We just moved into a cottage/farm style home built in the mid-80s with a knotty pine kitchen and knotty pine trim throughout, which needs a new kitchen, and 3 1/2 new baths. One redeeming aspect is it has heart of pine floors through the main floor. We chose it primarily because it's on a private, heavily wooded (naturalized) 2 acre lot in a sub of higher end homes on 2 - 20 acre lots, so we can improve it without going beyond value in the area. However, we can only afford to tackle making the kitchen presentable right now, as we need to move and install an entirely new 1st floor master this year. My quandary is how to add seating in the kitchen right now, and whether to paint the cabinets and install a new backsplash to make it more acceptable. The front window looks onto the front porch and is only 18 inches from the floor, so putting a table in front of it feels wrong (this is what the previous owner did, though.) There is a 48w"X13"dX82"h pantry unit sitting perpendicular to the window wall (you can see it in the photos) which I'm proposing to move alongside the window, and purchase an antique hutch of approx. the same size to go on the other side of the window to balance it out. I would paint all trim, walls, cabinets and these units a soft, warm white. To provide seating, I'm proposing to have an extension built onto the island, which is currently 50"wX27"dX36"h that would be a level higher - 42", and would measure 50"wX27"d, and would have two legs supporting it, and would waterfall down to the existing island. I think this would provide seating for at least three and possibly four. There is eight feet of space from the current island front to the window, but this is also the traffic zone from the mudroom to the living room. The window over the sink is quite large, 72" wide, before trim, and offers a lovely view. There is currently about 40" of walkway around the three kitchen sides of the island. My concern is whether there will be enough space when folks are seated at the island to walk comfortably around it. I have looked up the standard measurements and taped the objects out on the floor, but need reassurance that this is the best way to go. Putting a table in front of the window just throws the whole room out of balance, as does that pantry on the wrong wall. This kitchen is 15"X15" with a cathedral ceiling with skylight, recessed lighting as well as two pendants, and a ceiling fan. I plan to replace the ceiling fan and the recessed light over the sink with some type of pendant/chandelier lighting, and have new pendants installed as well. Yes, the backsplash is incredibly ugly and is only on one wall (behind the stove) and there is rope trim on only one bank of cabinets and there are pulls on only some cabinets! Despite the pine being unique, I really don't think I can live with it, even for a year or so. Should I paint it?