a photo of her current home, indeed coastal : ) added to her post, not in the ensuing comments

so...........she has to say what she wants! Or get 1000 answers that don't apply, right?

Surely there is a kitchen in an inspo pic she looooves. That may suit the former house style?

Throw us a BONE!? A bit of a clue, as no mind readers live here: )

I didn't see her coastal living room photo, just the Ideabook. This is the third Dilemma this week where poster says they're not good at design but stick to an idea they have about the problem that sometimes isn't even a problem even if half a dozen pros say otherwise There are so many ways the beautiful space can work as "coastal" with the furniture she has. Oh, well. Over and out.

Hi Housegal. Thank you for your comments. This is my first time doing this, and I apologize for going about it in the wrong way. I am not "sticking" to any idea. I'm not sure why you are getting that impression. I have asked for ideas. I have posted more pictures as people have told me what they needed to know to help me. I used the original post because I thought the pictures would help everyone. I loved your first comment, and I made it the featured comment.

Before, you said, "Since you say you have no design sense, I'm not sure why you're so sure the cabinets are dated. " The first comment asked what do I mean by update. The second comment is me answering, "I think IT looks dated, and I am looking for suggestions of how to update it without ripping everything out. What comes immediately to mind for me is new counters and backsplash. But what kind? Should I paint the cabinets? etc.". I want to keep the cabinets. I just want to update the look. I loved the countertops you suggested. They make a huge difference.

From what you have now I would say you want white cabinets. Yours could be painted, especially in FL but wood is back and yours look great as is. I have real issues with words that sound like people have no preferences and only chase trends to please everyone else. I would get new counters and run them up the back seamless slab look. That is a current fad which I really like.

You are being too vague.

Sit yourself down and ask yourself exactly what you don't like about the kitchen in the new condo.

You can't wait for us to read a mind, because "update" is different for everyone. For some, it's a total overhaul. For others? It is an update because they think someone ELSE will consider it dated or wrong.

Honestly, forgive us all. But you have to help yourself and help us.

You can't say "I have 50K.....now what?"

What indeed?! If it already was in there and to your liking, what would that kitchen feel like? What does the kitchen you are leaving behind look like?

We need a context.......and you need to do some "homework": )

Forget what is new, forget what everyone else is doing. You will never keep up with every kitchen trend. Nobody can, unless you favor yearly!! construction. Y.O.U. is the word - nobody else lives there.

There is a picture of the kitchen I am leaving behind in my original post. (THIS ONE ABOVE. THE POST I USED TO START THIS DISCUSSION). I loved it. But everyone here has a kitchen like that, and this condo has a lot of expensive cabinetry that I would like to make the best of. I mentioned that I do not like the counters and backsplash. I don't like the floor, but with the weird transition to the living room, I don't know what could be done about that. Those of us who are very analytical, but have zero design sense have a hard time even knowing what we want, much less experessing it. It's easy to have a home (like my old one) with white oak wood floors, white shaker cabinets, and quartz countertops because we see those everywhere. I do not want to rip out the kitchen and put in a kitchen like that. I know something could be done with this kitchen that I would like, but I don't know what that would be. I do love the look of the counters in the featured post. I had googled light brown cabinets with light counters, but the brown was always wrong, etc. I have tried to address every comment looking for more information in my original post, in some comments, and by highlighting a featured answer, but obviously I haven't been successful.

Review:

" I'd like some ideas about how to update this condo I am thinking of buying. I live in FL and prefer coastal, but....."

Then......

"Everyone here has a kitchen like the one I left behind....."

( because it feels "COASTAL" ? )

You don't have the words to describe what you want. Fine! Google " Gorgeous kitchens in Florida"

Gorgeous modern Kitchens in Florida..

If you want to rip the kitchen to WHITE oak? Find 125 k.......not 50k!

You have not bought the condo, you have not spent a day in the Condo. You are committed to nothing. Dicker the condo price down by a 150K and rip the kitchen and all of the flooring!

At some point, this is a rather a first world problem is it not? It begs the question......why are you moving? Or why this one?

PS..... nobody wants to do a deep dive for the former kitchen we can't see on the other thread.....but if it ISN'T a kitchen you'd repeat? Post it anyway. We'll know what you do not want?........

It will help to bring in a local designer. Walking through the place with someone is easier than photos we are seeing on small monitors. The designer should be able to figure out what you don’t like, what you think you want and what it would cost down there.

