Can you post a pic or three of your kitchen?? That will help a lot. My kitchen is not oak but I have a pretty good eye for color.

Here: The counter is brown, unlike the pink it shows in the 1st photo.

What colors do you like?

A nice soft green or a blue/green would look great.

I had similar cabinets for many years. I totally agree soft greens (sage, olive) work very well if you want color. I found warm whites or creams worked well too if you’d prefer a light neutral.

I’m swaying towards a cream. I’ve had the green. I can’t picture it though if someone has a pic.

Hi AE - looks like you have a skylight which adds day light but I’m not seeing what you have for lighting otherwise. Is there a possibility you can consider updating your lighting? - that would go along way to giving you a brighter area along with new color for the walls.

It really depends on your light. When we bought our home it had a very dark wine red color in the kitchen. There is only an East window so we painted it SW Marshmallow.

I’m not an expert and can’t suggest a dozen colors, but I found BM natural cream worked throughout my home. I have warm woods and rooms have either northern or southern exposures. Most of my honey oak has been replaced, but I can snap a picture of it next to an oak mantle. If you’re interested I can post a picture tomorrow. Lighting is bad here at this time of day.

Light aquas, teals, turquoises, blues, greens, go best with your color cabinets. What you have now, doesnt go with them at all.

Mine is a cream with a touch of beige - a little lighter than what you have:

https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~110720042

https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~109854052

https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~109854029

https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~93784236

I have a wood kitchens idea book with both newer and older, refreshed kitchens. You might see something that inspires:

https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/75202366/list/wood-kitchens

I love this! Thank you jhmarie!!!

I have Valspar Lovely Bluff in my kitchen with oak cabinets and dark countertops. It is light enough that it doesn’t photograph well, but in real life it has just enough warm creamy color to make the oak feel at home.

I just went from BM Rosemary Sprig to SW Moonmist in my low light kitchen. Made a world of difference.

Every other blue I sampled looked gray in my low light. Moonmist kept its color and looks nice with my oak cabinets. I’d go for a blue....

I had saved a kitchen that had a blue like you posted and I was really surprised it looked bright! Here:

My mother has light blue in her oak kitchen and it is very bright - but she has lots of windows and a patio door too. One of the best things I did to my kitchen was add under cabinet lighting. I only did the area between the sink and range because that is a major prep area and for budget reasons. I started out with DIY strip LED lighting that plugged in ($75). Before I did the backsplash - about a year later - I had an electrician wire it to a switch - about $350. It has made such a difference! Good lighting is more the key to a bright kitchen then paint color.

DIY set up:

https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~48485162

After electrician:

https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~81033766

A E that was my inspiration pic!!!!! It’s not extremely bright but I love that color with the oak.

I think I'm also seeing knobs on the cabinets and I like that addition!

A previous kitchen.

Pretty!

Kim Weaver, the color in your kitchen is perfect with your cabinets. :-)

https://www.gardenweb.com/photos/creategirl-color-time-in-your-eyes-benjamin-moore-phvw-vp~3168559BM In your eyes

Yayagal, that's pretty! I'm thinking of white no grey undertones, but my other choices were really light colors like this. This is really peaceful!

Cpartist also paints and she suggested a similar tone. Here's a photo but not much light coming in the room. Yours has more light so it will look better.

Here are some photos of what I have: a light, sunny yellow. Flash wouldn't work due to low phone battery, but you should be able to get an idea.