Well, how much is your budget? Are you going to DIY? Hire a pro? Here are some changes I think you could make all while keeping your cabinets as they are:

1. Install cabinet hardware.

2. Change out your countertops to a solid quartz or Corian. You could also do granite or some other natural stone, but that all depends on your budget.

3. Rip out the 4” backsplash you have and install a new one.

4. Install under cabinet lighting and install a few recessed lights.

5. Change out your boob light and just make it a recessed light with #4. I would not install pendants in your kitchen so that you keep the sight lines open.

Thanks! We're planning to hire a pro. I'm hoping to keep the renovations under about 12-15k. I've considered keeping the cabinets for cost reasons but I'm having a hard time finding photos of kitchens with those color cabinets. Those are great suggestions though, thanks!

Lighter color solid surface countertops would certainly update the kitchen. Are the appliances in good working condition? If not, stainless steel would also be an improvement, although thaty may not be in the budget. I think you’re having difficulty finding pics with oak cabinets since they are rarely installed anymore. With the heavy grain, painting them so that they look good is a also challenge.

Thanks for those photos. The appliances work perfectly. I too prefer stainless steel appliances though but my first priority is definitely the counter tops. I'm hoping to get estimates soon so I'm trying to at least have an idea of what I want.

Check out the wood kitchen ideabooks of @jhmarie - she has the best collection of pictures and her kitchen is great, too.

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

https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/57579129/thumbs/my-pics-work-in-progress

Awesome, thanks so much!

What are the dimensions of the space?

Houzz won’t let me post pics :/
I hope you can open this.

https://pin.it/4on5zHu

Like the cabinets -- sort of a dark honey oak look. Unless they're damaged, consider keeping them as is. Do, of course, repaint the wall.

Do you like the green countertop/backsplash and want to keep them; if not, consider altering the configuration of your kitchen.

Personally prefer a window above the kitchen sink or putting the sink in a peninsula or island so you're not staring at the wall while working at the sink. Adjoining room size permitting, consider creating a 6' long peninsula left of the sink and put your sink in the center of it. It might be possible to re-use your island base cabinet for this purpose. Consider adding wainscoting to that cabinet whether it is kept as an island or repurposed as a peninsula. You could add a door (sans visible hardware) from the dining side of the peninsula base cabinet to access the corner.

Would add under cabinet lighting. Consider swapping out the boob light for a ceiling fan light that is styled to suit your personal taste.

If you do decide to get new cabinets, then if possible (ie no ductwork or wiring hidden in them) I would remove the soffits. And get frameless cabinets (check out Ikea)

Appliances can often be refaced or painted if otherwise in condition worth the effort - my sister had her 1970s-ish "autumn gold" wall ovens repainted - looked great and held up too. You could even do them in a color!

Other things as others suggested: hardware on cabinets, lighting, change the counter (don't forget to consider solid surface), make sure the finish on the cabinets is spotlessly free of grease buildup, then use wood finish renewal treatment to make them glow. Warm whites or warm pale colors tend to show off oak - avoid tans, beige, yellow though. Bring in a warm color in backsplash tile, or stick with crisp warm white.

Unless you really picture yourself sitting at the island to work, get rid of the overhang- in fact, the island doesn't seem to match the cabinets, so you could replace it with another in a painted finish that occupies a slightly larger footprint.

Yes, agree with you, that's awful. Find a custom kitchen/cabinet shop and go from there.

All great suggestions, thanks everyone!

I wanted to give a quick update on our 90's kitchen renovation. We ended up coming in way under our initial budget. So we have enough left over for new appliances (although I actually like the black appliances with the new color scheme.) I did update the boob light as well but just realized I didn't get it in the pic. It's now a semi-flush mount light. I love it now!

Great job!!

Looks so great! I don’t mind your black appliances either.

It looks amazing! Good job

What an improvement! Good job AND under budget is impressive.

Thanks for coming back to show us - it is always useful to see before/after! The cabinets really look good with the new tile and counter

Thanks everyone! I'm really happy with how it came out especially within budget

What paint color did you use? Your countertops are pretty. What are they?

Thank you! The paint color is Sherwin Williams in Dorian Gray and the countertops are Calacatta Venato Quartz

I agree! It's amazing how much the handles brought the whole look together. I'm not so eager to update the appliances now.