A couple of questions: Is this a house you actually own already, or is this a hypothetical? Leading to: Is there a kitchen there already? What is there? There's no point in worrying about finding cabinets if you have a kitchen full. Don't trouble trouble until trouble troubles you, as they say ... In your area, who is the most likely person to rent to? Students? Low income people? Health care workers near a hospital? Is it a resort area? A retirement community? These things may influence your decisions. "What people want" in incredibly subjective. Each of those groups named -- and there are so many not named -- would want different things, and individuals would want different things. Basically, though, in a rental, do as little renovation as possible without serious thought, and learn all your legal rights and responsibilities. Maintain scrupulously though. (I know I have rejected many apartments just by smell alone. Sometimes just by the smell in the hallways.) As for "vintage" hardware -- try salvage houses. People sell it by the baggiefull. I have rented several apartments and houses with simple, modest kitchens and strict, honest landlords. Personally, I prefer this style to the owners who watch too much HGTV, get dollar signs in their eyes, have their brother in law slap in bargain granite, triple the rent, and throw a badly-spelled, hyperbole and exclamation-point laden ad on craigslist. Bottom line: I would make the best choice based on the house for the area and the market, maybe access to public transportation and the things the renters would be interested in: schools if that's part of the target, the local business park if that's the target, the beach, shops, medical facilities, pool etc. THEN I'd look at the kitchen, and me? I'd look to making what you have the best it can be. At least while you get the hang of being a landlord.

Here's the only original kitchen cabinet to this house that is usable. The rest were put in the workshop when the "new" kitchen was done in 1971. Unfortunately, they are too far gone to rescue and re-use in my kitchen remodel. Dang it anyway. I'm using it for my beverage/snack station. I should take pictures of the inside. There are three shelves but they are all pull-outs. You can also see the handle for the huge breadboard that pulls out above the drawer. The floor is the original linoleum floor from 1949 with the red inset a few inches from the edge. The counter-top for this cabinet is the same linoleum that is on the floor. The same linoleum is in the kitchen. To the right are floor-to-ceiling original built-in pantry cabinets. After the laundry is remodeled a bit, the ugly under-cabinet height mini-fridge will be moving under a new cabinet on another wall and replaced with a stainless one (or painted with stainless paint). The microwave will move to a shelf elsewhere. I'll probably fine an open shelf or cart for potatoes and such for that space. The antique cabinet to the far left holds some recycling containers and additional pantry storage. That's probably also staying.

We've converted two attic spaces (same house, opposite ends) to living space, with low ceilings. From my experience, the first thing to do, after determining whether you can safely/legally finish the attic, is to run the electrical wires. To avoid running duct from a furnace/AC, I'd run 220v for a couple of baseboard heaters, and use the portable AC units which sit on the floor and vent through a window. I can see some natural light, so it looks as if you have dormers, which might be fine for egress and the portable AC units. We used foam baffles between the roof and insulation, then sheetrock as usual. If you are not confident about finishing sheetrock, and don't want to pay to have it done, you can tape it, then cover with inexpensive sheet beadboard. I like your floors as they are, but you'd want to seal them, if not paint. Those are much nicer floors than I've ever seen in an unfinished attic. I'm impressed that there are floor boards at all--I've see a lot of attics with a few pieces of plywood laid across the joists to store boxes. Since the knee walls wouldn't be structural, I think you could frame them yourself, with some research, and basic tools. You might as well frame them in, since that space is too low to use as living space, and if you feel confident enough, you can turn the space into recessed storage--shelves or converted dresser/drawers--very convenient if the space will be used as an office or craft room. If you choose the portable AC option, you could even tailor a storage space to the unit(s), for the off-season. Following are pics of some of the kneewall storage in our half-story attic addition. I did most of the work myself, with limited construction experience. (Left the electrical work to the pro.) The white walls, and closet doors, are the sheet beadboard I mentioned above. I also had to work around closet space in adjacent bedrooms, and the old roof supports, which is why the recessed shelves in the first pic are so shallow. If you can find cabinets, drawers, and chests on craigslist, Goodwill, and the Restore, you can keep the cost down--but only if you have more time, than money, to invest in the project. It would be very difficult to estimate the cost. Our neighbor is a master electrician, and we traded him a strip of land that he'd been asking about, to wire the whole addition. We already had all the tools needed. A chop saw/miter saw, set up in the space as I was working, was invaluable. Circular saw for angled cuts on 2x4 framing. Reciprocating saw for cutting existing framing, and a jig saw for small cuts is also useful. Framing and finishing nail guns are convenient, but I don't like using them, so I did all the nailing with a hammer. I love hearing a nail 'sing' as it's being driven into the framing. :) If you have friends or relatives with construction experience, who will do favors or trade skills, then you can keep the cost down. Kneewall storage ideas/google Portable AC units on Amazon

Paint really will be fine, if a good quality paint, properly applied. You need a scrub tolerant paint because you will have to wipe it down regularly. It is what I have and had. Have you considered installing tile yourself? So many folks have posted here having DIY and turned out very well. If pre-mounted on mesh it is even easier I believe. I installed glass tile in my bathroom, on the sink wall, using the 2 sided adhesive sheets -- I had to be very careful to get it right the first touch with that adhesive - once the tile touched it, it was stuck! The key is, plan your layout, then take your time! I like the sketch with it all the way across the wall.