Prevailing wisdom will tell you to just move in, live with it for a while and see what works for you and what doesn’t. I would remove that backsplash in a heartbeat, and I’d do it before I moved in. I’d choose a ceramic tile that harmonizes with the cabinet tones, probably like the Fireclay tile below.

That said, what you don’t want to do is make changes piecemeal without a plan. Are you ultimately going to change the cabinets and move walls? Then you will have wasted money on new tile by changing the backsplash. It would be worth it to me, but it’s no way to renovate a space.

The best way to start might be to start looking for inspiration images of kitchens you might realistically be able to have in your space. Then plot, scheme, plan, budget, and go.

A good first move requires a full floorplan with measurements of everything including doors and windows. Is there a basement and second floor? Climate location, family size, N-S orientation, any views. Budget and financing can be challenging.

Maybe show us what you did in your remodel so we know where you would like to go style wise. Function over aesthetic. What about this kitchen works well for you? It appears the cook was a serious cook top user. What does semi load bearing mean? I would be interested in a measured drawing of that entire floor. Is that the only living/lounging area? It seems odd shaped and the kitchen is odd shaped is there a way to gut them and square everything up? But maybe it's just the sectional and poor camera angles. No quick easy fix with that cabinetry. The rest of the home's trim out is white and I might prefer that to the pink cast of the cabinetry but a paint job wont fix the door style or the upper cabinets' height differences that are out of favor.

Your buggy is way out in front of your horse!

You don't know what is load bearing, and what is " somewhat" load bearing?!" We have no idea. You have not lived a day in the house. Move in, live with it for no less than 6 months.

To get any help, you need exactly what is load bearing, a full and detailed measure of the existing condition, and a budget.

This looks more like a decor issue that is not your style and not a dated house issue. Move in and see how you feel and what can change. For instance changing the appliances and the countertops and getting rid of the checkered decor will change the whole feeling of the home.

@eam44 I would be changing the cabinets, backsplash, and countertops. The flooring is also being replaced. I was generally trying to find/see inspo pics of others who have/had kitchens like this and what they did if they changed that 45° sink area. Thanks for your comment!

@dan1888 we would be using some equity from out current home to update this home. We are located in NC and home is east facing. We are a family of 3 with a large fur baby as well. I attached general floor plan from listing as reference to overall main living area. Thanks for your comment!

First thing to determine is what is your goal? Do you just want to make cosmetic changes or do you want to change the layout of your kitchen? Once you've decided that you can move forward in a direction guided by your decision. The advice people are giving you about moving in and living in your house for a while before making changes is very valid. Living there and using the kitchen will give you a much better idea of what works well and what doesn't.

You've got TWO dining spaces, opposite one another, and nearly same in size, with a kitchen squashed in between.

The "load bearing" IS the portion of wall in the kitchen that is cabinetry.

I'd call the kitchen a gut, blow it into the breakfast area, lose the too small and useless pantry between the two areas. Use the dining as all purpose and we can't even see it.

I'd do nothing to FLOORING, counters, or anything else before that space was used, in a different way.

Look at the PLAN : ) you posted.

As Norwood Architects asked, what is the scope for the Kitchen project? Are you just making cosmetic changes or are you planning a full remodel to fix functionality issues?

Yes everyone is saying to live in the house for 6 months or so, but that doesn't mean you can't start thinking about what you'd like to do. Even some preliminary planning is OK. Live with it, though, for a few months, you may find some things don't really bother you and others you thought you could live with might not be acceptable day-to-day.

When we purchased our current home, I knew going in I was going to have redo at least part of the Kitchen and pantry but I still lived with it a few months b/f actually doing anything to see how the existing worked in reality. In my case, my "experience" reinforced my desire for changes to fix the several frustrations with the Kitchen as-is but your case may be different. (We start the middle of September with our remodel!)

I wish more would read all comments or at least all the OPs comments before answering. She was specific enough in her posts after the original. I am very confused by the floor plan--nothing about the pictures say that kitchen is a square!

