I most definitely am open to painting the cabinets and walls...my dilemma is the color combo if I'm stuck with the counter tops (I think I could maybe swing changing the backsplash and stay under budget)
My thoughts:
Black or dark gray cabinets - but I have stark white appliances???
White/ivory cabinets - will the under color break through, or will brush strokes be obvious??

Amyruth- thanks for the great suggestions and photolinks. I am loving the idea of doing the island a darker color than the cabinets - fabulous!!

I'd welcome any further inspiration out there :)

I would paint out the Cabinets in a warm white nothing to crisp and paint out the Island in a nice espresso finish. If the your budget aloes you I would update your handles as well. When you can afford it I would change the blinds to ones that site on the out side of the trime in an espresso finish to balance out the island. I wouldn't worry about the back splash at the moment, I would concentrate on the cabinets first you might be surprised and find that it works with the kitchen once everything is done.

Hello. I really like the color of the granite and back splash. I won't change those.
I would paint the cabinets antique white or maybe cream, and the island black.
The white appliances will blend in with light color cabinets, won't stand out as much as they are now.
I would add new handles, new light fixture above the island and new wall color. I would also add upper trim to the cabinets and paint them to match the new cabinet color. It would make the cabinets look more finished and custome. You could also add lower trim with under cabinet lights. We just done those and put the liths on a dimmer. It looks great.
You could also add a feature wall with a different color. Good Luck

So our closing was pushed back a bit, giving me more time to ponder (this can be dangerous!)
My hubs thinks we should just leave the cabinets exactly as they are until we do our total overhaul in the future (who knows when our finances will allow this). He wonders if repainted cabinets drops future buyers appeal (juuuust in case something happens and we don't get around to the overhaul we planned) I anticipate being in this home for at leaast 7 years. I'm positive we can overhaul sooner than later, but I'd still like to update in the meantime with painting white cabinets and a dark gray island.
One never knows what the future will bring.... thoughts?

hi! I am a oak lover so i dont agree with painting them but if you must, how about doing a wipe-on-wipe off antiquey look rather than a solid white? Maybe paint the island a color you like, you mentioned green and the oak will look great with green and floors and bksplash are neutral so it works. It is a very nice kitchen. Put your money in accessories...a stunning art piece, a piece for the island, some new green towels and placemats, a rich red background drapes with large floral that you can pull the green from. the focus will be on the gorgous fabric and off the wood, which i like :) choose a green from the panel again and make a plain textured flat valance across the window for modern look, change the hardware and it will look so different. To paint all of those is a week at least project, and minimal 200$ wall paint and supplies another 100, panels ?cost is up to you but could be as low as 50 dollars. If you sew you could buy an extra panel and cut it up and make a runner , dish clothes whatever. Just my thoughts, but i see a very pretty kitchen there.

Hello! I am a Realtor, and I can tell you that it really depends on the quality of the paint job. If it will turn out looking "home made", it will not be appealing to buyers. My neighbor had her cabinets painted by a profesional, and her cabinets look GREAT! You can't even tell, that they were painted later and not original. Other options: 1. refacing the cabinets. This will cost about half or third of the replacement cost. 2. have a professional stain the wood a darker color. Dark wood kitchens are also in right now.In case you would paint the cabinets, the other thing I would do as a Realtor, is make all the cabinets the same color through out the house. The kitchen's new cabinet color will not look so different from the rest of the house, and the hole look of the home will show more consistency, rather than an after thought. In your case you could use any of the 2 colors you are using in the kitchen. White of course will go with any wall color. I would also add upper trim to the cabinets and paint them the same white color as the cabinets. It will make the kitchen look more expensieve and finished. A professional , and having done all the cabinets will cost a little more, but remember you get what you paid for. In case you will try to do it your self. Start with a small bath's 1 cabnet door's inside for a test, so you can see how it will look. In case you don't like it you can just put the door back, and it will not look so bad. I painted furniure before. Don't skip on the sanding and primer. You can buy primer and paint in a spray paint can. That will not leave brush marks! If you use a roller for the primer, get the one made for painting furniture or cabinets. But since this is a kitchen, and the cabinets will be used every day, the handy job paint will chip. I would pay the professional for sure! The other thing I would consider is that what state do you live in. White cabinets are popular in some states. But for example not as much in Colorado.

This is what I mean by the upper and lower trim making a more finished look.
Please click on the photo to see full size.

Your cabinets, counters and tile is fine - the wall color needs to go.
Paint the walls in the kitchen and breakfast room a nice pale green and im sureyou'll be much happier.

Big + 1 for painting out the cabinets. This is your most practical short term solution for a low budget, however that said, there should be nothing cheap on your preparations and paint.
I like using white/ warm white for the surrounding cabinets and using a warm grey-brown tone for your island. This will totally go well with the counter tops you have now because they too are warm colored.
If you never lifted a paint brush in your life, get a professional to do the work for you! Cabinets require heavy prep work and great attention to detail :-) Nothing worst then being finished and paint starts to peel off!

Since your thinking of remodeling your kitchen later down the road, I'd back off any other changes other then paint. Give yourself some time to live in the space and determine what will/ won't happen in the future. This way you don't spend good money twice.

I would be more inclined to simply change the wall color, cabinet hardware, and light fixtures. Changing these three is the least costly, least messy, and will have the most impact for the money (which you are trying to save to fund a big renovation down the road!) At the very least change the light fixture over the sink to a pendant that coordinates with the two other fixtures, however I would change all three to something more modern.
What is the style of your breakfast table and chairs and stools?

I think if you changed the wall paint you would be surprised and the difference in how things would look and then perhaps painting the island to look like a different piece. Then live in it for awhile as you collect your thoughts about who you are in this kitchen. I am really leaning towards the soft green gray paint for my cabinets as well and will probably take the plunge, but mine don't look as nice as yours! The island would be a good place to test! You can antique it a bit to for some character, or add some faux wood pieces to make it more furniture like. You could choose a wall color maybe either darker or lighter than the green you choose for any paint on the island. Good luck!

I agree with the others...I think that just changing the paint color will really help. Also, I think that dark dining set is too contrasting with the white appliances - it makes them stick out awkwardly. Get something not as heavy
Get rid of those blinds! If you get something that lets in more light, I think that (combined with the other suggestion of replacing the fixture above the sink) will make a HUGE difference!