You have not only the counter, but the very similar floor and non cottage backsplash to consider in the color scheme, which makes it hard to change only one element. I think a brownish green (a warm green) or a warm blue could work with both the counter, floor and white appliances.

Appliances can be painted, by the way. My sister had her harvest gold wall oven changed to blue. It held up for many years, and was still fine when she sold the house. That might be your best bet.

In the long term, if it were my kitchen, I would try to save up to get rid of the Baltic brown, backsplash, and floor because I wouldn't ever be able to get a cottage feel out of them.

Hopefully someone with more imagination than I have, and the ability to photoshop different colors, will chime in.

If you could do cabs or floor, I would do the floor first.

I know someone who painted their floor tiles; it has held up BUT no dogs in the house either.

Vinyl floors are not expensive to have changed. Make that happen.

Here is how I would expect a pro to spray paint kitchen cabinets. An amateur job should follow the same path. A brush painted job would differ slightly in that you wouldn't hang the doors to paint. You'd place them on a work table or easel instead. It's time intensive work, and should take 7-14 days to accomplish completely and cost between 7K-9K depending on kitchen size and amount of detail in cabinets.

Remove doors and drawer fronts.

Remove hinges and hardware.

Clean with TSP (tri-sodium phosphate)

Rinse and let dry.

Scrape any loose finish.

Fill any damaged spots or hardware holes that won't be reused.

Sand fill smooth.

Scuff sand the rest.

Tack off dust.

Hang in dust free paint booth with wires through hardware points.

Tack off dust again.

Spray with shellac based primer.

Scuff sand again.

Tack off dust.

Spray with second coat of primer.

Spray with first finish coat of a polyurethane enamel Or conversion varnish.

Spray with second coat.

If glazing is to occur, that is next.

Spray with clear over glaze

Add more molding or decorative details to boxes, filling nail holes and sanding smooth.

Repeat prep process with face frames and exposed cabinet sides using plastic to create a spray booth on site. If interiors are to be done, they are done before face frames and sides. Interiors are difficult, and add both time and expense to the job. Most interiors are laminate and don't accept paint well.

Allow everything to fully cure. That's 7-14 days.

Clean hinges and hardware and clear coat if you're keeping the old hardware.

Install new (or old) hinges and hardware.

Re-install doors and drawers and adjust for proper clearances.

If you are receiving or doing a job without this amount of effort, then you are not getting a quality job.

Honestly, the floor doesn't bother me one bit....Old houses and country kitchens and farmhouses regularly have slate or brick floors...yours isn't really so much different. It's just a neutral floor.

I can only say what I would do if I had your kitchen. I like the cabinets but I get that you want a change, so I would paint them some shade of white. I would do butcher block perimeter counters because they're budget friendly. I would do something different for the island depending on what I could source and what my budget was...and the color of the island would depend on what the countertop material was.

Also, you can tile a backsplash...it's easy.

I like the butcher block idea. You could possibly find a remnant of granite that would work for the island at lower cost. In my city (probably in most larger cities) prefab granite is available from a number of different seller at low cost as well.

No, as long as you choose patterns that are not bold and busy, and the colors work well together. I think Bianco Romano is probably the easiest to work with in terms of pattern. Silver Cloud is too much for my taste; I think Fantasy Brown is actually a marble, isn't it?

Might be easier to find a solid surface or quartz counter that will work with the current floor, unless you really want to change that.

I actually like the cabinets.....I would just change the hardware and countertops (to an off white quartz or granite)

PennyDesign gave great advice. Keep the floors, you can put down a country rag rug runner or some such country type in the sink area. Ikea has great butcher block countertops at good prices. Then do a warm white like BM marscapone and it will all work.

I've decided to paint the cabinets first, then change out the counters and see how it looks before I make any decisions on the flooring. I think I would de-value my house if I replaced the current stone countertops with anything other than stone or quartz. This is a photo of the color I did in my entryway last year with some granite samples and then a few inspiration pictures of what I want style wise in the kitchen.

1. What do the stone samples look like with your existing floor? I agree that the floor could work if you change the countertops and paint the cabinets.