If you're not doing much to this kitchen then plain, off white backsplash and countertops will go with the existing cabinets and create a decent blank slate for the future tenants. On the peninsula's open area, I'd remove the bars and put plywood stained to match on back of the opening. It would then make a decent cubby to stash the trash bin out of the way.

You need to re-work the cabinets in the sink area to accommodate a dishwasher. They make 18” dishwashers if that helps. And the peninsula should be made counter height. White Corian solid surface could make a nice backsplash and counter top, but if you want to keep the laminate counter, you can place white laminate over the substrate. Figure out your counters first, and we can give you advice on the backsplash - you can just paint it.

If you can replace the backsplash and counter I suggest a warm white because your appliances seem to be an off-white colour. If you're unable to replace the backsplash, paint it (lots of DIY on the subject on internet). Also paint all the walls in a warm white and replace all your window curtains with roman shades to give an updated look. Make sure to declutter the countertop.

If you are selling, do nothing to the kitchen, and price accordingly. If renting, add simple solid color white counters and simple white backsplash.

@Julie S - Thank you for your ideas and suggesting how to get rid of the bars on the penninsula as I never would have thought about staining plywood.

@eam44 - Thank you for all your suggestions -- and you have a good eye - as I only realized after I made the post that there is NO dishwasher! Thank you for sending the info for an 18" dishwasher as you are right - I don't have a 24" cabinet! And I like your idea of Corian or re-covering the existing laminate which might be better as neighborhood not high end. Thank you

@lisedv - Thank you for the Photo! And paint color suggestions. Huge difference in brightening everything up! The floral shade is a nice touch to get some color there. Thank you for your help!

I did an inexpensive renovation of my 60s kitchen before selling it. It was a waste of time (and money) as the buyers tore everything out and redid it anyway.

The most important thing is to decide whether you are going to sell or rent this property.

The changes that you would make for sale (if any -- as noted above by @eam44) would be different from the ones that you would make for a tenant.

And if the resale or rental is years away, you might consider different choices so you can enjoy them while you are living in the property. That would apply especially to the dishwasher.

@Seabornman - Thank you sharing your experience. I just since this is a small kitchen not in the best of neighborhoods that any refresh would help both sale and rental. So, it is definitely a balancing act as to what to do.

@kempek01 - Thank you for your input. My problem is that I may be moving to next state over and am not sure if I want to sell now or rent in case I want to come back. So, I am trying to refresh the kitchen for both scenarios. A nicer kitchen will give me a better quality tenant as well as make the house more marketable.

If you don't have a dishwasher, you're going to have trouble renting it for anything other than a vacation rental. A new owner is going to look at where to put one.

I'd price out replacing/painting the backsplash. I would get rid of all the frilly curtain-things. Your furniture is very traditional/folksy. I'd try to remove that vibe if you are selling, but it you are renting it furnished, you probably need to lean into it.

"My problem is that I may be moving to next state over and am not sure if I want to sell now or rent in case I want to come back."

With that in mind... I would treat it as a refresh on a year term rental. I would paint over the backsplash because, wow, hehe. But other than that. Clean the hell out of the whole house. Remove curtains, retain shades. If the house hasn't been painted in the last 5 or so years, give some bucks to a fresh coat everywhere. Anything that needs fixing, fix it. If the appliances are in goodly repair, I would not purchase new ones.

I would hesitate to remove the bars under the pennsula- it might be the structure holding the counter in place. You could have a box built to fill the space- but would it be worth it for a year rental? Up to you.

After that refresh. You can rent it out for a while. Or it's good and clean and fresh for open houses.

nicer kitchen wont give you a better tenant. i was a good tenant when I rented and a good kitchen or poor kitchen didnt make me a different tenant. the kitchen is nice anyway..its just old and small. lots of maybes....maybe move....maybe come back..maybe rent.... maybe sell. Have you thought that the situation warrants making some decisions.....in the meantime dont make mistakes......mistakes along the line of money spent and then discovered it was wasted.

i've known several people who rented out a 2nd or 3rd property for very good reasons.....doing education or work in other localities etc...so used a management company even tho some capital involved..... ALL aspects handled ..turned out to be money making in every case. .

@Kendrah Thank you. I think you are right.

