Agreed, a white cabinet with wood accents provide the sense of 'cottage 'feel.

I agree with @nachoz painting the cabinets white would make a big difference. If you are planning to do this yourself we have a blog that may be helpful. http://budgetmybuild.co/remodeling/how-to-paint-kitchen-cabinets/ You may also consider changing the hardware on your cabinets. Lowes has a great tutorial on refinishing cabinets and updating cabinet hardware. http://www.lowes.com/cd_Refinishing+and+Cleaning+Kitchen+Cabinets_665842519_

definatly paint all the cabinets white and find a nice kitchen island

Hi there! Congratulations on your new cottage - I hope you will create many happy memories here! I love the ideas for painting the cabinets white, which is the quintessential cottage cabinet color, to be sure. However, you could also go fun and bright and funky - you could paint just the uppers white and the lowers a bright color, or paint all the cabinets one happy color. I like the idea of a small island in there, as was suggested. This will give you a bit of extra prep and storage space, or maybe could be set up as a bar cart. Pic one shows an Ikea bar cart.

The cupboard above the pantry that is missing a door could be treated as open shelving by removing the other door and covering the chipboard at the back with breadboard. You could then paint it a contrasting color that will pop, and place a few pieces of white ceramic dish ware in it - serving bowls, platters, etc. Also, where you are missing a panel on the sink apron, you could place a dummy panel and hang a towel bar on it. This would come in handy for hand drying during food prep.

Your light could be replaced cheaply with something fun and modern. A couple of ideas shown below. I'm also posting a couple of tea towels from Crate and Barrel, as well as a bunch of inspiration pics for cabinet colors. Just have yourself a lot of fun with color here until you can replace the cabinets with those lovely white ones!

Drum shades and a couple of kitchens.

More kitchens.

A more modern take, but still in keeping with what you have is to use two colours. EG: paint the bottom cupboards one colour and the upper cupboards another colour. Add a funky rug, maybe chevron and that's a pretty good start!

I should be working, but can't resist. Paint all white, old-fashioned round kitchen table (also white or wood), and ... like this.

Curtain and dog from countrycurtains.com, drum shade from http://www.ebay.com/bhp/green-drum-lamp-shade.

Floors are fine. I would paint the cabinets a warm white/ivory. Find a small island (on wheels?) Try to get the front sink panel replaced, and the busted door???

@Rina, Brilliant - cute puppy as focal point = instant fun!

Thanks, Karemore. Isn't he scrumptious? And isn't it a super kitchen? I love that tangerine colour; it's rich and subtle and zappy all at the same time. What are you thinking about all this, Patricia?

Hi Patricia! One fun aspect of your room is what looks like white-painted beaded porch ceiling - perfect for a cottage. Are there a refrigerator and range across the room?

The broken doors are part of an "interesting" assemblage of doors, etc. which forms the less-than-wonderful focal point of your room. This visually dominant area asks to be re-worked.

If your floor and ceiling run through below and above this structure, I'd remove the whole thing, in favor of some free-standing cottage-style furniture pieces of whatever sort come to hand. ...for a more relaxed, casual look. Best wishes in your new place! Mark

First of all thank you so very much for your brilliant ideas! We spent the weekend at the cottage to clean up and get a feel for what can/needs to be done. We primed the walls with white paint to start with. I agree that the vandalized unit on the left needs to go. Good point is that as a result we might have a gap on the ceiling if the paneling does not go all the way. If so we could cover it with shelving. We decided as most of you suggested on white paint for cabinets and in addition a wood counter top from ikea. The colour ideas karemore55 will nicely freshen up the space. I very much like the idea of an island to have extra space to work on or do arts and crafts with the kids. Right now the stove is on the right side of the window. I would like to move it where the sink is and integrate the sink in the island. I will keep you updated with photos as we proceed. Thanks again for your time and thoughts!

Happy cottaging, Patricia!

For inspiration check out my "Rustic Elegance" board on Pinterest, there are a lot of beautiful rustic kitchen design ideas

http://www.pinterest.com/bryghtcom/rustic-elegance/

I think you should definitely tear out that very awkward cabinet. The positive side of that is that maybe it would be possible to use the doors and the frame lumber from the unit to build an island. The doors already would match what you have. As for the ceiling, since it is beadboard, you probably could match it, and "patch" it, since, I assume, you will painting the ceiling, also.

Check out my post and kitchen Reno in VT cottage - slate teal walls with off white cabinets and slate gray countertops and gray porcelain wood style flooring with barn doors!