Or are you hesitant to buy it until you get some ideas on how to make it look different?

Your present space/kitchen look quite put together-did you have a designer for that? Because to me it doesn't look like a space of someone with no design sense.

For the potential new condo, for sure new counters/backsplash. Floor TBD.

Jan Moyer.

From my comment which you referred to in your last post. I have added capitalizations where I believe the comment already addressed what you are asking:

"There IS A PICTURE OF THE KITCHEN I AM LEAVING BEHIND in my ORIGINAL post. I loved it. But everyone here has a kitchen like that, AND THIS KITCHEN HAS A LOT OF EXPENSIVE CABINETRY THAT I WOULD LIKE TOMAKE THE BEST OF. I mentioned that I DO NOT LIKE THE COUNTERS AND BACKSPLASH. I DON'T LIKE THE FLOOR, but with the weird transition to the living room, I don't know what could be done about that."

PS..... nobody wants to do a deep dive for the former kitchen we can't see on the other thread.....but if it ISN'T a kitchen you'd repeat? Post it anyway. We'll know what you do not want?........

The picture is not in a different thread, it is right above here in what I call the original post. I am not sure what else to call it. I would repeat it, but as you have said, that would be a $150k project, so I am trying to work with what is already there.

And as I have said, I really like the countertop suggested-and I featured that post. It looks nice with the cabinets.

I know what a gorgeous kitchen looks like, and I could create one from scratch by copying pictures, which is how I do most of my decorating. What I do not know how to do is fix an existing kitchen.

Summary: I am looking for a way to update the kitchen. I don't like the countertops and backsplash. I don't like the floor, but there is that weird transition to the living room so I'm not sure what I can do about it. This is the former kitchen, as posted in the post that started this whole thread so that everyone could see it without having to read through all the comments. This was a new construction condo. I just had to pick out the cabinets and counter top.

I am moving because I am getting divorced.

Redryder, yes, I don't want to buy it until I can see a way to improve the kitchen.

Kccooz07 it was a new construction condo. I just had to pick the cabinets and countertops.

"Redryder, yes, I don't want to buy it until I can see a way to improve the kitchen."

A version of....I'll know what I like when I see it"

That is not possible here. It needs to be "designed" . Even if we all said together and in unison?.

Just. Do. This!

You would not yet be able to envision or SEE it.

It follows that you either take the leap of faith and purchase, or you don't

Once you decide? You get an INTERIOR designer, and and a pro KD who he/she will recommend.

Are You are willing to RIP all the other flooring and unify? Are You are willing to get all new stainless appliances, a hood matched to cabinetry or other.. Are You are willing TO PAINT the existing, or you are willing to rip it all. You want all new everything? You want someone to tell you what, show you renderings, go to a stone shop, pick tile and all? Then you best hope it doesn't sell in the meantime.

The point here? the last kitchen you "created" could be called the kitchen of NO decision. Builder spec, lovely but commonplace. Two decisions and done, from a limited number of builder spec possibilities.

This. Is. Not. That. Scenario.

Also? Fresh from divorce is not the best time for huge decisions. Find a very good rental for a year. You aren't ready for big decisions/ multiple decisions from a wide open field of possibilities..................... Yet.: ) and you will definitely not get a unified consensus of opinion in this design help format./ Houzz. You are not even willing to go online, do some time involved homework, and show us a kitchen you do feel is "updated", coastal, and something you would love to have.

You'd have to do that with any interior designer, or Pro K.D as none will spend a thousand hours trying to read your mind.

Here are some kitchens I like.

I also like both pictures Jan Moyer posted.

I can envision it with Housegal's counters. Major improvement.

I am renting now. That is where the living room picture is from. The kitchen is the kitchen I left behind to move into the rental when I moved out about 9 months ago. Now I am ready to buy something.

You see NO common thread right here?

Come onnnnnnnnnnnnn! It's white, plus color plus rattan/texture accent.! that is all it is! and you aren't "sick of white, you keep choosing white!

Paint all the cabinetry, WHITE , fill all the hardware holes and free yourself for new.( with some exceptions below?) Decide the flooring issue for the entire condo. Keep renting, because you need time to RIP IT, and it IS what is hanging you up.

Pick an accent!!! What about a palm green or great cobalt blue here?

Get a new counter, lose the backsplash, all stainless appliances.

