need a picture..... What is driving the need for the remodel besides the floor?

Sorry...you're right. Here's a shot. More to come (trying to figure out how to post). As an aside, this is the pantry I'm considering cutting off to extend the countertop. The dark corner is claustrophobic and not very useful.

Here's another wider shot. The random butcher block is out in the middle to show me where the end of a new peninsula would be. (the other butcher block is at the opening to the dining room to just stay out of the way. They were originally together in the middle of the kitchen to make an island)

Wow - it's dark in there, huh. LWO is absolutely right about the paint and the lighting. The image below may help you see what hickory and green granite look like together without all that orange on the walls. This is peacock supreme granite, greener than yours looks in your images, and they can look fine together (and I wouldn't buy a green granite either).
{{!gwi}}

In answer to your question, your desire for a new look doesn't make you crazy, and the cabs are yours to do with what you like, but I'm not convinced you'll end up with what you want by painting them (and I am choosing painted cabs for my kitchen). A new wall color (it is much easier to paint a wall than cabinets and lighting might give you a better result. As herb asks, what, other than the aesthetics and your dark corner would you like to change? Any issues with that odd island or cart in the bottom image? If you added it, is it because there's not enough counter space? Also, what are your budget/time constraints if any?

Can you...detach a door or something & take it out of that room? I'm wondering how much the orange paint is affecting how you see the cabinet color. From the picture, it'd be a huge effect--hard to tell if that's a camera effect or in real life. As an example, I've got a red paint (accent only) in my hall & living room. In the LR, it's a totally different color than in the hallway, because one has blue walls and one yellow. I certainly agree with the others that painting the room would be my first step, and I LIKE bold colors like that--but it's making it all so uniform! 1000x easier than painting cabinets, too!

What they said! Don't paint the cabinets. If tearing out the floor tiles is not an option, invest your money in some of those nice rugs I see in Gardenwebber's kitchen.

At the bottom I have included a link to a floor mat as seen in SadieBrooklyn's kitchen. It is a product that seems like it might be more kitchen hygienic than a normal rug. Here's the link to a photo of a Chilewich mat in her kitchen: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sadiejane/7716643912/in/set-72157630912107310

Here is a link that might be useful: floor mat

Don't paint the cabinets, paint the wall. Change the floor but not to wood unless its darker then the cabs.

I would add some black accents to the room. I really like your kitchen, it just needs some color adjustment.

If you changed out the door hardware that would also make a difference.

So, I took those photos at 10 p.m. last night....the kitchen is (somewhat) lighter than the photos suggest. We do have porches on each end of our house, though, so we don't get a lot of direct sunlight. Should've turned on the under cab lighting...we do have that as well.

The floors must come up - that's what is prompting the mini-remodel. Grout is coming up between the tiles. We have hickory in both of the adjoining rooms (and the open staircase) and I'm struggling with finding a non-tile floor that blends with the hickory (which is why I am considering bringing the hickory floor into the kitchen.) We're also planning to move the fridge and add a peninsula to solve my counter space/work zone problem. I had originally thought I wanted a custom island but (through this site) realized having furniture in the middle of the kitchen was causing a flow and cramping issue. However, all that we're planning will not add value to the house (just sanity to my life) so I don't want to spend a ton of money (less than $15k; really hoping for $10k and a lot of DIY)

I'll admit, the room is too much of the same color. We bought it from a couple who used an interior designer, which is laughable when you look at that room. I think what also turns me off about all the undertones is that I like happy - we have Fiesta dinnerware and I like brighter colors - and everything in this kitchen right now reads fall-like colors, not summer. Even if we paint it a color that blends, it will still need to be in those tones, right?

I see your dilemma. Hickory cabinets and then hickory floor to boot. I wouldn't do it. In case you are trying to get away from the hard tile surface, have you see the floor that DJHinVA put in? The photo is about 3/4 of the way down the page. Is is called Armstrong Alterna Luxury Vinyl.

I would think Fiestaware and your cabinets would go together fabulously. Perhaps you could modify a cabinet with glass so it can be seen.

I can't speak about paint and tones and whether or not the walls should be painted a color or not. The only advice I can offer from my experience is that BM Linen White goes really well with wood.

Here is a link that might be useful: DJHinVA 's kitchen with vinyl tile

My thought was to add a bit of white into the kitchen as well. Something of a backsplach maybe, above the 4 inch granite rim? (not sure how that would look but might lighten up the under cab space.) Also, some white trim/crown/window/door frame could be interesting?

I definitely second the change of the orange walls - too much orange on orange on orange tones...I cannot quite think what would be an appropriate colour to replace - it would depend on your colour preferences and the rest of the house. A nice blue goes well with yellow/orange wood tone?

Also, some change of the yellow tone hardware is a good suggestion as well - what is the colour of the rest of the door hardware in the house?
caspian

You have three major things here that are making you dislike your kitchen - floors, hickory, and paint. Maybe a fourth - lighting.

When cabinets are bad, I am usually the first to say, paint them white. But, your cabinets are so nice, and I personally would not paint them.

I love wood floors, and want all my wood floors the same species and stain, so I would definitely want hickory floors in my kitchen. I know this is usually a "no-no" but I truly think with some tweeking in other areas you can make it work. See attached pictures from Houzz.

Changing the terra cotta paint will make the biggest impact. Check out the green paint in some of these attached pictures or a neutral linen white (this is coming from someone who doesn't like white walls).

Someone mentioned under-cabinet lighting - you probably need that, but hard to tell from the pictures.

So, if that were my kitchen, I would intall hickory floors to match the rest of my house, I would paint the walls a lighter color (my accessories would help dictate that color), I would use a really nice kitchen rug to add color of my choice, I would use my bright, happy Fiesta dishes to make me happy.

I am not understanding about the island - are you going to use one. If so, perhaps paint it a color (of your choice) to break up the flooring.

Don't be afraid of mixing the hickory wood if that is what you want. If you google craftsmen room, you will see cabinets, trim, flooring, doors, etc in the same species and stain and it looks great. It is all in how other color is added.

Here is a link that might be useful: [Houzz-Hickory cabinets[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/hickory-cabinets-phbr0lbl-bl~l_36965)

I'm struggling with finding a non-tile floor that blends with the hickory (which is why I am considering bringing the hickory floor into the kitchen.)

How about Marmoleum?

Perhaps you could post a daylight image, and a layout drawing.

Molly Phillips- I know this was posted a very long time ago, but I was curious what you decided to do?. I am having a similar debate with my kitchen - Jen

Jen - I replaced the cabinets. The upside was, my husband was building a clinic, so we were able to repurpose the cabinets in the break room kitchen. I was afraid a non-professional paint job would chip in a hard-working kitchen with young kids. So I bought IKEA bases and used a cabinet company that specializes in making real wood fronts for IKEA bases and ordered white shaker style from them. Super happy with that decision because I was right; we are hard on the cabinets. They've held up well but we've dinged them some and I think I would have chipped the hickory cabinets if I had painted them. I also reconfigured my kitchen some so, in the end, the layout changed enough that the original cabinets wouldn't have worked. Good luck in your decision! FWIW, I LOVE my kitchen now.