Congratulations on your beautiful new home! I wish you many years of happiness and love in that home. Your home has excellent curb appeal. For the outside (2 suggestions), its a lot of work/costly, but have you considered tearing out those large bushes in front? Additionally, you might consider hiring an electrician to put lights on both sides of you garage as well as both sides of your front door. For the kitchen, you might want to also have the electrician add some recessed lighting to the kitchen and eating area. You will be able to go from there.

Paint your kitchen cabinets and DIY extend them to the ceiling. Update hardware. New backsplash. If your budget allows - prefab quartz counters.

Thanks Herbflavor! I think nickel or pewter would look really good. I do have another area to dine over to the right of the kitchen. It has a standard gold plated light fixture.

Thanks Shoemaker - great suggestions! You're right, if I pull up the shrubs then I can add some colorful flowers. I was also thinking about adding a railing on the porch.

Thanks Anna_682. Extending to the ceiling would help with the overall aesthetics and add some much needed storage space.

Do you have any furniture? What does it look like?

You may want to rethink extending cabinets up to the ceiling. Maybe its just the picture but the fridge is a reference point. It looks like you will require a step ladder to reach anything.

Until you have lived there for a while I wouldn't make any major changes. You can do a lot with color, turquoise, teal and lime green (or other colors of your choosing) make a great combination and do a lot to liven up the area. A small rug in front of the sink and a matching one in front of the outside door. Towels and small accessories in the same color combination will help bring everything together, even pictures on the wall. You can find pictures on the internet that are not expensive and will liven up the space. Keep us informed with your progress. Have fun.

Just something to consider if you're going to paint the cabinets white-ish. My mother has had white-ish cabs and white appliances for 16 years. Her white appliances make her white cabs look dingy since they aren't the bright white of her kitchen appliances. She is purchasing new appliances and has chosen to go with black instead. She has dark granite, (black and green).

The kitchen looks clean and functional. As @kris_zone6 has said, and other commenters likely will, take a deep breath and live in it for 6 months to a year before doing anything beyond simple decorating - (i.e., painting the walls, adding rugs, art on the walls etc.). Don't start painting cabinets. You need time to get a feel for the house and identify what works and doesn't.

After a time, you may even decide to live with it as is for a few years and save up for a complete revamp. Or after awhile you may be happy with how the kitchen functions and decide to keep the cabinets and paint them. I guess my advice would be to don't let your excitement and enthusiasm lead you to make really quick decision.

Good luck and congratulations on the new home!

Pretty house! I think the advice about decor, rather than major changes, will help make your kitchen personal and pretty. Paint, window treatments, accessories, rugs, will make an enormous difference and are easily changed.

For the outside, a couple of tall urn-type planters on either side of the front door, filled with seasonal flowers or other plant material will be a very pretty finishing touch.

Personally, I would not like having a rug under my dining table. It can easily get dirty with food, beverage (wine) that accidentally fall on the floor. Also it is harder to pull your chair when you are done.

Cute house! If budget permits, I would redo the landscape.