Add your rattan accents, these pops of c.o.lo.r

If you still can not imagine? Get the designer and let her read the entire thread, inclusive of what I just typed and then close the darn deal and get busy. Start with the darn floor and 100K : ) to get what you clearly want.

Maybe you need to find an AI-savvy designer who can play around with ideas for the new kitchen and offer some costs to you as well. Redoing the countertops and backsplash to lighter stone would make a HUGE difference in this kitchen. Your own furniture will work with it since it looks neutral in the photos posted.

I would ask you the more important real estate question - is this the right space, in the right neighborhood, for the right price? Because I believe you can change the kitchen to be what you want. It may be 50k the first year but all of us spend money on our houses slowly over several years.

While not a real estate expert st all, it’s hard for me to envision a major condo purchase decision based on on kitchen surface/ decor elements. I can certainly see functional kitchen decisions- I’ve toured many homes where the layout was very bad AND opportunities to improve were limited by the floorplan, views, structural conditions ( not dealing with near complete house gut/ tear down).

So it seems you need more focus on location, does kitchen seem quite functional as to how you live, his is natural light, functionality of other rooms, price( both value- price and how it compares to what wiggle room you need for personalizing it) , what’s the market like.

So here at least you’re getting a fair amount of, the kitchen looks pretty good as- is/ maybe some new counters.

How did you feel when you walked in ? And compared to others you walked in.

If you were very confused or dealing with low mood that makes it hard to “ see” or feel like you’ve found something that does or could feel like home, that’s where the rental option comes into play. Though I guess there could be reasons why you can’t do that— maybe there’s not much on the market or the leases are punishing.

I too have often looked at houses from a place of immediate criticism of very superficial finishes/ colors. Especially because I don’t have big confidence in finding and dealing with contractors, tradespeople to “ do stuff”. So I have to really make myself look past that, while still being realistic about red flags or reno issues that are really huge.

Maybe I missed something in the, um, back and forth, but seems pretty straightforward to me, to get this kitchen more in line with your white-blue-light wood preferred aesthetic. New white/off white backsplash and counter (square off that blobby peninsula), keep the cabinets blond, as a bonus move you could paint the built in hutch blue or green as suggested- and start adding color with decor. I'd change the light fixtures to be less industrial and softer as well.

The condo is in a fantastic location and is in the building I am renting now. I love the neighborhood.

I think the comments have been very helpful. I now see a way to get a quartz counter with a brownish tint that looks great thanks to Housegal. It looks like it was made for those cabinets.

I am now able to see that the flooring is a huge problem, and even if that tile planking in the living room and bedroom is fairly new, I need to rip up all the flooring, including the black marbly bathroom tile that has another bad transition. I'd like to put in wood floors, but I will need to be careful to find something that meshes well with the cabinets - something I am not so great at discerning.

I love Jan Moyer's suggestion to paint that little bar nook blue or green as an accent.

I also Jan's suggestion of stainless steel appliances is good. It helps to hear it from someone else because I need a little push to "waste" perfectly good things.

I am attaching another picture of the rest of the kitchen. And the laundry area, which is in the foyer, that may be able to be treated differently, too?

I think I have also figured out that, unlike Facebook, it is better to put the photos in the comments rather than the original post. Thank you.

If you need encouragement to waste money and tear out perfectly good things -- you've come to the right place. You will get tons of justification and ways to make you feel less guilty about it.

If this were in a building I already knew was great and a location I liked, I'd snag it in a heart beat. New counters and splash will be a huge change. Square off the wonky bubble counter. Get light fixtures that are coastal.

Once you add your own decor - counter stools, furnishings, art to the space, I don't think the floors will feel like a big deal.

Starting with the floors is a good idea. Get samples of different planks and look at them near the cabinets. I’m thinking a medium, neutral brown tone would look great. After the floors, you can move in and do the rest slowly. If you love the building and location, what would make you hesitate to put in an offer?

RedRyder, thank you. Just concerned that there wasn't anything I could do to make the kitchen appealing to me.

There is always room for improvement on someone else’s design choices. I have refaced two kitchens when the layout worked but the colors didn’t. You can ultimately choose that as well. But get the floor color right and the whole place will be better for your furniture, accessories, etc. I told you my vote. :)

There's engineered European Oak flooring that melds with your cabinets.

https://www.hakwood.com/en/products/engineered-wood-flooring/

Taj Mahal quartzite will be a better choice for the counters and as a slab backsplash than quartz. Quartz is 35% resin.