If you paint the cabinets a shade of gray with green (vs blue) undertones, the pink will read more beige....changing the handles will help, too. You can also add interest and distraction to the wall between the upper and lower cabinets by displaying a colorful platter on a plate stand or hooks to add an element of your taste in the space...

How long will you be in this home? I'd do nothing that can't be undone easily and inexpensively. Replace the pulls and focus on getting the space as neat and pulled together as you possibly can. Put away anything that's not used everyday. This kitchen looks extremely small, could you add a cart or shelf to hold microwave, toaster and coffee pot?

When the landlord says you can paint, does he mean the walls or cabinets or both? Painting cabinets is a big job requiring 3 or 4 steps to do it right.

Get a colorful indoor/outdoor rug to add a bit of interest and cover those tiles.

FYI, don't accept anything verbal as allowing you to paint. Make sure you have it in writing from the landlord. I'm a Realtor, believe me, it is far better to have it in writing especially if you are talking about painting. The landlord could very well be assuming you mean walls so it is best to clarify in an email to your landlord and have the landlords consent back to you via email. Some leases require an addendum to do any changes whatsoever.

WOW! OK mfwolfe I take your point. And Denita, yours too. You're right. It's not my house. I'm busy cooking kabeljou (a South African line fish) with lemon, garlic, herbs and spring onions. Serving with creamed spinach and roasted red baby potatoes. Good food makes everything look better! Thanks for your advice.

I don't think I would paint... its a rent, I wouldn't invest too much time or money. If the landlord was ok with getting them painted, then have him hire someone to do it, so that way he can't say you did it on your own. However, maybe just changing the hardware would make a difference you "could live with"... maybe add some accessories on the counters, scatter rugs, and maybe an island...

How long do you plan to live there and how much do you want to spend for something temporary? And how much DIY can you do?

Hi Santoslhauper, we plan to stay five years. My husband's really good at diy.

Try asking the home owner to let yoy remodel the place and perhaps they can give you some credit towards your monthly rent. Some landlords are flexible.

OK, here's what I would do - Take down that random board under the top left cabinets (?). Get some plexiglass from Depot, and cut it as tight to the size of the backsplash area as possible (use small, high count toothed jigsaw blade. Don't go full speed on the saw or you'll melt the plexi). Sand one side with a random orbit sander. It'll be whitish after that. Pick a color (or colors) of rustoleum spray paint and spray the plexiglass. You can use tape to make squares or subway tile pattern, whatever. Then set it in front of the backsplash and silicone caulk it around the edges. When you move out, cut and peel the silicone off.
For the cabinets, if you are willing to spend a bit, you could make replacement doors out of plywood. Paint them or stain them, then mount them in place of the other doors. If you don't want to make plywood doors, you could buy some outdoor fabric and wrap the original doors. Pin them on the backside with upholstery thumbtacks (when you move out, use wood filler to patch the holes).

as opposed to painting the cabinets, changing out the backsplash is much less permanent, and should be an easier DIY project also. I also had the idea of adding a rug, so maybe with a great rug that you like and a more contemporary backsplash, the cabinets would be tolerable. And maybe if you do a great job with the backsplash, your landlord would allow you to replace the floor tiles!

I agree that using plexiglass and painting it is a great idea for the backsplash. As for the cabinets, Murphys oil soap will give new life to the cabinets. Add new hardware and display tiles of your favorite pattern on the countertops. They can be used to put your coffee maker, toaster, and etc.. on . I find painted tiles in rehab stores like Habitat for humanity. They add pattern and texture to an otherwise drab kitchen. They range in size but the bigger the better. Add new towels on a towel bar hung from the lower cabinet and a bowl of fruit. Too much can happen when remodeling and when it isn't your home you really shouldn't take the chance. It would be costly to replace the cabinets and countertops if the owner sues.

Buy a nice table to use as a kitchen island, and take it with you when you move out. Get an old farm table cheap and top it with a custom marble slab, for sometimes the same price as a nice table.

I suggest you paint the cabinets in one soft colour to make them become just a back ground. Change the hardware, and use colourful tile for the back splash. If you also emphasize the basket collection on top of the cabinets by removing unrelated items, the kitchen will become 'yours'.

As a landlord, I would never approve a tenant to do the things you are requesting. When the landlord said you could paint, they surely meant walls. Like others said, get it in writing, or be careful in what you do. I love the idea of the plexiglass backsplash and changing out the door hardware. Your dinner description sounds yummy.

I really do suggest painting the cabinets, this is a direct link to a website with relatively enixpensive countertop paint as well as cabinet paint. I suggest you look at the website and take into conciteration the clever giani granite paint kits. Also, if you search up on google or youtube, they have many tutorials and before after pictures :) hope this helped http://gianigranite.com/

As a landlord I'm agree! I would never let a tenant paint what you are asking to paint. I think your landlord meant the walls! That is the down side of renting. You have to live with it.

Ann has been pretty busy cooking since January 18th and has not posted any replies. She seems to have decided not to paint the cabinets

Let's let her keep cooking since that is what she loves

Haha! Yes, busy cooking, studying, making a beautiful garden and "living with it" (my kitchen). I loved all the ideas. And took seriously the advice of landlords who were kind enough to comment. No painting for me!! Added an island (my granny's old teak server with a marble top, just as Remodel Advocates suggested). Also tidied away a lot of the clutter. Planting up the garden has allowed me to express myself (which is probably what I needed when I wrote my post) and now that it's spring in the southern hemisphere, it's giving me such joy! This house was obviously much loved at some point before it became a rental - when I'd cleared the garden (don't worry, landlords, just clearing and filling gaps!!), I found long-forgotten plants (some you can't even buy in nurseries any more), an incredible, exotic Scilla (flower head bigger than three fists) and an ancient, deep red, climbing rose. I have sent so many friends to Houzz. And they have been as blown away by all the support as I was! Thank you SO much for helping - and saving me from myself. Sorry I went silent :)

All's well that ends well!
post pic of 'new' kitchen & the garden and let's put a bow on this.

OK! Here's a photo of the island - Granny's server + top (my husband reminded me it's granite, not marble, and the wood is oak I think, not teak!), with Granny's tea set and salver on the shelves below. It makes me very happy to have something of hers in my kitchen with me - she taught me to cook, afterall, and this server stood in her dining room (sans the top). It's one of those clever, old inventions - turns into a card table if you pull the shelf out towards you! Now I need to brush up on the bridge she taught me too! Still looking for the right rug - will post when I find it - and garden pics to come (a bit overcast in Cape Town today)! Thanks again, everyone.