Just make those smaller, and with glass doors. Then add more lighting in the room.

Your bigger issue that adds to the closed in feeling is the bulk of the refrigerator and it’s location. That will be magnified with a full size refrigerator. Do you have a layout of the room and adjacent space? Perhaps a different location can help with that.

No i think you need the storage... it seems pretty bright to me

I would not remove the cabinets. It doesn't look like you have an abundance of storage. I agree with getting a counter depth refrigerator. Get a stainless one because it will allow the light to bounce around.

I think the corner cabinets would look kind of weird if you removed the two next to the window. I'd leave them or add glass fronts.

I would remove the cabinets you have red x's on but I would change the corner cabinets to be straight rather than corners.

Thanks guys!

Budget wise, we are limited to keeping the same cabinets ; we will only be changing the doors by ourselves, change the floor and perhaps painting. Countertops will be installed by professionals. In the morning, when the kitchen is slighty lighter, I see a ray of sun come in the kitchen, and it is being partially blocked by those 2 cabinets on the side. I like the feel of natural lighting, and also openess in a kitchen, which is why I thought removing some upper cabinets would make the kitchen feel lighter.

@live_wire_oak : I totally agree with you absolutely on the fridge. However, it is impossible for us (probably not for a professionnal) to change the location of the fridge. My boyfriend thinned down the wall behind the fridge, so we were able to pull our new stainless steel fridge inside by 3 inch. He also moved up the ceiling by 5 inch, so we will be able to put the cabinets higher (kind of like your "downsizing" effect of cabinets?). Recessed lights were added. We won't be able to add glass to our upper cabinets or shrink them in size, but we will make glossy upper door cabinets. What do you think?

Don't you think there is an overcrowded feel of the kitchen? Like too many cabinets?

@Lisa Dipiro: Pictures are tricky aren't they? Many lights were turned on during the taking of this picture. And the exposure of the picture as well I believe. But true, we need storage!

@Sammie J : Thanks, my boyfriend refuses to have a counterdepth refrigerator, he needs a lot of... fridge space. We came to a compromise where he thinned down the wall behind, so the fridge is still sticking out a little bit, but it's more in by approx 3 inches I think.

@chocolatebunny123: I think I tend to like a minimalist kitchen where they have an island (more cabinets) and no upper cabinets! Probably that is why I feel a bit overwhelmed by those upper cabinets. And yes, got a Stainless fridge :)

@pugga: Since we are limited budget wise, what do you think of adding only glass to those 2 upper cabinets? (with a red cross). Or which one would you turn into glass cabinets?

@erinsean: I can't change kitchen cabinets, but I could remove the corner ones... Wouldn't it be a weird to have this symmetrical cabinet disposition?

Spend your money on a good cookbook. If you use it properly, no one is going to notice how much light is in the kitchen.

@Laurence - I have no idea what the cost would be to change to glass panels. If your boyfriend is handy and has the right tools, he might be able to do it and it would basically just be the cost of two pieces of glass (one for each cupboard). Bonus if he could add lighting to the interiors!

If you do the glass panels, I'd do both cupboards, not just one.

@ Mark Bischak : Our kitchen has an 8 foot ceiling. How do you suggest we do the lighting that would give it a natural feel? Is 6 recessed lights too much (3 feet and 1/2 of distance between each).

@pugga: We do intend to add recessed lighting!

So do you think we should do glass panels on only those 2 cupboards, or on the cabinets in the corner as well?

Also, there is an ugly box in the cupboard on the right of the window? Any suggestions if we do glass paneling there? (hiding it behind a small vase or something?)

It depends on the fixture, the bulb, and what you mean by "natural feel". Consult a local lighting specialist.

Just some ideas:

Consider adding some sun catchers to brighten up the space.

https://www.google.com/search?q=tiffany+suncatchers&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwigr7T2k7noAhUvmuAKHahuBwcQ_AUoAnoECAsQBA&biw=1366&bih=628

You could paint the top curb above the cabinets sunshine yellow. You could remove the dark print fabric and add white or pale sunshine yellow vertical vinyl blinds to your patio door.(Yes, I know, a lot of people don't like them but they provide great privacy and light control options.)

your kitchen is dark because your lighting is poor. get rid of the track light and do your recessed lights. (Costco carries the retro-fit LED ones for a really good price) .

