I would love to critique every inch of that kitchen, but you're looking for something positive to make it appear nicer than it is. Since everything is out in the open, you could get some colorful bins to put stuff in. Change the white/blue towel out for something much brighter. Put an oversized flower arrangement in the middle of the table to distract your eye from the rest of the area. Keep a large, colorful, ceramic fruit bowl out. Change the appliances from stainless to white or black for some contrast. I would gut the kitchen and read up on good kitchen design.

It looks like they remodeled hastily for the resale

I wish people wouldn't do that..

Anyway. These kitchen cabs are one of the cheapest now..antique white, detailing..I strongly suspect that's the reason they're there in the first place

(how do I know? I think my hallway closet will be along these lines:). Since it's the cheapest option out there. Luckily I'm planning on some very cool pulls..)

At least got granite right, more or less.

They mixed up very traditional cabinetry plus very streamlined, simple look like stainless and island.

Such mix is out of capabilies of most people to get right

Soo..what I'd do..since cabinetry's staying..I'd take off stainless shelves..and either look for wood shlves in stain, to repeat the butcherblock somewat, or would check whether you can get shelves similar to your cabinetry..might be easy to find and inexpensive. The problem though..that's a really narrow space around the ..oh c'mon how it's called?the hood..and on the other side, you don't want to install deeper shelves because of the window..

any chance on figuring out whether you can afford to reface the doors?

you have brick there..which you love..you have stainless work station that you love..the doors interfere, because they don't go with what you love. Oh you can paint them, the walls, change the hardware..if you wash everything in one color might bug you less.and that, I wouldn't do with a neutral..I would go bold and do something like green or blue..cabs, built ins, all of it..more streamlined, pronounced hardware.

ot I'd just bite the bullet reface those doors, and then install the backsplash (taking off 4 inch of granite..either this or that). It could be even stainless, just behind the stove.

It seems like a very cool house. Congratultions! The kitchen is a big thing but a small thing too, comparatively to the rest. You can figure this one out.

Would be very interesting to hear what you think, and to read other answers too.

Also an idea-cross post it with "Kitchens"? people there are wizards, I'm not joking. Layout wise especially. They might see options others will miss

I love all the finishes in your kitchen - the nice floor, the brick, the creamy cabinets. The white walls clash but that is an easy fix. But, the first thing that jumps out to me is all the clutter. Do you use ALL the things that are in the open? I would brutally edit everything . Less clutter will make things look more cohesive and polished.

Store things in bins like dchall suggested. Perhaps cover the front of the pantry and the stainless table using a tension rod and some fabric. Put the knife magnet on the side of the cabinet or pantry? A smaller butcher block table? I agree the single upper sticks out like a sore thumb but you have so little cabinet space that you probably need it.

I think rugs add pizzazz to a kitchen and help it look more finished. Some people get germaphobic about rugs in the kitchen but I have always used indoor outdoor rugs and hosed them off. A kilim or Oriental would look great in your kitchen.

Lily, congratulations on your new house! It's got a lot of potential and I hope some of the GW veterans will show up and offer some positive feedback and helpful ideas.

Just last night I was thinking about when my kitchen remodel was complete I was overwhelmed with its black and white neutrality. Then I put a lime green coffee mug on the counter and realized that a splash of color here and there (e.g., tea kettle) could make a world of difference. I didn't leave that coffee cup there permanently, but I discovered I didn't have to make a lot of costly changes to alleviate the neutrality. BTW, I've come to embrace the neutrality. It's a good canvas for the little things.

I would do black hardware. And get rid of all that white, personally I'd pick a cream paint a tad bit lighter or darker than the cabs.

you have a lot of visual clutter and I'd try decluttering as much as you can (easy to say, hard to do!) and hanging a door or curtain over the open pantry to cut down on visual clutter.

I'd replace the blinds with something much lighter that blends with the wall color.

Personally, I would probably hold off on backsplash. If I got a backsplash I would just do the sink/stove wall and take to the ceiling. You will have to unmount and remount all the open shelving, and at that point I wouldbe looking to install better open shelving, like walnut, or take down the few uppers you have and replace with complementary better uppers along with some judicious use of walnut shelving. For example get uppers that go to the ceiling and are a lot wider. Then your pots could go over in the open pantry area, your knives could be hung on the back of an upper door, etc.

robo's idea on a curtain for the build in is great!

