These are additional pics closer up

Unless you have a real clear vision of what you want to change and what you want the house to look like, I would not change anything until you have lived in the house for several months. You don't want to change the floors only to realize 6 months later that you don't really love the kitchen layout, but now you will need to mess up brand new floors to change anything in the layout. Each decision will affect many others down the road, so take your time to come up with a well thought out plan and schedule.

If you love your layout and the cabinets are solid wood and in good shape, yes, paint.

Professionally. Except get new doors. The painting company has connections and can reface those for you.

The arched doors are dated. But, here's a sample of how they would look.

This color is BM Soft Chamois

Some softer whites and warmer grays you may like. Plus, some darker colors. maybe you want a two tone or a darker island color?

I'd replace the backsplash too. 100%, that backsplash has to go!

You may want to replace the granite on either the island or the perimeter.

But, if you want to see what natural oak looks like w/your granite (called Cosmos) here is one w/a Basalt tile backsplash and hickory flooring (these cabinets are beautiful quarter sawn white oak, so a tad diff than yours)

similar cabinets. change your hardware, bring in black vent/appliances, switch out that backsplash. (here they used white subway), oak floors and a nice rub

Beth thank you for all of your input ! Exactly what I was looking for . I will change the backsplash for sure I was on the fence .. I like the black hood idea too ! I had been thinking white dove for the cabinets and one of the blacks for the island as well . Love this idea !

fireplace in the kitchen area..

Hutch.

Would you keep the hutch the same color as the cabinets ? Or another color ?

also would you have any tile ideas ?

again thank you !

Also .. I wanted to add we have parquet wood flooring through the downstairs so I do not want a wood floor in the kitchen area..

not my decor previous home owners ..

A paint job will eventually chip. Even the best ones. Otherwise I agree with everyone who says to wait. Lower cabinets are so dysfunctional compared to lower drawers for example. Don’t do piecemeal. Love with it all a while and then create a whole house plan

I wouldnt paint those cabinets or the hutch etc. Why take something that looks great and paint it. Yes, it will all eventually chip, anything painted will, but, painting is permanent, and yours look nice just the way they are. As for drawers in the bottom, I hate drawers in the bottom, so that part would not bother me at all, since any replacement cabinets in my house wouldnt have drawers either.

there is excessive sq footage but is it set up in the best possible way??? The tall hutch cabinetry on both sides leading to back/side door would warrant some thought if it were mine. you have a train station locker effect and if the space were looked at differently what else could that side area be. Between that and the main LARGE part of kitchen it seems a walk in pantry would consolidate a lot of storage needs and allow something else for the side zone which has become a tunnel entry/exit with what is there. Best bet is to wait and live with this as you likely have endless options..it is so spread out and maybe needlessly . Space can be used in so many ways.

I would not paint the cabinets either, I think the wood is beautiful and has character. Backsplash needs to go for sure. I'm not a fan of that granite, so if it were me I'd rip that out and replace with something more subdued when funds allow (but, if you love it then hey run with it)

ok, so if I keep the cabinets wood, update the handles, keep the granite, redo the backsplash and tile floor, paint the kitchen. Anyone have tile and backsplash ideas? I am thinking of updated black pulls for the cabinets. We are going to live here for a few weeks and make sure this is the final decision. My original thought when I saw the home was the cabinets were not bad but kitchen needed updating.... we can not afford to do a complete gut job at this time. Also what if I painted the kitchen island black only... I want a different gas slide in stove with no back ..

well first off, all the people that say it will chip, wrong. If prepped incorrectly, and not painted correctly, then yes it will chip.

I've been painting all sorts of oak cabinets, furniture, etc for a decade. I take a lot of care in my prep work. It doesn't chip.

secondly, if they can reface the doors, maybe modify the cabs so that you get pull out drawers, it would look brand new.

I just had my custom wood cabinets painted last year. they did a few modifications w/drawers for me. I love it and am so happy to have had it done.

your herringbone floors are gorgeous. why don't you want wood in the kitchen? they could match the wood species and stain color and lace in new planks.

If not, I'd do a large (like 24x24) tile that you like. a dark charcoal would look very nice.

So, that hutch. I'd paint it. Unless you're really in love w/the oak.

here's an oak cabinet painted in a Boxwood green. tell me this looks worse than leaving it as 30-40 year old oak? Your hutch isn't something antique from a craftsman 1910 home. there's a diff.

I'd prob pick a nice black for yours, paint the inside of the cab another color (white if you like) and display some nice pottery.

this cab was done with milk paint. Milk paint and raw wood work beautifully together. It's natural and it's been around for 200 years. I've use milk paint on a lot of antique oak pieces. the colors can be stunning. and yes, they have a black milk paint.

it has a satin finish once finished. it won't peel or chip, unless it's a natural reaction w/the one. this one has a beautiful finish on it. and you can redo the upper doors and make them all glass. wall paper or paint the back panel, get new hardware.

there are many other color options.

here's another shot of another house where they worked w/the oak cabs. you could do a matte black hardware.

As for your tile, I think a white subway would be too stark.

Do you like the basalt tile on that first kitchen I showed you ?

what a about Cloe tile? They have a nice black

Beth, thank you... I was leaning towards painting the cabinets , this women has come highly reccommed and have heard the cabinets have stood up well, with the people she has done work for. I want to paint the majority of the cabinets a warm white , I was thinking Dove white but I am not to sure if that is too white with the granite? I love the black hutch ! Do you think ifs too much if I paint the island black too? There are so many cabinets ...

I would like the large tile that you recommend, but i was thinking of a lighter color, I like the black tile above for the back splash ,but will this now be too much black?

Maybe colors for the floor along these lines ?

I like the limestone choice. you know, Tilebar has a porcelain tile in a 24x24 that is very similar. (Limestone is Travertine. if you can find a porcelain look alike, less hassle for you)

It's called Basic Limestone Ash. you can grab some samples. (get some backsplash samples too)

https://www.tilebar.com/basic-limestone-ash-24x24-matte-porcelain-tile.html

As for cabinet color.

I've painted w/White Dove. some people like it. I thought it was a tad dingy.

Grab a sample of it, Simply White, Oxford white and try them all.

you could do black, or take a look at this one

I said I painted mine last year. I did the wrought iron on the island, and Simply White (but I think the cabinet company went a shade lighter when they converted it to lacquer)

I have a lot of other black and white elements around here that you can't see in the pic.

So I don't think painting your hutch black, and the island, would be too much.

Take a look at black and white kitchens to get a better idea.

(I would modernize your hutch doors on top though. do them in all glass, or remove them for open shelves)

this was another poster. she did SW Naval

Beth, thank you for all your suggestions and I love your kitchen!

shane ian, here's the before. when I look back at this, (and there was nothing wrong with it. other than the finish was wearing off the wood, it was dark and 15 years old!) its hard for me to remember how dark and old it was. I love walking into my new kitchen. And you should too.
you can see how they modified a few big drawers, moved the micro, and I got new drawer/door fronts, removed the dated trim work, totally worth it.