I'd do minimum of 6, but 8-10 throughout the entire kitchen space would be better.

Put the glass in the doors. there are all sorts of how-to's online. you cut out the middle panel in the door and have a piece of glass cut to fit. it's not that difficult to DIY. maybe 50 bucks a door.

do a seeded glass or something w/a bit of interest to the glass.

get some new hardware

If you replaced the shelves below with drawers, you'd never miss the upper cabinets. What you want is accessible storage and shelves don't do nearly the job that drawers do.

The sides of the adjacent cabinets are probably unfinished. How would you deal with that?

I'm hoping for a modern/minimalis twisl. Kind of a mixt between Scandinavian and Japanese minimalism.

@Mark Bischak, Architect: Haha, not very clear indeed, but natural lighting as in not too artificially bright. We were thinking of having LED recessed lights, but I am still clueless as to the wattage, bulb size, etc... Will consider consulting a light specialist once covid 19 restrictions are over. Before then, any reference cookbook for lighting ? (for beginners!)

@suezbell Thanks for the tip. I was thinking of a whiter light rather than yellow. I'll definitely change the curtains for the patio as well.

@Beth H. : I'll take a look into the ones at Costco. Do you think those are too bright? The ceiling is 8 foot high, and I am think of spacing the recessed lights of 3 1/2 inch in between... If I want to have 8 recessed lights. I am still hesitant about the glass, I am not sure if it's going to give the minimal feel I am hoping for the kitchen... Unless everything in the cupboards is one color :)

@decoenthusiaste Interesting article. There are the corner spaces which I was thinking of lazy susan to gain access to the back of the cupboard. But then we don't have much space with the lower cabinets:

1) the plumbing under the sink is taking valuable space, so I would not consider as cabinet space.

2) Washing machine and stove instead of cabinets

3) the lower cabinet on the right of the fridge is triangular so space is diminished as well.

What do you think? Enough storage still?

@rrah Luckily, I think the sides are actually finished, so wouldn't have to deal with it!

recessed lights too bright? lol. no. you can choose what wattage you want. however, always choose a 4000K temp bulb. nothing lower.

Here's mine.

I have a 9 of them. plus I have pendants and 2 other lights off to the left over the coffee bar area

(mid-construction phase picture but it's the only one I have at hand to show you the lights)

your fridge sets out too far. If getting a new one, get the counter depth. (less than 32" deep)

Or, can your husband set the fridge back into the wall space? if you turn the studs the other way you can gain an extra inch or two of depth.

If you want minimal feel w/the cabs, then take down that entire wall and do some shelving.

But if you go this route I would strongly suggest you redo your tile and go up to the ceiling w/it. It's a great DIY project and rather cheap if you use the simple subways. (or look online for clearance tiles)

they only did halfway w/the tiles, but I'd go all the way up w/yours. your ceiling isn't that tall

if you only took down the one cab, you'll have skin the side of the one that is now left exposed

take them all down and you could do L shaped shelves around the corner

you could leave the cabs on the left (similar to this pic) but remove all of the others off to the right. You can only see a portion of the shelving here, but you could make yours swing around to the fridge cabinet.

notice the glass door on this cab too. also notice recessed lights!

https://www.lightingtutor.com/how-to-layout-recessed-lighting/

@Beth H. :Thanks for all the info. I love your marbled countertop. That's the only thing we might put more budget into. Yes my fiance has trimmed down a bit the wall behind the fridge, so we will be able to move in 2-3 inch more :). I can't help but notice that you have many upper cabinets, meaning you must value storage as well!

unless the current countertops are in terrible shape, I would not spend any money on replacing them until you could get new lower DRAWERS to replace the existing lower cabinets.

Call me crazy, but I think the DW SHOULD BE TO THE RIGHT of the sink. Move it for better visual balance.
Also if possible remove glass doors on hutch and add contrast paint behind shelves.
If possible see if you can move wall behind fridge back about 4 inches and slide fridge back a bit?
Can you find some fun small butcher block or SS small island in the kitchen with a fun hanging light about. Just things that come to mind! I like your kitchen cheeriness!!!