Getting rid of the red tile will make a world of difference. The cabinets are on trend so leave as is. New hardware will bring them into this decade. They need a good cleaning. I might lose the peninsula all together and find a SS work area/island. Can't tell if you have other options w/o more pictures. Laminate counter top is very cost effective and comes in a ton of choices. But don't change it unless it's damaged. As said above if you are choosing for sale you have no idea what they would want. If you return spend the money then. I know many people who choose not to have a dishwasher. Hang the microwave over the stove, get one with an exhaust fan. They may not be the latest style but this kitchen is why people started mounting them over the stove!!

With your information about the area, I would, for rental, remove everything, like the curtains; furniture; clean everything thoroughly. You don't show the exterior, but do the best you can to make it appealing to the tenant and the neighbors.

For sale? Same routine; same presentation.

Spending money on appliances will not give you a return on your money.

Personally, knowing the house is not in a great neighborhood, get a good real estate agent and sell it. The cost of insurance, taxes, water bills (owner pays for water, not tenants) could be more than what you will get, per month, in rent. Then, you have to consider rental income must be included in your tax return...read up on rental/depreciation.

@Sigrid Thank you for your input on the dishwasher and most people wanting one. And yes - the frilly things will be gone.

@beesneeds Thank you for your good advice. I agree, I need to get the place cleaned up and ready for sale. It DOES need some fresh paint and more neutral colors. AND THANK YOU for flagging the bars in the peninsula as holding the counter up as I was planning to remove these and never thought that they might be needed for the strength of the penninsula.

@arcy_gw Thank you for your good advice. I was thinking of putting a microwave over the oven - as then there would be more counter space for sure. I thought of loosing the peninsula but it is attached to the cabinet - and now I have to worry of damage to the cabinet if I remove it. Any suggestion for hardware - the kitchen is small - should my hardware blend in - or pop (black)? And agree the red needs to go along with the curtain. The counters are in great shape but an acquired taste - not a fun mid century modern pattern. Like any older kitchen, you change one thing and then everything else looks old - meanwhile you change nothing and everything looks old together - so not sure where to stop. Thank you again

@elcieg Thank you for your good advice. I agree - it all needs to be cleaned, de-cluttered, etc.. The house is cute - caught back in time :) And thank you on the feedback that appliances won't help with the sale. I was thinking that any buyer would think - "well at least I don't need new applicances." Thank you

Just curious: what's the background on the house? Are these photos from the sellers when you bought it or was this house inherited recently? It can take a bit of readjustment to repaint and repair an inherited house.

18" dishwashers are great additions to kitchens where there's no 24" cabinet to put one in.

A microwave over the stove doesn't exhaust nearly as well as a good basic Broan or Nutone exhaust hood. If renting, leave the existing microwave for the tenants. If selling, let the new owners install their own choice of appliances. It's not worth the $300 product cost or the $250 installation cost to put in an over-the-range microwave in this case.

A new Formica countertop is far less expensive than a new Corian countertop.

https://www.formica.com/en-us/search-by-color/residential#sort=relevancy&f:@residentialproductline=[Formica%C2%AE%20Laminate%20-%20Residential]

It is rare that refreshing an already-okay kitchen for resale makes sense. If you can spend $1,000 and get rid of something small but glaring, sure. Repaint an especially bilious wall, install brighter light bulbs, etc.

Sometimes RE brokers want you to spend your money to make their job easier.

As for a rental, if the house is in a low-end area then add a dishwasher and call it good. Spend your effort screening renters.

Thank You everyone for all your good suggestions and comments. They certainly helped me think about what I wanted to do with this 60's kitchen. I contacted a business to see if I could have the tile re-glazed and the contractor commented that he "liked the red tile as it reminded him of red brick". I used Chatgpt to update the photo. I still am not sure what I will do but I am including the Chatgpt photos for fun -- all at different stages of changes. Thank you again.

(#1 - just new appliances(1); #2 With Add white blind(2); #3 With Add White tile and lighten counter(3).

I’m doing my kitchen right now to for a sale and don’t want to put money into it either. I am removing the cabinet hardware and filling it with wood putty, painting the cabinets with Sherwin-Williams paint, I can’t remember the exact one, but it’s supposed to be the best for it, and then, if you don’t like the tile, they make the tile paint you could use. They also make countertop paint or the sheets that you can stick on as what we’re going to go with. We just have black appliances and no backsplash. We just wanted to look updated.