^^

Well......but for the clip off at the corner? It is square walls : )

Looking at the current kitchen,what hits the eye are: stupidly obvious wall signs...doh "kitchen" doh "gather...why do you need instructions above a table and chairs? So hopefully thankful that no one has gone overboard with sign instructions in ,say,a bathroom.Next, micro above range not ideal,next ,backsplash looks dirt smeared.
What I notice from seeing a few pics may not be jarring to you! Take your time to plan thoroughly .Sometimes minor tweaks can result in big improvements.Best wishes for a thoughtful makeover.

When we were house hunting 4 years ago, the kitchen was the first thing we looked at, and if it was awful, we didn't even look at the rest of the house (unless it was so cheap we could immediately fix it). Your kitchen is one I could have lived with - at least until I decided to replace the cabinets to gain drawers and run the uppers to the ceiling.

The reason folks recommend living in a house before tackling a large remodeling project is because you have no idea how this house will live for you. Perhaps you'll find you love the dining room, and eat all your meals there, so incorporating the breakfast nook into the kitchen would work. Perhaps you want the kitchen more open to the living room - or more isolated. Maybe after you move in you decide that finishing the basement is a bigger priority, or putting in a pool, or replacing flooring.

Good luck with your move.

Most advice on this forum is to live with it for a bit and figure out what works and doesn’t. When we renovated our old home we had no interest in that advice. We lived in it a month and then renovated the whole thing. Don’t regret it at all. But we knew we would be removing walls and dramatically changing kitchen so went in with that plan. If you want to replace floors, counters, cabinets but not change layout then I would look at different kitchen styles and colours and see what you like. Create idea books in this site to curate your plans and then bring to a professional for support with your preferences in terms of style a bit more nailed down. There are tons of pictures of kitchens to view here.

Our current home is a 1930 craftsman. I honestly don’t love open concept and like rooms to be defined and feel cozy. I’m not necessarily looking to knock down that one wall, but definitely change that 45° angle at the sink. This home works for us because it is less than 1/4 mile from my aging parents, offers privacy and more land than our current home. We’d be downsizing from 2700 sq ft on 2 levels, and this home has main living on first level. These are some pictures of our current home to maybe understand my aesthetics. The kitchen wasn’t renovated beside the flooring and dry bar added.

This was my amateur thinking but I don’t think you can square that one wall because it would make the hallway awkward.

I'd not get ahead of myself. It's a home where "you have an offer made"

Thanks Jan but I actually like to plan and I also like to spend my money wisely. This will be our forever home so I do want to make sure I can make the changes I want

I agree Candace. If the house can end up as you like it, then it won’t he a good buy. It absolutely makes sense to make sure it can be what you want in the end. Were there any professionals you worked with on your last Reno that you liked? What about doing a walk through with one of them, ideally a contractor, and getting a sense of what is realistic. We did that with a contractor and an inspector and it helped shaped our choices

@westcoast hopeful we did walk the home with my brother in law, who is a contractor, and did work on our current home. He would bring in his engineer IF I wanted that wall removed, but as I said, I don’t love open concept I just wanted to make the kitchen less closed in with the 45° angles and how narrow it is.

We all get what you want.

We didn't get great pictures: ) Nobody can tell much from screen shots, and while the kitchen doesn't show much better?

Gives posters a better sense to put with the plan.

( no, it didn't take me long to find it.......anyone could, and I am sticking to just what somewhat relates to the hidden living area beyond that kitchen and would ask, do you love the bath: )

Owner certainly loves word signs : )

It'd rather easy to see how once FITTED To the containing walls......it resulted in a big pinch ( below, same orientation

I think that Jan is correct. You have two nice dining areas on either side of your kitchen. It makes the most sense to incorporate the "Breakfast" area on your floor plan into your kitchen (= a nice sized kitchen). You would still be able to keep separation from your living area (which I also like having my living room separated from my kitchen (my kitchen has a hearth area in it with two leather chairs + an ottoman + a TV in a cabinet and built-ins for storage = when my girls were little, they had a place to play while I was preparing meals).

Do you have a formal dining room in your current home? If yes, do you use it often (or only for holidays/or special occasions)?