(well to me any mention of fabric that can be added ..my eyes just start sparkling. but truly..great idea)

the shelving...I suggested the same..but-will it fit? the uppers-of course that lonely thing there is all wrong..but I'm thinking-these cabs are what's wrong for the space..most likely..so maybe not to bring more of it there, right now

(in terms of budget though should be quite affordable. these models are so not in vogue right now it's really IKEA prices or less)

Start by consolidating your things as much as you can into colorful bins, as has been mentioned. I would leave the knives where they are--looks like a useful place to have them. Then I would choose a teal/turquoise paint color to paint the stools and the end wall behind the hutch and around to the window. I like the way the open pantry looks, you have it nicely arranged. You might consider just painting the structure of it and leaving the shelves white. Possibly extend the color around the soffitt. Use the same color for towels and the bins. Then see if you think changing the cabinet hardware would help--if so you can go with chrome or black. Next, decide if you need to change any of the open shelves and or that single cabinet--if you do that you can paint that wall while they are down. Last (or first if you want something quick) find a large piece of teal art to hang on the brick.

Walk into the kitchen and ask yourself what you really, really want. A colorful kitchen? Smooth walls with nothing on them? Wall cabinets? Soft bright lights with no glare? Then we can figure out how to get there. It may take a couple phases.

Your kitchen reminds me a lot of kitchens I've seen in Europe where every item is visible, easy to find and easy to use. I agree that changing the hardware to stainless would remove one color from your list. I would love to paint the walls, but the lack of light makes using a dark color a less appealing choice, so you are sort of stuck with a cream of some sort. It would be nice if the walls were a color closer to the color of the cabinets to remove one neutral and help it all blend together. A trick I've seen with open pantries is to hang a roll-down bamboo or stick shade from the top so that you can hide some of the visual clutter when the kitchen isn't in use.

I would paint the cabinets the same color as the base of the butcher block and change the hardware to stainless.

I would begin by removing that window shade, the lone wall cabinet, and the range hood. Next, remove all of the hanging shelves. Declutter as much as possible. Could some of the gadgets on the metal " island" be stored somewhere else if they are not used frequently? Remove the stainless table unit and the hutch. Replace them both with a large hutch with drawers and doors ( check Craigslist). Have doors made for the pantry.

I would pick an accent color -- a bright color can cut through many finishes and both draw the eye and give some coherence. I would want to see that color on the pantry curtain, a rug or mat in front of the sink, and in the art that you're going to hang over your stainless cart. I think an apple green might work well with the colors here, although probably the every-popular turquoise would work too. Give me a minute to convince you via Photoshop... :)

I would put doors on your pantry....Declutter and keep only the things out that you use every day. I would paint the window frame and take everything off the walls....above the sink and on either side of the hood. Then I would put a mirror above the sink to bring in some reflected light. I would look into putting some upper cabinets (to match the lone one) over your stainless work station......on the brick. Again.....take down all the hooks, (pot hooks and cap hooks) knife magnet and rods that hold your spices.....Your eyes need a place to rest. Then I would paint your kitchen walls a soft green and get a throw rug for in front of your sink....maybe a runner that goes from sink to in front of the stove.

This might be enough...

IF you take down the single cabinet (although I think it's symmetrical with one on the other side), I'd replace it with a row of cabinets that go all the way across -- yes, including above the sink (a step up if you want) -- and stop, say, 18 inches from the window. If you hang a few things on the wall there, they'll be hidden by the cabinet, and meantime you'll get back a TON of storage. I'm assuming you don't see a total gut and redo on the horizon, but this investment of a few cabinets (or replacing all the uppers, essentially) would totally pay off in both look and utility.

For sure I wouldn't spend any time thinking about backsplashes, for now, as you don't need anything more visually (!) and your range has a back on it that will protect the most common splatter zone.

Hi Lily,

Congrats on your new home! We also live in a railroad style home, we love it and make it work.

Have you thought about a colored, inexpensive pegboard?

