Family room attached to kitchen

More dark cabinets

You have a lovely home. Have you thought of skylights???

I don't think painting the cabinets is going to give you the look you want. You could spend a lot of money on this kitchen and still not be content. Why not sell and start again - if you can do that.

I see what you mean. It is a beautiful space, but the feel is rather dark & cozy. For a "cheap", quick impact, you could try switching out the barstools, rug and window treatments for a lighter color - maybe a sagey/gray green? If you do decide to paint some of the woodwork, you could start with the island cabinets, bookshelves and/or ceiling treatment.

I would remove all the rock from around the doors and range. It's too much and adds to the heaviness. I feel dragged down just looking at it. Go ahead and paint the wood if it's not working for you now. You see these kitchens, ceiling millwork, built-ins, and trim painted a variation on white every day and they look clean and crisp. Ditch the red and go with warm neutrals. Another possibility that would also update and brighten is to replace your granite with white/light quartz and then you could paint your walls a soft neutral. But Please remove the stone.

I agree with the others, you're home is beautiful and has great detail and woodwork. However, I do see what you mean. Everything in the room is "warm".

If it were me... I would leave the wood cabinets and trim - no painting. However, I would paint the walls a cool color. Think a light or icey blue. Blue works great with browns and would really compliment your appliances. A nice cool blue can really brighten up the space and is still neutral enough not to be a focal point or overpower the room.

I would also change the furniture and possibly textiles. The dark red barstools, living room chairs and curtains are very powerful, heavy and create a lot of drama (I mean that in a good way). It's a great look, but if your goal is to lighten it up try a light fabric sofa and/or chairs, curtains and rug.

For instance, If you chose a lighter rug but one with more texture it could really compliment your tile. If you chose a lighter, cool-colored fabric or even wood slated backed barstools, it would lighten up the island area. Instead of changing all of the family room furniture, I would start with chairs in a light fabric and leave the sofas. Chairs are relatively cheap and easier to change. Although I will say I love the chairs more than the sofas :) I would definitely change the curtains.

I would also say that although I love the pic you pinned, it's the polar opposite of what you have. I find that when I start pinning or adding pictures to my idea books that are THAT different from what I have, it's just the frustration of what I'm dealing with or the daydreaming kicking in and not necessarily the reality of what would work. For instance I love white tiled bathrooms. However I have little boys traipsing through my house on a regular basis. You know those boys that play outside all the time and bring most of the outdoors in with them? So it just isn't an option for their bathroom. Alas...

Good luck :)

While I'd call your spaces "rich" rather than "dark," I see no lighting other than ambient ceiling fixtures - I call those, "light to see how to get into a room in the dark" so you can turn on the lamps - task and accent lighting." Install LED light strips under all the cabinets that overhang counter tops. You can also place them on the tops of your cabinets so the walls above them softly glow. I think you need a semi-flush fixture in that dark hallway off the kitchen. See if you can match it to the pendants over the island. Light the interiors of your shelving that flanks the FP. Wallpaper the backs of the shelves and the tray ceiling between the coffers with a warm gold reflective paper. You can wrap custom cut luan or foam core with the paper so you don't actually wallpaper the original shelving. Restyle the shelves with 1/3 books, 1/3 decor and 1/3 open space. Replace the ceiling fan with a stunning chandelier. Paint the black baseboard and crown a creamy white. It is visually putting a dark "lid" on the space and a line all around it. Replace the dark area rug with a lighter one that has some pattern, which you're missing. I'd also use a round glass and metal coffee table over which the chandelier would hang - you might match the metal on chandy and table and this vignette will add some sparkle. Glass will open the space and make it feel more light and airy too. Later, you might replace the wood shelves at the FP with glass shelves. I think you'll love the space with these little changes, and it will look even richer! Even if you sell and move on, these changes will help sell the home. Someone will love it.

Can you replace the bar chairs for lighter or vibrant colored ones? Or add splashes of sunny color?

And perhaps add whimsy by painting the stove hood and built in cabinets (in family room) a fun turquoise or other sunny shade of color, changing the drapes to a light color and texture. :). Beautiful stonework! Take out the brick backsplash and make the texture neutral (Glass tile or something smoother?). :)

http://houzz.com/photos/162465

I think your home is beautiful, but I understand you wish to update a bit. I am currently doing the exact thing to my overly warm, desert colored home. I would do the easy and cheaper things before painting woodwork and cabinets.

The granite, stone, tile and gorgeous wood tones would go nicely with new neutral paint such as BM Horizon Gray, a greeny gray or something like BM Gray Cashmere, a bluish greenish. The bar stools and drapery are lovely, but changing those to something lighter and updated would move you closer to your goal. Accents such as art and pillows in cool tones.

I realize I chose warm and cozy for a reason. The trend may be white and cool tones, but by making a few changes to my decor, my home will be cozy and updated. I like the Decorologist's blog and the amazing transformation she makes with new paint colors. She does paint color consultations too.

the fundamental problem is the low ceiling. I would have guessed you added the rock work to go further with the cave theme, but yes, it seems clausterphobic. All the massive elements reinforce that- the giant hood, the unweildy pendant lamps, the barstools, the ceiling insets. IMO, I would most definitely brighten and cool the paint, I'd paint those ceiling insets in the family room the ceiling color- they REALLY close down the room. The kitchen pendant lights can be lightened up considerably- i don't see a style point of view in those- they are needlessly heavy and drab. I would DEFINITELY paint all the ceiling trim the ceiling paint to open up the space. I would focus on opening up the whole room by lighting up all the ceiling elements rather than painting them kitchen cabinets. There's nothing you can do with that hood, but you could soften that rock around it. The burgundy elements can all be changed out to soft pastels- the stools, the drapes. I would definitely change out the fam room carpet, add inset lighting above the built-ins around the fireplace, and add elememts in the fixtures and furnishings that bring in some sparkle. Like some chrome, or a glass coffee table, or sleek pendant lamps. the brown fan, the ornamentation above the drapes- it's all very heavy. Stick with light (nonmassive), sheer and sparkle elements to open things up. good luck.

Not sure if anyone recommended this already, but have you thought about uplighting? Lights on the tops of your cabinets to help brighten them?

Have you considered using mirrors? They reflect light in different directions making even the darkest of places brighter!

http://houzz.com/photos/509674

I get your dilemma! You will need a major overhaul to get the lighter feel. It's not just the colors weighing you down, it's the stone, counters, everything. I'd paint, remove all the stone and go with an off white counter. Paint the beams, replace the red with something fresher. A good paint color is BM white Dove for the cabinets.

I would love to see someone's Photoshop of this room with discussed changes!

Paint the uppers a rich cream/off white and leave the bottom cabinets as wood.

First step: get a sledge hammer and take that rock out of the kitchen. It's way too heavy.