If I was certain that I was going to do the above, I would be very tempted to do it prior to moving into the home in order to avoid the mess/issues that accompany a kitchen renovation. However, if you don't know whether you want to lose one eating area - then it's best to wait and live in the space for awhile to see how it works for you. I know that you want to get rid of the angled sink (understandable) - but you need to see how the size of the kitchen works for you in order to determine what space you will be using for your kitchen = the current kitchen only OR the current kitchen + breakfast area.

If you combine the kitchen and breakfast area, you could extend the wall where the raised bar area (and sink) currently are which would provide a longer wall in your living room = more options re: seating/furniture layout in the living room.

I feel like most people know immediately upon viewing a home whether the kitchen size will work for them or not. However, even if you know that you want/need a larger kitchen, living in it for at least a month or two would help you discover any other issues that could be addressed as part of the kitchen renovation.

You need the hard measure of the existing condition. Every wall, window, opening and every dimension. It just isn't a thing you can do in the HERE and now: )

Jan, if you go back and read her comments she’s looking for inspiration and ideas not to produce a plan she takes to a team and makes happen. You don’t need a detailed floor plan with every dimension listed to get ideas and see what kind of layout may appeal to you. There is a ton that can happen now to provide ideas to OP about functionality, style and ideas.

"she’s looking for inspiration and ideas not to produce a plan she takes to a team and makes happen. You don’t need a detailed floor plan with every dimension listed to get ideas and see what kind of layout may appeal to you."

You can't get good ideas, concrete suggestions that may actually work!"

Were I standing in the Kitchen as the hired pro? I'd say :

Tell me every thing you like about this kitchen and LISTEN.

TELL me every thing you don't like.

Tell me how you cook, what you love to make, how you entertain, and how many the usual number. Do you love to bake, or you hardly ever bake?

Tell me how you do holidays......!

THEN I'd say......

I'm going to do a hard measure in here,right now, and in one week, I am going to come back with a draft/ layout based on everything you just told me.....with consideration of your budget, and what might be even BETTER, with a bit more budget. What works for you, next week!?"

You absolutely can get style ideas, textures, materials and more. Along with hearing from people about what they like in their kitchens and what works for them. She literally said, “I was trying to find/see inspired pics of others SH have/had kitchens like this and what they did if they change the 45 degree sink area”

I read every comment, including all of the op.

Better is to say...... or to ask oneself, if money were no object at all, and I like cozier spaces, what is really important to me in my kitchen?

Make a list.

Otherwise? You're talking about "just" relocating a sink, making it a "just bit more open to the living space" beyond and " just not so narrow" . All of which will mean that island moves, straightens out, and she needs more space , ALONG with a better use of the space now available.

Or...... I haven't spent thirty plus years with varying amounts of dynamite thrown at a hundred or more reno kitchens....: ) and the very different homes that may have contained them.

There is no 'just", we only wish there could be.

I'd go a little farther and take down the walls between the current kitchen and the dining room, living room and breakfast area plus remove the small pantry. For access to the dining room the two small, angled walls and the small segment at the bottom. Then remove the portion of the kitchen wall opposite.

Your living room is big enough to choose an island with a curved or angle cut side for conversational seating. And you've got kitchen space for very functional 48" wide work zones around the range, sink and frig.

We all know of your experience and expertise Jan. It is regularly shared and the advice you give has great value and really helps many people find their way. Also true is that not every post requires extensive detailed plans when the questions are just trying to get a sense of things.

The problem with this kitchen isn't that it's "dated". The problem is that it does not make efficient use of space. It is a reasonable size within the existing footprint to have a decent kitchen, unless you have specific needs that require more space (i.e. you must have double wall ovens).

Things I like: the floors! They look like solid hardwood; hopefully they go under the cabinets. Yes, it has no windows, but being open to both the nook and dining brings in some natural light. I would open up the door to the dining some more. The angled wall isn't the end of the world, since the sink isn't there; it would be a decent place for a MW, if you put in a proper range hood.

Things I don't like: lack of drawers, and narrow cabinets. The little drawers next to the range are virtually useless. The wall oven eliminates a lot of counter space, where a range would serve the same purpose. I would love to see the cabinets go to the ceiling - the staggered heights ARE a dated look. Are those 9' ceilings? You could gain a ton of storage space, and build in a place for a step stool.

The color of the cabinets clashes with the floor color (at least to my eye).