I like acm's idea..but I'd still be tempted to take a color allover..which is more money and time consuming of course

now if you take down the uppers do the open shelves in wood..then accents might very well be enough

you'll have totally different situation with your uppers then...will change a lot, in the perseption of he kitchen

Paint the walls!

I actually kinda like it, mismatches and all, because it seems comfy and honest and not pretentious. It has an "I'm a kitchen, damnit, so get to work!" vibe.

But I do agree some color would be a big upgrade!

Corralling stuff in bins on shelves will make it easier to keep clean and organized as well as add color.

would be even more honest if they'd leave what was there before their remodel..if you ask me

but, yes..it has character..)) I love such spaces

IMO the cream cabinets against the white walls would drive me nuts. I'd paint the room a fun blue or a rich color of your preference, and then look at the kitchen. Since you have so many neutrals, IMO you can get away with a fun color on the walls and it won't be over powering (and it'll be an inexpensive change).

You have a working kitchen, not pretentious or posing, but meant to be used. I like it!

If you can put items in baskets/bins, especially on the shelves of the stainless workstation, you'll have an easier time pulling things out that you want.

You may want to consider organizers for the open built-in shelves to help with access.

Artwork on the brick wall would add color.

Door on pantry. Change out stainless shelves above stove counter wall for wood ones matching butcher block island if possible. Single floating cabinet above counter not great, but if it has to stay, so be it. If you can afford it, switch out the stainless table against the brick wall for something that matches the island or cupboards, with doors! The issue with doing those doors would be getting all the doors to match. I would "re-door" the existing cabinets too, so it all matches. Something more simple. In fact, flat plain doors would be great. Your visual is your cooking stuff. If you do go with a backsplash, just a simple cream tile that matches your wall and cabinet color. Find a carpenter to redo all your doors. That isn't really that much money.

I love your kitchen, BTW. I like that narrow kind of space with lots of counters. My kitchen is square and so lots of unusable corner areas. I like yours much better.

Everyone's liking that apple green. Me too. :)

Hi Lily --

Congrats on the new place! You have a real cook's kitchen (check out pics from Julia Child's house if you haven't seen them). Super-functional but can get a bit busy as others have said.

Because you have a *lot* of horizontal lines (brick, shelves in open tall cab, stainless shelves, detailed cab drawers) I always like to think about simplifying via repetition in other places.

• How do you feel about paint that either matches or tones in with your butcher block and brick wall? [I would do the tall cab too, just in semi-gloss.]

That way you'll immediately connect your horizontal island color with the rest of the walls, and connect *those* walls to the brick. So you'll be enveloped by a more-or-less similar color on all the walls, and the eye will glide a bit more over the island.

• Consider blending your blind color with eventual wall shade (or changing to stainless) -- though sorry, I can't really tell what color it is now!

I do like the ideas upthread for changing out your hardware to stainless (lighter color, will blend better with cabs) and possibly adding a door or piece of fabric to the tall open cab.

Once you've made a few changes, you *could* also consider "painting out" the smaller hutch in the wall color. That really will help minimize its visual impact.

Good luck and keep us posted!

Do a colored ceiling.

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I personally would go bold with paint color. Maybe something earth toned..yellow or green. I would say blue, but it may start getting to dark with the one window. Go get bunches of paint chips and see what works with the cabs and bricks. I think once you paint the right color, the hutch will work too.

I would also add some lighting if that can be done easily to keep it bright and inviting.

And I love the openness and lived in worked in kitchen feel. Way nicer than the fake never been touched kitchens I see so often. I wouldn't close off the pantry closet unless your going to put food in there. And I wouldn't get tons of bins either. I have tons of open shelving right now also, and the only thing I use bind for are small things like cookie cutters and popsicle molds, things I need to keep from running away.

I believe your new to these forums. You should read through some threads before taking advice or taking anything to heart. Some people have much different styles than you will, and some people will say anything thinking you asked for a critic not help decorating. I have found to just not take it to heart and take as much great advice as I can get and move on, there is some really fantastic advice here and some really great people also.

Good luck, I think you have a great starting point. Your kitchen already looks better than my work in progress diy project 4 years in.