Laurence, and I have a large pantry that you can't see.

In fact, I'd consider switching out that cabinet to the right of the fridge for an actual pantry. you could use it. could you replace what's there now with a shallow pantry? what's that open space?

you could do a cool banquette if this vent thing wasn't here. any chance of moving it?

or, with that thing gone, you could put a bench along that back wall, and do a table like this.

or get a small buffet to give you a bit more storage

or, you could build a bank of cabs like this, giving you more storage for the kitchen items. I like this idea.

ignore the window here. even something like this you could do on that wall. have a bench w/a top that hinges for extra storage. buy RTA base cabs and use those for the ends.

this is done with Ikea Hemnes. it's an Ikea hack. (use their cabs, but use your own trim work to make them look built in)

after pic. (notice the recessed lights. these are like the ones at Costco) This is pretty easy for you guys to do and there are tutorials on it.

as you can see, there are many options. if you two are handy they are rather inexpensive to do too.

I have way more stuff than I actually need to be quite honest. yes, I have a lot of cabinets, and they're all full, but I could really purge and be fine w/less.

You'll have to judge for yourself. I do like my large pullout drawers much better than cabs (on my lowers) for storing pots and pans. the only drawers you have is that bank of small ones.

Floor and Decor has a nice selection of wood butcher block countertops. maybe $450?

realistically, I could redo your counters, tile splash , built in banquette area and open shelving for about $1,000-1500. If he knows how to install recessed lights, cost alone for those would be $150 or so, depending on what ones you buy.

https://www.amazon.com/All-Complete-Cooking-Light-Cookboook/dp/0848730232

This is an old building, so unless we hire professionnals, there are quiet a few restrictions.

@new-beginning Why not? If we are thinking of building drawers inside the lower cabinets then? We would really love a new fresh glossy countertop. And we are looking into DYI drawers at this moment. I'm counting on a white glossy countertop to light up the entire room.

@Susan Davis: The dishwasher was driving me crazy as well. But it is impossible to move it next to the sink... by impossible, I mean WE can't do it.

@Beth H. :Thanks a lot Beth. You have a lot of ideas I have been thinking of. But there are limitations to what we can do :(

1) About the expansion space for a pantry you pointed on the picture: I have been thinking of expanding it there, but the light switch is right there. Impossible to move it more to the right and gain more pantry space, because there is a beam wall right there and we don't want to get into that! Here is a picture to show. The wall was destroyed a bit behind and on the side to make more space for the new fridge, hence the picture.

2) As for the heating box you pointed.... No place to move it, unless we remove it and there would be no efficient heating in the kitchen. I was thinking of a banquette as well but because of that :(... Unless we make a shorter corner banquette? what do you think?

3) I really want to change the cabinet doors as well to give the kitchen a more modern feel. Upper plain white doors and lower white oak doors. We'll try DYI drawers as mentionned to see if we can gain more space. And all the fancy budget would go into the countertop - I don't want a wood countertop as there seems to require too much maintenance. And I would like something like a quartz/granite countertop to give the space a more luxurious feel.

I would ask for a better compromise with your boyfriend: counter depth fridge for an extra fridge downstairs or a huge TV. Guys love huge TV. I really think that one thing would make all the difference. Plus I find that is not the depth of a fridge that gives extra space, it is more the width. To me, I find it annoying to get food out to reach what is at the back.

laurence, could you move the heating box/vent? what if you moved it up and pointed the air grill downward? would that work?

or, you could move it down a bit and fit it under the floating bench?

Or, what if you could make it longer and thinner? then you could put it down by the baseboard and just have everything 'floating' above it.

Or, if you have to keep it where it is, can you at least modify the grill somehow so it would allow you to build shelving or a niche around it?

as for the countertop, look into pre-fab granite or quartz. you can buy a 24" X9' piece for $500

they come in hundreds of colors. this is just an example

then you either a fabricator, or cut it yourselves to fit

@decoenthusiaste I am showing the pictures to my boyfriend to convince him to remove the cabinets, but he doesn't seem very enthusiastic about it. He does cook a lot, so he loves having lots of cooking stuff. I think my minimalist tendency sometimes don't match with his practicality.

