We're listing our house next month so we're hip deep in these kinds of decisions. If you're unloading the house in a year, I don't think it's that big a deal if you're tired of the color of the carpet, you're going away and leaving it. ;-) Since the carpet "looks great" and Karastan is a high quality product, as long as it's a neutral color I would just have it deep cleaned and leave it. It probably has several more years of useful life in it, Karastan's pretty well known for being long-lived. If it's an odd or very dated color like pink or teal, removing it and installing a midrange neutral-colored carpet (that isn't Berber, a lot of people really hate Berber and would consider it a strike against the house) might be a good plan, but I would wait until it's closer to listing time so it looks newer and you can advertise it as "new carpet". You can put a couple of large area rugs on top of the existing carpet (they make a special rug anchor pad for putting area rugs on top of carpeting, to keep them from buckling and sliding) to jazz it up for your remaining time there. However, if you're bent on removing the carpet, ceramic tile over electric heating mats (like Suntouch) would be a nice option to consider as people are very aware of mold/mildew/dust/allergies/asthma these days. Since it's a big room, a large format tile (like 18x18) would be flattering, and can be had for a reasonable price at the big-box stores, especially if you catch a sale. Area rugs can be scattered around for softening and noise reduction, but don't cover too much of the floor else you negate that nice floor warming. I have warmed tile floors in my bathroom and they are downright heavenly - have to pry the cat off them with a crowbar. We will really miss them! BTW, $250-400k means completely different things in different areas... in my town in coastal NH $300k buys a starter home (!), so you don't expect too many amenities for that, while in, say, central Missouri (just to pull an example out of my hat) $300k gets you a house with bells and whistles galore and people would expect a lot more.

Thanks all, Circuspeanut- the veneer was just was I was hoping to do. Any ideas how to attach it or make it stick to the trim piece?? Again, my thanks for helping to resolve this. We've now determined that at this point we do need to keep the fridge. Among other things we were having issues with other fridges potentially hitting the handle of the adjacent oven & this one restricts the swing just sufficiently so that should not be an issue. I don't want to trade one problem for another. SO, finding the best solution to covering the black trim is what we've got to do at this point. Thanks again!

I wouldn't knock down the wall to the mudroom since it seems a very important space for your family functioning. I also wouldn't knock down the wall to the living-a) much more expensive since it's load bearing, and it's something you definitely can't do yourself..you'll need a structural engineer to look at that at the very minimum..and have additional support built, and maybe hundred other things b) you strike me as a person who concentrates when she cooks..)) I think being open all the way into the living space might drive you crazy. I might be mistaken of course.. So. One wall option left-the dining. But I wouldn't knock it down completely..try to keep some sorts of partial separation, while adding on counter space.... If you're ready to let the kitchen table go-you also might get almost twice as much of a counter space you have now.. 10 000 budget is tough I must say. Definitely take load-bearing wall out of your list..these things need to get permits and staff..here two thirds of your budget gone, just on blueprints and permits and strengthening the whatever has to be strengthened... With cabinets you can go several routes..say, Ikea. or-Craigslist. people selling whole kitchens when they renovate, and some are not too shabby at all. Configuration might be more of a problem.. What did you have in mind for the countertops?

remove island/ run a small peninsula out from sink wall before angled window area . You'll get a couple stools.... the peninsula does not need a long dimension, 4 or 5 feet and you will have use if you desire overhang w stools. but do you want/need seating at all? that is the problem: the existing island is interfering with things as it has seating. You have to set your goals, and budget.