One thought...if you are going to have stacks of plates, the shelves may be filled to the point that no light will shine through from above anyway. If it were clear glassware, that would be different, but I wouldn't think that much light would get through with the plates. We have glass-front cabinets with wood shelves and a channel running up the front/side for lighting. We have yet to install the actual lights (wiring is there), so I can't say how well it works, but here are a few photos. Hopefully they will help give you some ideas. :) Good luck! Photo of my glass front cabs with wood shelves (no lights yet): Photo of the channel that runs inside of the cabinet where future lights will be installed: Inspiration photo for cabinet lighting (I can only hope mine will turn out so lovely!):

Calculate the cost first. For some ideas of lit cabinets (not necessarily just for glass shelves), take a look at the following link. They are a vendor of low voltage led lighting. phantom lighting for cabinets

I'm coming in late, but here are my thoughts: - To answer the original question, I'd go with just one glass-front cabinet, and I'd make it the corner angled cabinet. - As others have said, the aisle behind the island stools is too narrow. Additionally, you're going to have a table within arm's reach, so island seating isn't needed. I'd do away with the island stools altogether and have a deeper island with cabinets opening on two sides. - I would like to see a larger window over the sink /would give up some upper cabinet space to get that larger window. - Yes to drawers instead of pull-outs. - I would go with a Super Susan in the corner /I'd store pots and pans in it. - This kitchen isn't all that big. I'd downsize the range to 30" to get a little more cabinet space. - I'd store spices in the upper cabinet to the right of the cooktop. - Is that a bump-out on an exterior wall for the refrigerator? This will be expensive. And then you'll need to run water to that area so you can have an ice maker. Though this goes against what I said a moment ago, I'd bring the refrigerator into the "L" (though that isn't ideal) and to with a pantry (which wouldn't require the bump-out) in the refrigerator's current spot.

Since it sounds like redoing the entire kitchen is off the table, I think I would just choose a brighter hardware and lean into the look a little bit instead of doing things to "correct" it. A brighter solid color laminate counter would probably look better than the current one. Note that with a typical electric free-standing range such as yours the side clearances are typically 1"-0" to vertical combustible surfaces. And if you do not notice any evidence of scorching in the 40 or more years this range has been in place, it's probably not an issue. Check the specs on your new range. This can sometimes be compensated for by 1/4" millboard and a metal panel mounted to the cabinet as shown in these specs from a currently offered electric range as noted in the lower left hand corner. If you were going to redo the entire kitchen and spend upwards of $50,000, you would probably change a number of things about this kitchen, of course. Since it sounds like this is off the table, I would recommend making a few cosmetic changes to brighten it up a bit and work with it instead of against it. Don't try to make it look like it is 2023, that is not going to happen with a limited budget and that's fine. Don't let people try to shame you into a project you do not want to do or have the budget for just because it does not meet their needs of what a kitchen is supposed to be. There is nothing wrong with spending a couple thousand dollars on this kitchen instead of $50,000 if that's what you want to do. It's not an all or nothing proposition.