@suzanne_m He was willing to thin down the wall behind and on the side to the fridge, so I think the fridge is in a bit. I don't think I will be able to convince him more than that! You are SO right about the HUGE Tv hahahahaha. Should of thought of it earlier on, he got his TV already, I don't want a second one !!!

@Beth H. : "Or, if you have to keep it where it is, can you at least modify the grill somehow so it would allow you to build shelving or a niche around it? " What do you mean by that? I'm not sure I undestand

And as for the countertops, where are you actually able to go buy them? No quartz/granite distributor in Montreal was willing to tell the price to us home owners! Although I think we would be too chicken to cut it and install it ourselves.

you said it's a heating vent? or ?? Have no idea what is really is so hard to advise you.

in other words, can you modify the heating thing to be longer and thinner? Or, is it basically like a 'swamp cooler' and you're stuck with what it is?

you've seen baseboard heaters? didn't know if you could do something like this with your unit by modifying it.

pre-fab granite countertops like that usually come from china. I'm in Calif so they're a dime a dozen out here. Almost all of the stone/granite stone yards have them.

Im not familiar w/how canada handles it's stone yards, granite sales.

And you can hire a fabricator to come and cut it for you.

maybe look into remnants? you may be able to go to a fabricators warehouse (where they cut these slabs of granite) and ask if they have a left overprice that would fit what you need. Doesn't look like you need that big of a piece. do some good measurements of the countertop and take it with you. Doesn't hurt to ask him. offer to pay in cash if he can get a remnant for you.

the other option is a stone yard. ask if the have 1/2 slabs. (if you don't need any more than that) see what they say. again, cash usually gets you a better price. don't be afraid to negotiate !

@Beth H. : It's an electrical heater. From what I understand, it has to be low as hot air go up, otherwise it will not heat up the kitchen properly.

And even if we want the thin and long version you showed me in the picture, I'm not sure if it is safe to but a bench on top of a heating device like that? And would the heat be stuck underneath?

yes,,and no. yes you can put something over it. and no the heat would still move out. of course you don't block it.

people use baseboard heaters all of the time.

If it's like a radiator, people always would put a cover atop those and just have the grill vents for the front.

what you could do is run a floating bench across, as well as float your cabinets above it.

i'm sure someone in your neck of the woods has baseboard heaters! call in a heating pro and ask what can be done to move it or make it so you can take advantage of that wall. The thing is using up valuable wall/floor space

Thanks Beth. I'm also afraid of putting something right over a heating source. Isn't there a risk?

Since you're thinking of painting the cabinets anyway, before deciding on color(s), do some browsing for kitchens with dark base cabinets and lighter overhead cabinets. Sometimes it is the contrast that seems to lighten the overhead cabinet color.

laurence, for the baseboard heaters it's usually a 6" clearance top/sides, and 12" clearance directly in front. People put sofas in front of them as long as there is a foot distance.

however, I don't know what type you have, if it has a blower, or what specifically that model recommends.

All I was saying is to get a heater pro out there to see if you could do something w/that vent in that wall. To me it's taking up precious space on that wall. If you're cool with it, then leave it.

You were asking about storage options and design, so that's why I mentioned it.

@suezbell: I was trying to go for a very minimalist harmonious look, so I wanted as little contrast as possible. I was thinking white upper cabinets and white oak on the lower cabinets. I think a white glossy countertop might reflect light slightly better.

@Beth H. :Thanks Beth... Still trying to think of somewhere else where to put it, and if there are smaller size ones. If that is so, you'd consider putting a whole bench there? I like the idea of the bench, but I find the sitting arrangment troublesome when there are many people.

I showed you many diff pictures of what you could do. pick one!

@Beth H. : I love the look of the bench. My boyfriend is just questioning the practicality of a sitting arrangement in a bench... as always :)

I think we have decided to keep the uppers.