I agree with the others that your kitchen is just fine and attractive for now and quite nice as is. Your former kitchen is very pretty and jazzy. You can make this one reflect your style now even though you are planning a remodel in the future. For now, I would paint the walls and accessorize, keep the appliances if they work, perhaps freshen the cabinets with a coat of paint only if needed., select or make a window treatment. Changing hardware can be expensive although Target has some that I have used that have held up and look just as good as pricier choices if you choose something simple. I agree that putting a small inexpensive microwave in the corner is just right for the needs of teenage boys, so no microwave hood. They are big and pricey anyway. Why spend the money? I see your wanting to open the space by removing the uppers, but a consideration besides the need for storage is the ceiling. If your ceiling is textured, it may not be textured under the cabinets. So bottom line- keep tabs on how much money you are saving by not doing "unnecessary for now" changes and use for it for the real remodel. It may just buy you some extras or enable you to do the project sooner. It is so exciting to have a new space to create. Congratulations on your new home.

If the foundation is structurally sound - which could be a concern in a house of this age - then there is no issue with plant roots :-) That is a rather firmly held horticultural myth. And it is not clear from the photo provided but if the front yard is as tiny as I imagine it to be, getting rid of a lawn is not a bad choice....mowing and tending a postage stamp sized lawn is a PITA. The same area with paving and groundcovers offers a very low maintenance alternative to a lawn and sets a stage for a few well placed containers or one or two specimen plants.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Bette P, I really had not thought of drywalling those arches. Great idea. We do have some drywall repair that needs to be done so maybe I will have them do that as well. In Florida they used to make wall shelves out of drywall. This was when large screen TV's were just coming in to style. We knew enough that we didn't want the whole wall to have permanent built ins so it was left blank and we had a large entertainment center in there for a long time. I appreciate your suggestion about the shelving and dust. After reading here recently we have decide to do just what you suggested and do primarily bottom storage drawers and bookshelves. I think we will do some picture frame molding around the tv and on each side. That cut out is over 17' I will check out Ikea Besta, not sure I have heard of it. When we moved here 15 years ago the "in" style was "Mediterranean", while I never went full in I did embrace the colors and tried to add some tropical too. I had two of the walls in the kitchen a burnt orange color. One of the upscale furniture stores is now advertising "de-Tuscanizing" We were joking the other night that is what a bunch of us are doing now. Would LG Vietra Clarino be the tone of counter top I should be looking at?http://www.lgviaterausa.com/products/289/213 Thanks again for the help. It is greatly appreciated. I'm so happy to have found Gardenweb again..I thought you were gone.

Paint all the wood white and that includes the wood behind the cabinets in the kitchen. Choose a nice brighter colour for the cabinets - maybe a nice pale green or pale blue to bring the outside in ( I assume since you say it is a cottage that you have trees and water around - so pull colours from nature). Get some new handles for the cabinets. You'll be amazed how much brighter it will feel. The place feels a bit cluttered with unloved furniture. Reduce some of the small pieces. Seems like your storage pieces are all quite short. The bookcase, the piece holding the microwave. Think vertically for storage space. A quick trip to Ikea or similar for some taller shelving or enclosed storage units would help your space feel less cluttered and more organized. In my opinion when dealing with a small space you need to have a place for everything and everything in its place - no cluttery surfaces. While you're at Ikea, get some better curtains. Choose a colour that works and get them 2-3 times the width of the windows so that even when they are closed, they still look full. I'd get rid of the curtain on the kitchen window completely. That kitchen needs light, let it in! And replace that ceiling fan light in the kitchen. How could you possibly see to do a jigsaw puzzle (my favourite cottage hobby - especially on a rainy day) All of the art currently on the wall needs to come down. Nothing is the right size or scale for the walls. Find art that speaks to you or has meaning. Maybe once you've spent a season at the cottage you'll have some special photos and you could get them mounted on canvas to make a collage wall or some larger pieces. I'll bet that leather armchair is comfy but with the rips and tears it sure isn't doing you any favours. Do you have a second hand furniture shop nearby - maybe a Habitat for Humanity. You could likely find a newer chair and coffee table. Also your dining table looks quite large for your space. Do you really need to be able to seat so many. Could the table be smaller but have a leaf you could put in if you have extras? I think that would help the space feel a bit more open. While you're at it, the chairs could be painted too. I can't tell if they are red or if it is stained wood.