The pantry closet very much looks like an afterthought, and I'd bet money that it has 3 or 4 wire shelves (but hooray for you if I'm wrong!)

There does not appear to be a lot of storage in the house - no entry closet at all, either for the front door or the garage (I realize they open to the same location). But the garage is nice and big, so I assume there is plenty of space out there for shoes, jackets, maybe even a vacuum cleaner. You do need a convenient spot for a broom, so plan for that if you eliminate the pantry.

My only and final point to "investigating and prowling ideas" is but one......

Once you have a hard measure in the house you've firmly purchased?

There is SO much help available here on Houzz and it is free. Sometimes, folks don't realize the gem that is here in Pro and Gen pop contributions, all from experience that is sold to others, ( the pro's) or even just folks who've done a lot more than one or two homes and learned a lot.

The links below need a lap top, not a phone, for an idea just how MUCH help there is. You can't load and surf the processes on your phone...you need the whole of the 516 comments even if you're skimming the thread.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6359906/option-1-or-option-2-for-kitchen-layout

Here another........

Same thing below....it's a process..... : ) use the lap top or ipad

Not sure where Meg ended: )

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6495455/range-hood-wall-cabinets-design

There are many more , just like these.......

I love that you’re already thinking about how to make this home truly yours, it sounds like it has great bones with the basement and outdoor space. Kitchens from the late 2000s often feel dated because of the heavy cabinetry, darker granite, and more compartmentalized layouts, but there are some really effective ways to modernize it.

If removing the wall with the refrigerator isn’t an option due to structural constraints, you could still rework that elevation to feel more open and intentional. Consider:

• Lighter finishes: Swapping dark cabinets for a lighter wood tone or painted finish, paired with a warm quartz or natural stone countertop, will instantly brighten and modernize the space.

• Re-imagined refrigerator wall: Even if the wall stays, you could integrate it with tall pantry storage, hidden appliance garages, or a built-in fridge with matching cabinetry so it feels cohesive rather than like a divider.

• Opening pass-throughs: Instead of taking the wall down entirely, creating a large cased opening or adding a serving window to the living area could give you connection without compromising structure.

• Updated lighting: Recessed LED lights and statement pendants over an island can do a lot to refresh the overall look.

• Hardware + backsplash: Clean-lined hardware and a fresh backsplash (like handmade tile or slab stone) can completely change the feel without altering the footprint.

Since you’ve already been through a renovation, you know how impactful even finish-level changes can be. If you’re open to reworking the floor plan, I’d recommend having a designer or architect walk you through options for partial wall removal or adding a beam—sometimes what feels load-bearing can be re-supported in creative ways

Thanks for all the great responses and the ones who understood I was looking for examples or inspo. I obviously am not going to do any work myself and would consult professionals. Lots of homes in my area built at this time have this similar layout. Perhaps that’s regional. We do plan to make changes to the bathrooms as well. As far as the kitchen though, we do cook most nights. My husband also enjoys cooking. We do have a formal dining room in our current home, but it is not used unless we have guests over because we have an eat in space in the kitchen. I do need storage in the kitchen but not concerned about not having a lot of additional storage on the main level. We have a loft over the garage and storage space in the basement if we purchase this home. I would take the cabinets to the ceiling 100%, have a range hood, and do not need a double oven. If any of you come across a similar kitchen layout with before and afters, I’d love to see!

You might be able to search for before and after shots yourself by loading the layout in Google image search. Good luck!

Have you considered a mosaic splash?

Update. Here’s our finished product and I’m so happy with my decisions

Beautiful!! And beautifully integrated. Bravo!!!

It looks fantastic! Well done! I am looking to do a similar ledge above my range. Are you able to tell me the height and width of the ledge? Thank you!

WOW WOW WOW.. You did an magnificent job. I love it all. Enjoy that elegant space

Beautiful! I'm glad you love it, and thanks for the update!

Great job, it's an amazing transformation! Gorgous.

And so nice to see @Boxerpal here.

I still have so many kitchen pics she posted from back in the day! No one could find an image like Boxer!

Looks really nice! Love all your selections!

@gardener123 Oh My Thank you... So sweet to be remembered.